he resolved to set his whole state at stake and either to redeeme his disgrace or to forfeit his life So returning into Normandy he useth all his force in raising of Forces but King Henry suspecting his intentions and not using to give Insurrections time to ripen came upon him so suddenly with a mighty Army that he drew him to a battell before he was halfe ready to fight Yet desire of revenge so animated the Duke and the Duke his Souldiers that never battell was more fiercely fought and the Normans seemed at first to have the better till King Henry shewing himselfe in the Army put such courage into his Souldiers that they quickly made good the advantage they had in number and King Henry obtained a compleate victory both in slaughter of men of whom there werâ— slaine above ten thousand and in taking of prisoners to the number of foure hundred amongst whom besides divers other Great ones as the Earle of Mortaigne William Crispine and William Ferreis was Duke Robert himselfe whom the King having first taken order for all things in his new State of Normandy brought over with him into England and committed him to the Castle of Cardyffe in Wales where he remained a prisoner till he dyed used for a time with reasonable liberty for Recreation till attempting to make an escâ—pe it was thought fit to put out his eyes which though it encreased his misery yet it shortned not his life for he lived many yeares after in all from the time of his first imprisonment sixe and twenty And thus this great Duke who in his birth was the joy of Nature in his life was the scorne of Fortune and it is not unworthy the observing that the English wonne Normandy the very same day forty yeare the Normans had wonne England Such Revolutions of fortune there are in kingdomes and so unstable is the state of all worldly Greatnesse And now is King Henry as great as ever his Father was and as Greatnesse draws envy as much envyed as ever his Father was and as Envy makes Enemies as much opposed as ever his Father was for now Fulke Earle of Angioâ— and Baldwyne Earle of Flanders upon small occasions and Lewis the grosse King of France upon none but such as envy suggested seeking to place William Sonne to Duke Robert in his Right to Normandy assaulted the Kings Dominions perhaps to try whether Greatnesse had not made him unwieldy but King Henry to shew that Greatnesse had made him more Active went over into Normandy with a mighty Army and at Nice encountred the French King where a bloody Battell was fought with exceeding valour on both sides but at last King Henry repelled the French King and recovered Nice and after many other conflicts betweene them with variety of Fortune at lâ—st the King made peace with the Earle of Angiou confirmed by a marriage of the Earles Daughter with his Sonne Williamâ— and upon this also the two Kings grow to a peace in which William Son to King Henry being about seventeene yeares of age was invested into the Dutchy of Normandy doing homage for the same to the King of France From whence it was afterward a Custome that the King of Englands eldest Sonne as long as Normandy remained in their hands was made alwayes Duke of Normandy After this Charles Earle of Flanders being slaine at Bruxels by a conspiracy of his owne people and leaving no issue behind hâ—m Lewis King of France invested William Sonne to Dâ—ke Robert in the Earledome of Flanders as descended from Eaâ—le Baldwyn whose Daughter Maude was wife to King William the first and Grandmother to this William so as William now having gotten this steppe of advancâ—ment seekes to goe on and to recover Normandy and was thereof by assistâ—â—ce of the King of France in a faire possibility when in a certaine light conâ—lâ—ct receiving a wound in his hand the thread of his faire possibility was upon a suddaine cut off and of that light wound he shortly after dyed King Henry now in perfect peace abroad was not without some little disquietings at home and marching thorow Powis-land in South Wales to represse some Insurrections of the Welsh he came to certaine Straights where his maine Army could not passe in which place the King was smitten with an Arrow full upon the breast whereat he swore by our Lords death his usuall Oath that it was no Welsh arme had shot that Arrow yet in this distâ—esse for a thousand head of Cattell he had the passage left open and came safely off And these were his troubles of Armes both at home and abroad during all his Raigne His Taxations and wayes for raising of money TOwards the marriage of his Daughter Maude with the Emperour he obtained at his first Parliament at Salisbury three shillings upon every Hide of Land throughout the kingdome which was afterward drawne to a custome to receive ayde from the Subjects whensoever the King gave his eldest Daughter in marriage Besides this he had no more in all his Raigne but onely one supply for his Warres in France but he kept Bishoprickes and Abbeyes voyd in his hands and that of Canterbury five yeares together By an Act of Parliament or rather by a Synod of Bishops holden at London he was authorised to punish marriage and incontinency of Priests which the Bishops afterwards repented for he suffered Priests to have Wives for Fines or rather tooke Fines of them whether they had wives or no bâ—cause they might have them if they would Punishments which before his time were mutilation of Member he made Pecuniary And the Provisions of his house which were used to be paid in kind were in his time rated at certaine prizes and received in money By this Chapter and the next before it appeares there were in this Kings dayes but few troubles at home nor but few Taxations whereoâ— the one may be thought to be cause of the other the first perhaps of the second but certainely the second of the first Lawes first instituted in his tâ—me HE first instituted the forme of the High Court of Parliament for before his time onely certaine of the Nobility and Prelates of the Realme were called to consultation about the most important affaires of State but he caused the Commons also to be assembled by Knights and Burgesses of their owne appointment and made the Court to consist of three parts the Nobility the Clergy and the Common people representing the whole body of the Realme and appointed them to sit in severall Chambers the King the Bishops and Lords of the Realme in one Chamber and the Commons in another to conferre together by themâ—elves Other Orders of that Court he Ordained as they are in use at this day The first Councell of this sort was held at Salisbury on the 19. day of Aprill in the 16. yeare of his Raigne He forbad the wearing of long haire which at that time was frequent after the manner of the
Chancellour owed him and if he were so tender of him that he could not finde iâ— his heart to doe it himselfe they would doe that work for him and thereupoâ— charged him with such crimes that all his goods were confiscate and himselfe adjudged to dye if the king so pleased though some write his sentence was onely to pay a Fine of twenty thousand markes and a thousand pounds yeerly beside Upoâ— this provocation the opposite side seek present revenge It is devised that the Duke of Glocester as principall and other Lords that crossed the kings courses should be invited to a Supper in London and there be murthered In the execuâ—â—on of which plot the former Lord Major Sir Nicolas Brember had a speciall handâ— but the present Major Richâ—rd Exton moved to it by the king would by no meanâ—â— consent and thereupon the plot proceeded not But for all these harsh straines and many such other that passed this Parliament a Subsidie was at length granted to the king of halfe a Tenth and halfe a Fifteenth but with condition that 〈◊〉 should not be issued but by order from the Lords and the Earle of Arundâ—ll was appointed to receive it But before this time both Houses had directly agreed that unlesse the Chancellour were removed they would meddle no further in the Pâ—â—liament The king advertised hereof sent to the Commons that they should seâ—â— unto Eltham where he then lay forty of their House to declare their mindes 〈◊〉 him but upon conference of both Houses it was agreed that the Duke of Gloâ—â—stâ—r and Thomas Arundell Bishop of Ely should in the name of the Parliament goe unto him who comming to the king declared That by an old Statute the king once a yeere might lawfully summon his Court of Parliament for reformation of all corruptions and enormities within the Realme and further declared That by an old Ordinance also it was Enacted That if the king should absent himself 40 dayes not being sick the Houses might lawfully break up and returne home At this the king is said to say Well we perceive our people goe about to rise against us and therefore we thinke we cannot doe better then to aske ayd of our Cosin the king of France and rather submit us to him then to our own Subjects To which the Lordâ— answered They wondred at this opinion of his Majesty seeing the French king was the antient Enemy of the kingdome and he might remember what mischiefes were brought upon the Realme in king Iohns time by such a course By these and the like perswasions the king was induced to come to the Parliament and soon after Iohn Fortham Bishop of Durham is discharged of his Office of Lord Treasurer and in his place was appointâ—d Iohâ— Gilberâ— Bishop of Hereford a Frier of the order of Preachers also Michael de la Pâ—â—le Earle of Suffolke is discharged of his Office of Chancellour and Thomas Aruâ—dell Bishop of Ely by consent of Parliament placed in his roome Also by Order of Parliament thirteen Lords were chosen to have oversight under the king of the wâ—ole government of the Realme of which thirteen there were three of the New-Officers named as the Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellour the Bishop of Hereford Lord Treasurer and Nicolas Abbot of Wâ—ltham Lord keeper of the Privy Seale The other ten were William Archbishop of Câ—â—terbury Alexander Archbishop of York Edmund of Lâ—ngley Duke of York Thomaâ— Duke of Glocester William Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bishop of Exeter Richâ—rd Earle of Arundell Richard Lord Scrâ—â—pe and Iohn Lord Devereux But this participation of the Government being found inconvenient held not long Also in this Parliament it was granted that Robert de Veere lately created Duke of Ireland should have receive to his own use 30000. markes which the French-men were to give for the heires of â—he Lord Charles de Blâ—ys but it was granted upon â—his conditionâ— That before the next Easter he should passe over into Ireland to recover such lands as the King had there given him so desirous the Lords and Commons were to have him removed from the Kings presence But though the King gave way to this torrent of the Parliament for the present yet as soone as the Parliament was dissolved he dissolved also all that had been done either against the Lord Chancellour or against the Duke of Ireland or against Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York and received them into more favour then ever he had done before In his Tenth yeere about the Beginning of March Richard Earle of Arundell appointed Admirall and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham the Earle of Devonshire and the Bishop of Norwich went to Sea with a warlike power of men and â—rmes to watch for the Fleet of Flanders that was ready to come from Rochell with wines and meeting with them they set upon them and tooke of them to the number of a hundred Vessels all fraught with wines so as wine grew so plentifull that it was sold for thirteen shillings foure pence the Tonne and the best and choysest for twenty shillings Besides this they landed in Flanders where they relieved and fortified Brest and demolished two Forts which the Enemy had built against it But this happy service of the Earle of Arundell the Duke of Ireland the Earle of Suffolke Sir Simon Burley and Sir Richard Sturrey who continued still about the King seemed rather to envy then to commend insomuch that when the Earle of Nottingham that had ever been the Kings play fellow and of equall age to him came to the Court he was neither received by the Duke of Ireland with any good welcome nor by the King with any good countenance and therefore indeed not by the King with any good Countenance because not by the Duke of Ireland with any good Welcome About this time the Duke of Ireland sought to be divorced from his lawfull wife daughter to the Lady Isabel one of king Edward the third's daughters and took to wife one Lancerona a Vintners daughter of Bohemia one of the Queenes maids at which indignity the Duke of Glocester that was unkle to the Lady thus forsaken tooke great displeasure which the Duke of Ireland understanding studied how by some meanes he might dispatch the Duke of Glocester out of the way Easter was now past the time appointed for the D. of Irelands going over into Ireland when the King with a shew to bring him to the waters side went with him into Wales and in his company Michael de la Poole Earl of Suffolke Robert Tresilian L. Chieâ— Justice and divers others who there consulted how they might diâ—patch the Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundel Warwick Dâ—rby Nottingham with divers others of that Faction but when the King had remained in those parts a good while he returned and brought back the Duke of Ireland with him and so his voyage into Irelâ—â—d was cleane forgotten About the same time Robert Tresilian Chiefe Justice came to
