King and Parliament in England continuing to increase many that feared the sad Events left the Land others retired to lead private Lives Mary the King 's Eldest Daughter being Married to the Prince of Orange by Approbation of Parliament the Queen went over with her and the King caused all Popish Priests to be banish'd the Kingdom and the Penal Statutes to be put in Execution against Papists Yet the Parliament proceeded to Tax the King about harkning to the Change of Religion and that he had given cause to the Rebellion in Ireland casting many Reflections on the Queen which constrained him to publish his Declaration to wipe off these Imputations but this doing little good he retired with Prince Charles his Son the Palsgrave of the Rhine the Duke of Richmond and others to York Summoning the Nobles Knights of the Garter and all such as held Tenure of the Crown by Lands or Service But the Parliament strictly forbid it Yet many went and among them several Members of Parliament The King seeing no good by fair means to be done he Commanded all the Yorkshire Men to meet him at Howard-Moor near York where there appeared about 60000 and with about 20000 he returned to York Commanding the rest to return to their Respective Homes In the mean while the Parliament was borrowing Money of the Londoners on the Publick Faith and raising 10000 Foot and 2000 Horse they sent them towards York of which the King had no sooner Notice but with a slender Force he repaired to Hull and demanded enterance but Sir John Hotham the Governour appearing on the Walls fell on his Knees and entreated his Majesty not to desire that of him which he could not Grant by reason of the Trust imposed in him by the Parliament whereupon he was proclaimed Traytor and the King sent to the Parliament to complain of this Affront and require a Treaty tending to a Reconciliation promising to repair to them if they would leave London and make choice of some other fitting place but they refused it Whereupon he Proclaimed all those Guilty of Treason that assisted them either with Money or Supplies and threatned to deprive the Londoners of their Charter if they offended herein Then he Fortified Newark and Barwick and sought to gain Hull by Force but failed in the Attempt And the Parliament having proclaimed the Earl of Essex their General the King repaired to Notingham and there set up his Standard and gathered a considerable Army so that now to the great Trouble of most People War was prepared for on both sides with much Vigor and Resolution in which many Gallant Men lost their Lives And Prince Charles seeing his Father's Affairs in a desperate Condition Sailed for the Scillys from whence he was Invited by the Parliament to return for London but not thinking it safe he went to the Hague and continued with his Sister the Princess of Orange till he heard the sad News of his Father's Death In the mean while Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice the King's Nephews Sons to his Sister the Queen of Bohemia came over and were Graced with Commands in the Army After several Skirmishes and the taking some Towns on both sides the two Armies drew near each other and the King perceiving himself Strong upon the Earl of Worcester's coming in with a considerable Force of Welch resolved to out-march Essex and reach London and to that end got a days March before him but Scorning to be pursu'd by a Subject he changed his Measures Faced about and both Parties Facing between Keinton and Edge-hill in Warwickshire on the 23d of Octob. 1642 a sharp Battel was Fought between them in which on both sides were slain between 5 and 6000 Men and the Slaughter had been much greater had not Night come on and parted them After this the King took in the Town and Castle of Banbury and some other places The Parliament to strengthen their Army Voted That all Apprentices that would List should be Free from their Masters and afterward received into Service again whereupon they gained considerable Recruits Then solemnly invited the Scots to their Assistance which the King by his Letters to the Privy-Council of Scotland laboured to prevent but in vain Yet several of the Lords and Commons presented a Petition to him at Cole-brook and had answer He would expect them at Windsor Castle and desired them to hasten the Treaty But this they did to gain time till Essex was Recruited which made the King hasten to Secure Brainford where happened a sharp Encounter tho' at last he forced his way but upon Essex's hastening with his Regular Forces and the London-Militia he retired for fear of being hemmed in to Oxford and because this happened in a time of Treaty the Parliament Voted to have no Accommodation yet after allowed it if he would leave his Army and come to them But this was Rejected and the War waxed fierce so that with various Success Towns were taken and Parties routed on both sides by turns whilst the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk Essex Hartford Cambridge Isle of Ely and the City of Norwich were Authorized by the Parliament to Associate under the Lord Gray of Wark And the Queen arriving with Officers Ammunition and Money from Holland was received at York by the Earls of New castle and Cumberland And these Disturbances at Home gave the Irish an Opportunity to Rebel again at the Instigation of the Pope who to that Purpose sent two Letters one to Owen O Neal and the other to all the Arch-bishops Bishops Nobles and People of the Kingdom Commanding those who had already appeared in the Quarrel and Exhorting others to take Arms wickedly approving the Massacre and bestowing on them his Benediction with plenary Pardons and Absolutions for whatever they should act so that much Blood was again shed which caused by the Mediation of those that were Peaceably inclin'd several new Treaties to be set on Foot between the King and Parliament but they came to nothing being still crossed by those that hoped for Advantages by the Distractions of the times And the Lord Brook besieging Litchfield-Close was there Slain but his Soldiers took it and the Earl of Chester Prisoner And now they proceeded to draw up Articles of high Treason against the Queen some of which were That she pawned the Crown-Jewels in Holland That she endeavoured to raise a Party in Scotland against the Parliament and that she was in the Head of a Popish Army in England This was carried to the Lords by Pym who seemed at first to be Surprized but after agreed to it About this time Robert Yeomans and George Boucher were Hang'd at Bristol on pretence they designed to betray the City to the King and on the like pretence Mr. Tomkins and Mr. Challonor were Executed on the Account of London And during these Heats Arch-bishop Laud was Attainted of High-Treason and lost his Head And the Queen meeting the King at Edge-hill went with him to
the latter Ruling with the former Four Years beginning his Reign Anno 365. He at first recalled Nazianzen and Basil from Banishment and was Baptized by Eudoxius but after turned Arian and Persceuted the Orthodox Clergy and when they sent Petitions to him he caused Eighty of them to be carryed to Sea in a Ship and the Ship set on Fire But Gratian was more Merciful and did many good Acts Building the ruined Churches and calling home the Banish'd Clergy He Reigned Six Years but neither of them had any Wars with Britain Maximinus and Valentinas began to Reign Anno Dom. 373 and are held to reign about Six Years though History seems to take but little notice of the former The Britaâ— in their time were free from Wars Theodosius began his Reign and continued it about Four Years Flavius Stillico was his Deputy in Britain but I read of no Wars with this Nation his Hands being otherwise fill'd in opposing the Goths and other Barbarous Nations who broke like a Torrent into the Roman Provinces In his time was held The Second General Council and the First at Constantinople Great Damages by Sea and Land were sustained by an Earth-Quake which lasted Six Months ENGLAND As it was divided in the time of the English Saxons especially during their Heptarchy Theodosius the Younger and Valentinianus began their Reign 402. In their time The Third General Council was held at Ephesus the first held there And now the Red Horse with his Rider mentioned in the Revelation seemed to be sent forth to take Peace from the Earth The Roman Empire was Invaded in all parts so that they were forced to re-call their Souldiers from Britain and other remote Provinces to aid them nearer home leaving this Island after they had possessed it 597 Years And then the Saxons being call'd in as Friends to assist them against the Picts proved greater Enemies as will appear in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. How on the Departure of the Romans the Picts and Scots Invaded the Britains The Succours the Romans sent them and the Wall built from Sea to Sea to prevent Incursions By what means the Saxons were called In in the Reign of King Vortigern and how they got Footing so Strongly as to setle their Heptarchie or Seven Kingdoms Their Original Manners Laws Customs and Religion THE Romans as is said being embroyled in dangerous Wars in Italy and other Provinces in their vast Empire having left this Kingdom naked and defenceless by draining the Youths of Britain to serve them in Transmarine parts of whom afterwards they setled a Colony in France or antient Gallia which is now called Britany The Picts a People of Germany who had Established a Kingdom in the Marches of England and Scotland took this opportunity to encroach on the Britains in the South and West Counties but finding themselves too weak to make any considerable advances they Leagued with the Scots who possessed the Northern parts of the Island and divers small Islands scatter'd in the Ocean towards the Coast of Denmark and Norway These joyntly raising great Forces broke in violently making great Slaughter and Ravages in Cumberland Northumberland Durham Yorkshire and other Northern Counties laying all Religious Places waste with Sword and Fire so that the distressed People fled before them Yet the Britains took Courage and gave them Battel but after this and several other overthrows they found themselves so weakened that they were constrained to send Embassadors to Honorius the Roman Emperour Imploring his Protection to save their sinking Country out of the Hands of their Merciless Enemies This good Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent a choice Legion by whose assistance and instructing them in the Millitary Art they with great Slaughter drove the far-advanc'd Picts and Scots beyond the Marches and to exclude them the British Provinces a mighty Wall with vast Labour and Expence was erected from the Frith of Edenborough to the City Alcluith on Dumbriton with Bullwarks and Watch-Towers in which Guards were placed to give notice of the Enemies approach and to defend the Stupendious Work But it little availed for no sooner was the Roman Legion recalled but the Picts and Scots assembled in great Numbers and with their long Hooks and Bills pulled the half-Starved Britains from their Battlements and with an Engine called a War-wolfe broke a passage through and then with all their power rushed in like a Torrent laying every thing waste before them whilst others from Scotland came in their Carroghs or small Barks and Landed on the Banks of the Humber in swarms The poor Britains finding themselves so hardly distressed between two insolent Enemies sent their Embassadors a second time to Valentinian the Third then Emperour of Rome with Rent Garments and Dust on their Heads in a mournful manner to implore him That he would not suffer a Province which had been so serviceable to the Roman State to fall under the Scorn and Insolence of Merciless Pagans setting forth at large the Miseries their Country laboured under with such moving Oratory that the Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent two Legions of Foot and three Cohorts of Horse who coming unexpectedly on the Ravenous Spoilers overthrew them with a terrible Slaughter covering the Fields and Lanes with their Dead Bodies beating and pursuing them beyond the Wall taking Camelon the chief City of the Picts building a stronger Wall than the former of Stone and mighty Piles of Timber the Ruins of which are visible at this Day it being then Twelve Foot high and Eight broad traversing the Island from Sea to Sea and for the good-will the Romans bore the Britains they taught them the Art of Arms and manner of Intrenching furnishing them with Weapons and other Necessaries and having setled affaires they took their leave telling the Natives who Mourned their Departure That they must take Courage and Defend themselves for as much as the Romans could not any more undertake such chargeable and hazardous Voyages for their sake seeing they had powerful Enemies to contend with nearer home However the Romans departing and they being Oppressed again by their old Enemies sent thhs Deplorable Letter to Aetius President of Galia for Assistance Superscribed To Aetius the third time Consul the Groans of the BRITAINS Viz. The Barbarians drive us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back upon them between these Extreames we are exposed either to be slain with the Sword or drowned in the Waves and to avoid either we find no Remedy unless most Excellent Roman you will compassionate our extream Misery and send us speedy Aid to repel our cruel Enemies This however prevailed not for the Romans unable to defend themselves against the Huns and Vandals renounced their claim to this Island refusing to send any more Forces Whereupon after divers unsuccessful Battels some of the Britains through Famine were forced to yeild themselves Slaves to their Enemies but others preferring Liberty before Life betooke them to the Fastnesses in
conclude But now to the King of Denmark belongs Norway formerly a distinct Kingdom and some other Countries which render his Territories much larger than when the Danes first possessed it As for their Religion when they first Invaded England and long after it was Paganism Their Idols were many out-numbering those of the Pagan Saxons to some they Offered Horses to others Humane Sacrifice Fruits Flowers Water Bread Wine Fish c. They were a People very Bloody and Cruel to those they prevailed over and extreamly Lustful and Treacherous Their Habit was close girted Coats their Arms Spears of a moderate length Battel-Axes and Faulchions their Diet many times the Flesh of their slain Enemies Rost or Sodden it was about 230 years from their first Invading England before Canute got the Sole Monarchy of whose Reign I am next to treat The Reign of Canute Sixteenth Sole Monarch of England and first of the Danes that Reigned here CAnute Son to Swane who as you have heard was Murthered by his Souldiers began his Reign as Sole Monarch Anno Dom. 1017. He was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch Bishop of Canterbury and at his first coming to the Crown kept the English under with a very strict Hand every where disarming them and making it a capital Crime for above a certain number of them to meet together unless called by his Authority so that Faires and Marts were in a manner laid aside He Deposed and Banished the Popular Nobles conferring their Titles of Honour and Estates on his Danes and yet not thinking he was sufficiently secured whilst Edward and Edmund the Sons of Edmund Ironside remained in the Kingdom and yet thought that if he should dip his Hands in their Innocent Blood he must of necessity incur the perpetual hatred of the English he concluded to take away their Lives privately so that he might excuse it and lay the blame on others whereupon he sent the Young Princes to his Brother King of Sweden with private Instructions to make them away but he detesting so base a crime Transferred them to the King of Hungary where Edmond Dyed but Edward getting favour at Court and being a Prince endowed with much manly Beauty and excellent Parts Agatha Sister to the Empress of Germany fell in Love with him to whom he was Married and by her had Edgar Sirnamed Etheling who Dyed without Issue Margaret who Married Malcolm King of Scots she had Issue Christian a Veiled Nun Edgar David and Alexander all three Kings of Scotland proceeded from this Line as also Maud wife to King Henry the first King of England who had Issue Maud the Empress Mother to King Henry the Second so that the design of making away these Princes abroad by a wonderful Providence turned in the end to the Advantage of both Kingdoms in restoring the Saxon Line after the Norman Conquest to England in the person of Henry the Second and producing many worthy Kings in Scotland Canute to strengthen his Interest Marryed Emma Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy and widow to King Ethelred and soon got possession of the Kingdom of Norway which has ever since been annexed to the Crown of Denmark then Warring on the Scots he made them Tributaries so that some reckon him to be the possessor of Four Kingdoms he made a strict League with the Normans and set out a huge Navy to Sea bringing thereby a Terror on all the Neighbouring Sea Coasts laying a Tax of 82000 Pounds on his English Subjects with which Money at the perswasion of Queen Emma he pay'd off and sent away the greater part of the Lazy Danes to their Native Country which won him much favour with the English Then he set himself to the contriving and establishing wholsom Laws for the better settlement of his Kingdom and for the more firmly founding them he called a Parliament at Oxford He is commended for his aversion to Dissemblers Traitors and Flatterers for one of the latter having told him He was Soveraign King not only of the Land but the Sea and not only his People but the Winds and Waves were subject to his Command to disprove and upbraid the Parasite being at Southampton he caused his Chair to be placed on the Sand and Commanded the Sea that it should not swell to wet his Royal Robes but the Waves Rowling towards the Shoar in their wonted Flowings Dashed him up to the Thighs whereupon rising hastily he said to his Attendants Now you see all the Might and Power of Kings is but Vanity for none is worthy to have the Name of King but he that hath all things subject to his Laws and from that time as several Authors affirm he not only Banished all Flatterers from the Court but refused to wear his Crown In the Third Year of his Reign with a great Navy he Sailed to Denmark that Country being then Invaded by the Vandalls who had over-run the larger part of Germany and overthrowing them in a bloody Battel Slaying their chief Leaders he chased the rest out of his Kingdom and causes Castles and Forts to be Builded on the Frontiers to secure it against their Incursions And so returning with Victory he was received at London in Triumph and having settled his Affairs in a flourishing condition the Kingdom thereby much recovered its Antient Renown and he having received the Christian Faith a considerable time before hearing of the Magnificence of Rome and desirous to see its stately Structures the manner of their Living c. went thither not Royally Attended but as a Pilgrim where nevertheless being known he was received with great respect and having given liberally to that See after he had visited all the places of note in that Superb City once Mistriss of the World he returned highly satisfied with the Undertaking causing the Ruined Churches to be Repaired and Founded divers Religious Houses giving great Priviledges to the Monastery of St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk which he had re-Edified and then taking a Progress to restore the Face of Justice in the several Counties punishing the corrupt Ministers and Oppressors worn out with the Toiles of War and Indefatigable Study in settling his new acquired Kingdom he fell Sick on the Road some Miles from Shaftsbury and being conveyed to that Town in a short time he paid the debt by Nature due from all that are cloathed with Mortality Dying Anno Dom. 1036 when he had Reigned 18 Years and tho' the First of the Danish yet is accounted the 16th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Huntingtonshire c. HUntingtonshire is as the former an Inland County Bounded by Northamptonshire Bedfordshire and Cambridgshire It produces store of Wooll Cattle Corn and many fertil Pastures it is somwhat Woody tho' incumbered with few Hills of any considerable height it has many small Streams abounding with Roach Dace Chub Trouts Carp and Pike and abundance of Wild Fowle resorts to its Meers and Marshy Places it contains divers Parks of Deer and some Warrens also
Prelates Noblemen and Judges sufficient to determine any Controversies within his Kingdom that should arise either in Church or Common-Weal and added That he would rather expose himself to Ten Thousand Deaths than basely as he was required make himself and his Kingdom Servil to the Popes Insolency and Peremptory Commands But on the other side the Pope threatened what he would do if he was not Obey'd in the Election of Langton and the calling home such Monks as had Fled through fear of the Kings displeasure on this last Election and because this was not speedily done he sent his Apostolical Command to the Prelates of London Ely Worcester c. to Interdict the Kingdom if the King continued in his obstinacy as he termed it This Commission was put in Execution and the Church-Doors were shut up for several Years Some Authors say Six there being neither Prayers Sermons Christenings nor Service at the Funerals of the Dead said or performed publickly during that time so that the People distinguished not the Sabbath from other days but followed their Work and Sports on it living More like Infidels than Christians such power over the Minds of besotted Men had the Popes Usurpation in those dark and ignorant Times For this Affront the King Banished divers Bishops and others of the Clergy whom he found most forward in complying with the Popes Interest seizing on their Temporalities resolving to take the like course with all such as consented to receive Promotions Investitures or Ecclesiastical Degrees from the Pope or new Arch Bishop or that went to Rome upon any occasion without his License or did attempt to put in Execution any Command from the Pope within his Kingdom The Pope no sooner heard of this but resolving not to cool on it he sent into England two Legates viz. Pandulph and Durant to perswade the King to be Reconciled to Langton and the other Bishops and Clergy that were under his Displeasure in England or in Banishment to restore them to their Lands Places and Goods that a good understanding might be renewed between the Pope and him This did but little please the King yet however fearing to be Accursed and Embroyl himself in new Troubles for in those days the Popes Leaden Sword did more mischief in Kingdoms than many of Steel People being for the most part infatuated to believe what he did he did by the immediate Will and Command of God whose Vicegerent he assumed to himself to be He promised to perform all but allowing the Election of Cardinal Langton protesting that if another might be chosen he would yet prefer him to some other Bishoprick but the Imperious Legates instead of gratifying the Kings Request pronounced the Popes Curse not only against the King but all Persons who should do him Service or give him Attendance or supply him with things Necessary Absolving his Subjects from their Allegiance Duties and Oaths requiring all Christian Princes to make War upon him as upon the Arch and Grand Enemy of the Church of God The Pope also published and pronounced against him Sentence of Deprivation and gave his Crown and his Kingdom to Philip the French King if by any secret Plot or open Violence and Hostility he could Expel or Murther him These were the Fruits of this pretended Holy un-Holy Father The Popes Religion and Government and this Usurping Arrogance was a badg of his unsufferable Pride in that he presumed to do what no Earthly Creature can do nor what a Christian ought to attempt to do against a Prince who is Gods Anointed and against such a one as the Almighty has placed in his Kingdom to Govern and Rule his People Yet this Fulmination did not much startle King John and being determined to know the minds of his People how they stood affected to him after this matter he took a sollemn Oath of them for the defence of his Person and the performance of faithful Service to him and then raising an Army he went to Scotland because that King encouraged by the Pope was practicing against him sheltering such as had taken part with the Pope and fled out of England But King Alexander the Second perceiving that Fire and Sword began to devour apace in his Country he with much Humility sent to King John to desire him to spare his People and their Substance and what in reason he required he would accord to and a Peace was made shortly between them he consenting to Banish all the Kings Enemies out of his Country This much disappointed Philip of France who was preparing to Invade England and had to that end provided a gallant Army but by the Wisdom Valour and Circumspection of King John and the Providence of God 300 of his Ships Laden with Corn and other Provisions and Necessaries for the Invasion were Surprized by our Ships which great disapointment put an end at that time to the Design and frustrated his vain hope But after all this the King finding so many Efforts and Treacheries against him that disparing to weather every one of them and pittying the sufferings of his People under these distractions he suddainly without the Advice of his Nobles or of his Privy Council degenerating from his former daring and boldness of Spirit fell on his Knees before the Legate acknowledging his Disobedience craving of him the Popes Pardon resigning with his Crown the possession of his Kingdom to the See of Rome which Crown the proud Prelate took and to put him into some pain in considering whether he should ever have it restored again kept it Four Days and then returned it to the use of him and his Heirs reserving 1000 Marks Yearly by way of Tribute to the See of Rome which was the main thing the Pope had aimed at and for which he had all the while made such a prodigious noise and bustle But this low and Un-Prince-like Submission to a paltry Priest threw him into another mischief which was the contempt and dislike of his Nobles so that for the most part they Revolted from him and entered upon a cruel and unnatural War which went very near to have enslaved this flourishing Island once more to Strangers for the Barons finding they were too weak to oppose the King they leaned on Philip of Frrnce proposing if he would assist them with sufficient Forces and Money they would soon Depose King John and place the Crown upon the Head of Lewis Son to Philip This News fired the Young Ambitious French Prince who had also something of a Martial Spirit that he never left urging his Father till he had furnished him out with an Army But the Pope having now closed with King John on his complaining of this to him he sent his strict command under many Threats to the French King not to suffer his Son to pass the Seas or in the least to molest a Kingdom under the Protection of the Holy See tho' as you have heard a little before himself had given it to them
