health of his own Soul and for the welfare and happiness of his People and Kingdom utterly to defie except his Queen and Children all such as Councelled him or did themselves intend to suppress the Laws and Ordinances established in the Parliament at Oxford or the Authority and Power which for the advantage of the common good was Granted to the Twelve Peers But the King displeased at these Letters returned not any Answer which made them display their Banners and march towards London and as they passed by the Houses of such as favoured the Kings proceedings on the account of the Popes Bulls they Plundered and Spoiled them and laid many in Ruins by Fire Proclaiming such Persons Enemies to the King and Government Approaching London they sent their Letters to the Mayor and Citizens to know whether they were resolved to support the Laws and Ordinances or not and the Authority of the Twelve Peers protesting before God that themselves meant not nor intended any other thing and if they were found defective in any point a speedy Reformation should be made These Letters were no sooner received and read but they were sent to the King who demanded of the Mayor and Citizens whether they would support those Laws and the Twelve Peers or renounce them but fearing their Plunder when such an Army was at their Gates they Assembled in Common-Hall and agreed to send the King Answer That they would stand by the Laws and Peers tho' a little before they had Sworn to the King to stand by him against all opposers This greatly displeased the King but they setting light by his Anger received the Barons with their Army into the City with many expressions of Joy and from hence they Marched to Windsor Castle and displaced all Strangers rifling them of what they had gotten by their Places and Offices especially such as the Prince had put into Trust this yet more offended the King But his Privy Council laboured to pacify him by sending to the Barons to restore the Goods taken from the Aliens and telling him that from thenceforth none but himself should place Persons in Trust but to neither of these the Barons would accord but at last concluded to put the descision of the Controversie to Lewis the French King and inviolably stand to his Award and King Henry agreeing to it Peace for a time ensued and the Swords on both sides were Sheathed and the matter Stated on either part being controverted before the French King it was by him Decreed That all the said Ordinances and Laws should be Annihilated and from thenceforth no Authority or Power should be left in the Twelve Peers But this Sentence was so distasteful to the Barons that they publickly accused him of Partiality to curry-favour with King Henry absolutely refusing to stand by his Award and so strongly were they bent to maintain whatsoever had been in Parliament Established That they repaired again to the Marches of Wales and Levied new Forces and in their passage to London Spoiled and Burnt the Goods Lordships and Houses of Sr. Roger Mortimer who had Counseled the King against them To oppose their Proceedings Prince Edward Marched with the Kings Army against them and a cruel Battel was fought for the space of a whole Day in which the Prince Acted Wonders beyond what could be expected from his Young Years But most of his Commanders being Slain he was at length compelled to leave the Field and March hastily back again with his broken Army leaving the Barons Masters of the Field After this Victory the Barons Marched their Army to London where they were received with great demonstrations of Joy and soon after the Rifraff of the City contrary to the minds of the sober Citizens appointed to themselves two Captains whom they stiled Constables of London and made Proclamation That all who were affected to their Party should take Arms upon Ringing the great Bell at St. Pauls and so Assembling in a Tumultuous manner they committed many Outrages upon the Houses of those that did not approve their Proceedings and then in a great troop went to the Palace of Richard King Henry's Brother who by the German Princes had been Elected King of the Romans and entering it by force seized and carried away all his Plate Treasure and Rich Furniture pulling down and defacing for the most part that stately Building This made him of a Friend ever after an Enemy to the City and Barons For whereas before he had laboured a Reconcilement between the King and them he utterly gave over that good office and exasperated him to continue the War against them so that the King having notice that Sr. Peter Montfort had gathered considerable Forces near Northampton declaring for the Barons he Marched thither whereupon Mountfort retired into the Town with his Forces and was straightly Besieged so that in a little time it being taken by Assault he with Simon the Earl of Leicesters Son and many others were taken Prisoners and disposed of in several Goals till a further course could be taken with them But the Barons being strong in the Field little regarded this blow but advancing their Banners near Lewis in Sussex gave the Kings Army Battel which continued with such obstinate cruelty on both sides that Fathers and Sons Brothers and other near Relations Killed one another without Remorse and such a havock was made that the Army on either side being much wasted the King taken Prisoner with his Brother c. after Fourteen Hours desperate Fighting and the slaughter of 20000 Men on both sides the Royal Party by these Accidents was so weakened that a Treaty ensued and it was Agreed That the King should by new Articles and the renewing his Oath Confirm the Authority granted to the Twelve Peers and all the Ordinances and Laws with this Caution notwithstanding That Two Lords Spiritual and Two Temporal should take a View of and Examine the said Laws and Ordinances and if they saw any reason to Amend or Alter them they might do it and if they agreed not in their Opinions Then the Duke of Britany as Vmpire should be invested with full Power to Arbitrate and End the Difference And the King and his Brother for standing to this had their Liberty and gave their two Eldest Sons as Hostages who upon that account were detained in the Castle of Dover about nine Months Upon this the King called a Parliament which again crossed his expectation by Confirming and Ratifying the Laws of the Oxford Parliament and Authority of the Twelve Peers which constrained the King to take a new Oath to maintain them and the Peers Authority till according to Agreement if any thing was found amiss it should be Reformed c. and all such as in those Wars or otherwise had Maintained them were Pardoned by the King Whereupon the Young Princes were set at Liberty But soon after fell a Difference between the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester the two heads of the Barons Faction
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
Officers he replenished his Treasury with 236000 Marks And about this time Dr. Scotus called Subtilis Preached against the Popes laying claim to St. Peter's Keys his abusing the Episcopal Authority as also that Transubstantiation which wild Notion had been Introduced not long before was contradictory to Scripture and common Reason but the Popish Clergy soon Persecuted him into silence Long had not the Peace continued between England and Wales ere Llewelling by the rash Perswasions and Incitement of his Brother David a Man more contentious than Provident and less Valiant than Mutinous and yet one whom the King did extraordinarily love and favour fell into Rebellion again forgetting his Oath which made him little prosper in his Enterprize to enlarge his Borders for after many sharp Encounters with Sr. Roger Mortimer the Kings Lieutenant on the Western Marches he and his Brother were taken their Heads struck off and placed on the Tower of London Yet their followers gave not over but kept in Parties Ravaging and Spoiling by Incursions within the English Pale and then with their Booty retired again to their Woods and Fastnesses where they had Builded Huts as if they conceived this Trade would be of a long continuance without shifting But the King not longer able to bear the Cries and Complaints of his suffering Subjects Marched a sufficient Army thither but not finding the Enemy in the Field to Ferret them out he caused the Woods to be cut down and consumed with Fire whereupon some submitted others dyed of Cold and Hunger in their Retreatments and many of the Ringleaders were put to Death by sundry manner of Executions by which means they were reduced to a more sociable kind of life and began to practice divers commendable Occupations Arts and Sciences and took some pleasure from thenceforth to live like Honest Men. After this Alexander King of Scots by a fall from his Horse off a Cliff by the Seaside whither upon some suddain Fright he carried him furiously breaking his Neck and leaving no Male or Female Issue his three Sisters the Eldest of which was Married to John Baliol Earl of Galloway the Second to Robert Le Bruce Lord of Valley Androw and the Third to John Hastings Lord of Abergavennie an English Peer laid claim to the Crown by their most powerful Friends many Disputes passed and Reasonings about it but these little availing it came at last to the Sword which for many Years made miserable Havock in that Kingdom each of the Competitors laying claim to the Crown in Right of their Wives refering the Decision of their Cause to King Edward under whose Ward they agreed to put the Government till matters could be determined whereupon he passed into Scotland attended with a considerable Army there as Soveraign Lord to determine the Strife and put the state of Affairs in good order But such was their mutual desires to Reign that no perswasions prevailed to make any one of them recede from his coveted Soveraignty yet they all agreed by a publick Writing under their Hands and Seals to refer themselves and their Titles to the Censure and Judgment of King Edward and by the same Instrument surrendered the Crown and Administration of Affaires to him To the end that thereby he might enable himself absolutely to possess such a one of them of the Kingdom as in his Judgment ought to have the Regal Dignity conferred on him and with the Writing he received their several Demands and Claims fairly drawn up with the Proofs and Arguments to maintain them Whereupon he Summoned a Council of Twenty English and as many Scotch Noblemen Prelates and Lawyers to consider and advise what was most proper to be done in this great Affair and when he had duly informed himself of the matter and was well satisfied in his Conscience about it he gave the Definitive Sentence in favour of John Bailiol who had Married the Eldest of the Three Sisters and he upon doing Homage to King Edward received from him the Crown and Government of Scotland Whilst these things were doing the French supposing the King over-busied in so weighty a matter and not altogether at leasure to mind his own concerns entered into Guyan Gascoyne and other his Territories beyond the Seas taking some Towns and committing many Outrages on his Subjects and their Possessions The King roused upon notice of this inâ—ury done him summoned his wonted Courage and gave speedy orders for Levying a potent Army but upon computing the Charge Money was found in a great measure wanting so that by the Advice of William Marcbyan his Treasurer he exacted it of the Clergy who for the most part having been exempted from the charge of former Wars were grown very Rich he demanded of them half the profit of their Ecclesiastical Revenues seizing into his hands the useless or superfluous Plate Jewels and Treasure of the Churches Abbies Monasteries and other Religious Houses and Places This made them exceedingly murmur against him and labour to Alienate the Hearts of his Subjects from him tho' in some sort he was not wanting to give them satisfaction by promising restitution when his Treasure should by encreased and tho' they little relied on such a Promise as thinking the King would at no time empty his own Coffers to replenish theirs finding they should be stript of their Treasure without remedy they found out another way as they supposed to make themselves amends in time though no great matter presently could be expected from it There had been a Statute Enacted in the Fourth Year of his Reign strictly Prohibiting the giving and conveying Lands or Tenements to any Corporation whatsoever called The Statute against Mortmain unless with the Kings consent and this stood in the way especially to hinder Persons in their Wills to bequeath any thing of that kind to the Church or Religious Houses This they prayed might be Revoked But he Replyed As of himself he could make no Laws so without the Consent of Parliament much less could he Annihilate them for he was honester than to pretend to a Dispensing Power and tho' this vexed them inwardly to be frustrated of all that could be expected to their advantage yet such was the power he had gained oveâ— them that they durst not express any outward dislike of his Proceedings After this he imposed a Subsidy upon every Sack oâ— Wooll also upon all Flesh and Hides that were to bâ— Transported out of the Kingdom and further to maintain his Wars required the tenth part of every Mans Substance or moveable Goods compelling the Clergy over and above to bring into his Treasury all such Sums of Money as they had promised to remit to Rome for the Popes use towards the maintenance of the War against the Turks and other Infidels in the Holy Land and so having sufficient he Transported his Armies sending with them besides other Necessaries 100000 Quarters of Wheat for their Subsistance where many Battels were Fought between the English and French in
to be Spokesman who laid many Reasons before her of the Necessity at that juncture which required her consent But with Sighs and Tears she Replied That the Duke being Sickly and Weak none was more fit than his own Mother to look to him that Brothers when together rarely so well agreed as with those that were not so near a kin But the main is said she my Lord it is dangerous that these Princes as Affairs stand should be together since asunder they are each others safety And if the one of them do well the other cannot be in Peril or Danger and there is nothing more hazardous than to keep them in one place since the Life of the one separate is maintained in the Body of the other But for all these Reasons perceiving he would be forced from her if she consented not willingly to deliver him after many tender Kisses and falling Tears praying Almighty God to preserve and defend him from all dangers she delivered him bitterly Weeping to the Arch Bishop saying That before the High Majesty of Heaven she should require that poor Innocent Infant at his Hands The Protector who with many Nobles waited in the Star-Chamber was over-joyed when he saw the Arch-Bishop return with what he so passionately desired and taking the Young Duke in his Arms he kissed him and said Welcom my Lord with all my Heart Protesting so great a love to him that most believed it real Thus having gotten the Prize he aimed at the better to secure it he conveyed both him and the King in great State through the City of London to the Tower in order as he pretended to the Coronation when things were setled tho' indeed there was nothing out of frame but what himself had disordered where having placed them under such as he confided in he began more openly to tamper with the Duke of Buckingham whom he knew was Popular and Powerful offering to Marry his Son to his Daughter and give him the Earldom of Hartford which the Duke claimed in King Edward's time as his Right but could not obtain if he would to the utmost endeavour to place the Crown on his Head and by this means he won him entirely to his Interest tho' it afterward proved to his destruction For Gloucester being made King performed nothing of his promise The next thing he had to do was to gaine the Lord Hastings who had been in high favour with Edward the Fourth and was now Lord Chamberlain to the Young King but fearing to disclose his mind openly to him for great Rewards he procured one Catesby a Favourite of Hastings secretly with dark discourse to sound him This Man tho' he had been maintained by that Lord and had his Fortunes raised to what he was by him proved so Treacherous that having done what he could and finding that Lord no ways inclinable to favour Gloucester's design he not only told him of it but encouraged him to remove him out of the World if he intended to compass his desires Which being Resolved on he called a Grand Council of Lords at the Tower to consider of suitable preparations for the Coronation and when they had sat a considerable time he came in and took his Chair Jesting with some of them after he had excused his too long stay requesting of Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely some Strawberries that grew in his Garden at Holbourn which he immediatly sent for and took it as a favour that the Protector was so kind to him as to put it in his power to oblige him in any thing for there had been formerly no good understanding between them Then making excuse for a short Absence he desired them to proceed in the method proposed when about an hour after coming in he took his Chair frowning biting his â—ip and rubbing his Fist which tokens oâ— displeasure strangely amazed them so that they kept a profound silence which the Protector perceiving demanded what punishment they deserved who had wickedly procured his destruction he being Unkle and Protector of the King This amused them more than before but knowing themselves Innocent of any such intention the Lord Hastings who by reason of the antient Friendship that had been between them thinking he might make bold Replied My Lord such as have so transgressed deserve the severest Punishment the Law can inflict To which the other Lords Assented Then said he that Sorceress meaning the Queen and Shoars Wife having Conspired by Witchcraft to destroy me So drawing up his Sleeve he shewed his Arm which had been wasted from his Infancy as they all knew as a Testimony of what he had said biding them behold how their Charms had begun already to take effect on him Hereupon the Lord Hastings who had taken Jane Shoar to his Bed upon the Death of King Edward thinking to excuse her said My Lord if they have done so they deserve punishment Thou Traytor Replyed the Protector Servest thou me with Iffs and And 's I tell thee they have done it and that I will make good upon thy Body And so striking his Fist upon the Table the Room was presently filled with Armed Men one of which struck at the Lord Standley and as nimble as he was to sink under the Table grievously Wounded him in the Head and himself Arrested the Lord Hastings biding him make hast to shrive himself For by St. Paul which was his usual Oath he would neither Eat nor Drink till his Head was off And accordingly he was Beheaded on a Log on the Green within the Tower and the same day by the Protectors order the Lords and Sir Thomas Vaughan were Beheaded at Pomfret to whose Death this Lord had consented as appears by his own Story to one Hastings a Priest whom he met on Tower-Hill as he was going to the Council viz. That he should soon hear that Snare they had laid for him in Edward the Fourths time which caused him much trouble would now take themselves One thing more is remarkable The Lord Stanley the Night preceding Dreamed That he and Hastings were Wounded by a Boar that the Blood run about his Ears and seeing the Protector had the White Boar for his Cognizance he truly Interpreted it desiring he would accompany him in Flying ere they could be missed out of his reach but he made slight of it desiring the Messenger to tell his Lord That Dreams were Fables and Fancies yet at his Death he repented he had not taken this warning as sent from Heaven The Protector having Imprisoned the Lord Stanley Arch-Bishop of York Cardinal Bishop of Ely and several others put himself and the Duke of Buckingham into old Armour as if first come to hand in some great danger and sending for the Lord Mayor and many of the chief Citizens movingly told them That himself and the Duke of Buckingham were by Conspiracy of Hastings and his Accomplices to have been Murthered at the Council Table had he not by force prevented it desiring them
in the Year 1682. The chief Witness against him was Rumsey who Swore That the Declaration for a Rising being read Alderman Cornish being present and being ask'd how he lik'd it he answer'd Very well and what poor Interest he had he would join in it And yet this Fellow at the Lord Russel's Tryal Swore Cornish was not there when the Declaration was read nor knew nothing of it However the Alderman's Death was resolved on and both Judge and Jury being agreed he was found Guilty Condemn'd and on the 23th of the same Month executed in Cheapside over against the Guild-Hall of the City Declaring his Innocency as to what he was Condemn'd for to the very last And indeed Heaven it self attested it for him for his Execution was follow'd with such a dreadful Storm of Wind attended with Thunder Lightning and Rain as the like has scarce happened at that time of the Year in the Memory of Man His true Crime was That he was a Zealous Protestant that had serv'd the City Faithfully in his Shrievalty and had Examined Fitz-Harris in Newgate and had like to have discovered the Depth of that cursed Design against the Protestants The same Day also one Mrs. Gaunt a Woman of great Goodness and Charity was burn'd at Tyburn for relieving a Lieutenant under Monmouth in the West himself being the Witness against her for which he had his Pardon And now the Parliament met again and the King tells them how he had Defeated Monmouth and that several Popish Officers had been very useful to him therein that he could not be without their Service and that the Militia was not sufficient without keeping up a standing Army and hopes they will help him to Defray the Charge but the Parliament address to him to Disband his Popish Officers and offers to pass an Act to Indempnify them from the Penalties they had already incurr'd in serving without having taken the Test appointed by Law This Address of the Commons was very surprising to the King who expected from them absolute Obedience without Reserve But the King was much more Surpriz'd when he understood that the Bishop of London had made a motion in the House of Lords to take the King's Speech into Consideration as fearing the Lords would concur with the Commons in their Address But the King was resolved to prevent it and therefore first Prorogued and soon after Dissolved the Parliament who had been so large in their Supplies the first Session that now too late they saw he was able to live without them The Parliament's questioning of the Popish Officers had put them all into a Fright but the Parliament being Dissolved they were all at ease again and nothing but Popish Officers and Priests and Jesuites are seen about the Court who were grown to an unparallell'd degree of Impudence And yet to find Fault with them was a Crime next to High-Treason But the King finding the Penal Laws and Tests stand as a mighty Obstacle in his way was resolv'd to remove them In order to which the Lord-Keeper North dying while Jefferies was keeping the Bloody Assizes in the West at his return back he had the Seals given him with the Title of Lord-Chancellor as a Reward for his good Service in destroying the Western Hereticks and as an encouragement to him to destroy the Penal Laws and Tests the great Bulwark against Popery And therefore dispensing Power in the King is that which must next be set up in order to effect it And the Judges must be dealt with to give their Opinions for it And I have been certainly told That the King Closetting Sir Thomas Jones about it Sir Thomas was not enough thorow paced but boggled at it and told the King He could not do it to which the King answering He would have twelve Judges of his Opinion Sir Thomas Replyed He might have twelve Judges of his Opinion but he would scarce find twelve Lawyers of his Opinion But the King was as good as his Word and made such Judges as gave their Opinions That the King might dispense with the Penal Laws and Tests out of Parliament The Papists having always look'd upon the Church of England with an evil Eye did so now more than ever they having writ several Elaborate and Learned Books in opposition to the principal Errors of Popery which they were never able to answer But they were resolv'd if they could not deal with them one way they would another and therefore the King granted a Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs expresly contrary to Law thereby to Curb them This Commission was Granted to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Lord Chancellor Jefferies the Earl of Rochester the Earl of Sunderland the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Rochester and the Lord-Chief-Justice of England But the Arch-bishop of Canterbury refusing to act in it the Bishop of Chester was added Before these Commissioners the Bishop of London was Cited and Suspended for not Suspending Dr. Sharp for Preaching a Sermon against the Corruptions and Frauds of the Church of Rome In Ireland the King having recalled the Duke of Ormond from his Lieutenancy made the Earl of Clarendon Lieutenant and Sir Charles Porter Lord-Chancellor who after their arrival there declared according to their Instructions that the King would preserve the Acts of Settlement and Explanation inviolable as the Magna-Charta of Ireland But at the same time the King having given to Collonel Richard Talbot a Man not at all belov'd by the Protestants an Independent Commission to reform the Army and he turns out those Officers that were firm to the Protestant Religion and the English Interest and puts Notorious Irish Papists in their Room and serves not only the Officers but even the private Troopers and Soldiers that were Protestants in the same manner So that one of the best principled Armies in the World both with respect to Loyalty and a firm adherence to the Protestant Religion was turn'd out and Disbanded and a parcel of Irish Popish Cut-Throats entertain'd in their places which seemed strange to the English Protestants there and not at all agreeable to what my Lord Clarendon and Sir Charles Porter had told them who were not themselves pleased with it but knew not how to help it But in England the King having established his Dispensing Power puts forth a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience pursuant to which the Goals all over England that were fill'd with Protestant Dissenters were clear'd and the Dissenters set at Liberty Who having been long oppress'd and almost ruin'd by severe Prosecutions for several Years together were now glad of a little Ease tho' the most Judicious among them saw clearly enough it was not for their Sakes but to introduce Popery that this Indulgence was principally Granted and therefore were always afraid of the Snake hid in the Grass The Episcopal Clergy who in the late Reign and the beginning of this also had been very severe to Dissenters began now to see they had
greate noise of Terrour in Combates the Women usually going to War with them and not only Fighting Couragiously by their Husbands sides Animating them by their Courage but often Commanding Battalions and Armys as the Romans too fatally found when they strugled with much Slaughter 123 Years for this Island The Britains appear by all Authors to have been very sparing in their Diet and not much given to Venery Though they had many Wives in Common amongst Brothers and Kindred yet the Children redounded to his credit who first Cropt the Mothers Virgin Rose And by this means as Plutarch a very judicious Author affirms they were of so Healthful and Lively a Constitution That many if not most in the warm Southern parts according to the Term of a Natural Life exceeded 130 Years Yet they much delighted in Ornaments as Bracelets Beads Iron Rings c. And preferred their Paint'd and Carv'd Skins before the most gaudy Cloathing Their Agriculture was but little though the Earth much invited them to it by its promising Fruitfulness They had not the use of Ploughs and only Sowed their Grain on the Mellowest Land after Rain then laying great weights on bundles of Bushes drag it over in the nature of Harrowing Yet they had found out the way of making their Drink with sodden Barly which though perhaps in a higher Improvement continues to this day to the great Advantage and Health of the Moderate People of the Nation As for the flesh of Fowl and Wild Creatures they declin'd it as they did likewise Fish and Milk Then Hares were found in such abundance That they Flock'd together like Sheep fearless of the Hunter or his Hounds Their Opinions in Theology were That the Souls of Men Dyed not but according to Pythagoras had a Transmigration from one Body to another And on their Solemn Days their Druid's and Bards Sung the Praises of Renowned Heroes such as had Dyed in War or been Famous for any Rare Invention and this they did to Incourage and stir up others to Imitation INSULAE ALBION et HIBERNIA cum minoribus adjacentibus Nor did they carry any Provisions with them when they set out only creeping along the Shoar or in Calm Weather Wafting over to the Gallick or Belgian Shoar And most of their Business was to carry Grain and Metals with the latter of which the Island did then and still abounds And some are apt to think for that cause the Greeks Coasting in these Seas and finding the Island abounding with Metals Named it Britania from Prutania Metal or the Metal-Island As for ENGLAND that now so called Exempt from Wales and Scotland it had its Denomination from the East Angloens who seated themselves in the East Angle Kingdom to the Eastern Sea in the time of the Saxon Heptarchie or Seven Kingdoms and that Name through all Revolutions and Changes it has retained for above 900 Years This Land has been taken for the Fortunate Island set forth with many Praises and Encomiums by the Greek Poets and Charles the Great rightly termed it The Grainary and Store-House of the Western World Thus having given you a Brief Account of the Antient Inhabitants of this Country I proceed to shew how it was divided amongst their several Tribes and so come closer to the more sollid Body of History ENGLAND and WALES was possessed by 17 Tribes of Native Britains under these distinctions viz. 1. The Canti possessed Kent 2. Regni Sussex and Surry 3. Durotriges Dorsetshire 4. Damnonij Cornwall and Devonshire 5. Belgae Somersetshire Wiltsâ—â—re and Southamptonshire 6. Artabatij Berkshire 7. Dobuni Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire 8. Catieuclani Warwickshire Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire 9. Trinobants Hartfordshire Middlesex and Essex 10. Iceni Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge and Huntingtonshires 11. Coritani Rutland Northamptonshire Lincolnshire Leicestershire Derbyshire and Notinghamshire 12. Cornabij Staffordshire Worcestershire Shropshire and Cheshire 13. Ordovices Flintshire Denbighshire Carnarvanshire Montgomeryshire and Merionethshire 14. Brigantes Parisi Lancashire Yorkshire Richmondshire Durham Westmoreland and Cumberland 15. Silulers Herefordshire Radnorshire Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire 16. Dimetae Caermarthenshire Pembrookshire and Cardiganshire 17. Ottodoni Northumberland Tweedale Tiffedale March and Louthain Whilst these Tribes were scattered up and down in the several Counties then full of Woods which they Inhabited Lud King of the Trinobants Dyed He was wonderfully beloved not only of his own Subjects but of all the Britains for the good offices he had done them in reconciling their Differences puting an End to many Bloody Wars that fell out amongst them and civilizing their Manners constituting sundry wholsom Laws thereby making them lay aside many of their Barbarous Customs He held a free correspondence with the Gauls and was much Honoured by them their Kings sending him divers Rich Presents as also Artificers to assist him in Building or Enlarging Troy Novant or New Troy which he afterward called by his own Name Care Lud or Lud Town now the famous City of London which then reached no further than Dowgate Eastward the Houses standing up and down Angular and not Regular in Streets Yet he Inclosed it with a good Wall defended by Bullwarks and on it many Watch-Towers calling its Western Gate Lud's Gate which Name it retaines to this day placing his own Effigies in Marble on the Inside of it At his Death he Recommended his two Sons Andragius and Temantius being very Young to the care of Cassibelan his Brother who held his Regal Seat at Verulam now called St. Albanes in Hartford-shire Upon the Death of King Lud the People came and offered the Principality to him and the Heirs of his Body by consent of the Three Estates of the Trinobants viz. those of Essex Middlesex and Hartford-shire But in consideration of his Trust and his Nephews Rights he contented himself with only a Part for when they came to Age he placed Andrageus in Troynovant or London joyning to it all Middlesex and the Dukedom of Kent which in that time he had Conquered bringing the Canti under his Subjection And to Temantius he gave the Dukedom of Cornwall his Right by Marriage Reserving to himself Hartfordshire and Essex only Thus for the space of Seven Years the Nation continued in a happy state after the Death of King Lud before whose Departure a Terrible Blasing-Star with a Bloody Taile appeared at South West for the space of Fifteen Nights being likewise seen in many other Lands Fore-running the Miserys that afterward befell this Kingdom For now Andrageus a Prince of a haughty Spirit considering his Vnkle detained from him part of his Inheritance raised a mighty power and Invaded Hartfordshire But three Miles beyond Barnet being Fought with by Cassibelan he was there overthrown with a fearful Slaughter soon after driven out of most of his Possessions which so possessed him with Anger and desire of Revenge That hearing Julius Caesar who was then but a Roman Consul had subdued all Gallia now called France and a great part of Germany and given Refuge