of Heraulds therein But this notwithstanding being no Lord of the Parliament he was tried by a common Jurie and by them was found guilty and thereupon had judgement of death and the nineteenth of Ianuary was beheaded on the Tower-hill The Duke was attainted by Parliament and kept in prison â—ill in the first yeer of Queen Mary the Attaindour was reversed The death of this Earle might lay an imputation of cruelty upon King Henry if a just jealousie growing from the many circumstances of the Earles greatnesse in the tender age of his owne Sonne did not excuse him Soone after the death of this Earle the King himselfe died having made his last Will in which he tooke order that his Sonne Edward should succeed him in the Crowne and he dying without issue his daughter Mary and she dying without issue his daughter Elizabeth although another order of succession had passed before by Act of Parliament The Executors of his last Will were these sixteene Thomas Cranmor Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Wriothsley Lord Chancellour Sir William Pawlet Lord Saint Iohn and great Master of the Houshold Sir Edward Seymor Earle of Hartford and high Chamberlin of England Sir Iohn Russell Lord Privie Seale Sir Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle Lord Admirallâ— Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham Sir Anthonie Browne Master of the Horse Sir Edmund Montacute Lord chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Thomas Bromley one of the Justices of the Kings Bench Sir Edward North Chancellour of the Augmentation Sir William Paget Knight of the Order Sir Anthonie Dennie Sir William Herbert Sir Edward Wootton Treasurour of Callice and Nicholas VVootton Deane of Canterbury and Yooke To whom were adjoyned as assistance these twelve Henry Fitz Allan Earle of Arundell VVilliam Par Earle of Essex Sir Thomas Cheyney Treasurour of the Houshold Sir Iohn Gage Controlour Sir Anthony VVingfield Vice-chamberlaine Sir VVilliam Peter Principall Secretary Sir Richard Rich Sir Iohn Baker of Sissingherst in Kent Chancellour of the Exchequer Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Thomas Seymour Sir Richard Southwell and Sir Edward Peckham And it was not without need to leave a full Councell Table considering in what termes he left the Kingdome when he died Abroad in league with the Emperour at Peace with the King of France but whether these were not personall onely and no longer binding then King Henry lived might be doubted with the Scots at deadly send with the Pope at utter defiance from both which coasts there could be expected but little faire weather at home the frame of Religion extreamly disioynted and the Clergie that should set it in frame out of frame themselves the mindes of the people extreamly distracted and the Nobility that should cyment them scarce holding themselves together And in this stare was the Kingdome when King Henry the eight dyed in the yeer 1547. the fifty sixth of his life and of his Reigne the eight and thirtieth Of his Taxations IN his fourth yeer in a Parliament at Westminster was granted to the King two Fifteens of the Temporalty and two Tenths of the Clergie and Head-money of every Duke ten marke an Earle five pound a Barron â—oure pound a Knight foure markes and every man valued at eight hundred pounds in goods to pay â—oure markes and so after that rate till him that was valued at forty shillings and he paid twelve pence and every man and woman of fifteen yeers upward four pence In his sixth yeer a Parliament was holden wherin divers subsidies were granted to the King towards the charges of his wars in France in his fourteenth yeer order was taken by the Cardinall that the true value of all mens substance might be knowne and he would have had every man swom to tell what they were worth and required a â—enth part thereof towards the Kings charges in his present wars as the spiritualty had granted a fourth part this the Londoners thought very hard and thereupon were excused for taking oath and were allowed to bring in their bils upon their honesties but when all was done after much labouring by the Cardinall the Clergy granted one halfe of all their yeerly Spirituall Revenues for five yeers and the Temporalty two shillings in the pound from twenty pounds upwards and from forty shillings to twenty pounds of every twenty shillings twelve pence and under forty shillings of every head of sixteen yeers and upwards four pence to be paid in every two yeers in his sixteenth yeer the Cardinall of his owne head attempted by Comission to draw the People to pay the sixth part of every mans substance in plate or monie but this was generally opposed and the People in many Countries rise upon it so as comming to the Kings knowledg â—e utterly disavowed it and blamed the Cardinall exceedingly for attempting it In his foure and twentieth yeer in a Parliament then holden a fifteenth was granted to the King towards his charges of making fortifications against Scotland In his one and thirâ—ieth yeer a Subsidie of two shillings in the pound of lands and twelve of goods with foure fifteenes were granted to the King towards his charges of making Bulwarks In his five and thirtieth yeer a Subsidie was granted to be paid in three yeers every English-man being worth in goods twenty shillings and upwards to five pounds to pay four pence of every pound and from five pounds to ten pounds eight pence from ten pounds to twenty pound six penceâ— from twenty pounds and upwards of every pound two shilings strangers as wel denizens as others being inhabitants to pay double and for lands every English-man paid eight pence oâ— the pound from twenty shillings to five pounds from five pounds to ten pounds sixteen pence and from ten pounds to twenty pouâ—dâ— two shillings and from twenty pounds and upwards of every pound three shillings strangers double the Clergy six shillings in the pound of Benefices and every Priest having no Benifice but an Anual stipend six shillings eight pence yeerly during three yeers Of Lawes and Ordinances in his time IN a Parliament holden in his sixth yeere diverse Lawes were made but two most spoken of one for Apparell another for Labourers In his twelvth yeere he caused the Statutes against Inclosures to be revived and Commanded that decaied houses should be built up againe and that inclosed grounds should be laid open which though it did some good yet not so much as it might have done if the Cardinall for his owne benefit had not procured liberty for great men to keep up their inclosures to the oppression of poor men In his seventeenth yeer the King lying at Eltham diverse ordinances were made bâ— the Cardinall touching the Governance of the Kings House and were long after called the Statutes of Eltham In his eighteenth yeere in the month of May Proclamation was made against all unlawfull games so that in all places tables dice cards and Bowles were taken and burnt but this order continued not long for young men being
French He commanded Robbers upon the High way to be hanged without redemption of whom a famous one at that time was one Dunne and of him the place where he most used by reason of the great Woods thereabouts is to this day called Dunstable where the King built the Borough as now it standeth Counterfeiters of money he punished with pulling out their eyes or cutting off their privy members a punishment both lesse then death and greater Affaires of the Church in his time AT his first comming to the Crowne he foâ—bore his claime to the Investitâ—res of Bishops but after he had beene King some time he claimed that both to invest Bishops and to allow or hinder appeales to Rome belonged to him In these Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury opposed him affirming that both of them belonged to the Pope The contention at last was brought to the Pope to whom King Henry sent William Warlewast elect Bishop of Exceter who saying to the Pope that his Master would not for the Crowne of his Realme lose the Authority of Investing his Prelates the Pope started up and answered Neither will I lose the disposing of Spirituall Promotions in England for the Kings head that weareth the Crowne before God said he I avow it So the contention grew long and hot and many messengers were sent to and fro about it the conclusion was which proved no conclusion that the King should receive homage of Bishops elect but should not Invest them by Staffe and Ring to which the King said noâ—hing for the present but forbore not to doe it ever the lesse for five yeares after the death of Anselme Ralph Bishop of Rochester was by the King made Arch-bishop of Canterbury and notwithstanding all former Decrees and Threatnings of the Pope he received his Investiture of the King About this time a Canon was made against the Marriage of Priests to which purpose Iohannes Cremensis a Priest Carâ—dinall by the Kings licence came into England and held a solemne Synod at London where inveighing sharpely against it affirming it to be no better then profest Adultery he was himselfe the night following taken in bed with a common harlot Even Anselme himselfe the most earnest enforcer of single life dyed not it seemes a Virgin for else he would never in his Writings make such lamentation for the losse thereof Anselme about this time dying Rodulph succeeded in the See of Canterbury and Thomas dying Thurstine succeeded in the Arch-bishopricke of Yorke betweene which two Prelates there arose great contention Rodulph would not consecrate Thurstine unlesse he would professe obedience Thurstine was content to embrace his benediction but professe obedience he would not In this contention the King takes part with Rodulph the Pope with Thurstine after many passages in the businesse upon the Popes threatning to Excommunicate the King Thurstine entred upon his Bishopricke and the King connived In the tenth yeare of his Raigne the Abbey of Ely was made a Bishops See and Cambridgeshire was appointed for the Diocesse thereof which because it belonged before to the Jurisdiction of Lincolne the King gave the Bishop of Lincolne in recompence thereof the Manor of Spalding This King also created a Bishopricke at Carlile and endowed it with many Honours In his time the Order of the Templars beganne and in the 27. yeare of his Raigne the Grey Fryers by procurement of the King came first into England and had their first house builded at Canterbury I may here have leave to tell two stories of Church-men for refreshing of the Reader Guymond the Kings Chaplaine observing that unworthy men for the most part were advanced to the best dignities of the Church as he celebrated Divine Service before him and was to read theâ—e words out of Saint Iames It rained not upon the Earth III yeares and VI moneths he read it thus It rained not upon the Earth one one one yeares and five one moneths The King observed his reading and afterwards blamed him for it but Guymond answered that he did it of purpose for that such Readers were soonest preferred by his Majesty The King smiled and in short time after preâ—erred him to the Government of Saint Frideswids in Oxford The other is this Thomas Arch-bishop of Yorke falling sicke his Physitians told him that nothing would doe him good but to company with a woman to whom he answered that the Remedy was worse then the diseaâ—e and so dyed a Virgin This King granted to the Church of Canterbury and to William and his successours the Custody and Constable-ship of the Castle of Rochester for ever Workes of Piety done by this King or by others in his time THis King Founded and erected the Priory of Dunstable the Abbey of Circester the Abbey of Reading and the Abbey of Shirborne He also new builded the Castle of Windsor with a Colledge there He made also the Navigable River betweene Torkesay and Lincolne a worke of great charge but greater use His Wife Queene Maude passing over the River of Lue was somewhat endangered whereupon she caused two stone-Bridges to be built one at the head of the Towne of Stratford the other over another Streame there called Channel-bridge and paved the way betweene them with Gravell She gave also certaine Manors and a Mill called Wyggon Mill for repairing the same Bridges and Way These were the first stone-Bridges that were made in England and because they were Arched over like a bow the Towne of Stratford was afterward called Bow This Queene also founded the Priory of the Holy Trinity now called Christs Church within the East Gate of London called Aldgate and an Hospitall of Saint Giles in the Field without the West part of the City In this Kings time Iordan Brifet Baron Founded the House of Saint Iohn of Hierusalem neare to Smithfield in London and gave 14. Acres of ground lying in the field next to Clerkenwell to build thereupon a House of Nunnes wherein he with Myrioll his Wife were buryed in the Chapter house Robert Fitsham who came out of Normandy with the Conquerour Founded anew the Church of Teukesbury and was there buryed Herbert Bishop of Norwich Founded the Cathedrall Church there The Priory and Hospitall of Saint Bartholomew in Smithfield was Founded by a Minstrell of the Kings named Reior who became first Prior there Before this time Smithfield was a Laystall of all ordure and filth and the place where Felons were put to Execution Hugh Lacy Founded the Monastery of Saint Iohn at Lanthony neare to Glocester Iuga Baynard Lady of little Dunmow Founded the Church there and gave to maintaine it halfe a Hide of Land This Lady Iuga was late Wife to Baynard that first built Baynards Castle in London Eudâ— the Kings Sewer Founded the Monastery of Saint Iohn at Colchester of blacke Chanons and those were the first of that Order in England Simon Earle of Northampton and Mande his Wife Founded the Monastery of Saint Andrew in Northhampton In the seventh yeare
