gave the Danes many Battels and being of a hardy and couragious temper he greatâ—y raised the drooping hearts of his Subjects raising the Siege of London and worsting their Army four times in open fight so that Canute having Challenged him to a single Duel for the Kingdom he loyfully accepted the offer so that going into an Island called Alney near Glocester they fought valiantly but Canute finding himself over matched and having received some dangerous Wounds he desired a Parly which being granted he said What should move us most Valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title we should thus indanger our Lives better it were to lay Malice and Weapons aside and to condescend to a Loving Agreement Let us now therefore become sworn Brothers and divide the Kingdom between us in such League of Amity that each may use the other as his own so shall the Land be peaceably governed and we joyfully assist each other in necessity Upon these words they threw down their Arms and embraced as Friends in the fight of both Armys so that the Kingdom being divided Edmund had the South and Canute the North but in a while after Edrick the Treacherous Duke who had betrayed the Councels of Edmund thinking to ingratiate himself with the Danes run a Spear into the Body of the King as he was easing himself and having by that means killed him he cut off his Head and hastening with iâ— to Canute he cryed Hallsole Monarch of England behold the Head of thy Copartner upon which Canute promised to advance him above all the Nobles of England but whilst the Traytor was big with expectation of honour and preferment he caused him to be Arrested and cutting off his Head fixed it on the Tower advancing him in that sense as he deserved This Edmund was Third Son of Ethelfrid and Fifteenth sole Monarch his Reign exceeded not a year Thus the Great Saxon Monarchy did yield And with her slaughtered King gave up the Field To the Blood-thirsty Danes but three short Reigns Bring back the Saxons and expire the Danes The Danish Monarchy over England and what remarkably happened in the Reigns of the three Danish Kings c. THe Original of the Danes as indeed all Originals is variously reported by Historians some will have that People derived from the Scythians and others from Scandia an Island Northward however when they Invaded England they were populous as it appears by their continual repairing the great numbers they lost for their first Invasion was in the year of our Lord 787 and were about 230 years before they gained the sole Monarchy They were as to their Religion Pagans Canute their first sole Monarch was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch-bishop of Canterbury Anno 1017. he upon his coming to the Crown Banished Edwin Son of Ethelred and sent Edward and Edmund the two Sons of Eumund Ironside to his Brother then King of Sweedâ—n to be made away and proceeded to Mary Queen Emma who had been Wife to King Ethelred and was Sister to the Duke of Normandy upon condition the Heir gotten on her Body should succeed him in the English Throne upon which he assembled the Peers in Parliament at Oxford and there made many good Laws establishing the Christian Religion injoyning that all decent Ceremonies tending to Devotion and Dâ—vine Worship should be observed with reverence that the Lords day should be kept holy and a Clergyman that should kill a Layman or be found guilty of any other notorious Crime should be deprived of his Order and Dignity A married Woman committing Adultery to have her Nose and Ears cut off and a Widow marrying within a Twelvemonth to loose her Joynter and being great in power both by Sea and Land some of his Flatterers would needs go about to perswade him that not only the Earth but the Ocean was obedient to him and that he might raise or calm it at his pleasure and he then being at Southampton to upbraid them caused a Chair to be set on the Sand when the Sea was coming in and placing himself in it commanded the Sea to retire and not dare to wet his Garments but the regardless Waves roaling on dashed him to that degree that he was forced to remove when turning to his Parasites he said You well now perceive all the might and power of Kings is but vanity for none is worthy to have the name of King but he that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his Will And from that time he declined to wear his Crown causing it to be placed on the Head of Christs Crucified Imageat Winchester and gave many large Gifts to the Church and Church-men building several Churches and going a Pilgrimage to Rome procured the taking off the excessive Charge the English Arch-bishops were at when they took the Pall. He Reigned eighteen years and was the 16. sole Monarch of England being Buried in the old Monastery at Winchester Harold succeeded his Father Canute though he was opposed at his Enterance by Earl Goodwin he was likewife Son to Queen Emma and Crowned at Oxford by Elmothius Arch-bishop of Canterbury using manâ— Dâ— vices to get Edward and Alfrâ—d the two So 〈…〉 into his hunds he decoyed over the latter in his Mothers Name but he landing in hopes to be joyned with the promised Forces was betrayed by Earl Goodwin and the King setting upon his small Forces at Guilford caused them all except every tenth man to be slain and taking Alfrid alive he made his Eyes be put out and fastening one end of his Bowels to a stake he was pricked round with Ponyards till such time as he had drawn out his Guts and so died this poor Prince Nor did he rest here but proceeded to Banish Queen Emma and Confiscate her Goods for reproaching him with the Death of her Son This Harrold was second Son of Canute and the seventeenth sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno 1036 and Reigned four years being buried according to Stow at Westminster Hardicanute succeeded Harrold being invited over from Denmark both by the Danes and English and Crowned at London by Elnoth Arch-bishop of Canterbury he caused the Body of Harrold to he digged up and cutting off the Head threw it into the Thames but it being found by some Fisher-men they decently Interred it in St. Clements-Danes so called for its being the chief Burial place of the Danes This King was given much to Eating and Drinking insomuch that he caused his Tables to be spread four times a day with all manner of Dainties and raised a Tax of 32147 pounds to maintain a great Fleet at Sea and in vain Ostentation Earl Goodwin sitted out one with a Golden stern and Men compleatly armed with guilt Arms and Armour but the King hearing the Tax was denied and that Thurston and Feader two of his Collectors were slain by the people at Worcester he expulsed the Bishop and burnt the City but as he was Revelling at a
about sundry Articles of Treason in the compass of which the Lords that stood out might fall he got them subscribed at Nottingham by Robert Trisilian Chief Justiciar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthrop and William Burgh Justiciars as likewise by John Lecton Serjeant at Law whereupon he proclaimed them Traitors and both sides armed but the King finding the Lords too powerfull for him and that they had discovered the Snares he had laid to entrap them thought it no time to oppose his small number against forty thousand men but shut himself up with such Forces as he had in the Tower of London where he had laid up Stores for his Subsistence if things came to farther Extremity The King withdrawn the Lords came to Westminster and there assembling to consult what was to be done they resolved to dispatch a Messenger to let the King know that if he left not the Tower and came quickly to them that things might be better settled and ordered they would proceed to chuse a King that should and would hearken to and the Judgment and Counsel of his Peers This though much against his will constrained him to meet them at Westminster and after some debate consented to remove from his Person Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont and many others with certain chargeable Court-Ladies who were maintained as Spies upon the Actions of the Nobility and the better to make up the breach a Parliament was summoned in which the Judges were called to an Account for the subscribing of the Articles and other matters and most of them being arrested as they sate in Judgment were sent Prisoners to the Tower but Trisilian took an opportunity to escape yet being apprehended he was in the morning sentenced in Parliament and in the Afternoon pursuant to that Sentence as one that had wheedled in the rest to a compliance he was conveyed to Tyburn and there had his Throat cut by Hand of the common Executioner and many others were put to death as evil Counselours and Betrayers of the People The Estates of the King 's chief Favourites were likewise confiscated but the Scots at the same time invading the Northern Parts the Proceedings were not carried on to the highth as was otherways intended and not long after the Scale turned for another Parliament being called at London the Sanctuary of former Laws and all partscular Charters of Pardon were disannulled and taken away from Thomas Duke Gloucester the Earl of Arundel and others for their Treasonable Practices and Enterprizes and all the Justiciars who stood for the King were cleared from the Danger and Scandal they lay under and the Articles they had signed were ratified and such as had offended against them proclaimed Traitors and Richard Earl of Arundâ—l was beheaded on Tower-Hill as guilty of the breach of them The Earl of Warwick upon the like cause was banished and the Duke of Gloucester arrested and carried to Calais where he was privately made away and the King created himself Earl of Chester and to his Escutcheon Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessour creating his Cosin Henry Duke of Hereford who was not long after accused by Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking dangerous words of the King and Mowbray constantly affirming what Hereford denied the Combat was granted them and all things in order to it prepared but when they were entred the Lists and at the point of defying each other to death the King threw down his Warder by that means staying the Combat changed the manner of the Order and banished them the Kingdom the Duke of Norfolk for ever and the Duke of Hereford first for ten Years then for six only constraining them upon pain of death immediately to depart and soon after the Duke of Lancaster Father to the latter and Uncle to the King dying he seized on all his Wealth which was extremely considerable he being looked upon one of the richest uncrowned Heads in Europe Long had not these Things passed before the Irish fell into Rebellion when to quiet them King Richard raised a great Army to supply which he grievously oppressed his Subjects by a heavy Tax which begot no small Hatred amongst the People so that some of the Nobles who favoured Hereford now become Duke of Lancaster sent to him to advertize him of the Discontents letting him know that this was his time to make his Fortune and he not delaying the opportunity with an Army of about 2000 English and Foreigners landed whilst King Richard was busie in Ireland and was immediately joined by the Earl of Northumberland and his Son and declaring as a specious pretence he came for no more than his Dutchy of Lancaster the People in compassion of his wrong flocked about him from all parts so that the Duke of York whom King Richard had left Governour of the Kingdom till his Return from his Irish Expedition not being able to oppose the Torrent was obliged to acquiess and suffer him to take Bristol where Bushy and Green two of the King 's Privy Counselours being made Prisoners they lost their Heads to please the multitude This allarmed King Richard in Ireland and obliged him to hasten for England gathering some Troups in Wales which he joined to those he brought over but few of the Nobles coming to his Assistence and finding himself too weak to oppose the Torrent he suffered them to disband and betook himself with a few of his Followers to Conwoth Castle and from thence sent to demand Honourable Conditions and amongst the rest That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Allowance becoming their Qualities and an assurance of a quiet Private Life he would be content to resign the Crown to his Cosin the Duke of Lancaster and being promised what what was demanded he put himself into the hands of the Earl of Northumberland and was conveyed to the Tower of London whereupon a Parliament was called in his Name to sit at Westminster who concluding upon his Resignation sent an Instrument to him in order to his subscribing which being accordingly done as likewise seal'd he put his Signet Ring upon the Duke's Finger and after this a definitive Sentence passed in Parliament at which time the Duke of Lancaster rising from his Seat made his Claim and Challenge to the Crown in the following words viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Apurtenances as coming of the Bloud Royal from King Henry the Third and that Justice which God of his Grace doth send me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws After this Claim Henry was acknowledged by all the Estates for King and seated in the Royal Throne which is accounted the end of Richard's