with the Bodies and Blood of the Slain but fresh Forces arriving they found themselves constrained to submit and had to augment their Miseries great Tribute lay'd on them so that they groaned under the burthen of their Opression This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 72 and Reigned Nine Years Titus Vespasian his Son succeeded him in the Empire and sent Offers of Peace to the Britains who accepted them He for his good Nature and Humanity was stiled Delicii Humani Generis The Delight of Mankind He took off part of the Taxes and permitted the Exercise of the Christian Religion which began to flourish in this Island making it his business every Evening to Examine his Actions of the past Day and if he had done no Good Deeds he accounted that Day lost yet his Reign was short viz. Two Years and Three Months Dying greatly Lamented throughout the Empire Domitian his Brother Succeeded him a Person of a cruel Nature who had sought his Death but was prevented This Man began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 he turned his rage and fury against the Christians causing multitudes of them to be Tortured to Death not only in this Land but throughout his Empire inventing New Torments which he first try'd in his Solitudes on Flys and other Insects so that when any one asked Who was with the Emperour It was the usual answer Non Musca not so much as a Fly He appointed Julius Agricola his Lieutenant whom the British Princes of the North opposed making a great Slaughter of his Souldiers but after many Skirmishes in a set Battel were overthrown on the borders of the Tweed Whereupon he Marched his Army through that Country now call'd Scotland with little opposition and was the first Roman that found this Country to be an Island 136 Years after the Landing of Julius Caesar This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 and Reigned 15 Years having caused to be destroyed by several sorts of Deaths 10000 Christians At his Death a terible Tempest and Earthquake happened Flames ascended out of the Ground in Cornwal and the Sea broak in on the Essex-Shoar destroying many Villages Towns People and Cattel and Ebbing again left many Monstrous Fishes on the Plains Coceeius Nerva Succeeding this cruel Emperour recalled his Edicts against the Christians gave Peace to the Britains and had done many good things had he not been too hastily disappointed by Death He was called the Patron of the Poor being very Charitable His Reign began Anno 99. and continued only Ten Months Trajan Succeeded Nerva and at his first enterance began the Third Persecutian against the Christians he appointed Spartianus his Lieutenant in Britain with whom the British Princes Fought divers Battels with various success but were at last compell'd to submit being wasted with Slaughter and a grievous Famine that happened amongst them This Emperours Reign began Anno 100 and continued 21 Years and six Months before his Death a terrible Blazing-Star appear'd and the Sea in many places seemed all on Fire in the Night-time Strange and Amazing Voices were heard in the Air and the Water of the Humber seemed for two Days of the colour of BLOOD Adrian continued the Persecution of the Christians with great earnestness making the Streets of the Principal Towns stream with their Blood He appointed Trebellus his Lieutenant in Britain and though he had no open War with the Britains he wasted great numbers of them in digging Mines draining Marshes and making Bridges over Rivers to which servile Labours they were compell'd with rigor He began his Reign Anno Dom. 121 and continued it 22 Years Antonius Pius Succeeding Adrian stayed the Persecution of the Christians restoring them to their Goods and Lands that had been taken from them He constituted Lollius Vrbicus his Lieutenant in Britain against whom the Brigantes made head surprized him in his security and cut off a great number of his Souldiers But afterward in a bloody Battel they were overthrown compelled to submit and pay large Taxes to be restor'd to their possessions This Emperour was called the Patron of Virtue from the gifts and rewards he distributed among pious and learned Men. In his time the Christian Religion flourished and many places of Publick Worship were errected in Britain He began his Reign Anno 139 and Reigned 23 Years Marcus Aurelius Succeeding Antonius Abrogated his Edicts in favour of the Christians and Persecuted them with great fury Agricola was his Lieutenant in Britain and kept the Country in Peace all his time He began his Reign Anno 162 and continued it 19 Years Commodus though of a very wicked Life was however moved at the Sufferings of the Christians and restrained the Persecution In his time flourished King Lucius a Britain Son to King Coillus who Built Colchester and great Grandson to King Arviragus who Married the Emperour Drusius's Daughter He to the honour of this Nation was the first King in the World that embraced Christianity and by it set a good Example to others and to be the better informed in so Sacred a matter he sent Elvanus and Medvinus two of his Learned Counsellors to Elutherius Bishop of Rome to commune with him and receive Instructions from him for the good Government of his Kingdom The good Bishop at this greatly rejoyced and not only Instructed them in the Holy Faith but sent Faganus and Damianus to the King with the following Letter Good King you have received as I understand by your Messengers to my great Rejoycing in the Kingdom of Britain by Gods Mercy both the Law and the Faith of Christ Jesus our ever Blessed Lord you have both the Old and New Testament out of the same through Gods Grace by the Advice of your Realm take a Law and by the same through Gods sufferance Rule you your Kigndom of Britain for in that Kingdom you are Gods Vicar By this we see what different Spirits the Bishops of Rome were of in the time of Primitive Christianity to what they have since been they were then too Modest to Usurp Authority out of their own Jurisdiction and claim Supremacy over Kings yet Luxury Pride and Riches has since brought them not only to such a prodigious height of Arrogancy to set the World in a Flame with Wars and Mischiefs but even to dare to Corrupt the Holy Scriptures and by bringing in Traditions of their own jostle out the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles filling the Nations with Blood and laying them Disolate where they have been opposed or their Revenge could take place The King upon this Advice called a Council and changed the Seats of the three Arch Flammins or Heathen Priests into Arch Bishopricks Viz. at London Glocester and York and the 24 Subordinate Flammins into so many Bishops Sees The Idol Gods of the Britains were laid in the Dust who were many viz. Taramis or Jupiter Tutates or Mercury Helus or Mars Hues or Bacchus Belenus or Apollo Belisama or the Moon Owvana or Minerva
the latter Ruling with the former Four Years beginning his Reign Anno 365. He at first recalled Nazianzen and Basil from Banishment and was Baptized by Eudoxius but after turned Arian and Persceuted the Orthodox Clergy and when they sent Petitions to him he caused Eighty of them to be carryed to Sea in a Ship and the Ship set on Fire But Gratian was more Merciful and did many good Acts Building the ruined Churches and calling home the Banish'd Clergy He Reigned Six Years but neither of them had any Wars with Britain Maximinus and Valentinas began to Reign Anno Dom. 373 and are held to reign about Six Years though History seems to take but little notice of the former The Britaâ— in their time were free from Wars Theodosius began his Reign and continued it about Four Years Flavius Stillico was his Deputy in Britain but I read of no Wars with this Nation his Hands being otherwise fill'd in opposing the Goths and other Barbarous Nations who broke like a Torrent into the Roman Provinces In his time was held The Second General Council and the First at Constantinople Great Damages by Sea and Land were sustained by an Earth-Quake which lasted Six Months ENGLAND As it was divided in the time of the English Saxons especially during their Heptarchy Theodosius the Younger and Valentinianus began their Reign 402. In their time The Third General Council was held at Ephesus the first held there And now the Red Horse with his Rider mentioned in the Revelation seemed to be sent forth to take Peace from the Earth The Roman Empire was Invaded in all parts so that they were forced to re-call their Souldiers from Britain and other remote Provinces to aid them nearer home leaving this Island after they had possessed it 597 Years And then the Saxons being call'd in as Friends to assist them against the Picts proved greater Enemies as will appear in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. How on the Departure of the Romans the Picts and Scots Invaded the Britains The Succours the Romans sent them and the Wall built from Sea to Sea to prevent Incursions By what means the Saxons were called In in the Reign of King Vortigern and how they got Footing so Strongly as to setle their Heptarchie or Seven Kingdoms Their Original Manners Laws Customs and Religion THE Romans as is said being embroyled in dangerous Wars in Italy and other Provinces in their vast Empire having left this Kingdom naked and defenceless by draining the Youths of Britain to serve them in Transmarine parts of whom afterwards they setled a Colony in France or antient Gallia which is now called Britany The Picts a People of Germany who had Established a Kingdom in the Marches of England and Scotland took this opportunity to encroach on the Britains in the South and West Counties but finding themselves too weak to make any considerable advances they Leagued with the Scots who possessed the Northern parts of the Island and divers small Islands scatter'd in the Ocean towards the Coast of Denmark and Norway These joyntly raising great Forces broke in violently making great Slaughter and Ravages in Cumberland Northumberland Durham Yorkshire and other Northern Counties laying all Religious Places waste with Sword and Fire so that the distressed People fled before them Yet the Britains took Courage and gave them Battel but after this and several other overthrows they found themselves so weakened that they were constrained to send Embassadors to Honorius the Roman Emperour Imploring his Protection to save their sinking Country out of the Hands of their Merciless Enemies This good Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent a choice Legion by whose assistance and instructing them in the Millitary Art they with great Slaughter drove the far-advanc'd Picts and Scots beyond the Marches and to exclude them the British Provinces a mighty Wall with vast Labour and Expence was erected from the Frith of Edenborough to the City Alcluith on Dumbriton with Bullwarks and Watch-Towers in which Guards were placed to give notice of the Enemies approach and to defend the Stupendious Work But it little availed for no sooner was the Roman Legion recalled but the Picts and Scots assembled in great Numbers and with their long Hooks and Bills pulled the half-Starved Britains from their Battlements and with an Engine called a War-wolfe broke a passage through and then with all their power rushed in like a Torrent laying every thing waste before them whilst others from Scotland came in their Carroghs or small Barks and Landed on the Banks of the Humber in swarms The poor Britains finding themselves so hardly distressed between two insolent Enemies sent their Embassadors a second time to Valentinian the Third then Emperour of Rome with Rent Garments and Dust on their Heads in a mournful manner to implore him That he would not suffer a Province which had been so serviceable to the Roman State to fall under the Scorn and Insolence of Merciless Pagans setting forth at large the Miseries their Country laboured under with such moving Oratory that the Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent two Legions of Foot and three Cohorts of Horse who coming unexpectedly on the Ravenous Spoilers overthrew them with a terrible Slaughter covering the Fields and Lanes with their Dead Bodies beating and pursuing them beyond the Wall taking Camelon the chief City of the Picts building a stronger Wall than the former of Stone and mighty Piles of Timber the Ruins of which are visible at this Day it being then Twelve Foot high and Eight broad traversing the Island from Sea to Sea and for the good-will the Romans bore the Britains they taught them the Art of Arms and manner of Intrenching furnishing them with Weapons and other Necessaries and having setled affaires they took their leave telling the Natives who Mourned their Departure That they must take Courage and Defend themselves for as much as the Romans could not any more undertake such chargeable and hazardous Voyages for their sake seeing they had powerful Enemies to contend with nearer home However the Romans departing and they being Oppressed again by their old Enemies sent thhs Deplorable Letter to Aetius President of Galia for Assistance Superscribed To Aetius the third time Consul the Groans of the BRITAINS Viz. The Barbarians drive us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back upon them between these Extreames we are exposed either to be slain with the Sword or drowned in the Waves and to avoid either we find no Remedy unless most Excellent Roman you will compassionate our extream Misery and send us speedy Aid to repel our cruel Enemies This however prevailed not for the Romans unable to defend themselves against the Huns and Vandals renounced their claim to this Island refusing to send any more Forces Whereupon after divers unsuccessful Battels some of the Britains through Famine were forced to yeild themselves Slaves to their Enemies but others preferring Liberty before Life betooke them to the Fastnesses in
or Fastnesses of Wales and Cornwal which gave the Saxons by degrees an opportunity to form the several Counties their Chiefs had possessed into Kingdoms 1. Hengist the first Invader made himself King of Kent in the time of Vortigern Anno Dom. 455 erecting there the Kentish Kingdom 2. Ella a Duke of the Germans who brought fresh Supplies and Landed at Shoram in Sussex his Dominions extending through the Counties of Sussex and Surry he began his Reign Anno Dom. 488. 3. Childrick a Captain of the Low-Country Germans erected the West-Saxon Kingdom containing Cornwal Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Hampshire and Barkshire Anno Dom. 501. 4. The East Saxons Kingdom was erected by Erchenwin Anno Dom. 527 containing Essex and Middlesex 5. The Kingdom of Northumberland containing Yorkshire the Bishoprick of Durham Lancashire Westmoreland Cumberland and Nortbumberland was erected by two Saxon Chiefs viz. Ida and Ella who as Co-partners began their Reign Anno Dom. 547. 6. The Kingdom of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Rutlandshire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Shropshire Leicestershire Derbyshire Notinghamshire Oxfordshire Cheshire Glocestershire Warwickshire Staffordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire being the largest of all was erected by Crida one of their great Captains Anno Dom. 582. 7. The Kingdom of the East-Angles containing Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and the Isle of Ely was erected by Vffa who brought fresh Aids against the Britains when the Saxons were in many parts distressed Anno Dom. 575. Thus you see how this Island was coveted and strugled for by strange Nations as soon as they had tasted of its Sweetness and saw its Fertility Its Fruitfullness and abundant plenty of all things necessary for the subsistance of Mankind being a great Motive to encourage them in its Conquest and in that sense a great cause of its own Misery But ere I come to give a direct Account of the Kings that Governed these Kingdoms before they were United under a Sole Monarch and the British Princes that Opposed them in their Setling I think it necessary to say something as to what these Saxons were in their Original with a Brief Discourse of their Laws Manners Habits Customs Idolatrous Worship and other things that shall Occur suitable to History As for their Original Historians report them to have sprung from the Sacae a People in the Lesser Asia who being distressed with great Droughts and Famine sent Colonies abroad to seek more agreeable Habitations who coming into the North-East part of Europe and finding Plentiful Countries they sent for greater Forces to Enable them to settle therein and so after a long and doubtful War with the Strong Nations that bordered on Germany viz. Prusia Poland and Hungary they got possession planting their Families in the most Fruitful part of that large Region calling it Sacaesons Land or Saxony And in a short time by Warring on their Neighbours stretched their Dominions from the River Albis to the Rhine in Length and in Breadth from the German Ocean and River Oder to the Borders of Hessia and Turingia But the Country held at present by the Dukes of Saxony is crouded into a narrower compass having lost by its Neighbours incroachments much of its former Extension Their Leader in this Expedition was one Tuysco whom for his Valiant Exploits and giving them Laws to Govern by they stiled a God seting his Image on a Pillar in the Figure of an Aged Man in flowing Robes of Purple holding a Scepter in his Hand signifying he was the first Establisher and Governour of their European Dominions and ascribed to him a Day in the Week by the Name of Tuysco's Day and now by us called Tuesday The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Sun Moone Tuysco Woden The Idol of the Sun was made as here Appeareth lile half a naked man set upon a Piller his face like the Image of the Sun The Idol of the Moon made for a Woman but had a short coat like a man w th a cap with a larg eares the holding the Moon before her brest The Idol Tuysco the first and Chiefest man of name among the Germans The Idol Woden after the name of a most valient and Victorious Prince Captain his Idol was worshipped like God As for their Laws or Customs They Punished Robbers and Adulterers with Death Their Virgins were permitted to be Marry'd but Once and their Men restrained from Plurality of Wives unless the Chief of their Tribes for the sake of Children to keep up their Names and Families tho Barrenness was accounted among them an immediate Curse from their Gods If any great Difference arose among them it was usually decided by Champions in single Combate As for their Worship or Religion upon their first coming over and a long time after it was pay'd to Idols of which they had many and with their Abominations and Heathenish Sacrifices they poluted the Christian Churches and Temples grievously Afflicting and Persecuting the Mournful Christians making them to Wander in Desolate Places 1. They set up the Image or Idol of the Sun in the form of half a naked Man on a Pillar with Rays or Sun-beams about his Face holding in his two Hands before his Breast a Wheel of Circling Flame representing the Element of Fire and this Image was Worshiped on the day attributed to it viz. Sunday And Offerings made of Wheat and other products of the Earth in its Temple 2. They had another Idol to represent the Moon having the Face of a Woman a short Coat to the midle of the Thighs and a Hood with long Ears holding the Figure of the Moon in its Encrease with both her Hands before her Breast and to it they did Nightly Sacrifice in Groves and Mountains This Idol claimed peculiar Devotions on her day called Moonday 3. Tuysco who claimed Veneration on Tuesday which I have already described his Feast was kept every third Moon with Songs declaring his Actions with Dancing and much Jollitry 4. Woden this Idol was set up in Memory of one of their Victorious Princes who had Fought successfully against the Huns and Lumbards who entered Germany in the wain of the Roman Empire They placed him in King-like State on a Pillar a Crown on his Head and a Shield on his Left Arm holding up a Sword in his Right Hand To him they Offered Humane Sacrifice of the Tenth Captives taken in War and forbid any to Name him unless with Reverence and profound Respect ascribing to him a day viz. Wodensday now Wednesday and Lamps were always Burning before his Shrine The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Thor Friga Seater Flint This Idol was Majestically placed upon a Covered bed on his head a Crown of Gold This Idol Represents both sexes as Hermophrodite in her Right hand she held a drawn sword in her left a Bow This Idol was placed on a Pearch with a sharp prickled back bare headed and bare footed This Idol was set on a great Stone made like the Image of Death with a sheet
about him 6. Friga or Frea was Wodens Queen upon the account of Chastity and other Virtues after her Death they set up an Idol in her Likeness on a Pillar resembling Diana compleatly Armed to the Waste with a Bow and a Sword and to her were often Sacrificed those Females that had Violated their Virgin-Chastity Some Authors allow her to have been Expert in Arms by whose Prowess the Antient Saxons extended their German Territories and to her was Dedicated the Sixth Day called then Frea's-Day now Fryday 7. Seater This Idol was placed in the shape of an Old Man on a Pillar treading with his bare Feet on a Pearch with sharp pricks on its Back holding in his Right Hand a Basket of Fruits signifying Plenty and in his Left a Wheel signifying Time when we ought to be careful in laying up our Stores to prevent Scarcity He was held in his Life time to be a great Prophet and Astrologer telling things to come and Teaching the Saxons the Course of the Sun Moon and Stars and to him they Prayed for Knowledge Wisdom and hopeful Children Spring and Fall they Offered Fruits to him and strewed the way to his Temple with Flowers For his Worship they appointed the Seventh Day of the Week calling it Sater's Day now Saturday They had another Idol resembling the Image of Death with Flowing Crimson Robes holding a Lighted Torch in his Right Hand and a Lion Rampant on his Head by the Left Foot with his Left Hand He was placed on a Tomb or Grave-stone to put them in mind of Mortality and to shew Deaths Obduracy and Inexorableness they called him Flint Before his Shrine which was set in a large place Walled about without any Covering they Executed or Sacrificed Offenders for Extraordinary Crimes by Fire Racks and other Exquisit Tortures Having thus given you a Brief Description of the Original and Manners of the Antient Saxons before their coming into this Island I should now proceed to give you an Account of the Succession of their several Kings here during the time of their Heptarchy or Seven Kingdoms until King Edgar overcoming and subduing all the rest reduc'd it again to a Monarchy But that shall be the business of the next Chapter CHAP. V. The Succession of the Petty Monarchs of the Kentish South-Saxon and East-Saxon Kingdoms with what Remarkably Happen'd during their respective Reigns in Peace and War The Time when they Began and Ended them with the Limits of their Dominions 1. Of the Kingdom of Kent and the Succession of its seventeen Kings HEngist the first Saxon Invader as is formerly noted setled Himself and his People in the County of Kent a Fertil part of England large in Extent bounded on the North with the River Thames by which it is divided from Essex on the East with the Channel on the West with Surry and on the South with Sussex He began to Erect a Saxon Kingdom there Anno Dom. 455 and had during his Thirty Four years Reign continual War with the Britains his Brother Horsa Dying of the Wounds he received in Battel gave Name to a place called Horsa's Tomb now corruptly called Horsted where he was Buried and had a famous Monument erected over his Grave the Ruins of which some Hundred Years since were visible It is held by Authors of great repute those Stones of a prodigious bigness on Salisbury Plain which have created Admiration in the Beholders were erected as a Monument where he caused the British Nobles to be Treacherously Slain by which means he gained his design on this Kingdom making way to its Subjection for indeed they are commonly to this day called Stone Hing or Hengist Stones They appear to have been a Treble Row of Stones circularly placed one within another Twenty Eight Foot long for the most part and Seven Foot broad viz. those that are reared upright besides others of prodigious bigness that lie overthwart from one to another and are fastned with Tenents and Mortises but at this day the Form of this Wonderful Structure is very much defaced some of the greater Stones being either faln or reclining towards the Earth Eske by some called Osea succeeded Hengist in the Kingdom of Kent a Man much inferiour to him in Valour and Conduct therefore to make the People if possible to forget what they were that he might live the more at Ease he Tollerated such of the Câ—nti as would to live among his Saxons on condition they would take upon them the Name or Epithite of Eskins and though he Reigned Twenty Four Years nothing very Memorable is Recorded of him in History for the other Saxon Princes in setling their Kingdoms Screening him from the Incursions of the Britains and making the seat of War in the Northern and Western Counties he had for the most part a Peaceable Reign Octa the Third King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 513 he provided prudent and wholsom Laws for the Goverment of his People Built several Castles on the Sea-Coast and the Inland Frontiers commanded the Pagan Idolatries to be strictly Observed and Christianity to be Extirpated sheding much Innocent Blood on that occasion In his time strange sights were seen of Dragons Lions and other furious wild Beasts Fighting in the Air. In the West of Kent it Rained Wheat and soon after great Drops of Blood upon which ensued extream Dearth succeeded by much Bloodshed between his People and the South Saxon borders about setling their Territories at the latter end of his Reign which continued Twenty Years Imerick began his Reign Anno Dom. 533 He made an Edict That Strangrs should be Curteously Entertained and caused Houses of Publick Resort to be built on the Roads and the Highways to be Mended and made Passable at the Publick Charge building Watch-Towers on the Sea-Coasts and setting Lights in them for the guidance of Saylors He restrained the severity against the Christians and is numbered among the good Saxon Kings in his time was the Second General Council held at Constantinople for all Christendom Anno Dom. 553. He Reigned Twenty Nine Years during which space nothing Memorable of any Warlike Actions are Recorded of him Ethelbert The Fifth King of Kent began his Reign 562 He had not long Reigned before Cheuline King of the West Saxons raised an Army against him to Oppose whom he Mustered great Forces and at Wimbleton both Hosts joyned Battel where Ethelbert lost the day Two of his Dukes and Five Thousand of his People being Slain and this is Recorded to be the first Open War among the Saxon Kings However a Peace was soon after concluded and Gregory Arch-Deacon of Rome seeing some fair Youths of this Island standing in the Market of that City to be Sold he demanded from whence they were and being told from Britain out of a Province called Deira he sighing said when he understood Paganisme predominated Ah it is great pity but their Country should be Delivered Ira Dei from the Wrath of
God And coming soon after to be Pope he Remembring what he had said sent Augusting the Monk accompanied with Forty Men of several Religious Orders into Britain Anno Dom. 596 who making their Address to King Ethelbert were by him kindly received and had Canterbury then but a poor Village allowed them for their Residence with Liberty to Convert his Subjects to the Christian Faith so that by their painful industry in Preaching and exemplary Lives they made a considerable progress in the Glorious work of Salvation to poor Souls leading them out of the Darkness of Paganisme into the Marvelous Light of the Gospel so that again the Candle was Lighted which God for the Pride and Lukewarmness of the Christians had suffered in a great measure to be Extinguished in this Island and the King falling in Love with their Inoffensive Lives and conceiving a good Opinion of their Doctrine was Baptized with many Thousands of his Subjects in the Thirty Sixth Year of his Age and Fourteenth of his Reign Anno Dom. 596 for which God Blessed him with a long and prosperous Reign viz. Fifty Six Years Edelbard the Sixth King of Kent soon after his coming to the Crown was Converted by Lawrence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury whom Augustine on his Death-Bed had appointed his Successor in that See whereupon he Divorced himself from his mother-in-Mother-in-Law whom he had Married after his Fathers Death and recalled Militus and Jusâ—us whom he had caused to fly beyond the Seas for fear of Persecution restoring them to their Bishopricks In his time Two mighty Whales were taken on the Coast of Kent and a Fight of Birds of various kinds were seen in the Air near Rochester about Noon whose numbers in that place in some measure Darkened the Sun for the space of an Hour He began his Reign Anno Dom. 618 and Reigned Twenty Four Years Ercombert the Seventh King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 642. This Man was a great Lover of the Christians everywhere in his Dominions suppressing the Idol Temples causing the Christian Worship strictly to be Observed throughout his Dominions Building divers Churches commanding the Fast of Lent to be kept He Reigned Twenty Four Years Egbert the Eighth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 666. He was of a cruel Nature Murthering his two Nephews Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure the Kingdom to his Posterity casting their Dead Bodies into the Medway a River runing by Rochester and Chattam whose Water thereupon for a time seemed of the colour of Blood and was so corrupted that a number of Fish dyed in it which was held as a Divine Judgment to upbraid the Murtherer after which he had a troublesome Reign his own People murmuring against him and being often ready to Rebel A little before his Death a terrible Blazing-Star appear'd for six Nights at South East soon after the seting of the Sun He Reigned Nine Years and odd Days Lothaire the Ninth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 675. In his time there was held the Third General Council at Constantinople where 600 Bishops were present Three of which went from England and had the Precedency given them before divers other Nations Agatho being then Bishop of Rome Afterward engaging in a War against Ethelred King of Mercia and Edrick King of the South Saxons he charging in the thickest of the Battel and endeavouring to break in upon the Mercian Standard where that King stood Invironed with his Nobles a Dart being thrown overthwart with a strong hand struck him on the Left Side and pierced through the Right so that he instantly fell Dead on the place when he had Reigned Eleven Years and his death so discouraged his Souldiers who had before near-gained the Victory that they quitted the Field and fled Ederick the Tenth King of Kent was a Man of great Courage but using some Cruelty towards his Nobility they grew displeased with him and laboured to stir up the common People to a dislike of his Government and at last raised a Rebellion against him and in a great Battel near Maidstone he was Slain and his Body very despitefully used The Night before this Battel there were Groans and Cries heard as proceeding out of the Air and most of the Lawrels throughout the Country Withered after which great Mischief happened for the Victors not agreeing about dividing the spoil fell into parties and in clandestine Broyles shed much Blood so that there was no King in Kent for six years This Ederick Reigned only two Years and ten Days begining it Anno Dom. 682. Withred the Eleventh King of Kent upon his Brothers Overthrow fled from the Popular Fury to Ine King of the West Saxons with whom he remained till the expiration of the six Years when agreeing with him for a considerable sum of Money he Restored him to the Kingdom which sum not exceeding 6000 l. being raised on the Subject caused great Murmurings but he quieted them by promising to Live Frugally Proclaiming a general Pardon and granting them many Priviledges which in former Reigns they enjoyed not so that he lived rather like a Private Man than a Soveraigne Prince Yet he had great Wars with Ethelred King of Mercia He Reigned 33 Years beginning it Anno Dom. 694. Edbert the Twelfth King of Kent Succeeded Withred He at the beginning of his Reign laboured for Peace and setled the Kingdom that had been harrassed and in a manner destroyed by the Mercians in the former Reign Rebuilding the Churches and Monastries they had Ruinated But in the Fourth Year of his Reign the Beacons of Heaven foreshewed more Misery to the already suffering Kingdom two Blazing-Stars appearing successively the one in the South West and the other at South East after which great Dissentions arose among the Saxon Kings and much Blood was spilt in divers places the Britains were likwise extreamly distressed by the Invading Norhumbers and West Saxons who penned them within the Streights and Mountains of Wales till Famine coming on numbers were Starved in the Rocks and Caves whither they had retired for shelter He began his Reign Anno Dom. 727 and Reigned 23 Years Ethelbert the Thirteenth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 750. At his coming to the Crown he laboured to promote Christianity gave large Gifts to the Cathedral Church of Canterbury and to St. Andrews in Rochester Built by Ethelbert the Second King of Kent He laboured also to keep Peace with his Neighbours yet such was the greedy desire of the Saxons to incroach on each other having beaten the poor Britains out of all the Counties that were worth Possessing that Wars ensued and much Blood was shed Yet he Dyed in Peace whan he had Reigned Eleven Years Alrick the Fourteenth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 761 but after he had Reigned 34 Years Offa the great King of the Mercians Quarrelled with him for Entertaining Duke Edesin who Fled from his Fury yet this seemed only a pretence his