Peace which was soon Concluded as had been with France before On the 29th of May 1630. the Queen was deliver'd of a Son who was Christened Charles and Succeeded in the Kingdom At whose Birth it is Remarkable a very bright Star appeared at Noon-day which being shewed the King as he came from his Devotion he greatly Rejoyced thereat as taking it for a fortunate Presage Soon after Dr. Leighton Writing and Publishing a Book Entituled Sion's Plea was Censured for it and Sentenced to have his Nose slit his Ears cropp'd and a Mark or Brand in his Fore-head which was inflicted on him Anno 1631 Mervin Lord Audley Earl of Castle-Haven was tryed by his Peers on the Petition of his Son and Heir for a Rape and Sodomy and being found Guilty lost his Head on Tower-hill The King hearing of some Murmurrings and Discontents in Scotland went thither in Person hoping to give his People of that Kingdom Satisfaction and being solemnly Crowned at Edenborough he called a Parliament But they fearing the bringing in of Episcopacy and the Form of Prayer and other Services in England seemed more and more to be Disgusted However the King having Confirmed and Ratified some Laws which the Scots construed to the worst Sense And which was indeed in order to the establishing Episcopacy there which King James the First had introduced Anno 1616. and which was apparent by the King 's giving Order to the Dean of his Royal Chappel in Edenborough to have Prayer read therein according to the English Liturgy c. In the Year 1632 the King incited thereto by Bishop Laud set out a Declaration for Tollerating of Sports on the Lord's-day which gave great Offence to all sober Men and for refusing to Publish it many of the best Ministers were Suspended and deprived of their Benefices Octob. 13. 1633. The Queen was delivered of her second Son named James afterwards Duke of York and after his Brother Charles his Death King of England c. And at that time the Arch-bishop of Canterbury dying Bishop Laud was made Arch-bishop in his place After this a Fleet was set out by the Supply of a Tax called Ship-money which removed the Hollanders who had Confederated with the French from before Dunkirk and the Flandrians with the assistance of the Spaniard soon Routed the French Army by Land The King Considering the good success of this Fleet sent out an other which Sailing Northward scoured the Seas of the Dutch Busses and spoiled their Fishing-trade so that they were constrained to purchase their leave to Fish on our Coast on Valuable Considerations Several Gentlemen being Dissatisfied with the raising of Ship-money and being done without consent of Parliament refused to pay it upon which the King referr'd it to his Judges of whom Ten were for the Legality of it and subcribed their Names to be Enrolled in the Courts of Westminster but Hutton and Crook refused and thereupon Mr. Hamden of Buckinghamshire refusing to pay it had Judgment given against him which occasioned murmurings among the people of which Dr. Bastwick Prin and Burton taking the Advantage writ Books reflecting on the Bishops and Government for which they were sentenced to pay 5000 l. Fine lose their Ears in the Pillory and Imprisoned during the King's pleasure And Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln was fined 10000 l. and Imprisoned in the Tower During pleasure and left to the Censure of the High Commission Court as to what concerned them wherein the Bishop had very hard Measure his Offence being chiefly that he approved not of Archbishop Laud's Exorbitant Actions And now new Troubles arising about the Book of Common-Prayer in Scotland the King marched thither with an Army and the Scots met him near Berwick But a Treaty being began by means of the Scots Nobility a Peace was soon Concluded but they kept it no longer than the King's return to London which occasioned him to make a second Expedition but by this time they had entred into a solemn League and Covenant for the Extirpation of Episcopacy and Establishing of Presbytery On the 13th of April 1640. After twelve Years interval a Parliament met at Westminster to whom the King promised That if they would Supply him to maintain the War against the Scots he would quit his claim of ship-money And the Parliament seemed to have a great Disposition to comply with the King's desires but it being demanded in the House of Commons what supply the King expected It was answered by Mr. Secretary Vane Twelve Subsidies whereas at that time the King only desir'd Six This large Demand put the House into such a Ferment made things look so ill that the King Dissolved the Parliament the next Day having only sat 22 Days The Scots not yet quieted enter into England with an Army and having defeated the King's Forces at Newborn seized upon New-castle and Durham upon which the King is willing to hear their Grievances and receives a Petition from them wherein they require a Parliament to be called in England without which they could have no Redress Declaring their Intention not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion was settled in both Nations upon sure Grounds and the Causers and Abetters of their present Troubles Laud and Strafford were brought to publick Justice in Parliament After which several Peers the City of London and divers other places Petition'd the King for the sitting of a Parliament whereupon the King Summon'd another Parliament to meet Nov. 3. 1640. when the People were every where in a Ferment and Prejudice inveighing if not against the King yet against his Ministers of State In this Parliament all Ceremonies in the Church were suppressed except those used in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Strafford Arch-bishop Laud and Bishop Wren were Impeached of High-Treason and committed to the Tower Divers of the Judges that had declared for Ship-money were Voted Delinquents and Judge Berkley Arrested by the Usher of the Black Rod for High-Treason as he sate in the King's-Bench-Court The King being vexed at the proceeding of the Commons complained to the Peers who promised to Labour for a Moderation and good Understanding between the King and his two Houses But matters yet running high he removed divers Ministers of State and Officers in Trust appointing a new Lieutenant of the Tower which greatly displeased the Commons insomuch that tâ—â—â— Articled against the new Lieutenant to be Peers wâ—â— refused to meddle in it it being the King's Prerogative to â—â—nt in whom he pleased But not long after a multitude of â—â—prentices and others came to the Peers House clamouriâ—â—â—o have the Lieutenant removed and Threatning on refusaâ— to turn all Topsy-turvey they also demanded that the Bishops might be excluded the House of Peers And then going into Westminster-Abbey in their unadvised Fury spoiled the Vestments Organs Sepulchres and what else was comely and decent And as they returned by White-Hall uttered very opprobrious Threatnings against the King and his
That if the King would enter into an actual War with the French King they would stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes So that finding the French King still went on with his Conquests King Charles delayed not to send several Regiments to the Aid of thâ— Confederates in Flanders and laid a Prohibition on Frâ—â—ch Goods Hereat the French King being somewhat Startled hoping to break the Measures of England made Proposals of Peace to the Dutch and they Understanding that the Parliament had taken up a Resolution to give no more Money till Satisfaction was first had and their Fears and Jealousies removed and not thinking for this Cause fit to rely on England since the Misunderstandings rendred it no longer it self did clap up a Peace in a very short time and the rest of the Confederates followed their Example However before the Peace could be Ratified the French took several Towns and at last Besieged Mons this made the King Command the Duke of Monmouth and Earl of Ossory to joyn the English Forces under their Command with the Prince of Orange who so bravely Behaved themselves that they forced the Duke of Luxemburg's Camp and raised the Siege with the Slaughter of some Thousands of French and had done greater things if all Hostilities had not thereupon been stopped Things being thus settled Abroad greater Disturbances threatned at Home for about this time a wicked design was discovered to take away the King's Life and involve the whole Nation in Blood and Ruin which was carried on for a considerable time by the Papists The first Discoverer was Titus Oats but his Evidence was little Credited till such time as Sir Edmundbury Godfrey who had taken Oats's Depositions was found Murthered at Primrose-Hill with a Sword run through his Body tho' by a visible Mark about his Neck it appeared he had been Strangled So that this giving a sufficient Ground of Belief Oats's Evidence being also further Corroborated by Letters found in the Custody of Edw. Coleman Secretary to the Duke of York the Parliament proceeded strictly to Enquire into the matter so that the Commons often sat from Morning till Night to Consult how to Prevent the Danger and make a thorow Discovery and having Voted and entred into their Journal That it was their Opinions that there had been and was an Execrable and Hellish Design carried on by the Papists for Assassinating the King Subverting of the Government and Destroying the Protestant Religion A Proclamation was â—ssued out for Banishing Papists and reputed Papists ten Miles from the City of London and Westminster and all Roman-Catholicks were turned out of the Guards and the Parliament Addressed the King That the Duke of York might be removed from his Presence and Counsels But the last was not Granted And now divers Persons being taken up and Imprisoned on the account of this Plot one Staly a Goldsmith's Son in Convent-Garden was first Executed for saying He would kill the King then Edw. Coleman the Duke of York's Secretary then Ireland Pickering Grove Whitebread â—enwick Gawen Langhurn and others as Concerned in the Plot and Green Berry and Hill being accused by Prance and Bedlow for the Murther of Sir Edmund-bury Godfrey were Tryed at the King 's Bench-bar Condemned and Executed And then the Commons called the Lord Treasurer to an Account who had been accused by Mr. Mountague sometimes the King's Embassador at the French Court for holding a private Correspondence with France but he relying on the King's Pardon the Business â—nded in a long Imprisonment in the Tower after much stir had been made about it And the King in Hopes the better to please the Commons and satisfie the Nation in General new modell'd his Council making it to consist of 30 Persons Fifteen of them to be Certain and the rest to be Elective at pleasure ten out of the Nobility and five Commoners besides a Lord-President a Secretary of Scotland and such of the Princes of the Blood-Royal as should be at Court with which the next Day he acquainted the Parliament and of this Council the Earl of Shaftsbury was made President But notwirhâ—â—anding this Alteration in the Council it had not the desired effect which the King intended for the Parliament were still solicitous in searching to the bottom of the Popish Plot and the more effectually to do it voted That the Duke of York's being a Papist and the hopes of his coming as such to the Crown have given the greatest countenance and encouragement to the designs of the Papists c. And therefore ordered a Bill of Exclusion of the Duke of York from the Sucession of the Crown to be brought in But the King and the Dukes party were for offering Expedients for securing the Protestant Religion tho' the Duke should come a Papist to the Crown But this would not content the Commons And there arising some heats between the Lords and Commons about the Bishops Voting in Capital Cases the King thinking he could expect but little from them Prorogued them to a more convenient season but in a little time after dissolved them and called another which he hoped to find more to his purpose But during the interval of the Parliament Sir George Wakeman was tryed for the Popish Plot and acquitted before the Lord Chief Justice Scroges whose carriage was so different in this Tryal from what it had been in those before that he was shrewdly suspected to have some very feeling Reasons for it For after this Tryal Scrogs was more violent against Oats and the Whigs than he had been before against the Papists And now there was set on foot a new Popish Plot to sham the old one and put a Plot upon the Presbyterians which was called The Meal-Tub Plot the Papers relating to it being found under Madam Celiers Meal-tub the design whereof was To leave Papers and Libels of dangerous things against the Government in the Houses of the most Eminent persons active in the Discovery of the Popish Plot by them called Presbyterians and then to inform the Government that such persons where these papers were left were dangerous persons to the King and Goverment upon which their Houses being search'd and these papers found there it should have been sufficient evidence to condemn them The Tryal how this would do was first made upon Colonel Mansfel a worthy Gentelman who was Prosecuted for it but the examination of it being left to Sir William Jones the Attorney-General his Report was That Mansfel was innocent and Dangerfield at that time the Papists Tool and who had left the Papers in Mansfels Lodgings was guilty Upon which Dangerfield was committed to Prison where he mad ae thorow discovery of this cursed intreague and Sir Wil. Jones was turn'd out of his place for his honest Report And indeed from this time forward the Duke of York and his Creatures ruled all things under the King so that now the whole Design of the Government seem'd to be to sham
Ambition aiming to Annex Kent to his own large Dominions whereupon both Armies approaching near Ottford joyned in a Bloody Battel which lasted Twelve Hours when Alrick being beaten down and slain with a Battel-Ax his Men fled the Field and were so hotly pursued that many of them were put to the Sword and great spoil made through all the Country which was continued from the South to the North as far as the River Humber In his time The second General Council was held at Nice being the seventh General Council for all Christendom Ethelbert the Third and Fifteenth King of Kent Usurped the Kingdome after the Death of Alrick whereupon Kenwolfe the Mercian upon his denying to pay him Tribute and Homage came against him with a powerful Army and in a fatal Battel he was overthrown and taken Prisoner and carried into Mercia where he continued some Years But Kenwolfe having erected a stately Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire at the Dedication of it where were present Ten Dukes and Thirteen Bishops he sent for him and at the High Altar freely Released him without any Ransom so he returned again to his People He began his Reign Anno Dom. 795 and Reigned Three Years Cuthred the Sixteenth King of Kent was contrary to the mind of the People placed in the Throne by Kenwolfe King of Mercia but nothing Memorable is Recorded of him He began his Reign 798 and Reigned Three Years In his time a terrible Earth-quake happened in this Island which overthrew many stately Buildings Baldred the Seventeenth and last King of Kent began his Reign 806 but displeasing Kenwolfe King of Mercia he drove him out of the Kingdom when he had Reigned Eighteen Years for the Conqueror annexed it to his own Dominions when it had continued a distinct Kingdom 372 Years 2. Of the South Saxon Kingdom in the Succession of Four Kings Ella a Captain of the Low Germans was the first Founder of this Kingdom as in the foregoing Chapter is mentioned At his Landing at Shorâ—ham in Sussex he divided his Forces under his three Sons viz. Cymen Plettinger and Cissa but finding he was too weak for the Britains that Inhabited Sussex and Surry he was constrained to go over-Sea to fetch greater Strength Then in a set Battel he gave them a fatal Overthrow forcing them into a vast Wood on the South of Kent called Andersleger where many of them perished for want others stole away by Night and some submitted to the Victor whereupon he setled his Borders Bounded on the North with the Thames dividing it from Middlesex and part of Buckinghamshire on the South with the Ocean on the West with Hampshire and on the East with Kent being Counties exceeding fertil in Corn and Rich Pastures stored with excellent Fruits and great numbers of Cattle He began his Reign Anno Dom. 488 and continued it 32 Years Cissa Son to Ella Second King of the South Saxons began his Reign 520 and confederating with Cherdick King of the West Saxons allowing him a small Tribute for some part of his Country which that King layed claim to by Priority he Built Chichester in Sussex and Chisbury Fortifying the Sea-Coast opposing France after that he layed heavy Taxes on his Subjects which Money when raised he sent to Cherdick to maintain his War against the Britains So that being sheltered on all sides from their Invasions he had a long and peacable Reign some Historians alow him 76 Years but this must needs be a mistake considering he was at Mans Estate when he came into this Land and that his Father Reigned 32 Years so that the more moderate allow him to have Reigned only 36 Years Ethelwolfe the Third King of the South Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 596 at which time divers terrible and amazing Sights appeared in the Air of Armies in Rout with great noises of Thunder and flashes of Lightening many drops of the colour of Blood falling at the same time in divers parts of Surry which seemed to Prognosticate the great Bloodshed that afterwards happened when this Kingdom was Invaded by Ceadwald then a Banished Prince of the West Saxons who gathering to him Out-Laws and other Resolute Persons in a Mortal Battel slew Ethelwolfe and divers of his Nobles and pursuing his Victory entered the Kingdom of Kent where he put the Monks to the Sword levelling with the Ground all the Religious Houses that he found in his Progress and then made himself King of the South Saxons after which he greatly lamented the desolation he had made This Ethelwolfe a considerable time before his Death as Bede a very Venerable Clergyman Reports was Converted to the Christian Religion by Bishop Wilfrid though some affirm it to be done by Berinus Bishop of Dorchester He Reigned Twenty Five Years Barthun the Fourth King of the South Saxons and Duke Autban his assistant soon after Ethelwolfes Death prevailed with the People to Banish their Intruding King Ceadwell and within a short time Barthun geting the sole Power into his hands Ceadwell returned with a great Army and after a Fight of Eight Hours on the Plain now called Banstead-Downs Barthun was Slain and his Subjects submitted to the Conqueror who made himself by this Victory a second time King of the South Saxons annexing it by right of Conquest to the West Saxon Kinghom after the Succession of Four Kings who upheld it One Hundred and Thirty Three Years It Begining Anno Dom. 488 and Ending 621. So that by this Addition the West Saxons became very formidable not only to the Britains but their own Countrymen who bordered on them 3. The Kingdom of the East Saxons in the Succession of Fourteen Kings This Kingdom Commenced Anno Dom. 522 containing Middlesex and Essex Counties abounding in Cattle Corn Warrens store of Deer Fowl Fish and other advantagious Commodities Bounded on the North with Suffolk Cambridgshire and Hartfordshire on the South with the River Thames dividing it from Kent and Surry on the West with Buckinghamshire and on the East with the Sea Erchenwin was the First Saxon that framed it into a Kingdom after he had assisted the other Saxons with the Forces he brought over to drive the Britains out of their possessions in the Fertil parts of England and then giving himself much to Peace and framing such Laws from those in Germany as best suited to the wellfare of his People in this Country he continued his Reign Sixty Years Dying in Peace Anno Dom. 582. Sleadda the Second King of the East Saxons Succeeding Erchenwin Encouraged the Idol Temples and much Oppressed the Christians at the beginning of his Reign but upon seeing a threatening Vision of Angels with drawn Swords opposing his Progress he grew much milder at the Latter-end of his Reign which began Anno Dom. 582 and ended 591. Sebert the Third King of the East Saxons though at first a Persecutor of the Christians was at last so far overcâ—me by their harmless and inoffensive Lives that he applying