at Founteverard in France the manner of whose buriall was thus He was Cloathed in his Royall Robes his Crowne upon his head white Gloves upon his hands Bootes of Gold upon his legges Gilt Spurres at his heeles a great rich Ring upon his finger his Scepter in his hand his Sword by his side and his face uncovered and all bare As he was carrying to be Buryed his Sonne Richard in great haste ranne to see him who no sooner was come neare the Body but suddenly at his Nostrils he fell a bleeding afresh which though it were in Prince Richard no good signe of Innocency yet his breaking presently into bitter teares upon the seeing it was a good signe of Repentance It may not be unseasonable to speake in this place of a thing which all Writers speake of that in the Family of the Earles of Anjou of whom this King Henry came there was once a Princesse a great Enchantresse who being on a time enforced to take the blessed Eucharist she suddenly flew out at the Church window and was never seene after From this Woman these latter Earles of Anjou were descended which perhaps made the Patriarch Heraclius say of this King Henries Children that from the Devill they came and to the Devill they would But Writers perhaps had beene more compleat if they had left this Story out of their Writings Men of note in his time OF Clergy men there was Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury Hugh Bishop of Lincolne Richard Bishop of Winchester Geoffrey of Ely Robert of Bathe Aldred of Worcester all Learned Men and of great integrity of life Of Military Men there was Robert Earle of Leycester Reynold Earle of Cornwall Hugh Bigot Robert Ferrys Richard Lacy Roger Mowbray Ralph Fulger Ranulph Granula William Vâ—sei â—nd Baynard Baylioll Men of great atchievements in Warre and of no lesse abilities in Peace THE LIFE and RAIGNE OF KING RICHARD THE FIRST Of his comming to the Crowne and of his Coronation KING Richard the first of that name after his Fathers Funerall went to Roan where he setled the state of that Province and from thence came into England where he was Crowned King at Westminster by the hands of Baldwin Arch-bishop of Canterbury the third day of September in the yeare 1189. And herein this Prince is more beholding to Writers then any of his Predecessors for in speaking of their Crowning they content themselves with telling where and by whom they were Crowned but of this Prince they deliver the manner of his Crowning in the full amplitude of all circumstances which perhaps is not unfit to doe for satisfaction of such as are never like to see a Coronation and it was in this manner First the Arch-bishops of Canterbury Roan Tryer and Dublin with all the other Bishops Abbots and Cleargy apparelled in rich Copes and having the Crosse holy Water and Censers carried before them came to fetch him at the doore of his Privie-Chamber and there receiving him they led him to the Church of Westminster till they came before the high Altar with a solemne Procession In the middle of the Bishops and Clergy went foure Barons bearing Candlesticks with Tapers after whom came Geoffrey de Lucie bearing the Cap of Maintenance and Iohn Marshall next to him bearing a massive paire of Spurres of Gold then followed William Marshall Earle of Striguill alias Pembroke who bare the Royall Scepter in the toppe whereof was set a Crosse of Gold and William de Patricke Earle of Salisbury going next him bare the Warder or Rodde having on the toppe thereof a Dove Then came three other Earles David brother to the King of Scots the Earle of Huntington Iohn the Kings brother Earle of Mortaigne and Robert Earle of Leycester each of them bearing a Sword upright in his hand with the scabberds righly adorned with Gold The Earle of Mortaigne went in the midst betwixt the other two after them followed sixe Earles and Barons bearing a Checker Table upon the which were set the Kings Scotchens of Armesâ— and then followed William Mandevill Earle of Albemarle bearing a Crowne of Gold a great heighth before the King who followed having the Bishop of Durham on the right hand and Reynold Bishop of Bathe on the left over whom a Canopy was borne and in this order he came into the Church at Westminster where before the high Altar in the presence of the Clergy and the people laying his hand upon the holy Evangelists and the reliques of certaine Saints he took a solemne Oath that he should observe peace honour and reverence to Almighty God to his Church and to his Ministers all the dayes of his life also that he should exercise upright justice to the people committed to his charge and that he should abrogate and disanull all evill Lawes and wrongfull customes if any were to be found in the precinct of his Realme and maintaine those that were good and laudable This done he put off all his garments from his middle upwards but onely his shirt which was open on the shouldâ—rs that he might be annoynted Then the Arch-bishop of Canterbury annoynted him in three places on the head on the shoulders and on the right arme with Prayers in such case accustomed After this he covered his head with a linnen cloath hallowed and set his Cap thereon and then after he had put on his Royall Garments and his uppermost Robe the Arch-bishop delivered him the Sword with which he should beate downe the enemies of the Church which done two Earles put his Shooes upon his feete and having his Mantle put on him the Arch-bishop forbad him on the behalfe of Almighty God not to presume to take upon him this Dignity except he faithfully meant to performe those things which he had there sworne to performe whereunto the King made answer that by Gods grace he would pâ—rforme them Then the King tooke the Crowne beside the Altar and delivered it to the Arch-bishop which he set upon the Kings head delivering to him the Scepter to hold in his right hand and the Rod Royall in his left hand and thus being Crowned he was brought backe by the Bishops and Barons with the Crosse and Candlesticks and three Swords passing forth before him unto his Seate When the Bishop that sang the Masse came to the Offertory the two Bishops that brought him to the Church led him to the Altar and brought him backe againe The Masse ended he was brought with solemne Procession into his Chamber and this was the manner of this Kings Coronation But at this solemnity there fell out a very dysastrous accident For this Prince not favouring the Iewes as his Father had done had given a strict charge that no Iew should be admitted to be a spectator of the solemnity yet certaine Iewes as though it had beene the Crowning of their King Herod would needs be pressing in and being put backe by Officers set of purpose it grew to a brabble and from words to blowes so as
not turne his face till he were revenged whereupon he caused the wall right before him to be presently beaten downe that so he might passe forward without turning his face and thus in haste he goes to Vernoull whither he was no sooner come but the King of France made as great haste to be gone not without some losse and more disgrace Here his brother Iohn submits himselfe to him and with great shew of penitence intreats his pardon which he readily granted saying onely I wish you may as well remember your fault as I shall forget it The King of France having left Vernoull enters Turonia and neare to Vindocinum pitcheth his Tents thither King Richard followes him and with his comming so affrighted him that leaving bagge and baggage Munition Tents and Treasure to a marvellous valew he gets him gone and glad hee was so rid of King Richard After this a Truce was agreed upon for a yeare which each of them longed till it were expired as having no pleasure but in troubling one another In this time there was a trouble at home though not to the King yet to the kingdome for Robin Hood accompanied with one little Iohn and a hundred stout fellowes more molested all passengers upon the High-way of whom it is said that he was of Noble bloud at least made Noble no lesse then an Earle for some deserving services but having wasted his estate in riotous courses very penury forced him to take this course in which yet it may be said he was honestly dishonest for he seldome hurt any man never any woman spared the poore and onely made prey of the rich till the King setting forth a Proclamation to have him apprehended it hapned he fell sicke at a certaine Nunnery in Yorkshire called Birckleys and desiring there to be let bloud was betraid and made bleed to death Such another trouble though not to the King yet to the kingdome fell out by reason of the Jewes and first at the Towne of Linne in Norfolke upon this occasion A Jew being turned Christian was persecuted by those of his Nation and assaulted in the streete who thereupon flying to a Church hard by was thither also followed and the Church assaulted which the people of the Towne seeing in succour of the new Christian they fell upon the Jewes of whom they slew a great number and after pillaged their houses By this example the like assaults were made upon the Jews at Stamford and after that at Lincolne and lastly at Yorke where infinite numbers of Jewes were massacred and some of them blocked up in the Castle cut the throats of their wives and children and cast them over the wals upon the Christians heads and then burnt both the Castle and themselves neither could this sedition be staied till the King sent his Chancellour the Bishop of Ely with force of Armes to punish the offenders His last trouble was a punishment of covetousnesse for one Guydomer having found a great treasure in the Kings Dominions and â—or feare of King Richard flying to a Towne of the King of France for his safegard was pursued by the King but the Towne denying him entrance and he thereupon going about the wals to finde the fittest place for assaulting it one Bertram de Gurdon or as others call him Peter Basile shot at him with a Crosse-bow and hit him on the arme of which wound he died within foâ—re dayes after and so ended all his troubles Of his Taxations and wayes for raising of money OF Taxations properly so called there were never fewer in any Kings Raigne but of wayes to draw money from the subject never more It is true the first money raised for his journey was all out of his owne estate by selling or pawning of Lands but when at his comming backe he resumed the Lands into his hands agaâ—ne without paying backe the money he had received this if it may not have the name yet certainely it had the venome of a bitter Taxation Likewise the feigning to have lost his Seale then enjoyning them to have their Grants confirmed by a new though it went not in the number yet it had the weight of a heavy Taxation where it lighted Afterward the money raised for his Ransome was not so properly a Taxation as a Contribution or if a Taxation for him yet not by him which was done in his absence by the subjects themselves and indeed no Taxations are commonly so pinching as those which are imposed upon the subject by the subject and such was this for to raise money