CHAP. 1.

FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended, it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe pro­gresse of all the memorable passages of the time, before wee come to the Prophe­sie, with a Catalogue of the Kings of this [Page] Island, and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne. To begin with the first: Brute, who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans, discended from Aeneas and Creusa, the How Brute was discended. daughter of King Priam: These had a s [...]nne called Ascanius, after his Father King of Italy) Brute was the sonne of Sylvius, Aenaeas the son of Ascanius: This Brute at fifteene yeares of age, being hunting, by the unfortunate glance­ing of an Arrow, slue his father, and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother: but for the last disasterous act, hee willingly exiled himselfe, and taking with him a choice compa­ny of adventurers, thought to discover some new plantation. To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea, in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous; at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships, of which, a Trojane, and his neare kinseman was Captain, whose name was Corinaeus, who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together, and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island, (of the white and chalky Cliffes) called Albion, where finding none but Giants of mighty stature, he destroy­ed the most part of them: of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogma­gog, with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength, Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus: at which he being inraged, gathering all his spirits about him, cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover, (the place where they proved the mastery) [Page] which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day: for which, and other his valiant acts be­fore The fall of Gogmagog. atchieved, hee gave him that intire Pro­vince, which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall.

Brute then taking full view of the Island, The building of Troyno­vant, since cal­led London. searching up the River of Thames, built upon it a City; which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy, he called Troynovant, or new Troy, now London: this done, he put his Soul­diers to tilling of the Earth, and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares: He had by his wife Ignogen, the daugh­ter of Pandrusus, three sonnes, betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome: to How hee divi­ded the King­dome. Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England: but then Logria after his name:) To the second Cambrius, or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales (at first) from him called Cambria: To the third Albanact, hee gave the North part of the Land, then titled from him Albania, now Scotland. That done, hee ex­pired, The death of Brute. and was buryed at Troynovant: and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven.

Locrine being King of Britaine, hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Al­banacts Dominions, and having slaine him in battaile, governed in his stead: Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to a­venge his death, and in a sharpe conflict discom­fited his whole Army, and so hotly pursued [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] him in his flight, that this Scythian (which was called Humber) was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald. which runne [...]h up from Ravenspurn up to Hul [...], which hath since borne his name even to this day. After which victory, Locrin who had espou­sed Guendolina, daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall, grew inamoured of Estrild a beaute­ous Lady, and Daughter to the aforesaid Hum­ber, by whom He had a Daughter named Sabri­na: of which his Queene having intelligence, the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband, and flew him in fight, when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares: then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild, with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina, and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales, and from Sabrina is called Severne to all poste­rity: The River Se­verne whence called. Then Guendolina took upon her the go­vernment of the Land, till her young Son Ma­dan came to mature age, and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands, after shee had So­veraigniz'd fifteen yeares.

Madan began his Réigne in the yeare of the World foure thousand one hundred twenty two, of whom is little left worthy memory, but that hee tyrannized over his Subjects, and in the fortieth of his Reigne, being at his dis­port of Hunting, and lost by his Traine, hee The death of Madan was devoured of Wolves, which were then plenteous in the Land, leaving two Sons, Mem­prisius [Page] and Manlius. These two brothers were at mortall enmity, till in the end Memprisias the elder caused the other to bee traiterously slain, after which he fell into all kinde of vices, and abandoning the bed of his lawfull wife, u­sed the company of many prostitutes and Con­cubines: and then into the brutish sin of Sodo­mitry, for which hee grew hated both of God and man, whose body also was (in hunting) torn to pieces by wild beasts, leaving behind him one The death of Memprisius sonne begotten in lawfull wedl [...]cke, named Ebrank.

Hee beganne his Reigne in the yeare of the World foure thousand one hundred fourescore and two: hee had one and twenty wives, of whom hee received twenty sonnes and thirty daughters. The eldest of which was Gualeu: al of Anumerous issue. them he sent to Alba Silvius, (the eleventh King of Italy, and sixt of the Latins) to have them maried to the bl [...]ud of the Trojans: Hee was a great Warriour, and conquered in Germany and els-where: he builded Caerbranke, now called Yorke, one hundred and forty yeares, after the The building of York. erecting of London, hee built also in Scotland, the Castle of Maidens, now called Edenborough Edenborough Castle. Castle. And after with a strong army pierced Gallia, returning thence, with great triumph and riches, who when hee had reigned sixty yeares died, and was buried in Yorke, leaving his eldest sonne Brute Greenshield to succeed him in the Kingdome, of whom is left no memory worthy the recitall, but that he expired, and lyeth [Page] buried by his Father, whose successour was his sonne Leil or Leir, who built Careleir or Car­leil, The [...] of [...]. who in the latter end of his Reigne gave himselfe wholly to sloth, by which divers up­rores grew in the Realme, not at his death appeased, whom succeeded his sonne Lud, sir­named Hurdebras, who was inaugurated in the yeare of the world foure thousand two hundred The building of Canterbury, Winchester, & Shaftsbury threescore and nineteen, he prudently appeased those combustions begot in his fathers days. He builded the Town of Kaerkin, now called Can­terbury, and Caerguent, now Winton, or Win­chester, and another titled Mount Palatine, now Sexton or Shaftsbury: hee reigned thirty nine yeares, and left a sonne called Bladud.

This Bladud professed himselfe a great A­strologer, and studied the art of Necromancy, he builded the Towne of Caerbadon, now called Bath, and was the first founder of the hot Baths: Bathe and the hot Baths. this King attempting to flie from the top of A­pollo's Temple to the ground, his art failing him, he broak his neck in the fall, when hee had raigned twenty yeares, leaving his sonne Leir to The death of Bladud. succeed him. Leir was of noble conditions, and kept the Land in peace and tranquillity, hee built the City of Caerleir, now Leicester: hee Leicester. had no sonne, but three only daughters: Gono­villa, Ragan, and Cordeilla (the youngest whom he best loved,) who being grown in age, desired to know which of his daughters affected him most? the first protested she loved him better then her owne soule; the second swore, her love [Page] was inexpressible, for shee preferr'd his love be­fore all things under the Sunne, which answers Leirs three daughters. much pleased him: then hee demanded the like of the youngest? who told him shee could not flatter like her sisters, but she loved him as far as he was worthy to be beloved, and as much as a childe ought to love a father: which answer much distasting him, hee maried his eldest daughter to the Duke of Cornwall; and the se­cond to the Duke of Albania, and betwixt them divided his Land after his disease, but for the younger he reserved no dowre at all.

Notwithstanding which, Aganippus, a King amongst the Galls, hearing of her great beauty and vertue, came into this Kingdome, and took her to wife, to whom her father would neither part with gold nor jewels, nor any remem­brance of his love, but glad to be so rid of her; It was not long after that the two sisters grie­ved that he liv'd so long, incited the two Dukes The ingrati­tude of the two sisters their husbands, called Ma [...]glanus and Hemminus, who rose up in armes against him, and divided his Dominion betwixt them, so that of force he was compeld to flie into France to bee relie­ved of his youngest daughter, whom hee h [...]d before so much despised, whom shee no sooner saw, but she exprest unto him all the filiall duty that could be expected from a father, so that hee now began to distinguish betwixt flattery and faire words, and naturall and pious indul­gence: briefly shee animated her Husband to The love of Co deilla to her Father. take his quarrell in hand, who entred into the [Page] Land with a puissant army, and re-instated him in his thr [...]ne, who after he had ruled the King­dome forty yeeres, died and was buried at Caer­leil, leaving his daughter Cordeilla to inherit the Kingdome, who by the generall assent of all the Peeres and Commons was admitted as Queen: who for the space of five yeares governed the Land with great prudence, and the generall love of the multitude, til Morgan, and Cunedagius the sons to her two elder sisters, invaded her King­dome, and surprising her, put her into close pri­son: which servitude her great spirit not able to endure, shee with her owne hands slue her The death of Cordeilla. selfe.

These two Nephews to Cordeilla, Morgan and Cunedagius divided the Land betwixt them: and so continued in great amity for the space of two yeares, when some evilly disposed persons, whispered in the eares of Morgan, that it was a great dishonour unto him, being descended from the elder sister Gonewilla[?], and her Husband Maglanus, should part from any of his right to Cunedagius, sonne to Ragan the second sister and her Hemminius, and not pos­sesse himselfe of the whole[?] principality: there­fore hee made war upon his cousin, who sent to him messengers to intreat of amity and unity, to which hee would by no meanes condescend: Therefore Cunedagie, compeld to an unwil­ling war, gave him battaile, and rowted his whole army, and after chaced him into Wales, where in a second field Morgan was slain, which [Page] place is to this day called Glamorgan, or Morgans Glamorgan. Land: after whose death the victor possessed the sole soveraignty, of whom nothing is left wor­thy memory, but that after he had reigned three and thirty yeares, hee was buried at Troyno­vant, leaving to succeed him a sonne called Rivallo. Rivallo.

Hee governed the Realme honourably, for the space of forty six yeares, in which time the greatest thing of remark is, that in the two and thirtieth yeare of his Reigne, Rome was first The first build­ing of Rome. builded, in the yeare of the World foure thou­sand foure hundred threescore and ten, after the first erecting of Troynovant, or London, foure hundred and seven Solary yeares. After Sisilius. Rivallo reigned his sonne Sisilius, forty nine yeares, and was buried at Caerbadon, or Bath, leaving no heire of his body lawfully begotten. Him Iago his Nephew succeeded, hee Reigned Iago. five and twenty yeares, died without issue, and lyeth buried by his Uncle Rivallo, at Caerbrank, or Yorke. Kinimachus his brother governed the Land after him for the space of fifty foure yeares, and lyeth buried by the two fore-named Kings, hee left behind him a sonne called Gor­boduc, in whose time, as in the Reigne of the foure last Kings nothing hapned, deserving the remembrance of a Chronicle, but that hee go­verned Gorboduc. the Realme threescore and three yeeres, dyed and was buried at London, and left behind him two sonnes, called Ferrex and Porrex.

These two brothers were made joynt Sove­reignes Ferrex and Porrex. [Page] of this Kingdome, in the yeere of the world, foure thousand, seven hundred and ele­ven, and continued in great fraternallamity for a certain time, which expired, Porrex being am­bitious after the sole and entire sovereignty ga­thered a strong power, unknowne to his bro­ther) purposing to supplant him from all Re­gall dignity, so that being unprovided of an army, he was forced to flye into France, where hee implored the aid and assistance of a potent The death of Ferrex. Duke named Gunhardus, or Swardus, who fur­nished him with souldiers sufficient, so that hee re-entred the Land with his Host of Gauls, of which Porrex hearing met him with his Britans, and gave him battaile, in which Ferrex was un­fortunately slaine: after which victory, retyring himselfe to his palace, where Widen (or as some Authors name her) Iudon his mother remay­ned, she setting aside all motherly pity entred his chamber, and by the helpe of her women in the dead of night, when hee was fast sleeping A crue [...]t mo­ther. The death of Porrex. most cruelly slue him, and after not sated with his death, shee cut his body into small pieces: Thus died the two brothers, when they had ru­led the Land in war and peace five yeers, and in them ended the Genealogicall Line of Brute, with whom also I conclude this first Chapter.

CHAP. 2.

AFter the deaths of these two Prin­ces, the Nobles of the Land fell into great dissention amongst them selves all hating the memory of Gorbodue, and his issue, in regard that one bro­ther slue the other, and the most unnatural mo­ther was the death of the surviver, and because none of Brutus Line was left alive, the Land was divided in foure parts, so that in Albania Britain gover­red by foure Dukes. was one Waler, called Staterius: Pinnor go­verned Loegria, or middle Britain: Rudan­lus guided Wales, and Clotenus Cornwall, whom the Britains held to be the most right­full Heire, and all these called themselves Kings, to which some adde a fift, Yevan King of Nor­thumberland. [Page] Briefely, Munmutius Donwallo, Dunwallo re duceth it into a Monerchy. sonne to Clotenus, Duke of Cornwall, by vanqui­shing the rest, became sole Soveraigne of this Island, in the yeare of the World foure thou­sand seven hundred forty eight. Hee was in all his actions very noble, and built within London a famous structure, which he cald the Temple of Peace, which some hold to bee the same now called Blackwell Hall. He instituted many good and wholsome Lawes. Hee gave great privi­ledges to the maintaining of Temples, Cities, Ploughes, &c. He began the foure high waies of Britaine, which were perfected by his sonne Belinus: Hee built the two Townes of Malms­bury and the Vies, and was the first that made for himselfe a Diadem of Gold, with which hee was crowned with great solemnity. Insomuch, that some Writers name him the first King of Donw [...]llo the first crowned King of Brit. Britaine, stiling all his predecessors only Dukes, Rulers, and Governours. Hee when hee had well and honourably governed the Land for the terme of forty yeares dyed, and was buried in the foresaid Temple of Peace within London, leaving to succed him two sonnes, Belinus and Brennus.

These two brothers divided the land betwixt them, and continued in great fraternall unity for the space of five yeares: after which terme Beliuns and Brennus. Brennus ambitious to have more Land or all, made mortall warre against his Brother, who vanquished him in battaile, so that hee was forced to forsake the land, and arrived in Ar­morica, [Page] now called Little Britaine, some write into Norway: Howsoever, by the supply and as­sistance of forraigne Princes, he made many in­roads into the Land, (too long here to relate) to the great disturbance of his brother: At length he assembled a strong and puissant Ar­my, against whom Belinus came with a mighty hoast, as his manifest and mortall enemy. But as their armies were ready to joyne battaile, their Mother, whose name was or Corniven na. Corneway, (of An indulgent mother. a more indulgent and penetrable nature, than the cruell and savage Widen, before named) ex­posed her selfe in person betweene the two Hoasts; and in a discreet manner and motherly demeanour, using withall such passionate and moving Oratory to her two sonnes, that at length shee setled a steadfast unity and peace betwixt them: After which accord made, they joyned both their hoasts, and with them Con­quered a great part of Gallia, Italy, and Ger­many: which done, Belinus returned into Britaine.