himself to Miletus the first Bishop of St. Paul's in London by his grave Advice was induced to embrace the Christian Religion This famous Church was Founded by him and Ethelbert King of Kent in the place where before stood a Temple Dedicated to Diana wherein many Bloody Sacrifices had been offered to the supposed Goddess and so becoming the first Christian King of the East Saxons he was a great Encourager of Religious Men and Women building at their request divers other Churches in London and elsewhere He began his Reign Anno Dom. 591 and Reigned 21 Years Sered the Fourth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 611 He revoked the Indulgences of his Predecessors to the Christians and in attempting to Prophane The Lords Table being withstood by Miletus the Bishop of St. Paules he Banished him his Dominions but afterward entering on a War with Kingills King of the West Saxons which continued for some time he was in the conclusion of it Slain when he had Reigned Six Years A little before his Death he had a Dream like to that of Smyrdis Son to Cyrus the Great and Brother to King Cambysis of Persia viz. That he sat on the West Saxon Throne and his Head reached the Skies which being falsly Interpreted by his flatterers who pushed him on in his Ambitiaus designs whilst like the other he lost his Life though by different means the first Murthered by his Brothers command on a Jealousie he designed to Usurp the Persian Monarchy and the latter Fighting to enlarge his Dominions Sigesbert the Fifth King af the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 620. He made several Laws against Murtherers and Thieves that then much abounded in the Country In his time a dreadful Fire happened in London consuming most of the Eastern part of it but it was soon Re-built and much inlarged by this Kings Encouragement and the Michaelmas following a number of Porpoises came up the River whereupon preat Storms followed and the Thames overflowing lay'd many Hundreds of Acres under Water in Kent and Surry He Reigned Twenty Three Years Sigebert the Sixth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. He Restored again the True Worship in that Kingdom being perswaded by Oswy King of the Northumbers to be Baptized by Bishop Finnan giving Large Gifts to the Churches and Monasteries earnestly labouring to settle Peace among his Neighbours but being of a very wild temper and soft by Nature his two Brothers took the advantage of his weakness Conspired against him and Murthered him when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Swithelm the Seventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 658 upon the enterance on it he became a Christian and was Baptized by Bishop Cedda Ethelwald King of the East Angles being his Godfather In his time London began to flourish very much in Trade the Merchants and Traders having large Priviledges granted them A little before his Death A Globe of Fire fell on St. Paul 's Church and Burnt the Roof of it His Reign continued only Three Years and odd Days Sighere the Eighth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 661. He had embraced the Christian Faith but Apostatized on a slight Occasion and of a Father of the Church became a Persecutor but being afflicted with a grievous Disease he was smitten with Remorse of Conscience and many Thousands of his Subjects being Destroyed by a raging Pestilence he Remembered frem whence he was Fallen and Returned to the Christian Communion into which he was gladly received by an Assembly of the Clergy who prevailed with him to destroy the Idols and demolish their Altars He Reigned Five Years Sebba the Ninth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 666 being given much to a Religious Life and much Repenting the Blood he had shed when he was General in the Wars whereupon when he had Reigned Thirty Years he layed down his Scepter and took on him a Religious Habit in the Monastery of St. Paul's at London bequeathing his Kingdom to Sigherd his Kinsman Sigherd the Tenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 696. He sent Forces to assist the West Saxons against the Britains who made strong Incursions into their Territories and carried away great Booties in the mean time divers Pirates from Denmark and Norway Invaded his Sea-Coasts Burning and Plundering many Villages but a mighty Tempest arising they suffered Shipwrack and so many of them as Escaped to Shoar were destroyed by the Country Peasants He Built many Religious Houses and Reigned Seven Years Seofrid the Eleventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 703. He Built Forts on the advantagious Havens to the Sea-Coast to prevent the Landing of Foreign Enemies by surprize encouraging his People to Trade with the Neighbour Nations so that many of the North East Countries were discovered and great Riches brought home which caused others who had advantagious Havens to take the like Measures whereupon the Shiping encreased He Reigned Seven Years Offa the Twelfth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 711. He was a great Encourager of the Christians and in his time the Christian Religion spread into all parts of his Dominions He Invited over Religious Men out of other Countries and ordered Publick Schooles to be Erected and being desirous to see Rome which he had heard so much of by Fame when he had Reigned Eight Years he went thither and being much taken with the Devotion of the Religious there he became a Monk and Dyed in that station leaving large Legacies to the Church Selred the Second and Thirteenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 719. In his time a grievous Famine was in this Kingdom for the space of three Years so that People in many places were compelled to Eat Grass Roots Leaves and Barks of Trees and yet many Thousands were Famished Great flashes of Fire likewise Issued out of the Earth which Burnt up the Trees and Grass and Destroyed some People and much Cattel but soon after a great Plenty ensued He Reigned Thirty Eight Years Suthred the Fourteenth and Last King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 757. He had great Wars with Egbert King of the West Saxons so that in various Battels Fifty Thousand of his People being Slain he was so weakned that not being able to make head any longer he withdrew himself and left his Dominions to the prevailing Enemy when in much Trouble he had upheld them Eight Years So that Egbert annexing it as a Province to his own Kingdom Extinguished the Name of the East-Saxon-Kingdom about the Year of Christ 827. CHAP. VI. A Description of the Kingdoms of Northumberland and Mercia with the Succession of their Kings and the most Memorable Transactions Portents and Prodigies both in Peace and War that happened during their Reignes 4. The Kingdom of Northumberland as it Began and continued in
the Reignes of Twenty Five Kings THE Kingdom of Northumberland Extended very largly in the North of England containing Yorkshire Durham Lancashire Westmorland Cumberland and Northumberland Bounded on the North with the German Ocean on the West with the Irish Sea and part of Scotland on the South with Cheshire Derbyshire Notinghamshire and Lincolnshire abounding with Sea-Coale Mineralls Quarries of Stone Cattle Rivers stored with Salmon Trouts and other Fish Fat Pastures Fowl and abundance of Corn. Ida and Ella two Saxon Dukes first Modelled it into a Kingdom Anno Dom. 597 causing divers Towns to be Built that had been ruined in the Wars keeping strong Guards on their Borders to defend them against Encroachments yet after they had Reigned Fifteen Years finding themselves too weak to bandy against the Britains Picts and East Angles who greatly disturbed them in their Settlement to render them able to keep what they had Seized they sent for five German Captains who came with more Forces by which additional Strength the Kingdom was Established But about that time Ida Dying they Quarrelled with Ella for their Parts or Shares whereupon to prevent the effusion of Blood and rending it in pieces by Civil Dissention it was agreed they should Reign with him as Co-Parteners Anno Dom. 562. The Continuance of their Reigns were as followeth 2. Theadwold 1 Year 3. Elappea 5 Years 4. Adda 7 Years 5. Ferthuf 7 Years 6. Theodorick 7 Years But Ella Out-living some and Banishing others when he found he was powerful in the Love of his People and they hated for their Tyranny Reigned singly many Years after and in all Forty Two Viz. till 589. Elthelrick Accounted by the foregoing means the Seventh King of Northumberland Succeeding Ella Anno Dom. 589. His Accession to the Throne was ushered in by a fearful Blazing Star and the Sea breaking in near Hortle Pool in the Bishoprick of Durham swept away divers Villages Drowning many People and Cattle He had Wars with the Picts who bordered on the North of his Kingdom and in a set Battel near Wark in Northumberland gave them a great overthrow as also the Scots their Confederates entering their Kingdom and bringing away large Booties so that they were constrained to sue for Peace which was granted But intending to War on the Britains Death put a period to that Enterprize when he had Reigned four Years Anno 593. Ethelfrid the Eighth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 593 being a mortal Enemy to the poor Britains making Inroads into their Territories and destroying all before him when coming to the Monastery of Bangor in Carnarvanshire the Monks came out with Presents to meet him Singing a Hymn as a demonstration of his Welcom but this and their Innocence which they too much trusted in little availed to Skreen them from his Fury for being of a Bloody temper Eleven Hundred of them in that Monastry and others Adjacient were miserably Massacred at his Command a little while after the meeting of Augustin Bishop of Canterbury with the British Bishops at Austin's Oak in Worcestershire to settle matters of Religion according as it was practiced at Rome but those Bishops in many Points Dissenting from him the Assembly abruptly broke up and for this he is hardly censured and not without ground to be the Instigater of Ethelfrids Cruelty This Ethelfrid Fought with Cadwan King of the Britains near West-Chester and overthrew him with great slaughter and after a Peace concluded which lasted during their Lives he Warred on the Scots and defeated Edanaden their King at Degsaxton on the Marches of Scotland and Banished Edwin his Kinsman and Heir Apparent to the Crown who flying for protection to Redwald King of the East Angles they raised an Army and joyning Battel many of Ethelfrids Souldiers who bore good-will to Edwin seeing his Standard in the Field Revolted whereupon Ethelfrid labouring to restore the declining Battel threw himselfe like a desperate Man among the thickest of the Enemies and was slain when he had Reigned Thirty Two Years Edwin after the Death of Ethelfrid was placed by Redwald in the Throne of the Northumbrian Kingdom and is accounted the Ninth King He began his Reign Anno Dom. 626. It is reported by the Monks of those times who were mightily addicted to such Foolish and Superstitious Fables That in his Banishment the Apostle St. Paul Appeared to him in a Vision Preaching to him the Gospel and telling him if he would cause it to be freely Preached in the Northumbrian Kingdom he should be shortly placed in the Throne which he then promised to do whereupon the Vision laying one Hand on his Head and Commanding him to remember that Sign Vanished But after he gained his desires forgeting his promise the same Apostle appeared to Paulinus the Bishop of York and commanded him to lay his Hand on the Kings Head and demand if he remembred that Sign which he had no sooner done but Edwin fell at his Feet begging Pardon for his neglect and was thereupon with many of his Nobles Baptized at York after which he Built many Religious Houses and was himself a great promoter of Christianity sheltering and relieving such as fled the Persecution of Pagan Kings which Charitable succour of the distressed was the main ground on which Penda King of the Mercians founded his Quarrel so that a Bloody War ensuing Edwin and Offrid his Son were slain in Battel the Mercians at that time being assisted by Cadwallo King of the Britains when he had Reigned Seven Years In his time he much inlarged the Northumbrian Kingdom subduing the Coasts of Britain and the Islands of the Hebrides To prevent whose progress one Eumerius was sent by the West Saxon King to Murther him but was prevented by Lillia the Kings Chamberlain steping between on the push and receiving the Mortal Wound in his own Body He Built the Cathedral at York of Stone which before was only of Wood. Offride or Osrick the Tenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 633. By Edwin's Example encouraging and promoting the Christian Religion In his time a Little Stream of the Colour of Blood burst from a Rock near York and soon after entering on a War against Cadwallo King of the Britains he was Slain when he had Reigned about a Year Oswald the Eleventh King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 634 he followed the steps of his Two Predecessors in promoting the Christian Religion sending for Adian a Scotch Bishop of great note to assist him in so good a Work who Preaching in Landesfeorn or Holy Island in Scotland and the King Interpreting it to the People many of them were Converted and Baptized He had great Wars with the Britains and in a set Battel slew Cadwallo the last but one of the race of the British Kings and the greatest part of his Army at Deniseburn so that he had Peace on that side but thinking to gain the like advantage over Penda the Mercian King
instead of revenging the Death of Edwin he underwent the same fate being slain in Battel after he had Fought couragiously six Hours and hemmed himself in with Dead Bodies This great Battel was Fought at Oswaltree in Shropshire Nor did the Mercians Cruelty cease after he was slain for he Inhumanly caused his Body to be torn in pieces when he had Reigned Nine Years Oswye the Twelfth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. And though he laboured for Peace yet the greatness of his encroaching Neighbours suffered him to enjoy little quiet however he Encouraged Religion and Trade and made many wholsome Laws and one in particular for the Relief of the Poor and to prevent Robberies and Murthers on the Northern borders and continued his Reign 28 Years Egfride the Thirteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 671 but long he had not enjoyed the Throne before a fierce War broke out between him and Ethelred King of Mercia he first drawing it on his Kingdom whereby his People greatly suffered yet not content with several Defeats or seeing the weakness his Subjects were reduced to he made War on the Irish because some of that Nation had Pirated on his Coast but pursuing them too far among the Mountains and Fastnesses of craggy Rocks he was there slain and most of his Souldiers that escaped the overthrow perished for want of Provision when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Alfrid the Fourteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 686 finding the Kingdom much Impaired in its People and Treasure so that he made it his first endeavour to restore the face of Trade appointing Fairs and Marts allowing them great Priviledges to Invite the Borderers to Trade with him and gave Liberty for as many as would with their Families to setle in his Dominions which caused him to be Envyed by the Saxon Kings his Neighbours yet he pacified them with fair Words and Friendly Offices making a Law That distressed Strangers Travelling about their Lawful Occasions should be Maintained at the Publick Charge So that his Reign continued for the most part Peaceable Religion flourishing under it Twenty Years Osred the Fifteenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 706 but led a Life very contrary to his Predecessor giving himselfe up to all manner of Debauchery making it his Business to visit the Nunneries that he might single out the fairest for his Lust which he Commanded to his Bed with great rigour insomuch that some of those Virgins preferring their Chastity before Life suffered Martyrdom rather than they would yeild to his desires so that whilst he held on this course the Kingdom was much distracted with Intestine Broyles his Nobles grew unruly and the poorer sort were Oppressed so that to free the Kingdom from impending Ruine Kenred and Oswick two of his near Kinsmen Conspired against him and Slew him when he had Reigned Nine Years and then Successively Governed the Relm Kenred the Sixteenth King of Northumberland having Conspired with Oswick and Slain Osred caused the Crown to be placed on his Head Anno Dom. 716 yet found a very troublesome Reign his Co-partner in the Conspiracy labouring to supplant him and indeed his Reign was very short continuing only two Years Oswick having made his way to the Throne Anno Dom. 718 laboured to settle himself in the Affections and good liking of the People by giving large Gifts to the Nobles and in distributing Corn to the Poor out of his Granaries in his Second Year when a great Scarcity happened so that in his Eleven Years Reign he kept his People quiet at home and for the most part free from Wars abroad Cealnulf the Eighteenth King of the Northumberian Kingdom began his Reign Anno Dom. 722 devoting himself soon after his coming to the Crown to a Religious Life causing many Abbies and Monasteries to be Builded Endowing them with competent Annuities for the Maintenance of Men and Women qualified to enter into Religious Orders so that a great many resorted to him from beyond the Seas whom he kindly entertained and being much taken with their manner of Living when he had Reigned Eight Years growing weary of an Earthly Diadem he lay'd the weight of Government aside and withdrawing himself to Holy Island took on him the Habit of a Monk where in a little Monastery he had caused to be Built he spent the remainder of his Days In the last Year of his Reign Two Blazing Stars Appeared the one after Sunset and the other a little before its Rising continuing so to do for the space of a Fortnight Terrifying the People by seeming often to dart Firey Launces from their Blazing Tails Egbert the Nineteenth Monarch of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 738 in the beginning of which Fleeces like Wool seemed to drop out of the Clouds covering many large Fields and Plains as if it had been Snow and soon after a terrible Rot happened among Sheep all over England c. He appointed his Nobles to here the Complaints of the Poor and to redress their Wrongs and Grievances studdying to keep his Subjects Quiet at Home by securing Peace Abroad and when he had Reigned Twenty Years following the Example of his Predecessor he was shorn a Monk and Dyed in that state Oswulph the Twentith King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 758 and continued it but one Year for growing Proud and Cruel putting divers undeservedly to Death his own Servants grew into such a hatred of him that attending him in his Progress they found an Opportunity to Murther him at Mickewoughton of which Conspiracy though he was Informed the day before yet Fate consented not to its Prevention Edilwald the One and Twentieth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 759 but being of an easie Temper and somewhat Supine in the Management of his Affairs which after many Troubles that thereupon arose through the Male Administration of the Government by such as he placed under him in Trust and Great Offices gave Alured a Duke and high in Favour with him an opportunity to Conspire against him and Murther him in his Pallace in the Sixth Year of his Reign Alured having Trecherously Slain Edilwald compelled some through fear and won others by large Gifts to Proclaim him King Anno Dom. 765. But using much Cruelty and giving himself up to Riot and Luxury his Subjects grew weary of his Government and by General Consent Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned Nine Years Ethelred upon the Expulsion of Alured was admitted to the Throne Anno Dom. 774. But his Government being distasted by the Nobles because he advanced mean Persons to great Dignities and made them his Favourites two of them Viz. Edibald and Herbert made a Faction and Banished him the Kingdom in the Fifth Year of his Reign but he was afterwards Re-called upon promise of Amendment yet not keeping of his Word in many nice particulars his Subjects rose up in
Arms and Slew him after his Seven Years Second Reign whereupon much Misery ensued to the Kingdom by Usurpers who Tyrannized over the People and Slew whom they pleased at their pleasure Till Alfwald a Prince of the Royal Blood took the Government upon him putting some of the Usurpers to Death and Banished others but he was Murthered by the Conspiracy of one Siga when he had Reigned Eleven Years During these Disturbances and Murthers of Kings many terrible Sights appeared in the Air hollow Groanings and as it were Laments were heard in the Earth in divers places and affrighting Apparitions of Ghosts and Spectrums Haunted the Pallaces and Houses of Noblemen and others Osred the Twenty Fifth King of the Northumbrians Entered upon the Government much distracted and disordered by Intestine Troubles so that wanting Power to keep a steady rein to bridle the unruly People they Justled him from the Throne and Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned about a Year And though this Kingdom is held by some to last much longer Viz. to Anno Dom. 926 yet no Historian I can find making mention of any other Kings I rather chuse to End here than wade into uncertainties which would not only break the Thread of History but leave the Reader to wander in Dark and Doubtful Notions Therefore concluding that some Authors who have alotted so long a time were Mistaken for want of comparing the Continuance of this with the rest of the Petty Kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy from the times they Began till they were reduced under a Sole Monarch I shall proceed to the next which is the Kingdom of Mercia c. 5. The Kingdom of Mercia in the Succession of its Twenty Kings or Petty Monarchs c. The Kingdom of Mercia seized and setled by the most powerful of the Saxon Invaders is accounted the Largest of the Seven It Contained Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Warwickshire Staffordshire Worcestershire Gloucestershire Shropshire Cheshire Oxfordshire Notinghamshire Derbyshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Lincolnshire Huntingtonshire and the County of Rutland so that it was Inclosed by the other six Kingdoms and consequently when the Britains were brought Low and the Saxons Elbowed each other to Enlarge their Territories most exposed to War as will appear in the ensuing Account of the Actions of its Kings in the Succession of Twenty of them for so many Reigned before it ceased to be a distinct Kingdom It was Bounded on the East with the Kingdoms of the East Angles East Saxons and German Ocean on the South with the East Saxon and West Saxon Kingdoms on the West with Wales and on the North with the Kingdom of Northumberland Abounding with Cities Towns Cattle Corn Lead Fruit Pastures Rivers Parks Chaces Woods and Pleasant Rising Hills and Flowery Meadows which soon made them grow Rich and Powerful Crida was the First Saxon who made himself King of so spacious a Country Beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 582. Against him the Britains Warred but with various success sometimes the one and sometimes the other prevailing so that much Blood was spilt But at last the Britains being mightily weakened in a Bloody Battel Carecticus their King immured himself within the walls of Chester But being Besieged by Grummond an Arch Pirate who commanded part of Cridas Forces and the Saxons not being able to force the Walls which were stoutly defended by the broken Army of the Britains retired thither with their King Grummond Invented a Stratagem to Fire the City and drive them out like Bees Smok'd from their Hive or Perish in the Flames which was effected by tying Wild-Fire to the Feet of Sparrows and Swallows who lighting on the Thatched Houses set them on Fire and lay'd the whole City in a heap of Ruins but the British King with a few Followers Escaped by Night to the Mountains of Wales and there soon after Dyed of Grief for the loss of his People and desolation of his Country This Crida Reigned Twelve Years Wibba the Second King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 594. This Man Warred with the Britains and took from them almost all the pleasant Countries they held on his Borders considerably Enlarging what he at first Possessed though not without great effusion of Blood on both sides so that the Dead Bodies lying unburied corrupted the Air and caused a Pestilence that destroyed many Thousands He Reigned Twenty Years Ceorle the Third King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 614 He finding his Kingdom Large sent over for more Collonies to People it and repair the loss of those that fell in the Wars and then having setled his Borders and placed Garrisons on the Frontiers his next business was to provide such Laws as might the better Establish him in his Kingdom especially for The preventing Treason and apprehending Outlawes or those desperate Persons that lurked in Woods Robbing and Murthering such as passed by them Commanding a certain quantity of Land to be Sowed every Year on great Penalties to the Counties where the Land enjoyned lay if neglected He had some Wars with the Britains but nothing considerable to those of his Predecessors He Reigned Ten Years Penda the Fourth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 624 and made great War upon his Neighbours He joyned with Cadwallo the Twelfth King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland and in a Memorable Battel Slew him with Prince Offrid his Son and afterward Oswald who succeeded Edwin And Warring on the East Angles he made great waste of their Country Slaying successively three of their Kings Viz. Sigesbert Eyrick and Anna and being a Pagan he pursued with Cruel Hatred those who Professed the Christian Religion so that The Church mourned his Anger in Tears of Blood he turning the places of Religious Worship into heaps of Rubbish and Slaying as many as fell into his hands that were the Heads or Chief of the Religious Orders Then making War on the West Saxons he defeated Redwald their King in a bloody Battel and Slew him with many Thousands of his Subjects much Enlarging his own Kingdom so that aspiring to the sole Monarchy and having strongly Pushed and Elbowed his Neighbours in the East and West enterprizing the like in the North he was Slain by Oswy King of Northumberland in a pitched Battel with Ten Thousand of his Subjects when he had Reigned 32 Years Peada alias Wedda the Fifth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 665. He was the first Christian King of the Mercians causing the Idols every where to be destroyed throughout his Kingdom Banishing their Priests that refused to be Baptized building Churches and Monasteries but before he had fully brought to pass what he intended in this Matter the Pagan Priests incited his Wife some Authors say his Mother secretly to Murther him when he had Reigned Three Years Wolfer the Sixth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 659 He Warred on the West Saxons and won the Isle of Wight