Dorcetshire with about fourscore men and a considerable quantity of Arms and Amunition declaring his intention to deliver the Kingdom from the danger it was likely to be brought into by the prevailing power of the Papists under the influence of a King who had professed himself openly to be of the Roman Communion c. and divers of his Declarations were printed and scattered abroad for printing which one Mr. Desney a Councellour was seized and Tryed at the Marshalsea upon an Indictment of High Treason and being by the Jury found guilty he was sentenced and executed his head being afterward placed on London Bridge The Duke of Monmouth encreasing his Forces in the West and causing himself to be Proclaimed King not onely the standing Guards but a great number of New-raised forces were sent against him as likewise the Scotch Regiment sent from Holland when after sundry skirmishes in which divers were killed on both sides On the sixth of July the Duke in the dead of the night by a silent March endeavoured to surprize the King's Forces encamped on Sedgmore near Bridgwater commanding the Foot in person and ordering the Lord Grey with the Horse to take a compass and fall in the Rear but the design being discovered by an early Alarum after many brisk firings between the Foot and the Dukes Horse not coming timely up the King's Horse entred the Ranks and in spite of the opposition that was made broke and disordered them so that about daylight they fled in great confusion and a piteous slaughter ensued so that two thousand are held to be slain The Duke with most of the Commanders escaped the Field but having been Attainted in Parliament and a premium of 5000 l set upon his head he was upon the information of an old Woman searched for in the Inclosures near Holt Lodge and after divers attempts to escape was taken and by easie Marches brought to White-Hall and by the Council committed to the Tower and the third day after brought to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill where after he had made a very Christian-like and Heroick Speech he had his Head severed from his Body at five stroaks so barbarous was his execution the Body of this unfortunate and much lamented Nobleman in whose Veins flowed by the Father's side the Royal Bloud was put into a Hearse in order to its Interment but this execution allayed not the fury of some persons for the Lord Chief Justice Jeffries and others being sent into the West to try such as escaped Military execution caused about 300 to be executed in divers places amongst whom the Lady Lile was beheaded at Winchester for harbouring some persons who had escaped the Battel and soon after a Woman was burnt at Tyburn upon the like occasion During these proceedings the Earl of Argyle was Routed in Scotland taken in a pond and beheaded at Edenburg Rumbold the Malster was hanged and quartered and his quarters sent to England and set upon the Gates of London Colonel Ayloffe and Mr. Nelthorp were sent prisoners and executed one before the Temple and the other before Gray's-Inn And the Parliament meeting again after its prorogation the King told them that in consideration of sundry good Services several Roman Catholick Officers had done him he was willing they should continue in their places notwithstanding the Parliament was very earnest to have them removed and pardon granted them for what had passed in Acting contrary to Law as not being Qualified for places of Trust without taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy however they were continued and the Parliament soon after Dissolved An Embassadour was sent to Rome and the Pope's Nuncio came to England being kindly received by the King and now it began to be rumour'd that Father Petre a Jesuit was got to the Helm of Affairs and soon after he was declared a Privy Councellour And divers persons were Tryed upon the Account of what had been done in the Reign of King Charles the Second for which Alderman Cornish suffered in Cheapside and Charles Bateman a Chirurgeon at Tyburn And the Dissenters were severely prosecuted though at the same time the Popish Priests began to build them Chapels in Limestreet Bucklers-Bury St. John's and Southwark promising themselves no less than the re-establishment of that Religion and some people were punished for opposing their proceedings the City Trained Bands being ordered on Sundays c. to guard those houses from the violence of the Multitude and most of the Judges having declared a Dispensing Power in the King Papists throughout the Nation were put into places of Trust and Offices without taking the Oaths Especially after the Tryal of the Case of Sir Edward Haleâ— at the Court of King's-Bench where the Verdict went for him c but the Members of the Church oâ— England seeming not well pleased there followed an unexpected closing with the Dissenters and a Declaration was published for Toleration or Liberty of Conscience and a promise to Establish it by Law The Church of England-men we almost every where displaced and Papists and Dissenters placed in their stead most of the Fellows of Magdalen College in Oxford turned out and a President imposed on it A High Commission Court was â—erected to censure the Clergy the Bishop of London was suspended and most of the Corporations had their Charters taken into the King's hands some of them being shortly after restored with alterations The standing Forces were increased Campaigns were held on Hounslow Heath to exercise the Souldiers and the King designing to call a Parliament the people were questioned in many parts of the Kingdom whether they would themselves if chosen or give their Voices for such as should be willing to take away the Penal Laws and Tests And the Archbishop of Canterbury with Six other Bishops were sent prisoners to the Tower â—nd afterwards Tryed at the King's-Bench Bar but â—cquitted for petitioning the King to revoke his Order of Reading his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in Churches in time of Divine Service And during their Imprisonment we had news that â—he Queen was brought to Bed of a Son for which 〈◊〉 Thanksgiving day was appointed and the Conâ—uits in London ran with Wine as likewise in many other places and the Embassadours in foreign Courts made great Rejoycing But whilst this â—oy lasted at Court and things were making ready or the calling a Parliament news came that great â—reparations were making in Holland with a design â—o pass an Army into England which changed the â—ace of Affairs for those that had been turned out â—f places of Trust were restored the Bishops were received into savour the Charter of London and other Charters were restored Depositions were taken relating to the Birth of the Infant and enrolled in Chancery and the King was willing no Papist should be a Member in Parliament with many other concessions and great Levys were made for Sea and Land however the Dutch Fleet without much interruption came to Torbay in
to the Conqueror who about the year 824 made it cease to be any longer a Kingdom annexing it by right of Conquest to that of Mercia in which for the future we must account it This Kingdom continued entire 372 years Thus fell the Kentish Kingdom thus bereft Of all its Grandure to the Conqueror left Its name was swallowed by a greater sway Ingulf'd in what we must call Mercia An account of the Kingdom of the South Saxons containing Sussex and Surry under the Succession of four Kings THis parcel of the British Land fell first to Eâ—â—â— Captain of the Saxons who brought supplys out of Germany at their greatest need Landing at Shoram in Sâ—ssex where he gave barrel to the Britains and by a great overthrow obliged them to the Woods and Fastnesses whereupon sending for more Aid to Aâ—sure him in his Conquest he took possession of Sussex and Surry begining his Reign 488. and continued it 32 years Then giving place to Cossa who Reigned as some will have it 72 years and to him succeeded Ethels Wolfe who after 25 years Reign was slain by Cadewel a Banished Prince of the West Saxons yet before his death the Christian Religion was tolerated in his Kingdom himself being Converted by as Bede has it Bishop Willfride tho' some allow his Conversion to Berinus Bishop of Dorchester however he was held to be a good Prince nor did Cadewel long rest in quiet after his death for Barthun and Authun took up Arms against â—im and made him fly the Kingdom but he returning with a great power overcame the two Dukes and after that it became a part of the West Saxon Kingdom when it had continued a Kingdom 133 years Thus set the second Kingdom or it's Fame For from this time it lost it's ancient Name An account of the West Saxon Kingdom containing Cornwal Devonshire Barkshire and Hampshire with the succession of Kings THe first that possessed himself of this Kingdom was Chardick a low Country German Captain who entred Britain about the year of our Lord 495. and Killing Nataulcon a great Prince of the Britains in a dreadful Battle he made himself King of the West Saxons beginning his Reign in 501 and continued it 33 years at the end of which he gave place to Kenrick who prosecuting the War against the Britains gave them two great overthrows at Banbury in Oxfordshire and Shrewsbury in Wiltshire whereby they losing Courage and hopes of Conquest left him in quiet possession of what his Father had acquired but after a Reign of 26 years he was succeeded by Chewlin who fought Ethelbert King of Kent and defeated his Army at Wimbledon And this is accounted the first Battle the Saxons had amongst themselves he gave likewise a great overthrow to the Britains at Bedfold and surprized four of their Towns as Liganburgh Alisbury Bensington and Evesham and about six years after he fought the Britains at Durham and slew Coinmagil Caudigan and Farmnagil three of the British Kings thereupon surprizing Glocester Bath and Cirencester but at length some Saxons Joyning with the Britains to Oppose his growing greatness he was overthrown at Wodensbeoth and his Son Cuth slain and thereupon Cearlick his Nephews prosecuting the War against him bereft him of the Kingdom after â—…e had Reigned 33 years yet the Nephew held it but â—…x years before he gave place to Chelwoolf This â—…rince held the Scepter of the West Saxons Kingdom 14 â—…ears but being assaulted by the Britains in confedraâ—…y with the Scots and Picts after much trouble and â—…ile he dyed in the Wars so that his Kingdom fell â—… Kingil who gave the Britains Battle at Beandune â—…nd killed 1046 of them and the better to strengthen â—…imself he made peace with Penda King of the Marâ—…ans and was converted to the Christian Faith by â—…erinus to whom he gave Dorchester as a seat This King Reigned 31 years over the West Saxons and â—…hen gave place to Redwald who was Baptized and Reigned 13 years after him Eskwin began his Reign â—…75 and continued it but two years being overcome â—…t that time by Wolfere King of the Mercians at Buâ—…amhford and most of his people slain and was succeeâ—…ed in the Kingdom of the West Saxons by Kentwin who was a greater Persecutor of the poor remnant of â—…he Britains making them fly into the Rocks and Mountains for shelter and security but his Reign â—…asted not long for at the end of 9 years he dyed and gave place to Cadewalde who slew Ethelwoolf King of â—…he South Saxons and afterward usurped his Kingdom and being a Heathen he destroyed many of the Christians especially the Clergy but in the end he was succeeded by Ine who began his Reign Anno 688. â—…he brought the South Saxon Kingdom into a province and had Wars with the Britains and Mercians and made many wholsom Laws upon which many now â—…n force are founded he built the Abby of Glassenbury and went a Pilgrimage to Rome and there dyed This was he that gave the Pope the first Peter-pence from England to be payed on Lammus day his Reign continued 37 years and was succeeded by Ethellred in whose Reign two dreadful Blazing-Stars appeared his Reign continued 14 years and then he gave place to Cuthred Anno 740. this King made Peace with the Mercians and Joyning his Force with them the cruelly opressed the Britains but Adelem an Eaâ—… and one of his Subjects Rebelling against him hâ—… was obliged to give it over to Defend his Trritories but having Reigned 14 years he was succeeded bâ—… Sigesâ—â—rt This King caused Cumbra an Earl of hâ—… Counsel to be slain for reproving his Vices whicâ—… occasioned his Subjects to Rebel and forced him tâ—… shelter himself in a Wood where he was found anâ—… slain by the Earls Swinheard when he had Reigned about a year to whom Kenwoolf succeeded who Waâ—…ed very furiously on the Britains and gave them greâ—… overthrows but in the end himself was overthrowâ—… by Offa King of the Mercians and there slain â—… Captain Ciyto but his Subjects recovered hiâ—… Body and revenged his death upon the Captain and Eighty of his followers The King thus dead Brithrick steped into the Throne in whose time divers strange prodegies and Phantoms appeared as well in the Air aâ—… on the Earth and when he had Reigned without any considerable Action fell by Poyson which he took in in a confection the Queen had prepared for one of hiâ—… paramours whereupon he fled into France and therâ—… died Miserably and now this Kingdom began to draw to a Period or rather to loose it's name to be joyned with the rest in a sole Monarchy for Egbert succeeded Brithrick Anno 806. as King of the West Saxons he after a long War wherein much blood was spilt gained an absolute rule over the Seven Kingdoms making a strict Law against the Welch that should dare to venture over Offas Ditch which he appointed for their Boundard he slew Bernulph King of the