himself to Miletus the first Bishop of St. Paul's in London by his grave Advice was induced to embrace the Christian Religion This famous Church was Founded by him and Ethelbert King of Kent in the place where before stood a Temple Dedicated to Diana wherein many Bloody Sacrifices had been offered to the supposed Goddess and so becoming the first Christian King of the East Saxons he was a great Encourager of Religious Men and Women building at their request divers other Churches in London and elsewhere He began his Reign Anno Dom. 591 and Reigned 21 Years Sered the Fourth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 611 He revoked the Indulgences of his Predecessors to the Christians and in attempting to Prophane The Lords Table being withstood by Miletus the Bishop of St. Paules he Banished him his Dominions but afterward entering on a War with Kingills King of the West Saxons which continued for some time he was in the conclusion of it Slain when he had Reigned Six Years A little before his Death he had a Dream like to that of Smyrdis Son to Cyrus the Great and Brother to King Cambysis of Persia viz. That he sat on the West Saxon Throne and his Head reached the Skies which being falsly Interpreted by his flatterers who pushed him on in his Ambitiaus designs whilst like the other he lost his Life though by different means the first Murthered by his Brothers command on a Jealousie he designed to Usurp the Persian Monarchy and the latter Fighting to enlarge his Dominions Sigesbert the Fifth King af the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 620. He made several Laws against Murtherers and Thieves that then much abounded in the Country In his time a dreadful Fire happened in London consuming most of the Eastern part of it but it was soon Re-built and much inlarged by this Kings Encouragement and the Michaelmas following a number of Porpoises came up the River whereupon preat Storms followed and the Thames overflowing lay'd many Hundreds of Acres under Water in Kent and Surry He Reigned Twenty Three Years Sigebert the Sixth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. He Restored again the True Worship in that Kingdom being perswaded by Oswy King of the Northumbers to be Baptized by Bishop Finnan giving Large Gifts to the Churches and Monasteries earnestly labouring to settle Peace among his Neighbours but being of a very wild temper and soft by Nature his two Brothers took the advantage of his weakness Conspired against him and Murthered him when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Swithelm the Seventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 658 upon the enterance on it he became a Christian and was Baptized by Bishop Cedda Ethelwald King of the East Angles being his Godfather In his time London began to flourish very much in Trade the Merchants and Traders having large Priviledges granted them A little before his Death A Globe of Fire fell on St. Paul 's Church and Burnt the Roof of it His Reign continued only Three Years and odd Days Sighere the Eighth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 661. He had embraced the Christian Faith but Apostatized on a slight Occasion and of a Father of the Church became a Persecutor but being afflicted with a grievous Disease he was smitten with Remorse of Conscience and many Thousands of his Subjects being Destroyed by a raging Pestilence he Remembered frem whence he was Fallen and Returned to the Christian Communion into which he was gladly received by an Assembly of the Clergy who prevailed with him to destroy the Idols and demolish their Altars He Reigned Five Years Sebba the Ninth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 666 being given much to a Religious Life and much Repenting the Blood he had shed when he was General in the Wars whereupon when he had Reigned Thirty Years he layed down his Scepter and took on him a Religious Habit in the Monastery of St. Paul's at London bequeathing his Kingdom to Sigherd his Kinsman Sigherd the Tenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 696. He sent Forces to assist the West Saxons against the Britains who made strong Incursions into their Territories and carried away great Booties in the mean time divers Pirates from Denmark and Norway Invaded his Sea-Coasts Burning and Plundering many Villages but a mighty Tempest arising they suffered Shipwrack and so many of them as Escaped to Shoar were destroyed by the Country Peasants He Built many Religious Houses and Reigned Seven Years Seofrid the Eleventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 703. He Built Forts on the advantagious Havens to the Sea-Coast to prevent the Landing of Foreign Enemies by surprize encouraging his People to Trade with the Neighbour Nations so that many of the North East Countries were discovered and great Riches brought home which caused others who had advantagious Havens to take the like Measures whereupon the Shiping encreased He Reigned Seven Years Offa the Twelfth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 711. He was a great Encourager of the Christians and in his time the Christian Religion spread into all parts of his Dominions He Invited over Religious Men out of other Countries and ordered Publick Schooles to be Erected and being desirous to see Rome which he had heard so much of by Fame when he had Reigned Eight Years he went thither and being much taken with the Devotion of the Religious there he became a Monk and Dyed in that station leaving large Legacies to the Church Selred the Second and Thirteenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 719. In his time a grievous Famine was in this Kingdom for the space of three Years so that People in many places were compelled to Eat Grass Roots Leaves and Barks of Trees and yet many Thousands were Famished Great flashes of Fire likewise Issued out of the Earth which Burnt up the Trees and Grass and Destroyed some People and much Cattel but soon after a great Plenty ensued He Reigned Thirty Eight Years Suthred the Fourteenth and Last King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 757. He had great Wars with Egbert King of the West Saxons so that in various Battels Fifty Thousand of his People being Slain he was so weakned that not being able to make head any longer he withdrew himself and left his Dominions to the prevailing Enemy when in much Trouble he had upheld them Eight Years So that Egbert annexing it as a Province to his own Kingdom Extinguished the Name of the East-Saxon-Kingdom about the Year of Christ 827. CHAP. VI. A Description of the Kingdoms of Northumberland and Mercia with the Succession of their Kings and the most Memorable Transactions Portents and Prodigies both in Peace and War that happened during their Reignes 4. The Kingdom of Northumberland as it Began and continued in
instead of revenging the Death of Edwin he underwent the same fate being slain in Battel after he had Fought couragiously six Hours and hemmed himself in with Dead Bodies This great Battel was Fought at Oswaltree in Shropshire Nor did the Mercians Cruelty cease after he was slain for he Inhumanly caused his Body to be torn in pieces when he had Reigned Nine Years Oswye the Twelfth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. And though he laboured for Peace yet the greatness of his encroaching Neighbours suffered him to enjoy little quiet however he Encouraged Religion and Trade and made many wholsome Laws and one in particular for the Relief of the Poor and to prevent Robberies and Murthers on the Northern borders and continued his Reign 28 Years Egfride the Thirteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 671 but long he had not enjoyed the Throne before a fierce War broke out between him and Ethelred King of Mercia he first drawing it on his Kingdom whereby his People greatly suffered yet not content with several Defeats or seeing the weakness his Subjects were reduced to he made War on the Irish because some of that Nation had Pirated on his Coast but pursuing them too far among the Mountains and Fastnesses of craggy Rocks he was there slain and most of his Souldiers that escaped the overthrow perished for want of Provision when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Alfrid the Fourteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 686 finding the Kingdom much Impaired in its People and Treasure so that he made it his first endeavour to restore the face of Trade appointing Fairs and Marts allowing them great Priviledges to Invite the Borderers to Trade with him and gave Liberty for as many as would with their Families to setle in his Dominions which caused him to be Envyed by the Saxon Kings his Neighbours yet he pacified them with fair Words and Friendly Offices making a Law That distressed Strangers Travelling about their Lawful Occasions should be Maintained at the Publick Charge So that his Reign continued for the most part Peaceable Religion flourishing under it Twenty Years Osred the Fifteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 706 but led a Life very contrary to his Predecessor giving himselfe up to all manner of Debauchery making it his Business to visit the Nunneries that he might single out the fairest for his Lust which he Commanded to his Bed with great rigour insomuch that some of those Virgins preferring their Chastity before Life suffered Martyrdom rather than they would yeild to his desires so that whilst he held on this course the Kingdom was much distracted with Intestine Broyles his Nobles grew unruly and the poorer sort were Oppressed so that to free the Kingdom from impending Ruine Kenred and Oswick two of his near Kinsmen Conspired against him and Slew him when he had Reigned Nine Years and then Successively Governed the Relm Kenred the Sixteenth King of Northumberland having Conspired with Oswick and Slain Osred caused the Crown to be placed on his Head Anno Dom. 716 yet found a very troublesome Reign his Co-partner in the Conspiracy labouring to supplant him and indeed his Reign was very short continuing only two Years Oswick having made his way to the Throne Anno Dom. 718 laboured to settle himself in the Affections and good liking of the People by giving large Gifts to the Nobles and in distributing Corn to the Poor out of his Granaries in his Second Year when a great Scarcity happened so that in his Eleven Years Reign he kept his People quiet at home and for the most part free from Wars abroad Cealnulf the Eighteenth King of the Northumberian Kingdom began his Reign Anno Dom. 722 devoting himself soon after his coming to the Crown to a Religious Life causing many Abbies and Monasteries to be Builded Endowing them with competent Annuities for the Maintenance of Men and Women qualified to enter into Religious Orders so that a great many resorted to him from beyond the Seas whom he kindly entertained and being much taken with their manner of Living when he had Reigned Eight Years growing weary of an Earthly Diadem he lay'd the weight of Government aside and withdrawing himself to Holy Island took on him the Habit of a Monk where in a little Monastery he had caused to be Built he spent the remainder of his Days In the last Year of his Reign Two Blazing Stars Appeared the one after Sunset and the other a little before its Rising continuing so to do for the space of a Fortnight Terrifying the People by seeming often to dart Firey Launces from their Blazing Tails Egbert the Nineteenth Monarch of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 738 in the beginning of which Fleeces like Wool seemed to drop out of the Clouds covering many large Fields and Plains as if it had been Snow and soon after a terrible Rot happened among Sheep all over England c. He appointed his Nobles to here the Complaints of the Poor and to redress their Wrongs and Grievances studdying to keep his Subjects Quiet at Home by securing Peace Abroad and when he had Reigned Twenty Years following the Example of his Predecessor he was shorn a Monk and Dyed in that state Oswulph the Twentith King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 758 and continued it but one Year for growing Proud and Cruel putting divers undeservedly to Death his own Servants grew into such a hatred of him that attending him in his Progress they found an Opportunity to Murther him at Mickewoughton of which Conspiracy though he was Informed the day before yet Fate consented not to its Prevention Edilwald the One and Twentieth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 759 but being of an easie Temper and somewhat Supine in the Management of his Affairs which after many Troubles that thereupon arose through the Male Administration of the Government by such as he placed under him in Trust and Great Offices gave Alured a Duke and high in Favour with him an opportunity to Conspire against him and Murther him in his Pallace in the Sixth Year of his Reign Alured having Trecherously Slain Edilwald compelled some through fear and won others by large Gifts to Proclaim him King Anno Dom. 765. But using much Cruelty and giving himself up to Riot and Luxury his Subjects grew weary of his Government and by General Consent Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned Nine Years Ethelred upon the Expulsion of Alured was admitted to the Throne Anno Dom. 774. But his Government being distasted by the Nobles because he advanced mean Persons to great Dignities and made them his Favourites two of them Viz. Edibald and Herbert made a Faction and Banished him the Kingdom in the Fifth Year of his Reign but he was afterwards Re-called upon promise of Amendment yet not keeping of his Word in many nice particulars his Subjects rose up in
re-assumed his Crown when in Battel against him he was Slain in the Third Year after his coming to the Crown Egrick or Edrick for by both Namers Authos make mention of this King began his Reign Anno Dom. 638. He continued the War against the Mercians and gave them divers Foiles but coming to a pitched Battel endeavouring to break in upon Penda's Standard he was Slain upon which his Army was so disheartned that many of them throwing down their Weapons a general Rout and Flight ensued whereupon the Mercians following with great fury about Seven Thousand were Slain and not less than Three Thousand of the Mercians He began his Reign Anno Dom. 638 and Reigned Four Years Anna the Seventh King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 642 and although he Reigned Twelve Years yet few of his Actions are Recorded more than that he endeauoured to settle his Kingdom and laboured for Peace with his Neighbours which at last was accorded though on very hard conditions Ethelbert the Eighth King of the East Angles finding he was too weak to oppose the Northumbrians who had got strong footing in the Northern Frontier Towns he made a League with Penda King of Mercia at which Oswye King of Northumberland being much disgusted raised a great Army and War being denounced the East Angles and Mercians thinking it not convenient to stay his coming resolved to place the seat of War in his Country but in their March a fatal Omen seemed to forbid it viz. Two Flights of Birds one from the North and the other from the South met and Encountered over their Host with such Fury that many drops of Blood as it had been small sprinklings of Raine fell from the Wounds made on each other with their Bills and Talons till at last the Southern Flight turned Taile with a strange Noise or Cryes and were Pursued till out of sight Soon after this Penda Ethelbert and their Confederates joyned Battel with Oswye near Leeds in Yorkshire and in a great Overthrow of their Armys the two Kings were Slain with 18000 of their Men and among them 30 Dukes and chief Leaders This Ethelbert Reigned two Years Edelwald the Ninth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 656. He purchas'd his Peace with a great Sum when he found he was too feeble to oppose his Enemies and gave up Cantionary Towns to the Northumbers for the security of payment This caused a Murmuring among his Subjects which broke into Tumults so that much grieved at his misfortunes Abroad and at Home he Dyed when he had Reigned Eight Years Aldulfe the Tenth King of the East Angles was advanced to the Crown Anno Dom. 664 in a very troublesome time however with some difficulties he brought the Kingdom to a settlement and continued his Reign Ninteen Years In his time a terrible Earth-Quake happened giving three violent shocks which shattered and overturned divers massy Buildings but the greatest dammage fell upon the City of London many People being destroyed by the fall of Chimneys Houses c. And soon after so great a Frost happened That loaded Carts went over the principal Rivers as securely as if it had been on dry Land Elfwold the Eleventh King of the East Angles began to Reign Anno Dom. 683. The Danes in his time began to be troublesome and Invaded the Scots and Callidonians commiting terrible Outrages in Argyle-shire and other parts subduing all the Islands belonging to Scotland advancing after many Battels upon the Picts and as far as the Tweed whereupon those Nations craved Aid of this and other Saxon Kings to Expel them urging as a main reason the Mutual Danger they were in by the Invasion of so powerful an Enemy which though it proved fatally true was at that time little minded This King Reigned Seven Years Beorne the Twelfth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 690 And though he continued it Twenty Four Years yet there is nothing Memorable Recorded of him as to certainty of History but his Building some Monasteries and making divers good Laws for the well Governing of his Subjects Ethelred the Thirteenth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 714. In his Second Year on Midsummer-Day at Sunseting dark Clouds overspread the Skies and then withdrawing the Element seemed on Fire after that many fearful sights appeared in the Air of Armies and Monsterous Creatures upon which followed so great a Storm that many Ships were broken to pieces in the Havens mighty Oaks rent up and Houses overturned He Reigned sometimes in War and at others in Peace Thirty Five Years Ethelbert the Second of that Name and the Fourteenth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 749. He in the last Year of his Reign sent Ambassadors to Offa King of Mercia to treat of Peace and the restoring some Towns taken from him and his Predecessors which Offa seemed enclinable to hearken to sending them back with Presents and Rewards as also a dissembling Letter to Invite Ethelbert to his Court under pretence of giving him his Beauteous Daughter Alfrida in Marriage that the League between them might be the stronger but indeed aiming to add the East Angle Kingdom to his own Dominions and having gotten the too credulous Prince in his power he consulted with Quindride how he should dispose of him to accomplish his designes who being a Woman Inured to Blood and Mischief Counseled his Death which was performed in the heighth of Jollitry by disguised Ruffians so that instead of a Bridal Bed he had an untimely Grave when he had Reigned Forty Five Years Edmund the Fifteenth and last King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 794. He was a great encourager of Religious Persons allowing large Sums to Churches and Church-men but one of his Nobles whom he had constituted as Vice Roy Ravishing the Beautious Wife of Beorn a Nobleman who in his Progress had sumptuously Feasted him This Beorn preferring his private Revenge to the good of his Country called in the Danes who before were much discouraged and charge the Guilt on Innocent King Edmund because he had not put the Offender to Death as the Law then directed which indeed he durst not do the other being grown too powerful for him And now the King being Overthrown in divers Battels his Country scattered over with his Slain Subjects and most of the principal Towns laid in Ruines he was constrained to fly for shelter to Framingham Castle where the Danes Besieged him and through Famine and loss of Men constraining the Garrison to Surrender they stripped the King of his Royal Robes beat his Naked Body with Cudgels scourging him till the Bones of his Ribs appeared bare he bearing it patiently all the while calling on the Name of Jesus which so enraged the Pagans That Tying him to a Post they Shot him to Death with Arrows then cut off his Head and threw it into a Wood which being found
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
appearing half Naked added to her Beauty she being then but very Young the King was so Charmed or Infatuated that he became Enamoured of her and though upon his Address she strongly urged she was his Fathers Widow and the Daughter of a King and that it was inconsistent with the Law of God and her Reputation to yield to his desires her Repulses served but as Air to make the Fire of his Passion blaze to a greater degree till at last between willing and unwilling tempted by Ambitious Inclinations of being a Queen Consort rather than Dowager she yielded to be his Wife And though the Match was highly opposed by his Nobles who layed before him the Scandal it would bring upon his Children if he had any by her and perhaps for his Sins a Punishment upon the Nation he persisting in his Resolution was Marryed though with little Ceremony tending to Magnificence as usual at the Weddings of the former Kings And indeed this brought much trouble on the King and Nation for whilst he Dallianced with his Incestuous Bride and pursued his wanton Pleasures the weighty Affaires of Government were layd aside and as it were altogether neglected which gave the Danes great advantage to recruit their Forces that had been not only weakened by War in the former Reign but with Famine attended on by a grievous Pestilence and when he had Reigned Two Years and Three Months without doing any thing Memorable he Dyed Suddainly supposed by an Appoplexy though some conclude he was Poisoned After which Queen Judith fearing some Mischief might befal her by reason she had upon this Marriage incurred the hatred of the People procured leave from Ethelbert Brother and Successor to Ethelbald to be Transported to France but a Storm arising the Ship was driven on the Coast of Flanders where undertaking to Travel by Land to her Fathers Court she was surprized on her Journey by Baldwin Forrester of Ardenna who compelled her to be his Wife and by kind usage won so much upon her Affections That Writing in her own and his behalf many moving and submissive Letters to the King her Father he not only forgave what had happened but created her Husband Earl of Flanders to hold that Country as his Tributary and from this Match Lineally descended Maud Wife to our William stiled the Conquorer also Baldwin Earl of Flanders who was King of Jerusalem and another of that Name who was by the Latins Invested with the Imperial Diadem of Greece upon their taking the famous City of Constantinople Anno Dom 1284. This Ethelbald was Third Sole Monarch of England Ending his Reign with his Life Anno Dom. 860. BEDFORD SHIRE By John Seller Remarks on Bedfordshire c. BEdfordshire is a very Pleasant In-Land County it is Bounded with Northamptonshire Huntingtonshire Cambridgshire Hartfordshire Buckinghamshire c. It is plentiful in Cattle Fowle Corn fat Pastures Forrests Parks replenished with store of Timber and Deer consisting of Plains pleasant Valleys and gradual rising Hills and is said to yeild the best Barley in England especially in the North parts It containes One Hundred and Sixteen Parishes Nine Hundreds Ten Market Towns and One considerable River It sends Members to Parliament Four viz. Bedford two and two Knights for the County Bedford the Shire Town has been to its cost the Scene of much Action especially in the Wars between King Stephen and the Empress Maud Mother to Henry the Second and in the Wars of the Barons against King John and was raz'd to the ground by King Henry the Third but soon Rebuilt and ever since flourished in much tranquility and splendor In a Chappel not far from the Town Offa the great King of the Mercians was Buryed which being demolished by the overflowing of the Ouse his Spectrum is said often to have appeared on the Water of that River There is a little Rivolet at Asply near Wobourn in this County which is famous for its Petrifying Quality being said to Turn Wood into Stone and that a Wooden Ladder happening to fall into it was some time after taken up again all Stone And that not only the Pivolet or Brook but the Earth in the Banks of it has the same Vertue So that it is justly accounted one of the Wonders of our Isle Dean is a pleasant Town Eminent for the Birth of Francis Dillingham a very Learned Man as Layton Buzzard for the Birth of William Sclater Dunstable called by the Romans Magiovinium the latter Name being taken from a notable Thief called Dun who with his Accomplices Inhabited it and for that cause called Dunstable or Duns Inning Place it also gave Birth to that Leared Author John Sirnamed Dunstable The River Ouse Waters this County with its pleasant Meanders passing through Bedford and hath over it a handsom Stone Bridge with two Gates upon it This County is likewise Beautified with some of the Seats of the Nobility as those of Anthony Grey Earl of Kent at Wrest-House and Harrold the Earl of Bullinbrooks at Bletsho and Melchborn the Earl of Allesbury's at Ampthil and Clophil Its Hills produce the best Marl with abundance of Blue Stone like Slate And the whole County is plentiful in all sorts of Provision and divers profitable Manufacturs The Reign of Ethelbert Fourth Sole Monarch of England EThelbert Second Son to Ethelwolf a Prince of an Active Spirit immediatly Succeeded his Brother Ethelbald being Crowned ten days after his Death the imergency of Affairs not allowing longer delay or much Ceremony in the performance by reason the Danes were again become powerful so that as well as the time would permit having setled the Western parts of his Kingdom and that he might not leave an Enemy at his Back made the Welsh his Friends he commanded the Nobles and Gentry to Muster as many as could be spared from Tilling the Ground and Harvest and were able to bear Arms and with them so Accoutered for the War to repaire to his Standard and being Obeyed in this he Marched towards the Enemy whom he found Ravaging with their usual cruelties the Inland Counties as far as the Western Borders of Bedfordshire sending Heralds before him to demand the reason Why they Invaded his Country and destroyed so many Innocent People stripping the Towns and Villages of all that was valuable and laying many of them in Ashes But they with threats dismissing his Messengers without any satisfactory answer Ethelbert gave them Battel which continued for a time Bloody and doubtful as if Victory knew not to which side to encline but when the Sun was descending in the West a Band of Peasants came to the Kings assistance with Forks Sythes and other Harvest Instruments and falling on the Danes with loud crys they taking this to be a Reserve and thinking there might be more sheltered behind the Woods and Hills hereupon immediatly gave back and the King taking advantage of their fears pressed on so furiously in the head of his Army that from an orderly
Retreat they fell into Rout and Confusion in all parts of their Army so that a miserable slaughter ensued which had been much greater but that Night put an end to the pursuit and a mighty Storm of Hail falling compelled the English to shelter as many as could in the neighbouring Towns and Villages and the Flyers to betake them to Woods and other places of Refuge though on either side before this could be done many were grievously hurt by the falling of the Hail Stones which were of a prodigious bigness and did much mischief both to Cattle and People in divers other places This Defeat as considerable as it was discouraged not the Danes for being recruited they sent their Ships about to the Southern part of the Island with some â—orces to amuse the English by Landing at Southampton Plymouth and other Sea Ports and with what Plunder they could get immediatly retired to their Ships though many came short as being slain by the Peasants however this made them more revengful for gathering strength from new comers of their Nation who Landed from a Fleet on the Southern Coast they wasted Hampshire stormed Winchester defended by a good Garison and layed it in Ashes but the King coming suddainly with an Army a great number of them were slain and the rest compelled to retire to their Ships several of which were Burnt by Wild-Fire thrown amongst them before they could get to Sea and divers of the Danes perished in the Flames and involving Waves In his time two Blazing Stars appeared one in the North East and another in the South West both within half a Year of each other the first continued Fourteen Days and the latter Seven He began his Reign Anno Dom. 860 and Dyed Anno Dom. 865 having held a troublesom Reign for the space of Five Years He was Buryed at Sherburn Remarks on Cambridgshire c. CAmbridgshire is for the most part exempted from Hills and Woods being much applyed to the breeding of Cattle though it abounds in Corn-Fields and is Watered with many pleasant Streams and has belonging to it the fertil Isle of Ely It is Bounded with Northfolk Suffolk Essex Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Huntingtonshire and Lincolnshire It Contains One Hundred and Sixty Three Parishes Eight Market Towns and One River also the Bishoprick of Ely It sends Members to Parliament viz. Six Cambridge two for the Town and two for the Vniversity and two Knights of the Shire As for the Places Noted in it the first in rank is Cambridge which CAMBRIDGE SHIRE tho' no City is enobled above many others for its many famous Structures dedicated to Learning as Caius Colledge Founded by John Caius Doctor in Physick Anno 1557. Christs Colledge Founded by Queen Margaret 1506 Clare Hall Founded by Elizabeth Daughter to Gilbert Clare Earl of Leicester Anno 1326 Corpus Christi Colledge by John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster 1344 Emanuel Colledge by Sir Walter Mildmay 1588 Jesus Colledge by Doctor John Alcock Bishop of Ely St. John's Colledge by the afore named Queen Margaret 1506 Catharine Hall by Doctor Woodlack Provost of Kings Colledge 1459 Kings Colledge by King Henry the sixth 1441 Magdalen Colledge by the Lord Audley 1509 Pembrook Hall by Mary Countes of Pembrook 1343 Peter House by Hugh Balsam Bishop of Ely 1280 Queens Colledge by Margaret Queen to King Henry the Sixth Anno Dom. 1448 Trinity Colledge by Henry the Eighth Anno Dom. 1546 Trinity Hall by William Bateman Anno Dom. 1354. These famous Structures are Renowned for the many Learned Divines and Statesmen that have been brought up in them to the Honour and Credit of the Kingdom giving it considerable advantages of that kind over others there is in this Renowned Town many stately Churches and Antient Monuments of very curious Workmanship Ely the Bishops Seat from whence the Diocess takes its Name is held to be Built by Audry Wife to Tombart a Prince in those Parts and afterward Marryed Egbert King of Northumberland from whom departing she here betook her self to a Devout Life Building a Monastery of which she became the first Abbess and is famous for the Birth-place of divers Learned and Eminent Persons as Andrew Millet Sr. Thomas Ridley Doctor of Laws Richard Parker c. The next Places of Note are Everton Triplow Everden Caxton Wisbich Linton Milton Mildred from which places proceeded many Eminent Men both in Church and State At Caxton was Born William thence sirnamed Caxton who first set up the Ingenious Art of Printing in England It is likewise Beautified by divers Seats of the Nobility viz. Thorney-Abby the Seate of William Duke of Bedford Newmarket belonging to the Earl of Suffolk Kertling alias Catlidg belonging to the Lord North and Grey of Rolston Ely Place and Wisbich Castle the Seats of the Lord Bishop of the Diocess It is Watered with many small branching Rivers but the chief of Note is Cam on whose Banks Cambridge is advantageously seated and gives the County its Name The Reign of Ethelred Fifth Sole Monarch of England EThelred the Third Son of Ethelwolf upon his coming to the Crown Anno Dom. 866 found himself engaged in a dangerous War against the Danes who with their main Strength almost in all parts Invaded the Kingdom so getting strong footing with several Armys in the North East and South he was at a stand into which quarter he should advance which gave them opportunity to over-run many fertil Counties and being as yet Pagans they used unheard-of Cruelties under the Leading of Hungar and Hubba two of their Dukes who by some are stiled Kings They took the City of York by Storm and set it on Fire upon which Walketulus an Earl of the East Angles gave them Battel but was Overthrown and most of those he commanded slain and flushed with this Victory they destroyed many famous Churches also the Monasteries of Croyland Berdoxey Midlesham side or Peterborough and Ely and the Abbess of Coldingham to prevent Ravishment cut off her Nose and upper Lip and by her Example the Nuns did the like to preserve their Chastity by their Deformity but were nevertheless Defloured and afterward in despight Immured in their House and Fire being put to it they perished in the Flames And so terrible they became in those Parts That Burthred Vice Roy of Mercia to save the ruin of the Country made Peace with them as likwise did Offride and Ella stiled Dukes of the Northumbrians and were thereupon constrained to joyne their Forces with them against Ethelred which some Authors call a Rebellion and that with great reason for it was taking part with Invaders against their Lawful Soveraign These things happening whilst the King was busied in other Parts of the Land he no sooner found a little leasure but taking courage he Marched Northward and in a great Battel Overthrew the Dainish Northern Army in conjunction with many of his Subjects whom they had compelled as is said to the Field under their East Angle and Mercian Leaders