from Remald then King of that Island and gave it to Edilwach King of the South Saxons to whom he stood Godfather upon condition of his being Baptized into the Christian Faith though so great an Enemy he was to the Christians before his Conversion That he Caused his two Sons to be put to Death for being Baptized but as a Pennance for that Sin and to Attone for Innocent Blood he Founded the Abby Church at Peterbourough in Northamptonshire and Endowed it with large Gifts He Reigned Sixteen Years and odd Months Ethelred the Seventh King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 675. He made Wars on the Kentish Kingdom laying it desolate in a manner with Fire and Sword not sparing Churches or any Religious Houses This Desolation was forewarned by the appearance of two dreadful Blazing Stars which were Vissible for the space of three Months at the Instance of his Wife he turned Willfridus out of his Bishoprick but at last being stricken with Remorse of Conscience for the Slaughters and other Wastes he had made he resigned his Crown and Government to Kenred his Nephew whose Right it was before and turning Monk made a Religious End though he had Lived Wickedly the greatest part of his days He Reigned Twenty Nine Years Kenred began his Reign Anno Dom. 704 but seemed little to affect an Earthly Diadem labouring to be at Peace with his Neighbours by restoring as much as lay in his power what his Predecessor had Violently taken from them and when he had Reigned Five Years he resigned his Kingdom to his Cousin Chelred and took his Journey to Rome with Offa King of the East Saxons and Edwin Bishop of Winchester where he became a Monk and Dyed in that station He was the Eighth King of Mercia Chelred the Ninth King of the Mercians began his Reign Anno Dom. 709 but had not long been in the Throne e're Ine or Inas King of the West Saxons emulating his spreading greatness Quarrelled with him about the Boundaries of their Kingdoms so that a fatal War ensued and much Blood was shed they being now the Two most Powerful Kings of the Heptarchy so that others siding with them the whole Nation was Embroyled in their Quarrel nor ended it with his Reign which lasted Seven Years Ethelbald the Tenth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 716. He raised great Forces and laying Siege to Summerton had it Surrendered Then he turned his whole Power on the Northumbrians Ravaged the Country and took great Spoile but in his return Cuthred King of the West Saxons gave him Battel for lucre of the spoil and routed him at Burford in Oxfordshire and after that another great Overthrow near Tamworth in Warwickshire where by the procurement of one Bernzed a principal Captain in his Host he was Slain in a Mutiny of his People when he had Reigned Twenty Four Years He is said to have Builded the Monastery of Crowland and divers other Religious Houses Offa the Eleventh King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 758. He Warred upon Alrick King of Kent Slaying him in Battel near Otteford and made great Spoil and Destruction in his Kingdom as also that of the South Saxons and puffed up with Victory not so contented he Marched through the Countries of the East Saxons as far as the Mouth of the River Humber bringing great Terror on the Northumbrian Kingdom and at his Return Kenwolf King of the West Saxons endeavouring to Intercept him with great Power in hopes to be Master of the Rich Booty he had gathered in divers Counties he was by him Overthrown with much Slaughter near Merton This Offa caused a Ditch of Forty Eight Foot Wide and Fifteen Deep to be Cut or Thrown up running a Line between England and Wales the tract of which is yet visible and retains the Name of Offa's Ditch commanding the Britains under the Penalty of being pursued with Fire and Sword not to pass this bound But they little regarding his Threats threw it down in divers places and came Armed into Mercia making great Spoil though it proved to their disadvantage for Offa entering Wales with a Potent Army Overthrew Marmodius their Prince and most of his Followers wasting the Towns and Villages with Fire for near Fifty Miles This Offa Reigned Thirty Nine Years In his time a terrible Earth-Quake overthrew many Churches and stately Buildings Egfrid the Twelfth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 797. This Man was well affected to the Christian Religion Restoring the Church to all her Antient Priviledges which his Father had deprived her of contributing to the Rebuilding those that had been laid in Ruins by Offa in Kent and other Counties He was a great lover of Peace and laboured to reconcile those that were at difference yet his Reign was very short continuing only Four Months and odd Days Kenwolf the Thirteenth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 797. He Warred on the Kingdom of Kent and made great Spoil Overthrowing Ethelbert the Third and taking him Prisoner but Released him at the Dedication of a new Church he had Builded at Winchcomb and afterward much Inlarged his Borders during his Twenty Two Years Reign Kenelm coming Young to the Crown Anno Dom. 819 was much given to Pleasure and Recreations leaving the chief Management of his weighty Affaires to Askbert his Tutor who greatly Inriched himself by Oppressing the People and fearing to be called to a strict Account upon the many Complaints made against him he Conspired with Quendride the Kings Sister whose Favourite he was to cover the Guilt of his crimes with a greater so that taking an opportunity when the King was in his Retirement he Murthered him when he had Reigned about Five Months He was the Fourteenth King of Mercia Ceolwolfe Succeeding Kenelm laboured to settle Affairs which were much out of order but the Methods of his proceedings being disliked one Bernulfe a Duke very Powerful at that time among the common People stirred them up to Rebellion so that rising Tumultuously they forced him to Abdicate the Throne by a secret withdrawing to prevent the dire effects of Popular-Fury when he had Reigned One Year So that for a time great Distractions were amongst them but Anno Dom. 821 Bernulfe got possession of the vacant Throne This Ceolwolfe was the Fifteenth King of Mercia Bernulfe by Flattery distribution of Money and fair Promises getting possession of the Kingdom found great Troubles from his Powerful Neighbours the West Saxons and East Angles Egbert King of the former making fierce Wars upon him wasting his Borders and destroying multitudes of his People and after Bernulfe Warring on the East Angles who had entered Lincolnshire and made great Spoil was Slain in a bloody Battel with many Thousands of his Subjects in the Third Year of his Reign Anno Dom. 824. He was the Sixteenth King of Mercia Ludecan the Seventeenth King of the Mercians began his Reign Anno Dom. 824 but being embroyled
in the dangerous War his Predecessor had set on foot engaging in a Battel against Egbert King of the West Saxons who joyned with the East Angles against him he was Slain in the Second Year of his Reign after which most of the Towns on the East and Western Borders were Sacked and some reduced to Ashes Which Desolation was fore-run by a Comet with a Tail pointing downward like a flaming Sword Watlaf the Eighteenth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 826 and with the Kingdom was constrained to espouse the Wars his Predecessors had left as it were Entailed on it so that raising the Strength of his much harassed and weakened Dominions he drove the West Saxons out of Worcestershire and other Western Encroachments yet not without considerable loss in the several Bickerings between them But in the Thirteenth Year of this King Egbert the West Saxon came upon him with a potent Army and in a set Battel overthrew him putting a Period to his Life and Reign Berthulf the Nineteenth King of Mercia came to the Kingdom in a troublesome time viz. Anno Dom. 839 for he not only found his People in War with his Countrymen but a more cruel Enemy had Invaded the Country viz. The Pagan Danes who being Enemies to all alike as desirous of grasping the sole Monarchy of this Island they made such Havock and Desolation in all places where they prevailed That the People of whole Counties in the Northern parts flying their fury left the Towns Naked and Defenceless for the Saxons in Civil War having much impaired their strength found that they at this time were too weak to oppose the Torrent of those Multitudes that were poured in upon them from Denmark and Gothland and also from Shetland the Orcades and other Northern Islands which the Danes possessed beyond Scotland from one of which they brought a Cruel People called Redshanks from the Redness of their long Leggs occasioned by the coldness of that Climate they going for the most part Naked except a Mantle thrown over their Shoulders and are supposed by some Authors for their mighty stature to be of the Race of the Titans or Giants held once to Inhabit part of Britain However they brought such a Terror on the Mercian Kingdom c. That Berthulf was forced to quit it in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign after which in compassion to the oppressed People who were Slain and Spoiled at the pleasure of the Danes Burdred took upon him the Government and being a Prince of great Courage he fought divers Battels with the Danes and at last gained a great Victory insomuch that the Fields and Lanes were strewed with the Dead Bodies But greater Forces arriving to recruite their broken Army he was forced after some strugling to quit his Kingdom when he had Reigned Twenty Two Years viz. Anno Dom. 872. And with him Ended the Succession of Saxon Kings as petty Monarchs of the Mercian Kingdom CHAP. VII The Kingdoms of the East Angles and West Saxons with their respective Succession of Kings and what Happened of Note during their Reigns in Peace and War Particularly the Danish Invasion and by what means England was reduced under a Sole Monarchy 6. The East Angle Kingdom Described with the Succession of its Fifteen Kings THE Kingdom of the East Angles contained Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the South with Essex and Hartfordshire on the West with Notinghamshire Huntingtonshire and part of Bedfordshire on the North partly by the German Ocean and partly by the River Trent and Northumbrian Kingdom Commodiously Situate for Navigation as being accommodated with divers good Havens famous for Butter Cattel Corn Wooll Cloath Stuffs c. The First Saxon Founder of this Kingdom was Offa a High German Nobleman who brought over considerable Forces upon notice his Countrymen were parcelling out the Southern parts of this Island and Landing at Yarmouth he prevailed with some difficulty to settle himself and his People in the Counties above-mentioned beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 575 and Reigned Seven Years being for the most part at peace In his time a great Eclipse of the Sun happened about Noon almost total so that it continued in a great degree Dark for the space of an Hour Titulus Succeeding Vffa Anno Dom. 583 laboured to settle his Borders and keep a good understanding with his Neighbours and perceiving the British Forces were rather Retired than Subdued he made many wholsom Laws to keep his People in order repaired the Ruined Towns built Forts on the Sea-Coast and Reigned about 32 Years keeping his Country for the greater part of that time in Quiet he was the Second King of the East Angle Kingdom Redwald the Third King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 616. Soon after his coming to the Throne he was Baptized into the Christian Faith but upon some distaste renounced his Baptismal Vows and became a great Persecutor of the Christians amongst others he intended the Death of Edwin afterward King of Northumherland who fled to his Court for Refuge because he interceeded for them But he being a Favorite of the Queens and the King imparting his design to her she pittying the young Prince so laboured to disswade him from it that he not only laid aside his wicked purpose but entered into a strict League with him and an Army was raised to place him in the Kingdom of Northumberland when in a great Battel they Slew Ethelfrid who had got possession of the Throne and had Banished Edwin This Redwald Reigned Eight Years Erpenwald the Fourth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 624. He by the perswasion of Edwin King of Northumberland became a Favourer of the Christians and was Baptized he built divers Churches and Monasteries but when he had Reigned about Twelve Years Richebert a Pagan Saxon out of a Zeal to their False Gods whose Idol Temples this King had caused to be converted into places of Christian Worship Assnssinated him and fled but being taken endeavoring to pass the Seas he was put to death by exquisit Torments Sigebert the Fifth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 636. He was Son to Redwald and having received a good opinion of the Christian Religion when he was very Young he upon his Fathers Apostatizing fled into that Country now call'd France antiently Gallia where he improved in the Study of Divine things so that being a great lover of Learned Men at his coming to the Crown he Founded a Colledge Endowing it with a plentiful Maintenance viz. Anno Dom. 637 and so passionately he was in love with a Religious manner of Living that laying aside his Crown when he had Reigoed Two Years he took on him the Habit of a Monk yet out of compassion to his suffering People Invaded and driven to great distress by Penda King of the Mercians he laid aside his Cowl and
whilst he was expecting high Promotion he caused him to be Arrested and his Head being stricken off was placed on the highest part of the Tower for by this time he was advanced with an Army to London and the English upon the consternation they were in at the surprizing News of the Kings Death not opposing him in a short time the whole Kingdom submitted to him so that being Crowned Sole Monarch he put a Period to the Saxon Reign about 566 Years from the Establishment of the Heptarchy HARTFORD SHIRE By John Seller This Edmund was the Fifteenth Sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1016 and continued it about one Year He was a Prince abounding with Courage Courtesie and Strength a lover of Humanity and very Merciful to those that Submitted to him and so Good-natured That he hardly could be induced to believe any Treachery against him Remarks on Hartfordshire c. HArtfordshire is a very pleasant Inland County producing large crops of Corn especially Barly of which the best Malt is held to be made It abounds with pleastant Orchards and Gardens has in it divers Parks stored with Deer It produces large and small Cattle in great abundance and is sprinkled with Woods and adorned with pleasant Hills Meadows and Inclosiures and is particularly noted for the great quantities of Black Cherries that are at the proper season sent from thence to London many of the Trees that produce them growing in the Hedg-rows in Fields and along the Roads casting a pleasant shade in Summer time to refresh the weary Traveller It is Bounded with Cambridgshire Essex Middlesex Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and divided into Eight Hundreds viz. Odsey Edwinstree Hitching Broadwater Broughing Hartford Dacor and Caisho Hundreds and these again into 120 Parishes It has 18 Market Towns and one River of note viz. Ware River though it is Watered with many small Streams It sends Members to Parliament Six viz. St Albans two Hartford the Shire Town two and two Knights of the Shire In this County are divers Places worthy of note as St. Albans raised out of the Ruins of old Verulam an Antient Roman station It is Memorable for the Death of St Alban the British Proto Martyr who suffered there in the Tenth Persecution raised by Dioclesian the Roman Emperour who being Buryed here and a stately Monument raised on his Grave by Offa the great King of the Mercians seems to have given it its Name This Place is also famous for two Battels fought here The first between Richard Duke of York and King Henry the sixth the 23d of May Anno Don. 1455. In which the King was defeated with the slaughter of the Duke of Summerset Earl of Northumberland Lord Clifford and 5000 of lesser note The second on the 17th of February Anno Dom. 1460 where King Henry the sixth and his Queen Margaret gained the Victory over the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick Barnet is famed for its Market and Medicinal Waters and for the great Victory gained by Edw. the 4th on the 14th of April Anno Dom. 1471 against the Earls of Warwick and Oxford in whose Field that great Earl was slain since called The Battel of Barnet-Field Here was Born John Barnet Bishop of Worcester then of Bath and Wells lastly of Ely Lord Treasurer in the Reign of Edward the Third Ware Hatfield and Hodsdon are all three seated on the River Lea and near unto Ware is Amwel-Spring famous for being the Head of the New-River which so plentifully furnishes the City of London with Water Langly commonly called Kings Langly gave Birth to Edmond of Langly fifth Son to Edward the Third and the first Burial-place of Richard the Second afterward removed to Westminster Abbots Langly was the Birth-place of Nicholas Break-spear advanced to Pope of Rome by the Name of Pope Adrian the Fourth who made the Emperour Frederick of Germany hold his Stirrop Oister supposed by Cambden to have been the Camp of the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius the next of note are Weathamsted Baldock Redburn Helmsteadsbury Gatesden Hemsted Cottered Grohambury which produced many famous Men. The Seats of the Nobility curiously adorn it and are these More Park once the delightful seat of the Late Vnfortunate Duke of Monmouth Caishobury and Hadam-Hall the seats of the Earl of Essex Totteridg the seat of the Earl of Angleseys Hatfield Hartford-Castle Bigrave Chesunt and Quickwood seats of the Earl of Salisburys With divers seats of the Gentry rendering a pleasant Prospect in all Parts CHAP. IX The Reigns of the Three Danish Kings who were Sole Monarches of England viz. Canute Harrold and Hardicanute with the Memorable Things that happened in their several Reigns Some Observations on the Original of the Danes A Brief Description of the Country from whence they came Their manner of War Religion Customs c. BEing come to speak of a Succession of Kings different in Nation from the former it will not be improper to give an account briefly of the Original of the Nation that gave birth to the first of them c. The Original of the Danes is concluded by some Authors to have been from Scythia That a Famine extreamly raging in that Country divers Colonies had left it and ranging to seek Food found out an Island called Scandia situate Northward not far from the continent of Denmark and in time growing too numerous for that scanty place they Warred on the Danij and so long continued it that they grasped the Kingdom with so hard a hand as to this day it is not wrested from the Race of them and from thence they called the Country Danes-Mark or portion of Land now corruptly Denmark This Peninsule so called by reason it is almost an Island as it is now held by the Danish King that is properly called Denmark is in Length Eighty Miles and Twenty in Breadth having but little firm Land being divided into many Islands whereof Jutland for its bigness is the chief It borders upon Germany and is a near Neighbour to the lower Frisia it is difficult to determine whether it receives greater Benefit than Damage from the Sea for often by the violent Tempests the Banks and Fences being forced by the Waves the Water not only covers the Fields for a long time but by the suddainness of the Deluge destroys many Cattle and People and as well Stately Buildings as Lowly Cottages And the Country is full of Woods containing store of Deer The Island of Frunen is separated from the main Land by a narrow Arm of the Sea To the Westward of it lieth Juta to the East Slayland which for the Beauty and Fertility of it is to be preferred before all the other Islands belonging to the Danish King In it is situate Copenhagen the principal residence of the King also Roschilt the place of their Burial near unto which is the Island of Scandia the first Habitation of the Danes in those parts as most