driven to their Country but not so much discouraged as to hinder their landing in Wales thâ—… next year and there they joyned the poor remaindeâ—… of the Britains But the King being aware had more time to draw his Forces together when giving then battle he overthrew both parties yet not long after thâ—… Danes sacked the Isle of Shippy and were not with out much slaughter expelled This was the Seventeenth King of the West Saxonâ—… and First sole Monarch of England beginning hâ—… Reign as Monarch 819 and reigned Seventeen yearâ—… much improving and increasing the welfare of thâ—… Kingdom Ethelwolf the Second sole Monarch eldest Son â—… Egbert began his Reign Anno 837 and was in hâ—… Fathers time Bishop of Winchester But being in â—… manner constrained to take upon him the Government he resigned his Bishoprick to Swithâ—…n his Tutâ—… and gave a great overthrow to the Danes at Oclâ—… freeing the Church Lands from all Tribâ—…tes and Râ—…gal Services and going to Rome at the Bishop's peâ—…swasion he confirmed Peter-pence and setled a yeaâ—…ly Pension of Three hundred Marks upon the Râ—… man See and continued his Reign about Twenâ—… years Ethelbald succeeded Ethelwolf being his eldest Sâ—… by his Wife Osburge who was his Butlers Daughteâ—…â—… his Valiant Actions sufficiently appeared against tâ—… Danes in his Fathers Reign but that which bloted â—… great Actions was his Marrying Judith Danghter â—… the French King and his mother-in-Mother-in-law But â—… reigned only two years and was the Third sole Mâ—…narch of the English Men. Ethelbert the second Son to Ethelwofe succeeded â—…is Brother Anno 860 he was continually alarumed â—…y the Danes who finding the pleasantness of the â—…ingdom compared with their Rocky Land came in warms sometimes landing in one place and someâ—…mes in another and destroyed Wâ—…nchester but the â—…ople gathering in great numbers and falling upon â—…em before they could recover their Ships most of â—…em were slain He reigned Five years and then â—…ave place to Ethelred in whose Reign the Danes and Norwigâ—…ans got more and more footing and being Pagans â—…ed all manner of Rapin and Violence deslowring Virgins and ravishing Women not sparing the Veiled Nun but destroyed the Abbies and Monaâ—…eries so that to save their Chastity by the advice â—…f their Abbess the Nuns of Codingham Monastery â—…ut off their Noses and upper Lips to render themâ—…elves deformed and that the frightful spectacle might â—…ay the Lusts of the inslamed Danes but it prevailed â—…ot for the Monsters having first deflowred them â—…ut them to the Sword and set the House on fire â—…nd so proceeded under the leading of Hungar and Hubâ—…a their Commanders in chief to burn the City of â—…ork committing extraordinary Outrages and Vioâ—…ences But Ethelred at length gave them a great overâ—…hrow slaying one of their Dukes or petty Kings with nine Earls and a great many common Soldiers â—…ut about eighteen days after being recruited with â—…sh Forces they put the King to slight at Basing â—…nd about two Months after wounded and overthrew â—…im at Merton of which wound he dyed when he had â—…eigned about Six years and was succeeded by Elfride fourth Son to Ethelwolf who fought seven Battles with various success against the Danes for in â—…is time they sorely oppressed the Land insomuch â—…hat the High-ways were unfrequented and the Ground â—…n most places Untilled and the King himself obliged â—…o flee into Woods and Desart places but in the end weary of that solitude he put himself in the Habâ—… of a Musician under which disguise he discovered tâ—… sluggish security of the Danes in their Camp wheâ—… upon secretly rallying his scattered People he suâ—…prised them in that manner killing a great number â—… them and taking their Standard And more Daâ—… attempting to land in Devonshire under Halden thâ—… Captain the people rise generally in Arms and falliâ—… upon them near Exeter kill'd the Captain and 8â—… of his Followers This King caused all Thieves to banished and divided the Kingdom into Shires Hundred and Tythings he founded the first common Schoâ—… in Oxford which is now called University Colledgâ—… and continued his Reign Twenty nine years Edward the Eldest Son of Elfride succeeded him and began his Reign 901 when soon after he came â—… the Throne his Nephew Ethelwald stirred up â—… Subjects to rebel against him but they were quietâ—… without much trouble yet the Danes were still â—… possession of one part of the Country which maâ—… the King build a strong Castle at Hartford and marâ—… against them when at St. Edmuns Ditch he gave theâ—… Battle but prevailed not however in that Mortâ—… Battle two of their Kings viz. Ethelwald and Crocâ—…cus were slain And soon after he gave them anothâ—… Battle at Wodesfield with a great overthrow killiâ—… two other of their Kings and two Earls with aboâ—… 4000 Common Soldiers He reigned Twenty foâ—… years and gave place to Etheistance who began his Reign 923 his Subject upon his coming to the Crown rose in Mutine undeâ—… Elfrede a Norman but the Ring-leader taken and seâ—… to purge himself they were quieted yet he was â—… jealous of his Brother Edwin that he consented â—… his being murthered which created in him such remorse that he caused his Murtherers to be put â—… death and had like soon after to have been slain â—… his Tent by one Anlafe a Dane but by a lucky râ—…moval he escaped and a Bishop who had pitched â—… â—…ent on the same Ground was assaulted and slain â—…fter he had killed many of the Danes with his own â—…nd as well Nobles as Plebeans and having â—…yed their fury he had leisure to pass into Scotland â—…th a powerful Army and brought that Kingdom â—…o subjection But upon his return he found the â—…nes had strengthened themselves yet he routed them â—…ar VVinchester and in this contest it is reported Guy â—…rl of VVarwick sought with Colbron the Danish Giâ—…t of mighty seize and slew him hand to hand as â—…e Kings Champion in single Combat and so far read the fame of this King that Historians report â—…ut with what credit I know not that Hugh King â—… France greatly desirous of his friendship sent him â—…e Sword of Constantine the Great which had in its â—…ile one of the Nails that fastened Christ to the Cross likewise his Spear which was that with which Loâ—…â—…us peirced his side with a piece of the Thorny Crown â—… wore that Otho the Emperor sent him a Landskip â—… with precious Stones and the King of Norway a â—…ip with guilt Decks and Purple Sails he reigned â—…een years and was the Eldest Son to King Edâ—…d Edmund the fifth Son of King Edward succeeded his â—…other Anno 940. he fought sundry Battels with variâ—…s success against the Danes and his Son Dunmail reâ—…lling against him he caused his Eyes to be put out â—… was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames his picture â—… memory of it being still preserved in the Church â—…ith many otherâ—… his Successors he made many wholâ—…m Laws but
interposing as some Authors have it â—…tween two Deuelists he was unfortunately run â—…rough after he had reigned six years Edred succeeding Edmund Anno 946. the Danes beâ—…n to gather courage not without being privately aâ—…mated by some treacherous English and amongst â—…em Weelstan Arch-Bishop of York so that â—… the â—… caused himself to be Crowned King of Northumâ—…rland against whom Edred marched with a great Army but had the Rear of it surprised by the underhand dealing of Woelstan however he made his party good put the Danes to the rout and returned with victory He made St. Germans in Cornwal a Bishops See which was by Canute the Dane translated to Credington and at last setled at Exeter by Edmund the Confessor where â—it at present remains This Edred was Tenth sole Monarch of England and reigned Nine years Edwy succeeded Edred Anno 955 and was crowned at Kingston upon Thames where it is repoted he committed Adultery with a great Lady his near Kinswoman in the sight of his Nobles and afterwards caused her Husband to be slain that he might more freely enjoy her He thrust out the Monks and put married Priests in the places of those that affected a single Life Banished Dunstan who is now stiled a Saint and the same that is reported to have taken a shee Devil by the Nose with a pair of Tongues for disturbing him at his Forge These things turned the Peoples Affections against the King to a degree of laying him aside and swearing Fealty to Edgar which made him pine to death after he had Rul'd Four years and was buried in the New Abby Church at Winchester Edgar began his Reign Anno 159 he recalled Dunstan and outed the married Priests making a Penalty against Drunkenness and the Land at that time being pestered with Wolves he laid a yearly Tribute of three hundred Wolves Heads upon the Prince of Wales and upon the Noble-men and Free-holders according to the largeness of their Possessions so that in a few years they were all destroyed He made it his business once a year to ride the Circuit of his Kingdom to inquire of Abuses done by his Judges in Illegal Actings or those that were done by private Persons one to another inflicting severe punishments on such as he found tardy yet he have himself up to prodigeous Lust insomuch that casting his Eyes upon any Women he liked he would have his satisfaction by fair means or force and killed Ethelwald an Earl and one of his principal Courtiers with a Spear as he was hunting in the Forest because he had married a beauteous Lady Daughter to Duke Orgarus when he had sent him to fetch her for his own use and then took her to Wife He deflowred a Nun called Wolfe-child and got on her a hopeful Brat which was afterwards Sainted by the name of Edith and afterwards another Nun called Ethelflede on whom he begot his Son Edward who succeeded him he had peace except a little bickering with the Welsh all his Reign feared a broad and at home having the greatest Navy of any King before him some Authors reporting it consisted of Three thousand Ships He was crown'd at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury and reigned sixteen years Edward the Thirteenth sole Monarch of England began his Reign Anno 975 and was usher'd in by a Famine and a Blazing Star with great contentions between the Monks and Married Priests Dunstan taking taking part with the former and Duke Alfarus with the latter and meeting to Dispute in an upper Room the press being great the Flour fell down and many were wounded only Dunstan's Chair stood fixed upon a Post which gave such credit to the Monks who without doubt had contrived the sinking of the Four as appeared by the Chair being fixed that they gained the point and the Married Priests were turned out suffering great necessity no Man daring to entertain or relieve them Soon after this the King going a Hunting and being near the Castle of Queen Elfreda his mother-in-Mother-in-Law he separated from his Company and went to pay her and her Son a visit But the treacherous Queen to advance her own caused one of her Servants to stab him in the Back whilst he was drinking on Horseback at her Gate whereupon turning his Horse he fled