Where when he came, hee repaired old and decaied Cities, and also built a new one upon The City of Legions, Car­leon. the River of Vske, neare unto Severne, called Careuske, and after the City of Legions: be­cause in the time of Claudius Caesar divers Ro­man Legions were there billited and lodged, now called Carleon: Hee built also an harbour or small Haven for ships to ride in, in Troyno­vant; in the Summet or top whereof stood a vessell of Brasse, in which after his death his [Page] burnt ashes were inclosed, which still retaines the name of Belingsgate. In which interim, The building of Belli [...]sgate. Brennus desirous to win fame and honour a­broad, with an hoast of Senonensian Galls, (so called because they dwelt about the City of Sena) built in Italy, and Gallia, these Cities fol­lowing, Cities builded by Brennus. Mediolanum, or Milleine, Papia, or Pa­vie, Burganum, Sena, Comum, Brixia, Vero­na, Vialcnza, Cremona, Mautua, &c. Hee o­vercame the Romans at the River Albia, eleven miles from Rome, and tooke the City all save the Capitoll, to which they layd siege, and one night whilst the Guardians thereof were asleep, they undermined the earth, and were likely to have wonne it, but a noble Roman named Man­lius Torquatus waking, by the crie of Geese and Ganders, prevented the Galls, and saved the Capitoll: For which cause the Romans, for a long time after, on the first day of Iune, The feast of Ganders. did annually celebrate the feast of Ganders.

But Brennus and his people held the Romans so short, that they slew many of the Senators, and compelled the survivers to lay him downe a thousand pound weight in Gold, besides they took the spoyle of the City, so that they were inforced to call backe Furius Camillus, whom they had before most ungratefully banisht from Ardea, and created him the second time Dicta­tor, who gave strong battaile to the Galls, and won from them all the gold and jewells, which they had taken from the Romans: Therefore Bren ne [...] his Army towards Greece, entering Brennus inva deth Greece [Page] Macedonia, and dividing his people into two hoasts, the one he retained with himselfe, and sent the other into Galatia, which after was cal­ed Gallograecia, and lastly from Gallograecians the Nation were termed Galathians: Then Bren conquered Macedonia, and overcame their Duke or King Sosthenes, and after spoyled the gods of their Temples, and said in sport, Rich gods ought to contribute towards men some part of their wealth. Thence hee came to Delphos where the Oracle was, and robbed the Temple of Apollo: upon which, there was a great Earth­quake, and Haile-stones of mighty weight and bignesse, which destroyed some part of his Hoast, and upon the rest an huge part of the rockie moun­taine fell and buried them in the Earth; and Bren being wounded, and despairing of safety, drew his Sword and killed himselfe. And his [...]rother Be­linus, after hee had honourably governed the The death of Brennus. Kingdome of Britaine, with his brother, and a­lone, for the space of twenty sixe yeares, ex­pired, and was buried at Belingsgate, leaving a Sonne behinde him called Gurguintus Bar­barosse, or Gurguint with the red Beard. Gurguintus.

Hee beganne his Reigne in the yeare of the world foure thousand eight hundred thirty foure, he conquered Denmarke, and forced from them an annuall Tribute of one thousand pound. Denmarke made t [...]butary to England. After which victory hee sayled towards Eng­land in great triumph, but in his course upon the sea, hee met with a Fleet of thirty Sayle, who hali [...]g them, and demanding of what [Page] Countrey they were, and the purpose of their Navigation? they answered him, Their people were called Balenses, and that they were exiled from Spaine, and with their wives and children had long sayled upon the sea, beseeching the King to have compassion of them, and to grant them within his large dominions some place to inhabit; and they would bee his true and faithfull subjects. The King commiserating their estate, by the ad­vice of his Barons, granted them a wide and vast The first plan­tation of Ire­land. Countrey, which is the farthest of the westerne Islands, which of their Captaine Irlomall was called Ireland, and that was the first plantation of that Countrey. And after this Gurguintus had established the Lawes of his fore-fathers, and exercised justice amongst his Subjects for the space of nineteene yeares, he dyed and was buried at Troynovant, leaving a sonne called Guintolinus.

Hee with great honour and clemency guided the Land, taking to wife an honourable and learned Lady called Marcia, who added to the former Lawes of the Land other wholesome statutes and decrees, which were greatly im­braced, & continued long of efficacy and force, which Alured long after King of England cau­sed to be translated out of the British into the Saxon tongue, and called them Marthe he lege, or the Marcian Lawes: to this woman, for her great wisedome, the government of the King­dome was committed, with the Guardianship of his sonne Cecilius, for the space of twenty Cecilius. [Page] sixe yeares: after which time, the King expired, and was buried at London: of this Cecilius there is little or nothing remembred, but that he governed the Realm 15 years, leaving to suc­ceed him his son Kimarus, who was a wild yong Kimarus. man, and irregular both in his private life, and publicke government, who when he had reig­ned three yeares, being in his disport of hunting was trayterously slaine by his servants: Him succeeded his son Elanius, who expired in the se­cond Elanius. of his reigne, whom succeeded his bastard sonne called Morindus, begotten of his Con­cubine Faugrestela. Morindus.

He was made King in the yeare of the world foure thousand eight hundred fourescore and ten, who was a Prince of great valour and cou­rage, but given to wrath and cruelty, of goodly presence & comely personage, but a mervailous strength above all the Nobles of the Realme. In his time came the King of Mauritania, and invaded his Realme, whom he incountred with a puissant army, and chased to sea, taking many of his Souldiers prisoners, whom he caused in his owne view to be put to many cruell and tor­menting deaths: at length riding upon the Sea Strand, he espyed an huge Monster which the waters cast up alive, which out of his great cou­rage, and ambitious of glory, purposing to slay with his owne hands, he was by it devoured, af­ter he had governed the kingdome eight years, leaving behinde him five sonnes, Gorbomannus, Archigallo, Elidurus, Vigenius, and Peridurus: [Page] Gorbomannus being the first begotten sonne of Gorbomanus. Morindus, succeeded his Father, being a just Prince, in whose time was more riches and plen­ty than in any of the dayes of his predecessors: who to the great sorrow both of his Peeres and people dyed without issue, after hee had reigned eleven yeares: after whom, his second brother Archigallo was instated in the Sove­raignty: Archigallo this Prince was of a contrary condi­tion to the former, who gave himselfe to dis­sen ion and strife, imagining causes against his Nobles to deprive them of their possessions and dignities, and raising men of base and sordid birth and quality to office and honour: And so he could inrich himselfe, not caring how hee impoverisht his subjects. For which, by one as­sent of the Nobility and Commons, he was de­posed from all regall dignity, after hee had ty­rannized five yeares.

In whose stead was instated the third bro­ther Elidurus. Elidurus, in the yeare of the world foure thousand nine hundred and fifteene, who was so milde and gentle to his Subjects, that they added to him a sirname, and called him Elidure the meeke: To expresse the goodnesse of his con­dition, it happened that hunting in a Wood called Calater, neare unt [...] Yorke, hee found his banisht brother wandring in the thicke of the Forrest, whom he no sooner saw, but dismoun­ted A [...]are presi­dent in a bro­ther. from his Steed, and imbraced him in his armes, and so conveighed him into the City privately, where hee concealed him for a time, [Page] and at length feigning himselfe sicke, hee so wrought with his Nobility severally and a­part, that hee had won them to re-instate his brother Archigallo in the Throne, after he him­selfe had governed for the terme of five yeares, who being againe advanc't to the supreme pow­er and Majesty, hee changed his former Condi­tions, ordering all things according to equity and Iustice during his naturall life, and then dy­ed, after he had lastly reigned ten yeares, and lyeth buryed at Yorke. Then was Elidurus a­gaine The death of Archigallo. made King: against whom his two yon­ger brothers Vigenius and Peridurus had great indignation, because for his vertue and piety he was so much beloved of the Britons, there­fore they conspired against him, and tooke him prisoner in battaile, when the second time hee had reigned two yeares, committing him unto safe custodie.

These two Brothers were then joyntly made Kings, and divided the Land betwixt them: Vi­genius dyed, after he had governed his part of the Kingdome seven yeares: after whose death Peridurus seized the whole under his Domini­on, who ruled with great Temperance and Prudence: insomuch, that hee was praised a­bove his other brethren, and Elidurus quite for­got, who after he had reigned with his brother and alone for the terme of nine yeares expired: after whom Elidurus was fetcht from prison, Elidure the third time made King. and the third time instated in the Throne, who continued in his former sincerity and integrity; [Page] and lastly, being of a good age, ended his life, when hee had this last time governed foure yeares, and was buried at Carleil, leaving a Son called Gorbomannus, who began his raigne in Gorbomanus the second. the yeare of the World foure thousand nine hundred forty five: after whom succeeded Margan, and after Margan, his brother Emeri­anus, Margan. Emerianus. who was deposed for his cruelty and ty­ranny: after whom successively raigned twenty Kings, of whom small or no mention is made by any approved Author: the last of which was called Blegabridus a cunning Musitian, who Blegabridus. for his excellency in that faculty, was called of the Britains, god of Glee-men, or Minstrells. After whom succeeded nine Kings (of whom there is left neither name or memory, saving that the last of them was named Hely, who go­verned King Hely. the Kingdome forty yeares, wanting seven months, which time of thirty three succes­sive Kings, that is, from Elidure to the last yeare of Hely, amounted to one hundred fourescore and sixe yeares: This Hely left behind him three sons, Lud, Cassibeline, and Nennius. King Lud.

Lud the eldest sonne of King Hely began his Reigne in the yeare of the world five thousand one hundred thirty one, who in all his actions shewed himselfe honourable, repaired old Temples, and builded new, and so of Cities and Townes: but especially in Troynovant hee caused sundry structures to bee made, both for the inlarging and beautifying of the City, wal­ling it round, and ditching it about, and in the [Page] west part of the Wall made a strong gate, and commanded it to be called after his name Luds­gate: Luds Towne, now London. and for he much affected the City, as the place where he most frequented, hee changed the name thereof from Troynovant to Caerlud, or Luds Towne, now London: Hee was strong and mighty in subduing his enemies, liberall, given to hospitality, and much loved and fea­red of the Britains, who reigning in great peace and prosperity eleven yeares then dyed, and was buryed in Port-Lud, or Ludgate, leaving two Sons, Androgeus, and Tenantius.

In regard of the pupillage and minority of Cassibelan made King of Britaine. the two young Princes, Cassibelan their Vncle, and brother to King Lud was made King in the yeare of the world 5142. This man was of great wisedome and courage, exercising Iustice mixt with mercy amongst his subjects: inso­much, that they favoured him greatly above his Nephewes: yet he provided that they were royally educated according to their births, and when they came to yeares of discretion, he gave to Androgeus the City of London, and the Earle­dom of Kent, and to Tenantius the Dukedome of Cornwall, &c.

CHAP. 3.

CAius Iulius Caesar, being imployed by the Senate of the famous City of Rome, with Lucius Publius his Col­legue in the warres of Gallia, now called France, being on the Sea side, at Callis, be­holding the white Cliffes and Rocks of Bri­taine, Iulius Caesar ambitious to Conqeur Bri­taine. demanded of the Natives what manner of people inhabited this Island, and being fully satisfied concerning the people and commodi­ties thereof, he was ambitious to adde it to the Roman Empire; and to that purpose sent Mes­sengers to Cassibelan, then King, to make him and his Land tributary to Rome: At which he being highly moved, sent him backe perempto­ry answer, that every Soveraigne was bound [Page] to keep his Subjects from slavery and servitude, and maintaine them in their Franchises and liberties, and that hee would doe to his ut­most ability and power: With this answer Cae­sar, who was of an invincible Courage, much incensed, instantly made ready his Navy, and sayled towards Britaine, with purpose to adde His first at­tempt and suc­cesse. this Kingdome to his conquest of France, but the Britaines had pi [...]cht stakes on the shore, which much hindred their landing, whilst Cas­sibelan gathering a strong Host gave the Ro­mans battaile, and beat them backe unto their ships: but after he had new rigged and repaired his Navy, and furnisht himselfe with a sufficient Army [...]e returned againe the second time, and His second at­tempt. was likewise beaten backe to his great disho­nour: For which victory twice obtained by the Britaines, he assembled all his Lords, and made a great triumph at London, where were sundry martiall exercises performed: in the perfor­mance of which, one of Androgeus his Knights having slain one of the Kings Kinsmen, whom hee much loved, hee sent to have him stand to the tryall of the cause; but Androgeus denyed to give up to the censure of the Law, and depar­ted Difference be­twixt the [...]. and Androge­us. in secret, (without taking leave) from the Court, which gave Cassibelan great cause of in­censement against him.

Whose indignation Androg us justly fearing, sent Letters unto Caesar, that if hee would make a third attempt upon this Countrey, hee with all his whole power would bee re [...]dy to assist [Page] him against his Uncle, pretending that he not onely usurped his right in the Crowne, but had done to him divers other affronts and injuries. Caesar glad of so good an opportunity, after Hostages given for his fidelity, (which were his sonne Sceva with thirty others of the sonnes of his Nobility and Gentlemen) a third time invaded the Land, which Cassibelan hea­ring, gave him a strong battaile in a valley neare unto Canterbury, in which he had the bet­ter Caesars third attempt upon this Island. of the day, till Androgeus comming in with his fresh forces turned the Dy of warre, so that Cassibelan with his Britaines, were forced to forsake the field, and after a great slaughter of the Britaines, retyred himselfe to a place of safe­ty, where Caesar kept him so strictly in, that hee was forced to submit himselfe, paying to the Romans an annuall tribute of 3000 pounds: After which, Caesar would have made Androge­us King; but not daring to trust his Nation Britaine made Tributary to Rome. which he had so lately betrayed, hee went with Caesar to Rome, where he ended his life. Cassi­belan reigned after this conquest of the Ro­mans seven yeares, in all sixteene: and dying, left the Scepter to the younger sonne Tenanti­us, who governed the Realme with all dili­gence Tenantius. and Iustice for the space of twenty three yeares, leaving the Soveraignty to his sonne Cimbelinus.