conclude But now to the King of Denmark belongs Norway formerly a distinct Kingdom and some other Countries which render his Territories much larger than when the Danes first possessed it As for their Religion when they first Invaded England and long after it was Paganism Their Idols were many out-numbering those of the Pagan Saxons to some they Offered Horses to others Humane Sacrifice Fruits Flowers Water Bread Wine Fish c. They were a People very Bloody and Cruel to those they prevailed over and extreamly Lustful and Treacherous Their Habit was close girted Coats their Arms Spears of a moderate length Battel-Axes and Faulchions their Diet many times the Flesh of their slain Enemies Rost or Sodden it was about 230 years from their first Invading England before Canute got the Sole Monarchy of whose Reign I am next to treat The Reign of Canute Sixteenth Sole Monarch of England and first of the Danes that Reigned here CAnute Son to Swane who as you have heard was Murthered by his Souldiers began his Reign as Sole Monarch Anno Dom. 1017. He was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch Bishop of Canterbury and at his first coming to the Crown kept the English under with a very strict Hand every where disarming them and making it a capital Crime for above a certain number of them to meet together unless called by his Authority so that Faires and Marts were in a manner laid aside He Deposed and Banished the Popular Nobles conferring their Titles of Honour and Estates on his Danes and yet not thinking he was sufficiently secured whilst Edward and Edmund the Sons of Edmund Ironside remained in the Kingdom and yet thought that if he should dip his Hands in their Innocent Blood he must of necessity incur the perpetual hatred of the English he concluded to take away their Lives privately so that he might excuse it and lay the blame on others whereupon he sent the Young Princes to his Brother King of Sweden with private Instructions to make them away but he detesting so base a crime Transferred them to the King of Hungary where Edmond Dyed but Edward getting favour at Court and being a Prince endowed with much manly Beauty and excellent Parts Agatha Sister to the Empress of Germany fell in Love with him to whom he was Married and by her had Edgar Sirnamed Etheling who Dyed without Issue Margaret who Married Malcolm King of Scots she had Issue Christian a Veiled Nun Edgar David and Alexander all three Kings of Scotland proceeded from this Line as also Maud wife to King Henry the first King of England who had Issue Maud the Empress Mother to King Henry the Second so that the design of making away these Princes abroad by a wonderful Providence turned in the end to the Advantage of both Kingdoms in restoring the Saxon Line after the Norman Conquest to England in the person of Henry the Second and producing many worthy Kings in Scotland Canute to strengthen his Interest Marryed Emma Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy and widow to King Ethelred and soon got possession of the Kingdom of Norway which has ever since been annexed to the Crown of Denmark then Warring on the Scots he made them Tributaries so that some reckon him to be the possessor of Four Kingdoms he made a strict League with the Normans and set out a huge Navy to Sea bringing thereby a Terror on all the Neighbouring Sea Coasts laying a Tax of 82000 Pounds on his English Subjects with which Money at the perswasion of Queen Emma he pay'd off and sent away the greater part of the Lazy Danes to their Native Country which won him much favour with the English Then he set himself to the contriving and establishing wholsom Laws for the better settlement of his Kingdom and for the more firmly founding them he called a Parliament at Oxford He is commended for his aversion to Dissemblers Traitors and Flatterers for one of the latter having told him He was Soveraign King not only of the Land but the Sea and not only his People but the Winds and Waves were subject to his Command to disprove and upbraid the Parasite being at Southampton he caused his Chair to be placed on the Sand and Commanded the Sea that it should not swell to wet his Royal Robes but the Waves Rowling towards the Shoar in their wonted Flowings Dashed him up to the Thighs whereupon rising hastily he said to his Attendants Now you see all the Might and Power of Kings is but Vanity for none is worthy to have the Name of King but he that hath all things subject to his Laws and from that time as several Authors affirm he not only Banished all Flatterers from the Court but refused to wear his Crown In the Third Year of his Reign with a great Navy he Sailed to Denmark that Country being then Invaded by the Vandalls who had over-run the larger part of Germany and overthrowing them in a bloody Battel Slaying their chief Leaders he chased the rest out of his Kingdom and causes Castles and Forts to be Builded on the Frontiers to secure it against their Incursions And so returning with Victory he was received at London in Triumph and having settled his Affairs in a flourishing condition the Kingdom thereby much recovered its Antient Renown and he having received the Christian Faith a considerable time before hearing of the Magnificence of Rome and desirous to see its stately Structures the manner of their Living c. went thither not Royally Attended but as a Pilgrim where nevertheless being known he was received with great respect and having given liberally to that See after he had visited all the places of note in that Superb City once Mistriss of the World he returned highly satisfied with the Undertaking causing the Ruined Churches to be Repaired and Founded divers Religious Houses giving great Priviledges to the Monastery of St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk which he had re-Edified and then taking a Progress to restore the Face of Justice in the several Counties punishing the corrupt Ministers and Oppressors worn out with the Toiles of War and Indefatigable Study in settling his new acquired Kingdom he fell Sick on the Road some Miles from Shaftsbury and being conveyed to that Town in a short time he paid the debt by Nature due from all that are cloathed with Mortality Dying Anno Dom. 1036 when he had Reigned 18 Years and tho' the First of the Danish yet is accounted the 16th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Huntingtonshire c. HUntingtonshire is as the former an Inland County Bounded by Northamptonshire Bedfordshire and Cambridgshire It produces store of Wooll Cattle Corn and many fertil Pastures it is somwhat Woody tho' incumbered with few Hills of any considerable height it has many small Streams abounding with Roach Dace Chub Trouts Carp and Pike and abundance of Wild Fowle resorts to its Meers and Marshy Places it contains divers Parks of Deer and some Warrens also
Years before the birth of our Saviour it was given by Ethelbert the Saxon King of Kent to Austin the Monk and his Companions and in their time the Cathedral was Founded in which Eight Kings of Kent lie Buryed It suffered greatly by the Fury of the Danes especially in the Reign of Ethelred when 4200 of its Inhabitants were slain Here King John and his Queen Isabela were Crowned King Henry the Third and King Edward the First Married Edward the Black Prince Henry the Fourth and Queen Joan were Interred here and the Cathedral was long famous in Superstitious times for Pilgrimages made to visit the Shrine of St. Thomas of Becket a Popish Saint and Martyr slain at the Altar in the Reign of Henry the Second Rochester formerly called Roffchester as Builded by one Roff Lord thereof is a very pleasant City it was destroyed by the Danes and suffered much after Rebuilding by two dreadful Fires in the Reigns of King Henry the First and King Henry the Second it has in it many fair Churches and leading to it a curious Arched Bridge of Stone Maidstone a flourishing Town situate on the Medway for a meer Town is reputed the handsomest and best of Trade in all the County Feversham is of great Antiquity very pleasant and commodious in its situation in it King Stephen and Queen Maud were Buried Dover is renowned for its Castle said to be Built by Julius Caesar at his second Landing Queenborough Castle was Built by Edward the Third At Wye J. Kemp the learned Arch Bishop of Canterbury was Born Greenwich is famous for its Park and stately Palace and near it is the New Hospital founded for Decayed Merchants Horstead took its Name from Horsus one of the first Saxon Invaders Tunbridge is famous for its Medicinal Waters and the great resort to its Wells The Seats of the Nobility are Knobl belonging to the Earl of Dorset Penhurst to the Earl of Leicester Bocton-Malberb to the Earl of Chesterfield Hoathfield and Sylom to the Earl of Thanet Chenvening to the Earl of Sussex Lingstead Lodg to the Lord Tenham Leeds-Castle and Grenway-Court to the Lord Culpeper Alington-Castle and Maidstone Place to the Lord Astly Bromly-House the Bishop of Rochesters seat CHAP. X. The Saxons Re-Entry upon the failure of Succession in the Danes and what happened during the Reign of those Kings till the Conquest made of England by William the Norman Conqueror The Reign of Edward called the Confessor Nineteenth Sole Monarch of England EDward commonly stiled the Confessor being arrived in England was received by the People with great demonstrations of Joy and that Flattering Earl of Kent possessed him that he was the chief Instrument of his Restauration tho' indeed like a stanch Courtier he Sailed with all Winds usually adhering to him who was most powerful for certain it is that Leofrick the Earl of Chester moved the Estates on Edwards behalf urging his Right to the Crown as being the true Heir descended from the Antient Saxon Kings under whom the Nation had enjoyed its Rights and Priviledges without Infringments or Invasion He urged his Fathers Merits and the Battels he had Fought against the Danes in the defence of the English Nation and many other things So that they generally concuring with him Edward was Accepted and Crowned at Winchestor by Edsine Arch Bishop of Canterbury yet Goodwin so far insinuated into his favour that he took Edith his Daughter to Wife a very virtuous Lady much affecting a Religious Life so that Ingultus Abbot of Crowland who flourished in her time makes a large Encomium on her Learning Wisdom Humility Modesty and Behaviour In the beginning of this Kings Reign new Troubles arose the Danes Irish and Welsh in a manner all at once Invading the Kingdom doing great Mischief and destroying all before them with Fire and Sword but being met by Alfred the Martial Bishop of Worcester he gave them a great Overthrow In the fifth Year of his Reign there fell so great a Snow in January that covering the Ground and being of a prodigious deepness and continuing so till the middle of March much Cattle and Fowl perished for want of Food And the January following a terrible Earthquake happened causing the Ground to Open in divers places overthrowing many stately Buildings destroying much People and Cattle also at the same time such fearful Lightnings happened That the new sprung Corn was Burnt up whereupon a Dearth ensued and many dyed of Hunger Malcolm the true Heir to the Crown of Scotland flying into England to avoid the Fury of Mackbeth a Bloody Tyrant who had slain the King and Usurped the Kingdom Edward aided him with 10000 Men under the Leading of Syward Earl of Northumberland who by the Mothers side was Grandfather to the Young Prince who Besieging Mackbeth in his Castle of Dunsinane and he attempting to Escape was slain by Maskduff Sheriff of Fife whose Wife and Children Mackbeth had cruelly Murthered and soon after by the Valour of the English Malcolme Sirnamed Conmer was placed in the Scots Throne making a strict League with King Edward and paying him 10000 Marks for the charge of the War After this he Banished Goodwin and his five Sons for being Turbulent in the Government and endeavoring to raise Commotions but about two Years after they were Recalled and received into Favour and Goodwin being one day at Dinner with the King the Cupbearer coming in got a slip and had like to have spilt the Wine but as one Legg failed he recovered with the other and saved both the Wine and his Credit whereupon the Earl of Kent Jestingly said I see one Brother hath helped the other This suddainly puting the King in mind how by his Treachery his Brother Alfride was slain by Harrold the Dane In a heat replied And so would my Brother Alfride have helped me if Goodwin had not been The Earl perceiving the Kings anger which he little expected at that time thinking to excuse himself of so notorious a crime took a piece of Bread and wished it might Choak him if he were any ways concerned in Betraying the Prince into the hands of Harrold and accordingly his Wish was answered for putting it into his Mouth it stuck in his Throat so that it could not be got upwards nor downwards by which means he was Suffocated and Dyed before he could be well removed from the Table which I the rather remark That it may stand as a dreadful warning to all the Rash Imprecators or Evil Wishers of our Age being a Sin too often practised on trivial occasions and I am apt to fear frequently as false in many matters as this of the Earl of Kents which pulled down Gods immediate Judgment upon him and hastily snatched him out of the World The King soon after this falling into displeasure with Queen Emma his Mother abridged her of her Dowry and got her accused of Adultery when by the Law then called Ordealium she was Tryed in the following
manner Her Eyes were blinded with a thick Veil and nine Plowshares newly taken out of the Fire laid a Yard distance from each other in an even row over which she was to pass for her Purgation and if she did it without touching any of them she was to be adjudged Guiltless so being led by a Priest her Feet being bare she passed over missing every one of them which being done and she not knowing it Cryed out O Lord when shall I come to the place of my Purgation she having her Eyes uncovered and perceiving she had passed the danger she fell on her Knees and gave thanks to God for her deliverance This King is likwise accounted to be over severe to his Virtuous Wife Edith who being wrongfully accused of Incontinency was Imprisoned and at last confined to a Religious Life in the Monastery of Wilton In this Kings Reign a Blazing Star appeared and was seen for seven Nights all over Europe The Abby of St. Peter's Westminster founded in a place formerly called the Isle of Thorns was Beautified and much Enlarged by him he removed the Bishops See from Credington in Devonshire to Exeter in the same County and was the first of our English Kings that is said to have The Gift conferred upon him of Curing the Disease called Struma now the Kings-Evil And the first also that sealed his Patents with that stately Seal now called The Kings Great Seal He remitted the remainder of the Tax called Dane Gelt moved to it as some say upon seeing a fearful Apparition dancing about a heap of Money in his Closet that had been exacted from the People under that denomination and towards the close of his Reign he collected all the useful Laws made by his Predecessors into one Body and out of them compiled a select Body of Law held at this day to be the Ground of our Common Law This Edward Seventh Son to Ethelred by Emma his Second Wife was Born at Islip in Oxfordshire and brought up to a great degree of Learning which he improved in his Banishment He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1042 and Reigned Twenty Years Six Months and Twenty Seven Days Dying the Fourth of January of a lingering Fever and was Buried in Westminster Abby where in the second Year of the Reign of the Late King James one of the Choristers searching his Tomb found a plain Golden Crucifix Inscribed to be this Kings and delivered it into the Hands of the said King James who esteemed it as an extraordinary Relick by reason this Edward after his Death was Canonized a Saint at Rome tho' for what Extraordinary Vertues I know not Remarks on the County Palatine of Lancaster c. LANCASHIRE by John Seller Lancaster the Shire Town is Commodiously Situate on the South Banks of the River Lon from whence it might probably take the Name of Loncaster and now by corruption Lancaster It has a Curious Bridge Leading to it and in it a famous Church It gave Title from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster to four Henries Kings of England viz 4th 5th 6th and 7th It is a place of great Antiquity Considerable Trade Pleasant Building and has a stately Castle Manchester the Antient Mancunium of the Romans was highly prized by them where the Ruins of their Forts and Works are found in the digging of Foundacions Ribchester taks it's Name from Rible a little Brook near Clithero it is a Town of great Antiquity and was a station of the Romans as appears by their Coins and Statues that have been digg'd up there and Tradition Reports it to have been once the Richest Town in Christendom Near Duglas a small Brook not far from the Town of Wiggan King Arthur put the Saxons to the Rout with great Slaughter at Belango the Saxons Fought a mortal Battel with each other Near Furness-Fells in this County is a standing Water accounted the greatest in England called Minander-Meer being 10 Miles in Length and all along paved at the bottom with flat Stone and it is said a Fish called a Chare is found here and in no other Waters Also the the River Lune near Cockerfand-Abby abounds with Trout Pike and some Salmon In this County is the Antiently Famous Castle called Hornby Castle Induring many Sieges There are scatered up and down in Lancashire divers Quarries of useful Stone for Building and some Mineralls upon its Hills are many pleasant Springs and Rivers and some places naturally abound with Wiâ—â— Thime Marjorum and Cardus and many other Physical Herbs The Seats of the Nobility give a gratful Prospect to the Travellers and are Clithero Castle belonging to the late Duke of Albemarle Alburn Tower to the Earl of Derby Halfal to the Earl of Macclesfield Hornby Castle to the Lord Morley and Mount-Eagle Wood-acre Hall Ashton Hall and Shortâ—n Hall to the Lord Gerard of Gerards Bromley Wigan the Bishop of Chesters Place besides divers Seats of the Gentry as famous in Prâ—spect for most part as those mentioned and to conclude it has produced many famous Men serviceable in Church and State The Reign of Harrold Twentieth Sole Monarch of England KIng Edward Dying Issueless tho' Edgar Etheling was the next Heir to the Crown yet Harrold Son to Goodwin Earl of Kent by his Wife Sitha Sister to Swain the Younger King of Denmark having Ingratiated himself into the Favour of the leading Nobility and promised great advantages to the Commons he so firmly bound them to him that he procured himself to be Proclaimed King beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 1065 and according to his promise he remitted to the People many grievous Taxes making them everywhere â—asie in their stations and then was Crowned by Aldred Arch Bishop of York confirming the Laws of Edward the Confessor and adding some of his own and laboured to make his bad Title appear more fair in the Eyes of his Subjects by heaping on them what favours they desired as fearing a storm from the Norman Coast which soon after happened to his destruction the cause of it being reported by Historians three several ways 1. That Edward had consigned his Crown to William the Seventh Duke of Normandy to be holden by him after his Death 2. That Young Edgar the true Heir to whom he was great Unkle had resigned his Right to him as being too weak to contend for the possession 3. That Harrold in King Edwards life-time Hawking on the Coast of Sussex the Hawk when he was cast off flew into the Sea whereupon getting into a Skiff in hopes to recover him a Storm arose and he was driven on the Coast of Normandy where Landing and being taken Prisoner he was known and presented to the Duke who caused him to be kept with a strict Guard till such time as he Swore That if King Edward Dyed Issueless he would do his utmost endeavour to secure the Kingdom to the use and behoof of him the before named Duke and thereupon he procuring his Liberty returned to England However
Eglesine Abbot of St Austines had as secretly as they could made them Weapons and lay in Ambush for him which he no sooner entered but every one cut down a Bough to shelter him from present discovery burst out of the Woods on either side the straight he was passing and surrounded his small Train but whilst the King was in suspence what this unusual thing might signifie they all at once threw down their Boughs and stood ready prepared with their Bows Arrows and such other Weapons as they had for the Encounter whereupon the Arch Bishop advancing towards the Conquerer said Behold most noble King the Commons of Kent Assembled to demand a Confirmation of their Antient Rights Laws and Liberties the which if you will Grant them they are willing to Submit and become your Obedient Subjects otherwise in defence of them they are resolved to venture their dearest Blood and presently to give you Battel This unexpected Adventure startled the King that notwithstanding his great Courage a surprising fear seemed visible in his Countenance so that pausing a while he thought it more prudent to yield to Necessity than hazard after so much expence of Blood and Treasure his Life and Kingdom on an uncertain Chance and Nicety Whereupon he signed their demands presented in Writing and gave them a Solemn Promise to Confirm it to them in a Legal manner whereupon they threw down their Arms and Shouted for Joy so that from his Reign to this day that County Enjoys the Priviledges they held in Edward the Confessors time exempted from other Counties as also those in preceding Reigns After this perceiving the Spirits of the English were not so easily brought under as he supposed and hearing that Swain King of Denmark was preparing for an Invasion at the Instigation of Goodwin and Edmund two of King Harrolds Sons he began to relax in his severity and to make fair with the City of London Granted them this short Charter viz. I William King Greet William Bishop and Godfrey Porters and all the Burgesses within London French and English and I Grant you that I Will that you Maintain and Enjoy all your Laws as you did in the days of King Edward meaning the Confessor and I will that each Child be his Fathers Heir and further I will that no Man Wrong you and so God keep you However the Danes Landed a strong Army in the North where they were Joyned by many English in hopes thereby to regain their Liberties but the King hasting thither drove them to their Ships with great slaughter and to revenge him on those that had joyned with them he wasted the Country from York to Durham so that for Nine Years the Ground lay waste which occasioning a Famine numbers of People Dyed After this he Summoned a Convocation of the Clergy charging them with many faults and failures in their Functions and Duty towards him for which he Deposed and Deprived divers Learned and Godly Men of their Dignities Living and Substance The two former he bestowed on such as bid most for them and the latter he kept to Maintain his Wars in Normandy where Troubles were arisen in his Absence the French labouring to recover it as part of their Antient Territories But scarce had he Expelled them ere hasty News recalled him viz. The Earls Edwin and Morcar had set up Edgar Etheling and raised great Forces which were so Formidable to the Conquerer by reason the English were generally enclined to favour the Young Prince than he found himself constrained to end the Difference by fair means and to make the common sort more ready to embrace it he Swore to keep Inviolable the Antient Laws of the Land particularly those of Edward the Confessor but not long after he took from the Abby of St. Albans all the Lands between Barnet and London-Stone And to Strengthen himself he made a League with Malcolm King of Scots who had often publickly or underhand made Incursions or raised Commotions in the Northern parts of the Kingdom And the Bounds of the Country were ascertained by rearing a Stone Cross called by the Scots Stain Moor in Westmorland but by the English Roy Cross or Kings Cross and soon after the King Sailed again for Normandy and quelled the Rebellious Normans that were joyned with the French against him and so returned with Victory but his Treasure being Exhausted he to recruit it Sold to Walcher Bishop of Durham the Earldom of Northumberland but he Enjoyed it not long for Oppressing the People to raise the Money he had disbursed they rose in a Tumultuous manner and slew him Anno 1075 and the ensuing Year a Frost continued without Intermission from the 12th of November to the 15th of April so that the Wild Fowl were most destroyed and many Cattle perished for want of Food A Blazing Star soon after appeared whereupon great contentions ensued in Normandy for Robert the Kings Son having Ingratiated himself into the Favour of the People raised great Forces and in a set Battel Wounded his Father in the Arm threw him from his Horse and took it as his Prize gaining an intire Victory in which many of the English Nobles lost their Lives Whereupon the King finding his Army much weakened was constrained to return for England and finding the City of London did not much favour him after this Defeat to lay a curb and awe on them he rebuilt the Tower of London drawing a Ditch about it to the largness as it continues to this day it being before but of inconsiderable Strength viz. Anno Dom. 1078 and so a Peace in a short time being concluded between him and his Son Robert the latter being allowed the nominal Title of Duke of Normandy and entirely to possess it as a Soveraign Prince after his Fathers Death he came into England and was made General against the Scots who breaking the League wasted the Northern Countries as far as the place then called Moonkchester to whom he gave an entire Defeat and in memory of the Victory erected a strong Castle of Stone Naming it New-Castle from which the Town so called on Tine took its Name Not long after this such mighty Rains happened and continued for so long a time that divers Hills were so softened into a Quagmire that they sunk down and overthrew many Cots and some Villages making as it were a Level St. Paul's Church was likewise set on Fire in June following supposed to be done by Lightning and a great part of it consumed but soon Rebuilded by the Liberal Contributions of the Clergy and Laity He held a Synod in London where some Bishopricks were Translated from one place to another as Selwy to Chichester Credington to Exeter Shirbourn to Salisbury Dorchester unto Lincoln and there being a Contention between the two Arch Bishops of Canterbury and York for Primacy he undertook to determine the difference appointing Lanfrank Arch Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Thomas Arch Bishop of York only
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