and thence to Norwich where it now remains The Seats of the Nobility are Dukes-Place belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Oxnead-Hall and Paston-Hall to the Earl of Yarmouth Reynam-Hall and Stif-key-Hall to the Lord Viscount Towusend Castle-Rising to the Duke of Norfolk Norwich-Palace and Ludham-Hall to the Bishop of the Diocess Besides divers sightly Houses of the Gentry The Reign of King HENRY the Second commonly called Henry Fitz-Empress AT the time when King Stephen Dyed Henry was in Normandy Besieging a strong Castle the French had a little before taken by Surprize and being advised by some Nobles about him to pass over for England and leave the Siege least another in his Absence might step into the Throne as before had happened he made a Reply full of Discretion and true Valour to this effect The Kingdom of England shall henceforth be at my Command in despight of those that dare to cross me most and so shall these Intruding Frenchmen ere I raise the Siege This resolution redoubled his honour among his Friends and brought fear on the Enemy for when they knew it they surrendered the Castle and submitted themselves to his Mercy and so having settled Affairs in that Dukedom with a Noble Train of Lords and Gentlemen he came for England where he was Crowned three times viz. By Theobald Arch Bishop of Canterbury at Westminster Then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester He chose his Council of the Gravest Wisest and most Learned Peers and made Thomas of Becket Chancelour and appointed such Judges and Learned Men in the Laws by Industry and Labour to Refine them That the Common Laws were greatly Mended and Improved being rendred more tolerable and profitable to the People and after this he divided the Kingdom into six Circuits and for the better administration of Justice and Trying of Causes between Subject and Subject he appointed his Judges to go those Circuits twice a Year which Order yet continues He Banished the greatest part of Strangers who in those days by multitudes flocked hither and by their extraordinary Sparing and painful Industry procured much Wealth and Begger'd the Natives He Exiled many of the Nobles who contrary to their Duties had adhered to King Stephen and differing much from the Opinion of his Predecessor he affirmed that strong Castles and Forts maintained in the heart of the Kingdom did rather Animate Great Men upon any displeasure to Revolt than Fear them into Obedience whereupon he caused most of them to be Razed to the Ground and Seized such Mannors Lordships Possessions as his Predecessors had either Sold or Given from the Crown holding it to be the Duty of every Subject to refuse the Gift or Purchace of such things as do immediately concern the Honour and Maintenance of a King And the like he did in the Northern Parts where many Great Men Commanding as they list had wrought themselves and their Posterity into many Honours Castles Mannors which properly appertained to the Crown He likewise took into his hands the Provinces of Cumberland Northumberland and the Earldom of Huntingdon which David King of Scots and Henry his Son had received as a Gift from King Stephen to favour his Wars against the Empress However the King entered into Amity with Malcolm King of Scots upon the same Conditions as were Agreed on in Henry the Firsts time and in Token of his Subjection the Scot Offered his Bonnet and Saddle upon St. Peter's Altar at York And about this time Theobald Dying Becket was made Arch Bishop of Canterbury This King even in time of Peace had generally an Army on foot and rarely kept them Idle but would often Transport them to Normandy and there having Exercised them would bring them back again so that on all occasions they were found ready and expert Souldiers And now an advantage opened a way to the English for the Conquest of Ireland For the Eastern part along the Sea being possessed by Dormat-Mac-Mahur King of Leinster his Cruelties had highly incensed his Subjects against him especially upon taking away the Queen of Morice King of Meath so that the Injured King Confederating with Roderick O Conor King of Connought they beat him out of his Country so that he fled for England and craved Aid of King Henry to Restore him which upon taking an Oath of Fidelity and Subjection was harkened to when the better to encourage the design the King for a Sum of Money obtained leave of Pope Adrian an Englishman then advanced to St. Peter's Chair that he might Conquer Ireland promising moreover throughly to Establish the Christian Religion therein and bring it to an acknowledgment of the See of Rome but whilst he was preparing for this Expedition new Troubles arose in Normandy which required his Presence to pacifie but he granted his Letters Patents by which he gave leave with Encouragement to his Nobles and such others as were willing to go for Ireland Dormat impatient of Exile laid hold of this first Advantage and Solicited the Nobles but above all he promised Richard the Kings Son a Young Prince of a Warlike Spirit his Daughter a very Beautiful Young Lady and all his Countries after his Decease to be made over to them he likewise incited one Fitz Stephens who with a Band of Valiant Welshmen was the first that Landed and maintained his Ground with much Courage till the Prince and divers Nobles came over and with little trouble they seized the Town of Wexford which was given to Fitz Stephens for his part of the Charge of the War and soon after many of the petty Irish Kings being Overthrown Dormat was Restored and Dublin the chief City Submitting to him he put to Death by many Cruelties such of his Capital Enemies as he found there However the Prince went Conquering on and Subdued all before him of which King Henry had no sooner Notice but fearing this might flush Ambition and make him practice with his own Subjects for the Crown he speedily returned to England and sent Mandates Commanding all the English under great Penalties to return rallying the Nobility for suffering the Prince in his Absence to go over he was in this so far Obeyed that the Prince was left in Dublin with a small Train the Irish was not slow in taking the advantage of this Retreat and therefore Besieged him in that prime City with an Army of 30000 Men upon which he Sally'd with about 1500 and utterly Routed them taking great Spoils and so in obedience to the Kings commands returned for England where he surrendered into his Fathers hands all the Forts and Cities he had taken Anno 1172 the King Landed in Ireland with a Royal Army and found Dormar to be Dead however he brought such a Terror on the Country That Roderick and most of the other Princes submitted to him intreating him to take the Government on him as their Supream Lord which he Accepted with their Oaths of Fealty and at Christmas he made a Royal Feast in
into three Ranks 1. Poor by Impotency 2. The Poor by Casualty 3. The Thriftless Poor And soon after this the King fell Sick of a Languishing Disease which began with a Hectick Feaver and by degrees inclined to a Consumption When Northumberland who had gotten the power into his hands was Plotting how if the King Dyed he might get the Crown into his Family and at last concluded to lay his Project with the Duke of Suffolk which was That his Youngest Son Dudley Lord Gilford should Marry the Duke of Suffolk's Eldest Daughter the Lady Jane who was of the Blood Royal and that they would prevail with the King to Disinherit his two Sisters and by his Will appoint her Queen if the Dutchess of Suffolk would be so contented whose Right was before her Daughter And indeed this Northumberland prevailed with the Languishing King to do under a specious pretence of securing the Reformed Religion on which to serve his ends he laid a mighty stress tho' himself was not much concern'd for any as will appear in the next Reign Upon this account divers Marriages were contracted and the Nuptials celebrated viz. The Pious and Virtuous Lady Jane Eldest Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk in a fatal hour was Married to the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son to the Earl of Northumberland for all his other Sons were Matched before Catharine another Daughter of the Earl of Suffolk's was Married to the Earl of Pembrooks eldest Son and Mary a third Daughter some what deformed to Caies the Kings Master Porter and the Duke of Northumberland gave Catharine his youngest Daughter to the Lord Hastings Son to the Earl of Huntington Whilst these things were doing the Kings Sickness much encreased for Northumberland had displaced his Physitians and put him into the hands of a Woman to cure who it is thought hastened him to his Grave for no sooner had they procured him by his Will which was read in the hearing of the Counselors Judges c. And confirmed by their Assents to Disinherit Mary and Elizabeth his Sisters whose Interest as Northumberland said was so closely Joyned that if the Crown fell to either of them it must first come to the Lady Mary who was a professed Papist and not by any entreaties to be brought over to the Reformed Religion and by his said Will to appoint the Lady Jane his Successor but plain Symptoms of Death appeared And not above Three Hours before he Dyed thinking no body had been near he thus Piously Prayed Lord God deliver me out of this Miserable and Wretched Life Take me amongst thy Chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I Commit my Spirit to Thee O Lord thou knowest how Happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosens sake if it be thy will send me Life and Health that I may truly Serve thee O my Lord Bless thy People and save thine Inheritance O Lord God save thy Chosen People of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Popery and maintain thy True Religion that I and my People may Praise thy Holy Name Amen About three hours afterward he said I faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit and so yielded up the Ghost The Conjectures how this Sickness came upon the King were various among the People some that it was caused by his smelling to an Impoisoned Nosegay presented him for a New-Years-Gift others That Northumberland's Woman purposely destroyed him and such indeed was then that Dukes power that though the King's Physitians shook their Heads as much grieved yet they durst not utter their Minds He was a Prince exceeding Pious and Learned to a Miracle considering his Years in Latin Greek French Italian Spanish Musick Logick c. He Dyed the 6th of July Anno Dom. 1553 in the 7th Year of his Reign and the 16th of his Age having Reigned 6 Years 5 Months and 8 Days and was Buried without any great Solemnity at Westminster In this Kings Reign one George Paris a German was Burnt in Smithfield for Arianisme in denying the Divinity of our Saviour Three Whales and divers Dolphins were taken in the Thames and on the Coast A Woman at Middleton near Oxford brought forth a Monstrous Child with two Heads and two Bodies joyned together of the Female Sex and all other Members proportionable the Bodies being as it were Head and Tail one Head at one end and the other at t'other it Lived 14 Days and was killed at last by Cold in being too often exposed naked to satisfy Peoples curiosity A great blow of Gunpowder was given in a House near the Tower which killed Fifteen Gunpowder-Makers shattered divers Houses and wounded many Persons in them Remarks on the Principallity of Wales THE Principallity of Wales does strictly contain but Twelve Counties and is commonly Divided into North-Wales and South-Wales North-Wales Contains Flimshire Merionethshire Anglesey Montgomeryshire Carnarvanshire Denbeighshire South-Wales Contains Cardiganshire Glamorganshire Pembrookshire Brecknockshire Caermarthenshire Radnorshire Of each of which I shall give you a brief Account Alphabetically 1. ANGLESETY Island called Mam Cimbiae or The Mother of Wales for its Fertility Rich Pastures breeding store of Cattle c. It is divided from Carnarvanshire by the Water or River Mennay the rest incompassed with the Irish Sea It contains 6 Hundreds 74 Parishes 2 Market Towns 4 Rivers 8 Bridges and 2 Chases It sends Members to Parliament 2 viz. Beaumaris 1 and a Knight of the Shire This Town was Built by King Edward the First and stands advantageous for a Passage to Ireland Newborough is a place of Antiquity and once a Court of the British Princes The chief Rivers are Llinnon Guynt Keveny Alow and Brant THE PRINCIPALITY OF WALES By John Seller 3. CARDIGANSHIRE lies on its West part commodious to the Irish Sea and the rest Bounded by Caermardenshire Pembrookshire Brecknockshire Radnorshire Montgomery and Monmouthshire It is very Hilly tho' well Watered with Rivers and has in divers places large Mears and Pools It containes 5 Hundreds 64 Parishes 4 Market Towns and has a Bishop belonging to it It s principal River is Tivy which Waters its South Borders and branches into the County and in it are 13 Bridges and 1 Park It sends Members to Parliament 2 viz. Cardegan 1 and 1 Knight of the Shire Cardigan the Shire Town was Walled about and Fortified with a Castle by Gilbert D' Clare who was Lord of the whole County by the Gift of King Henry the First 4. CARNARVANSHIRE has in it divers Meers and Pools some branching Rivers and a sprinkling of Hills It affords some Corn store of Pasture and a considerable quantity of Cattle It is Bounded on the West by the Irish Sea and the Isle of Anglesey and the South has the Sea flowing to it as likewise the North so that what remaines to the Land-ward is Bounded by Denbighshire and Merionethshire It contains 7 Hundreds 68 Parishes 6 Market Towns 17 Rivers
Earl of Lowborough Soon after this six Ships with Stores Ammunition and Provision which the Duke had caused to Watch the Coast and Intercept Mary if she should fly fell into her hands as driven by stress of Weather into Yarmouth when a great part of her Forces were there by whom they were seized And Sir Henry Jerningham consigned them to her use Having by this means got a Traine of Artillery she Marched towards Northumberland Snow-Ball like gathering as she proceeded which made the Duke send to the Lords at London to supply him with more Forces for on the Muster he found many were Deserted and till their coming he resolved to stay at Cambridge but they hearing how things went and finding the People unwilling to engage began more to consult their own safety than any other matter and leaving the Tower they met at Bainard's Castle and there contrary to their sollemn promises they consulted to Depose the Lady Jane whom they had so lately advanced to the Throne and the Earl of Arrundel being Spokesman boldly declared the necessity of it enveighing bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland recounting many things that have been already mentioned of him urging the unlawfulness of what they had done and that there was no better Cure of Error than mature and timely Repentance and therefore he besought them all present with one Heart and Mind to endeavour to the utmost that Mary the undoubted Lawful Heir of the Crown might presently be Proclaimed Queen See in this the wonderful Conversion Fear can work in Mens minds for untill he perceived the Lady Mary Powerful and likely to come in by Force except Northumberland he was the most violent against her Upon this Advice and some other Debates it was agreed the Lady Mary should be Proclaimed Queen for the Earl of Pembrook saying he heartily agreed with Arrundel and laying his Hand on his Sword Swore He would try it with any one that should presume to maintain the contrary most became willing and the rest were carried away in the stream of Power and so sending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen they went to Cheap Cross and there to the great wonderment of the People Proclaimed Mary Queen and passing to St. Paul's Te Deum was Sung sending some to take possession of the Tower and others to Summon the Duke of Suffolk laying all Excuses aside to appear at the Council-Board The Duke perceiving Ruin threatned him and his Family by laying too great a stress on Treacherous Friends and drawn into a Snare by Northumberland's subtilty he yet concluded to use such means as he hoped might avert the coming Storm wherefore upon this notice he went to his Daughters Chamber of State causing her to lay aside her Princely Ornaments Advising her not to take it grievously that she was to return home and live a Private Life To which with a composed Countenance she Reply'd Most loving Father I with more Joy and Gladness entertain the Message you now bring me than that when sore against my will you placed me in the Throne I then displeased my self that I might shew my Obedience to you and my Mother I believe I have greatly Offended in what I have done but now I willingly Obey you and am well contented to renounce the Crown and to confess my fault if at last so great an offence may be wiped away by an acknowledgment of my Error After this she retired to her Closet and the Ladies that waited on her were discharged from that Office and desired to retire to their respective Habitations which they did tho' not without Tears to see Innocence precipitated into so great a misfortune as was likely to follow The Duke of Suffolk after this went to the Council of Lords and subscribed the last Proclamation and thereupon the Earl of Arrundel and divers others posted to Queen Mary for so now I must stile her with a great Train and procured their Pardons The Duke of Northumberland somwhat late hearing of these Proceedings in much perturbation of mind shewed his meanness of Spirit in running into the Street at Cambridge and Proclaiming Queen Mary throwing up his Cap and capering amongst the croud as if he had done it with all the sincerity and alacrity imaginable when every body knew Fear and hope of Pardon compelled him to it Yet a few days after he and divers others whilst they were preparing for Flight as doubting the worst were Arrested by the Lord Arrundel and convey'd to the Tower of London and the Army he commanded Disbanded and ordered on pain of being reputed Rebells to repair immediatly to their several Houses and the Virtuous Lady Jane after ten Days Acting the Queen as on a Stage by special order confin'd to the Tower The Marquess of Northampton was Imprisoned and divers others of Note who they suggested were any way concerned in this business and the Lady Elizabeth upon her Sisters coming towards London went to meet her Sister and Congratulated her Success highly commending her for so undauntedly pursuing her Right to the Crown and upon her enterance into London she caused the Duke of Norfolk and Edward Courtney Son to the Marquess of Exceter Beheaded in Henry the Eighth's time to be set at Liberty as also Stephen Gardener and all the Romish Clergy were released from their confinement with many others Constituting Gardener Lord Chancellour of England restoring the deprived Popish Bishops to their Offices and Dignities outing those of the Reformed Religion that had by King Edward been preferred to those Bishopricks as London Winchesâ—â—â— Durham Worcester Chichester c. But for all this Dr. Bourn Preaching at St. Paul's Cross and bitterly inveighing against the Reformed Religion had a Dagger flung at him whose mortal Point narrowly missed his Breast tho' the party that did it upon the narrowest search and scrutinie could not be discovered Things being a little settled the Queen by Advice of her Council chosen for the purpose proceeded to Revenge herself on her opposers and procured the Duke of Northumberland the Earl of Warwick his Eldest Son and the Marquess of Northampton to be Try'd and Condemn'd for High Treason and soon after the Duke was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-Hill where he declared himself in hopes of Life a Roman Catholick Advising all present to return to the Mother Church and not to embrace a new uncertain Religion that had work'd so many Mischiefs and Disorders in the Kingdom And that for his own part he always embraced and loved the Religion he received from his Ancestors with much more to the same purpose But by the way pray hear what he said to King Edward when he perswaded him to exclude his Sisters from the Crown which I should not have mention'd had he by his Ambition brought none but himself to this kind of Misfortune He told him The Lady Mary his Eldest Sister was a professed Roman Catholick and if she came to the Crown would destroy the Reformed Religion and
therefore it was the Duty of a good and Religious Prince to set light by all natural tyes and respects of Blood in regard of the Glory of God and the benefit of his Subjects Salvation That vengeance awaited those that should do otherwise for when this Life was ended they must appear before Gods high Tribunal there to give an Account of all their Actions either to receive the Reward of Eternal Life or the Doom of Eternal Death But this was then to serve his ends And I pray God too many in our days do not make Religion a pretence to advantage themselves One thing more is remarkable in this great Mans fall of which it is said he took exceeding notice viz. As he passed to the Tower when first committed a Woman out of a Balcony shook a bloody Handkerchief saying Look you here 's the Blood of a right Noble Man and the Kings Vnkle which was shed through your wicked Treachery and now cryeth for Revenge against you But his profession of the Popish Religion saved not his Life tho' it is supposed Dr. Heath his Confessor had on this account put him in great hopes of Pardon which was conjectured from the unwillingness that appeared in him to submit to the stroak Near the same time Sir John Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer two of the Dukes Favourites were Beheaded for accompanying him to Cambridge which by the Judges was construed Rebellion and consequently Treason against the Queen And divers Protestant Bishops as Dr. Hooper of Gloucester Dr. Coverdale of Exceter Dr. Farrar of St. David's c. and all Ecclesiastical Persons were deprived of their Livings who would not comply with the Romish Religion Soon after these Proceedings the Lords Ambrose and Guilford Dudley two Sons to the Duke of Northumberland with the Virtuous Lady Jane Wife to the latter were Try'd and found Guilty of High Treason and Condemned Arch Bishop Cranmer was Imprisoned but nothing of Treason appearing against him he was at that time Released but afterwards Condemned to the Flames for Heresy as in the Martyrology annexed to this Reign will appear wherefore by the way take notice that to avoid breaking the thred of History by so many occasions as must in his and other cases of that nature occur for the better understanding of the Reader I shall omit them here to place them by themselves However they agreed to send Peter Martyr under safe conduct to Antwerp supposing he would there fall into rougher hands but he escaped into Germany The Queens Coronation had been hitherto deferr'd but now was performed with much Pomp and Solemnity And a Parliament was called in which almost all the Laws Enacted in the Reigns of Henry the 8th and Edward the 6th against Popery were Repealed and in a Synod at London Disputations were held concerning the Real Presence in the Sacrament in which the Popish Doctors were nonpluss'd yet as their saying was They had the Sword tho' we had the Word so that by outclamouring some and over-awing others they gave sentence That it was necessary the Roman Catholick Religion should be Restored And the Queen exhibited a General Pardon so called but with so many Exceptions and Exclusions That those of the Clergy and Laity that stood in most need of it could reap no benefit by it and soon after this the Queen enclining to Marry Phillip King of Spain among many others proposed was thought the most agreeable Match for as much as it was laid before her That an unsettled Kingdom ought to have a potent Prince to defend it if Troubles should arise as well Abroad as at Home which upon Gardener Bishop of Wincbester's moving Oration to the Lords was approved and the Spanish Ambassadars coming over with full Power to Treat about it the Marriage was concluded on and Articles signed very advantageous to the English as to Trade and disencumberance from Wars Abroad she being to Rule Absolute and he not to intermeddle with the Affaires of the Kingdom unless by way of Advice and that such Children as should proceed from this Marriage should be here brought up and not carry'd out of the Kingdome Yet many disliked it as fearing when the Queen was Married her Husband would do as he pleased by easily prevailing on her to have the disposal of Offices Treasure and Armies and under this pretence Sir Thomas Wiat raised a Rebellion in Kent and attempted to enter the City of London but being forcibly resisted at London-Bridge fetching a compass to pass the Thames at Kingston in the mean while such Forces were prepared as routed his Followers and obliged him to surrender himself Prisoner and being Committed to the Tower he soon after lost his Head This Rebellion in which her Father had under-hand sided hastned the Death of the Lady Jane and her Husband for Dr. Fecknam being sent to her to perswade her to the Romish Religion but she being constant and unmovable the Warrant was signed for her Execution and the Lord Guilford being first Beheaded she unconcern'd beheld his Body brought all Bloody into the Tower exposed to her view the more to terrify her and with a settled Constancy of Mind tho' she did not much exceed Sixteen Years mounted the Scaffold and Embracing the Divine that had attended her Desired God to reward him for his Pious endeavours in Counselling and Advising her about the weighty Concern of an Immortal State and then turning to the by-standers with a composed Countenance Lovely in Sorrow she thus spoke her Mind If I am Guilty said she it is not because I affected the Kingdom but that I refused it not being cast upon me and must leave a memorable Example and Monition to all Posterity That Innocency cannot excuse those grievous Actions which tend to the Publick Damage for it seemes they commit wickedness enough that serve the Ambitious Designs of others tho' it be much against their own will Having Spoken these words she Pray'd fervently then desiring her Gentlewoman to help her off with her Gown she vailed her Eyes and submitting to the Block denied the Executioner to do what the Law had appointed as her bitter Portion whereupon her Head being stricken off caused many Tears even in those that favoured not her Religion And thus a worthy Author speaks of her She was says he Religious Wise and Learned above her Age or Sex who for taking the fatal Title of a Queen unsought-for and forced upon her by others was snatched from a Throne to a Prison and from thence to the place of Execution where she suffered Patiently for the Offences of others and yet overcame the many blows of Adversity with Constancy and Innocency A while after the Duke of Suffolk being Imprisoned was Condemned for having a hand in Wiat's Rebellion and attempting to raise others as it was Charged against him on his Tryal tho' on very slender proof Being brought to the Scaffold he thrust from him the Popish Priests who were busy and troublesome in endeavouring