the farther Treachery but not finding his retinue he through lossâ— of blood fainted and falling in the next Wood expired when he had reigned four Years Ethelred the Son of Edgar and Elfreda succeeded Edward who for his slowness in Affairs was Nick-named The Unready he was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames the ordinary Seat of the Saxon Monarchs and upon his Coronation day a Cloud was seen throughout England half resembling Blood and half Fire and in the third year of his Reign the Danes Landed in divers parts of this Kingdom committing great Outrages and much about the same time a great part of London was laid in Ashes The King not being able to oppose the Torrent of the Danish power compounded a Peace for 10000 Pounds a Year but finding their Advantage they soon raised it to 40000 l which 〈◊〉 heavy upon the Nation and was called Danes Guilt oâ— Danes Money nor did this suffice them but they pillaged and ravag'd the Country so extreamly that the King to free his Sublects from the Oppressions they groaned under gave them private notice on St. Brices day to fall upon the Danes in all the Cities and Towns where they quartered which was done with so much secresie that most of them were cut off this being done on the 13 of November Anno 1002. the News flew into Denmark whereupon new swarms came over under the Leading of Swanus who destroyed all before them with Fire and Sword in such a terrible manner that the People fled to the Woods and Mountains and although the King bought his Peace at the price of 30000 Pounds yet not long after they flew 900 Monks and such as were of Religious Orders in Canterbury and having gotten a great sum of Money from the Archbishop Aphegus for his Ransom they notwithstanding stonâ—d him at Greenwich so that the King perceiving their treachery and cruel dealing and that he was no ways capable of opposing their fury he sent Emma his wise with her two Sons to her Brother Richard Duke of â—â—â—mandy and soon after left the Kingdom to follow them but Swanus being stabbed by his own Meâ— and Canutus his Son set up in his stead Ethelred returned but finding many Treasonable Designs carried on against him by Edricus one of his Dukes and a powerful Enemy in the Land which he was no ways able to oppose he died for grief when he had Reigned thirty seven years and was the fourteenth sole Monarch of England Edmund the Eldest Son of Ethelred Sirnamed Ironside succeeded him Anno 1016. and was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames by Livingus Arch-bishop of Canterbury though Canute then Reigned as King at Southampton This Edmund
Wedding in Lambeth he suddenly fâ—ll down dead when he had reigned about two years He was third Son of Canute and the eighteenth sole Monarch he began his Reign Anno 1040 and was 〈◊〉 at Winâ—r and with him fell the Dâ—sh Monarchy in England and the Saxons re-entered to the no small Joy of the people Thus Monarchies and Monarchs rise and fall Whilst worldly Pomp is Fortunes Tennis-ball The Saxon Monarchy restored c. HArdicanute being dead Edward the seventh Son of Ethelred by Queen Emma was sent for out of Normandy where he had taken Sanctuary during the Danish Monarchy and Crown'd upon his Arrival at Winchester by Edsine Arch-bishop of Canterbury Anno 1042. and to gain the greater favour of the people he remitted the Tax of 40000 Pounds a year which had for 40 years been levyed upon all Lands except those of the Clergy by the Name of Dane-Guilt and the better to settle his Kingdom he compiled a Body of wholsom Laws from those of the Mercians West Saxons and Danes still known by the Title of Edward the Confessor's Laws written in Latin his Wars were only with the Welsh Irish and some Danes but those very inconsiderable yet Earl Goodwin being very powerful joyned with his Sons against him and in January a very deep Snow falling which covered the Earth till the middle of March the Cattle and Fowls of the Air were starved in abundance and the Summer produced Lightnings that burnt up the Corn whereupon a Famine ensued and the King at the Instigation of Goodwin and Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury seized upon his Mothers Jewels and committed her Prisoner to the Abbey of Warwick putting her to undergo the Law Ordalium which is to pass over nine hot Plow-shares with naked feet and blindfold laid about a yard asunder which she did without touching them before she knew she was come to the place so that a reconciliation hereupon ensued and this manner of tryal was by way of Purgation for such as were suspected of Incontinency he Imprisoned her for Marrying Canute and not assisting him and his Brothers in their Extremity In this Kings Reign a great Earth-quake happened and Earl Goodwin was choaked at the King's Table with a piece of Bread which he wished might choak him if he had any hand in the Death of Alfrid the Kings Brother He is accounted the first King that ever Cured the King's-Evil he Marry'd Edith Daughter to Goodwin a very Beautiful Lady but had no Children by her being reported never to have Carnally known her and seeing a needy Courtier come into his Chamber one Morning as he lay in Bed with the Curtains drawn and take as much Money out of his Coffer as he could carry he suffered it without speaking but upon his third coming he reproved him of Covetousness charging him to be gone for if Hugoline his Treasurer should come and seize him in the Fact he would be sure to stretch for it and scarce was he gone when the Treasuaer who had casually left open the Coffer came and appeared in a great Consternation at the loss but the King bid him not trouble himself for he that took it had most need of it And lying soon after upon his Death-Bed perceiving those that stood about him to weep he said If you loved me you would not weep but rejeyce because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the Joys promised to the Faithful not through my merite but the free mercy of my Saviour who sheweth mercy on whom he pleases And giving up the Ghost he was buried at Westminster when he had Reigned 20 Years and 6 Months and 27 Days he rebuilt St. Peter's Westminster and St. Margret's Church made the first Great Seal and was the 19 sole Monarch of England called the Confessor Harrold Son to Earl Goodwin and Sitha his Wife Sister to Swain the younger King of Denmark was upon the Death of King Edward taken for King though he waved the Ceremony of this Coronation and to ingratiate himself with the People lightened the Texes and Behaved himself Courteous and Affable to all Men but he had not long held the Regal Dignity before William Duke of Normandy sent to put him in mind of his Oath which was made during his Imprisonment in Normandy whether in the time of King Edward he had been driven by stress of weather importing that when ever Edward died he should secure the Kingdom for the Norman Duke but Harrold urging what he then did was by constraint and that he conceived himself not obliged to stand to it The Duke prepared to Invade the Kingdom at which time a Dreadful Commet appeared denouncing the Woes and Miseries that ensued for before the Normans arrived a great number of Danes and Norwigeans landed in the North under the Leading of Testo and Harrold Harfrager King of Denmark and spoiling the Country before them marched to York which constrained the King to draw out his Army but being about to pass Stamford-bridge built over the River Derwent his Forces were stopped by a single Dane of Gigantick stature and strength and forty of his Men killed in attempting to remove him but in the end a Soldier getting under the Bridge in a Boat run his Spear through a Creuis and by that means killed him so that the Bridge gained the King gave Battle and overthrew the Enemy with great slaughter killing the Danish King and Tosto his Brother and Olave the Kings Son with Paul Earl of Orkney were taken Prisoners however they upon earnest supplication were suffered to depart the Kingdom in the ships that brought them with the heavy news of their loss but the King had scarce time to consider his advantage before he had News that William Duke of Normandy was Landed with 50000 Men at Pevensey in Sussex on the eigth of September 1066 and fired his Fleet to put his Soldiers out of hopes of return which made Harrold hasten to oppose him who by this time had sent a Messenger to London to demand the Kingdom but they dismissed him with Threats and although the Duke to prevent the effusion of more blood proffered to fight hand to hand yet the King refused it saying It should be tried by more Swords than one Whereupon the Armys advancing pitched in a large Plain and from thence the King sent Spies into the Dukes Camp who being taken were lead from Rank to Rank and made to take a perfect survey of the Army and so dismissed The 14th of October 1366 being come the Armys drew out and faced each other till the Trumpets sounded the Charge when at the first Encounter the Normans were forced to give ground and retire in disorder which the English perceiving and thinking the Battle won carelesly disranked to pursue them which they perceiving and taking that advantage rallied and changed the face of Fortune for the Normans entering the loose squadrons overwhelmed the English with showers of Arrows so that all was turned
bring Which shows the frailness of each earthly thing The Reign of Henry the Second King of England c. HEnry Plantaginet commonly called Fitz Empress was three times Crowned first by Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury at Westminster then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester and being setled in the Realm he demolished sundry Castles that had given too much incouragement to the falling off of such as at any time grew discontented some that had Honours unduly conferr'd on them he divested and reduced to a private State purged the Land of Forreign Soldiers and chiefly of the Flemings that had come over with King Stephen choosing his Council out of the most Worthy and Learned Men restraining the Incroachments and Oppressions of the greatest Persons without respect of their greatness which made the Lord Hugh Mortimer fall off and take up Arms against whom King Henry went in person and had been slain at the Siege of Bridgnorth had not Hubert d' St. Clare one of his Courtiers stepped between as the Arrow was coming and lost his own Life to save his Masters but this Lord soon reduced and the face of calmness appearing at home he passed into France to do Homage to King Lewis for his Provinces of Normandy Acquitain Anjou Main and Lorain which he claimed as his right 〈◊〉 in himself and partly in Eleanor his Queen and there he adjusted differences between himself and his Brother Geofry and after being highly Caressed and Entertained he returned to England where as much as in him lay intending to live peaceably he contracted an Alliance with Malcolme King of Scots restoring him the 〈◊〉 of Huntingdon The Welsh about this time making Inroads and greatly indamaging the English the King marched against them and joyned Battle but in the heat of the Fight his Standard was cowardly abandoned and his person in danger to be slain or taken Prisoner for which Henry d' Essex Standard bearer being accused by Robert d' Montford as the main cause of the dissertion the Combat as usual upon such Accusations was allowed them at Reading and Essex being overcome the King was notwithstanding contented to spare his life upon condition he became a Monk which accordingly he did and was immediately shorn but in conclusion the Welsh were subdued and the King returning in Triumph was Crowned together with Eleanor his Queen at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns on the high Altar vowing never to wear them after and this was the last of the three Crownings and his Brother Geofry now dead he seized upon sundry Citys and strong places in Normandy and setling his Affairs in that Province he returned to England where Becket Arch-bishop of Canterbury influenced by the Pope began to trouble the Kingdom not only at the Council Tours privately surrendring those Honours the King had heaped upon him to the Pope and from him receiving them again thereby to cast off the acknowledgements he had to the King or his Prerogative but countenanced all manner of violence in the Clergy even to murther so that the complaints of above a hundred Murthers done by the Clergy coming to the King's car and he not finding them punished by Church Censure brought some of them under the Civil Power commanding Justice to be administred without partiality as well to the Clergy as Laity to that end appointing Ministers of Justice in all parts of the Land whose