He was made King in the yeare of the world five thousand one hundred and fourscore, in the nineteenth of whose Reigne our blessed [Page] Saviour was borne of the Virgin Mary, which maketh the yeare of the world from the Creati­on The birth of our Saviour. of Adam to the Incarnation of our Redee­mer (by the computation of Isidore, Bede and o­thers) five thousand one hundred and twenty nine yeares: so that Christ was Incarnate from Noahs flood, or the generall Deluge two thou­sand nine hundred and fifty seven: after Abra­ham, two thousand and seventeene: after Da­vid King of Israel, one thousand threescore and fifteene: from the Transmigration or the Captivity of the Iewes to Babylon five hundred A computation of the times. and twenty: After Brutes plantation in this Island, eleven hundred thirty sixe: After A­lexander the great about three hundred twenty five: After the building of Rome, seven hun­dred twenty nine: and in the beginning of the two and fortieth yeare of Octavius Augustus Cae­sar then Emperour of Rome, &c. But to come backe to the History, Cimbeline after hee had worthily governed the Land thirty five yeares, yeelded his due to nature, and was inter­red in Caer-Lud, or London, leaving two sonnes, Guiderius and Arviragus.

Guiderius, the eldest sonne of Cimbelinus, be­gan Guiderius K. of Britaine. his Raigne in the yeare after our Blessed Sa­viours Incarnation seventeene, who having a great confidence in his riches and strength, de­nyed to pay any tribute to the Romans, which had beene tendred annually from the time of Iulius Caesar to his dayes: For which, Claudius then Emperour of Rome came over with a [Page] mighty Hoast, and recovered it againe: in the Hoast of the Romans was a great Captain called Hamo a great Captain of the Romans. Hamo, who in the Battaile pur upon him the Armour and habit of a Britaine: By which meanes, having accesse to the place where the King fought in person, he slew him, and esca­ped: Of which disastrous accident his brother Arviragus having intelligence, armed him­selfe with the Cognizance of the dead King, and continued the battaile with such valour and courage, that in the end hee put the Romans to slight. Guiderius being thus slaine by Hamo, after hee had ruled the Kingdome twenty eight yeares, leaving no issue to succeed him, his brother Arviragus by the generall suffrage both of the Peeres and people, was invested in his stead.

This Martiall and magnanimous Prince Arviragus made King. tooke upon him the government of the Land in the yeare of our Saviour forty foure: He was also for his great valour by some Authors cal­led Orbearing Armes. Armager: who strongly made warre upon the Romans, and after in a battaile slue Hamo, (who had formerly cowardly kild his brother) neare to an Haven or Port of the Sea, and after causing his body to be peecemeale cut, cast it into the Ocean, for which it was called Hamoes From whence Southampton tooke its name. Haven, and since Southampton: Claudius much admiring the courage of Arviragus, sent to Rome for his daughter Gemissa, and gave her in marriage to him upon conditions of peace: and to make the solemnities of the Nuptialls [Page] more famous, hee called the City where they were kept Claudio Cestria, w^ch before was stiled Carleon, and after Glovernia, of a Duke called Claudio Ce­stria, or Glo­cester. Glovio, but now Glocester: after which, Clau­dius sent certaine of his Legions to governe Ireland, and departed towards Rome, Arvira­gus then repayred decayed Cities and Castles, and ruled with such justice & integrity, that hee intyred to him all the hearts of his Subjects, and as his riches, so also increased his pride, so that he denyed the Tribute to Rome before granted: therefore a great Duke called Vespatian was sent from the Senate, who overcame him in bat­taile, and forced him to become tributary, which some writers affirme was meerely at the intercession and intreaty of the Queene Genissa, and no coaction or constraint from Vespatian, who after he had wonne the Isle of Wight re­turned The Isle of Wight conque­red by Vespati­an. with honour to Rome: After which, Arviragus grew more tractable towards the Romans, and continued in their great grace and favour: who after he had nobly governed the Britaines for the space of 30 yeares expired, and was interred at Claudiocestria, or Glocester, leaving to succeed him a sonne called Marius.

Hee was crowned King in the yeare of our blessed Saviour threescore and foureteene, a Marius King of Britaine. wise and just man, and flourished in great pro­sperity and wealth: in whose time one Loudri­cus (whom some writers call Rodicus) with a mighty Army of Picts, or Scythians, whom some also call Gothes, and Huns, landed in a part [Page] of Scotland, wasting and spoyling wheresoever he came with Iron and fire, whom Marius met in Battaile, and gave him a great overthrow, in which their Duke Loudricus was slaine: in re­membrance of which victory, in Stanismore, a place of Westmaria, or Westmerland, where this battaile was fought, he caused a great stone or pillar to be erected, upon which was inscribed in capitall Letters Marii victoria. The remnant of the Army that survived the battaile, humbly besought the King to allow them some place under his dominions in which to inhabite, who commiserating their case, granted them a place Cathnesse in Scotland when inhabited, and by whom. in Scotland, called Cathnesse, to whom the Bri­taines disdaining to give their daughters in marriage, they allyed themselves with the I­rish, and were after called Pictavians: Marius having thus subdued his enemies, gave him soly to study the weale of his Subjects, and lived peaceably his whole life time after: and lastly, payed his naturall Tribute, and was buried at When he had reigned 52 yeares. Carleil, leaving a sonne named Coillus, or Coill.

Coill was inaugurated in the yeare of the In­carnation one hundred twenty sixe. This Prince had his breeding in Italy amongst the Romans, Coil King of Britaine. by which reason there grew great affinity and friendship betwixt the two Nations, for he be­came their willing Tributary: Hee was very bountifull to all men, by which hee purchased great love both from the Lords and Com­mons: H [...]e built the Towne in Essex called [Page] Coilchester, and when he had peaceably gover­ned the Realme for the space of foure and fif­ty yeares, he dyed and was buried at Yorke, lea­ving a sonne called Lucius, who was inaugura­ted in the yeare of grace one hundred and foure Lucius the first Christian King in Bri­ta [...]ne. score, who had the honour to be called the first Christian King of this Island, who being a man devoutly given, sent to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome to be instructed in the true faith, who to that purpose imployed two learned men, called Fuganus, and Dimianus, who were honou­rably received by this King Lucius, and by whom hee, and a great part of the Britaines were converted from Paganisme and Idolatry to the true Christian beliefe, which hapned in the eighth yeare of his Raigne, who after his conversion ordained that all the Idolatrous Arch-Flamins and Flamins should bee made Arch-bishops and Bishops, to the number of three Archbishops, and twenty eight Bishops, and should have the government of the Church lately establisht. These being confirmed by the fore-named Bishop of Rome, he indowed them with lands and possessions, and consecrated all the Pagan Temples to the worship of Christ: and when hee had peaceably governed the Land for the space of twelve yeares, hee left this earthly Tabernacle for a better, and was buryed at Glocester: who because hee dyed without Heire, the Land grew into great combustion for Lucius dyeth without issue. the terme of fifty yeares, in which none had the absolute nomination of King or Soveraigne.

[Page] Then Severus the Roman Emperour tooke upon him the government of the Realme in the Severus named himselfe King of Britaine. yeare of grace two hundred and eight, and ru­led the Kingdome five yeares; in which time he caused a Ditch and Wall to bee made of Turves and stakes of an hundred and two and twenty Miles in length, from Durham to the Scotch Sea, during which, the Picts with their Duke or Leader Fulgenius came out of Scotland with a strong army, and destroyed much of the Coun­trey beyond Durham, against whom Severus (for his Conquest of Parthia) sirnamed Parthi­cus, assembled a great Hoast of Romans and Bri­taines, and gave them battaile neare unto York, in which he was slain, and his army discomfited, and in that City lyeth interred, leaving behinde him two sons, namely Geta and Bassianus. This Bassianus was the sonne of Severus a British wo­man, Bassianus made King of Britaine. and he had Geta by a Roman Lady; the Bri­taines therefore made the son of their Country-woman their Soveraigne, in the yeare of Grace two hundred and twelve: But the Romans held for Geta: For which, mortall war grew betwixt the two brothers, in which Geta was slain, and Bassianus, who was after made Emperor having incestuously married his stepmother; for which, & many other tyrannies exercised by him on the natives, he grew into great hatred of the people, and was slaine at a place called Edessa, after hee had beene Emperour for the space of seven yeares. Carassius a­spireth to the Crowne.

In this interim of his Reigne, one Carassius [...] [Page] Britain of low birth, but eminent in armes, and the practice of Martiall Exercises, obtained of the Senate the keeping of the Coasts and Fron­tiers of the Land, and to oppose the invasion of all strangers: so that he drew to him many hardy Knights of the Britans, promising unto them many donatives, with honour and office, if they would make him King of the Land: which so far prevailed with them, that they with an una­nimous consent proclaimed him their Sove­reigne and King, against whom Bassianus mo­ving battaile, and to suppresse them as rebels, was slaine by this Carassius, who tooke upon him the Regall Dignitie in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ, two hundred and eigh­teene.

When the Romans had notice of the death of Alectus made Ruler of Bri­tain. their Emperour Bassianus, they sent into Britain a great Captain cald Alectus, with three Legions to punish the pride and rebellion of Carassius, to which Captain Fortune was so favorable, that he chaced him from place to place, and in the end slue him in battaile, after he had eight years usurped. This Alectus for his good service done, was made Consul of Rome, and Governour of the Land, who hotly pursued divers British Lords, who had tooke part with Carassius a­gainst the Romans, and exercised great tyranny amongst them, so that hee grew into great ha­tred and contempt of the Natives. And there­fore they accited one Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall, who gathered a great hoast of the [Page] Britains, and made warre against the Romans, chasing them from place to place, and Country to Country; so that at the last Alectus was glad to retire himselfe within the fortifications of London, whither Asclepiodotus pursued him, and laid siege about the City, provoking him to battaile, who at length issuing out with his for­ces, many were slaine on both sides, but in the end Alectus was slaine, after hee had sixe yeares The death of the Roman Alectus. governed the Land.

When Livius Gallus a Roman Captain under­stood the death of their Generall, hee with the survivours of the Army, retyred into the Citie for his best security, where for a while I leave him.

CHAP. 4.

ASclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall, be­gan Asclepiodorus King of the Britains. his Dominion over the Britans in the yeare of Grace, two hundred thirty two, who entred the City of London, before by him besieged: where he slue this Livius Gallus, neere unto a Brook which ran then through a part of the City, from Whence Wal­brook took the name. whom it was called Gallus, or Wallus brook, and the street VVal-brooke even unto these times. Thus having quite vanquished the Romans, hee governed the Realme in great peace, exerci­sing Iustice, exalting meriting and good men, and punishing the refractory, and evilly dispo­sed, [Page] till at length, a great discontent (s [...]rred up by wicked and seditious persons) was raised betwixt him and Coillus or Coil, who was then Earle or Duke of Kaircollin, or Colchester: so that they assembled their severall forces, and met in battaile, in which conflict Asclepiodotus was slai [...]e, after hee had governed the Realme (according to the most Writers) thirty yeares.

Then Coil began his Dominion over the Land in the yeare of the Incarnation two hun­dred, Coil made [...] Britains. threescore and two, who governed peace­ably for a time: for the Senate of Rome were glad of the death of the former King who had beene a great enemy and persecutour of thei [...] Nation, & being then in great trouble amongst themselves, could not conveniently send over fresh forces in the Land, but at length their do­mestick discords being compounded, and the State setled in peace, Hearing that this Coil also denied them tribute, they sent hither a Noble & Constantius first comming into Britain. prudent Prince cald Constantius, with a puissant army, against whom Coil assembled his Britains, but greatly dreading the power of this Roman President, he sent to him to commune and treat of peace, with the acknowledgment of the Tribute due unto the Senate, of which assurance being given and taken on both sides, Coil died within a moneth after, having governed the Britains for the tearme of twenty seven yeares.

Constantius at the intercession of the Nobles of the Land tooke to wife Helena the daughter Constantius married to Helena. of the late King, with the entire possession of the [Page] Realme, and was inaugurated in the yeare two hundred fourscore and nine. This Helena was held to be the fairest Lady in the whole land, & withall very well verst in literature and lan­guage, by whom hee received a sonne called Constantine: This Constantius being of great courage and valour, ambitious to adde unto his Dominion subdued the Almains, or Germans, and slue of them in one battail threescore thou­sand, and after many other victories, the two Emperours Dioclesianus and Maximinianus re­signed up their Imperiall Dignitie to Constan­tius, Constantius made Emperor. making one Galerius a partner with him in the Empire, which these two Caesars divided betwixt them. Galerius governed in the East, that is, Illiricum, and all Graecia, with the Ilands, and Constantius Italy, and the Westerne King­domes: after he subdued Spain, and a great part of Gallia or France, of which two Kingdomes he made his son Constantine President and Go­vernour: in the time that Constantius was King of Britaine, under the two foresaid Emperours, S. Albon was martyred at Ver [...]m, in the tenth persecution of the Church, which began in the eighteenth yeer of Dioclesian, and endured for the space of ten yeares, which was so violent and cruell, that in the space of one moneth were martyred seventeene thousand holy men and women, for the faith of Christ: This Noble Prince Constantius, after he had governed Bri­taine, and the West part of the Empire, for This Constan tius lyeth bu­ried at York. the terme of thirty yeares, leaving his Successor [Page] Constantine his sonne by the famous Queene Helena.

Who began his Reigne in the yeare of Grace three hundred and nineteen: and at the decease Constantine made King of Britain. of his Father was busied in the wars of Gallia, but hearing the report of his death, came over into Britain, and was made King. Hee was off a noble and affable condition, who though hee [...]ere a Pagan and misbeliever, yet hee used no [...]yrannie towards his subjects, neither compeld them to the worship of Idols, but to use their own laws with the liberty and freedome of con­science: whilst he thus governed Britain, with the Westerne part of the Empire: one Maxen­tius sonne to Herculeus Maximianus, who was parrner with Dioclesian in the Imperiall purple, Max [...]s. was by assent of the Senate, chosen Caesar, who first insinuated with all cunning affability into the hearts of the plebeian multitude: but when he found himselfe strong in their opinions, hee exercised all tyranny that could be possibly de­vised, especially against the Christians: He like­wise expelled h [...] Father Maximianns from Rome, who sought to be again Emperour, with other great oppressions used against the Senate and Prime Nobility, of which Constantine ha­ving intelligence, he assembled a strong hoast of Br [...]tains and Galls to suppresse his great pride and insolence: leaving in his absence a great Duke called Octavius, or Octavian to governe Octavian made D [...]puty Governour of Britain. the Land of Britain as his Vicegerent, or De­puty.