times the beating of a Drum is heard and People say it is usually the Alarm or Forerunner of Wars or Changes of Government and indeed before the late Revolution it was for many days together heard very plain It has a very fine Church a Free-Sohool and an Almes-House Peterborough is famed for its Building and the curious Work of its Cathedral It is seated as Northampton and Oundle are on the River Nen. At Higham Ferries was Born Henry Chichely Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in the Reign of Henry the Sixth who Founded All Souls Colledge in Oxford Edgcot on Danes Moor near this place a Bloody Battle was Fought Anno 1469 between Robin of Risdale and Sr. John Coniers against William Herbert Earl of Pembrook the Lord Rivers and others At Fotheringay Castle Mary Queen of Scots was kept a long time Prisoner and at last Beheaded in it The other Towns of Note are Towcester Daventree Wellingborough Kettering Brabrook situate mostly on pleasant Streams that branch in all parts of this County At Wellingborough are Medicinal Waters upon the account of which Queen Mary the First Lay there for several Weeks In the midest of the River Nen South of Peterborough is a deep Gulf so Cold in the Summer no Swimmer is able to endure it yet never Frozen in the Winter The whole County is pleasantly sprinkled with Woods and Tufted Groves wherein great store of Hares shelter The Seats of the Nobility are Grafton Regis a seat of the late Duke of Grafton Burghly Worthorp and Wakerly belonging to the Earl of Exeter Apethorp and Sewlhay Lodg to the Earl of Westmerland Brayton Luswick alias Lowick Thrapston and Sudborow to the Earl of Peterborough Althorp to the Earl of Sunderland Dean to the Earl of Cardigan Winwick to the Earl of Craven Holdenby to the Earl of Feversham Kerby to the Lord Viscount Hatton Baron of Kerby c. Astwell to the Lord Ferrers Easton Mauit to the Lord Grey Boughton and Barnwell Castle to the Lord Montague Rockingham Castle Warmington and Stoke Albony to the Lord Watson Stean to the Lord Crew Peterborough-Pallace and Castle to the Lord Bishop of the Diocess Besides these there are many stately Houses of the Gentry that give a curious Prospect to most Roads in the County The Reign of King STEPHEN THough King Henry thought he made the Crown of England and Dutchy of Normandy sure to his Daughter Maud and her Issue yet for a whole Reign it was debarred from them for Stephen Third Son to Stephen Earl of Bloyce by his Wife Adilicia or Alice Third Daughter to Willian the Conquerer having insinuated himself into the Favour of the leading Nobles Sailed for England and Landed at Whit-Sand Bay with whom came a wonderful Tempest attended with Thunder and Lightening He was Crowned at Westminster on the 26th of December Anno Dom. 1135 by William Corbell Arch Bishop of Canterbury and so well was he Instructed in the former Examples That by Wisdom and Policy he laboured to lay a sure foundation for his Advancement and because Riches are the Sinews and Strength of the Strongest Kings he therefore to Enrich himself seized on the Treasure of the Deceased King and Bountifully disposed of it to such as either by Arms or Council were most likely to stand him in stead he also created sundry Noblemen and Dignified many others with the Honour of Knighthood which made him find many fast Friends and because benefits received are more frequently pleasing to the Vulgar than Right or Reason to ingratiate with the Common Sort he remitted several Taxes of â—hose Grievance they had complained in the latter end of the last Reign but could have no Redress causing the better to confirm this Concession a Charter to be made to the People under the Great Seal for an Assurance of his not Revoking what he had consented to he also made a Mitigation of the Severeties and Penalties of divers Laws and by Solemn Oath bound himself to Observe and Keep the same he likewise Renounced the future Seisures of all Ecclesiastical Dignities and Promotions when they should become Vacant the better to Endear the Clergy to him giving to the Church and Church-men such Graceful and Profitable Priviledges and Immunities as they would demand exempting them among other things from the Authority of the Temporal Magistrate for all Offence whatsoever unless the Ordinary consent to give them up to the Secular Power And to prevent suddain Disturbances that might arise he Builded many Forts Fortresses Bullwarks and Castles Licensing the Nobles Gentry and Clergy to do the like for their Security And to keep fair with David King of Scots who was Unkle to Maud the Empress he gave him the County of Cumberland to hold it in Fee of the Crown of England and do Homage for it when he should be so required and Created his Eldest Son Henry Earl of Huntingdon yet this sufficed not that restless King for soon after he entered England in the Empresses Quarrel and laid many Towns and Villages Waste but being Encountered by Thurston Arch Bishop of York he was Overthrown and flying into Scotland left about 10000 of his Men Dead behind him Nor were the Welsh less troublesome tho' he had Banished Baldwin D' Redvers for Rebelling against him but greatly infested the Western Parts whereupon an Army was sent and gave them Battel but by the Negligence of the Commanders for want of due order the English were put to the Rout and many Slain tho' more taken Prisoners many of which were lead away by the Welsh-women and so great a number were Drowned by the fall of a Bridge over Tweed That a Passage was made over the Water with their Dead Bodies In the Sixth Year of this Kings Reign the Empress Maud being accompanied by her brother-in-Brother-in-Law Robert Duke of Glocester Landed in England with an Army which as it Marched was much encreased by the comming in of many English and soon after joyned by Randulph Earl of Chester with a Body of Welsh hereupon the King reposing no confidence in delay but Experience advising him that time would be the chief enabler of his Adversaries Success he Levied a strong Army and Marched against them so that a cruel Fight with equal hopes was Fought for many hours between them but at length the common Souldiers on the Kings part striving faintly rather endeavouring to save themselves than to defend their Prince they at last betook them to Flight and left him with a few Nobles and Gentry yet with his Battel-Ax in his Hand like an enraged Lion he stoutly maintained the Combate Slaying many of the Enemy till at last being surrounded and in vain demanded to yeild he made a War himself against whole Troops till being beaten down with a weighty Stone cast on him at a distance he was taken Prisoner and carried to Bristol Castle where remaining about three Months he was exchanged for the Duke of Glocester who in the mean while was made
a Prisoner to King Stephen's Queen However after this Battel Maud received the Allegiance of all the Counties of England except Kent and Marching to Winchester received there the Crown and other Regalia's and so passing to London she was received in Triumph and now the reports of King Stephen's Defeat and Imprisonment flying into Normandy caused his Subjects there to slight him and incline to Geoffery Husband to the Empress but changed their Minds when they heard the King was at Liberty and had strongly Besieged the Empress in Oxford whither she was Fled upon notice the Londoners consulted to seiz her and deliver her Prisoner to the King because she had refused to confirm to them King Edward's Laws with all their Charters and Priveledges And withdrawing privately from London for fear of a Surprize she posted to Oxford where she had not been scarce five Days ere the King Beleagured the City and pressed it with continual Assaults tho' in the depth of Winter so that the Empress fearing to be Taken dressed herself in White and passing the Thames on the Ice went through the Snow which lay then thick on the Ground to Abingdon where taking Horse she passed to Wallingford-Castle kept with a strong Garison by her Friends and by this time her Brother and Son Henry were Landed at Warram-Haven and from thence came to her with some Forces but she wearied with the various turns and chances of War soon after left England and returned to her Husband who was in Normandy having sent Prince Henry before and so Oxford being Surrendered to the King he went to Lincoln and Summoned the Barons who there Swore Allegiance to Eustace his Son whom he Created Duke of Normandy and Theobald Arch Bishop of Canterbury refusing to Consecrate him was obliged for his contempt of the Kings commands to leave the Land and fly to Normandy whereupon the King seized on his Temporalities but did not dispose of the Arch Bishoprick It is Remarkable that the Kings of England before Stephen refrained going into Lincoln upon the account of a fatal Prophecy pronounced by Merlin viz. When a King enters within Lincoln's Walls His Reign proves Stormy and he Childless falls The Kings Treasure being much wasted in the Wars he Fought he demanded a Subsidy of the Clergy but they refusing it he was extream angry with the Prelates demanding of the Bishops of Salisbury Lincoln and Ely the Keys of their Castles and exacted great Sums of Money from them pretending they were Indebted to the Crown for the Tenures of their Temporalities And now Prince Henry being grown up gathered an Army and Invaded England nor was the King slow to Oppose him but was somewhat retarded by the Indisposition of his Son who fell into a Frenzy of which he shortly Dyed greatly lamented of the King who had no more Children but Sorrow giving place to Anger he caused the Trumpets to sound a Charge against the Enemy but as the two Armies were about to joyn such a Storm of Rain and Hail fell and continued so long that they were forced out of the Field to seek shelter which gave a time for Parly and the King weary of the War and pittying the Sufferings of his People being Childless and not expecting any more Children after many Messages from one to the other a meeting was appointed in which it was firmly agreed That the King should Adopt Prince Henry his Heir to Succeed him in the Kingdom and other his Dominions and in lieu thereof he should quietly enjoy the Crown during the Term of his Natural Life which being Signed and Sworn to all Hostilities ceased and Henry was sent to suppress the Rebellion in Normandy and oppose the intruding French where in his Young Years he shewed himself an expert General and Souldier in driving the Frenchmen out of the Garrisons and Castles they had taken but whilst he was busied in the Wars Abroad King Stephen fell Sick of the Iliack Passion and Dyed in the Monastery of Monks at Dover This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy the third Son of Stephen Earl of Bloyce by Adilicia or Alice He began his Reign on Monday the Second of December Anno Dom. 1135 and Reigned 18 Years 10 Months and 20 Days being the 24th Sole Monarch of England He was Buried at Feversham in Kent in an Abby of his own Founding In his Reign Anno 1136 a Fire began at London-Stone and consumed all before it thence Eastward as far as Aldgate and Westward to St. Paul's Church and the next Year Rochester was destroyed by Fire And in the Third Year of his Reign St. Martin's Church without the Walls and the Hospital with Thirty Nine Houses and much Riches were Burnt In the Last Year of his Reign a little before his Death appeared a plain sign of a Cross in the Moon Remarks on the County of Norfolk c. THis County is pleasantly Situated and receives many Advantages by lying so commodiously open to Sea which Bounds it on the North-East and part of the West on the South it is Bounded by Suffolk and the remaining part of the West by Cambridgshire It produces plenty of Butter Cheese large Cattle Corn Wooll Deer Coneys Sheep and store of Woollen Manufacture It has in it one City viz Norwich a Bishops See it is divided into 31 Hundreds containing 660 Parishes 33 Market Towns and 3 Rivers of note the River Y ar from which Yarmouth takes its Name being the Principal It sends Members to Parliament 12 Norwich 2 Thetford 2 Yarmouth 2 Lynn-Regis 2 Castle-Rising 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Yarmouth lies advantagiously on the North side the River Y ar and has great Trade by Shipping it was Founded by the Danes the better to favour their Landing when they Invaded this Island and has been often Graced with the Presence of many Kings and Princes as William the Conquerer who Fortefied it Henry the Second and Queen Elizabeth Norwich the Antient Venta of the Romans is a City of great Antiquity often Sacked and Burnt by the Danes especially it was levelled to the Ground by them Anno 1004. It suffered much in the Conquerers time for siding with Earl Randdulph The Cathedral was Founded by one Herbert who Translated the Bishoprick from Thetford to Norwich and was the first Bishop of Norwich This City Imploys Thousands of People in the Woollen Manufacture in making Stuffs Bays Says Serges Stockings c. Thetford the Antient Stigomagus of the Romans was the principal seat of the Saxon East-Angle Kings where King Edmund the Martyr was Overthrown by the Danes NORFOLK Lynn is a pleasant Sea-Port Town honoured with the Gift of a Rich Cup by King John and their Charter was enlarged by Henry the Third for their good service against the Outlaw'd Barons and other Priviledges were added in Henry the Eighth's time the Name being changed from Lynn-Episcopi to Lynn-Regis Elmham was Antiently the Bishops See but it was Translated thence to Thetford
the City of Dublin to the Petty Kings and most of the Nobility of the Kingdom and having settled the Civil and Ecclesiastical matters reforming Barbarities and Abuses he brought those that held out in Vlster under Subjection and so returned in Triumph to London Thus was Ireland made subject to the Crown of England and has so continued ever since being a very spacious Country viz. in Length 303 Miles in Breadth 112 in Circumference 948. And such was the over-fondness of this King to his Eldest Son Henry that he caused him and his Wife Margaret Daughter to Lewis the French King to be twice sollemnly Crowned in the presence of his People himself the second time for that day leaving the Title of King and serving as a Servitor at his Son's Table whereat the Bishop of Winchester whispering the Young Henry in the Ear said Never any King of England had such a Sewer at his Table Nay replied the Upstart my Father need not think it any dishonour to him as being but Royal Born on one side when I had both a King to my Father and a Queen to my Mother upon this the old King shook his Head and whispered the Bishop I find my Lord I have raised the Young Man too soon and too late repent of it And from that time he laboured to suppress the Pride of his Sons which made them often Rebel and Conspire with his Enemies drawing away the Hearts of many of his Subjects And altho' at one time Lewis the French King Henry Geoffry and John three of his Sons joyned with Robert Earl of Leicester Hugh Earl of Chester and William King of Scots against him yet by plain Valour he Routed them and made his Sons and others that were his Subjects submit to his Pardon and soon after his Son Henry Dyed in the flower of his Age. But these were not all the Kings Troubles for he was grievously pestered with the stubbornness of Becket Arch Bishop of Canterbury For upon his first admittance to that See he refused to take the Oath for observation of the Articles administred to the Clergy which the rest of the Bishops had done because it was clearly against the Popes Authority and perceiving the King much displeased at his refusal he resolved to set the Pope on his Back and therefore privately withdrawing himself went to Rome where he made grievous complaints against the King and Clergy of England to Innocent the Second upon which the Pope gave him the Pall and appointed him Legate so upon his return he delivered up his Chancelorship and Great Seal not giving the King or any other an account why he did so These Jars between the King and the Arch Bishop imboldened the Inferiour Clergy to commit many Irregularities for which they received but small punishment for if they committed Murthers Manslaughters Fellonies or Robberie being Censured by Men of their own Profession they came off as they could wish so that the Common Wealth being sorely oppressed to Redress these Grievances the King found himself constrained to call a Parliament In which that Law made in King Stephens Reign which exempted the Authority of Temporal Judges from meddling with Ecclesiastical Affaires was Repealed and the Laws held in the Reign of Henry the First and other the Kings Predecessors Established and Inforced being commonly called Avitae Legis but he was stoutly opposed in his Proceedings by Becket and some other Bishops who unadvisedly made themselves partakers of his Faction but after many Conferences Disputes and Consultations all except Becket Ratified and Subscribed those newly revived Laws but he by no means would do it unless he might enter this Clause Salvo Ordine suo which words clearly Annihilated the Life and Substance of those Laws but the Bishops fearing the Kings Anger might turn to their great disadvantage at last prevailed with Becket to Swear to the said Laws but upon another Pet taken he recanted his Oath and was Absolved by the Pope Yet it nothing daunted the King but rather Irritated him to Seiz into his own hands all such Temporalities as he had formerly given to the Arch Bishop requiring him to render an Account of 30000 Marks he had Imbezilled during his being Chancellor But the Prelate in Answer to this boldly affirmed the King had freely given it to him as a free Gift and ought not in Honour or Conscience to demand it back Whereupon all the Moveables that appertained to him were Seized by the Kings express command At which Becket being disgusted he went to Rome without the Kings License and the King perceiving his drift was to incense the Pope against him sent his Ambassadors to represent his perversness and evil carriage and how reasonable things were he had imposed on him entreating the Pope to divest him of his Dignity and he would provide for him and his in another station But Becket had made such interest in the Court of Rome That the Pope not only refused it but with many Threatnings sent two Legates To Curse the King and all his People unless on their demands Becket were immediatly restored to his Dignity also to his Lands and Moveables that were Confiscated and in the mean while he commended him to the Abbot of Pontynack where he was kindly received and for a time entertained But upon the Kings Threats that unless he was Expelled the House that he would leave no Monk of that Order in France he was dismissed the King Commanding That without his License no Cardinal nor Legate should presume to set Footing in England and hereupon he Banished all Beckets Relations which much grieved him yet under-hand he was encouraged by Lewis the French King resolutely to persist in his Obstinacy whereupon King Henry to put an end to this difference that much disturbed the Kingdom Sailed to France and in the French Kings presence Conferred with the Arch Bishop making him an Offer That if he would take the Oath again and subscribe the Instrument Triparte as himself and the Arch Bishop of York had done he should be restored to his Favour and enjoy all that was formerly appertaining to him and his Friends recalled from Banishment but then he started another obstacle consenting to do it if it might be with an exception of salvo honore Dei This more angered the King than the former for by it he seemed to Object the Laws made tended to the dishonour of God and if so consequently were void in themselves bringing a scandal upon those that first Instituted them and also upon himself and the Parliament that had Revived them Whereupon Becket plainly told him That he feared none but God and since his Laws were derogatory to the Antient Customs and Priviledges of the Church and Robbed God of his Honour the King in seeking to Establish them should not have his will whilst he lived And upon this Disagreement the Pope sent two Legates to Interdict the Kingdom till Becket should be restored to his Dignity This so far
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
which made them divide into parties to decide their Quarrel by the Sword yet the King fearing this might Involve many of his Subjects in Ruin and shake the Quiet of the whole Kingdom interposed his Authority and Mediation to make them Friends But whilst this was doing Prince Edward the Kings Son taking advantage of their difference departed secretly from Court and consorting with the Earls of Glocester and Warren Sr. Roger Mortimer and others they raised an Army on the Marches of Wales and fell on the Earl of Leicesters Forces with such fury near Eversham in Worcestershire that they totally Routed them and in this Battel the Earl of Leicester Simon his Eldest Son Sr. Hugh Spencer and many others of note were Slain and so enraged were the Soldiers that they dispitefully used the Earls dead Body by cuting off the Head Hands Feet and Privy Members sending them into divers Shires as Trophies of their Victory This turn of fortunate Success so ellevated the drooping King that he resolved utterly to throw off his Fetters and assume his Kingly Authority uncontrouled whereupon whilst his Enemies were full of fear and mistrust and their strength in a manner utterly broken he summoned a Parliament which conforming to his will more through dread of his Anger than voluntarily Repealed the Laws and Ordinances made in the Oxford Parliament disannuling the Authority of the Twelve Peers and all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoever that tended to the Establishing and Ratifying those things were by the Kings express Commandment brought forth publickly Cancelled and made void by which means he regained his former Power and Liberty to say and do as he pleased This Parliament was no sooner ended but the King expressed his anger towards the City of London because as is alledged the Rulers and Inhabitants had always despised him and taken part with the Barons against him vowing to consume it with Fire and leave it in a heap of Rubbish as a lasting Monument of their Rebellion to succeeding Ages and so firmly had he determined it That all his Friends and Favorits had much ado to avert him from this purpose nor could it be done till the Citizens caused an Instrument in Writing to be drawn and Ratified it with their common Seal by which they Confessed their Rebellion humbly craving Pardon and without any restraint or exception submitted their Lands Goods Lives and the whole City to the Kings Grace and Mercy Whereupon paying 1000 Marks Fine they were Restored to their Liberties and Customs which had been seized into the Kings hands during which space they had suffered much dammage yet for what Wrongs soever they received they could find no Redress And many Robberies and Piracies during the Wars being committed by the Inhabitants of the Cinque-Ports to hinder his Courts of Justice being pestered with many Complaints he ordered they should be heard in the Courts within the Jurisdiction of those Ports where the Persons agrieved expecting little redress because the Inhabitants were parties few Complaints after that were made Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester by his revolt from the Barons and joyning his Interest with the Prince expecting high preferment for the success that had given the King all these Advantages and not meeting with it agreeable to his mind grew angry and Meditating Revenge retired from Court into the City where the Citizens forgeting how lately they had been Pardoned and the danger they were in flocked to him in great Numbers and then Sallying through Temple Bar went to the Kings Palace at Westminster which they Rifled with the Houses of many Court Favourites in and out of the City This Outrage made the King pronounce no less than utter Destruction to them But the Prince and Kings Counsellours fearing such severity might renew the Civil War as dangerous as ever with much ado pacified him so far that he Granted a Pardon to the Earl of Glocester and all that had Acted in the late Tumult Yet the Earl finding but cold Entertainment at Court fearing some mischief might befal him at home Made it his request to the King that he would send him with an Army to make War in the Holy Land This motion tho' it tended to much charge and expence pleased the King well for he considered if he continued at home he would still be Plotting but abroad he could little injure the quiet of the Government so that an Army being raised the Earl repented him of his Undertaking and feigned so many causes for delay that the King took the Command out of his hand and gave it to Prince Edward who Transported the Army into Palestine and by his valorous Acts brought such a Terror on the Turks and Sarazens That they seldom if they could avoid it adventured themselves against the Christians in that Quarter where the Prince drew up and the Terror of his coming made them raise the Siege of the City of Acon which they had pressed hardly for a long time with 100000 Men which made them secretly contrive his Death For a Sarazen under pretence of delivering him a Letter Stabbed him in the Arm with an Impoisoned Knife whereupon the Prince struck him down with his Foot and upon the noise his Guards coming in cut the Villan in pieces yet so desperate was the Wound by reason of the venom that the Surgeons declared That unless any at the hazard of their Lives would daily suck the Wound to draw away the Poison his Life could not be saved this when all his Courtiers strained Courtesie to do or utterly refused was undertaken by Elianor his virtuous and loving Wife Sister to the King of Spain who had accompanied him in that tedious Journey and yet she was not at all injured by it And now the King having had some Peace was a little disturbed by a Tumult in Norwich who Burnt the Monastery of the Trinity but he hasting thither they dispersed yet escaped not so for a strict enquiry being made into the matter 50 of the chief Actors were Drawn Hanged and Quartered and their Quarters Burned Soon after this the King fell Sick and Dyed at the Abby of St. Edmund's in Suffolk on the Sixteenth of November Anno Dom. 1275 in the 57th Year of his Reign and 65th of his Age. He was Buried with great Magnificence at Westminster In this Kings Reign an Imposture at the Provincial Synod at Oxford suffered himself to be Wounded in the Hands Feet and Sides saying he was Christ and a Woman that went about with him called herself the Virgin Mary but being taken and closed up between two Walls they there miserably perished On St. Paul's Day in the 15th Year of his Reign such an unusual Thunder and Lightening happened That whilst Roger Niger Bishop of London was at Mass in St. Paul's the Cathedral was so shaken that the People verily supposed it would have falln and that they should have been burned with the flashes of Lightening whereupon all except the Bishop and Arch-Deacon ran
Earl of Bristol Hinton St. George Court of Ewick Lenn Court and Walton to the Lord Paulet Connington to the Lord Clifford Wells Palace and Banwell to the Bishop of Bath and Wells Bristol Palace to the Bishop of Bristol With divers Houses of the Gentry pleasantly Sighted c. The Reign of EDWARD the Third commonly called Edward of Windsor EDWARD upon the offer of the Crown to him in his Fathers Life time not being Fifteen Years of Age refused it with Tears and Detestation till Mortimer and the Queen his Mother by Threats and Perswasions wrought him to some compliance nor then would he yeild to be Crowned till his Father had Resigned nor then till he was made sensible by some faithful Counsellors it was the only way to secure the Life of the Deposed King and the Crown in the Right Line For many feared that Mortimer being great with the Queen and high in her favour would find some means to rid her of her Husband and by Marrying her place the Diadem on his own Head for which reason he ever after hated that aspiring Lord and laboured to Revenge the Indignity and Death of King Edward the Second which in time he in some measure did in the Execution of Mortimer as will hereafter appear In the beginning of this Kings Reign the Scots denounced War against England thinking to make their Advantage in the Kings Minority but he tho' Young being of a Martial Spirit scorned to be outbraved whereupon he raised an Army of 50000 valiant Men and Marched into Scotland chasing the Scots from place to place who nowhere durst appear in the Field in any Number and having seized several Towns and Castles and finding his Soldiers tired out in following through Woods Marshes and over Craggy Hills he resolved to return which he did and assembled his Parliament at Northampton in which the two Executed Spencers and Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter who had been put to Death by the Londoners were Attainted of High Treason and all their Goods Lands c. Seized into the Kings hands and then the King by the direction of his Mother and Mortimer concluded a dishonourable Peace with the Scots releasing them of their Homage Fealty and Service due from that Kingdom to the Crown of England and delivered up the Grand Instrument or Charter called Ragman which under the Hands and Seals of their Late King and of the Nobility of Scotland testified their Tenure and Subjection to the Kings of this Realm After that he Married his Sister to David Son to Robert Bruce and created Mortimer Earl of March at which the Generality of the Nobility were exceedingly disgusted Mortimer upon his new Advancement to Honour and relyance on the Queens favour tho' he found the Nobles were not in his Interest bore it with a higher hand than formerly and perceiving Edmund of Woodstock Earl of Kent the Kings Unkle stood most in his way and crossed his aspiring he and the Queen so laboured with the Young King That infecting him with a Jealousie that the Earl had Designs upon his Life and Crown which being backed by false Witnesses he â—dvisedly gave way to Articles that were suggested â— brought in against him so that by Mortimers Creaâ—es he was found Guilty and Beheaded to the great â—ef of all True Englishmen being a Person of singular â—lour a great Statesman Prudent and Virtuous but â— Blood so Treacherously spilt was not slow in â—ying for and procuring Vengance for the King â—ing made sensible of a familiarity between Mortimer â—d his Mother more than was decent and much to â—er dishonour by being got abroad among the Vulgar â—using many scandalous Reports he would not howâ—ver lightly believe it yet one time being assured she â—as at Mortimer's Castle he with a resolute Band of â—is Followers privately in the Evening entered a back â—way and seizing such Servants as he met to prevent â—iscovery went by the direction of one of them to â—he Chamber where the Queen Lodged and there â—ound her in Bed and Mortimer undressing in order to â—leep with her This so exasperated the Young King â—hat calling him Trator and Villain he seized him with his own hands and delivered him to the Guards he not offering to resist or call for help tho' he had a far greater number of Attendants in the Castle than the King brought with him and being Committed to Prison free liberty was given for any that would to Exhibit their Complaints against him which were summed up in the following Articles 1. That he had wickedly contrived and procured the Murther of the Kings Father 2. That by his false Accusations and sinister Counsels he had caused the King to take away the Life of his Vnkle who was truly Noble Religious Devout Honest and a strong Pillar of the Commonwealth 3. That too familiarly he conversed with Queen Isabel the Kings Mother to her just Reproach and the dishonour of the King 4. That he received of the Scots a Bribe of 20000l for which he procured the Kings Retreat out of Scotland and the Releasment of his Signory and Homage due for that Kingdom 5. That he had deceitfully couzened and beguiled the King of his Wards and Treasury converting the Monies and Profits to his own use and behoof For these Wicked and Treasonable Practices he was Tryed and Condemned and afterward Hanged at Tyburn where he remained Hanging unpittied for two Days And in a little time after the King abridged the Queen his Mother in her Dowry allowing her but 1000 l. per Annum restraining her within a certain Limit In the Fifth Year of the Kings Reign Philip D' Valois who Succeeded Charles in the French Throne required him to come over and pay Homage and Fealty for his Dutchey of Guyan and accordingly he went and was kindly entertained till he refused to do it by any more Ceremony than Words but that not being Accepted he returned to England and upon a Second Summons sent it in Writing under the Great Seal which was not looked on as sufficient yet this submission displeased the English Nobility who told him he ought not to pay any Homage for as much as the Crown of France in Right of his Mother properly belonged to him and thus stated his Title viz. Isabel was Daughter to Philip the Fair Son to Philip the Hardy That Philip the Hardy the Queens Grandfather had two Sons viz. her Father who was King and Charles D' Valois who was also King after him Philip the Fair had three Sons all which Dyed without Issue Male he had also a Daughter which was this Isabel Married to King Edward the Second and that Charles D' Valois the Second Son of Philip the Hardy was Father to Philip D' Valois who then Reigned in France and although by the Salique Law of France Women are barred to Rule yet King Edward being a Male of the Elder branch ought to take place before a Male of the Younger though coming by a