charge it was to enquire into crimes of that or the like nature But this was opposed by Becket with a high hand challenging the King with invading the Rights of the Church demanding at the same time the Castle of Rochester and sundry other places as belonging to the See of Canterbury This made the King assemble all the Bishops in Convocation at Westminster Becket excepted where it was agreed That no Appeals should be made to Rome without the Kings Licence That no Arch-bishop or Bishops upon the Popes Summons should go out of the Land without the like leave That no Bishop should excommunicate any person holding of the King in chief or put any of his Officers under interdiction without the like Licence That Clerks criminals should if the King thought fit be tried before Secular Judges But although the King urged Becket to agree to them yet he absolutely refused it sending thereupon complaints to the Pope who for his profit and interest not desirous to break with England commanded Becket to yield to the King without any Salvo's or exception which not without much stomaching the matter he at last consented to on the word of a Priest and swore that he would observe the Laws which the King called Avitae as being made in the Reign of his Grandfather yet he refused afterwards to set his Seal saying What he had done was rather in some measure to pleasure the King than out of conscience For which and his continuing obstinate he was condemned to the confiscation of his Goods and the Bishop of Chichester in the name of the other Bishops disclaimed and for the afronting the King in his Palace with his Cross he was adjudged as a Traytor and perjured person and that he should as such be taken and imprisond which made him flee into Flanders where Pope Alexander and Lewis the French King openly declared for him which so far incensed King Henry that he banished his Kindred commanding his Sheriffs and other Officers to seize such as appealed to Rome as likewise the Kindred of those Clergy that were with Becket excluding him from being prayed for as Arch-bishop Becket being by this time in France excommunicated the Bishop of London and proceeded in the like nature with others so that there were scarce any found in the Kings Chappel to perform the Service This made him send to the Pope for Legates to absolve his Subjects and settle a peace in the Kingdom and although accordingly they were sent yet Becket standing off with much obstinacy nothing was effected wherefore as some Historians will have it to spite the Arch-bishop the more and the more firmly to establish the Kingdom he caused Roger Arch-bishop of York to Crown his Eldest Son Henry and at the Coronation Feast the King carried up and served at the Table the first Dish of Meat whereat the Arch-bishop whispering the young King said Rejoyce my fair Son for there is no Prince in the World that hath such a Servitor attending at his Table as you have this day To which the early raised Stripling replied Why wonder you at that my Lord seeing my Father knows he doth nothing that is unbeseeming him for as much as he is Royally born on one side but as for our self we are Royally born on both as having a King to our Father and a Queen to our Mother Upon which proud speech the old King told the Arch-bishop That he repented the too early advancement of the Boy And now by the mediation of Friends the old King and Becket were reconciled and all
the next day a Truce was concluded yet Simon de Monfort Earl of Leicester who headed the Baron's Army carrying the King about with him as his Prisoner got into his hands all the strong Holds These Proceedings in England putting a stop to the Pope's Revenue he sent Cardinal Ottobon his Legate to Excommunicate the Barons but they for a while despised it yet soon after falling out amongst themselves many of them came over to Prince Edw. who had taken the Field with an Army so that he enclosed the Earl of Leicester's Camp at Evesham and obliged him to battel where the Earl lost the day with his Life and had his Head Hands and Feet chopped off as a mark of Infamy By this Overthrow the King was rescued and set at liberty when to heal the long Divisions a Parliament was called at Winchester by whose Approbation the King seized the Charters of London and other Cities and Towns that had proved disloyal and the Legate proceeded to excommunicate the Bishops of Winchester London Worcester and Chichester for taking part with the King's Enemies And now Prince Edward with a great Train took a Journey to the Holy Land and the King more firmly to settle the Nation called a Parliament at Marlborough where the Statutes called by the name of the place were enacted but having been at Norwich to quiet a tumult and punish such as had burnt the Priory Church upon his return he fell sick at the Abby of St. Edmund in Suffolk and after a short Languishment dyed Anno 1272. from whence he was conveyed to Westminster and there buried in the Abbey This Henry King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guyenne and Aquitain was eldest Son to King John his Wife was Eleanor Daughter of Raymond Earl of Provence by whom he had Issue Edward Edmund Richard who dyed young also John William and Henry Margaret married to Alexander the Third King of Scotland Beatrix married to John the First Duke of Bretaigne and Katharine who dyed young He began his Reign the 19th of October 1216. and reigned 56 Years and 28 Days being the 65th Year of his Age he was the 27th sole Monarch of England He was very charitably given and founded many Churches and Religious Houses In his time four Suns appeared from the Rising to the Setting after which followed a great Famine and eighteen Jews were hanged for crucifying a Child and others severely punished for circumcising another that had been christened Thus dyed Third Henry when on England's Stage H 'ad sway'd the Sceptre near a long liv'd Age The longest Reign the Nation e'er beheld Yet Life wound off by time the Cedar's fell'd The Reign and Actions of Edward the First King of England c. KIng Edward at the death of his Father Henry was warring in the Holy Land where he did Wonders in his own Person insomuch that the Sarazens dreading his Prowess the Governour of Damascus under a feigned Friendship sent a Villain to assassinate him who seeming as if he was about to deliver him a Letter stabbed him in three places in the Arm with a poisoned Dagger and had repeated the Wounds but that the Prince struck him down with his Foot whereupon his Guards came in and cut the Wretch in pieces as he lay on the floor yet these wounds by the Chirurgions were accounted mortal unless some one would hazard his own Life by sucking out the Poison but when every one shrunk back Eleanor his Wife who would by no means be persuaded from accompanying him in that tedious Journey chearfully undertook it and effected the Cure without any Injury done to her self for which generous Undertaking he raised Crosses and Monuments to her Memory in England The News of his Father's death no sooner reached him but setling the Affairs of the War he returned to England where together with his Queen he was crowned by Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury at whose Coronation 500 Horses were let loose in a large Forest to be possessed by those that first caught them and upon notice the Welsh were in Arms he marched against them overthrew and slew Lewelin their Prince in a great Battel whose Head crowned with Ivy was set upon the Tower and utterly subduing those Mountainiers he made his Son Edward born amongst them at Caernarvon Prince of the Country And going for France he sate as a Peer of that Kingdom in consideration of the Lands and Territories he held there and upon his return banished the Jews to the number of 15000 for bringing in base Money and exacting Extortion Alexander the Third King of Scotland who had married King Edward's Sister being dead and the Lords Bruce and Baliol for want of other Heirs standing in competition for the Kingdom Edward by his Authority became Umpire and adjudged it to the latter promising to support his Right by Arms for which he was to become his Homager but that Prince being in the Throne to please his People who feared the English Greatness might be prejudicial to them hearkened to Proposals with France and suffered his People to enter the North parts of of England with Fire and Sword Edward drove them back with great slaughter entering Scotland and making such terrible Destruction that the Cities and Towns for the most part surrendred the Scotch Nobles sued for Peace and in the Parliament held at Berwick they acknowledged him their King swearing to be true Subjects to him for ever after sealing a solemn Instrument to that purpose whereupon King Edward leaving John de Warren Earl of Surry and Sussex as his Viceroy in that Kingdom sent John Baliol the late King Prisoner to the Tower of London and brought away with him the Crown Sceptre and Cloth of State burning their Records abrogating their Laws altering the Form of their Divine Service and transplanting their learned Men to Oxford He brought likewise the Marble Chair wherein the Kings of Scotland were wont to be crowned from the Abbey of Schone and sent it to Westminster upon which is written this prophetical Distich Ni fallat Fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenetur ibidem Where'er this Stone the Scot shall placed find There shall he reign for there his Rule 's assign'd This was verified in King James the first upon the uniting the Kingdoms but more of that in his Reign King Edward going into France to recover such places as the French had taken in the latter end of his Father's Reign and refused to restore especially in Gascoign the Scots rebelled and under the leading of one William Wallis fell upon the English at an advantage near Striveling Bridge and put them to the rout killing amongst others Hugh de Cressingham the Treasurer and having flead him divided his Skin in parcels amongst them as a Trophie of their Revenge and committed many other outrages which hastened the King's Return at which time he summoned a Parliament at York giving the Scots a day to appear but they
neglecting it and refusing to acknowledge they ought so to doe he with a powerfull Army entred Scotland and being about to charge the Enemy as he was mounting his Horse startled and threw him breaking by a spurn of his Heel two of the King's Ribs yet without delay he remounted and gave them Battel charging quite through their Army with such slaughter that in a very short time they were all in Rout and Confusion so that in this Action near Fawkirk 70000 Scots are reported to be slain after which most of the strong places yielded to King Edward when returning victorious to England he in Parliament restored Mogna Charta and Charta Forestae agreeing that no Tax or Subsidy should be levied upon the People but by the Consent of Prelates Peers and Commons in Parliament and in the end of his Grants left out Salvo jure Coronae nostrae viz. Saving the rights of our Crown and at the earnest entreaty of the Pope he set Baliol at Liberty And now the King being desirous absolutely to subject and annex Scotland to the Crown of England raised another powerfull Army against which the Scots not able to make head retired and as their last refuge entreated the Pope to send his Letters of Inhibition which accordingly were sent but the King was so far from regarding them that he in a great passon swore he would not desist ahd when they urged it farther that if he persevered the Pope would take it upon himself he with a disdainfull Smile replied What! Have you done Homage to me as to the chief Lord of Scotland and do you now suppose that I can be terrified with Threatenings as if like one that had no Power to compell I would let the right which I have go out of my Hands Let me hear no more of this for if I do I swear by the Lord I will consume all Scotland from Sea to Sea This resolute Protestation so terrified the Scots that they only replied For the Justice and Rights of their Countrey they were ready to shed their Bloud and the King to justifie his Proceeding sent the Earl of Lincoln to Rome so that by the Influence of the Pope a Truce was concluded from all Saints to Whitsuntide but the Pope not so contented before the Truce was expired declared himself in favour of the Scots whereupon King Edward in a Parliament holden at Lincoln by the General Consent defended his Proceedings with a Protestation that they had not exhibited any thing to the Court of Rome as in form of Judgment or submitting to the Tryall of his Cause but rather for the satisfaction of its Merit and Justice and when the Pope