to perswade him to change his Religion and Praying fervently he among other Expressions Desired the Queen to forgive him as he forgave all that had offended him At which Dr. Weston who had been earnest with him to change his Religion said aloud to the people The Queen had forgiven him Whereupon some Reply'd such forgiveness God send you And then preparing for the Stroke he underwent it with much constancy and courage not varying from what the series of his Life had expressed him Divers taken in Wiat's Rebellion being about this time Executed and some Pardoned Wiat in hopes of Life was wrought on to Accuse the Marquess of Exceter and the Lady Elizabeth the Queens Sister but being nevertheless brought to Execution he heartily begged both their pardons with Tears excusing them from having any hand in his Rebellion for which tho' he dyed by the Ax his Body was Quartered and set upon several Gates in the City and within a while Thomas Lord Grey Brother to the Duke of Suffolk was Beheaded For this Queen seemed to have learned her Fathers way viz. To spare none that stood in her way or from whom she apprehended any danger The Queen calling a Parliament propounded to the Houses her Intended Marriage and the desire she had of restoring the Popes Supremacy but to the latter at this time she could not get their Consents the Nobles imagining they must restore the Church-Lands if the Pope once came to assume a power over the Ecclesiastical State But the former upon several advantagous additional Articles they allowed and King Philip with a great Train of the Nobility of Spain and other Nations came to Winchester where the Queen stay'd to receive him and on St. James's Day they were Married there with great pomp and solemnity and their Stiles pronounced in Latin French and English Whereupon John Figuora the Emperours Ambassador resigned to them in his Masters name the Kingdom of Naples and the rejoycing being a little over they came to London where they were received in much splendor and going to Windsor the King was Installed Knight of the Garter and Cardinal Pool sent for over to settle the affairs of the Church being appointed the Popes Legate and in Parliament his Attainder was taken off and he restored to all his Honours and Dignities and making a moving Oration to both Houses won upon them to be Absolved by him as in Form he did after the whole Kingdom and in the end procured Popery to be restored but not the Lands of the Church For tho' they set light by Religion those were too sweet morsels to be parted with The Queen after this laboured to have King Philip Crowned but the Parliament refused their consent and soon after that she fancied herself to be with Child and by her Error led many to believe it so that the Infant was Pray'd for Some in the Pulpets undertook to describe its featurs when it should be born others to direct how it should be brought up abundance of Cradles Rockers Nurses and such like were provided and at last it was spread abroad with uncertain Rumour she was Delivered of a Prince then he was described again in the Pulpits the English Merchants at Antwerp fired their Guns and made great Rejoycing but at length it was discover'd the Queen had never been with Child But if any thing was in it she had been deceived by a Mole which tho' without Life some times stirrs as if it were Quickened However it occasioned various Conjectures of the Queen but time blew over the Censures Many Persons now were advanced to Dignities to ballance in the House of Peers and the Earl of Savoy and Piedmont coming to see England was highly welcomed and Lodged at White-Hall but after a short stay he departed to his own Country and the Prisons being in a manner fill'd many were Pardoned others without it set at Liberty and Sir Nicholas Throckmorton's Head being aimed at the Jury for Acquitting him upon Tryal were severely Fined and Punished to the Ruin of the greatest part of them The Lady Elizabeth Sister to the Queen after a long Imprisonment in the Tower and other places being often put in danger of her Life by Firing the Boards under her Lodgings Ruffians enterprising to Murther her and many hardships undergon so that she wished her self a Milk-Maid when she heard the merry contented Life of one singing in a Park near her Prison was set at Liberty as also the Lord Courtney Marquess of Exceter who had been a Prisoner from the time of his Fathers being Beheaded in Henry the Eighth's Reign The Lord Stourton a great stickler for Popery having Murthered one Hargil and his Son relying on his Pardon found he was deceived for himself was Hanged in a Silken Cord and four of his Servants who assisted him in Hemp. It seemes there had been Law-Suits and other Variances between him and the Murthered Person and the sooner to end them he and his Servants knocked them down with Clubbs cut their Throats and Buried them Fifteen Foot deep but such was the will of God the Murther should be discovered by such as went to digg Gravel and the Murtherers punished Thomas Stafford second Son to the Lord Stafford getting a few Ships Landed in the North and surprized Scarborough Castle Proclaiming Queen Mary held the Crown without Right and had betray'd the Kingdom to the Spaniards but six Days after his Landing he was Taken by the Earl of Westmoreland and at London lost his Head Three of his Followers being Executed at Tyburn And King Philip being in War with France upon the account of his Father Charles the Emperour notwithstanding by Articles of Marriage it was agreed upon that the English should not Intermeddle the Queen laboured to Quarrel that she might come in with a colourable pretext to Assist her Husband and therefore made divers Complaints of Injuries done especially That the French King had fitted out Stafford with Men and Money and encouraged divers others to molest her Kingdom and was about to Proclaim War But Pope Paul the Fourth Envying the Emperour and taking part with the French hereupon to cross Queen Mary's purposes took Cardinal Pool's Authority Legantine from him and appointed one Peter Petou a Monk of the Order of St. Francis to Succeed him naming him Bishop of Salisbury but the Queen forbad his Landing and by submitting to the Pope got Pool restored Whilst these things passed King Philip raised an Army in Flanders and other Countries of 25000 Foot and 12000 Horse and the Queen under-hand sent to his Aid 1000 Horse and 4000 Foot under the Earl of Pembrook and other experienced Generals which overthrew the French Army and took the Town of St. Quintins and because the English had thus assisted contrary to the Truce between the two Nations the Duke of Guise set down before Callice and battered it furiously of which the Queen having notice ordered Supplies to be immediatly sent of Men Ammunition and
could not Succeed being Illegitimate That he could not contradict the Declarations of Clement the Seventh and Paul the Third That it was a great presumption to assume the Name of Queen and Government without his consent yet being desirous to shew a Fatherly Affection if she would renounce her pretentions to the Crown and refer herself wholly to his free disposition he would do whatever might be done with the Honour of the Apostolick See The Queen who was well assured of her Title to the Crown by her Right and by the Estates in Parliament little expecting such an Answer was very much displeased called home her Agent and from that time resolved never more to hold any Correspondency with the See of Rome But having refused the King of Spain's offers of Marriage with her counting the Dispensation he promised to procure at the Popes hands Unlawful and Wicked she set her mind to contrive the most easie and inofensive ways how to restore the Protestant Religion consulting with those of the greatest understanding in Affairs of Church and State and coming to some result she placed in the Courts of Judicature and Offices of greatest Trust such Persons as were of that Profession or well enclined to it And having wisely weighed all circumstances she made provision against the encouragement and growth of Popery by restraining the Nobles and others from sending their Children to be Educated beyond the Seas and caused many Ceremonies in Divine Worship used in the former Reign to be laid aside And so after the Funeral of her Sister prepared for her Coronation and was in order to it conducted with extraordinary Pomp and Triumph from the Tower through the City to Westminster where she was Invested with the Regal Ornaments and was Crowned by the Bishop of Carlile the other Bishops refusing to perform that Office as fearing the Popes displeasure or rather the fall of the Romish Religion in this Kingdom to which Alteration if they consented not they foresaw they must lose their Bishopricks And now People differing much in Points of Religion it was ordered by Proclamation That none should unreverently speak of the Sacrament and it was alowed to be received in both kinds yet a Conferrence was appointed to be held at Westminster between the Papists and the Protestants upon these Considerations viz. 1. Concerning Prayer and the Administration of the Sacrament in the Vulgar-Tongue 2. Concerning the Authority of the Church in Constituting and Abrogating Ceremonies to Edification 3. Concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass But the Papists in this would come to nothing without the Popes License and some of the Bishops threatning the Queen and her Nobles with Excommunication if they proceeded to make alterations for their male-pertness some of them were committed to Prison The Queen appointed a Form of Common Prayer in English and settled the Reformed Religion entirely throwing off the Roman Yoak and began to apply herself to other weighty Affairs sending to demand the Restitution of Callice Lost in the preceding Reign and after many Debates it was agreed That the French King should Enjoy it for the Term of Eight Years and that then it should be restored to the Queen of England or in refusal be Paid 500000 Crowns and hereupon a Peace was Agreed and Proclaimed between the two Nations as also between the Dauphin and the Queen of Scots his Wife whereby Scotland was Included Whilst these things were transacting the Parliament Advised the Queen to Marry leaving her entirely therein to her own Choice that Children might be Born to Succeed her To which the Queen made this reply That she was already Wedded which was to her Kingdom and People and having promised to take a Husband if so the good of the State should require it she dismissed those that were sent to her by both Houses on this Message And soon after came an Ambassador from the King of Sweden to propose a Marriage between her and Prince Ericus the Kings Eldest Son but after he had been sumptuously Treated he was dismissed with a modest Denial and tho' the Duke of Anjou the Arch Duke of Austria and others sued for her Favour she only gave them her Esteem instead of her Love and put them off with fair words In the meantime the Scots destroyed in most parts of that Kingdom the Religious Houses Altars Images c. declaring for a Reformation which was against their Queens mind Whereupon the French on her Husbands and her part raised Forces to oppose them which made them send their Complaints to Queen Elizabeth and implore her assistance for the speedy driving out the Frenchmen whom they said through their Queens favour had engrossed all the Places of Trust Honour and Profit into their Hands This Queen Elizabeth communicating to her Council after many Debates to prevent the French getting an inlet into England by the way of Scotland it was agreed Assistance should be given to the Reformers And the Duke of Norfolk was appointed Lieutenant General of the North to secure the Borders and on certain Articles agreed an Army was sent into Scotland under the Command of the Lord Grey and Ships to Edenborough Frith who dislodged the French Men of War that lay there This made the French King sue for Peace to the Queen but his suit was rejected on many weighty Considerations tho' he promised at this time to deliver up Callice in lieu thereof However a Treaty was held at Edenborough but it came to little upon the French King 's declining to Sign the Articles agreed on And now the Pope a Second time laboured to perswade the Queen to own his Supremacy and not separate England from the Body of the Roman Catholick Church but the Queen refusing to harken to the Popes Letters resolved firmly to adhere to the Protestant Religion And now the Queen of Scots returning into that Kingdom her Husband being Dead sent a Letter to Queen Elizabeth full of kind expressions to desire that a sincere Friendship might be maintained between them and the Envoy that brought it had Commission to deal with the Queen to declare her Heir Apparent to the Kingdom which was insinuated as the safest way to continue Peace between the two Crowns But the Queen Answered She would do nothing to the prejudice of her Title but as to this matter she would refer it to the Personal Conferrence that was to be held shortly at York But that Interview was broken off by the Papists contrivance least it might be a means towards creating the Queen of Scots an inclination to the Reformed Religion whereupon the Queen the better to strengthen her Hands built several Sail of stout Ships cast a great many Ordnance and the Art of Gun-powder-making in England was first by her Encouragement found out so that having a great Fleet always at Sea she was by Forreigners stiled The Queen of the North Seas causing the Militia readily to be provided with Arms and frequently Exercised And the Guisean Faction
labouring to destroy the Hugonots or Protestant Party in France constrained them for the safety of their Lives to fall into a Civil War The Queen assisted the latter and had Haverdegrace and New Haven put into her Hands as Cautionary Towns for the reimbursment of her Charges when things should be settled and to keep them firm to her Interest so that they should not make a Peace without her consent and hereupon she sent them 6000 Men under the Command of the Lord Ambrose Dudley and kept the Seas with a considerable Navy Whilst matters went thus Abroad Designs were carrying on against the Queen at Home whereupon divers of Note especially those descended of the Blood Royal by the two Daughters of Henry the Seventh were Imprisoned And she calling a Parliament an Act passed for Assurance of the Queens Royal Power and Authority over all Estates and Subjects within her Dominions And further Enacted That the Oath of Supremacy should be administered to all Persons for the better discovery of such as sided with the Pope against her which much startled the Papists and made them quiet for a time In the mean while the Prince of Conde one of the chief Leaders of the French Protestants being Overthrown at the Battel of Derux was taken Prisoner as likewise Sir Nicholas Trockmorton who paying his Ransom was set at Liberty But the Admiral Chastillion took so many Places as startled the Guises insomuch that they consented to an Edict of Pacification whereby the Princes were to be restored to the French Kings Favour Conde alured with the hopes of the Lieutenancy of France and a Marriage with the Queen of Scots the Hugonets to enjoy the freedom of their Religion c. The Agreement was suddainly made and the English not only treacherously Abandoned but they Joyned with the Papists to drive them out of the places they held and straightly Besieged New Haven which by reason of the Plague raged grievously in it they had Surrendered to them But the Spanish Greatness threatning England and the French offering reasonable Terms a Peace was concluded between the two Crowns and Ratified upon their delivering Hostages to pay the Queen at a set time a large Sum of Money upon which the French King was Invested with the Order of the Garter Hereupon the Spaniard in a fret prohibited all Commerce between the English and his Subjects which made the Queen remove the Wooll-Mart from Antwerp to Ems in Frizland but the Low Countries being much Impoverished thereby the Edict was Repealed and now the Queen made her great Favourite Sir Robert Dudley Lord Denbigh Earl of Leicester Knight of the Garter Chancellor of Oxford and Master of the Horse and this she seemed to do the better to qualify him for a Husband for the Queen of Scots but it swelled him to that Ambition that he soon aspired to make pretentions to herself and the Queen of Scots soon after Married the Lord Darnly Son to the Duke of Lenox of the Royal Blood and of this Marriage was born James the Sixth of Scotland and first of England This not only displeased Queen Elizabeth but the greater part of the Scots Nobility because he was scarce 20 Years of Age and easie to be sway'd any way However he was sollemnly Crowned King but by the contrivance of Murray the Queen of Scots Bastard Brother and others he some time after was Blown-up in his Lodging and his mangled Body thrown by the force of the Pouder into the Garden The Parliament of England meeting again humbly besought the Queen to Marry but she still declined it Shortly after the Queen of Scots falling into a Languishing condition Recommended her Son to the Protection of Queen Elizabeth yet Recovering Earl Bothwell suspected to be one with Murray in destroying Darnley was forced to fly the Kingdom and Murray raised a Party against the Queen to Depose her when after some contesting being over-powered she fled into England and craved Queen Elizabeth's Protection but by the Advice of some Counselours bribed by Murray's Faction in stead of allowing her tho' near in Blood that favour she was committed a Prisoner in the custody of the Earl of Shrewsbury and after 20 Years Confinement lost her Head for holding Correspondencies with the Papists to take away the Life of the Queen A Passage having been discovered by the English to Russia and great Privileges granted to the Merchants The Czar or Emperour of Moscovy and Russia sent his Ambassadors to Queen Elizabeth with Rich presents of Furrs and such other Commodities as his Country yielded and with them one Anthony Jenkinson an Englishman who had first Sailed the Caspian Sea his demands was to make a League Offensive and Defensive with her but by reason of the distance of the place the Queen agreed not to the former but left the latter indifferent and so the Ambassadors having been highly Treated were dismissed with a return of Presents In Ireland Shan O Neal fell into Rebellion but being defeated by the English and throwing himself on the Hebridians he was by them Slain after a seeming kind reception and the Earl of Desmond was seized and sent Prisoner to England and Sir John Hawkins being in America with some Ships and contrary to the Capitulation set-upon by the Spaniard his Goods rifled and some of his Men slain the English Nation was so exasperated with the Treachery that they demanded a War with Spain which however at that time was not granted for the Queen having taken the French Protestants who were cruelly Persecuted under Charles the Ninth was employed to support them with Money and Ammunition and in providing for such a fled hither tho' they had basely abandoned her at New Haven But the Duke of Alva the King of Spains General making fierce War in the Low Countries he brought in the Inquisition to Extirpate the Protestant Religion There there happened an Accident that opened a Breach between England and Spain viz. Vast Sums of Money being sent in a Spanish Ship by Italian Merchants to be Imployed in the Bank in the Low Countries for the ruin of the Protestants there those Vessells were Chased upon the English Coast by some French Men of War and the Money being brought on Shoar the Queen was Advised by her Privy Council to stay it and give the Merchants Owners Security for the Repaiment of it Whereupon the Duke of Alva caused all the Goods and Effects of the English in the Low Countries to be seized and the Queen caused the same to be done by the Dutch Merchants in England which were of greater Value and Commerce being Prohibited the English removed the Staple to Hamb rough and the Privatieâ—s set out so greatly Endamaged the Spaniard that the Queen was forced to restrain them yet the Duke of Alva secretly practised to raise Rebellion in England and Ireland and the Earls of Northumberland Westmorland and others did make an Insurrection in the North being Instigated to it by Morton a
Elizabeth Cavendish she Married Sir William Seymour Son to the Lord Beaucham and both at a distance being Allyed to the Crown made the Marriage distasted but her Husband escaped out of the Tower whether he had been Committed for this conjunction and fled beyond Sea and she escaping from her House at Highgate to follow him was intercepted and Dyed in the place aforesaid There being a Peace confirmed with all Nations the King treated with Spain about a Marriage between his Son Charles now Prince of Wales and Heir apparent to the Crown and the Infanta but Ambassadors being sent many delays were made about difference in Religion and some other Objections which the Earl of Salisbury who Negotiated the matter perceiving would come to no good effect the Treaty of Marriage was laid aside and overtures at the same time made in the Court of France but that as the former then succeeded not by the means of the Duke of Savoy The King having been some Years out of Scotland went thither with a splended Retinue and unluckily about this time the Book of Sports was Published allowing on the Sabbath Day for the Recreation of the Younger sort after Evening-Service Dancing about May-Poles Church-Ales and such like which much displeased sober People to behold that Sacred Day so Prophaned however notwithstanding many complaints it continued and some were punished for opposing it by Writing or otherways Sir Walter Rawleigh making overtures to the King to find out a Rich Mine of Gold-Ore in Gunia by the directions of Captain Kentish once his Servant he was dismissed with some Ships and Men but Gondemar the Spanish Ambassador getting notice of this design writ to Spain about it with such Expedition that Letters from thence arrived in the West-Indies to Advertize of his preparations long before he came so that finding almost all places Fortified except St. Thomes they took that and attempted the River but in passing found such opposition as constrained them to retire without attchieving their ends which so perplexed Kentish that he Shot himself in his Cabin and Sir Walter upon his Return was seized by Sir Lewis Stukley his Kinsman and being brought to London was at the earnest instance and clamour of the Spanish Ambassador sent to the Tower and many grievous complaints laid to his charge of Imposing on the King and indangering a War with Spain That it would likewise break off the Treaty of Marrying again renewed between the Prince and Infanta of Spain with such aggravations that the King gave way he was brought to the King's-Bench Bar at Westminster where the Records of his former Arraignment were Read and he demanded why Execution should not be done upon him according to the Judgment that had been pronounced against him and he going about to Justifie himself on the account of his Voyage was told it was not in question but that he stood there upon his former Judgment which the King would have Executed upon him and tho' he urged much against it as the King 's Trust by a new Commission which he look'd upon as a Pardon c. his Execution was appointed and he Beheaded in the Old Palace-Yard at Westminster in the 60th Year of his Age which pacified the Spaniard for the Loss sustained by the West-India Voyage Soon after this Queen Ann dyed of a Dropsie at Hampton Court a prodigeous Blazing Star ushering her to another World And briefly thus stands her Character She was in her great Condition a good Woman not tempted from the heighth she stood on to Embroil things below her only giving herself content in her own House with such Recreations as might not make Time tedious to her so that nothing can be fixed on her but that she may have Engraven on her Monument a Character of Virtue The Bohemians having chosen Frederick Elector Palatine of the Rhine who Married the Lady Elizabeth King James's Daughter their King Revolted from the Emperour Ferdinand but being Overthrown by the Duke of Bavaria the Imperial General and all Bohemia recovered upon his return home he found his Palatinate Invaded by the Spaniards who with other Aides beat him out of it tho' King James sent about 6000 English to his Assistance who did many brave things but being worsted by great Numbers the poor remains of them in the conclusion of the War returned home This made the King call a Parliament to Refund his Treasure wasted in this War and on chargable Embasseys but they would not hearken to it before sundry Grievances were redressed and hereupon divers who had oppressed the People and mis-spent the publick Treasure were Questioned and Disgraced and among others the Lord Chancellour Bacon for Bribery and Extortion a thing he had always condemned in others and for it lost his Peerage and the Great Seal spending his days very melancholly afterward carrying only the empty title of Viscount St Albans to his Grave And after many contendings between the King and Parliament they not answering his expectations in giving the Sums required he Dissolved it and put out a Proclamation to restrain the peoples Talking to his prejudice but it little availed and the Earl of Oxford having been accused on that account by one White a Papist and the Earl of Southampton by others they were committed and continued a considerable time Prisoners The Kings Ambassadors found but slender success in their Negotiations being delay'd in the Courts of the Empire Spain and with the Duke of Bavaria which much troubled and vexed him And there being many strange Opinions creeping up the King sent his Letter to the Arch-Bishops for Regulating the Ministry and Reforming Abuses therein but the Jesuits and other restless People under-hand laboured to Embroil the Factions and caused many disturbances which with other dissatisfactions from abroad cast the King into a Melancholly Temper especially the slights that were put upon the Prince his Son who went thither to Court in Person attended by Buckingham and others they endeavouring to pervert him in change of his Religion c. so that he was Indisposed and so much out of order a long time that his Favorites durst scarcely speak to him Then hearing the Spaniards still trifled his care was to get the Prince home again least having so wealthy a Prize they should detaine it and sent him secret notice to return Whereupon taking leave of the Queen of Spain and Infanta and the other Ladies and Grandees he was attended to the Sea Coast and in his return being in a Barge some distance from the Ships by a suddain Tempest he narrowly escaped being castaway for a time neither being able to reach the Ships or Shoar but at length he arrived safe to the high satisfaction of the King his Father but this Match after vast Expence and Trouble came to nothing tho' the Lady had a long time had Tutors to Teach her English and pleased enough she appeared at it but this was at last found only a device to retard the