King to deliver him up to Execution which Insolent Behaviour Sr. William Wallworth Lord Mayor not able to endure Stabbed him with his Dagger so that he fell down Dead and then hasting to raise the City Militia the Rebells after some time were so amazed that they scattered and every one fled for his safety and it was not many days before most of the Ringleaders were by their Companions a thing that seldom fails in such tumultuous Rebellions delivered into the hands of Justice the better to obtain their own Pardons which in the height of their Pride they had scornfully thrown up and the King at this last Conference before their Faces had Cancelled them so that about 1500 or more of the principal Agents were Convicted and Executed in divers Places which put an end to these Popular Disorders and for this Exploit of the Lord Mayor the Dagger was added to the City Arms. Things thus Quieted and the Peoples Fears over The King sued for the Lady Ann Daughter to Charles the Fourth and Sister to Winceslaus the Emperour of Germany in Marriage which was Accorded and the Lady who was exceeding Virtuous and Beautiful was received with great Joy by the King and People and Anno Dom. 1385 he Summoned a Parliament at Westminster in which he Created his Unkle Edmund of Langley Duke of York and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester his Cousin Henry Eldest Son to the Earl of Lancaster Earl of Derby Edward Son to Edmund of Langley Earl of Rutland Sir John Holland Earl of Huntington and Thomas Lord Mowbray Earl of Notingham Declaring Roger Mortimer Earl of March Son to Edmund Mortimer and Philippa his Wife Daughter and Heires to Lionel Duke of Clarence Third Son to Edward the Third Heir apparent to the Crown but he was Slain by the Rebells in Ireland before the Kings Death And now the King fell into the dislike of his People by hearkening to evil Counsellours especially one Michael De La Pool whom he had made Chancellour and created Duke of Suffolk and Robert Vere whome he created Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland and would have made him King of that Country if the Nobility would have consented to it so that he respected not the sage Advice and Counsel of the grave and most experienced Lords of this the Parliament took great notice and upon the Chancellours insisting on the Kings behalf for a Tax of four Fifteens affirming no less could support his Estate or maintain such Wars as he was likely to undertake the Lords and Commons not only opposed the motion but accused the Duke and others for lewdly Counselling the King and by their Purloyning to enrich themselves wasting his Treasure That by their bad Advice they had kept the King from coming amongst them which according to a received Law and Custom if he refused to do in Forty Days they might Legally break up and depart to their own homes without his leave and of this and other particulars they sent word to the King desiring him within three days he would come amongst them and give Life to those Laws they should make or they were resolved to separate But in Answer to this he required that a select Assembly of Fifty of their Members should attend him This was refused and the Duke of Gloucester and Thomas Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury were only deputed who plainly told the King of the Grievances of his People and that by his Absence from Parliament he obscured the light of Justice and hindered the Negotiation of the Commonweal And if he further declined it they must break up and depart to their homes They also craved with humble submssion as they were commanded to be informed by whom his Majesties Treasure belonging to the Commonweal was prodigally consumed and how it came to pass that his large Revenues could not suffice to maintain his Estate and charge seeing he had no Wars This Message and their Demands so angered the King That he Swore had he fore-known the sawcy bouldness of his Subjects whom as he supposed intended to rise in Arms against him he would more willingly have submitted himself to the King of France and have relyed on him for Protection than thus to be baffled and made servil to those whom his Soveraignty ought to command But the two Lords in all humble Duty shewed him that his People stood well affected towards him and that the French had been and were inveterate Enemies to the King of England With this and such-like submissive Discourse he was some what pacified and promised to come to his Parliament in three days and failed not to do it where by Proof and Accusation of the Lords Michael De La Pool Chancellour of England and Duke of Suffolk was Convicted of Purloyning the Kings Treasure and purchasing Estates with it to his own behoof and giving evil Counsel to the great damage of the Kings Subjects and other things so that his Lands were Sequestered to the King's use his Person Fined 20000 Marks committed close Prisoner and deprived of his Chancellourship and other Offices The Arch Bishop being made Chancellour in his stead and in the same Parliament thirteen Persons were Elected Sworn and Authorized with â—he consent of the King published in Writing under â—is Seal to Examine all or any of his Officers touching â—heir Demeanours in their several Offices and Trusts 〈◊〉 censure and condemn any that should be found â—uilty of henious Crimes and the King took an Oath â—ot to revoke or suppress this Commission without the â—onsent of Parliament and it further passed into a â—aw That if any Person should attempt directly or â—â—directly to perswade or encourage the King to inâ—â—ge his Oath and Promise touching all or any of these matters for the first Offence to lose his Lands and Goods and for the second to be proceeded against as a Traitor to the King and Kingdom And then a Subsidy of one half Fifteen was granted if the Commissioners upon view of the Kings Estate thought it needful and so an end was put to this Sessions of Parliament This was no sooner done but the King at the perswasion of his Counsellours Released his Favourite De La Poole and went with him the Duke of Ireland Tresillian his chief Justice other Judges and Ministers of State to Notingham where they Pronounced the Duke of Gloucester Arch Bishop of Canterbury and the Thirteen Commissioners to be Guilty of High Treason because against his will and consent they had compelled the King to Ratifie the Commission by his Oath and under his Great Seal so going to Coventry the Judges by an Instrument in Writing under their Hands and Seals declared and confirmed their Opinions to be agreeable and consonant to the Laws of the Land touching these matters Whilst Affairs had but an ill Aspect at home thâ— French King to Embroyl the Kingdom more if poâ—sible sent his Admiral with a Thousand Noblemen anâ— Gentlemen into Scotland with Arms and
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
ought not to be so careless of their Peoples wellfare and safety as to meet every Madman who had the vanity to send them a Challenge But that he would be at all times ready to Repel any Violence or Injury which he should dare rashly or unadvisedly to Attempt against him or his People This exceedingly nettled Mounsieur so that in an angry mood designing Revenge he Besieged the Town of Vergie in Guyan but having wasted his Army in almost a four Months Siege he was constrained to raise it and retire with disgrace After this the Duke of Burgundy to mend the matter raised an Army to reduce Callis but upon King Henry's preparations to pass the Seas with an Army he was Remanded by the French King which he looking on as the Duke of Orleances doings to hinder him from gathering expected Lawrels a mortal hatred sprung up between them and several Battels were Fought King Henry first assisting Burgundy and then Orleance and gained much Money by their Contention whilst they weakened each other and the whole Estate of France whilst they drew in Parties to side with them In the mean while the Marshal of France laying Siege to a Town in Gascony with 4000 Men at Arms was beaten off by Sir John Blunt with 300 English 12 Noblemen and 120 Gentlemen taken Prisoners and carried into the Town in Triumph And now tho' the King had Pardoned the Earl of Northumberland yet he resenting some Indignities put on him grew restless for Revenge and therefore Associating with Richard Scroop Arch Bishop of York Thomas Moubray Earl Marshal The Lords Hastings Faulconbridge Bardolf and divers others Forces were resolved to be raised and another hazard of the Field to be Enterprised But the Earl of Westmoreland whom they would have drawn to their Party revealing their Design to the King he secretly Marched with an Army into the North and surprising Moubray Scroop and some others caused their Heads to be stricken off but Northumberland Bardolf c. Escaped to France from whence they afterward came to Scotland where that King promised to Aid them but to prevent the threatening Danger the King raised a potent Army and sent it under the Prince of Wales into Scotland where he Retook Berwick Alnwick and other strong places that the Earl had delivered to the Scots and Burnt many Towns in the heart of that Kingdom whereupon the Scots finding themselves unable to make Resistance craved a Truce which was Granted for twelve Months and thereupon the Prince returned home with his Spoils Whilst this was doing the French to favour the Design set out several Armed Ships to Alarum the Coast Towns of England when the Lord Castile with three other Lords 20 Knights and a great many Soldiers Landing at Dartmouth were Encountered by the Country People who Slew Castile and most of his Soldiers and taking the rest Prisoners brought them to the King who very well rewarded the Rusticks for their Care and Vigilancy and put the Lords and Knights to great Ransoms and the King going to see them on Board at their departure in his return from the Downs very narrowly scaped being taken by a French Privatier's supposedly lying purposely in wait for him whereupon the Lord Commois who attended him being a Norman Nobleman was suspected of Treachery but upon his Tryal acquitted and received into Favour The Truce with Scotland Expired Northumberland and Bardolf Animated the Scots to Invade England which they did doing much mischief in Northumberland and other Northern parts Whereupon the King Levied an Army and Traveled by long Marches to Encounter them but before his Arrival they were Fought-with and Overthrown by Sir Thomas Rookby High Sherif of Yorkshire who slew the Earl and sent his Head as a Present to the King that was very acceptably received and the Lord Bardolf being Wounded fled into Scotland and there Dyed of his Wounds After this the King Assembling a Parliament Created therein his three Younger Sons viz. Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford and Humphry Duke of Gloucester and many Laws were therein Enacted profitable to the Common-weal and from this Day till his Death the King Enjoyed a Life free from Hostility but found such Inward perplexities of Mind for having Consented to or Instigated the Murther of King Richard his first Cousin for the lucre of his Crown that to make some Attonement and quiet his Conscience he Levied an Army resolving as he had Vowed to make War against the Infidels that Oppressed the Christians in the Holy Land which the Popes of those times declared was a full Atonement or sufficient Expiation for any Crime how Notorious so ever but whilst things were getting ready he fell into an Appoplexy and finding Death approaching caused his Crown to be placed on his Pillow with an intent to deliver it to the Prince when he was near Departing but he impatient of delay supposing him when fallen into a Drowsâ—ness to be Dead removed it thence whereupon the King raised himself and missing it demanded Who had taken it And the Prince Replying It was he The King fell back and fetching a deep Sigh said My Son what Right I had to this Crown and how I have Enioyed it God knows and the World hath seen and thereupon he fetched a deep Groan but the Prince not minding that said Comfort your self in God Father The Crown you have and if you Dye it is mine and I will keep it with my Sword as you have done and within a few Hours the King dyed in the 46th Year of his Age when he had Reigned 13 Years 5 Months and 19 Days and was Buried at Canterbury Anno 1412. In this Kings Reign two Blazing Stars appeared before the breaking out of the Piercy's Rebellion and many Drops of Blood fell on Peoples Garments in the Northern Parts as from the Clouds Anno 1407 a great Plague happened that destroyed in London 30000 Persons and multitudes else where and the Year after a violent Frost held 15 Weeks And by the wicked procurement of Thomas Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury William Sawtree William Swinderby and William Thorp worthy Divines suffered Martyrdome for opposing the Romish Superstitions and Idolatry Preaching the Gospel and much adhearing to Wickliffe's Doctrine Remarks on the County of Surry c. SUrry is a very spacious County and would be aboundantly Fruitful did not a ridge of barren Hills run in a manner quite through it however it abounds in Corn Cattle Rich Medows and Vpland Pastures and Open and Inclosed Grounds yeilds store of Honey Wooll Fowl Fish Deer and is abundant in pleasant Gardens and Orchards of Fruit-Trees It is Bounded on the North with the Thames and Middlesex on the East with Kent on the South with Sussex and on the West with Hampshire and Buckinghamshire It contains 13 Hundreds in which are 141 Parishes 8 Principal Market Towns 7 Bridges 4 Forrests and 17 Parks as for Rivers there are many small ones as at Gilford
their Ransom to pay him 356000 Crowns and swear Fealty to him and his Successors and with this Capital City went the currant of the rest so that he became sole Master of Normandy Upon this the Duke of Burgundy came to King Henry under safe conduct to treat of an Accommodation but whatever the King asked was denied which made him in a passion Swear That he would have the Lady Catharine in Marriage and what he demanded with her or otherwise he would ere long drive both him and his Master out of the Kingdom To which the Duke Replied Those words were easie to be spoke but that he must take much Labour and Toil to make them good After this the Duke reconciled himself to the Dauphin ratified under their Hands and Seals before a publick Notary and King Henry to let the world see he resolved to persist in what he had enterprized created Gascoyn D' Foyes Earl of Longeville Sir John Grey Earl of Tankervile and Sir John Bourchier Earl of Ewe in the Kingdom of France and upon the approach of Captain Bueff with 1500 Men to Ponthoyse the Lord Listendame the Governour with 10000 Inhabitants Deserted it leaving for haste most of their Rich Goods behind them This Place the King Fortified and Marched to Paris which he lay before Three Days bringing a great terror on that City but with his small Army not able to incompass it he Marched back to Ponthoyse John Duke of Burgundy as is said having reconciled himself to the Dauphin yet it being superficial and not hearty he determined in a more submissive manner to humble himself unto him that thereby their Loves taking a deeper root might bring forth the fruits of Unity and Peace but when they met the Dauphin whose Mallice was irreconcileable and whose mistrustful Jealosie did perswade him that the Duke would not be faithful procured him treacherously to be Murthered by the blow of a Battel-Ax in his presence as he was about to kneel and pay him Homage This was looked on by many as a just Judgment because much in the same manner he had caused Lewis Duke of Orleance to be Murthered in the Tenth Year of King Henry the Fourth This made not amiss for King Henry but hastened his advancement for Philip Son to the Murthered Duke was so highly displeased that he not only in his melancholy Anger determined forever to separate himself from his Innocent Dutchess without any other reason or cause than that she was Sister to the Dauphin but as his fury abated her Tears and the sober Advice of his Counsellours brought him to better reason so that for that time his Love continued to her as at first Yet he resolved on Revenge another way viz. By joyning his Interest with King Henry for he was very powerful in Flanders as well as Burgundy and was able to give a considerable check to France but more especially to the Dauphins Interest and to bring this about he laboured to Reconcile the Kings of England and France and in those his endeavours he was the more powerful 1. Because his Wife was Daughter to the French King 2. Because the Lady Catharine who could do all with â—â—een Isabella passionately desired to be Married to King â—enry 3. Because the Queen for depriving her of her Treasure â—â—d some other Affronts put upon her had conceived a morâ—â— hatred against the Dauphin insomuch that she could not â—â—dure to hear him Named 4. Because the Dauphin was more Subtile Cunning â—afty and Revengeful Than Politick Wise or Valliant And Lastly Because the treacherous Murther of Burâ—â—ndy had rendered him Abhorred among the Neighbouring â—rinces and for the most part in France And soon after this by the means of the Duke and Queen of France matters so ripened towards a Peace That it was Agreed King Henry should have an Interview with Charles the French King his Queen and Daughter at Trois in Campaign whither he went accompanied with his Brothers the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester the Earls of Warwick Salisbury Huntington Longevile Tankervile and Ewe and to prevent any Treacherous Surprise drew a Camp of 15000 Men â—ear the Place and so luckey were their Consultations that within a few Days a strict Amity was made and a Peace Proclaimed between the two Kings upon many Articles But the Substance briefly was That the Crown of France and all its Rights after the Death of King Charles and his Queen should reâ—â—in to King Henry and his Heirs forever whereupon 〈◊〉 Married the Lady Catharine with great Pomp and â—â—endour So that the Salique Law of France was at â—s time made void Yet the Pope being solicited to â—â—firm King Henry would not consent to it Howâ—â—er the Articles of Peace and Agreement were Proâ—â—med in both Kingdoms so that King Henry being â—w more at leasure and commanding for the French King as being appointed Regent or Protector of France he pursued the Dauphin from place to place stripping him with little labour of many important Towns Castles and Fortresses and in the strong Town of Moylin on the River Seine they took the Lord Barbason and divers others who were concerned in the Murther of the Duke of Burgundy who being sent to Paris were Tryed Sentenced and put to Death and the Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy Appealing to a Grand Council in which the two Kings sat as Judges against the Dauphin and seven others they were Summoned to appear at the Marble Table in Paris at a fixed Day but failing to do it as likewise in the Parliament soon after called They were Banished the Realm deprived of their Honours Names Titles and Dignities whatsoever and Proclaimed Enemies This greatly perplexed the Dauphin Yet going into Languedock he was succoured and supported with Money Arms and other Necessaries by the Earl of Arminack Almost all France being reduced to Obedience the two Kings and Queens took leave and Henry received in his way to England Homage of all the Nobles of the Dutchy of Normandy and conferring high Honours and Titles on many came to Callis and from thence Sailed for England where he was Joyfully received and the February following Queen Catharine was Crowned at Westminster with great Solemnity The Dauphin upon King Henry's departure began to look up a little and having made the Young Duke of Alanson his Lieutenant the Duke of Clarence was left Lieutenant for Henry who deceived by one Andrew Forgusa a Treacherous Lombard whom he too much Trusted thinking to repress the French Forces was drawn into their Ambush and after a desperate Fight against four to one the English were Overthrown near Blangy yet the French lost 1200 of their choicest Men and of the English were slain the Duke of Clarence the Earl of Tankervile Sir Gilbert Vmphervile the Lord Ross and near 2000 of less Note and taken Prisoners the Earls of Suffolk Sommerset and Perch the Lord Fitz-Walter and others But upon the approach of Sir Thomas Beaufort with a Band of Archers the
after many Countermarches the Army the King had raised and that of the Lords met near Northampton where the King was Overthrown and taken Prisoner 2000 of his Men were Slain and of Note Humphery Duke of Buckingham John Earl of Shrewsbury Thomas Lord Egremont and John Viscount Beamont whereupon the Queen with the Young Prince and Duke of Sommerset fled into Scotland and were kindly received the King was conveyed to the Tower and the Lord Seales attempting to pass the River in disguise was discovered by the Wherryman who cut off his Head and left his Body on the Sands and Thomas Thorp the Second Baron of the Exchequer shaving his Crown and putting himself in the Habit of a Monk was taken flying to the Queen and being brought to the Earl of Warwick he committed him to the Tower where he remained a long time after The Duke of York informed of this Victory hasted from Ireland and procured a Parliament to be Assembled in the Kings Name at London where placing himself in the Throne he declared his Right to the Crown viz. That he was Son and Heir of Ann Daughter to Roger Mortimer Earl of March who was Son and Heir to Philippa sole Daughter and Heiress to Lionel Duke of Clarence Elder Brother to John Duke of Lancaster Great Grandfather to the present Henry the Sixth and then proceeded to lay before them the Mischiefs and Losses that had befallen the Kingdom by misplacing the Succession by reason God was Angry with them for so doing and to prevent many more he desired it might be restored in the Direct Line When the Lords and Commons had deliberated upon this weighty Affair the contrary Party more out of fear than conscience goodwill or affection agreed with the Duke's Faction and it was Enacted That King Henry during his Natural Life should retain the Name and Honour of a King and that the Duke of York should be Proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown and be Protector of the Kings Person and of the Realm and should have the present possession of the Crown delivered to him if at any time King Henry his Friends Allies or Favorites on his behalf attempted to infringe this Act which was Agreed to and Confirmed by their Oaths The Duke of York by this means being got near to what he aimed at required the Queen the Dukes of Sommerset and Exeter the Earl of Devonshire the Lords Clifford Ross and others immediatly to repair from the North whither they were fled and confer with the King but instead of so doing being much displeased with the Proceedings of the Parliament they Levied an Army and with it advanced towards London The Duke of York had soon notice of it and Marched with all speed to oppose them leaving the King in the custody of the Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Warwick and the two Armies met near Wakefield Where the Duke being too weak was perswaded to stay for the arrival of Edward Earl of March his Son who was advancing from the borders of Wales with an Army to Joyn him but being carried headlong by his forward Destiny which designed him not to be a King though he wanted but one step to the Throne he forthwith gave the onset but within an Hours space almost three Thousand of his Companions were Slain together with himself and his Youngest Son the Earl of Rutland not exceeding 12 Years who kneeling on his Knees desired Mercy but was cruelly Stabbed to the Heart by the Lord Clifford who horribly Swore By that Act he would be Revenged for his Fathers Death So that upon this the rest of the Army Fled The Duke of York's Head being cut off by those that found him dead in the Field was presented to the Queen who caused a Paper Crown to be set on it in derision and placed it on the Walls of the City of York Beheading the Earl of Salisbury and others of his Favorites who were taken Prisoners and placing their Heads with his to bear him company The Queen supposing now her fears were over by the slaughter of her Capital Enemies Advanced towards London overthrowing the Earl of Warwick and such Forces as he had gathered to oppose her by which means King Henry was set at Liberty and Joyfully received by her But then News came that the Earl of March who hearing of his Fathers death had taken on him the Title of Duke of York had Overthrown the Earls of Pembrook Ormond and Wiltshire Beheaded Owen Tuther the King's father-in-Father-in-Law who had Married his Mother the Queen Dowager and divers others whose Heads he placed in the Room of his Fathers and other Heads of his Friends which the Queen had caused to be set on the Walls of York This suddain Turn of Fortune made the Queen draw out her Army and hasten towards him having raised an Army of 60000 Men and near a Town called Towton the New Duke of York and Earl of Warwick met her with near 50000 so that a cruel and bloody Battel ensued wherein on both sides about 36000 were slain among whom were the Earls of Northumberland Westmorland the Lords Dacres Wells Clifford c. The Dukes of Sommerset and Exeter saved themselves by flight but the Earl of Devonshire with sundry others of Note were made Prisoners Upon this great Overthrow for it fell on the Kings-side who was always Unfortunate in the Field he with the Queen and Prince fled into Scotland where they were favourably received and in lieu of their kind Entertainment delivered Berwick to the Scots which they much desired and attempted often times to gain tho' beaten off with great loss so that the Duke of York being every where Received as King may be said here to put an end to Henry's Reign tho' he Lived much longer when he had Reigned 38 Years 6 Months and 3 Days and was after Stabbed in the Tower by Richard Duke of Glocester King Edward the Fourths Brother Anno 1471 in the 49th Year of his Age as will appear more largely in the Reign of that King His Body was first Buried in the Abby of Chertsey in Surry then by King Henry the Seventh at Winchester after removed none can tell where as not being found in History In this Kings Reign from the beginning of April to Allhallontide fell such abundance of Rain that the Corn and Hay Harvest were utterly spoiled which occasioned a dearth among Men and Cattle Anno 1435 the Thames was so Frozen that no homeward-bound Ships could enter it and Games and Pastimes were Exercised on the Ice Anno 1438 all the Lions in the Tower of London dyed and in the 23d Year of the King on Candlemas Eve terrible Thunders and Lightnings happened by which the Church of Baldock in Hartfordshire and that of Walden in Essex were greatly shattered and St. Paul's Steeple in London set on Fire WARWICK SHIRE Anno Dom. 1459 the Useful and Noble Science of Printing was found out by a Soldier at Magunce in Germany and
her Chastity was not to be violated but with that Cumpulsion that would pull down vengance on his Head that laying aside the thoughts of any other he Married her promoting all her Kindred to Dignities and Honours creating the Lord Rivers her Father Earl Rivers and High Constable of England her Son Sir Thomas Grey Marquess of Dorset and preferred him and others to Rich Heiresses of Noblemen and did many other things for them that displeased his nearest Friends For no sooner the Duke of Clarence his Brother heard of the Earl of Warwick's being greatly displeased at the Kings having put that affront on him but they met and consulted which way to constrain the King to lay aside these new Favourites and so great was the Earl of Warwick's Anger for the disgrace the King had made him incur in Foreign Courts by this Marriage which utterly disannulled that which he had treated about that he cast nothing in his mind more than how he might Depose him and Restore King Henry and several Consults with the Marquess Montacute his Brother and others were held to further his purpose The King who feared Warwick's Greatness and Popularity was not altogether ignorant of his discontents tho' he outwardly dissembled it as well as he could and therefore the better to weather the Storm he saw coming tho' as yet at a distance he concluded a Truce for Fifteen Years with the King of Scots to weaken the Earl on that side and to Henry King of Castile and John King of Arragon he sent as a Present to make Friends with them about a Hundred Cotshall-Sheep a thing they never before nor any of their Predecessors upon any Intreaty or for large sums offered could obtain from the Kings of England from which small Number such Multitudes have since Encreased as in the Woollen-Trade has turned greatly to our damage And that he might be the better able to deal with Lewis the French King if War by him should be Proclaimed or he should underhand assist the Earl of Warwick in any attempt he made a League with Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy and gave him his Sister Margaret in Marriage and two other Sisters to the Dukes of Exeter and Suffolk But for all this Warwick's design was closely carried on and it was Agreed among them That he and the Duke of Clarence should go to Callice and there to strengthen the Alliance the Duke should Marry Isabella the Earls Daughter and in their Absence as if without their knowledge or consent the Marquess Montacute and Arch Bishop of York Brothers to Warwick should with the help of their Friends raise a Rebellion in Yorkshire which they did by inciting the Rusticks not to pay Tribute of Corn to the Hospital of St. Leonard in the City of York which upon refusal being exacted by the Collectors commotions arose and at length about 15000 came before the City with an intention to Plunder and Demolish that Hospital c. but by a Sally of the Citizens they were beaten off and so Marched away towards Northampton Headed by Sir John Conyers an Experienced Soldier but were met by William Earl of Pembrook and Humphry Lord Stafford who by the Kings Command had raised Forces in Wales and after they had overthrown 2000 Archers that the Lords had laid in Ambush to fall on their Rear upon a dissention arising between Pembrook and Stafford the latter withdrew his Forces so that the former with much courage tho' few in Number giving the Rusticks Battel in Banbury Field having near gained the Victory the Scale of success was suddainly turned in a surprising manner viz. One John Clapham a Servant to the Earl of Warwick having got his Masters Standard in which was Portraied the White Bear coming in with a small Troop and crying A Warwick a Warwick so daunted the Kings Men who thought the Earl had been there with a fresh supply that they threw down their Arms and fled and being hotly Pursued more than 5000 were slain Sir Richard Herbert and Eight others of Note being taken Prisoners were Beheaded at Banbury by the Rusticks Upon this Success their Army greatly encreased and a separate Party making one Robin of Risdale their Captain Plundered the Kings Mannor-House at Grafton and finding there the Earl of Rivers Father to the Queen and his Son John they carried them to Northampton and Beheaded them and some of the Kings Forces having Taken the Lord Stafford he lost his Head at Bridgwater for Deserting the Earl of Pembrook at Banbury Field The Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick taking the advantage of these Troubles Landed and with considerable Forces put themselves at the head of the Rusticks so that by this addition and Warwick's Great Name in War they became so formidable to the King that at the earnest request of some Nobles who fear'd the desolation of their Country by such a cruel War as was threatened he consented to a Treaty during which the King being more careless than he ought to have been of his Person the Earl of Warwick with a strong Band entered his Camp by Night and having killed the Watch carried him Prisoner from his Tent to the Castle of Middleham in Yorkshire Committing him to the ward of the Arch Bishop but soon after having liberty to go a Hunting he was Rescued by Sir William Standley and Sir Thomas Burgh who upon private notice lay in Ambush behind the Wood with a Troop of Horse and immediatly Posted to London This inwardly vexed the Earl of Warwick who thought to draw great Advantages from his Imprisonment However the Truce continued and a meeting of both sides was appointed in the great Hall at Westminster where nevertheless the objections of good Deserts and unthankful Requitals were with such vehement expressions repeated and maintained by the Earl of Warwick that the King being highly displeased with Threats and Fury they parted from each other The King taking his way to Canterbury and the Confederate Lords into Lincolnshire where they raised an Army and placed Sir Robert Wells Son to the Lord Wells in chief Command over it as being very expert in Millitary Affairs King Edward had no sooner notice of this but he sent for the Lord Wells and Sir Thomas Dymock his brother-in-Brother-in-Law commanding them to use their endeavours to bring over Sir Robert to his Interest but though they very much laboured to do it it proved without effect which so angered the King that contrary to his sollemn promise he caused the Heads of the Lord Wells and Sir Thomas Dymock to be stricken off which gained him much displeasure of the Nobles and Commons and hastned Sir Robert Wells to give him Battel ere the Confederate Lords who wanted but a days March came up with the Lincolnshire-Men he commanded so that the King oppressing him with his Number though he fought Valiantly to revenge his Fathers and Unkles Death his Soldiers at last tired out for want of fresh supplies gave way and soon