[Page] Constantine having setled the State here, being on his journy, he saw (as in a Vision) being upon his bed a Crosse shining in the firmament, held by an Angell who said unto him, Constantine i [...] hoc signo vinces, that is, of Constantine, under this signe or banner thou shalt have victory: After which awaking, and considering well of his vision or dream, hee called his chiefe Cap­tains about him, and acquainted them therewith presently giving order that the Crosse should be The Crosse first used in any Im­peria [...] Ensigne. portrayed in all his Ensignes, Escutcheons and Banners: being thus accommodated, he march­ed against the Tyrant Maxentius, and met him at a bridg called Pont Milvium where after long fight he chaced him and his whole army, where Maxentius drowned. a great part of them were drowned in the River with himselfe also, when hee had ruled as Caesar about five yeares: after which victory, Constan­tine marched to Rome, where hee was received of the Senate and people, with great honour and triumph: soone after he received the Chri­stian Faith, and was baptized by Sylvester the first of that name Bishop of Rome: which done, he opened the prisons, & destroyed the Temples of the false gods, and dedicated others to the true & everliving God, pulling down their idols and opening those Christian Oratories as had beene shut, commanding divine service to bee said in them: He was the first also that gave any possessions to the Church of Rome, and ordained that the Bishop of Rome should be a chiefe Bi­shop, Constantinus great devot. on and zeale. and all others to be obedient unto him, [Page] (which was before any superstition crept into the Church) hee also bore clay and stones upon his shoulders, to the foundation of the great Church dedicated to Saint Peter.

Whilst Constantine thus laboured to plant the Christian Faith, his mother Hellen being then Hellen the mother of Con­stantine. in Britain, sent unto him commendatory Let­ters, gratulating his great victories, in which shee seemed to rejoyce that hee had suppressed Idols, and demolis [...] their Temples, but won­dred, that hee had chosen for his God, a man who had been nayled to a Crosse, &c. to which hee returned her answer, that hee would suffici­ently prove the God whom hee honoured and worshipped was the Creatour of Mankind, and Maker of the World and all the creatures there­in, and not man only, but God and Man, &c. For proof of which, after she had assembled a Synod of Iews, to the number of sevenscore, Sylve­ster with other Christian Clerks were appoint­ed to dispute with them concerning the Faith and Gospel, in which arguing, the Iews were confounded, and she converted, and was a con­stant professour of the true Faith and Religion all her life time after, I leave what the Legend relates concerning her seeking and finding the true Crosse, and the nayles with which our bles­sed Saviour was fastned thereto, and returne to Hellena sindeth [...] Cress [...]. her sonne the Emperour, who greatly inlarged the famous City Bizantium, and beautified it with stately and sumptuous buildings, and for the pleasure which hee tooke in the situation [Page] thereof, made it his Royall Seat, and caused it to be called after his name Constantinople, which is the City of Constantine: He was also of such power and might in armes, that hee purchased to himselfe the Title of Constantine the Great. Constantine the Great.

Hee was, moreover, stiled the first Christian Emperour, and did many things for the uphold­ing of the Faith: of which seven by a learned Authour are especially noted. First, that Christ our blessed Saviour should bee worshipped as God, throughout his whole Dominions: Se­condly, Seven Derees made by Con­stantine to the honour of his Saviour. that what man or woman soever spake any blasphemy against him, hee should be most severely punished: Thirdly, that person who did any violence or injury to a Christian man, because he was of that belief, should forfeit half his goods and possessions: Fourthly, that as the Emperor of Rome is Head of all temporall Prin­ces, so the Bishop of Rome should be chief of all Ecclesiasticall Prelats: Fiftly, that who so fled to a Church for refuge, and made it his Sanctuary, should be there free from molestation and dan­ger: Sixtly, that no man should offer to erect any Church or Temple without the leave and licence of the Bishop of that Diocesse: Seventh­ly, that every Prince should give the tenth part of his Revenues toward the mayntenance of Churches and Temples, which law for example sake hee confirmed by contributing unto them from his own possessions: after all which care of his to establish the true Faith and Gospell, hee fell into the detestable Heresie of the Arrians, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] banished Bishop Sylvester beforenamed; and persecuted many zealous and godly professors, Constantine infated with the A [...]rian, he­resie. after which (as mine Author affirmeth hee was strook with an incurable Leprosie. But now I return to Octavian, whom hee left his substitute in Britain.

Who during the long absence of the Empe­rour, ruled the Land to the great content of the Natives, but (when hee had throughly in­vested himselfe into the hearts of the people, and thinking his Lord so far remote, and could, not easily be drawne from so great a charge as the government of both the East and Westerne Octavian u­surpeth the Crowne of Britain. Empires, He thought to usurpe the Title of King, and to that purpose distressed such Ro­mans as Constantine had left heere in the Land, and so took upon him the sole Soveraignity: of which when the Emperour had notice, hee sent hither in all haste a Prince called Traherne, who was uncle to his mother Helena, with three Le­gions of Romans, every Legion consisting on six thousand six hundred and six Knights, whom Octavian met in battaile neare unto Portchester, or as some Authors write, neere Winchester, and Trahernesent into Britain. compeld Traherne to forsake the field, and flie towards Scotland, whither Octavian pursued him and gave him a second battaile, where hee and the Britains were discomfited, and himselfe with some few took shipping and sailed to Nor­way: but not long after he returned into Eng­land, with a strong Arm [...] of Britains, and Nor­wayes, in which interim, a British Earle who [Page] greatly loved Octavian, slue Traherne, so that with little difficulty hee subdued the rest of the Commons, who were left without a Comman­der, and repossessed the Land, which was from the time that Constantine made him Governor or Protector of the Land ten years.

Octavian thus re-instated, gathered great Octavian made absolute K. of Britain. riches and treasure, in so much that hee feared not the power of any forreigne Prince, and ru­led the Nation in great peace and quietnesse, who being growne aged and full of yeares, by the counsell of some of his British Noble men, he sent one Mauritius son to Caradock Duke of Cornwall unto Rome. For an hopefull young Gentleman called Maximian, who was neere allyed to Helena the mother of Constantine, that he would come into this Land, and by marrying his only daughter, enjoy the Kingdome of Bri­tain, after him: though divers perswaded him to confer that honour upon Conan Meriadock his neere Cousin: but the former motion prevailed: Conon Meria­dock. And Maximian the sonne of Leonine brother to Hellen, and Uncle to Constantine the Great, was sent over with the beforenamed Mauritius, and with a sufficient guard of Romans landed safely at the port of Southampton: which Conan Me­riadock hearing, hee gathered a company of his friends and kinsmen, and because the other came Maximians first entrance into Britain. to dispossesse him of that whic [...] hee held to be his right, Her purposed to ambush him in the way, and give him battaile: which being told to the King, he by his wisdome, and power p [...]e­vented [Page] it, so that Maximian came peaceably to Court, unto whom the King gave his daugh­ter, and the Land with her for her Dower, and dyed soon after, when he had nobly and peace­ably governed the Kingdome for the space of fifty foure yeares.

CHAP. 5.

MAximian the sonne of Leonine, and Cousin German to Constantine the great, was made King of Britaine Maximian K. of Britaine. in the yeare of Grace three hundred fourescore and two, who proved a valiant and victorious Prince, but somewhat proud, and withall a persecutor of the Christians. And first there was great strife betwixt him and Conan, with sundry Conflicts, in which they sped di­versly, but at length they were reconciled and [Page] made friends, so that he raigned for a time in great peace: in which interim, he gathered to­gether much treasure and riches: At last he was accited to move warre against the Galls, and landed with a great Hoast in Armorica, now Armorica first called Litle Britaine. called Little Britaine, which after hee had subdued by the sword, hee gave it to Conon Meriadock to hold of him, and of the Kings of great Britaine for ever, commanding from that time, Armorica to be called Little Britain, and this Land Britaine the great: For which victory and others, his Knights proclaimed him Emperour, which increased both his pride and tyranny, so that he invaded the Lands of the Empire, and conquered a great part both of France and Germany, which was contrary to his Oath before sworne to the two Emperors, Gratian and Valentinian, to whom when ty­dings was brought of this his invasion, Gratian prepared to resist him, but fearing his pow­er and potency, fled to Lyons, where hee was Maximian breaketh his oath, which was to be true to the Empire. slaine, and Valentinian compelled to forsake Rome and flie to Constantinople: Then Maxi­mian made his sonne Victor fellow with him in the Empire.

During whose warres in Italy, Conon Meria­dock not willing that hee or his people should marry with any of the French Nation, sent Messengers to Dionotus Duke of Cornwall, and governour of the Kingdome under Maximian, to send him his daughter Vrsula, with a certaine number of Virgins to bee coupled to him and [Page] his Knights in marriage, who according to his request sent his daughter, with eleven thou­sand maids towards Britaine to that purpose, who by the way were taken at Sea, and pi [...]eous­ly Urfula with e­leven thousand Virgins. murdered: who so will know the manner thereof, I referre them to the Legend of Saints. Maximian thus tyrannizing in Italy, to great Commanders called Guanus and Melga were sent into Britaine to chastise all such as favou­red the party of Maximian, who did here much outrage upon the Natives, afflicting them with great strage and massacre. Against whom, the Emperour sent a great Captaine called Gracianus or Gracian, with two Legions, who so knightly behaved himselfe, that hee chaced them in short space into Ireland, holding the land in peace for Maximian. In this interim, Ma­ximinian continuing wars against the Empire to be absolute Caesar, Theodosius sirnamed the elder, then Emperour of the east part of the world, hearing the death of the first Gracian, and the chacing of Valentinian, he with a mighty hoast sped himselfe to meete with Maximian, and gave him battaile at Aquilea a great City in Italy, in which Maximians forces were utterly discomfited, and himselfe tooke prisoner, whose head Theodosius commanded to be cut off: of whose death Gracian his deputy in Bri­tain, The death of the tyrant Maximian. having knowledge, he seized the Land to his owne use, after that Maximian had go­verned the same by the terme of eight yeares.

Gracian, who of some writers is called Gracian King of Britaine. [Page] Municeps (which word may bee diversly ta­ken, either for an hired or waged Knight, or for a keeper of Presents and Gifts, or bea­ring chiefe rule in a City or Province) be­ganne his dominion over the Britaines in the yeare of grace three hundred fourescore and ten. Hee exercised great exaction and tyranny on his subjects, for which hee was very much hated and despised amongst them, so that they sundry wayes laboured his supplantation, and hourely insidiated his life: but after many dangers escaped, they with a common assent invaded his Palace, and slew him, when he had reigned, or rather usurped, for the space of The death of Gracian. foure yeares.

Of whose death Guanus and Melga having Guanus and Melga. knowledge they returned out of Ireland, and with fire and sword made great havocke in the Land: of which the Romans understanding, because the Realme was then under their Tri­bute and tuition, they sent one Constantine to have the rule of the Land, and the Regions a­bout: Constantine. but being found to bee an enemy to the Empire for divers outrages done by him during his Regency in France, therefore by the com­mandement of Honorius (then Caesar) they sent against him a valiant Captaine named Con­stantius, who slew him, neare to a Towne cal­led Constantius. Arelat: after which the Britaines were much distressed by the Picts, the Scots, and o­ther strange Nations, by reason whereof they were againe constrained to send to Rome for [Page] aide, with a covenant that they would all con­tinue subjects and servants to the Senate. Upon which request and promise, the Emperour Ho­norius The [...] Honorius. himselfe came hither in person, and cha­ced hence all their forraigne enemies, and lea­ving the Land in peace, returned to his greater affaires in Italy.

Who was no sooner departed, but the same enemies againe invaded them, to whom Hono­rius sent a second deliverance, exhorting them withall to be manly and couragious: But in re­gard of the remotenesse of the place, and the great troubles the Empire was then in, to trust to their owne valour and fortune, but to ex­pect no more supplyes either from Caesar or Se­nate; The Britaines for saken of the Romans. the Roman supplyes being then took out of the Land to maintaine the Imperiall warres, the Natives were worse distressed than be­fore, for the Picts and Scots came out of their Dens and Caves where they had concealed themselves, and invaded them by multitudes: insomuch that by the enemies spoyles and rob­beries, they were brought to that extremity of poverty and misery, that they were inforced to pilfer and steale one from another; in which, sundry murthers were also committed, so that The great di­st [...]esse of the Britaines. the ground lay unsowed, or manured, upon which great Dearth and hunger immediatly insued.

Which to prevent, and withall to rid them from these great extremities, the best amongst them petitioned unto Aetius, (who was Ma­ster [Page] of the Chivalry of Honorius the Empe­rour, Aetius denies them succour. and at that time governed France) to commiserate their estate, which to him they most passionatly expressed, but all was to no purpose, for hee slightly put them off with a peremptory denyall to lend them any succour at all: still their calamities augmented and the famine increased: so that lastly the noblest and discreetest amongst them, especially the Arch-bishop Guethelinus Arch-bishop of London. of London, whose name was Guethelinus, whom our English Chronicles call Gosseline, con­cluded to send an Embassy to the King of little Britaine, whose name was Aldroenus: which this Arch-bishop beeing learned and well spo­ken in person undertooke, who delivered their calamities and distresses with such passionate ef­ficacy that it wrought great commiseration and compassion in the King, who after advice ta­ken of his Lords, granted them a supply of suf­ficient forces to recover their Franchises, and li­berties, upon condition, that if God, who is Aldroenus commiserates the Britaines. the Lord of Hoasis gave them victory, they should Crown his brother Constantine King of Great Britaine, acknowledging him their Liege and Soveraigne, which conditions they gladly accepted, and swore to performe with all truth and fidelity.

Now it appeareth from the time of Gratian the last Roman that was King of the L [...]nd, the How lo [...]g Bri­tain w [...]s with­out a K [...]ng Nation of the Britaines during their multiplici­ty of miseries, were without a Monarch or sole Soveraigne for the space of thirty nine yeares, [Page] till the comming in of the forenamed Constan­tine brother to Aldroenus, King of Litle Bri­tain.