for his Ransome therâ— was imposed upon every Knights Fee 20. s. of all Lay-mens Revenues the fourth part and the fourth part of all the Revenues of the Clergy with a tenth of their goods Also the Chalices and Treasure of all Churches were taken to make up the sum Afterward this onely was a plaine Taxation and granted in Parliament that of every Plough-land through England he should have two shillings and of the Monkes Ciâ—teaux all their Wooll of that yeare And one more greater then this and was this yeare imposed towards his warres in Normandy that every Hide of Land as much as to say every hundred Acres of Land should pay five shillings which computed without deductions will rise to a summe that will seeme incredible Lawes and Ordinances in his time HIs Ordinances were chiefely for the Meridian of London for where before his time the City was governed by Portgraves this King granted them to be governed by two Sheriffes and a Major as now it is and to give the first of these Magistrates the honour to be remembred the names of the Sheriffes were Henry Cornhill and Richard Reyner and the name of the first Lord Major was Henry Fits-Allwyn who continued Major during his life which was foure and twenty yeares And now beganne the City first to receive the forme and state of a Common-wealth and to be divided into Fellowships and Corporations as at this day they are and this Franchise was granted in the yeare 1189. the first year of King Richard the first Affaires of the Church in his time THe Church within his owne Dominions was quiet all his time no contestation with the Pope no alterations amongst the Bishops no difference betweene the Clergy and the Laity or the Clergy amongst themselves they all seemed to lie asleepe till they were afterwards awakened in the time of the succeeding King But abroad in his time there was an addition of three Orders of Devotion the Order of the Augustine Friers called Friers Mendicants begunne by William of Paris then the Order of Friers Minors begunne by Saint Francis and lastly the Orders of Friers Preachers begunne by Saint Dominick though not confirmed till the first yeare of Pope Honorius Workes of Piety in his time VVOrkes of Piety are for the most part workes of plenty penury may inwardly have good wishes but outwardly it can expresse but little and indeed all parts of the
divers of the French Nobility who attended him to the Pallace where the Queen with her Daughters the Dutchesse of Burgoigne and the Lady Katherine gave him Princely entertainment and after some intercourse of complement between the Princes and the Ladies K. Henry tendred to the Lady Katherine a Ring of great value which she not without some blushing received and afterward upon the twentieth day of May she was affianced to him in St. Peters Church and on the third of Iune following the marriage was solemnized and therewithall king Henry was published to be the only Regent of the Realme and Heire apparent to the Crown of France the Articles whereof with all convenient expedition were Proclaimed both in England and in France and the two kings and all their Nobles and other Subjects of account were sworne to observe them and in particular the Duke of Burgoigne And thus was the Salique Law violated and the heire Male put by his Sucession in the Crowne which the Genius of France will not long endure a while it must and therefore the maine endeavour of both kings now is to keep him down whom they had put downe and thereupon on the fourth day of Iune king Henry with the French king Iames king of Scots who was newly arrived the Duke of Burgoigâ—eâ— the Prince of Orenge one and twenty Earles five and forty Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen and an Army consisting of French English Scotish Irish and Dutch to the number of six hundred thousand marched towards the Dolphin and upon the seventh day laid siege to the Towne of Seâ—â—s which sided with the Dolphin which after foure dayes siege was yielded up From thence they removed having the Duke of Bedford in their company who was newly come out of Eâ—glaâ—d with large supplies of men and money to Monstâ—â—â—â— which was taken by Escalado onely the Castle held out still during the siege whereof king Henry creâ—â—ed an Officer of Armes to be king of Heralds over the Englishmen and intitled him Garter whom he sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by the Captaine thereof reproachfully upbraided for punishment of which his presumption â— Gibbet was erected and in view of Mounsieur Guitry the said Captaine twelve of his friends were executed whereupon those of the Castle treated for peace but the king in eight dayes together would not grant so much as a parleyâ— so that after six weekes siege they were enforced their lives saved simply to yield From thence the king marched to Melun upon Sein and besieged it the thirtieth of Iuly the Captaine whereof was Barbason a Gascoigne no lesse politick than valiant who countermined some and stopt other Mines made by the English and foâ—ght hand to hand in the Barriers with king Henry yet at last through Famine and Pestilence was forced to yeild but being suspected to have had a hand in the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne he was sent prisoner to Paris and presently thereupon both the kings with their Queens the Duke of Burgoigne and his Dutchesse with a Royall Traine came thither where the French king was lodged in the House of S. Paul and the king of England in the Castle of Loâ—vre And here the three States of France anew under their hands and Seals in most aâ—thenticke manner Ratified the former Articles of king Henries Succession in the Crowne of France the Instruments whereof were delivered to the king of England who sent them to be kept in his Treasury at Westminster And now King Henry began to exercise his Regency and as a badge of his Authority he caused a new Coyne which was called a Salute to be made whereon the Armes of France and England were quarterly stamped he placed and displaced divers Officers and appointed the Duke of Exeter with five hundred men to the Guard of Paris He awarded out Processe against the Dolphin to appeare at the Marble-Table at Paris which he not obeying Sentence was denounced against him as guilty of the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne and by the sentence of the Parliament he was banished the Realme After this the King making Thomas Duke of Clarence his Lievetenant Generall of Fraâ—ce and Normandy on the 6th of Ianuary with his beloved Queen Katherine he left Pariâ— and went to Amyens and from thence to Calliâ— and thence landing at Dover came to Canterbury and afterward through Loâ—doâ— to Westminster where the Queene upon St. Matthews day the fourth of Februâ—ry was Crowned the King of Scots sitting at dinner in his State but on the left hand of the Queen the Archbishop of Caâ—terbury and the Kings Uncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand All were served with covered messes of silver but all the Feast was Fish in observation of the Lent season After this the king tooke his Progresse through the Land hearing the complaints of his poore Subjects and taking order for the administring of Justice to high and low and then met the Queen at Leicester where they kept their Easter In the meane time the Duke of Clarence making a Road into Aâ—joâ— came to the Citie of Ampers where he knighted Sir William Rosse Sir Henry Gâ—dâ—ard Sir Rowlaâ—d Vyder Sir Thomas Beauford his naturall Son and returning home laden with prey was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage whereupon he sent the Scout-master Fogosaâ— Lombard to discover the face of the Enemy who being corrupted brought report that their number was but small and those but ill ordered that if he presently charged there could be no resistance The Dukes credulity caused him to draw all his horses together and leaving his bowes and billâ— behinde which were his chiefâ—st strength with his 〈◊〉 only he makes towards the Enemy but the Traitor leading to a straight where by his appointment an ambush was layd thaâ— the Duke could neither retreat nor flee he soone perceived the Treaâ—chery but finding no remedy he manfully set spâ—â— to his horse and charged upon the Enemy but over-layd with multitude and wearied with fight was himselfe with the Earle of Taâ—kervile the Lord Rosse the Eaâ—le of Angus Sir Iohn 〈◊〉 and Sir Iohn Vereâ—d and above two thousand English slaine The Earls of Sâ—â—erset Suffolke and Pearch Sir Iohn Berklâ—y Sir Ralph Nevill Sir Williâ—â— Bâ—wes and 60 Gentlemen were taken prisoners The body of the Duke of Clâ—rence was by Sir Iohn Beauford his base Son the D. dying without other issue convey'd to England and buried at Canterbury besides his Father and this disaster happened upon â—aster-Eve The King was at Beverley when he heard of his brothers death and presently thereupon dispatched away Edmund Earle of Mâ—rtâ—â—gne into Norâ—â—â—dy making hiâ— Lievtenant thereof and then calls his high Court of Parliament to Westminster requiring ayd by money to revenge his brâ—thers death which was readily granted and the king thus provided sent his brother the Duke of Bedford with an Army to Câ—lliâ— consisting of foure
â—â—â—â—ved by famine he so dyed In the meane time Sir Iohn Oldcastle wrote his Beliefe and presented it himselfe to the King which the King would in no wise receive but suffered him in his presence and Privy chamber to be summoned who appearing before the Archbishop after divers examinations he was condemned of Heresie and committed to the Tower of London from whence shortly after he escaped and got into Wales The king by his Proclamation promised a thousand Marks to any that should bring him in but so much was his doctrine generally favoured that the kings offer was not much regarded but he continued foure yeares after undiscovered At last he was taken in the borders of Wales within a Lordship belonging to the Lord Powes who brought him to London before the Duke of Bedford Regent of the Realme where in the end he was condemned and finally was drawn from the Tower to S. Giles field and there hanged in a chaine by the middle and after consumed with fire the gallowes and all At the time of his first conviction foure yeares before it was rumour'd that twenty thousand men in armes were assembled in S. Giles field whereupon the king at midnight himselfe in person went thither where he found many indeed who upon examination confessed that they came to meet their Captaine Sir Iohn Oldcastle but without any intent against the king yet was Sir Roger Actoâ— and eight and twenty others of them apprehended and executed in Smithfield and all the Prisons in and about London were filled with them In his third yeare the order of Church service throughout England was changed from the use of Pauls to the use of Sâ—lisbury to the great disliking of many in those dayes In his fourth yeare a Councell was holden at Constance whither he sent Ambassadors the Earle of Warwick the Bishops of Salisbury Bath and Hereford the Abbot of Westminster and the Prior of Worcester In which Councell it was decreed that England should have the title of the English Nation and should be accounted one of the five principall Nations in ranke before Spaine which often before had been moved but never granted till then And herein were all Wickliffs positions condemned also Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prague notwithstanding the Emperours safe-conduct were both of them burned In this Councell the Schisme of Anti-popes which had continued the space of nine and twenty yeares was reformed â—eâ—edict the 13. had been elected by the Spaniard Gregory the 1â— by the French Iohn the 24. by the Italians And now in this Councell begun in February 1414 and continued above three yeaâ—es wherein were assembled besides the Emperour the Pope and the Palsgrave of Râ—â—ime foure Patriarks twenty seven Cardinals seven and forty Archbishops one hundred and threescore Bishopâ— Princes and Barons with their attendants above thirty thousand The foresaid elected Popes were all put down or else resigned and in the place as legitimate Pope was elected Otho Loloâ—na by the name of Martiâ— the fifth In this yeare also fell out an Accident which shews the strict observance of Ecclesiasticall censures in those dayes The wives of the Lord Strange and Sir Iohn Trussell of Warâ—ington in Cheshire striving for place at a Sermon in S. Dunstâ—â—s Church in the East their husbands being present fell themselves to striving in their wives behalfâ— and great part-taking there was on both sides some slaine and many wounded The delinquents were committed to the Counter the Church suspended and upon examination the Lord Strange being found guilty was by the Archbishop of