required the King to stand to his decision for matter of Claim the Peers to whom the King had entirely referred it signified to the Pope that the King of England was not to answer in Judgment for any rights of the Crown before any Tribunal under Heaven and that by sending Deputies and Attornies to that purpose he should make the Truth and Justice of his Cause doubtfull forasmuch as it manifestly tended to the Disinherision of the Crown which with the help of God they would maintain against all Men And this was subscribed at Lincoln Anno 1301. by no less than 100 Peers so that Pope Boniface the Third perceiving no good to be done and loth to break with England gave over his Pretensions and left the Scots to make the best of their business whereupon the King made the Lord Segrave Custos of that Kingdom but the Scots thereupon growing impatient took Arms and overthrowing the Custos took him Prisoner but he was soon rescued by Sir Robert Nevil yet this made King Edward set forward with an Army which brought such a Terrour upon Scotland that he marched through the Kingdom from Roxborow to Cathiness 300 miles without the lest resistence for those that were in Arms betook themselves upon his approach to the Woods and Mountains The King thus absolute in Scotland had for a summe of Money Wallis their Ring-leader delivered into his hands so that at Westminster being found guilty of Treason in rebelling against the King his law full Sovereign he was hanged and quartered his Quarters sent into Scotland and set up in divers remarkable places after whose death Bruce that had contended with Baliol for the Kingdom headed the Scots and gathered a considerable Army but was routed by Aymery de Valence one of King Edward's Captains and forced into the Orcades where he lived an obscure Life with much hardship till he found another opportunity to head his Countrey-men and did many noble Exploits which drew King Edward to oppose him but in his way he fell sick at Carlisle where finding the near approach of Death he charged his Son Edward who was to succeed him that he should be industrious to bring the Scots under the English Obedience and that he should carry his Bones along with him through Scotland the better to render him victorious commanding on pain of his Curse not without common consent to recall out of Banishment Pierce Gavestone and farther enjoining him to send his Heart into the Holy Land accompanied with 149 Knights and their Train to which end he had laid up two thousand pounds of Silver and that upon pain of Damnation the Money should be turned to no other use then removing from Carlisle to Bury upon the Sands he there dyed of a Dissentery anno 1307. and his Body buried at Westminster This Edward the First was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain c. eldest Son to Henry the Third by Eleanor his Queen his first Wife was Eleanor Daughter to Ferdinand the Third King of Castile by whom he had Issue John Henry and Alphons all dying young Edward who succeeded him Eleanor married to Henry the Third Earl of Barrie Joan married to Gilbert Clare Earl of Hereford and Gloucester Margaret married to John the Second Duke of Brabant Berenger Alice and then Mary who at the earnest Entreaty of her Grandmother became a veiled Nun at the Age of Ten years Elizabeth first married to John Earl of Holland and Zealand then to Humfrey Bohun Earl of Hartford and ctssex then Beatrix and Blanch. By his Second Wife Margaret Daughter to Philip the Hardy King of France he had Issue Thomas Earl of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England Edmund Earl of Kent and Eleanor who dyed young he began his Reign on the 16th of November anno 1272. and reigned 34 Years 7 Months and 12 days dying in the 35th year of his Reign and the 69th of his Age. Thus did grim Death close up our Monarch's eyes From whom no mortal Might could take the Prize In Arms renowned the World his Fame has heard Belov'd by most and by all Mankind fear'd The Reign and Actions of Edward the Second King of England c. THis King from the place of his Birth was called Edward of Caernavon he began his Reign anno 1307
be afraid is good This passage in Mortimer's Letter being written without stops and the Keeper well-knowing that aspiring Lord had no kindness for the King took it as the Writer truly meant though Mortimer upon his being Accused alledged his Command was not to kill the King but that he sent word it was good to be afraid to doe it Young King Edward upon the inhumane Murther of his Father was on the Borders of Scotland and had environed the Scots in the Woods of Wividale and Stanhope but Mortimer desirous to eclipse the Glory of that young Prince that his own might appear so carried the Matter that through the carelessness of the English Army they escaped so that the King after a vast Expence of Treasure and the hazard of his Life which had been lost had not his Chaplain stepped between him and Death receiving the mortal Wound in his own Body returned inglorious And soon after Joan the King's Sister was married to David Bruce whom the Scots had made their King whereupon a Peace though somewhat dishonourable to the English ensued and in the same year viz. 1327 dyed Charles the Fair King of France without Issue by which means that Crown devolved to King Edward in Right of his Mother Daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Chaâ—lâ—s but to bar the English of that Advantage the French Peers opposed their Salique Law pretending thereby that no Woman was capable of Inheriting the Crown of France or being admitted the Regency and thereupon they admitted Phillip de Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair which afterward cost the French many showers of Bloud About this time the Lord Mortimer and the Queen Mother perceiving Edmund Earl of Kent the King's Uncle to cross their purposes found means to procure his Death which so far opened the Eyes of the young King together with the Report that his Mother was with Child by Mortimer as not to think himself in safety till he had crushed that ambitious Man and the better to doe it he undertook a daring Enterprize for fearing he was with the Queen at Notingham Castle notwithstanding it was strongly guarded he entered in the night time accompanied with a few of his trusty Friends and by an unsuspected way viz. through a Vault under ground coming suddenly into his Mother's Chamber found Mortimer undressed and ready to go to Bed to her whereupon he caused him to be a Arrested and carried away Prisoner and being tryed in open Parliament he was Condemened at Westminster upon several Articles viz. For causing the King to make a dishonorable Peace with the Scots and taking large Bribes to procure it For procuring the Death of King Edward the Second and his over Familiarity with Queen Isabel For his oppressing the People by illegal Exactions And lastly For embezzling the King's Treasures And for these and the like receiving Sentence as a Traytor he was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and his Body left on the Gallows for the space of two days and nights and with him in the same manner dyed Sir Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esq as Contrivers of King Edward the Second's Death the Queen had likewise her Pension shortened And now there arising a Dispute between the Houses of Baliol and Bruce for the Crown of Scotland King Edward not thinking himself obliged to stand to what Mortimer and his Mother had done in his Minority since many of his Towns were detained raised a considerable Army and striking in with Edward Baliol besieged Berwick when to relieve it the whole Power of Scotland advanced so that at Halydon Hill the Battel was joined and after an obstinate bloudy Fight the Scots were routed with great slaughter there dyed Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Ross the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and about 14000 of lesser rank with a very inconsiderable damage to the English whereupon Berwick surrendered and Baliol was accepted King of Scotland submitting to King Edward as his Homager for the Kingdom and he in lieu thereof became his Protector King Edward having settled Scotland began to take into Consideration the Injuries the French had done in preventing him of his Right as likewise by encroaching upon his Territories in that Kingdom and finding no redress by way of Embassy he resolved to gain it by the Sword yet to justifie his Actions he sent his Reasons to the College of Cardinals and the better to strengthen his Interest made a League with the High and Low Dutch as he did with other foreign Potentates and now he proceeds to require a Supply which being liberally given and Moneys raised by sundry other ways he raised a gallant Army and crossed the Seas to Antwerp assuming by the importunity of the Flemings the Title and Armories of France quartering the Lillies with the Lions and having all things in a readiness he entered the North part of that Kingdom burning and destroying the Country as far as Turwin returning with the Spoil to Antwerp where with Philippa his Queen he kept Christmas and about Candlemas set Sail for England The French having had a tast of the King of England's Courage and he resolving to goe on pressed the Parliament for a greater Supply which was liberally granted and he in lieu of that Kindness gave a general Pardon of Trespasses and other dues to him confirming Magna Charta and Charta de Forestae and on the 23d of June set sail from Harwich intending for Sluce but in the way was encountered by 400 French Ships with which the King engaged and having the favour of the Wind and Sun made an almost incredible Destruction so that the terrour of the English caused many of the French to leave their Ships and leap into the Sea so that Thirty thousand are said to have perished together with the greatest part of the Fleet and the King landing entered France sitting down before Tourney from whence he sent the French King a Challenge to fight single handed for the Kingdom or if that pleased not each to bring 100 Men into the Field for the saving the effusion of more bloud or otherwise within Ten days to join Battel near Tourney But to this King Philip made no direct Answer alledging the Letter was not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip d' Valois for so it was directed and he therefore thought himself in honour not bound to Answer it yet he approached the English Camp with a very numerous Army and every day Battel was expected but Two Cardinals and the Mother of King Philip so laboured to prevent the slaughter that must have ensued that a Truce was concluded till the Midsummer following The Truce was no sooner expired but King Edward invaded Normandy to the City of Caen and over-ran the Countrey allmost within sight of the Walls of Paris forcing his way over the Sein and where the Bridges were broken