different success But at length the Earl perceiving fresh supplies continually press on his weary Soldiers thinking by his Example to give them new Courage he dismounted and with his Sword in his Hand pressed into the Front of his Enemies making miserable slaughter But breaking in too far and not being timely succoured he was slain together with the Marquess his Brother who threw himself into the opening Jaws of Death in hopes to bring the Earl off These great Commanders slain the Army grew faint and giving way by degrees at length fell into a total rout about 10000 being slain and of King Edward's Part of Note only Sir Humphry Bourcher Son to the Lord Barns and the dead Bodies of the Earl and Marquess being brought to St. Paul's were exposed to view three Days and then Honourably Interred among their Ancestors in the Priory of Bissam Queen Margaret having notice of this Defeat fled with her Son to the Abbey of Bewley in Hampshire whither divers Lords resorted to her and agreed to raise new Forces and try the fortune of another Field which they did and were Overthrown at Tewxbury about 3000 being slain and of Note the Duke of Sommerset Sir John Lewkner Sir John Delves c. The Prisoners of Note were the Queen and Prince the Prior of St. John's Sir Jervis Cliffton Sir Thomas Tristram and Twelve others of Note all but the two first being Beheaded the next day and soon after Prince Edward being presented to the King by Sir Richard Crofts who took him Prisoner was piteously Murthered in his sight by the Dukes of Clarence Gloucester and others on the signal given by the King in striking him on the Mouth with his Gantlet nor was it long after that Innocent King Henry was Murthered in the Tower by the same Duke of Gloucester who struck a Dagger to his Heart his Body being afterward exposed to view in St. Paul's three days that the People might be sure he was Dead however these Proceedings caused the King much hatred among the People when somewhat to satisfie them he consented to Ransome the Queen to pay which the poor Prince her Father sold his Titles to Jerusalem Naples and Sicily and returning home she Lived a Melancholy and Disconsolate Life which lasted not long ere she dyed of Grief particularly for the Death of the Prince her Son whom she dearly Loved King Edward by Bloodshed being rid of his greatest opposers took sollace in Pleasures being very Lustful and was rarely without two or three Concubins tho' his Queen was Young and Beautiful and among them Jane Shoar Wife to Mathew Shoar a Goldsmith in Grace-church-street was most pleasing to him though in the end it brought her to shame and misery But to pass this over The King being now as I may term it Established in the Throne the Duke of Burgundy vehemently incited him to War on France and recover it as his Antient Right and Inheritance upon which condition himself promised to do great matters towards assisting him The King was not slow in listening to it for many reasons urged by his Council as The French having frequently assisted his Enemies c. Yet Money being wanting it seemed difficult But to surmount this he resolved without a Parliament to ask it of his Subjects as a Free Gift which many indeed complied with tho' with an ill will But one thing in this is Remarkable The King to oblige them to bring in more freely if not for Love yet for fear of after-claps on Penal Laws seeing many that were Rich had engaged their Persons or Purses in the War against him he sat sundry Hours in a Day to receive it himself when among others a Rich yet Nigardly old Widow brought Twenty Pounds this so highly pleased him That he not only returned her thanks but told her For her kindness she should Kiss a King and having performed it once the Old Woman pull'd out another Bag crying Vdsbodikins if Kings Sell their Kisses so Cheap give me tother Touch on the Lips and here is another Twenty Pound for you The King smiled at this took her at her word and thought his Kisses well Sold. With this Benevolence of his Subjects and his own Treasure he Transported a fair Army over Sea but found the Duke of Burgundy altogether unprovided even of the promised Necessaries for the support of the English who Lying without the Towns on the cold Ground soon began to murmur however to employ them he Marched with the Duke towards St. Quintins which was secretly promised to be delivered to him by Lewis of Luxemburg great Unkle to King Edward's Queen but on their approaching its Walls the Cannon not only plaid fiercely on them but the Garison made great Sallies so that finding no good to be done they were constrained to draw off and soon after the Duke without taking leave went to raise Forces leaving only word That he would come again with an Army as soon as he was able These Proceedings made the King begin to repent he had come over upon his account and the French King making large offers to obtain a Peace it was after some debate Agreed to without the Dukes consent viz. 1. In consideration the French King Paid Edward 65000 Crowns towards his Charge and 50000l per Annum for his Life 2. That in one Year he should send for the Lady Elizabeth King Edward 's Eldest Daughter and Marry her to the Dauphin allowing them for Nine Years space Annually 50000 Crowns and then the Peaceable possession of the Dutchy of Guyan and in consideration of this Hostages should be left till the English had quitted France and were returned home This being Agreed on tho' the Marriage was never performed the Duke of Burgundy hastened to the Kings Camp and in a blustering and storming manner greatly inveighed against what he had done and was as sharply Answered by him whereupon he rod away in much discontent and the French King came to an Enterview with King Edward highly Feasting him and his whole Army giving Money to the Officers and Soldiers and commanding all his Subjects to use them with much Bounty and Civility which done King Edward Marched to Callice and there passed over to England and then the Lord Howard and Sir John Cheney the Hostages were sent after him with great Rewards The Duke of Burgundy however continued the War and was thrice Overthrown in one Year and in the last at Nancy he was slain King Edward being now at leasure to look if therâ— were after so many slaughters any that could lay â— Claim to his Crown or Interrupt by such a pretence the Peace of him or his Heirs for by this time he had two Sons and five Daughters he at last thought on Henry Earl of Richmond who remained with the Duke of Brittany he being of the Royal Blood and near of Allyance to the Crown To get this Prince into his hands he Bribed Peter Landois the Dukes Treasurer with great Sums
of Money to Betray him over which he earnestly laboured to do shewing him the Kings Letters in a Loving stile wherein he invited him into England promising at his Arrival to give him his Daughter Elizabeth in Marriage and by this means the Treacherous Treasurer trained the Earl to St. Malloes where a Ship and Equipage lay ready to Transport him But no sooner had John Chevelet the Earls Friend truly informed the Duke of Brittany that this pretended Marriage was designed for the Earls destruction but he commanded his Treasurer oâ— pain of Death to re-possess him of his Person who accordingly stole him from the English whilst himselâ— made merry with the Ambassador and caused his Servants to thrust him into a Sanctuary whose priviledgâ— might not be violated excusing and laying it on theâ— own Negligence for not taking more care to keep â—im when in their custody This Loss both of Money and of Prey made King Edward exceeding Angry but there being no remedy he seemed slightly â—o pass it over Not long after this by the instigation of the Duke â—f Gloucester and others the King grew exceeding Jeaâ—ous of his Brother the Duke of Clarence being the more incited to it by an old Prophecy which Predicted 〈◊〉 G should Reign after an E and this Dukes Name â—eing George he verily believed he was meant by it â—alling freshly into his mind his Practices with Warwick â—nd what had been done concerning him in Parliament â—nd thereupon by his contrivance he was accused of High Treason for Conspiring his Death and Aspiring â—o the Throne and after a few days Imprisonment â—e was found Drowned in a Butt of Malmsey leaving â—ehind him but two Children Edward and Margaret who were both Unfortunate for Edward being creaâ—ed Earl of Warwick was Imprisoned very Young and â—auslesly Beheaded in the Reign of Henry the Seventh â—n a surmize he intended to Escape Prison and joyn with Perkin Warbeck to raise Commotions And Marâ—aret was Married to Richard De La Poole Earl of Salisâ—ury who being a Widow after the Earls Death was â—eheaded in the Reign of Henry the Eighth so strange â—â— is that Competitors for Crowns rarely enjoy that Calm and Tranquility that attends on a meaner Estate Nor do Historians excuse this King from being of a â—ruel Temper as causing a Mercer in Cheapside to be â—anged at his own door for Jestingly saying to his â—ttle Son If he would be a good Boy he would make him â—eir to the Crown meaning his House bearing that Sign â—ut it being otherways wrested it cost him his Life â—e also caused one Thomas Burdet Esq to be Beheaded upon a very slender occasion viz. Being on his Progress in Warwickshire he chanced to Hunt in one of Burdel's Parks and among others killing a White Buck which he highly esteened News of it was no sooner brought but the Gentleman in a passion wished The Horns in the Belly of those that Counselled the King to kill him This being told by some Pick-thanks to Edward with this addition viz. That he wished the Horns in his Belly the Judges soon construed it that thereby he wished the King's Death who with those Horns in his Belly could by no means Live and so the poor Gentleman in lieu of the great Entertainment he had given the King and his Nobles at his House lost his Life at Tyburn being there Beheaded The King in the latter-end of his Reign contrary to his former Generous humour grew exceeding Covetous and Nigardly so that to encrease his Treasure he extorted much Money from his People by vexing them with the execution of penal-Penal-Laws which quenched their Love and Affections very much with this Money he proposed to Match his Daughters and sent to the French King to mind him of his Oath sworn to in the Articles that he should send over for the Lady Elizabeth and Marry her to the Dauphin but he never intending it excused it only with fair promises that he would do it speedily and whilst this was on foot James the Third King of Scots required the Lady Cicilia another of the Kings Daughters in Marriage with his Son and Heir apparent which was agreed to and part of her Portion paid before hand but instead of her being sent for and a Friendly Allyance concluded the King of Scots with this Money raised Forces and entered England committing many cruel outrages 〈…〉 The Duke of Gloucester was sent with a 〈◊〉 â—â—ble Army forcing his way into the Town of Berwick and Besieging the Castle defended by Earl Bothwel but purposing to March into Scotland he left the Lord Standly with 4000 Men to maintain the Siege and pursued the Scots King wasting his Country with Fire and Sword Till the Nobility perceiving the miserable estate of the Realm humbly sued to the Duke for Peace which was granted on these Conditions viz. That full Restitution should be made to King Edward 's Subjects for the Injuries done them That the Scots King should Restore his Brother the Duke of Albany who was in the English Army to his Honours c. That the Castle of Berwick should be Yeilded or not Rescued from the present Siege and the Marriage Money Re-paid The First of these they performed not as being unable but the other were observed and the Castle of Berwick soon Surrendered But the French King utterly broke all Frindship with King Edward by denying the Yearly Pension and Marrying the Dauphin to the Lady Margaret Daughter to Maximillian Son of Frederick the Emperour which Affront had certainly caused a War had King Edward lived to have prosecuted what he had projected but falling Sick of a Surfeit with Eating too excessively at a Banquet he grew daily weaker and weaker and a visible decay of Nature appearing in him he called his Nobles about him and laboured to make Friendship between his Wives kindred and his own causing them to Embrace and give Solemn assurances of it in his presence then recommending to them the care of his Queen and Children earnestly Exhorting them to live in Unity he gave up the Ghost at Westminster on the ninth of April 1483 in the 40th Year of his Age and 23d of his Reign His Body being buried in a Chappel of his own foundation at Windsor In this Kings Reign John Hust was Burnt on Tower-Hill for the profession of a good Conscience A Rose-Tree in the beginning of the calamitous Wars between the two Houses Bore on one Branch a White and a Red Rose the Cognizances of York and Lancaster and a Spring of Blood gushed out near Lancaster Amazing Voices were heard in the Air Firey Meteors and Blazing-Stars c. appeared as also Fiery Armies Fighting furiously Remarks on Westmorland c. THis County is partly Hilly and partly Plain It produces Cattle a good sprinkling of Corn store of Wild-Fowl and in some places abounds in Fish Venison c. It is Bounded with Yorkshire Lancashire and Cumberland It is divided into five Wards containing 26
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
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
Salisbury that he might make the King sensible of what he had done invited him to an Entertainment and so ordered it that he should pass to it through a Room wherein he had placed four Tables and on each Table Five Thousand Pounds in Silver when the King came into the Passage he started as amazed at the sight having never before seen such a Sum and asking the Treasurer the meaning of it The Treasurer told the King It was the Boon he bad given to Sir Robert Carr Swounds Man says the King which was the Oath he usually swore but Five Thousand Pounds shall serve his Turn By which means the Lord Treasurer sav'd the King Fifteen Thousand Pounds This shewed how easie he was to be impos'd upon giving his Favourites what they pleas'd to ask without knowing what it was His letting the Dutch redeem their Cautinary Towns upon their own terms and letting them also dispossess the English of their Factory at Amboyna in the East-Indies by the most horrid Massacre that any Age had heard of without any reparation or satisfaction for it however it might Entitle him to be Rex Pacificus it could never be an Argument of his Wisdom nor make him appear a Second Solomon which his Flatterers usually stiled him In the beginning of this King's Reign a Plague raged of which in London and the Liberties in one Year Dyed Thirty Thousand Five Hundred Seventy Eight Persons A terrible Blazing Star appeared before the Queens death and the breaking out of the Wars in Hungary Anno 1603 John Lepton Rode Five times between York and London in Five Days beginning his Journy on Monday finishing it the Friday after Anno 1605 William Calverly of York Esq Murthered two of his own Children in his House Stabbed his Wife and went out with intentions to have Kill'd his Child at Nurse but was prevented and was Pressed to death for refusing to Plead The Reign of King CHARLES the First KING James dying at Theobalds on the 27th of March 1625. The same Day his only Surviving Son Prince Charles was Proclaimed King of Great Britain France and Ireland On the 7th of May following were Celebrated the Funerals of the Deceased King whose Body being brought from Sommerset-House was Interred in the Abbey at Westminster with great Magnificence the King himself being the chief Mourner The next thing after the Celebration of the Funeral was to hasten the coming over of the Queen Henrietta Maria youngest Daughter of Henry the Fourth of France Deceased and Sister to Lewis the 13th then Reigning who had by the King's Proxy the Duke of Chevereux been Espoused to him on the first of May at our Ladies Church in Paris Upon Trinity-Sunday at Night she arriv'd at Dover where being met by the King the next Morning they went from thence to Canterbury where they were Married which the third Day after was Declar'd at White-Hall with great Rejoicing On the 18th of June following the King Summon'd a Parliament to meet at Westminster where he urged them for Supplies for the carrying on the War against Spain for the Recovery of the Palatinate upon which the Commons gave two Subsidies and the Clergy three In this Parliament Dr. Mountague the King's Chaplain was Questioned for certain Tenents in his Answer to a Book called the Romish Gagger and his Defence thereof Intituled Apello ad Caesarem and he being brought before the Bar of the House the Speaker declared their Pleasure That they would refer his Censure till their next Meeting and in the mean time he should stand Committed to the Serjeant's-Ward till Two Thousand Pounds Bail could be procured for his Appearance next Sessions And tho' the King by Bishop Laud's means took him into his Protection as his Servant yet his Bond remained Uncancell'd Divers Laws were Enacted in this Parliament and a Bill for Tunnage and Poundage passed the House of Commons but it Miscarried in the Lords House because it was Limitted to a Year whereas it had been Granted to the King's Predecessors during their Lives And then the Plague greatly encreasing the Parliament was Adjourn'd to Oxford where the King again Soliciting for more Money in order to the setting out the Fleet the Commons entred into a Debate about Grievances and were about drawing up a Remonstrance to present to the King but it bearing hard upon Buckingham the King 's great Favourite they were immediately Dissolved And soon after a Fleet was fitted out and sent against Spain but having staid Considering what to do till they lost the Opportunity of Destroying the Spanish Fleet in Cadiz which at first might have been easily done they Sailed to the Southern Gape in expectation of meeting their Plate-Fleet but the Contagion having got into the Fleet they made an Untimely return without doing any thing but four Dayes before the Fleet came This unprosperous Success of the Fleet very much Displeased the King who prohibited Wimbleton the General for some time from his Presence but he excusing himself laid a great part of the Miscarriage on the Stubbornness of the Earl of Essex But tho' all were Blam'd yet none were Punish'd for the ill Conduct of this Expedition And now the War growing very Chargeable since Parliamentary Aids fail'd the King as advis'd by his Council resolved upon raising Money by way of Loan by Letters of Privy-Seal sent to the Ablest Persons in the Kingdom in each of which Letters the King promised in the Name of Him and his Heirs and Successors to re-pay the Money in Eighteen Months after the Payment thereof to the Collector and the Collectors were Ordered to pay the Sums received into the Exchequer and to return the Names of such as went about to Delay or Excuse the Payment of the Money required of them This manner of Proceedings was by all Wise Men thought very improper for by the Law no Man was bound to lend the King Money so this instead of Supplying the King only tended to Alienate the Affections of his Subjects from him and render things more Difficult in the next Parliament Which after the Coronation was over met the 6th of February but with no better Success than the last For the House of Commons began where they left off at Oxford with matters of Religion and publick Grievances viz. The Miscarriage of the Fleet to Cadiz the Evil-Counsellors about the King Mis-government and Mis-imployment of the King's Revenues and an Account of the three Subsidies and three Fifteenths Granted the 21th of King James That new Impositions and Monopolies were multiplied and settled to continue by Grants Customs inhanced by the new Book of Rates and that Tonnage and Poundage was Levied tho' by no Act of Parliament and the Guard of the Seas neglected In this Parliament also five particular Articles were drawn up against Mr. Richard Mountague wherein he had broken the Laws and Statutes of the Realm and disturbed the Peace both of the Church and Common-wealth Upon all which the House of
Commons Ordered he should be brought to Exemplary Punishment and all his Books Burnt Nor do I hear that ever he made any Defence or Answer to those Articles that were brought against him It is affirmed That Dr. Laud who was a mighty stickler for Arminianism and Ceremonies and who first of all set up this Mountague understanding from the D. of Buckingham that the King intended to leave Mr. Mountague to a Tryal was heard to say I seem to see a Cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God in his Mercy dissipate it After this the Commons Question'd several Persons who were of the Council of War in the Affairs of the Palatinate concerning the management of that Business But the King understanding that the House of Commons were very busie in searching the Original of a Letter under the Signet written to the Mayor of York for Reprieving divers Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants interrupted their Proceedings therein by a Message sent by Sir Richard Weston Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding a Supply for the English and Irish Forces this was so highly resented by the House that Mr. Clement Cook one of the Members openly Protested That it was better to Dye by a Forrign Enemy than to be Destroy'd at Home And Dr. Turner another Member of the House seconded him with these Quaeries 1. Whether the King had not lost the Regality of the Narrow Seas since the D. of Buckingham was Admiral 2. Whether his not going as Admiral in this last Fleet was not the Cause of the ill Success 3. Whether the King's Revenues has not been Impaired through his Immense Liberality 4. Whether he hath not Engrossed all Offices and preferred his Kindred to unfit Places 5. Whether he hath not made Sale of places of Judicature 6. Whether Popish Recusants have not Dependence upon his Mother and Father in Law These bold Expressions so provok'd the King that he immediately sent Sir Richard Weston to Demand Satisfaction whereupon Dr. Turner made a Speech in his own Vindication alledging That what he had said was for the Good of the Kingdom and not Reflecting upon any one in particular with much more to the same Purpose And the further Debate of the matter being referr'd till another time Dr. Turner in the mean time with-drew himself and sent a Letter to the Speaker to excuse his Absence Sir William Walter speaking his Opinion about Grievances said That the true cause of them was because as was said of Lewis the 11th all the King's Council rode upon one Horse Thereby alluding to the D. of Buckingham's sole Management of all Affairs But for all these Discourses the Commons taking the King's Necessities into Consideration Voted three Subsidies and three Fifteens and that the Bill should be brought in assoon as the Grievances represented were redressed They likewise Consider'd of the matter of the D. of Buckingham and the mis-employing of the Revenue But the King observing they did not make such haste as he Expected in answering his last Message Summons both Houses together and by the Lord-Keeper complains to them for not Punishing Dr. Turner and Mr. Cook and likewise for searching his Signet-Office and justified the D. of Buckingham to have acted nothing of publick Concernment without his special Warrant and therefore forbid them to Concern themseves any farther therein and Blamed them for being too sparing in the matter of Supply and for Ordering the Bill not to be brought in till their Grievances were heard and Answered which he would not Admit of To which the King himself added He must also put them in Mind That his Father moved by their Counsel and won by their Perswasion broke the Treaties and that be himself was their Instrument towards his Father and was Glad to be Instrumental in any thing which might please the whole Body of the Realm nor was there any in greater Favour then than the Duke whom they now Traduced but that now finding him so far intangled in a War that he could make no Honourable nor safe Retreat they made Necessity their Priviledge and set what Rate they pleased upon their Supplies a Practice not very Obliging towards Kings And whereas Mr. Cook told them It was better for them to Dye by a Foreign Enemy than to be Destroyed at Home indeed he thought it more Honourable for a King to be Invaded and almost Destroyed by a Forreign Enemy than to be Despised at Home The Commons in Answer to this presented the King with a very Dutiful Remonstrance acquainting him That they gratefully Acknowledged his Majesty's Expressions of Affection to his People and Parliaments that they had taken Mr. Cook 's and Dr. Turner's Words into Consideration and might have given a good Account thereof by this time if His Majesty's Message had not Interrupted them That they had the Presidents of former Parliaments for Searching Letters of his Majesty and his Secretary of State the Signet-Office and other Records upon the like Occasions That it was the unquestionable Priviledge of Parliaments to Complain of any Person of any Degree and their Proceedings in Relation to the Duke should not Prejudice either Crown or Kingdom That they were willing to Supply his Necessities Liberally and Faithfully if Additions might be made of other things which concerned his Service and were now in Consultation amongst them The King having received this Remonstrance returned this Answer to it That he would have them in the first place Consult about matters of the greatest Importance and they should have time enough for other things afterwards Not long after this the Earl of Bristol being Ordered by the King to be Examined by a Committee of Lords about his Negotiations in Spain and having been in Prison and prohibitted access to his Majesty ever since his Return Petition'd the House of Lords for his Liberty or to come to a Tryal who applying themselves to the King he granted a Writ for the Earl's coming to Parliament but with a Proviso That his Personal attendance should be forborn Whereupon the Earl sent another Petition to the Lords that he might be heard both as to his Restraint and of what he had to say against the Duke At this the King was much concern'd and let the Lords know That it was his Royal Pleasure that the Earl of Bristol might be sent for as a Delinquent to answer his Offences to the House and his Scandalizing the Duke of Buckingham and the King likewise by Reflection Upon this the Earl was brought to the Bar and being ready to be Impeached of High-Treason by the Attorney-General the Earl said My Lords I am a Freeman and Peer of the Realm Vnattainted I have something to say of high Consequence to His Majesty's Service and I beseech your Lordships give me leave to Speak The Lords thereupon bid him go on Then said he I accuse that Man the Duke of Buckingham of High-Treason And immediately he presented Twelve Articles against him This unexpected procedure of the
of the Nation and therein the chief thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlemen imprisoned for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remanded to Prison After the Debating whereof the Commons resolved Nemine Contradicente 1. That no Man ought to be Restrained by the Command of the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment 2. That the Writ of Habeas Corpus ought to be granted upon request to every Man that is Restrained tho' by the Command of the King the Privy Council or any other 3. That if a Free-man be Imprisoned by the Command of the King the Privy-Council or any other and no cause of such Commitment expressed and the same be returned upon an Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be Delivered or Bailed After which the Parliament drew up a Petition against Popish Recusants to which the King gave a full and Satisfactory Answer and then the Commons granted the King Five Subsidies at which he was so pleased that he sent them Word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had Granted And thereupon the Commons drew up that Memorable Bill called Petition of Right which after many Debates about it passed both Houses and was Presented to the King to which the King answered The King willeth that Right be done according to the Law and Customs of the Realm and that the Statutes be put in due Execution that his Subjects may have no cause to complain of any Wrong or Oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties to the Preservation whereof he holds himself in Conscience as well Obliged as to that of his Prerogative But this Answer not being thought Satisfactory upon their further Application to the King he sent them this short but full Answer Soit Droit Fait come il est desire i. e. Let it be done according to your Desire Which Answer was received with great Joy by both Houses and the Citizens of London who expressed it by making of Bonfires and ringing of Bells And the King for further Satisfaction received again into his Favour Dr. Abbot A. B. of Canterbury Bishop Williams and others and likewise caused the Commission of Loan and Excise to be Cancell'd in his Presence But the Commons after this drawing up a Remonstrance against the Duke and calling in Question the King 's taking of Tunnage and Poundage were Adjourned to the 20th of October several Acts being first passed by them Much about this time Dr. Lamb that had been formerly twice Arraigned once for Necromancy and another time for a Rape was Kill'd by the Rabble in Lothbury for which the City was Fined 6000 l. He was a great Favourite of the Duke of Buckingham's and commonly call'd the Duke's Devil which made him the more Hated After the Duke 's late Expedition to the Isle of Rhee the Earl of Denbeigh Sailed with Fifty Ships for the Relief of Rochel but being repelled with much Loss he return'd back to Plymouth despairing of Success Whereupon the Duke of Buckingham himself resolved to go again with a more considerable Navy but whilst he was at Portsmouth hastening the fitting out of the Fleet one John Felton a Lieutenant Stabb'd him to the Heart with a Knife which he left sticking in his Body till the Duke himself pull'd it out and Died immediately after Felton was soon Apprehended by the Servants and laden with Irons and being ask'd what induc'd him to commit so bloody a Fact he boldly answer'd He Kill'd him for the Cause of God and his Countrey He had likewise fasten'd a Paper in the Crown of his Hat to tell the World in case he had miscarry'd in the Action That his only motive to this Fact was the Remonstrance of the Commons against the Duke and that he could not Sacrifice his Life in a Nobler Cause than by delivering his Countrey from so great an Enemy For this Fact Felton was Condemned and Hanged at Tyburn and his Body hang'd in Chains upon a Gibbet at Portsmouth However the designed Fleet set Sail under the Command of the Earl of Lindsey and came to Rochel-Haven where there was a Barricado of 1400 Yards cross the Channel notwithstanding which the Earl adventured in passing the Forts and Out-works but the Wind changing drove the Ships foul upon each other Which unhappy Accident made the Rochellers despair of Relief and presently Surrendred the Town And the Earl of Lindsey brought the Fleet safe home again The Parliament after some Adjournments sitting again the Merchants who for refusing to Pay Customs had had their Effects seized made grievous Complaints this made the King send for the two Houses to attend him in the Banquetting-House requiring them to pass the Bill for Tunnage and Poundage for the better and more speedy ending all Differences But they replyed God's Cause was to be preferred before the King 's and in the first place therefore they would consult about the Establishment of Religion and so returning they appointed a Committee for that Purpose and another for Civil matters and many were Censured for reflecting on their Proceedings and for Levying Tunnage and Poundage but the King excused the latter as done by his express Command in a time when the Nation was in Danger to be Invaded by Foreigners And that such things had been often done in the Reigns of his Predecessors when Money could not be speedily raised on urgent Necessities in a Parliamentary way However this and other Misunderstandings raised great Heats and Jealousies which were Fomented to that Degree that the Parliament was quickly after Dissolved without passing the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage Soon after which the King publish'd a Declaration of the Cause thereof and eleven of the Members were Summon'd before the Council-Table and all committed to divers Prisons contrary to the Petition of Right so lately confirmed by the King Soon after this a Paper was dispersed containing some Projects how the King might encrease his Revenue without the help of a Parliament and upon Information that the Earls of Bedford Clare Sommerset and others had dispersed some Copies of them they were Committed But Sir David Fowlis making it appear it was a Project of Sir Robert Dudley's Son to to the Earl of Leicester in Italy sixteen Years since and no ways intended at this time to create any Difference between the King and Parliament they were released And now divers Threatning Libels against the chief Ministers of State were scattered abroad and particularly one against Bishop Land assuring him his Life was sought for he being the Fountain of Wickedness c. This made the great Men fear the sitting of another Parliament And it is said Weston the Treasurer advised the King never to call any again And a Book of Projects for Governing and raising Money without Parliaments was presented to the King In January an Embassador from Spain arrived at London whose business was to treat of
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