Canterbury adjudged to this Penance which was accordingly performed The Parson of S. Dunstâ—â—s went before after whom followed all the Lords servants in their shirts after them went the Lord himselfe bare-headed with a waxe taper in his hand then followed the Lady bare-footed and then last came the Archdeacon Reynold Râ—â—â—ood in which order they went from Pauls where the sentence was given to S. Dunstâ—â—s Church where at the rehallowing thereof the Lady filled all the Vessels with water and according to the sentence offered to the Altaran ornament of the value of ten pounds and the Lord a Pixe of silver of five pounds A Penance no doubt which the Lord and the Lady would have redemed with a great deale of money if the discipline of the Church had in those dayes allowed it but it seemes the commutation of Penance was not as yet come in use In his ninth yeare in a Parliament at Leicester a hundred and ten Priories alient were suppressed because they spoke ill of his Conquests in France and their possessions were given to the King but by him and King Henry the sixth were afterward given to other Monasteries and Colledges oâ— learned men Works of Piety by him or others in his time THis King re-edified his Royall Manour which was then called Sheene now Richmond and founded two Monasteries not farre from it the one of Carthusians which he named Bethelem the other of Religious men and women of the Order of S. Bridget which he named Syon He also founded the Brotherhood of Saint Giles without Cripplegate in London In the second yeare of his Reigne Mooregate neere to Colemanstreet was first made by Thomas Fawkener Major of London who caused also the ditches of the City to be cleansed and a common Privy that was on the Moore without the wall to be taken downe and another to be made within the City upon Wallbrooke into the which brooke he caused the water of the City to be turned by grates of iron in divers places In his sixth yeare William of Sevenoak Major of London founded in the Town of Sevenoak a Free schoole and thirteen Almshouses This man was found at Sevenoak in Kent anew-borne infant of unknown Parents but by charitable people was Christned and brought up bound prentise in London and came at last to be Major of the City Also Robert Chicâ—ely Major of London gave liberally to the Almshouses founded by his brother Henry Chicheâ—â—y Archbishop of Canterbury at Higham-Ferrers in Northamptonshire where they were born But Henry Chicheley the Archbishop founded two Colledges in Oxford one called Bernard Colledge renewed by Sir Thomas White and named S. Iohns Colledge the other called All-Soules which continueth at this day as he left it Also Iohn Kempe Archbishop of Canterburâ— converted the Parish-Church of Wye in Kent where he was borne into a Colledge of Secular Priests Casualties happening in his time IN the fift yeere of his Reigne a great part of the City of Norwich was burnt with all the house of the Friers Preachers and two fryers of that Order In his third yeere on the feast of the Purification seaven Dolphins came up the River of Thâ—mes whereof foure were taken Of his Wife and issue HE married Catherine the daughter of king Charles the sixth of France who was his Queene two yeeres and about three moneths married at Troyes in Champaigne the third day of June 1420. and afterward
be had between king Edward and the Lady Bonâ— daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and Sister to the Lady Carlote then Queen of Fraâ—ce a Lady no lesse for beauty and virtuous qualities then for Nobility of blood worthy to be a Queen The Proposition is in Fraâ—ce readily embraced and willingly assented unto on all parts But in the mean time king Edward being hunting in Witchwood Forrest besides Stonystratford he chanced to come to the Manour of Grafton where the Dutchesse of Bedford then lay and where her daughter by Sir Richard Woodvile the Lady Elizabeth Grâ—y widdow of Sir Iohn Grâ—y of Grâ—vy slaine at the last battell of St. Albans became a suitour to him for some lands which her â—usband had given her in Joynture with whose beauty and grâ—cefull behaviour king Edward was so taken that hee presently became a Suitor to her and when he could not obtaine his suit by termes of wanton love he was forced to sâ—eke it by terms of Marriage And here we may well thinke there was no small câ—flâ—ct in King Edwards minde between the two great commanders Love and Honor which of them should bee most potent Honor put him in minde that it was against his Law to take to wife a meaner person than himselfe but Love would take no notice of any difference of degrees but tooke it for his Prerogative to make all persons equall Honour peâ—swaded him that it stood him much upon to make good the Ambassage in which he had sent the Earle of Warwicke to a great Prince but Love perswadâ—d him that it stood him more upon to make good the Ambassage sent to himself from a greater Prince In conclusion it appeared to be true which one observes Improbe â—mor quid non mortalia pectora cogis what is it that love will not make a man to do Whether it be that love brings upon the minde a forgetfulnesse of all circumstances but such as tend to its own satisfaction or whether it be that love is amongst passions as oyle amongst liquors which will alwayes be supreme and at the top Honour may be honoured but love will be obeyed And therefore king Edward though he knew no Superior upon Earth yet he obeys the summons of Love and upon the first day of May marries the sayd Lady Gray at Grafton the first of our kings since the Conquest that married his Subject At which marriage none was present but the Dutchesse of Bedford the Priest two Gentlewoman a yong man to helpe the Priest at Masse the yeare after with great solemnity she was Crowned Queen at Westminster It is not unworthy the relating the Speech which king Edward had with his Mother who sought to crosse this maâ—ch Where you say saith he that she is a widdow and hath already children by Gods blessed Lady I am a Batchelour and have some too and so each of us hath a proofe that nether of us is like to be barren And as for your objection of Bigamy for his mother had charged him with being contracted to the Lady Elizabeth Lucie Let the Bishop saith he lay it to my charge when I come to take Orders for I understand it is forbidden a Priest but I never wist it was forbidden a Prince Upon this marriage the Queens Father was created Earle Rivers and made High-Constable of England her brother the Lord Anthony was married to the sole Heire of the Lord Scales and by her had that Barony her Son sir Thomas Gray was created Marquesse Dorset and married Cicelie heire to the Lord Bonvile It may be thought a hâ—ppy fortune for this Lady to be thus marched but let all things be considered and the miseries accruing to her by it will be found equivalent if not over-weighing all the benefits For first by this match she drew upon her selfe the envy of many and was cause that her Husband fled the Realm and her selfe in his absence glad to take Sanctuary and in that place to be delivered of a Prince in a most unprincely mâ—nner After which surviving her husband she lived to see her two Sonnes most cruelly murthered and for a conclusion of all she lived to see her selfe confined to the Monastery of Berdmondsey in Southwarke and all her goods confiscate by her own Son in Law And nâ—w the Earle of Warwicke at his return found that knot tyed in England which he had laboured to tye in France His Ambassage frustrated the Lady Bona deluded the king of France abused and himselfe made a stale and the disgracefull instrument of all this which although he resented in a high degree yet he had not been a Courtier so long but in that time he had sufficiently learned the Art of dissembling he passed it over lightly for the present but yet carried it in his minde till a fit opportunity and thereupon procures leave to retire himselfe to his Castle of Warwicke King Edward in the meane time having just cause to suspect hee had made the French his enemies seeks to make other Princes his friends He enters into a League with Iohn king of Aragon to whom he sent for a Present a score of Cotsall Ews and â—ive Rams a small Present in shew but great in the event for it proved of more benefit to Spain and of more detriment to England than could at first sight have been imagined And to secure himselfe at home he tooke truce with the king of Scots for fifteen years And where he had married before his two Sisters Anne the eldest to Henry Holland Earle of Exeter and Elizabeth to Iohn de la Poole Duke of Suffolke he now matched Margaret his third Sister to Charles Duke of Burgoigne which proved a greater assistance to him than that which he had lost in France By this time the Earle of Warwickes spleen began so to swell within him that hee could no longer containe it and having with much adoe drawne to his party his two brothers the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquesse Montacute he seekâ— also to draw in the kings two brothers the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of Glocester but he found Glocester so reserved that he durst not close with him the Duke of Clarence he found more open and to him he addresseth himselfe complaining of the disgrace he had sustained by the king in his employment into France and other wrongs to whom the Duke presently made answer in as great complaint of his brothers unkindnesse to himself saying he had married his Wives brother Anthony to the heire of the Lord Scales and her Son Thomas to the heire of the Lord Boâ—vile but could finde no match of preferment for him being his own brother And upon this agreement in complaints they agree to joyne against king Edward and to make the knot the firmer the Duke of Clarence takes to wife Isabel the Earle oâ— Warwicks Daughter and with her hath assured unto him halfe of the Lands the Eâ—â—l held in right of his Wife the Lady Anne
refusing to pay it was committed to prison where hee stayed till Empson himselfe was committed in his place By these courses hee accumulated so great store of Treasure that he left at his death most of it in secret places under his own key and keeping at Richmond as is reported the summe of neer eighteen hundred thousand pounds sterling But though by this course he got great store of Treasure yet by it he lost the best treasure the peoples hearts but that he something qualified it by his last Testament commanding that Restitution should be made of all such moneys as had unjustly been levied by his Officers It seemes king Henry after the death of his Queene the Lady Elizabeth had an inclination to marry againe and hearing of the great beauty virtue of the young Queene of Naples the widow of Ferdinando the younger he sent three confident persons Francis Marsyn Iames Braybrooke and Iohn Stile to make two inquiries one of her person and conditions the other of her Estate Who returning him answer that they found her Beauty and Virtues to be great but her Estate to be onely a certaine Pension or Exhibition and not the kingdome of Naples as he expected he then gave over any further medling in that matter After this another Treaty of Mariage was propounded to the king betweene him and the Lady Margaret Dutchesse Dowager of Savoy onely daughter to Maximilian and Sister to the king of Castile a Lady wise and of great good fame In which businesse was imployed for his first piece the kings then Chaplain and after the great Prelate Thomas Woolsey It was in the end concluded with ample conditions for the king but with promise de Futuro onely Which mariage was protracted from time to time in respect of the Infirmity of the king which held him by â—its till he dyed He left Executours Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester Richard Fitz Iames Bishop of London Thomas Bishop of Durham Iohn Bishop of Rochester Thomas Duke of Norfolk Treasurer of England Edward Earl of Worcester and Lord Chamberlaine Iohn F. knight chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench and Robert R. knight chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas. A little before his death he had concluded a marriage in which negociation Foxe Bishop of Winchester was imployed between his younger Daughter the Lady Mary of the age of ten years and Charles king of Castile not much elder but though concluded yet not solemnized and she was afterward married to Lewis the French king Of his Taxations IN his third yeer there was by Parliament granted toward the maintaining an Army in Britaine that every man should pay the tenth penny of his Goods which Tax though at first withstood in Yorkeshire and Durham yet was afterwad levied to the uttermost In his seventh yeer towards his warres in France a Benevolence was by Parliament granted by which