the Sea-Port Towns the King sent to grant them their reasonable Demands yet though several Messages passed nothing came to a conclusion and many of the King's Friends left the upper and lower House as dreading the fatal Consequence so that at last there not being above 80 Members in the lower House and 16 in the upper The Queen left England with her illustrious Daughter the Princess of Orange and the King with divers Nobles went to York whither he Summoned the Knights of the Garter and those that held of the Crown to repair And now People fearing things would come to extremity the County of Kent petitioned for an Accommodation but their Petition was rejected and the bringer and receiver imprisoned by the Parliament yet upon the King's Summons about 60000 Men of Yorkshire appeared on Howard Moor near York and after a view were ordered to repair to their respective Habitations but at this time the Parliament borowed a great Summe of Money of the Londoners on the publick Faith and raised an Army of 10000 Foot and 2000 Horse making the Earl of Essex their General and proclaimed War The King being denied entrance into Hull and having vainly assaulted it fortified Newark and Barwick and advancing to Nottingham set up his Standard so that Hostilities began and a piteous War ensued wherein many brave Men lost their Lives Victory declaring sometimes for one Party and sometimes for another insomuch that the Fields â—n about fifty Battles and Skirmishes were fatted with Bloud and made in many places white with the Bones of the slain no Wounds as it is observed by Lucan piercing so deep as those of Civil War but the King being extremely weakened by a fatal Overthrow at the Battel of Nasâ—by fought on June the 14th 1645 where most of his Officers Soldiers and voluntire Gentlemen were â—lain or taken Prisoners his Baggage Cannon Ammunition or what not seized he after the Defeat for want of Money was never in a Condition to make any considerable Head though some Towns and Parties stood out for him but going to Oxford and finding the Storm gather from all Parts distrusting the strength of the Place he privately withdrew and by the Advice of some about him cast himself for protection on the Scotch Army then in England whose Commanders promised him all manner of safety but being in Arrear they for the Summe of 200000 l delivered up this good Prince into the hands of his merciless Enemies who carried him for a while from place to place flattering him with Treaties and Commissioners were sent to him demanding Consessions and Agreements to Articles but when all good people were in hopes of an Accommodation and right understanding that the Land after so much bloudshed might have rest the Scale suddenly turned and a High Court of Justice was erected of which Serjeant Bradshaw was President and although the King denied their Jurisdiction yet they proceeded to try him viz. for that he had caused the cruel bloudshed in England and Ireland and born Arms against the Parliament That he had given Commissions to his Son and others to wage War c. and although he answered not to the Charge yet on the 27th of January 1648. they pronounced Sentence against him that he should loose his Head and accordingly on the 30th of January he was beheaded on a Scaffold before White-Hall-gate where he made a Speech professing his Innocency and desiring God to bless these Kingdoms and forgive his Enemies Thus fell this unfortunate Prince when he had Reigned 23 years 10 Months and 3 Days in the 49 Year of his Age and his Body was Buried at Windsor He was second Son to King James by Anne his Queen and had Issue by Henrietta Maria his Queen Charles James Henrietta Mary Elizabeth Catharine and Henrietta Thus did the much lamented Monarch fall And left behind the slighted earthly Ball Too scanty was Earth's Glory and Renown For him that had in view a heavenly Crown The Reign of Charles the II. King of Great Britain c. AT the Time of the cruel Execution Charles the Second was in Holland whither he had withdrawn himself to prevent the Designs of his Enemies and there with inexpressible Sorrow received the heavy News of his Father's Death and although from the 30th of January 1648 his Reign is dated as being rightfull King of these Realms yet that part of a Parliament then sitting upon penalty of Treason forbid all Persons to proclaim him or be aiding in his Restauration and then the Commons House the better to assure it Voted the Lords useless and dangerous however the Marquess of Ormond since Duke of Ormond Proclaimed the King in Ireland and the Scots did the like in Scotland however in England the King's Arms were pulled down and the Harp and Cross called the Arms of the Common-wealth set up The Processes in Law were altered and Money Coined with the States Arms And now the Lord Fairfax disliking these proceedings and having laid down his Commission of General of the Army Oliver Cromwell took it up and so laboured to please his Masters that with armed Force he brought Scotland and Ireland to a Compliance whilst the King was soliciting the Princes abroad for Aides to recover his Right when the more to disturb that King's Party in England not onely the Crown Lands were set to sail but even the Palaces and those of Bishops Deans and Chapters run the same risk and many worthy persons were expelled places of Benifice or Trust in Church or State and the Parliament for their greater security caused many Castles to be demolished The Marquess of Montross declared for the King's interest in Scotland performing wonders even with 〈◊〉 handfull of men against the Arms of the Countrie but in conclusion after he had done all that â—ould be expected from heroick Valour and Conâ—uct his men being scattered and he obliged to â—hift was taken and at Edenburg hanged and quarâ—ered During the Treaty the Scots had on Foot with the King to bring him into that Kingdom â—owever the urgency of the King's Affairs made â—im dissemble his resentments and upon the Treaty concluded landed at Spey and was conducted 〈◊〉 Edenburg and afterward solemnly Crowned 〈◊〉 Schon viz. January 1. 1650. setting up his Stanard at Abberdeen and causing the Forces reduced â—nder his Command to march against the English â—orces that had entred that Kingdom but without â—mming to any considerable Encounter the King 〈◊〉 July 1651. passed the Tweed and entred England â—ot onely to draw the Enemy out of Scotland but 〈◊〉 join his friends that had promised him Succours and without much difficulty marching through the Country to Worcester many Gentlemen and others came in to him but being followed in a manner at the heels by Cromwell and the Militia of the Counties every where raised and the Earl of Derby whom he had sent to raise Forces in Leicestershire defeated by Lilburn he resolved to fortifie that City and abide the
Earl of Shaftsbury and others were Imprisoned in the Tower one Stephen Colledge a Joyner was Tryed at Oxford found guilty of High Treason and Executed And in the year 1683. Captain Walcot William Hone and John Rouse were executed at Tyburn and the Lord Russell and Algernoon Sidney lost their heads And not long after Sir Thomas Armestrong being brought from Holland and James Holloway from Nevis were sentenced at the King's Bench Bar upon their Outlawries and executed at Tyburn And two Informations for Perjury were preferred against Titus Oates the principal Evidence in the Plot But before he came to Tryal the King dyed for falling ill on Monday the 2d of February 1684. With a violent fit of the Appoplexy which at that time bereaved him of his Senses he continued in a languishing Condition till Friday the 6th of February and then dyed in the 55th year of his Age when he had Reigned 36 years and seven days And was buried in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel being the 46th Sole Monarch of England Thus Charles the Great his Glory laid aside A Prince that Fortune in all Shapes had try'd In War and Councils equally approv'd Feard of his foes but of his friends belov'd Remarkable Transactions from the Time of King JAMES the II. coming to the Crown till his Leaving the Kingdom c. KING Charles leaving no Issue by Queen Katharine his onely Brother succeded him and was Proclaimed by the style of James the Second King of England c. at the Pallace Gate and in London with the usual Solemnity and Ceremony Causing the Lords and others present that were before to be Sworn of His Majesty's Privy Council signifying by Proclamation it was his Pleasure that all who at the decease of King Charles were in Office of Government should so continue till his pleasure was further signified And upon his first sitting in Council he made a Speech in which amongst other Expressions are these viz. I shall make it my endeavour to preserve this Government both in Church and State as it is now by Law Established I know the Principles of the Church of England are for Monarchy and the Members of it have shewed themselves good and loyal Subjects Therefore I shall always take care to Defend and Support it I know too that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as a great a Monarch as I can wish and as I shall never depart from the Just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so I shall never Invade any Man's Property I have often heretofore ventured my Life in Defence of this Nation and I shall still go as far as any man in preservation of it in all its Just Rights and Liberties Nor was it long before a Proclamation was Issued forth to give notice the King intended to call a Parliament inculcating therein the settlement of the Revenue for the support of the Crown and Government that there was a necessity for the maintenance of the Navy for the Kingdoms defence and the advantage of Trade in order to which he desired that the settlement of the Customs due in the Reign of King Charles the Second might continue declaring it was his will and pleasure that the Duties should be Collected accordingly and that he did not doubt of the ready complyance of his Subjects therein This being given forth the Merchants did not dispute the payment And the next thing taken in hand was the preparation for the funeral of the deceased King all persons belonging to or having business at the Court being commanded by an Order of the Earl Marshal to put themselves into decent Mourning and indeed the loss of a Prince that ruled so much in the hearts of his Subjects found a ready complyance for not onely the Courtiers were in Mourning but all the responsible persons of the Kingdom and his Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark on the tenth of February took his place at the Council Board as a Privy Councellour of this Kingdom All things being prepared for the Funeral Solemnities of King Charles the Second with decency and order as the occasion required the Royal Corpse was on the 14th day of February Interred in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel at Westminster The Prince of Denmark whose Train was born up by the Lord Cornbury being chief Mourner and aâ— curious Figure of Wax representing the King was set up amongst the rest of the Kings of England his Predecessours and an Order was published for altering the Prayer in the Liturgy or Common Prayer relating to the Royal Family by way of exchanging Names in the repetition viz. JAMES for CHARLES and further viz. our Gracious Queen MARY CATHERINE the Queen Dowager Their Royal Highnesses MARY Princess of Orange the Princess ANNE of Denmark and all the Royal Family And Money being wanting in the Exchequer it was taken up upon the Excise by way of Farming and the Earl of Rochester was constituted Lord High Treasurer of England and the Marquess of Halifax Lord President of the Privy Council the Earl of Clarendon Lord Privy Seal and the Duke of Beaufort Lord President of Wales These Great Officers thus put in Trust gave us prospect of the tranquility of Affairs and the King was Proclaimed in all the Citys and Burrough Towns of the Kingdom and in the like order in Scotland and Ireland and the Earl Marshal issued out the orders of Summons in order to the preparation of the Coronation which was appointed to be on the 23d of April being Saint George's day requiring all persons who in regard of their Tenures Customs and Usage are bound to do and performe Services on that day to appear before the Commissioners and make out their Claims and give their attendance at the Solemnity and a Proclamation was sent into Scotland in order to the calling of a Parliament in that Kingdom with a Proclamation of Indemnity to divers of the Scottish Nation Then he proceeded to put out a Proclamation to Summons a Parliament to sit at Westminster on the 19th day of May 1685. And accordingly the Citys Burroughs and Shires proceeded to Election and sundry Embassadours residing in England or such as came by Expresses made their Complement of Condolence and Congratulation and the 23d of April being come great preparations were made for the Coronation the Nobles and others met in their Robes and Formalities the Ceremony was performed with much Magnificence and the Parliament according to appointment met when the King in his Robes went to the House and being seated on the Throne made a Speech in which amongst other things He informed them that the Earl of Argyle was Landed in Scotland with the men he brought with him from Holland c and soon We had notice that that Earl had levyed considerable Forces in Argyleshire and other places which obliged the Militia to rise in Arms and several Troops were sent from England and more had gone had not the Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme in