It is further to bee observed, that here ended The end of the tribute and go­vernment of the Romans. the Tribute and Dominion of the Romans: neither had any of that Nation any rule over the Land after that time, which Tribute lasted and was paid to Rome, from the ninth yeare of King Cassibelan, to the dayes of the Emperour Severus, amounting to two hundred and fifty five yeeres. And from the Reigne of Severus to the first yeere of Gratian one huadred fourscore and three, and from the first of Gratian to the last yeare of their great misery (before expressed) forty three yeeres; so that from the time that Iulius Caesar made this Isle of Britaine first tri­butary to the Roman Empire, to the comming in of Constantine, amounteth to foure hundred and one and thirty yeares: after this small di­gression, and yet worthy observation, I returne to the passages and proceeding in this Land of An exact com­putation of the times. Britaine, and how it was governed.

The Archbishop with the Lords of this Realme, having sealed to the Covenants before named, they returned with a sufficient army under the conduct and command of Duke Constantius, and safely arrived at Totnesse in Devonshire, (the place where Brute landed, the first Prince and Planter of this Island) whither assembled all the flower of the Nation who be­fore were compeld to hide themselves in Dens and Caves: and to seeke shelter amongst Rocks [Page] and Mountaines: by whose power and martiall prowesse, all the enemies of the Land were rowted and chaced, not one daring to shew his head. After which victory the Land being a­gaine setled in peace and quietnesse, they con­veighed their Captain Constantine, to the tower of Kaercegent, now called Cicester, and ac­cording to their former Covenants made with Aldroenus, saluted him as their Chiefe Lord So­vereigne, and there crowned, him King, in the Constantine King of the Britaines. yeare of our blessed Saviours Incarnation, foure hundred and three and thirty.

This Constantine governed the Realme with great manhood and policie, so that he was not more beloved at home, then dreaded abroad: notwithstanding, of any forreign atchievement done by Him, the English Annals make no men­tion, neither of any memorable thing perfor­med by Him in His owne Kingdome, save that He kept it in great tranquillity and rest, and that He received by His Wife three sonnes, the eldest named Constant or Constantius, the second Constantines Royall Issue. Aurelius Ambrofius, the third Vterpendragon, all which in processe succeeded Him in the Sove­reignty: But for Constance the eldest, being som­what heavy and dull witted, thinking Him not able to take upon Him any Regall Soveraignty, especially to govern so noble a Nation, He cau­sed Him to be shorne a Monke, and put him in­to the Monastery of Saint Amphiable, after cald Saint Swithins at Winchester, and the other two How he dispo­sed of his chil­dren. being then but yong children, Hee committed [Page] to Guardianship of the before-remembred Gosselin Archbishop of London: In the Court of this Constantine was a certain Pict or Scot, much favoured by the King, and on whom hee had conferd many graces and Honours, making him of His Closet Counsell, and a partaker with Him in all his secrets, which perfidious and in­gratefull traitour, watching his opportunity, slue Him in his Chamber when he had ten years ruled the Land. The death of K. Constantine

There lived at that time in the Land a potent Duke called Vortigerus, or Vortigernus, who Vortiger, or Vortigern. was a man wondrously politick and exceeding­ly ambitious, who taking the advantage of the time, knowing the stupidity of the eldest sonne, and the inability of the two yonger (in regard of their minority) to reigne, He coloured his a­spiring to the Crown by a notable project, for hee pretending the right of the eldest brother, had it as a matter of conscience to make Him King: and therefore tooke him out of the for­mer Monastery and invested him in the Throne, in the year of Grace, foure hundred forty three; by which means he had the sole management of Constantius made K. of Britain. the whole Kingdome, and Constantine the name only: whom after hee in short time supplanted, and reigned in his stead: in whose dayes Ambrosius Merlinus the subject of our discourse was born and utte­red his predictions, &c.

CHAP. 6.

TO make the former passages the more plain to the Reader, it is fit to keep a true computation of the Times, and looking back into our former historicall narration, perfect those things which were left doubtfull, especially in the Inter-reg­num before spoken of: In which the names of many Kings, Princes, and Governours of the Kingdome were conceald: Divers Historiogra­phers who write the passages of those times, reck on from the last yeer of Eliodure, to the first of Hely, the father of K. Lud, 186 yeers, during Of three and thirty Kings before scarce remembred. which times, here raigned 33 Kings, (accord­ing to Galfridus and others) whose names thus follow, Gorbovinian (whom Lanquet the Chro­nicler calleth Reygay) son to Garbomanus, reign­ned Gorbovinian. for the term of ten yeers, after him Morgan, 14 yeers, whom succeeded Emerianus, or Eme­rian, Morgan. Emerianus. who held the pincipali [...]y seven. Iuall called also Ivall followed him, and swayed the Scepter Ivall. twenty, after whom came Rimo, and held the Dominion over the Britains 16, after whose ex­piration Rimo. Geruntius was by the generall suffrage Geruntius. of the peers and people, admitted to the throne, and governed in greatpeace and prosperity 20 compleat yeers, who uo sooner expired, but they [Page] made election of Catellus, or Catel, who ruled without any great molestation or disturbance Catellus. ten: and then left the Dominion to Coill, who Coil. ruled with great humanity and gentlenes for the space of 20 yeeres, and dying in a mature age, yielded up the crown and Scepter into the hands of Porrex, who kept and maintained them Porrex. (though with some difficulty) five yeers, resign­ing the principality to Cherimus, who tyranni­zing Cherimus. over the people was supplanted, being com­peld to yield up al his power and authority, after he had governed but 12 months into the hands of Fulgen, or Fulgentius who kept it peaceably, Fulgentius. and to the great liking and applause both of the Nobles and Commons three yeeres, and some odde moneths, who had no sooner yielded to the common fate due to all mortality, but Eliud by some writers cald Eldred, stept into his room, Eliud, or El­dred. but enjoyed it but for a short season, for he died within the compasse of one yeer, after hee came to take upon him the Sovereignty.

Then Androgeus aspired unto the Regall dig­nitie, Androgeus. but bore him so proudly and haughtily in his Soveraignty, that his subjects unanimous consented and made an insurrection against him, surprizing him in his palace, and forcing him to give up his Sword & Scepter, after he had tyran­nized one whole yeer, to his sonne Vrian, who Vrian. sate in the Throne but three yeers, and then yiel­ded up his due to Nature, after whom Eliud was invested in the state, who (as the rest of his pre­decessors) Eliud. left little or nothing behind him wor­thy [Page] memory, and when he had been King five yeers, departed this life, Galfridus reckoneth 3 other Kings Three Kings by some Au­thors not admitted. successively to follow Eliud, namely, Dedacus, Clote­rus, and Gurginetus, but Lanquet (an Author well approved) will not admit them into his Chronicle, I therefore proceed with the rest.

It is agreed by all, that Merianus was King, and two yeares enjoyed the principality, but of what condi­tion Merianus. hee was, there is left no memory to posteritie. Four yeers also reigned his successor Bledinus, whom some call Bladunus, a man raised to that honor by his Bledinus. valor, but being discended from obscure parentage, & therefore not knowing himself wel in his greatnes (as is commonly seene by many) it was the cause of shortning both of his life & sovereignty, for he was slain by the treason of his owne servants, of whose treacherous murder Capenus taking advantage, being Capenus. a potent Lord, and in great opinion with the peo­ple, hee so far insinuated into their affections, that with an unanimous suffrage, they proclaimed him King (for his predecessor died and left no heire be­hind him) in which authority hee demeaned himself like a royall and worthy Prince, and when hee had swayed the Scepter th [...] years, he died, being very aged, and much lamented.

Him succeeded one Owen a Cambrian Britain, who Owen. though hee could neither claime the priviledge of bloud, birth, or title, yet being valiant, prosperous in all his martiall employments, as managing the wars under Capenus, by whom he was greatly honoured, being also politick and wise, and a good souldiou [...], so a discreet statesman, he was thought the worthiest [Page] then in the Kingdome, to take upon him the Domi­nion of the Realm, and so ended some troubles rai­sed in his predecessors days, by his valor and wisdom he brought to a happy issue, and so died a single man, after he had two years governed the Kingdome: next him was inaugurated Sisillius, otherwise called Ceci­lius, Cecilius. who bore himselfe with great humanity and af­fability, during the time of his living a subject, study­ing popularity, and by sundry ways, insinuating him­self into the hearts of the people, but when hee came to the Regall Title, and that the power and sove­raignty was wholly in his owne dispose, he then be­gan to expresse his naturall avaritious conditions, by exacting on the Commons, imposing divers taxes and tributes upon them, by which they were sore vexed and grieved, in so much that a rumour was raised amongst them, which they first only whispe­red, but at length animated by their intolerable im­positions, they feared not to clamour aloud, that their former King died not without suspition of poyson: of which they spa [...]ed not to accuse him, not only as an accessary, but the prime causer and procu­rer thereof: and therefore rising in armes against him, they drove him to that [...]rrow exigent, that he was forc't to fly f [...]om one place of refuge to another, who at length gathering some few forces about him gave them battail in which he was slain, after he had governed the Kingdom two yeers, after whom Ble­gabredus [...] reigned in his stead: this man had in him more musicke then majesty, for he was held most ex­cellent both in minstrelsie and poesie, so that hee see­med to be son, or at least minion of Apollo, for hee [Page] not only composed his own Hymnes and Dities, but set them, and then sung and playd to them, and be­cause it was an art rarein those times, & practised by few, especially by any of generous condition & qua­lity, being excellent and eminent in a Prince, he was therefore by it the more honored and admired, who having swayd the Scepter 20 yeers departed this life, leaving to succeed him his brother Archemail, who was of a more stern & robustuous nature, a man un­lettered, Archemail. and therefore a contemner of all Arts and Sciences, who after he had governed the Realm two yeeres (but with more austerity and rigou [...] then his brother before him had done) in a full age expired.

After him reigned Eldon, or Eldol, no sonne, but a kinsman (for the two brothers died issuless) who was Eldol. a man of peace, and therfore the more indeered unto the hearts of his subjects, under whose Reigne they lived in great rest & prosperity, gathering great store of wealth about them, during the foure yeers of his Reigne, after which season he changed this life for a new, being much lamen [...]d of his people, after whose death, stept up into the [...]hrone Rodrech, or Rodian, Rodrech, alias Ro­dian. a man not (like his predecessor) beloved, as being li­tigious, and alwayes in contention with the Com­mons as holding them in contempt, only favouring the Nobility and Gen [...]ry, and to prefer and advance them greatly oppressed the other, extorting from them by sundry exactions, for which hee grew into great hatred amongst them: of which having intel­ligence, he thought severely to punish them by arms, but was prevented by death, after hee had governed the kingdome not fully 4 yeers. In his place reigned Samuel Pennisel. Samuel Pennisel, whom some Writers would make [Page] two men, (but their judgments are not altogether ap­proved) this man with great care & industry sought and laboured to pacifie the tumults and combustions before raised, & to that purpose, kept the Nobility and Gentry more short, so that he suffered them not (as before) to insult and tyrannize over the Country, but granted to them sundry immunities and privile­ges, for which he was greatly beloved by them, but left the world after he had 5 yeers swayd the Scepter: whom Pyrpyrhus next succeeds, a man much affected Pyrpyrhus by the people, and fortunate in all things saving his short Reigne, who died after two yeers sovereignty.

Capoyr came next to the Crown, & governed an e­quall Capoyr. time with them, of whom no memorable thing is recorded, for in two yeeres Reigne, a Prince hath scarcely time to express himself, what maner of King he would be, whether a tyrant, or father of his people, whether addicted to peace or war: he left one to suc­ceed him named Gligurt Divill, who was a Prince very sober and discreet in all his actions, and was an upright Iusticer, maintaining good Laws in his Do­minions, but reigned four yeers only: his son Hely suc­ceeded him before spoken of: so that all the time of H [...]ly the father of King Lud. these severall Kings Reigns, [...]y those who writ con­temporaries of the passages of seasons, and sought to reconcile them, by their computation, amounteth to 124 yeers. Thus desiring the Reader to excuse this necessary digression, without which there must needs be a great maym in the Chronicle. I now fall punctu­ally upon Merlin's Prophesies, continuing them, and confirming their truth by Chronologie, from the time in which he uttered them, to the Reign of King Charles, our royall Lord and Sovereigne, &c.

CHAP. 1.

TO Prophets there be severall attributes given, some are called prophetae, some vates, others videntes: that is, Prophets, Predicters, and Prophets, pre­dicters, and seers. Seers: and these have been from all antiquity. The name of prophets was, and ought to bee peculiar, to those only that dealt onely in divine Myste­ries, and spake to the people the words which [Page 2] the Almighty did dictate unto them concerning those things which should futurely happen, and such also are called in the holy Text Seers. But vates was a title promiscuously conferd on prophets and poets, as belonging to them both: of the first were Moses, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Ieremiah, Daniel, and the rest, whose divine Oracles are extant in the old Testament: others there were in the time of the Gospell, as Iohn Baptist, of whom our Saviour himselfe witnes­seth, that he was not onely a prophet, but more than a prophet: and we reade in the Acts of the Apostles, Cap. 11. 27. And in those days also came Prophets from Hierusalem to Antiochia. And there stood up one of them called Agabus, and sig­nified Propheticall Poets. by the spirit, that there should be great fa­mine in all the world, which came to passe under Claudius Caesar: of the Vaticall or propheticall poets amongst the Greeks were Orpheus, Linus, Homer, Hesiod, &c. and amongst the Latins, Publius Virgilius Maro, with others.