great summes of money were collected of the richer sort only In his eleventh yeer a Subsidie of sixscore thousand pounds was granted him by Parliament towards his waâ—s with Scotland which caused afterward the insurrection in Cornwall In his nineteenth yeer a Subsidie was granted him by Parliament In his one and twentieth yeer â—e raised great summes of money from offenders against Penall Statutes the greatest but the unjustest way for raising of money that every any king of England used and not content with this he required and had at the same time a Benevolence both from the Clergie and Laity To the Clergie was imployed Richard Fox then Bishop of Winchester who assembling the Clergie before him exhorted them to be liberall in their contribution but the Clergie being of two sorts rich and poore made each of them their severall excuses The rich and such as had great livings said they were at great charges in keeping hospitality and maintaining their families and therefore desired to be spaâ—ed The poorer sort alledged that their means were small and scarce able to finde them necessaries and therefore desired to be forborne But the Bishop answered them both with a pretty Dilemma saying to the rich It is true you live at great charges in hospitality in apparell and other demonstrations of your wealth and seeing you have store to spend in such order there is no reason but for your Princes service you should do it much more and therefore you must pay To the poorer sort he said though your livings be small yet your frugality is great and you spend not in house-keeping and apparell as other doe therefore be content for you shall pay Of his Lawes and Ordinances THIS King was the first that ordained a company of tall strong men naming them Yeomen of the Guard to be attending about the person of the king to whom he appointed a Livery by which to be known and a Câ—ptaine by whom to be chosen In his time the authority of the Star-chamber which subsisted before by the Common Lawes of the Realme was confirmed in certaine cases by Act of Parliament In his time were made these excellent generall Laws One that from thenceforth sines should be finall and conclude all strangers rights Another for admission of poore suitours In forma paâ—peris without paying Fee to Counsellour Atturney or Clerke Another that no person that did assist by Armes or otherwise the King for the time being should after be Impeached therefore or Attainted either by course of the Law or by Act of Parliament and that if any such Act of Attainder did happen to be made it should be void and of none effect Another for the Benevolence to make the summes which any had agreed to pay and were not brought in to be leviable by course of Law Another that Murtherers should be burnt on the Brawn of the left hand with the letter M. and Theeves with the letter T. so that if they offended the second time they should have no mercy but â—e put to death and this to â—each also to Clearkes Convict In his fifth yeer It was ordained by Parliament that the Major of London should have Conservation of the river of Thames from the bridge of Stanes to the waters of Yendalâ— and Mâ—d-way In his seventeenth Iohn Shaw Major of London caused his brethren the Aldermen to ride from the Guild-hall to the waters-side when he went to Westminster to be presented in the Exchequer â—e also caused the kitchins and other houses of office â—o be builded at the Guild-hall where since that time the Majors feast haâ—h been kept which before had been in the Grocers or Taylours-hall In his eighteenth yeer king Henry being himselfe a brother of the Taylours Company as divers kings before had been namely Richard the third Edward the fourth Henry the sixth Henry the fifth Henry the fourth and Richard the second also of Dukes 11. Earles 28. Lords 48. he now gave to them the Name and Title of Merchant Taylours as a name of worship to endure for ever Affaires of the Church in his time IN
there to keep the City in Awe And now the Cardinall being weary of hearing so many Causes himselfe as were daily brought before him ordained by the Kings Commission aftet the patterne of Mases divers under Courts to hear coâ—mplaints of Suitours whereof one was kept in the Whitehall another before the Kings Almoner Doctor Stokesley a third in the Lord Treasurers lodging neere the Starre-chamber and the fourth at the Roles in the afternoone these Courts for a time were much frequneted but at last the people perceiving that much delay was used in them and that sentence given by them bound no man by Law they thereupon grew weary of them and resorted to the common Law By occasion of this Government of the Cardinall who under colour of Justice did what he pleased many great men withdrew themselves from the Court as first the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Winchester who went and lived in their Diocesses then the Duke of Norfolke and at length the Duke of Suffolke who being run deep into the Kings debt by reason of his many Imployments into France and his great House-keeping since his marriage with the Kings Sister hoped the King would have forgiven it and would no doubt have done it but that the Cardinall opposed it to the end the Duke should be the more at his command In October this yeer Matthew Bishop of Sion commonly called the Cardinall of the Swizzers came into England from the Emperour Maximilian by whose soliciting and Cardinall Woolseys perswasion the King lent the Emperor a great some of money for Woolsey being angry with the King of France for detaining the revenewes of his Bishoprick of Tourney perswaded King Henry that the best way to abate the French Kings power was to furnish the Emperour money the better to maintaine warre against him and what Woolsey said was in those dayes to King Henry an Oracle This yeer the King kept his Christmas at his manner of Greenwich where on Twelfth night according to his custome rare devices with great magnificence were presented after which time the King exercised himselfe much in Hawking which was like to have proved no good sport to him for one time following his Hawke and leaping over a Ditch with a Pole the Pole brake so that if one Edmund Mody a foot-man had not leapt into the water and lift up his head which was fast in the clay he had been drowned In this yeer also there happened in the City of London an Insurrection against strangers specially of Artificers complayning that strangers were permitted to resort hither with their Wares and to exercise Handy-crafts to the great hindrance and impoverishing the Kings own Subjects and not onely so but that they were borne out in many great Insolencies and wrongs they offered to the English as one time it happened a Carpenter in London called Williamson had bought two Pigeons in Cheap-side and was about to pay for them when a French-man tooke them out of his hand saying they were no meat for a Carpenter well said Williamson I have bought them and I will have them nay said the French-man I will have them for my Lord Embassadour hereupon they grew to words and complaint was made to the French Embassadour who so aggravated the matter to the Major that the Carpenter was sent to prison and when Sir Iohn Baker sued to the Embassadour for him he answered by the body of God the English knave was worthy to loose his life for denying any thing to a French-man and other answer he could have none Matry like and worse Insolencies were offered by changes which one Iohn Lincoln a Broker drew into a Bill and prevailed with Doctor Beale Preacher on Easter Tuesday at the spittle to reade it openly in the pulpit which so stirred up many that strangers could hardly passe the streets but were strucken and sometimes beaten downe At last one evening many Prentises and others assembling rifled some strangers houses and much mischief was like to be done but by the tare of the Maior and Aldermen and by the indâ—stry of Robert Brook Recorder and Sir Thomas Moore â—hat had bin under shriefe of London they were gotten to be quiet and many of the disturbers were sent to prison whereof Lincolne and twelve other were hanged foure hundred more in their shirts bound in ropes and halters about their neckes and thereupon called the black wagon were brought to Westminster where the King himselfe sate that day and when the Cardinall had charged them with the greatnesse of their offence they all cryed mercy mercy and then the King by the mouth of the Cardinall pardoned them all which clemency purchased the Kiâ—g no small love amongst the people In this ninth yeere in Iune King Henry had divers Embassadors at his Court for whose entertainment he prepared a costly Justs himselfe and twelve more against the Duke of Suffolke and other twelve The King had on his Head a Ladies sleeve full of Diamonds and perhaps something else of the Ladies in hes heart which made him performe his courses with the applause of all beholdeâ—s This yeere by reason of a sweating sicknesse Michaelmâ—s Tearme was adjourned and the yeere following Trinity Tearme was held one day at Oxford and then adjourned againe to Westminster About this time Cardinall Woolsey obtained of Pope Leo authority to dispence with all Offences against the spirituall Lawes by vertue whereof he set up a Court and called it The Court of the Legat in the which he proved Testaments and heard Causes to the great hindrance of all the Bishops of the Realme and to the debauching of Priests and Religious persons who relying upon his greatnesse tooke â—uch a liberty of licentiousnesse to themselves that none was more disorderly then those that were in orders and supposiiâ—g perhaps they might lawfully comit such sins themselves as they forgave to others And indede the Cardinalls carriage exceeded all boundes of moderation for when he said masse he made Dukes and Earles to serve him of wine with a say taken and to hold the bason at the Lauatory and when the Archbishop of Canterbury writing a letter to him subscribed your brother William of Canterbury he tooke it in great dudgion to be termed his brother It was now the tenth yeere of King Henries Reigne when the Kinâ— of France longing much to have Turney restored to him by great guifts and greater promisesâ— wonne â—he Cardinall Woolsey to move the King in it who upon his perswasions was contented to be treated withall about it to which the King of France sent the Lord Bonquet high Admirall of France and the Bishop of Paris who in there attendance having above fourescore Gentlemen and with their servants and all above twelve hundred arived in England and on Munday the seaven and twentieth of September were met at Black-heath by the Eaâ—le of Surrey high Admirall of England attended likewise with above five hundred Gentlemen and others who conducted them to
restrained from these Games fell some to drinking some to stealing of Conies and Deere aud such other misdemeanours also in this yeere was an inhauncing of Coyne for preventing the carrying it over to places where it went at higher rate so that the Angell which went before but for seven shillings should now goe for seven and six pence and every ounce of Gold should be five aâ—d forty shillings which was before but forty and other Coynes accordingly In his twentieth yeer Sir Iames Spencer being Major of London the watch used on Mid-somer night was laid downe In his three and thirtieth yeer in a Parliament then holden an Act was made that whosoevet should poyson any person should be boyled to death by which Statute one Richard Roose who had poysoned diverâ—e persons in the Bishop of Rochester place was boyled to death in Smithfield to the terrible example of all other In his two and twentieth yeer three Acts were made one foâ— probate of Testaments another for Mortuaries the third against plurality of benefices Non-Residence buying and taking of Farmes by spirituall persons In his thirtieth yeer it was ordained by Cromwel the Kings Vicar General that in al Churches a Register should be kept of every Weddng Christning and buriall within the same Parish for ever In his one and thirtieth yeer the King first instituted and appointed fifty Gentlemen called Pensioners to waight upon his person assighning to each of them fifty pounds a yeer for the maintainance of thâ—mselvs and two horses in his six and thirtieth yeer Proclamation was made for the inhancing of Gold to eight and fortâ— shillings and silver to foure shillings the ounce also he caused to be coyned base money mingling it with brasse which was since that time called downe the fifth yeere of Edward the sixth and called in the second yeer of Queen Elizibeth In his seven and thirtieth yeer the brothell houses called the Stewes on the Bank-side in Southwarke were pâ—t downe by the Kings Commandement and was done by proclamation and sound of Trumpet