ready to receive him and joyn their Forces with his These Matters were not carried so privately but the King got notice of them and sent a very kind Message to the Duke of Buckingham to invite him to Court but he excusing it by reason of pretended Indisposition an Express was sent to command him to come or he would fetch him dead or alive by this he knew it was time to stand upon his own defence and returned answer that he would not come to his Mortal Enemy and thereupon sending for Thomas Marquess of Dorset out of a Sanctuary and gathering such power as he could in the North whilst Sir Edward Courtney and his Brother the Bishop of Exeter raised another in Devonshire and Cornwall as likewise did Sir Richard Guilford and other Gentlemen in Kent they resolved to joyn their Forces but before it could be effected the King marched directly against the Duke with a great power whereupon his little Army mostly consisting of Welshmen disbanded and left him to shift for himself so that he was forced to hide him in a poor disguise putting himself into the hands of one Humphrey Bannister that had been his Servant and raised by him to what Estate he had and with him he lived for some time as his Gardener but the treacherous man upon the Kings putting out a Proclamation promising a reward of 1000 pounds to those that could decover him deliver'd him up for the lucre of the Money to the Sheriff of Shrewsbury who siezed this Duke diging in a poor habit and being carried to the King at Salisbury he there without Tryall or Process was beheaded upon which all the Accomplices dispersed and fled many of them beyond the Seas and to this Treachery many attributed the Judgments that soon over-took Bannister and his Family for most of his Children dyed distressed or unnatural deaths his Substance decreased and he dyed in extreme Poverty The measures of the Confederacy thus broken many were imprisoned and put to death and the King fearing an Invasion caused the Sea Coasts to be guarded and fortified and then assembled a Parliament at Westminster wherein the Earl of Richmond and all his Adherents that had fled the Land were attainted and proclaimed Enemies of the Country their Goods and Possessions were confiscated nor did Richard delay to use the same Practices his Brother had done sending his Agents to the Duke of Bretaigne in whose Court the Earl resided with store of Gold and many Presents to persuade that Duke either to send Richmond Prisoner into England or if he refused that to keep him a Prisoner there and missed but a little of succeeding for the Duke lying sick and Peter Landois his Treasurer overcome with the Presents had delivered him into the hands of such as were appointed to receive him had not the Earl had notice of the design and made his Escape but the Duke highly blamed this Action of his Treasurer and discharged him his Office King Richard knowing whilst his Brother's Daughters were alive that his Title was but ill grounded and therefore to strengthen it he proposed though Queen Ann his Wife was living to marry Elizabeth his Niece by that means to cross Richmond's Pretensions and to try in this case how the people stood affected it was given out that his Queen was dead and soon after it proved so that virtuous Lady dying as many conjectured an untimely death The Earl of Richmond having notice of what was intended by the Money he received from England and other Assistence gathered what Forces he could and landed at Milford-Haven with 2000 Men on the 15th of August 1586. and from thence marched to Shrewsbury being joined by the way with a considerable Force under the Leading of Sir Rice Ap Thomas and so marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him sent by the Earl of Shrewsbury with 2000 men and passing from thence he came to Lichfield where he was joyfully received but whilst Richmond's Army gathered King Richard was not idle for raising such Forces as could be got in such a pressing Condition he marched to oppose his Invader and near Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire both Armies met and being encouraged by their Generals with moving Speeches the forward Soldiers rushed on to the Battel and for some time it continued both bloudy and doubtfull nor did Fortune in the first Shock fail to favour King Richard but the Lord Standley who had been intrusted by Richard with a Squadron of Horse revolting in the heat of the Fight and charging upon the allmost tired Soldiers bore down all before him and turned the scale of Victory which King Richard perceiving and resolving not to out-â—ive the loss charged furiously into Richmond's Battallion and with a Courage hightened by despair beat down all before him till over-powered by number and weary with fighting he fell amongst 〈◊〉 thousand Swords and with him fell the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers Sir Richard Radcliff Sir Robert Berkenburg and about 4000 others of lesser â—ote and Sir William Cateshy with two others of his â—rivado's being taken were two days after beheaded for evil Counsel and other Practices against the Good and Wellfare of the Kingdom and Thomas Howard Earl of Surry and Son to the Duke of Norfolk being made Prisoner and demanded by Henry how he durst bear Arms on the behalf of a Tyrant and Uusurper courageously answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary Authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I will fight for that stock and as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the like Authority After this fatal Battel wherein the number of the slain on either side did not greatly differ the Crown that King Richard brought into the Field was found by the Lord Stanley or those that attended him in an Haw-thorn-Bush and by that Lord set upon the Head of the Earl of Richmond in the Field at the sight of which the Soldiers cryed Long live King Henry The Body of Richard being found amongst the heaps of the slain was stripped and spoiled by the Pillagers and laid naked on a Horse behind St. Leiger Pursuvant at Arms and in that contemptible manner carried to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friars Church in a stone Coffin which was afterward made a Trough for Horses to drink in in a common Inn and thus fell the greatness of the Usurper setting in bloud who had so often unjustly shed the bloud of others His Wife was Ann Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick and Salisbury called the Make King of those times by her he had Issue Edward Earl oâ— Salisbury created Prince of Wales 1463. and the Crown entailed upon him by Parliament but he dyed by an unfortunate Fall before his Father This Richard stands accounted among the Kings of England c. he was third Son to Richard Duke of York and began his Reign the twenty second day of June
1483. reigning two years and two months and waâ— the 38th sole Monarch of England Many good Laws were made in his time and he built and endowed several places to charitable uses he caused William Collingbourn to be executed as a Traitor on Tower-hill for writing this distich The Cat the Rat and Lovel our Dog Rules all England under a Hog Descanting thereby on the Names of Catesby Ratcliff and Lovell three of his chief Favourites and as to the Hog upon Richard himself as having the White Boar for his Cognizance Thus the Vsurper who through Seas of Bloud Had swum to Empire and there tottering stood Till Fates just hand removed him at a blow He fell unpittied who 'd no pitty show The Life Reign and Actions of Henry VII King of England c. HEnry Earl of Richmond upon the Success of Bosworth Field hasted to London and a Parliament being called at Westminster on the 30th of October anno 1485. he was crowned and owned King of England and to prevent future Stirs or Insurrections he imprisoned Edward Plantagenet Earl of Warwick Son to the Duke of Clarence in the Tower and King Richard was attainted in Parliament as an Usurper and Traitor against the Government and the Crown entailed upon King Henry and his Heirs for ever and for the better security of his Person he appointed a band of Archers under a Captain in the nature of Yeomen of the Guard and a free Pardon was given to all that should submit themselves within a set time unless such of Richard's Friends as were excluded by name and all former Acts contrary to Henry and his Friends were repealed Anno 1496. on the 19th of January the King married the Princess Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the Fourth and true Heiress to the Crown as had been before agreed on by which means the Houses of York and Lancaster after having overflowed the Land with bloud were united to the ceasing of future Jars on that occasion however some that found themselves out of Favour began to disturb the Tranquillity of Henry for the Lord Lovell and Sir Humphrey Stafford his Brother took up arms and drew after them a considerable force but upon the approach of the King's Army they dispersed and Sir Humphrey being taken out of Sanctuary whither he had fled for shelter was carried to Tyburn and there executed Yet this was but light to what followed for Margaret Duchess Dowager of Burgundy Sister to Edward the Fourth mortally hating the Line of Lancaster by her contrivance with some discontented English one Lambert Simnell was set up for the Earl of Warwick who was then in the Tower and passing to Ireland with one Simon a Priest who had been his Tutour and Manager he was crowned King at Dublin and assisted by the Dowager of Burgundy with 2000 men under the Leading of Collonel Swart and getting an Army of Irish English Scots he returned and proclaimed himself to be the true Son of the Duke of Clarence still encreasing his number but at Stoke a little Village near Newark the King's Army opposed them and a bloudy Fight ensued wherein after three hours hot dispute the Impostor's Forces were routed and put to flight and the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Collonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas were slain with about 4000 Soldiers and Simnel and his Tutour being taken the former upon his Ingenious Confession how the whole Cotrivance had been imposed on him was made the King's Falconer after he had drudged a while in the Kitchin but the latter condemned to perpetual Imprisonment Yet Henry gained not this Battel but with considerable loss on his side for the Strangers knowing their Lives were at stake if they lost the day fought like men indespair and sold their Lives very dear King Henry finding those that opposed him took generally refuge in Scotland sent his Ambassadours to James the Third to conclude a Peace with him by which means he was the better at leisure to prosecute his Wars with France in Favour of his Allies but to this end raising a large Subsidie the Commons in Yorkshire refused to pay it and took up Arms but upon the approach of the Earl of Surry and his taking John Chamber their Ring-leader the rest dispersed and Chambers and the rest of the Ring-leaders were executed at York and the King sailed over into France being furnished with Money from the Citizens of London but assoon as he set down before Bulloign the French King offering him 186250 pounds to retire and the Emperour his Confederate not being prepared to take the Field the offer was accepted and the Money paid in the time limited and he no sooner returned but he found employment at home for the Duchess Dowager of Burgundy with other discontented English had set up a second Impostor viz. one Perkin or Peterkin Walbeck who passed with many for Richard Duke of York younger Son to Edward the Fourth and although the King sent his Agents abroad to discover how the Designs were carried on as well as make the Impostor known to those to whom he applied himself for aid he received great countenance in the Court of France and with considerable Forces passed into Ireland and from thence to Scotland where he was very kindly received by King James the Fourth and setting off the deceit with a very plausible Speech in a princely Port that King not only believed him to be the Duke of York but gave him the Lady Katharine Gourdon his Niece in marriage nor failed he to aid him But whilst these preparations were making the Lord Fitz-walter Sir Simon Montfort and the Lord Standly who at his coming in at Bosworth Field had given King Henry the Victory and with it the Crown were beheaded on pretence of holding Correspondence with Walbeck and the King proceeded to strengthen the Sea-Ports and all places of Advantage raising Forces and using much diligence that he might be able to weather the Storm he foresaw breaking in upon him when calling a Parliament he had a Tax of 80000 l granted him which caused the Cornish Men to rise under the leading of one Flammock a Lawyer and Joseph a Black-Smith and were joined at Wells by the Lord Audley and so marched to Black Heath in Kent where they were fought with and routed by the King's Forces the Lord Audley taken and beheaded on Tower-hill and the other two Ring-leaders hanged and quartered the Smith comforted himself by the way that his Name by this Action should be immortal And now the King in requital of the Invasions the Scots had made during these Revolutions sent the Earl of Surry to fall upon their Frontiers with Fire and Sword who prosecuted it so rigorously that they were obliged to sue for Peace which upon the Mediation of the King of Spain was concluded and Perkin by one clause of it excluded Scotland whereupon he went for Ireland and from thence was invited by the Cornish Men to