of the Nation and therein the chief thing insisted on was the Case of those Gentlemen imprisoned for refusing the Loan and who notwithstanding their Habeas Corpus were remanded to Prison After the Debating whereof the Commons resolved Nemine Contradicente 1. That no Man ought to be Restrained by the Command of the King or Privy-Council without some Cause of the Commitment 2. That the Writ of Habeas Corpus ought to be granted upon request to every Man that is Restrained tho' by the Command of the King the Privy Council or any other 3. That if a Free-man be Imprisoned by the Command of the King the Privy-Council or any other and no cause of such Commitment expressed and the same be returned upon an Habeas Corpus granted for the said Party then he ought to be Delivered or Bailed After which the Parliament drew up a Petition against Popish Recusants to which the King gave a full and Satisfactory Answer and then the Commons granted the King Five Subsidies at which he was so pleased that he sent them Word He would deny them nothing of their Liberties which any of his Predecessors had Granted And thereupon the Commons drew up that Memorable Bill called Petition of Right which after many Debates about it passed both Houses and was Presented to the King to which the King answered The King willeth that Right be done according to the Law and Customs of the Realm and that the Statutes be put in due Execution that his Subjects may have no cause to complain of any Wrong or Oppressions contrary to their just Rights and Liberties to the Preservation whereof he holds himself in Conscience as well Obliged as to that of his Prerogative But this Answer not being thought Satisfactory upon their further Application to the King he sent them this short but full Answer Soit Droit Fait come il est desire i. e. Let it be done according to your Desire Which Answer was received with great Joy by both Houses and the Citizens of London who expressed it by making of Bonfires and ringing of Bells And the King for further Satisfaction received again into his Favour Dr. Abbot A. B. of Canterbury Bishop Williams and others and likewise caused the Commission of Loan and Excise to be Cancell'd in his Presence But the Commons after this drawing up a Remonstrance against the Duke and calling in Question the King 's taking of Tunnage and Poundage were Adjourned to the 20th of October several Acts being first passed by them Much about this time Dr. Lamb that had been formerly twice Arraigned once for Necromancy and another time for a Rape was Kill'd by the Rabble in Lothbury for which the City was Fined 6000 l. He was a great Favourite of the Duke of Buckingham's and commonly call'd the Duke's Devil which made him the more Hated After the Duke 's late Expedition to the Isle of Rhee the Earl of Denbeigh Sailed with Fifty Ships for the Relief of Rochel but being repelled with much Loss he return'd back to Plymouth despairing of Success Whereupon the Duke of Buckingham himself resolved to go again with a more considerable Navy but whilst he was at Portsmouth hastening the fitting out of the Fleet one John Felton a Lieutenant Stabb'd him to the Heart with a Knife which he left sticking in his Body till the Duke himself pull'd it out and Died immediately after Felton was soon Apprehended by the Servants and laden with Irons and being ask'd what induc'd him to commit so bloody a Fact he boldly answer'd He Kill'd him for the Cause of God and his Countrey He had likewise fasten'd a Paper in the Crown of his Hat to tell the World in case he had miscarry'd in the Action That his only motive to this Fact was the Remonstrance of the Commons against the Duke and that he could not Sacrifice his Life in a Nobler Cause than by delivering his Countrey from so great an Enemy For this Fact Felton was Condemned and Hanged at Tyburn and his Body hang'd in Chains upon a Gibbet at Portsmouth However the designed Fleet set Sail under the Command of the Earl of Lindsey and came to Rochel-Haven where there was a Barricado of 1400 Yards cross the Channel notwithstanding which the Earl adventured in passing the Forts and Out-works but the Wind changing drove the Ships foul upon each other Which unhappy Accident made the Rochellers despair of Relief and presently Surrendred the Town And the Earl of Lindsey brought the Fleet safe home again The Parliament after some Adjournments sitting again the Merchants who for refusing to Pay Customs had had their Effects seized made grievous Complaints this made the King send for the two Houses to attend him in the Banquetting-House requiring them to pass the Bill for Tunnage and Poundage for the better and more speedy ending all Differences But they replyed God's Cause was to be preferred before the King 's and in the first place therefore they would consult about the Establishment of Religion and so returning they appointed a Committee for that Purpose and another for Civil matters and many were Censured for reflecting on their Proceedings and for Levying Tunnage and Poundage but the King excused the latter as done by his express Command in a time when the Nation was in Danger to be Invaded by Foreigners And that such things had been often done in the Reigns of his Predecessors when Money could not be speedily raised on urgent Necessities in a Parliamentary way However this and other Misunderstandings raised great Heats and Jealousies which were Fomented to that Degree that the Parliament was quickly after Dissolved without passing the Bill of Tunnage and Poundage Soon after which the King publish'd a Declaration of the Cause thereof and eleven of the Members were Summon'd before the Council-Table and all committed to divers Prisons contrary to the Petition of Right so lately confirmed by the King Soon after this a Paper was dispersed containing some Projects how the King might encrease his Revenue without the help of a Parliament and upon Information that the Earls of Bedford Clare Sommerset and others had dispersed some Copies of them they were Committed But Sir David Fowlis making it appear it was a Project of Sir Robert Dudley's Son to to the Earl of Leicester in Italy sixteen Years since and no ways intended at this time to create any Difference between the King and Parliament they were released And now divers Threatning Libels against the chief Ministers of State were scattered abroad and particularly one against Bishop Land assuring him his Life was sought for he being the Fountain of Wickedness c. This made the great Men fear the sitting of another Parliament And it is said Weston the Treasurer advised the King never to call any again And a Book of Projects for Governing and raising Money without Parliaments was presented to the King In January an Embassador from Spain arrived at London whose business was to treat of
Edifices Thirteen thousand two hundred Dwelling-houses four hundred Streets Of the six and twenty Wards it utterly destroy'd fifteen and left eight other shattered and half burnt The Ruins of the City were four hundred thirty six Acres from the Tower by the Thames side to the Temple-Church and the North-East Gate along the City-Wall to Holbourn-Bridge To the Estates and Fortunes of the Citizens it was merciless but to their Lives very favourable that it might in all things resemble the last Conflagration of the World The Destruction was sudden for in a small space of time the same City was seen most flourishing and reduced to nothing Three days after when this fatal Fire had baffled all humane Counsels and Indeavours in the Opinion of all it stopt as it were by a Command from Heaven and was on every side extinguished This Dreadful Fire was both begun and carried on by Papists as appeared by Hubert's own Confession who was Executed at Tyburn for the same and also by several Depositions given in to the Parliament Whereupon the following Inscription was Engraven round about the Pedestal of the Monument viz. Which Inscription being Razed out in K. James's Reign was set up again since the late Revolution And now large Supplies were Voted the King by the Parliament and War declared against Denmark and a ship of 52 Guns belonging to that Crown taken on the Coast of Scotland whilst Capt. Robinson took and destroyed three Dutch Men of War near the Texâ—l A Rebellion breaking out in Scotland Forces were sent thither which put 1500 of the Rebels to Rout and some of the Ring-Leaders being taken were Executed which put an end to that Disturbance and an Act passed for the speedy Re-building the City of London The Dutch attempting Burnt-Island in Scotland were beaten off but their whole Fleet coming to an Anchor in the Gun-fleet and finding us altogether unprepared several of their Frigats entered Chatham and the Thames River and burnt several Ships tho' with the Loss of two of their own But Sir John Harman with 16 Sail engaged 30 French Men of War near Martinego and burnt and Sunk the greater part of them Whereupon at a Treaty held at Breda all sides grown weary of War a Peace was Concluded with France Denmark and the States General which was Solemnly Proclaimed and soon after with Spain And upon the Address of the Commons the Laws were put in Execution against Recusants and Assemblies of Nonconformists with much Heats for a considerable time In the beginning of 1668 Great Tumults happened in the Suburbs of London by an Insurrection of Apprentices and ill Persons joyning with them so that much mischief was done under pretence of pulling down Bawdy-Hâ—â—ses upon which eight were Condemned for High-Treason and four of them Executed The Duke of Albemarâ—â— dying the King undertook the Charge of his Funeral which was very Magnificent being Interred in Westminster-Abbey And the same Year Dyed Mary the Queeâ— Moâ—â—er of England at Columbâ— in France and 〈◊〉 Dutchess of Orleance the King's Sister coming over to Vâ—sit him after a short stay she upon her Return dyed at Sâ— Clâ—â—s in â—rance There being now Peace near Home the King resolve to Chastize the Algerines for their Insolency and in Oâ—der to it sent Sir Thomas Allen with a strong Squadron of Men of War who took and sunk divers of their Ships and compelled them to renew the Peace they had lately broken and to deliver up a great Number of the English Captives And much about the same time Coll. Blood with other Accomplices Gagg'd the Keeper of the Jewel-House in the Tower took away the Crown and had carried it off had not speedy pursuit been made and being Imprisoned for this whilst the People were expecting what Punishment would be inflicted on him for so unpresidented a Crime the King freely pardoned him And now Orders were given out upon view for the Repairing and better Fortifying all the Sea-ports for the King very much resenting some new Affronts put upon him by the States-General of the United Netherlands a second War began to Threaten but Money being wanting which is the main Engine and Sinews of War the Exchequer was shut up which caused a general Murmurring and much Loss to many People To palliate this the King declared That nothing could have moved him to it but only the looking upon his Government under the Threatning of the States-General and other Neighbouring Princes without his appearing in the same Posture but seeing the Necessity was inevitable It was needful that some extraordinary Course should be taken till Money could be otherways procured After this the King published a Declaration of Indulgence to such as Dissented from the Established Religion And now the War being fully resolved on Sir Robert Holms who was cruising with five Frigats about the Isle of Wight fell in with the Dutch Smyrna-Fleet and other Ships coming from the Streights under the Convoy of six Men of War between whom there happened a smart Engagement upon their refusing to strike and lower their Flags which continued till Night and 〈◊〉 the next Morning renewed and five rich Dutch Merchant-men were taken and their Rear-Admiral for want of more Assistance sunk and the rest got home This first blow given War was Declared the French King joyning with us in it being Obliged by the Treaty to send a Squadron of his best Ships which was Commanded by the Count d' Estreeâ— as were the English by the Duke of York and standing over to the Coast of Holland a fierce Engagement soon happened with much Effusion of Blood on both sides for either part being Emulous of Honour fought with extraordinary Eagerness till at last the Dutch stood away to their own Coast and the English after them as near as they could for the Shallows but under the shelter of a Fogg they got into their Harbours In this Fight the English lost the Noble Earl of Sandwich and the Royal James and long they had not lain on the Flemish Coast but the Dutch Recruited and came out again but after two other Engagements with much Loss on either side a Peace was concluded and the King hereupon became Mediator for the like Accommodation between the Crowns of France and Spain labouring by his Embassadors to compose the Differences between them Commanding at the same time his Subjects not to enter into the Service of any Foreign Prince without his Leave The Parliament now sitting gave the King 584900 l. for the speedy Building thirty Ships of War whereupon he resolved to enter into an Allyance with some Princes abroad that they might be able to put a stop to the Torrent of the French King's Conquests in Flanders And to render the Union stricter he Married the Lady Mary his Neice and eldest Daughter to his brother to the Prince of Orange and proceeded to raise Forces so that in a short time he had a considerable Army on Foot and the Parliament promised
away upon the Lemon-Sands and many Worthy Gentlemen were Lost in her but the Duke by the assistance of a Yacht come to help them got off just as the Ship was sinking being reserv'd by Divine Providence as a further Scourge to these Nations About this time also two Famous Embassadors came into England from Princes never known to have sent Embassadors here before the one from the Emperor of Fez and Morocco whose Business was to establish a Peace in relation to Tangier and the other was from the King of Bantam in the East-Indies who presented the King with several Diamonds and other things of great Value And now the World began to see the Cause of the City Charter's being taken away for the Duke of York and his Party that now ruled all things at their own Pleasure were resolved to take off all those Gentlemen that were most Zealous for the Protestant Religion and that in Parliament had been most forward for the Bill of Exclusion And this was to be done by Pretence of a Plot to take away the Life of the King and the Duke and alter the Government and this was pretended to be executed at the Rye-House in Hartfor-shire as the King should come back from New-market and was said to be prevented by a Fire happening at New-Market which caused the King to come away sooner than he intended and so before the Conspirators were ready This Plot was Sworn by one Keeling who had been conversant among the Dissenters For this pretended Plot the Earl of Essex the Lord Russel Lord Howard of Escrick Collonel Sidney and Mr. Hambden of Buckingham-shire were taken up and several others of less Note among whom were Walcot Rouse and Hone which were first Tryed and found Guilty and soon after Executed at Tyburn Walcot declared himself Innocent of any design against the King or his knowledge of any Plot some Words he Confessed had been spoken in his Company by those that were Witnesses against him and which he did not discover Praying God to forgive those who had Causlesly brought him to that undeserved Death Rouse spake much to the same Purpose that he had heard Words about the Feasibleness of seizing the Tower but knew of no such Design But these were but Prologues to the more fatal Tragedies that were after to be acted For the Lord Russel was next brought to his Tryal where the Lord Howard of Escrick and Coll. Rumsey were the principal Witnesses against him the Lord Howard told a story of a Counsel of Six for carrying on the Design consisting of himself Coll. Sidney Mr. Hambden the Lord Russel the Earl of Essex and the Duke of Monmouth and Rumsey gave an Account of a Declaration taken out of Ferguson's Bosom and read at Shepheards The Lord Russel answer'd every Particular and declared his own Inoocency but while he wâ—â— at his Tryal there was News brought that the Earl of Essex in the Tower struck with the Horrour of a Guilty Conscience had cut his own Throat and this was improv'd by the King's Counsel as an Argument of the Lord Russel's Guilt as it is believ'd the Plot had been laid before-hand and accordingly the Jury brought him in Guilty and he was thereupon Condemned and soon after Beheaded in Lincolns-Inn-Fields whose excellent Speech and Behaviour at his Death declaring his Innocency to the very last made very few of the Numerous Spectators unless it were those of the Duke of York's Faction go away with dry Eyes This Noble Lord was the eldest surviving Son of William Earl of Bedford and was a Person of great Honour and Integrity and Zeal for the Protestant Religion which what ever was pretended was his true Crime he being the Person that carried up the Hill of Exclusion to the House of Lords and saying in the House of Commons when Popery began to be Rampant If I can't Live a Protestant I am resolv'd to Dye one The Proceedings against him appear'd so Unjust and his Innocency so clear that the Parliament since this last Revolution took off the Attainder against him and his present Majesty has since his coming in Created his Noble Fathâ—r Duke of Bedford as some Compensation for the loss of so Incomparable a Son as the very Words of the Patent has it Having told you how the News of the Earl of Essex's having cut his Throat in the Tower it will be convenient to give some Brief Account of it That Noble Lord was taken out of his own House at Caisho-Berry near Watford and Committed to the Tower upon this Plot where he sent for his own Servants to attend him and his own Cook to dress his Meat being Jealous perhaps of Sir Tho. Overburies Fate and also sent for his own Wine for his Drinking and hearing that the Lord Russel was to be Try'd that Day order'd one of his Servants to go and take Notes of the Lord Russel's Tryal and bring to him but so it was that that Morning that the Lord Russel was Tryed the King and the Duke went to the Tower where they had not been for several Years before whilst they were there the Duke was for some time absent from the King and soon after he was come to the King again there was News brought to his Majesty whilst he was in the Tower with his Brother that the Earl of Essex had cut his own Throat The King was extreamly Surpriz'd at the News and immediately gave Order to the Lord Allington the Constable of the Tower that his Lodgings should be shut up and no one suffered to go in till the Coroners Inquest had sate upon the Body But notwithstanding this Order of the King 's by the Direction of Some Body else the Body was stript and wash'd and so was the Room also before the Coroners Inquest came and his Cloathes taken away which when the Coroners Inquest desir'd might be brought to them that they might see them were told They were to sit upon the Body and not upon the Cloaths and so were deny'd the sight of them And when they were about adjourning till the next Day before they gave in their Verdict they were told they must give it in presently and not stir till they had done it because the King stay'd for it And so they were hurried into a Verdict of the Earl's being Felo-de-se And when from some Information of a Rasor thrown out of the Window of the Earl's Closet and some other Concurrent Circumstances one Mr. Lawrence Braddon went about to Discover that the Earl was Murder'd and did not Kill himself he was prosecuted for it with the greatest Violence imaginable as if the Discovery of the Earl's Murther had been the Arraignment of the Government After this the Honourable Algernoon Sidney was also Try'd as one of the Council of Six and for Writing and Publishing a Libel tho' it was only found in Writing in his own Closet and not prov'd to be his own Writing neither but by the Similitude of Hands which