In his three and twentieth yeer it was enacted that Butchers should sell their meat by weight Beef for a half-peny the pound and Mutton for three farthings also at this time forraigne Butchers were permitted their flesh in Leadenhall-market which before was not allowed in his time also the Government of the President in the North was first instituted and the first President there was Tunstall Bishop of Durham Affaires of the Church in his time IN the yeer 1517. the eighth yeer of this Kings Reigne Martin Luther of VVittemberg in Germany a Frier of the Order of the Hermisses taking occasion from the abuseâ— of Indulgences began to Preach against the Authority of the Pope and to bring in a Reformation of Religion for repressing of whom the Counsaile of Trent was called by Pope Paul the third in the yeere 1542. which continued above forty yeers but was never received in the Kingdome of Franceâ— which Counsaile by decreeing many things to be poins of faith which were not so accounted before hath made no small distraction amongst Pâ—pists themselves against this Luther King Henry wrote a booke with great bitternesse and with as great bitternesse was answered at the same time with Luther there arose also in the same Country other Reformers of Religion as Zuingliuâ— Occloampadious Melancthon who differing from Luther in some few points made the difference which is at this day of Lutherans and Protestants so called at first Auspurg for making a protestation in defence of their Doctrine which soon after spread all Christendome over King Henry in the sixth and twentieth yeer of his Reigne had excluded the Popes Authority ouâ— of his Realme but thinking the worke not sufficiently done as long as Abbeys and Prioâ—ies kept their station which were as it were his Forteresses and Pillars there wâ—s not long after meâ—nes found to have them suppressed for aspersioâ—s being lâ—id upon them and perhaps no more then truth of Adulteries and Murtherâ— they by Act of Parliâ—ment in his eight and twentieth yeer at lest neere foure hundred of them suppressed and all their lands and goods conferred upon the King In his one and thiâ—tieth yeer all the rest and lastly in his five and thirtinth yeer all Colledgeâ— Chantries and Hospitals so as the hives being now all removed there have never since any Bees or Drones been seen in the Country in this Kings time the Citty of Rome was taken and sacked by the Imperiall Army forcing the Pope to fly to his Castle Saint Angelo and there kept a prisoner till he agreed to such conditions as his Adversaries propounded In the two and twentieth yeere of this Kings reigne a Proclamation was set forth that no person should purchase any thing from the Court of Rome and this was the first blow given to the Pope in England In his three and twentieth yeer the Clergy submitting themselves to the King for being found guilty of a Praemunire were the first that called him supream head of the Church In his foure and twentieth yeere a Parliament was holden wherein one Act was made that Bishops should pay no more Annats or money for their Buls to the Pope and another that no person should appeale for any cause out of this Realm to the Court of Rome but from the Commissary to the Bishop and from the Bishop to the Archbishop and from the Archbishop to the King and all causes of the King to be tried in the upper Hoâ—se of the Convocation In his six and twentieth yeer in Iuly Iohn Frith was burnt in Smithfield aâ—d with him at the same stake one Andrew Howet a Tailor both for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament and in a Parliament holden tâ—is yeer an Act was made which Authorized the Kings Highnesse to be supreame head of the Church of England and the Authority of the Pope to be abolished and then also was given to the King the first fruits and tenths of all Spirituall livings and this yeer were many put to deaâ—h Papists for denying the Kings Supremecy Protestants for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament and it is incredible what numbers for thesâ— two causes were put to death in the last ten yeers of this Kings Reign of whom if we should make perticular mention iâ— would reach a great way in the Book of Martyrs in his eight and twentieth yeer the Lord Cromwell was made Viâ—aâ— General under the King over the Spiritualty and sate divers times in the Convocation House amongst the Bishops as head over them and in September thiâ— yeere he set forth injunctions commandiâ—g all Parsons and Curates to â—each their Parishoners the Paâ—er Noster the Aâ—e and Creed with the ten Commandements and Articles of the Christian Fâ—ith in the English tongue Iâ— his one and thirtieth yeer was set forth by the Bishops the Book of the six Articles condemning all for Hereticks and to be burnt that should hold 1. That the body
Mary the Kings eldest sister To his offer of aide answer was made that the Kings warres were ended and touching the marriage with the Lady Mary â—hat the King was in speech for her marriage with the Infanta of Portugall which if it succeeded not he should then be favourably heard Upon this the Emperours Embassadour demanded of the King that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Masse which the King not onely constantly denied but thereupon Sermons were exercised at Court and order taken that no man should have any Benefice from the King but first he should Preach before him and shortly after under pretence of preparing for Sea-matters five thouâ—and pounds were sent to relieve Protestants beyond the Seas At this time also an Embassadour came from Gustanuâ— King of Sweden to enter league with the King for entercourse of Merchants and charge was then also given that the Lawes of England should be administred in Ireland About this time the Queene Dowager of Scotland going from France to her Countrey passed thorow England having first obtained a safe Conduct she arrived at Portesmouth and was there met by divers of the English Nobility conducted to London she was lodged in the Bishops-Pallace after four dayes staying having beene feasted by the King at Whitehall she departed being waited on by the Sheriffes of Counries to the borders of Scotland And now was one Steward a Scot apprehended in England and imprisoned in the Tower for intending to poyson the yong Queene of Scots whom the King delivered to the French King upon the frontiers of Callice to be by him justiced at his pleasure At â—his time certaine Ships were appointed by the Emperour to transport the Lady Mary either by violence or by stelth out of England to Antwerpe whereupon Sir Iohn Gates was sent with Forces into Essex where the Lady lay and besides the Duke of Somerset was sent with two hundred men the Lord Privie Seale with other two hundred and Master Sentleger with foure hundred more to severall coasts upon the Sea and the Lord Chancellour and Secretary Peter were sent to the Lady Mary who after some conference brought her to the Lord Chancellours house at Lyee in Essex and from thence to the King at Westminster Here the Councell declared unto her how long the King had permitted her the use of the Masse and considering her obstinacy was resolved now no longer to permit it unlesse she would put him in hope of some conformity in short time To which she answered that her soule was Gods and touching her faith as she could not change so she would not dissemble it Reply was made that the King intended not to constraine her faith but to restrain the outward profession of it in regard of the danger the example might draw After some like enterchange of speeches the Lady was appointed to remain with the King when there arived an Embassadour from the Emperor with a threatning message of warre in case his cousin the Lady Mary should be denied the free exercise of the Masse hereupon the King presently advised with the Archbishop of Canterbury and with the Bishop of London and Rochester who gave their opinion that to give licence to sin was sin but to connive at sinne might be â—llowed so it were not too long nor without hope of reformation then answere was given to the Embassadour that the King would send to the Emperour within a month or two and give him such satisfaction as should be fit And now the King being uncertaine of the faith both of his Subjects and of his Confederates intended by alliance to strengthen himselfe and thereupon sent one Bartwicke to the King of Denmarke with private instructions to treat of a mariage betweene the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest sister and the King of Denmarks eldest son but when it came to the point this Lady could not be induced to entertaine mariage with any After this the Marquesse of Northampton was sent Embassadour to the French King as well to present him with the Order of the Garter as to treat with him of other secret affaires with him were joyned in Commission the Bishop of Elye Sir Philip Hobbie Sir William Pickering Sir Iohn Mason and Master Smith Secritary of State also the Earle of Worcester Rutland and Ormond were appointed to accompany them as likewise the Lords Lisle Fitzwater Bray Aburgavenie and Evers with other Knights and Gentlemen of note to the number of six and twenty and for avoiding of immoderate traine order was given that every Earle should have but foure attendants every Baron but three every Knight and Gentlemâ—n but two onely the Commissioners were not limited to any number Being come to the Court of France they were forthwith brought to the King being then in his Bedchamber to whom the Marquesse presented the Order of the Garter wherewith he was presently invested then the Bishop of Elye in a short Speech declared how the King of England out of his love and desire of amitye had sent this Order to his Majestie desiring with all that some persons might be authorized to treat with them about some other mâ—tters of importance whereupon a Commission went forth to the Cardinall of Lorraigne Chastillion the Constable the Duke of Guysae and others At the first the English demanded that the yong Queene of Scots might be sâ—nt into England for perfecting of marriage betweene King Edward and her But to this the French answered That conclusion had beene made long before for her marriage with the Dolphin of France Then the English proposed a marriage betweene King Edward and the Lady Elizaâ—eth the French Kings eldest daughter to this the French did cheerfully incline but when they came to talke of Portion the English demanded at first fifteen hundred thousand crownes then fell to foureteene and aâ— last to eight hundred thousand the French offered at first one hundred thousand crownes then rose to two hundred thousand and higher they would not be drawne saying it was more then ever had bin given with a daughâ—er of France Shortly after Monsieur the Marshall and other Commissioners were sent by the French King to deliver to the King of England the Order of Saint Michael and then was further treaty about the marriage and because the French could be sâ—rued no higher then two hundred thousand crownes it was at last accepted and the agreement was reduced into writing and delivered under Seale on both sides And now King Edward supposing his state to be most safe when indeed it was most unsure in testimoâ—y both of his joy and love advanced many to new titles of honouâ— the Lord Marquesse Dorset who had maried the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon was created Duke of Suffolke the Earle of Warwicke Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Wiltshire was created Marquesse of Winchester Sir William Herbert Lord of Cardisse and Master of the Horse was created Earle of Pembrooke also William Cecill the Kings