But before I come to enquire, in which of these lists, This our Countryman Merlin, whose sirname was Ambrosius, ought to be filed; It is needfull that I speak something of his birth, and The birth of Merlin. parents; His mother being certain, but his father doubtfull, (for so our most ancient Chrono­logers have left them) that is, whether hee were according to nature begot by a man and a wo­man, or according to his mothers confession, that hee was conceived by the compression of a fantasticall spirituall creature, without a bodie, [Page 3] which may bee easily believed to bee a meere fi­ction, Me [...]lin the sonne of a Kings daugh­ter. or excuse to mitigate her fault, (being a Royall Virgin the daughter of King Deme­tius) or to conceale the person of her sweet­heart by disclosing of whose name shee had un­doubtedly exposed him to imminent danger, and this is most probable. And yet we reade that the other fantasticall congression is not impos­sible. For Speusippus the sonne of Platoes sister, and Elearchus the Sophist, and Amaxilides in the second book of his philosophie, affirme in the honour of Plato, that his mother Perictione ha­ving congression with the imaginary shadow Plato and Merlin had fathers alike. of Apollo, conceived, and brought into the World him who proved to bee the Prince of Philosophers.

Apuleius also in his book intitled, De Socratis Daemonio, of Socrates his Daemon, or genius, writes at large, that betwixt the Moone and the Earth Spirits inhabit, called Incubi, of which Spirits betwixt the Moone and the Earth. opinion Plato was also, who saith, That their harbour was between the Moone and the Earth, in the moyst part of the ayre. A kinde of Dae­mons which hee thus defines: a living creature, moyst, rationall, immortall and passible, whose property is to envy men: because to that place from whence they were precipitated by their pride, man by his humilitie is preferd; and of these, some are so libidinous and luxurious, that sometimes taking humane shape upon them, they will commixe themselves with wo­men, and generate children, from whence they [Page 4] have the name of Incubi, whom the Romans called Fauni, and Sicarii: and of such Saint Au­gustine Spirits called Incubi. in his booke De civitate Dei, makes mention.

It further may bee questioned, whether hee were a Christian or a Gentile? as also by what Whether Mer­lin were a Christian or an Heathen. spirit he prophesied, a Pythonick; or Divine? that is, by the Devill who spake delusively in the Oracle of Apollo; or by holy and celestiall revelation? For the first, it is not to be doubted but hee was a Christian as being of the British Nation: This Kingdome having for the space of two hundred and odde yeeres before his birth, received the Gospell under King Lucius, the first King of this Land, by the Substitutes of Pope Eleutherius, by whose preaching, the King and a great part of his people, quite re­nounced all Pagan Idolatry, and were baptized into the Christian Faith: but by what spirit he so truly predicted, is only knowne to the God Prophets and Prophetesses, in all Nations. of all spirits, who in every Nation and Lan­guage, pickt out some choice persons, by whose mouthes hee would have uttered things which should futurely happen to posterity, according to his divine will and pleasure, and amongst these was this our Merlin: to prove the for­mer.

Holy Iob was but a Gentile, a man of the land of Chus, yet none of the holy Prophets of the The former proved. Lord did more plainly, more faithfully, and more pathetically acknowledge Christ, and the Resurrection than himselfe, when hee saith in a [Page 5] most raptured Emphasis, Iob 19. v. 23. O that my words were written even in a book, and graven with an iron pen in lead or in stone for ever. For I am sure my Redeemer liveth, and hee shall stand the last on the earth, and though after my skinne, wormes destroy this body, yet I shall see God in my flesh[?], whom I my selfe shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for mee, though my reines be consumed within me.

Neither was this any wonder in blessed Iob, Of the Sibyls. whose like for holinesse and uprightnesse of life was not to bee found upon the face of the whole earth, when even all the Sibils (who were Prophetesses and Virgins, and Gentiles of severall Nations (for so Varro affirmes) predi­cted not onely of the Incarnation, passion, and death of our blessed Saviour, but of his second comming to judgement, of the consummation and dissolution of the World, the Resurrection of all flesh, the glory of the Saints, and the con­demnation of the Reprobates, especially Sibylla Cumana, whom the renowmed Doctors of the Church, and more especially Saint Augustine, S. Austine a [...]d other of the Fathers ap­prove of the Sibyls prophe­sies. quoted in her prophesies, and not thought them altogether unworthy to be remembred in their works, of which also Virgil makes men [...]i­on in his fourth Eglogue: in which Saint Au­gustine Virgil prophe­sied of Christ. himselfe witnesseth that hee (though an Heathen) predicted the Incarnation of our bles­sed Saviour, for he insinuates that he is to speak of a great mystery in his first words, which are these:

As speaking to the Muses, or invocating their assistance, that he is now to sing of more stupen­dious and high things: and a little after it fol­loweth,

That is: now is fulsilled the prophesie of Si­bylla Cumana (so called from Cuma, once a fa­mous Citie in Greece, where she was borne) hee Sibylla Cuma­na. further proceedeth,

Intimating in those words, that by revolution, the great order and course of the World should feele a change which was not from the begin­ning, and that now the Celestiall Maid (which figured Iustice) or the mother of the most righ­teous [...]hat Prophet could come neerer to the truth [...] should returne, and that wee should see againe those innocent and blessed dayes which were in the reigne of Saturne (which was called the golden World) and that a new birth should be sent down to the earth from the highest hea­ven, meaning our blessed Saviour, God, and man, born of the immaculate Virgin Mary: nay, further in the two subsequent Verses, hee im­plyes, [Page 7] that he came to take away the sins of the world, which are these:

So much for Virgil: there are divers other prophets of the Gentiles both men and women, as Cassandra, Chrysis, Phiomaene, &c. and what shall we think of Balaam? whose Oracles Mo­ses Other Prophe­tesses. Balaam the sonne of Bosor inserted in the sacred Text, and whose pro­phesies the great Clerkes and Doctours of the Church have expounded in large voluminous Works: yet for his person, some have held him for no better than a Southsayer, or a Wisard, and hired for a reward to curse the children of Israel Gods selected people, and they by his counsell after inticed to fornication and idolatry, of whom the blessed Apostle Saint Peter in the se­cond Chapter of his second Epistle and four­teenth Verse gives him this character (speaking of such whose hearts were exercised in cove­tousnesse, and children of the curse) who for­saking the right way have gone astray, following the way of Balaam the sonne of Bosor, who lo­ved the wages of unrighteousnesse, but hee was rebuked for his iniquitie, for the dumbe beast speaking with mans voice, forbade the foolish­nesse of the prophet. These former examples may beget an hesitation or doubt, by which of the two spirits the good or bad, our Country­man Merlin uttered his predictions.

[Page 8] But whosoever shall make question of the true events of his prophesies, I shall referre him A just si [...]tion of the truth of Merlins pro­phesi [...]s. D [...]ctor Alanus de Insulis to the reading of that most excellent Oratour [...]olyhistor, and Theologist of his time, Alanus de Insulis a German Doctour, for his admirable and multifarious Learning sirnamed Vniversa­lis: and Rector of the Parisian Academy in his Explanation or Comment upon Merlins Pro­phesies, the originall being extracted out of Ief­fery of Monmouth, part of his words are these: In all his prophesies I find nothing dissonant, in­congruous, or absurd: nor any thing forreigne, or averse from truth: And those who shall live in ages to come, shall finde those his predi­ctions as constantly to happen in their dayes (ac­cording to the limit of time) as wee have hi­therto found them certaine and infallible even to the age in which we now live. And for these signes and tokens which before the consumma­tion of the World shall appeare, he divineth and foretelleth of them in the Sun and Mo [...]ns, and the other five Planets; Iuno, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Satnrne, and other stars, how they shall confound and alter their courses which they had His predict on from the Pla­nets. in the Creation, according to that in the holy Evangelist Saint Luke, cap. 21. v. 25. Then there shall be signes in the Sun, and the Moon, and in the stars: and upon the earth trouble amongst the Nations with perplexity, the Sea and the waters shall roare, and mens hearts shall faile them for feare, and for looking after those things which shall come in the World, for the [Page 9] powers of Heaven shall be shaken, &c. But of the new heaven, and the new earth, and the re­surrection of the dead to new life, how truly he spake according to the Propheticall, Evangeli­call, and Apostolicall Traditions; it is mani­fest, that hee no way deviated or erred from the orthodoxall Christian Faith, and so much Doctor Alanus concerning the truth of his prophesies, with whom I conclude this first Chapter.

CHAP. 2.

THe better to illustrate this our Hi­story of Merlin, (the subject now in agitation) it is necessary that I shew you in what Kings Reigne he was borne, in what state the Kingdome stood at that time, and how our prophet came to bee first knowne in Court. He was born in the reigne of King Vortiger, who by usurpation aspired to the Crown: who being a potent Duke of the Merlin born in the reigne of King Vortiger. Brittaine: after the death of Constantius, took his sonne Constantins out of a Monastery (being a simple man and uncapable of so great a charge, [Page 10] and made him King) so that Duke Vortiger be­ing a popular man, had the whole government of the Land, and Constantine only the name of King, who taking advantage of his Sovereigns easie nature and milde disposition, cast in his thoughts how by the death of his Lord and Master, to compasse the Crown to himselfe, and Vortigers am­bition to the Crown. to accomplish his ambitious designe he placed, as a guard about him, an hundred Picts and Scots, whom hee so bribed with continuall gifts and rewards, that they feared not openly to say that Vortiger better deserved the Imperiall dig­nity then Constantine: in which interim he got into his possession, all the treasure, howsoever divers thereat grudged: and the strangers in hope to purchase his greater favour, took their opportunity to lay violent hands upon the King, and presented his head to Vortiger, being King Con­stantine sl [...]ine by his guard. then at London.

Who in his Crocodile comming, and to blinde the eyes of the Britaines, to make them think he had no hand in his death, wept excee­dingly, and made great shew of sorrow, and to expresse his great justice, caused all those honou­red Knights to bee beheaded according to the Treason rewar­ded. Lawes of the Kingdome, by which he was held both by the peeres and people innocent of the Treason: but those that had the Guardianship of the Kings two younger brothers Aurelius and Vter, the one sirnamed Ambrosius, the other Ambrosius and Vt [...]r the Kings younger brothers. Pendragon, fearing the power and potencie of Vortiger fled with them into little Britaine, [Page 11] where they continued, yet it pleased God other­wise to dispose of them.

Then was Vortiger by a generall and unani­mous consent crowned King in the yeere of the Vortiger crowned King. Incarnation of our blessed Saviour foure hnn­dred fortie eight: but it was not long ere the Picts and Scots, having knowledge of the death of their countrymen, invaded the Land with great hostilitie: in so much that hee was no way able to withstand their malice and fury, in this great distresse, retyring himselfe to Canterbury, newes was brought him of theer great ships full of Ammunition and armed men, landed in the Isle of Tenet: at first hee feared that they were the late Kings brothers, Ambrose and Vter, who came to lay claime to the Kingdome, but finding them to be strangers: hee sent to know of what Nation they were: and the purpose of their landing? Who returned him answer that they were Saxons, so called of a Province in The first land­ing of the Saxons. Germany, who came to seek adventures abroad, and since fortune had brought them into this Land, they besought him to receive them into service, as being both ready and able to be his faithfull souldiers, and to fight for him in the defence of his Country against all forreigne invaders? and their Captaines were two bro­thers, Hengist and Horsus.

The King in regard of his present necessitie, which much moved him to correspondencie, was exceeding glad of their liberall proffer, and accepted of them, yet sorry that they were [Page 12] Miscreants, and of the Pagan beliefe, for as Re­verend Bede hath left recorded, with Gulielmus de Regibus, They at that time worshipped an Idoll or false god, called Woden, and a Goddesse named Fria, in the honour of which god, they called one day of the week Wodens-day, which When Wednes­day and Fri­day had their app [...]llation. we terme Wednesday, and another in the honour of the Goddesse Fria, Frisday, by us still conti­nuing the name Friday. But it followeth in the story; Vortimer by the ayde of these Saxons, ha­ving freed his Land from all forreigne enemies, Hengist in reward of his former service, de­manded of the King so much ground as the hide of a Bull would compasse, which request appea­red to the King so reasonable, that hee easily granted it, which skin hee caused to be cut into small and slender thongs, with which hee mea­sured a large circuit of earth, upon which hee builded a great and strong Fort, which he called The building of Thonge Castle. Thonge Castle, which standeth in the County of Lyndsee.

When news arrived in Germany of the plenty and goodnesse of this Land, with all the com­modities thereto belonging, they came hither in multitudes covenanting with the Britains, that they should only intend their Tillage and Husbandry, and themselves would as their soul­diers, defend the Land from all incursi [...]ns and invasions, demanding for that service only com­petent means and wages, in which interim Hen­gist The policy of the Saxons. sent for sixteen saile more well furnisht with men, and all necessary provision. In which fleet [Page 13] came also his daughter Rowen, a beautiful Lady, concerning whom, to cutoff all circumstances, Hengist invited the King to his new Castle, where his faire daughter gave him entertain­ment, with whose beauty hee became so surpri­sed, and perditely enamoured, that for her sake he repudiated his lawfull wife, by whom he had three noble sonnes, Vortimerus, Catagrinus, and Pascentius, to marry with this young Saxon La­dy, and that hee might enjoy her, gave to her Vortimer for­saketh his Queen to mary with Rowen, the daughter of Hengist. Father the Dukedome or Province of Kent, though Garagonus, then Lord thereof, with divers other of the British Peeres, thereat much grudged.

For which, and many other honours and re­venues conferred upon the Saxons, as also that hee left his owne Christian Consort, to marry with an Infidel, and that Hengist had sent for his sonne Octa to come over with a fresh supply of his Countrymen: The Lords of Britaine con­sidering An assembly of the British Lords. what dangers were like to fall upon the Land, assembled themselves, and comming to the King, laid open to him the inconvenience and perill which was likely to fall both upon himselfe and the Kingdome, by the multitude and strength of these strangers, humbly be­seeching him for their generall securitie, to ba­nish them all or the greatest part of them the Land. But the King was deaf of that eare, for the Saxons were in such favour with him, by reason of his beautifull young Queene, that hee pre­ferred them before the love of his owne wife, [Page 14] sonnes, subjects, kinsmen, and friends, where­f [...]re the Britains with one will and assent, crow­ned his eldest sonne Vortimer King, depriving him of all Regall dignity, when hee had ful­ly King Vortiger deposed. reigned (after the consent of the best Histo­ries) sixteen yeeres.