so hard that Booths were erected upon the Ice and all sorts of Commodities sold in them insomuch that it was called Blanket-Fair Also a Bull was baited upon the Ice and Coaches ply'd from the Temple stairs to Westminster in Hillary Term. The Reign of King JAMES the Second KING Charles the Second being Dead on the same day in the afternoon being February the 6th 1684 5. his Brother James Duke of York was Proclaimed King And upon his coming to the Council He declared that since it had pleased God to place him in that station to succed so good a King as well as so kind a Brother he thought it fit to declare his Endeavours to follow his Brothers Example more especially in that of his great Clemency and Tenderness to his People and make it his Endavour to preserve the Government both in Church and State as it is by Law Established And then comends the Church of England's Principles and Members telling them He knows likewise that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as Great a Monarch as he can wish And therefore as he will never depart from the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so he will never invade any Mans Property This Speech of the Kings to his Council was forthwith Printed and Published and received every where with great Applause many hoping their fears were greater than there was occasion for But how he kept to this Declariation which had he done he might have been happy the sequel of his Reign will shew There was now no longer Occasion for the King to Dissemble what he was and therefore what his Brother King Charles had acted in Masquerade King James resolved to do bare-fac'd and accordingly the next Sunday after his accession to the Crown he went publickly to Mass which Convinc'd those that before would not believe him to be a Papist and I have heard it Reported That the Duke of Norfolk carrying the Sword before him resign'd it at the Door upon which the King told him His Father would have gone further with him To which the Duke smartly Reply'd But your Majesties Father would not have gone so far And so went to the Protestant Chappel In a few days after the King Published a Paper of his Brother's dying a Roman-Catholick and of his Receiving the extream Unction and other Ceremonies of the Roman-Church before his Death attested by one Huddleston a Popish Priest And also a Paper taken out of King Charles's his Strong-Box shevving that hovvever he appear'd othervvise outvvardly yet in his heart he vvas a Sincere true Roman-Catholick The Customs and Excise dying vvith King Charles being granted only for his Life the King puts out a Proclamation commanding the paying of them till they should be granted by Parliament Which vvas his first Specimen hovv vvell he intended to preserve Mens Properties vvhen his very first Publick Act of Government vvas a Notorious violation both of Mens Properties and of the Lavvs of the Kingdom Soon after this his Brother King Charles the Second vvas Buried but vvith so little Pomp and Solemnity becoming the Majesty of a King that he vvas as it vvere throvvn into his Grave in the dead time of the Night accompanied by fevv Persons as if his Corps had been in danger of being Arrested for Debt He was interred indeed in Henry the 7th's Chappel but without any Stone to cover him So that never any King that died possest of a Throne was so meanly Buried Yet was it well enough for King Charles whose latter part of his Reign was as Dark as his Burial was Obscure But this notes the Gratitude of the King to so kind a Brother as he had always been to him A little before King Charles died Dr. Oats was fined 100000 l. for Scandalum Magnatum against the Duke of York and to be kept a close Prisoner till the Fine was paid which mighty Scandal was for saying The Duke was reconciled to the Church of Rome Which now the King acknowledged But this must not serve Oats's turn a Fine and Imprisonment was no sufficient Compensation for the Lives of the Popish Martyrs that suffered in his Brother's Reign and therefore the King having him now within his Clutches an Indictment for Perjury is preferr'd against Oats and the Perjury assign'd is Double first That Ireland one of the Executed Jesuits was not in London from the third of August 1678 till the 14th of Sept. next following whereas Oats at the said Ireland's Tryal Swore That he was at a Consult about killing the King in the middle of August Secondly That Oats was at St. Omers all April and May 1678 Whereas at the Tryal of Harcourt and White-bread c. he Swore they were at a Consult the 24th of April concerning killing the King and establishing the Popish Religion Ireland at his Tryal which was in 1678 urged the first Point and Harcourt Whitebread c. at their Tryals in 1679 pleaded the second but Oats prov'd both so incontestably at their several Tryals that it was both to the Satisfaction of Judge and Jury and of the whole Nation But now the Case was alter'd the Design was to invalidate the Popish Plot and to punish Oats for justifying it And they were pretty sure to carry it having such a Jury as would be sure to find him Guilty upon any Evidence and against the most Substantial Evidence to the contrary that Mirror of Injustice Jefferies being Judge The Witnesses against him were the St. Omer's Youths now better instructed than they were before who all remembred their Lesson to a T. and swore Oats was at St. Omer's all April and May and the Popish Stafford-shire Witnesses at that Tryal counted as good Witnesses as any in the World Swore Ireland was in Stafford-shire or thereabouts in August and September As to this last I find a Passage in Cook 's Detection of the four last Reigns that justifies Oats's Evidence beyond all Peradventure which I will here Insert and leave to Posterity to judge of It is briefly this One Mr Benjamin Hinton a Goldsmith in Lombard-street was Ireland 's Cashier and Mr. Hinton going out of Town at that time in August 1678. met Ireland 〈◊〉 or about Barnet coming for London where Ireland told him he had extraordinary Occasions for Money and urg'd Hinton to go back with him but Hinton told him his Man could do Ireland's Business as well as he and his occasions would not permit him to go back I asked Mr. Hinton of the Truth of this to which he would not give me any Answer but be this true or false it 's entred into Hinton's Book of Accompts Paid to Mr. Ireland's own Hands whereas the other Entries are Paid by his Order And 't is said Mr. Hinton's Man would Depose he Paid these Moneys to Ireland himself Mr. Hinton afterwards failing a Commission of Bankrupt was Sued against him and his Book of Accompts was delivered and kept at the Widow Vernon's Coffee-house
in the Year 1682. The chief Witness against him was Rumsey who Swore That the Declaration for a Rising being read Alderman Cornish being present and being ask'd how he lik'd it he answer'd Very well and what poor Interest he had he would join in it And yet this Fellow at the Lord Russel's Tryal Swore Cornish was not there when the Declaration was read nor knew nothing of it However the Alderman's Death was resolved on and both Judge and Jury being agreed he was found Guilty Condemn'd and on the 23th of the same Month executed in Cheapside over against the Guild-Hall of the City Declaring his Innocency as to what he was Condemn'd for to the very last And indeed Heaven it self attested it for him for his Execution was follow'd with such a dreadful Storm of Wind attended with Thunder Lightning and Rain as the like has scarce happened at that time of the Year in the Memory of Man His true Crime was That he was a Zealous Protestant that had serv'd the City Faithfully in his Shrievalty and had Examined Fitz-Harris in Newgate and had like to have discovered the Depth of that cursed Design against the Protestants The same Day also one Mrs. Gaunt a Woman of great Goodness and Charity was burn'd at Tyburn for relieving a Lieutenant under Monmouth in the West himself being the Witness against her for which he had his Pardon And now the Parliament met again and the King tells them how he had Defeated Monmouth and that several Popish Officers had been very useful to him therein that he could not be without their Service and that the Militia was not sufficient without keeping up a standing Army and hopes they will help him to Defray the Charge but the Parliament address to him to Disband his Popish Officers and offers to pass an Act to Indempnify them from the Penalties they had already incurr'd in serving without having taken the Test appointed by Law This Address of the Commons was very surprising to the King who expected from them absolute Obedience without Reserve But the King was much more Surpriz'd when he understood that the Bishop of London had made a motion in the House of Lords to take the King's Speech into Consideration as fearing the Lords would concur with the Commons in their Address But the King was resolved to prevent it and therefore first Prorogued and soon after Dissolved the Parliament who had been so large in their Supplies the first Session that now too late they saw he was able to live without them The Parliament's questioning of the Popish Officers had put them all into a Fright but the Parliament being Dissolved they were all at ease again and nothing but Popish Officers and Priests and Jesuites are seen about the Court who were grown to an unparallell'd degree of Impudence And yet to find Fault with them was a Crime next to High-Treason But the King finding the Penal Laws and Tests stand as a mighty Obstacle in his way was resolv'd to remove them In order to which the Lord-Keeper North dying while Jefferies was keeping the Bloody Assizes in the West at his return back he had the Seals given him with the Title of Lord-Chancellor as a Reward for his good Service in destroying the Western Hereticks and as an encouragement to him to destroy the Penal Laws and Tests the great Bulwark against Popery And therefore dispensing Power in the King is that which must next be set up in order to effect it And the Judges must be dealt with to give their Opinions for it And I have been certainly told That the King Closetting Sir Thomas Jones about it Sir Thomas was not enough thorow paced but boggled at it and told the King He could not do it to which the King answering He would have twelve Judges of his Opinion Sir Thomas Replyed He might have twelve Judges of his Opinion but he would scarce find twelve Lawyers of his Opinion But the King was as good as his Word and made such Judges as gave their Opinions That the King might dispense with the Penal Laws and Tests out of Parliament The Papists having always look'd upon the Church of England with an evil Eye did so now more than ever they having writ several Elaborate and Learned Books in opposition to the principal Errors of Popery which they were never able to answer But they were resolv'd if they could not deal with them one way they would another and therefore the King granted a Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs expresly contrary to Law thereby to Curb them This Commission was Granted to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Lord Chancellor Jefferies the Earl of Rochester the Earl of Sunderland the Bishop of Durham the Bishop of Rochester and the Lord-Chief-Justice of England But the Arch-bishop of Canterbury refusing to act in it the Bishop of Chester was added Before these Commissioners the Bishop of London was Cited and Suspended for not Suspending Dr. Sharp for Preaching a Sermon against the Corruptions and Frauds of the Church of Rome In Ireland the King having recalled the Duke of Ormond from his Lieutenancy made the Earl of Clarendon Lieutenant and Sir Charles Porter Lord-Chancellor who after their arrival there declared according to their Instructions that the King would preserve the Acts of Settlement and Explanation inviolable as the Magna-Charta of Ireland But at the same time the King having given to Collonel Richard Talbot a Man not at all belov'd by the Protestants an Independent Commission to reform the Army and he turns out those Officers that were firm to the Protestant Religion and the English Interest and puts Notorious Irish Papists in their Room and serves not only the Officers but even the private Troopers and Soldiers that were Protestants in the same manner So that one of the best principled Armies in the World both with respect to Loyalty and a firm adherence to the Protestant Religion was turn'd out and Disbanded and a parcel of Irish Popish Cut-Throats entertain'd in their places which seemed strange to the English Protestants there and not at all agreeable to what my Lord Clarendon and Sir Charles Porter had told them who were not themselves pleased with it but knew not how to help it But in England the King having established his Dispensing Power puts forth a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience pursuant to which the Goals all over England that were fill'd with Protestant Dissenters were clear'd and the Dissenters set at Liberty Who having been long oppress'd and almost ruin'd by severe Prosecutions for several Years together were now glad of a little Ease tho' the most Judicious among them saw clearly enough it was not for their Sakes but to introduce Popery that this Indulgence was principally Granted and therefore were always afraid of the Snake hid in the Grass The Episcopal Clergy who in the late Reign and the beginning of this also had been very severe to Dissenters began now to see they had
been only Tools in so doing to the Papists and had carried on their Wâ—â—k for them and now that their Eyes began to be 〈◊〉 and tâ—â—â— they would be so no more they would fain have made Tâ—â—s of the Dissenters to pull down the Church of England by aggravating the ill Usage they had receiv'd from them so many Years And that now was their time to call them to an Account and be even with them for it and several of the Dissenters who were very Honest tho' mistaken Men were by these specious Pretences drawn in to joyn with them The King was so fond or his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience that he Publishes it a second time with an Injunction to have it read in all Parish-Churches and the Bishops of the respective Diocesses were to see it done But the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and several of the Bishops looking upon this as a thing contrary to Law not only refused to do it but humbly Petitioned the King to hear the Reasons why they could not comply with that Order But this was looked upon by Jefferies then Lord-Chancellor Father Peters then made one of the Privy-Council and others of the Popish Faction as a Crime next to High-Treason and therefore for their Contempt they were Committed to the Tower It was now more than a Year that had passed since the King's Declaration for Indulgence came forth and the Prince and Princeâ— of Orange having been privately sounded how they stood affected to the Test and Penal Laws they being the next Heirs to the Crown their Opinion seemed to be That the Papists should by Law have Liberty for the private Exercise of their Religion without Disturbance but that by no means the Tests should be taken off to let them in to have a share in the Government This it was that touch'd the Papists to the quick for they saw that the King was well stricken in Years and upon his Death which they knew not how soon might happen a Protestant Princess was the next Heir who would soon pull down all that Babel which they had been Building and therefore some other Provision must be made for another Popish Successor And nothing could do this so well as a young Prince of Wales during whose Minority if the Kiâ—â— should Die they might Govern themselves 〈…〉 Popery as in the days of Old This being resolv'd on the old Dâ—tchess of Modena makes hee Offering to the Lady of Loretto of whom she Implores That the Queen of England may have a Son for a Daughter would signify nothing to be Heir of the Crown of England By Vertue of these Prayers and the Queen's going down to the Bath and drinking the Waters there she was said to be Impregnated and nothing was now to be heard among the Popish Faction but drinking the Young Prince's Health even before he was Born for that it would be a Son there was no body question'd as taking it for Granted that was the Design And all things were carried on by the Faction in order to it's Birth The Princess Ann of Denmark being not very well was advis'd by her Physicians to go down to the Bath for the Recovery of her Health And the Arch bishop of Canterbury and several others of the Bishops being in the Tower and the Bishop of London suspended from his Office and other concurring Circumstances being ready it was now look'd upon to be a good time for the Queen to cry out which was accordingly so well manag'd that on Sunday the 11th of June 1688 a young Prince of Wales was said to be born Which was publish'd with so much Joy both throughout England Scotland and Ireland and by their Embassadors in all Foreign Courts that they abundantly over-acted it The great Point of a Popish Heir being thus secur'd the Popish Faction begun to go on with a high Hand turning out Dr. Hough whom the Fellows of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford had chosen for their President and all the Fellows too because they would not accept of a Papist whom the King would have impos'd upon 'em by a Mandamus in Sidney Colledge in Cambridge Father Francis was put in and in Vniversity-Colledge in Oxford Obadiah Walker the Principal declar'd himself a Papist The Head of Christ-Church put in by the King waâ— also of â—â—e same Profession Nor was any Preferment to 〈…〉 unless he were a Roman-Catholick In Scotland the â—ing had issued out a Proclamation for Tolleration in Religion recommending his Roman-Catholick Subjects particularly to the Protection of the Government there and tells them he expects his Will should be Obey'd absolutely and without Reserve But in Ireland the King would allow no Liberty of Conscience to the Protestants for they were turn'd out of all Offices and Places whatsoever And the Earl of Clarendon recalled from his Lieutenancy and Talbot who had already reformed the Army there and made it perfectly Popish was for that good Service made Earl of Tyrconnel and Deputy of Ireland Sir Charles Porter also the Lord Chancellor was turned out and one Alexander Fitton a Papist who had been fetch'd out of Goal in England and made a Knight is now made Lord-Chancellor in his place I have before told you of the Committing of the Seven Bishops to the Tower which were the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Bath and Wells the Bishop of Bristol the Bishop of Peterborough the Bishop of Chichester the Bishop of St. Asaph â—nd the Bishop of Ely and of the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales while they were there the Bishops having by their Habeas Corpus been set at Liberty were Tryed for a high Misdemeanour in Trinity-Term following and notwithstanding the new Modelling of the Judges and that one of then Judge All'bone was a known Papist yet Mr. Justice Powel to his lasting Honour did both Learnedly and Zealously defend their Cause so that the Jury acquitted them The publick Rejoycing that was made for the acquittal of the Bishops was not Confined to the Cities of London and Westminster but upon the News thereof being brought to Hounsloe-Heath where the Army lay the King being at that time treated by the Earl of Feversham in his Tent it was received with a general Shout throughout the whole Army the King not knowing the Reason of that Shout was very much Startled at it and sent the Earl of Feversham out to enquire the Cause who upon his Return told the King ' Tâ—â—â— nothing 〈◊〉 the Soldiers Joy for the acquittal of the Bishops To whom the King reply'd with some Discomposure And call you that Nothing This being indeed enough to let him see how vain a Design he had undertaken to set up Popery by a Protestant Army The King was now busie in modelling all the Corporations in England that send Burgesses to Parliament to get a Parliament fitted to his own Turn in order to take off the Penal Laws and Tests no other obstacle now lying in his way when on a sudden he
was allarmed with the News of the great Preparations making by the Dutch both by Sea and Land Upon which account the King sends to his Envoy at the Hague to put in a Memorial to the States General to know the Reason The French King also who was concern'd at it orders his Ambassador there to deliver in a Memorial upon that occasion wherein he tells the States There are such Bonds of Friendship and Alliance between his Master and the King of Great Brittain as will oblige him the French King not only to assist the King of Great Brittain but to look on the first Act of Hostility committed against him the King of Great Brittain to be a Manifest Rupture of the Peace and a Breach with his Crown This left no longer any doubt in the mind of the Prince of Orange and the States General of the private League between England and France Which was a sufficient Ground for the Prince of Orange to rescue these Kingdoms to which in Right of his Princess he was the next Heir from Popery and Arbitrary Power For he saw plainly that the Supposititions Prince was Introduc'd to wrong him and his Princess of their Right to the Succession and to subject these Kingdoms to Popery and Slavery and by consequence all Europe besides The Dutch took no notice of the French King 's Memorial but gave King James's Envoy this Answer that they had Arm'd in Imitation of his Britanick Majesty and the other Princes and that they had thereby given no just occasion of Offence in Arming when all other Princes where in motion and that they were long since convinced of the Alliance that the King his Master had treated with France and what had been mention'd to them by Monsier de Count d' Avaux in his Memorial After this Answer King James expected no good from the Dutch and lookt upon them as if they had already declar'd War against him And now the Eyes of all England were turned to Holland and expected Deliverance from thence without which they saw themselves Ruined nor did his Royal Highness the Prince of Orange deceive them but Landed with an Army of about 14000 Men at Torbay near Exeter on the Fifth day of November 1688. A day deservedly Famous in England for two eminent Deliverances from Popery Soon after his Landing he went to Exceter where he was received by the People with Shouts and Acclamations of Joy as their Deliverer as indeed he was After some little stay there he came forwards towards the South but King James to oppose him sent down his Army to Salisbury whither he also went himself but part of the Army going over to the Prince the King was so Staâ—tled at it that he thought not himself there out of Danger and so return'd to London again and as the Prince came forward he was in all places look'd upon as a Blessing sent from Heaven to rescue 'em from Popery and Slavery In the mean time King James to prevent if it were possible the impending and growing danger Restores all the Fellows of Magdalen Colledge and puts out his Proclamation for vacating all New Charters and restoring of old ones and Particularly the Charter of London was carried in great Pomp to Guild-Hall by Jefferies and given the Citizens again But for all these good things there was no body now thank'd him as being the Effects of his Fear and not of his good will The Prince's coming nearer and nearer to London the Nobility and Gentry at every Place Flocking to him and Congratulating him King James first sends away his Queen and pretended Prince to France and in a little time after withdraws himself from White-Hall and goes to Feversham where attempting to go a-board he was seiezed and rifled by the Country People and after his being known he came back to London again and was well receiv'd but the Prince being then at Windsor and designing the next Day for London King James by a Message was desir'd to with-draw himself to Ham near Kingston to avoid those Inconveniences that might Ensue But the King rather chose to go to Rochester having the Princes Guards with him to secure him from the Insults of the People there he staid two or three Days and then Privately Embark'd himself for France where he soon after ariv'd King James being thus gone away upon the Prince's coming to London he was desir'd by the Nobility and Gentry to take the Government upon him thereby to suppress the Disorders of the common People which was then very Great but by the Prince's Order soon brought to be quiet The Mass-Houses were every vvhere pull'd down and the Priests and Jesuits with the whole Popish Crew put to the Scamper Jefferies being dropt by his Master was shifting for himself but taken by the Mobb in a Seaman's Habit was carried before the Lord-Mayor and from thence sent to the Tower attended by strong Guards to keep him from being torn in Pieces by the incensed Mobb who follow'd him with Threats Curses and Execrations where sometime after he drank himself to Death and so sav'd the Hang-man a Labour The Prince of Orange having the Government put into his Hands Summons such Gentlemen as were Members of King Charles's last three Parliaments to meet at Westminster to consult what was fit to be done for the Nation which they accordingly did and desir'd the Prince that Writs might be issued out for the calling a Convention of the Estates in the Nature of a Parliament to meet in January following Which being done the Convention met at the time appointed and entering into several Debates about the present States of Affairs they came to this Result That King James by privately withdrawing himself out of his Kingdoms had Abdicated the Throne whereby it was become Vacant And so ended the Four Years Reign of King James the Second An Account of what Remarkably Occur'd since the Reign of King WILLIAM the III. and Queen MARY the II. to the Year 1606. KING James as has been mentioned having Left the Land and that in Parliament being taking for an Abdication and the Throne declared Vacant William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange were Proclaimed King and Queen of England France and Ireland c. before White-Hall and in the City of London with the Joy of the whole Nation on the 13th of Feb. 1688 and with Convenient speed they were Proclaimed with the like satisfaction in all the Principal Places of their Dominions and the King returned the Parliament a Gracious answer to their Declaration expressing himself highly satisfied with what they had done promising to the utmost his Care and Protection for the Preservation of the Established Religion Laws and Liberties and that he should always be ready to Concur with them in any thing that should be for the Good of the Kingdom and to do all that in him lay to advance the Glory and Welfare of it and thereupon he proceeded to quiet disorders in all