Spain where for England was employed the Earl of Arundell Thursbey Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wootton Dean of Canterbury with whom William Lord Howard of Effingham was joyned by a new Commission As soon as King Philip heard of the death of his wife Queen Mary paâ—â—ly out of considerations of State and partly out of affection of love he solicited Q. Elizabeth by his Ambassadour the Earl of Feria to joyniâ— Marriage with himself which was no more for two sisters to have successively one husband then was done before for two brothers to have successively one wife and for this he promised to procure a Dispensation from the Pope To which motion the Queen though she well knew That to allow a Dispensation in this case to be sufficient were to make her own Birth Illegitimate yet to so great a Prince and who in her sisters time had done her many favours she would not return so blunt an Answer but putting the Ambassadouâ— off for the present in modest tearms She conceived there would be no better way to take him off clean from further sute then by bringing in an Alteration of Religion which yet she would not do all at once and upon the sudden as knowing the great danger of sudden changes but by little and little and by degrees as at first she permitted onely Epistles and Gospels the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Creed to be read to the People in the English Tongue in all other matters they were to follow the Romane Rite and Custome untill order could be taken for establishing of Religion by Authority of Parliament and a severe Proclamation was set forth prohibiting all Points of Controversie to be medled with by which means she both put the Protestants in hope and put not Papists out of hope Yet privately she committed the correcting of the Book of Common Prayer set forth in the English Tongue under King Edward the sixth to the care and diligence of Doctor Parker Bill May Cox Grindall Whitehead and Pilkington Divines of great Learning with whom she joyned Sir Thomas Smith a learned Knight but the matter carryed so closely that it was not communicated to any but â—o the Marquesse of Northampton the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Cecile The two and twentieth of March the use of the Lords Supper in both kindes was by Parliament allowed The four and twentieth of Iune the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue established though as some say but with the difference of six voyces In Iuly the Oath of Supremacy was propounded to the Bishops and others And in August Images were removed out of Churches and broken or burnt By these degrees the Religion was changed and yet the change to the wonder of the world bred no disturbance which if it had been done at once and on the sudden would hardly at least not without dangerous opposition have been admitted During this time a Parliament had been summoned to begin at Westminster upon the fifteenth of Ianuary and now the Queen for satisfaction of the people appointed a Conference to be held between the Prelates of the Realm and Protestant Divines now newly returned who had fled the Realm in the time of Queen Mary for the Prelates were chosen Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Ralph Bayne Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield Thomas Watson Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Cole Dean of Pauls Doctor Langdell Arch-deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpsefield Arch-deacon f Canterbury and Doctor Chadsey Arch-deacon of Middlesex For the Protestant side were appointed Doctor Scory Doctor Cox Doctor Sands Doctor Whitehead Doctor Grindall Master Horne Master Guest Master Elmer and Master Iuell The place was prepared in Westminster Church where besides the Disputants were present the Lords of the Queens Councell with other of the Nobility as also many of the Lower House of Parliament The Articles propounded against the Prelates and their adherents were these First That it is against the Word of God and the Custome of the ancient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in common Prayer and in the Administration of the Sacraments Secondly That every Church hath authority to appoint and change Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Rites so they be to edification Thirdly That it cannot be proved by the Word of God that there is in the Masse a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the living and the dead For the manner of their Conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first The last of March was the first day of their meeting where contrary to the Order the Bishops brought nothing in writing but said They would deliver their mindes onely by Speech This breaking of Order much displeased the Lords yet they had it granted Then rose up Doctor Cole and made a large Declaration concerning the first Poynt when he had ended the Lords demanded if any of them had more to say who answered No Then the Protestant Party exhibited a written Book which was distinctly read by Master Horne This done some of the Bishops began to affirm they had much more to say in the first Article This again much displeased the Lords yet this also was granted them to do at their next meeting on Munday next but when Munday came so many other differences arose between them that the Conference broke off and nothing was determined But in the Parliament there was better Agreement for there it was enacted That Queen Elizabeth was the lawfull and undoubted Queen of England notwithstanding a Law made by her Father King Henry the eighth that excluded both her and her sister Mary from the Crown seeing though the Law be not repealed yet it is a Principle in Law That the Crown once gained taketh away all defects Also in this Parliament First fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England was confirmed to the Queen with so universall consent that in the Upper House none opposed these Laws but onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Anthony Brown Viscount Mountague and in the Lower House only some few of Papall inclination murmured saying That the Parliament was packt and that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir William Cecill for their own ends had cunningly begged voyces to make up their Party The Supremacie thus confirmed to the Queen the Oath was soon after tendred to the Bishops and others of whom as many as refused to take it were presently deprived of their livings And that we may see how inclining the Kingdom at this time was to receive the Protestant Religion It is said that in the whole Realm wherein are reckoned above Nine thousand Spirituall Promotions there were no more that refused to take the Oath but onely fourscore Parsons fifty Prebendaries fifteen Masters of Colledges twelve Archdeacons twelve Deans six Abbots and fourteen Bishops indeed all that were at that time
of the Queens Councell And this yeer were taken at Masse in their severall houses the Lord Morley's Lady and her children the Lady Guildford and the Lady Browne who being thereof indited and convicted suffered the penalty of the Law in that case provided Untill the twentieth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign the Papists in England were mercifully connived at while they solemnized their own Rites within their private houses though that also were against the Laws but when as that Thunder-bolt of excommunicating the Queen came abroad then was the Law enacted against those who brought into the Kindome any Agnâ—s Dei or hallowed Beads or reconciled any of the Queens subjects to the See of Rome yet for six whole yeers together after this Law was made it was not executed upon any Papist till Cuthbert Mayne a Priest and an obstinate maintainer of the Popes Authority against the Queen was executed at Launston in Cornwall and the Gentlemans goods that harboured him confiscate and himself adjudged to perpetuall Imprisonment In her three and twentieth yeer divers Priests and Jesuites came into England amongst whom Robert Pâ—â—sons and Edmund Campian English-men and Jesuites being now bound for England to promote the Catholike Cause at which time a Proclamation was set forth That whosoever had any children beyond the Sea should by a certain day call them home and that no person should receive or harbour any Seminary Priest or Jesuite At this time also there arose up in Holland a certain Sect naming themselves The Family of Lâ—ve who perswaded their followers That those only who were adopted into that Family were elected and no other could be saved but were all reprobates and damned and that it was lawfull for them to deny upon oath whatsoever they pleased before any Magistrate or whomsoever that were not of their Family Many of their books were printed under these titles The Gospel of the Kingdom The Lords Sentences The Prophesie of the spirit of love The publication of Peace upon earth by the Author H. N. but who this Author was they would by no means reveal at last he was found to be Henry Nicholls of Leyden who blasphemously preached That he was partaker of the Divinity of God and God of his humane Nature all which books were by Proclamation commanded to be burnt In a Parliament holden the eight and twentieth yeer of her Raign some out of a desire of a Reformation began to pick quarrells at the Clergy desiring to passe Laws for the restraint of Bishops in their granting of Faculties conferring of holy Orders Ecclesâ—asticall Censure and the Oath Ex officio They complayned likewise of the non-residency of Ministers and the like But the Queen who alwayes hated Innovation which for the most part changeth for the worse would give no ear unto them conceiving besides That these proceedings in Parâ—iament in Ecclesiasticall Affairs derogated from her Prerogative In her six and twentieth yeer the Queen gave a speciall charge to Whitgift Arch-bishop of Canterbury to settle an Uniformity in the Ecclesiasticall Discipline according to the Laws which through the connivence of Bishops and perversenesse of the Puritans lay now almost gasping Whâ—reupon he provided three Articles to which every Minister should subscribe The first That the Queen had Supreme Authority over all persons born within her Dominions of what condition soever they were and that no other Prince or Prelate or Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction Civill or Ecclesiasticall within her Realms and Dominions The second That the Book of Common-Prayer and of the Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth nothing contrary to the Word of God but may lawfully be used and that they will use that and none other The third That the Articles agreed on in the Synod holden at London in the yeer 1562 and published by the Queens Authority they did allow of and believe them to be consonant to the Word of God It is incredible what reproaches the Arch-bishop incurred by setting forth these Articles both from factious Ministers and from some also of the Nobility yet by his patience and constancy he brought at last Peace to the Church making this his Motto Vincit qui patitur Neither did these at home onely disturb the Peace of the Church but others also from abroad as Robert Brown a young Student of Divinity in Cambridge from whom came the Sectaries called Brownists and Richard Harrison a petty School-Master These presuming to judge matters of Religion by their own private spirit by books set forth in Zealand and dispersed at this time over England condemned the Church of England for no Church and ensnared many in the nets of their new Schism Neither could they be restrayned though their books were prohibited by the Queens Authority and soundly confuted by sundry learned men and one or two of the Ring-leaders executed at S. Edmunds Berry In her one and thirtieth yeer these Puritans flames brake forth again Books are written by the names of Martin Mar-Prelate and A Demonstration of the Discipline by Penry aâ—d â—â—dall against the Government of Bishops and nothing would please them but the Discipline of Geneva Many Abettors they had Knightly and Wigstone Knights besides Cartwright the father of them Snape King Pradlow Payn and others who though called in question fined and imprisoned could never be reclaimed In her six and thirtieth yeer the Queen caused the severity of the Laws to be executed upon Henry Barrow and his Sectaries for disturbing the Church and the publike Peace by scattering of their monstrous Opinions condemning the Church of England as no Christian Church and derogating from thâ— Queens Authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall WORKS of Piety in her time THis Queen converted Westminster Abbey into a Collegiate Church and there ordained a Dean twelve Prebendaries a Master Usher and forty Schollars Vicars Singing-men and twelve Alms-men In her third yeer the Merchant-Taylors founded a notable Grammar-School in the Parish of S. Lawrence Pountney in London Also this yeer William Harper Maior of of London founded a Free-School in the Town of Bedford where he was born In her seventh yeer on the seventh of Iune Sir Thomas Gresham laid the first stone of the Royall Exchange in Cornhill which in November the yeer after at his own charges was finished being the yeer 1567. In her tenth yeer the Citizens of London builded a new Conduit at Walbrook corner neer to Dowgate the water whereof is conveyed out of the Thames Also this yeer Sir Thomas Roe Maior of London caused to be enclosed within a wall of Brick one Acre of ground neer unto Bâ—dlam without Bishops-Gatâ— to be a place of Buryall for the dead of such Parishes in London as lacked convenient ground within their Parishes He also builded a convenient room in Pauls Church-Yard on the South side of the Crosse to receive a certain number of Hearers at the Sermon time Sir William Peter having himself been born at Exceter in Devon-Shire he