A word or two by the way, of our new King Vortimer, who assisted by the resolute Britaines, Vortimers many brave victories over the Saxons. in all haste pursued the Saxons, and gave them a great battaile upon the River of Darwent, in which the Saxons Hoast was quite discomfited: He fought with them a second upon the Foord called Epiford, or Aglisthorpe, in which fight Catrignus the brother of Vortimer, and Horsus the brother to Hengist, meeting in the battaile fought together a brave combat, and slue each other, in which the Britaines also were Victors: He gave them a third, neere unto the Sea-side, in which the Saxons were chaced, and forced to take the Isle of Wight for their refuge: and likewise a fourth mayne battaile upon Cole­more, which was long and couragiously main­tained by the Saxons, by reason that they now closed a great part of their Hoast so defensive­ly, that the Britaines could but with much diffi­culty approach them, for the danger of their Vortimer con­quered the Sa­xons in seven severall bat­tails. shot, yet in the end they were rowted, and many of them drowned and swallowed in the Moore. And besides these foure principall and mayne battailes, hee had divers other conflicts with them, one in Kent, another at Thetford in Nor­folke, a third in Essex, neer unto Colchester, from [Page 15] all which fields hee departed a glorious Victor, neither did he leave their pursuite, till he had de­prived them of all their possessions in the Land, saving the Isle of Tenet, which he continual­ly assaulted with his Navy by Sea: which when his step mother Rowen saw, and how much her Father Hengist with his Saxons, by his Martiall Vortimer poy­soned by his stopdame Rowen. prowesse were distressed, shee used such meanes that he was poysoned, after hee had victoriously governed the Kingdome for the space of seven yeeres.

All which time Vortiger, the Father of the late dead Vortimer, lived privately in Chester, where hee so well demeaned him towards the King his sonne, by aiding him with his counsell and otherwise, that by the Britains generall as­sent, he was againe restored to the Kingdome: Hengist againe pierced the Land with a mighty Vortiger re­stored to the Kingdome. Hoast of his Countrymen, which Vortiger hea­ring made towards him with his Army of Bri­tains. But Hengist, who had before tasted of their hardnesse and courage, made means of a treaty for peace, whence lastly, it was concluded, that a certain number of Britaines, and as many Saxons should meet upon a Mayday weaponlesse, upon the Plaine of Salisbury, on which prefixed day, Hengist bethought him of a strange and persidious Treason, charging all his Saxons, that every one should put a long Knife in his hose, and when hee gave this watch-word Nempnith, your Sepis, they should suddenly fall upon the A most un­k [...]ngly treason. unarmed Britaines, and kill them to one man: [Page 16] Briefly, they met at the time and place appoin­ted, where Hengist and his Saxons received him and his power, with a countenance of peace and love, but they had not long spoken together when Hengist giving the watchword, the Britans were basely and barbarously butchered, unlesse any by his manhood and strength wrest the Knife from his enemy, and defend himselfe:, amongst the British Lords was one Edolf Earle of Chester, who (as Gunfride affirmes) seeing his friends and fellows thus murdered, he found the stake of an hedge by chance their scattered, with which he not only saved his owne life, but A valiant Britain. slue seventeene of the opposite side, and got safely into the City of Salisbury, after which treason executed, the King remained with Hen­gist as prisoner.

Hengist by his Treason having thus gotten the upper hand, and reteining the King in his Vortiger sup­pressed by Hengist. power and custodie, hee compelled him to give him three Provinces in the East part of Britain, Kent, Suffex, Norfolke, and Suffolke, to which some adde Essex, &c. of which being safely possessed, hee suffered the King to goe at large, sending for some other of his Kinsmen to take possession of other Provinces in the Kingdome, crowning himselfe King of Kent, and from his Britain first called England owne name, caused this Realme to bee called Hengists Land, or (as wee now pronounce it) England: and the Saxons now spreading and quartering themselves in the best and most fer­tile soyles of the Land, as having the Sove­reignty [Page 17] over London, Yorke, Lincolne, Winche­ster, with most of the principall Cities in the Realme. The Saxons still increasing in multi­tude and power, and the Britains daily decrea­sing, both in number and strength. Vortiger was forced to flie or retire himself into Wales, where Vortiger for­ced to fly into Wales. (after some writers) thinking to fortifie himself, he began to lay the foundation of a Castle called Generon, or Gwayneren, in the West side of the River Grana, upon an Hill called Cloaricus: But what successe he had in the building thereof, and how Merlin came first to be knowne to the King with part of his Prophesies, I will referre to the subsequent Chapter, giving withall the intelligent peruser of this story, to better his knowledge, this Item; that without the lay­ing open of the true passage ofthose tim [...], which I have (as briefly as possibly I could in the pre­mises) these our prophets predictions which now seeme plaine and easie, would have beene much more intricate, and hard to bee under­stood.

CHAP. 3.

WHen Vortigers Architectors had cau­sed the Hill to be digged, and the foundation to bee laid on which to erect this new structure, after the weake men had digged the circuit of the place, where the great stones were to be set in order: they were no sooner laid in the hollow of the earth, but they instantly sunke down, and were swallowed up and no more seen: at which the Workmen wondred, and the King himselfe was much astonished, and the more proofs they made, the greater cause of admiration they had, especially the scituation being upon an Hill, and no moorish or uncertaine ground: therefore the King commanded a cessation from the worke for the present, and sent to the Bards and Wisards (of which that age afforded plen­ty) Vortiger in­quires of the Wizards. to know a reason of that prodigie? or at least what it might portend? who being gathe­red [Page 19] together, and having long consulted a­mongst themselves, and not finding by any na­turall or supernaturall reason, what the cause thereof might be, they concluded in the end, to save their credits, and to excuse their ignorance, to put the King off with an impossiblitie: and when hee came to demand of them what they had done in the matter? they returned him this answer, that those stones could never be laid together, or the place built upon, till they were cemented with the bloud of a man-childe, who was borne of a mother, but had no man to A cunning e­vasion. his father.

With this answere the King satisfied, the soothsayers departed from him (not meanly glad that they had put him off, according to our English word, with a flam or delirement) without any disparagement to their art and cunning, who no sooner left his presence, but the King cald his servants about him, comman­ding them to ride and search into, and through all Provinces and Countries till they could find such an one as the Wisards had spoken of, and by faire or foule meanes to bring the party unto him, but not acquainting him with the Cause, but that the King seeing such an one would send him back richly and bountifully rewarded: ha­ving received this commission (or rather Impo­sition, from the King their master, wee leave them to their severall adventures, every of them being sufficiently accommodated for so uncertaine a journey.

[Page 20] One of them amongst the rest hapned to come to a Towne or Citty called Kaier Merlin Merlins City, since from him so called. which implyes Merlins Towne or Merlins borrough, which is no doubt the same which wee call at this day Marlborrow, but my author termes it a City at whose gates the messenger of the king arriving, it hapned that a great many young Lads were sporting themselves without the walls, and of the company, two of them in gaming fall out, the one yong Merlin, the other called Dinabutius, who amongst other brea­thing words cast into Merlins teeth, that hee was but some Moon-calfe, as born of a mothsr, who knew not his father: The servant taking notice of this Language, presently demanded what he was? and who were his parents? who returned him answer, that for any father hee Merlin first discovered. had, they knew none, but his mother was daughter to the King Demetius, and lived a Vo­taresse in that Citie, in a Nunnery belonging to the Church of Saint Peter: which having heard her, presently went to the chiefe Magistrates, and shewed them his Commission from the King, which they obeying, sent both the mo­ther and sonne under his conduct, to attend the pleasure of his Majesty,

Of whose comming the King was exceeding joyfull, and when they appeared before him Merlin and his mother appeare before the King (both ignorant of the occasion why they were sent for) the King first asked him, if that were his naturall sonne? Who reply'd that hee was, and borne of her own body, hee then desired to [Page 21] know by what father hee was begot? to which she likewise answered, that shee never had the societie of any one mortall or humane, only a spirit assuming the shape of a beautifull young man, had many times appeared unto her, see­ming to court her with no common affection, but when any of her fellow Virgins came in, he would suddenly disappear and vanish, by whose many and urgent importunities, being at last overcome, I yielded, saith shee, to his pleasure, and was comprest by him, and when my full time of Teeming came, I was delivered of this son (now in your presence) whom I caused to be called Merlin: which words were uttered with such modestie and constancie, considering with­all the royaltie of her birth, and the strictnesse of the order (in which she now lived) that the King might the more easily be induced to be­lieve that whatsoever she spake was truth.

When casting his eye upon Merlin hee began to apprenend strange promising things in his aspect, as having a quick and piercing eye, an ingenious and gracious countenance, and in h [...] youthfull face a kinde of austeritie and super­cilious gravity, which took in him such a deep impression, hat he thought his bloud too noble Cruelty chan­ged into pity. to bee mingled with the dust and rubbish of the earth, & therefore instead of sentencing him to death, and commanding him to be slaine, hee opened unto him, the purpose hee had to build this Castle, and the strange and prodigious im­pediments, which hindred the work, then his as­sembly [Page 22] of the Bards and Wisards, and what an­swer they returned him of his demand, but bad him withall be of comfort, for hee prized his life being a Christian above ten such Citadels, though erected and perfected with all the cost and magnificence that humane art or fancie could devise.

To which words Merlin (who had all this Merlins speech to the King. while stood silent and spake not a word) thus reply'd Royall Sir, Blinde were your Bards, witlesse your Wisards, and silly and simple your Southsayers; who shewed themselves averse to Art, and altogether unacquainted with the se­crets of Nature, as altogether ignorant, that in the brest of this Hill, lyes a vast Moat, or deep Poole which hath ingurgitated and swallowed all these materials throwne into the Trenches. Therefore command them to be digged deeper, and you shall discover the water in which your squared stones have beene washed, and in the bottome of the Lake you shall finde two hol­low Rocks of stone, and in them two horrible Dragons fast sleeping: which having uttered, hee with a low obeysance made to the King left speaking.

Who instantly commanded pioners with Merlins words found true. pickaxes, mattocks, and shovels to be sent for, who were presently employed to dig the earth deepe, where the pond was found, and all the water drained, so that the bottome thereof was left dry, then were discovered the two hollow Rocks, which being opened, out of them issued [Page 23] two fierce and cruell Dragons, the one red, the other white, and made betwixt them, a violent and terrible conflict. But in the end the white Dragon prevailed over the red, at which sight the King being greatly stupified and amazed, demanded of Merlin, what this their combat might portend? Who fetching a great sigh, and teares in abundance issuing from his eyes, with a propheticall spirit, made him this following Merlins first prophesie. answer.

Then casting a sad looke upon the King, as reading his fate in his forehead, hee muttered to himselfe and said,

Which accordingly hapned, and that within few yeeres after, for Vortiger having builded this Castle, and fortified it making it defensible against any forreigne opposition, the two sons Ambrose and Vter invade the Land at Totnesse. of Constantine whom Vortiger had before cau­sed to be slaine, assisted by their neere Kinsman Pudentius, King of Armorica, or little Britain, (where they had beene liberally fostered and cherished) passed the Sea with a compleat Ar­my, and landed at Totnesse, whereof when the Britains who were dispersed in many Provinces understood, they crept out of their holes and corners, and drew unto their Host, which was no small incouragement to the two brothers, Ambrosius Aurelius and Vter-Pendragon, who now finding their forces to bee sufficiently able both in strength and number, made their speedy expedition towards Wales, with purpose to di­stresse Vortiger the Usurper.

Who having notice of their comming, and not able in regard of the paucity of his follow­ers to give them battaile, he made what provisi­on [Page 25] he could for the strengthening of his Castle, to endure a long siege, and to oppose the rage of any violent battery, till hee might send for supply elsewhere. But such was the fury of the assaylants, that after many fierce and dangerous attempts finding the Walles and Gates to bee impregnable; casting into the Castle balls of wilde fire, with other incendiaries, they burnt him and his people alive, amongst whom not one escaped. Of him it is reported, that hee should have carnal society with his own daugh­ter, The lamentable death of King Vortiger. in hope that Kings should issue from them: Thus died hee most miserably when hee had reigned since his last Inauguration nine yeeres and some odde moneths: The explana­tion of the rest of his prophesie, I will leave to the Chap­ter following.

CHAP. 4.

YOu have heard what the red and white Dragons figured, namely, the British and Saxon people, wee will now pun­ctually examine the truth of his prediction in the rest. The caverns, corners, mountains, and moorish places, expresse into what sundry di­stresses the Natives were driven unto by the mercilesse crueltie of the strangers, by the Hils and Valleys, shifting places, that there was no difference amongst the poore Britains, betwixt the Courtier and Cottager, the peere and the pesant, by the Rivers flowing with bloud. The many Battails fought betwixt the two Nations, and that in those dayes Religion and the true Worship of God was supprest, hapned under Hengist and Horsus, and their posterity: Octa the s [...]nne of Hengist, who succeded his Father in the Kingdome of Kent, Tosa, Pascentius, and [Page 27] Colgrinus, all Pagans and Princes of the Saxons: for when the Britains, from the time of Eleu­therius, whom the Romists write was the four­teenth Pope after the blessed Saint Peter had re­ceived the Christian Faith, under King Lucius, of glorious memory, and had continued it for many yeeres unto that time.

The Saxons after their comming into the The Saxons suppressed the faith of Christ[?]. Land, being then Miscreants, laboured by all means to suppresse the same, and in the stead thereof, to plant their Pagan Idolatry, which they accomplished even to the comming of St. Augustine, sent hither by Pope Gregory, in Aur [...]lius and Vter maintai­ners of the true religion. whose time it began againe to flourish and get the upperhand, in the Reigne of Aurelius Ambrose, and his brother Vter-Pendragon, (which is by interpretation the Head of the Dragon) who succeeded him: By the Bore which should come out of Cornwall, and tread upon the necke of the white Dragon, is meant the invincible King Arthur, who vanquished the By the Boar of Cornwall is ment King Ar­thur. Saxons, and subdued them in many Battails, and was a great maintainer, and exalter of the true Christian Religion, of whose begetting and birth, in this our History of Merlin, wee shall have occasion to speak hereafter.