Oxford where having Recruited his Army he marched to Gloucester which he Besieged And Prince Rupert having taken Bristol and gained some other advantages came to him In the mean while Essex hasted away with the City Trained-Bands and Auxiliaries added to his Army and between the King and him a great Battel was Fought on Newbury-heath soon after for upon his coming having raised the Siege he followed the King and having view'd his Army presently Engag'd and after a sharp Fight the King's Party had the worst And now the Parliament getting the Fleet from Sir John Pennington made the Earl of Warwick Admiral and watched the Coast to prevent the Landing of Foreign Forces and Sir John Hotham and hâ—s Son being Tryed for intending to deliver Hull to the King on some Disgust taken were Condemned and Beheaded and the Parliament proclaimed all Traytors that should assist the King against them with Horse Arms or Money and Treason for any Member of their House to Desert them and go to him And soon after the second Newbury Fight ensued in which the King was worsted and between 4 or 5000 Men Slain on both sides after which the Vxbridge Treaty began But the Parliaments Demands were such that it broke off without coming to any Agreement Whilst these and other matters happened in England the Marquess of Montâ—osâ— with a handful of Men performed Wonders in Scotland overthrowing the Lord Burleigh and divers others but not being Succoured as he expected it onâ—â— diverted the Scâ—ts for a time from entring England And upon the Parliaments passing the Self-denying Ordinance the Earls of Essex Manchester and Denbeigh Surrendred their Commissions in the Lords House and 10000 l. per Annum was Voted to Essex out of Delinquents Estates And now Sir Thomas Fairfax was made General of their Army and Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant-General of the Horse and most of the Commission-Officers were Changed and Col. Mitton Surprized Shrewsbury one of the King's head Garisons York being Relieved by Prince Rupert the bloody Fight at Marston-Moor ensued in which 9000 were Slain which occasioned the Surrendering that City and Col. Massey Defeated the Prince at Lebury But that which most Ruined the King was Naseby Battel where besides the slain the greater part of his Soldiers and Officers were taken Prisoners also divers of his menial Servants his Coach and Cabinet of Letters This Battel was Fought in a Fallow-Field on the North-West-side of Naseby a mile broad which Ground was wholly taken up by the Armies so that the Battel was exceeding bloody both sides being vâ—ry Couragious and Numerous not being 500 Odds And here the King besides his Men lost 12 pieces of Cannon 8000 Arms 40 Barrels of Pouder 200 Carriages and his baggage besides his Treasure that should have paid his Army or raised Recruits and was never after able to recover the Blow but faintly Strugled whilst the Parliament Forces swept away almost all his Garisons Oxford being the last of any Note in which the King was closely Besieged and that City made a very stout Resistance but there being no Army in the Field that could relieve it the King fearing a Storm resolved to go thence privately and cast himself for Protection on the Scots Army that was advanced as far as Southwel and thence to New-Castle The Scots promised him Protection and appeared very Joyful of his Presence among them yet all waa but Dissimulation for the English Parliament demanded his Delivery and they wanting their Pay which they could not by any other means foresee they should have in consideration of 200000 l. they Surrendred him Prisoner and immediately marched back over the Tweed in the mean while Oxford Litchfield Worcester Pendennis the Island and Castle of Scilly and many others Surrendred and the few Parties of Royalists that made Head were frequently routed But briefly to pass over this Bloody Scene which cannot be very Grateful to English-men I come to a close of this unhappy Reign Having got the King in their Hands they sent him Prisoner to Holmby-Castle whilst many earnestly Laboured for an Accommodation the Surry-men Petitioned but were set upon by the Soldiers some Slain and many Wounded nor fared the Kentish-men better At length a Treaty was set on Foot but Letters were purposely scattered to fright the King away intimating Designs against his Life for then he had a kind of Liberty being brought to Hampton-Court in order to the Treaty When escaping into the Isle of Wight he was there made Prisoner by Coll. Hammond in Carisbrook-Castle and it was Voted No further Address be made to the King But that was afterward Annulled and the King's Concessions Voted Satisfactory and things were in a fair way to an Agreement But the Army Officers knowing their Commissions lasted but with the War dealing under-hand with some designing Men in the Parliament-House who under pretence of a Publick Good had all along along aimed at Self-interest the Soldiers being by Interest and Promises made of their Party all such Members as were for the Accommodation were by Military Force excluded the House and the King brought to Hurst-Castle and afterwards to Windsor and his Party went extreamly to wreck at Maidstone Ponifract Bow Stratford Kingston and Colchester after a brave Resistance being taken Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were shot to Death tho' Quarter had been given them And now those Members that were left in the House of Commons contrary to the Consent of the Lords being backed by the Army made an Act as they called it for the Tryal of the King and Erected a Tribunal called by them a High-Court of Justice to that end of which John Bradshaw a Serjeant at Law was President and 56 others as Judges and the King being called before them and accused of several Crimes as that he gave cause for the Cruel Blood-shed in England and Ireland that he had Proclaimed War in setting up his Standard against the Parliament That he had commissioned his Son and others to wage War and therefore was pronounced a Traytor a Tyrant and an Enemy to the Common-wealth of England To this Charge the King refused to Answer or to acknowledge the Authority of the Court offering his Reasons but they were not admitted and being several times brought before them and urged thereunto on his refusal on the the 27th of Jan. 1648. the Sentence was pronounced against him viz. That he the said Charles Steuart was fallen from all Dignity was Guilty of High-Treason and to be put to Death by Severing his Head from his Body for being a Tyrant a Murtherer and an Enemy to the Common-Wealth The Sentence being read the Court stood up in Confirmation of it as an Act and Resolution of them all and the King offering to speak was Violently Hurried away by the Guard And tho' the Dutch Embassador the Scots and most of the English Nobles interceeded to stay Execution he was on the 30th of Jan. 1648. brought from St. James's to White-Hall
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
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
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
was allarmed with the News of the great Preparations making by the Dutch both by Sea and Land Upon which account the King sends to his Envoy at the Hague to put in a Memorial to the States General to know the Reason The French King also who was concern'd at it orders his Ambassador there to deliver in a Memorial upon that occasion wherein he tells the States There are such Bonds of Friendship and Alliance between his Master and the King of Great Brittain as will oblige him the French King not only to assist the King of Great Brittain but to look on the first Act of Hostility committed against him the King of Great Brittain to be a Manifest Rupture of the Peace and a Breach with his Crown This left no longer any doubt in the mind of the Prince of Orange and the States General of the private League between England and France Which was a sufficient Ground for the Prince of Orange to rescue these Kingdoms to which in Right of his Princess he was the next Heir from Popery and Arbitrary Power For he saw plainly that the Supposititions Prince was Introduc'd to wrong him and his Princess of their Right to the Succession and to subject these Kingdoms to Popery and Slavery and by consequence all Europe besides The Dutch took no notice of the French King 's Memorial but gave King James's Envoy this Answer that they had Arm'd in Imitation of his Britanick Majesty and the other Princes and that they had thereby given no just occasion of Offence in Arming when all other Princes where in motion and that they were long since convinced of the Alliance that the King his Master had treated with France and what had been mention'd to them by Monsier de Count d' Avaux in his Memorial After this Answer King James expected no good from the Dutch and lookt upon them as if they had already declar'd War against him And now the Eyes of all England were turned to Holland and expected Deliverance from thence without which they saw themselves Ruined nor did his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange deceive them but Landed with an Army of about 14000 Men at Torbay near Exeter on the Fifth day of November 1688. A day deservedly Famous in England for two eminent Deliverances from Popery Soon after his Landing he went to Exceter where he was received by the People with Shouts and Acclamations of Joy as their Deliverer as indeed he was After some little stay there he came forwards towards the South but King James to oppose him sent down his Army to Salisbury whither he also went himself but part of the Army going over to the Prince the King was so Staâ—tled at it that he thought not himself there out of Danger and so return'd to London again and as the Prince came forward he was in all places look'd upon as a Blessing sent from Heaven to rescue 'em from Popery and Slavery In the mean time King James to prevent if it were possible the impending and growing danger Restores all the Fellows of Magdalen Colledge and puts out his Proclamation for vacating all New Charters and restoring of old ones and Particularly the Charter of London was carried in great Pomp to Guild-Hall by Jefferies and given the Citizens again But for all these good things there was no body now thank'd him as being the Effects of his Fear and not of his good will The Prince's coming nearer and nearer to London the Nobility and Gentry at every Place Flocking to him and Congratulating him King James first sends away his Queen and pretended Prince to France and in a little time after withdraws himself from White-Hall and goes to Feversham where attempting to go a-board he was seiezed and rifled by the Country People and after his being known he came back to London again and was well receiv'd but the Prince being then at Windsor and designing the next Day for London King James by a Message was desir'd to with-draw himself to Ham near Kingston to avoid those Inconveniences that might Ensue But the King rather chose to go to Rochester having the Princes Guards with him to secure him from the Insults of the People there he staid two or three Days and then Privately Embark'd himself for France where he soon after ariv'd King James being thus gone away upon the Prince's coming to London he was desir'd by the Nobility and Gentry to take the Government upon him thereby to suppress the Disorders of the common People which was then very Great but by the Prince's Order soon brought to be quiet The Mass-Houses were every vvhere pull'd down and the Priests and Jesuits with the whole Popish Crew put to the Scamper Jefferies being dropt by his Master was shifting for himself but taken by the Mobb in a Seaman's Habit was carried before the Lord-Mayor and from thence sent to the Tower attended by strong Guards to keep him from being torn in Pieces by the incensed Mobb who follow'd him with Threats Curses and Execrations where sometime after he drank himself to Death and so sav'd the Hang-man a Labour The Prince of Orange having the Government put into his Hands Summons such Gentlemen as were Members of King Charles's last three Parliaments to meet at Westminster to consult what was fit to be done for the Nation which they accordingly did and desir'd the Prince that Writs might be issued out for the calling a Convention of the Estates in the Nature of a Parliament to meet in January following Which being done the Convention met at the time appointed and entering into several Debates about the present States of Affairs they came to this Result That King James by privately withdrawing himself out of his Kingdoms had Abdicated the Throne whereby it was become Vacant And so ended the Four Years Reign of King James the Second An Account of what Remarkably Occur'd since the Reign of King WILLIAM the III. and Queen MARY the II. to the Year 1606. KING James as has been mentioned having Left the Land and that in Parliament being taking for an Abdication and the Throne declared Vacant William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange were Proclaimed King and Queen of England France and Ireland c. before White-Hall and in the City of London with the Joy of the whole Nation on the 13th of Feb. 1688 and with Convenient speed they were Proclaimed with the like satisfaction in all the Principal Places of their Dominions and the King returned the Parliament a Gracious answer to their Declaration expressing himself highly satisfied with what they had done promising to the utmost his Care and Protection for the Preservation of the Established Religion Laws and Liberties and that he should always be ready to Concur with them in any thing that should be for the Good of the Kingdom and to do all that in him lay to advance the Glory and Welfare of it and thereupon he proceeded to quiet disorders in all
Female and that there was no force in that Law to debar him of such a Right This the King considered prudently and deliberated with Grave Counsel about it who all concluded it was his undoubted Right and the Earl of Arthois who fled out of France for saying upon the French Kings Sentencing his Earldom to Maud Countess of Burgundy By me was he made a King and by me shall he be Deposed vehemently solicited the King to claim and prosecute his Right promising him his Interest to make him many Friends even in the Heart of France But this was laid aside a while by reason of a difference arising between England and Scotland For King Edward sending to David the Scots King who had Married his Sister to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for his Kingdom he Answered That by the Sword he had won the Castle and would keep it and as for the Homage demanded his Father never acknowledged any such Service and if he had King Edward had released it if any such was due and therefore he would not confess any Tenure of the Crown of England This slighting Answer highly exasperated King Edward so that he raised a powerful Army and Marching into Scotland soon subdued the better part of it Fortifying and Garisoning to his own use the Towns and Castles he took and in his return posessed himself of Berwick and caused Edward Bayliol Son to John Bayliol who had been King of Scotland but was deceased there to be Crowned King of Scotland to hold it in Tenure of him and committing to his charge the Government of the Town of Berwick Yet he had not long withdrawn his Army ere the Scots had outed this new King and compelled him to fly into France whereupon King Edward Marched against David who had procured a great many French Forces and Overthrew him with a great Slaughter of his followers and so again having secured that Kingdom more strongly than before he returned in Triumph And now he had leasure to consider how to possess himself of the French Diadem and the firmer to bind the Earl of Arthois to his Interest he created him Duke of Richmond and to carry on the thing secretly till it should be ripe for execution The King by private Messages craved the Advice of the Earl of Hanialt his Wives Father the Lord Beaumont and others who had great Interest in Germany and the Netherlands who all approved it promising their best assistance and that he might have power to command the Nobles and Common People of those Countries when occasion required it They procured him to be created Vicar General of the Empire All this while the French King was Ignorant of their Proceedings being extreamly busy in providing Necessaries for an Army of 60000 Men with which he intended to pass into the Holy Land making his Brother John Duke of Normandy and Regent of all his Dominions till his return but at length having secret Notice of King Edwards Pretensions from some Treacherous Counsellors in England who under-hand were his Pensioners he laid aside his intended Eastern Expedition to defend his own Country yet this Discovery sooner than was wished did not at all amate King Edward nor slacken him in what he Designed but knowing Money is the Sinnew and main support of War by many Politick Devices he got vast Sums from his Subjects and Treasured it in his Coffers till his Affaires should require it so that for a time Money became so scarce among the Trading People That a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Twelve Pence a Quarter of Wheat for Two Shillings and other Provisions proportionable Matters being thus Resolved on and Forwarded he Sailed to Flanders with his Queen where he met and Conferred with a great many Princes of Germany who agreed to assist him and returning raised an Army of 27000 Men with which he Landed in France and to oppose him the French King took the Field with an Army of double the Number but when they were ready to joyn in Battel Jone Countess of Hainalt Sister to King Philip and Mother to the Queen of England by her unwearied Mediation staid their forward Swords by procuring a Twelvemonths Truce whereupon the French King dissolved his Army and King Edward with his returned to England Yet he gave not over his Design for going to Brussells after the expiration of the Truce the German Princes firmly Engaged themselves to his Interest and solicited the Flemings to Confederate in the League but they excused it unless the King would stile himself King of France and quarter the Arms of that Kingdom with his own That so he might be impowered to release unto them a Bond of Two Millions of Florins wherein they stood obliged not to wage War against the King of France These things he actually did and then they consorted with the German Princes who Signed and Sealed an Instrument to be True to King Edwards Interest and thereupon he returned to England to make speedy preparations for the War and found that in his Absence the French Squadrons had Burnt Southampton and Ravaged Hampshire and part of Sussex carrying away much Booty but not doubting they should one day pay dear for it he called a Parliament who Granted him a Fifth part of Moveable Goods and a Third Part of Corn also a great Tax on Wooll which lay heavy on the Meaner Sort. He Borrowed morover of his Rich Subjects and the City of London furnished him with 20000 Marks he Coined much Gold and Silver with the French Arms Quartered with the Lions and so early in the Spring Sayled to the Sluce which he found Blocked up by a Fleet of French Genois Picards and other Nations about 250 Sail and on Board them an Army of 40000 Men these he Encountered and utterly Defeated Destroying all that he seized not to his use sending a Multitude of Prisoners into England which Victory obtained by much an inferiour Number of Ships and Men gained him a large Reputation among the Princes his Confederates and greatly dismayed the French and Marching into Flanders he joyned the Forces of Jacob Dartwell General of the Flemings with those of the Duke of Guelders the Marquess of Muse Earls of Mons Suvians and Hainalt the Lord Tralquemont and many Thousand Germans c. and laid Siege to the City of Tournay which the French King prepared to Relieve but as before by the incessant Mediation of the Countess of Hainalt when the Place was at point of Yielding another Truce was made and the Armies Dissolved to the great perplexity of most that had Engaged Whilst King Edward was imployed abroad the Scots by the Encouragement of the French King Deposed Edward Bayliol and Renounced their Homage to the Crown of England but upon his Marching thither with 6000 Horse and 40000 Foot he Regained what had been Lost and made them Submit Yet he was no sooner retired but David coming out of France with some
to make that report to their Neighbours and that this was all that had occasioned the Disturbance and Execution in the Tower Nor had Hastings been dead above two Hours ere a large Proclamation with the Broad Seal to it was read in divers parts of the City by a Herauld at Arms so that it was plain to the People that this matter was not suddain but premeditated These Advances coming near the Throne the Citizens were Assembled at Guild-Hall and the matter openly proposed to them by the Duke of Buckingham who used many Arguments to induce their consent to the Proclaiming Richard Duke of Gloucester King and lay aside King Edwards Line but they appeared little inclinable to it However Dr. Shaw Brother to the Lord Mayor in a Sermon at St. Paul's Magnified him as a Prince of the greatest Magnanimity and Virtue imaginable labouring to Bastardize Edward the Fourth and all the other Sons of Richard Duke of York except this Richard who he said was his own Picture and the true imitator of his Valour and Virtues Which was taken for such a piece of Dissimulation and Flattery that he being afterwards very evilly spoken of he was ashamed ever after to appear in a Pulpit This weighty matter being now brought to a home push the Duke of Buckingham to finish the work he had begun carried divers Citizens of the meaner sort to Baynards Castle where the Protector kept his Court where he made them seem to impose the Crown on him with threats if he refused it to place it on the Head of some Nobleman not of the Family of the Plantagenets for they would not have any of Edward the Fourth's Line to Rule over them This and much more to the like purpose the Duke spoke for them which with a faint shout of God save King Richard made him with great unwillingness as appeared to them accept what he had so hard laboured for and passionately desired And thus an end was put to Edward the Fifth's Reign if I may so terme it two Months and thirteen Days after his Fathers Death and was afterward together with his Brother Murthered in the Tower as will appear in the next Reign The Reign of King RICHARD the Third RIchard Plantagenet Third Son to Richard Duke of York having by Pollicy and Stratagem crouded himself into the Throne he called a Parliament wherein by the power of a leading Faction he was confirmed King The Crown Entailed on him and his Heirs his only Son Prince Edward being made Heir apparent But against his Coronation fearing some Insurrection on the meeting of so great a concourse as that solemnity required he sent for 5000 Soldiers out of the North under the Leading of Robert Risdale and after it he set at Liberty the Arch-Bishop of York and the Lord Stanley but continued Bishop Morton yet at the humble supplication of the University of Oxford he was delivered to the Duke of Buckingham who sent him to his Castle of Brecnock in Wales as a Prisoner at large for he had his Liberty of the Parks and Grounds lying about it King Richard knowing his Title to be bad laboured by Favours and Interest to strengthen it He Created his Son about Ten Years of Age Prince of Wales and John Howard a Man of great Experience in feats of Arms Duke of Norfolk and Sir Thomas Howard his Eldest Son Earl of Surry The Lord William Barkley was Advanced to the Earldom of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovel his great Crony and Favourite was made Viscount Lovel And thus as he immagined having settled his Estate securely at Home he sent Ambassadors to Lewis the French King to conclude a Peace with him thereby to prevent Storms from Abroad But that Prince so far detested his proceedings with his Nephews That he would not admit his Ambassadors to his Presence nor own him for a King This much perplexed him and as is thought put him upon the Project of Murthering the Young Innocent Princes as supposing by what had passed at the French Court he could never be Reputed and truly Honoured as a King whilst they Lived and that their Murther might not be imputed to him he purposely took a Progress to visit the City of Gloucester from whence he sometimes took his Title and from thence sent his Letters to Sir Robert Brakenbury Lieutenant of the Tower whom he had raised from a Low Degree to a considerable Fortune expressly Commanding him to make away the two Princes But either fear of after-claps or his abhorrence of so villanous a Deed made him absolutely refuse it Upon notice whereof Richard stormed and appeared much perplexed in Mind retiring himself for some Hours to consider how it might be done and then remembering there was one Sir James Terril a retainer to the Tower whom he knew to be very Indigent and Necessitous this Man he doubted not to prevail on for the Execution of his wicked purpose and therefore sent him a supply of Money with large promises of preferment if he Executed his pleasure and withal his Commands to the Lieutenant to deliver him the Keys of the Tower This wicked wretch not weighing the Guilt closed with the Golden offers and had the Keys delivered to him tho' not without regret by Sir Robert Brakenbury and the same Evening he hired two desperate Ruffians viz. John Dighton and Miles Forrest to Smother the Princes in their Beds which they as wickedly performed by claping Pillows on their Faces and lying on them with all their force till by their no longer strugling they found they had bereaved them of Life This cruel Murther being committed the next thing was to consider how to dispose of their Bodies which after some consults about it they Buried under the Stairs from whence they were removed and Buried none knows where Thus King Edward the Fourth's Male Issue became extinct which some looked on as a Judgment for his consenting to the Murther of Pious King Henry and Innocent Prince Edward his Son However it alleviates not the Guilt of those that dipt their hands in this Blood for all that were concerned in it came to untimely ends so just and severe is God in punishing Murther even in this Life for rarely wee find his vengance stays till the shedders of Innocent Blood drop into a timely Grave This being rumoured abroad tho' many things were urged by his creatures to excuse the Kings knowledge of it and Terril was secretly commanded to fly beyond the Seas But in Henry the Seventh's time returning was Executed for Treason yet the People as well Nobles as Commons detested him for it The Queen grew Frantick for some time and much ado they had to prevent her laying violent hands on herself but being brought to her Sences with Tears and bitter Excecrations against her wicked Brother-in-Law she passed a Melancholy Life for many Months King Richard after this was troubled with fears and frightful Dreams of Devils and Spirits haling and tormenting him that he is
said to shed some Tears and wish it had not been done However he came to London and summoned a Parliament wherein to ingratiate with the People many good Laws were made which are highly in Esteem to this day But God shew'd him an early token of his displeasure by taking away his only Son being all the Children he had he falling from a Horse dyed of the Bruise Bishop Morton as is said being committed to the Duke of Buckingham's Custody that sagacious Prelate so wound himself into his favour and good opinion that finding he was Ambitiously enclined he spared nothing to encrease his aspiring thoughts to that height as to make him look with envious Eyes on King Richard's Crown and fancy it would sit more comely on his own Head He was indeed of the Royal Blood by the Female side but at a considerable distance However King Richard having broke Promise with him by detaining the Earldom of Hartford tho' he had been chiefly instrumental in Advancing him to the Royal Dignity That for many Reasons the Bishop urged he began to hate him which more and more encreasing from new disapointments and disfavours and in fine the Duke however seemed to decline the Crown it was urged by the Bishop he might be Instrumental to do good to his Country and gain Immortal Fame by Uniting the Houses of York and Lancaster in promoting a Match between the Lady Elizabeth Eldest Daughter to Edward the Fourth and Henry Earl of Richmond Son and Heir to Margaret Countess of Richmond Daughter and Heir to John Duke of Sommerset his great Unkle Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Fourth Son to Edward the Third This he attentively harkened to and thereupon the Bishop desired to go into the Isle of Ely and there he would raise Men and Money to forward this matter But the Duke considering his Absence would be charged on him and be a means to discover the Intrigue and that also he should want his Counsel at need refused to consent however the Bishop in disguise soon after got away and escaped to the Earl of Richmond Counselling and Animating him to prosecute the Project laid in England King Richard hearing there were secret Cabbals held against him in Britany by the Earl of Richmond and others renewed his Brothers Stratagem to get him into his hands But tho' it cost him much Money yet his Counsels being revealed he also was frustrated in his expectations But by this time having notice of Buckingham's discontents he by Friendly invitations entreated him to come to Court but the Duke excused it on pretence of Indisposition but King Richard well informed to the contrary knew it was rather an Indisposition of Mind than Body sent a second Summons peremptorily commanding him to make his personal appearance which made him believe his design was discovered and thereupon he stoutly replied by the Messenger That he reputed him a Monster a Tyrant Murtherer and not his Lawful King and therefore would not trust his Person in his hands who was cruelly unmerciful to his nearest Relations And so with many of his Friends raised Forces in Wales whilst Sir Edward Courtney did the like in Devonshire and Cornwal Sir Richard Guilford gathered many of the Kentish Commons and in Yorkshire the Marquess of Dorset leaving Sanctuary drew a great Number to him This Storm that threatened Ruine to the Usurper roused him to Arms so that Levying a considerable Army he Marched against the Duke to give him Battel ere he joyned his Friends supposing if he could rout him the rest would soon be Subdued The Duke was as resolute as he and intended to pass the Severn at a low Ford near Gloucester to meet him but that Night and for Ten days after such abundance of Rain fell that the River over-flowed its Banks drowning all the Meadows so that he could not pass and by lingering his Victuals growing scanty most of his Forces left him which unexpected misfortune made him shift for himself when coming to the House of one Humphery Banister near Shrewsbury who had been his Steward and got a good Estate under him he was there sheltered for a time but King Richard Proscribing him and setting a Thousand Pounds on his Head that Treacherous Servant discovered him to the Sherif of Shropshire who apprehended him in poor Apparel digging in the Garden and conveyed him to the King at Salisbury where in hopes of favour he made an ample confession but it availed not for without any Legal Proceedings he was Beheaded upon which the rest dispersed The Earl of Richmond knowing nothing of this disappointment having gotten some Forces of the Duke of Britany put to Sea for England but by contrary winds was driven into Normandy where the French King not only succoured him with Money and other Necessaries but gave him safe conduct through his Territories to Britany where he found a great number of his Friends Arrived before him and there making a sollemn promise to Marry the Lady Elizabeth Daughter to Edward the Fourth if his success answered his expectations they owned him in a manner as their King vowing to adventure their Lives to settle him on the Throne King Richard in the mean while was busied in Fortifying the Sea-Ports and cutting off by terrible Executions all that he thought favoured the Earls Interest getting him and his adherents attainted in Parliament so that he seized their Lands and Effects bestowing them on his Creatures which caused much murmuring among the People And one Collingborn an Esquire of good Estate being in a Poetical strain reflecting on Richard's three Favourites viz. Sir Richard Ratcliff Sir William Catesby and the Viscount Lovel in this Distich The Rat the Cat and Lovel our Dog Rules all England under a Hogg Was Executed for it at Tyburn the Judges construing the last word to allude to the King because he had the White Boar for his Cognizance and so in their opinions the Scandal was wrested to Treason And then he laid another Trap for the Earl of Richmond by Bribing Peter Landoys the Duke of Britany's Treasurer but he escaped it on timely notice and fled to the French King however King Richard made an Alliance with James King of Scots by Marrying the Lady Ann one of his Neices to the Duke of Rothsey his Eldest Son and with large Presents and fair Promises so won on the infatuated Queen Dowager his Brothers Widow as to deliver her Daughters into his hands tho' she was sensible he had Murthured her Sons Then he caused it to be given out that Queen Ann his Wife who was Daughter to the great Earl of Warwick and had been Wife to Prince Edward Son to Henry the Sixth was suddainly Dead and though then very well yet soon after she was found unexpectedly dead not without suspicion of Poison which he so little regarded that he immediatly tendered Courtship to Elizabeth his Brothers Daughter who fearing her own and her Sisters safety put him off with