As Merlin was plentifully indued with the Some held Mer­lin to be a Ma­gitian. spirit of divination, so by some authours it is affirmed of him that hee was skilfull in darke and hidden arts, as Magick, Necromancy, and the like, and relate of him, that when King Vortiger lived solitary in his late erected Castle [Page 28] forsaken of the greatest part of his followers and frinds, and quite sequestred from all Kingly honours, hee grew into a deepe and dumpish melancholy, delighting onely (if any delight can be taken therein) in solitude and want of company: to expell which sad fits from him, which might bee dangerous to impaire his health, he would devise for his recreation and disport many pleasant fancies to beget mirth and somtimes laughter, by solacing his eare with severall straines of Musique, both courtly and rurall; the sound heard, but the per­sons not seen; as with the Harpe, Bag-pipes, Cimball, and Tabret: and sometimes again Severall sports devised by Merlin to make the melancholy King merry. with the Lute, Orphorian, Viall, Sackbut, Cor­net, and Organs: then to recreate his eye, hee would present him with stately Masques and Anti-Masques, and againe, for variety sake with Rustick dances presented by Swains and Shepherdesses: and where these grew any thing stale or tedious to his eye or eare, he would take him up into the top of one of his turrets where­on hee should see Eagles and Hawkes fly after sundry Games, and what fowle the King liked, they would strike it into his lap, to adde unto his slender provision for dinner and supper, which gave the King no small contentment.

Sometimes hee would have an Hare, or Hart hunted and chased by a pack of Dogges in the Strange sports in the aire de­vised by Mer­lin. ayre, the Game flying, the Hounds with open and audible mouthes, pursuing, with Huntsmen winding their Hornes, and following the Chace [Page 29] with all the indents and turnings, losses and re­coveries, the Champaigne Plaines, the Woods, and Coverts appearing as visible and naturall as if the sport had beene upon the firme and solid earth.

Upon a time being in the Kings Summer Parlour, who was desirous to bee partaker of Other Magick sports to con­tent the King. some novelty which hee had never seene, there instantly appeared upon the Table a paire of Butts and Whites in the middle to shoote at, where suddenly came in sixe dapper and pert fel­lows like Archers, in stature not above a foote high, and all other members accordingly pro­portioned, their bowes were of the side bones of an overgrowne pike, their strings of a small slevy silke, no bigger then the thred of a Cob­web, their arrowes lesse then pick-tooths, fea­thered with the wings of small Flyes, and hea­ded with the points of Spanish Needles, who made a shew as if they were to shoote a match three to three, and roundly they went about it: in the middle of their Game, there was a shot which rested doubtfull, which as it appeared, the Gamesters could not well decide: then Mer­lin called to one of the servants (who had some­thing a big nose) that stood by, and bade him measure to the marke, and give it to the best: To which whilst he stooped, and inclined his face, the better to umpire the matter, one of the Pigmey Archers who had an arrow to shoote, delivered it from his bow, and shot him quite through the nose, at which he started, and the [Page 30] King heartily laughed: (for there was no room to be seene) and the Butts with the Archers to­gether disappeared.

But when Merlin knew the Kings fate, to Merlin leaveth the King. draw nigh, and not willing to partake in his disaster, he fained occasions abroad, and though with much difficulty, had at length leave to de­part, leaving behind him a paper which hee put into the Kings Closet where upon occasion hee might easily finde and reade this ensuing prophesie.

[Page 31] This History needs no comment, being so plaine in it selfe by the successe thereof: only thus much let me intreat the Reader to beare in memory, that that Arthur figured under the name of Aper Cornubiae, that is, the Boare of Cornwall, was sonne to Vter-Pendragon, here called, the head of the Dragon.

Amongst many brave Heroicall Acts done by this Aurelius Ambrose, after the death of Vortiger, hee maintained the middle part of Aurelius Am­brose against the Saxons. the Kingdome of Britain, with all Cambria and Wales, endevoring to repaire all the ruined places in the Land, as Forts, Castles, and Cit­tadels, but especially the Temples which were much defaced by the Pagan Idolaters, and cau­sed Divine Service to bee every where said in them, and after that encountred the Saxons in the hill of Baden or Badove, where he slew ma­ny of them and utterly rowted their whole Ar­my; after which defeate, another Saxon Prince named Porthe with his two sonnes landed at an Haven in Sussex, after whom as some Authors affirmes, the place is called Portsmouth vnto this day, others landed also in severall parts of the Kingdome: so that Aurelius had with them many conflicts and Battailes, in which he sped diversly, being, for the most part Conquerour, and yet at some times repulst and over-set. Now called Stonehenge. Merlin [...] ­eth Stone henge from Ireland.

Our English Chr [...]nicles and others say, that he by the helpe of Merlin caused the great stones which stand till this day on the plaine of Salis­bury to be brought in a whirl-winde one night [Page 32] out of Ireland, and caused them to be placed: where they now stand, in remembrance of the Brittish Lords there slaine, and after buried in the time of the pretended treaty and commu­nication, had betwixt Vortiger and Hengist, as is formerly touched, but Polychronicon and others ascribe the honour of their transportage to his Brother Vter-Pendragon, at whose request to Merlin, that miraculous conveighance was per­formed: which if by art he were able to doe; No question to bee made of the truth of those former prestigious feats, in this Chapter before remembred.

CHAP. 5.

AVrelius Ambrose in the prime of his age, and honor being taken away by poyson, his brother Vter-Pendragon Vter-Pendra­gon crowned King. by the generall suffrage both of the Clergie, Peeres, and people, was made King, [Page 33] who pursuing his brothers former victories, gave the Saxons many battails, in which hee came off with great honour and victory, as aw­ing them so farre that they durst not once ap­proach his Confines and Territories: After hee began to repaire the decayed and ruinated Chur­ches, and to provide that God should be care­fully worshipped, rest ring to his people all those goods and possessions, which by the Ene­my had beene extorted from them: and after having slaine Pascentius the sonne of Hengist in Vter-Pendra­gons victories over the Sax­ons and o­thers. battaile, with Guillamore King of Ireland, who came in his assistance, who had with great tyran­ny afflicted his subjects of the North, with fire, sword, and sundry direptions and spoile, and ha­ving taken Octa (who was also the sonne of Hengist) and Cosa his Nephew, and put them in prison: he made a great solemnitie at the Feast of Easter, to which he invited all his Nobilitie and Gentry with their Wives and Daughters, to gratulate with him his former victories. A­mongst the rest of his Peeres was then present Gothlois Duke of Cornwall, with his most beau­tifull Igerna, who was held to be the prime Pa­ramont of the whole English Nation.

With whose beauty and demeanure, the King was so infinitely taken, that all other his most necessary affaires neglected, he could not restrain or bridle his extraordinary affection, but hee The King ena­moured of I­gerna, wife to the Duke of Cornwall. must needs court and kisse her openly in the pre­sence of her husband, at which he incensed with the rage of jealousie presently without any leave [Page 34] taken of the King, or the rest of his fellow peeres: rose from the Table, and taking his wife with him along, by no perswasion could be mo­ved to stay, but instantly posted with her into his Country, which the King (being perditely enamoured of his Lady) took in such ill part, that hee sent for them backe, pretending, they must use his counsel in matters of state, to make his speedy return. But he more prizing his Lady then all his other fortunes (whether favorable or disastrous) which way soever they should happen, disobeyed the Kings command, with a peremp­tory answer, that he would not come. At which the King more inraged, sent him word, that if he persisted in his obstinacie, he would invade his Dukedome, and beate his Towres and Tur­rets (to which hee trusted) about his eares, but vain were his menaces: for loath to lose so sweet a bedfellow, he set the King at publike defiance.

To chastise whose pride (as hee pretended) Vter-Pendra­gon invadeth Cornwall. Vter-Pendragon gathered a strong Army, and invaded his Countrey with fire and sword, but Gothlois perceiving himselfe unable, to oppose so potent a Prince, attended with such multi­tudes of experienced and tryed souldiers: he be­tooke himselfe to a strong Castle, then called Dimelioch: and there fortified himselfe, daily expecting forces from Ireland, but because hee would not hazard all his estate in one Bottome, he like a wise Merchant sent his wife to another impregnable Fort called Tindagol, being round environed with the Sea, and one way leading [Page 35] unto it, which three men, elbowing one ano­ther, could not passe at once. A few days being past, in the besieging of that form [...] Castle, which the Duke maintained against him, hee grew stil the more besotted with the love of the Lady, in so much that hee could neither enter nor scape: At length he uttered the impatience of his affection to one whom hee had amongst many other, chosen for his familiar friend, whose name was Vrsin of Ricaradoch: who Vrsin of Rica­radoch. when hee had truly pondered all that the King had delivered unto him, hee returned him an­swer, that hee could perceive small hope for the King to attaine to his amorous ends, in regard that the Fort in which she resided, by reason of the scituation of the place (munified both by Art and Nature) was altogether inaccessible. For three armed men (so straight was the pas­sage) might keepe out his whole Army: one refuge onely remained, that if the Prophet Merlin, who was then in the Army, would un­dertake the businesse, it might be accomplished, but otherwise not.

The King being attentive to his language, Merlin sent for by the King. presently caused Merlin to be sent for, and told him, how ardently he was affected to the Coun­tesse, without enjoying whose person hee was not able to subsist alive: aggravating the trou­ble and perplexity of his minde, with much palenesse in his face, many deep suspires, and ex­traordinary passion, which Merlin commisera­ting, hee told his Majesty, that to compasse a [Page 36] thing so difficult as that was, being but a little degree from impossibility, he must make proofe of Art mysticall and unknowne, by which hee would undertake by such unctions and medica­ments as hee would apply, to metamorphose his Highnesse into the true figure and semblance of Duke Gothlois, his friend Vrsin into Iordan of Tintegell, his familiar companion and Counsel­lour. Merlins strange Meta­morphosis. And himselfe would make the third in the Adventure, changing himselfe into Bricot, a servant that wayted of him in his Chamber, and they three thus disguised, would in the twi­light of the evening, whilst the Duke in one place was busied in the defence of his Castle a­gainst the assaylants, command their entrance into the other Fort in the name and person of the Duke, where they should be undoubtedly received.

This prestigious plot much pleased the King, who impatient of delay, gave order to his chiefe Captaines and Commanders concerning the siege, excusing to them his absence for some cer­tain houres: he in the mean time, the same night committed himselfe to the charge and art of Merlin: who disguised as aforesaid, knockt at the gates of Tindagoll, to whom the Porter (thinking he had heard his Lords voice deman­ding entrance.) Instantly opened the gate, and The King, Merlin and Vrsin enter the Fort of Tind [...]gol. meeting him with Vrsin and Merlin, taking them for Iordan and Bricot, so that the King was presently conducted to the Chamber of Igerna: who gladly and lovingly received him [Page 37] as her Lord and Husband, where he was bounti­fully feasted, and bedding with her, hee freely enjoyed her most loving embraces to the full, sa [...]iating of his amorous desires, where betwixt them that night was begot the Noble Prince Arthur, who for his brave facinorous, and high and Heroicall Atchievements, made his name glorious and venerable through the face of the whole earth: of whom Merlin long before his begetting, or birth thus prophesied.

But before I come to the opening of this Prophesie, which to the ignorant may appeare rather a ryming Riddle, then to be grounded on truth or reason, it is necessary that I looke back to where I late left, and proceed with the History which thus followeth: the King more extasied in the embraces of his sweet and desired Bedfellow, his souldiers without any commissi­on by him granted, make a strange and terrible assault upon the other Fort, in which Gothlois was besieged, who being of an high and haugh­ty spirit, scorning to be long immured, and coapt up without making some expression of his magnanimity and valour, issued out of the Ca­stle, and with great rage and resolution sate up­on the Campe, in hope with his handful of men, to have dislodged and rowted a multitude, but it fell out farre contrarie to his expectation, for in the hottest brunt of the first encounter, hee The death of Gothlois Duke of Corn­wall. himselfe was slaine, and all his souldiers without mercy offered, or quarter given, most cruelly put to the sword: the Castle entred and sei­sed, and the spoyle divided amongst the soul­diers.

Early in the morning before the King or the Countesse were ready in their wearing Habits and ornaments, some of the besieged who had escapt the Maslacre, bounced at the gates of [Page 39] Tindagoll, and being known to be of the Dukes party, were received; who told the Porter and the rest, that they brought heavy news along, which they must first deliver to their Lady, of which shee having notice, and knowing they came from that Castle, caused them to bee ad­mitted into her presence, and demanding of News of the Dukes death brought to the Dutchesse. them what news? They made answer, The ty­dings they brought was sad and disastrous, that the Fort was the precedent night, robustuously assaulted by the Enemy, whom the Duke her Husband valiantly encountred without the gates, that all their fellow souldiers were put to the sword, the Castle taken and rifled, and that the Generall her Lord and Husband, by his over hardinesse was the first man slain in the conflict: at the relation of the first part of their news, she seem'd wondrously disconsolate and dejected, but casting her eyes upon the King, shee was a­gain somewhat solaced in the safety of her Hus­band.

They also when they saw the King taking A just cause of their doubt. him for the Duke their Generall, began to blush at their report of his death, being wondrously astonisht that him whom to their thinking they had left wounded and breathlesse in the field, they now see living and in health, musing with­all that they posting thither with so much speed should arrive thither before them being altoge­ther ignorant of the admirable transformation that Merlins art had wrought upon them: In this anxiety and diversity of thoughts, the King, [Page 40] more glad of the Dukes fate then the rifling of his fort: thus bespoke the Duchesse: most beauti­full, and my best belov'd Igernan; I am not as The Kings speech to the Duchesse. these report dead, but as thou seest, yet alive; but much greived both for the surprisall of my castle and the slaughter of my souldiers, upon which victory it may be feared that the King animated by his late successe, may raise his Army thence and indanger us heere in our Fort of Tindagol: therfore my best and safest course is to leave this place, for the present, and to submit my selfe to the King in his Campe, of whose accep­tance and grace I make no question, as knowing him to be of a disposition flexible and merciful: then bee you of comfort, for not after many howers expect to heare from mee, with all things answerable to your desires and wishes: with which words Igerna was much pleased and fully satisfied.

So with a loving kisse they parted, shee to her Chamber, and hee with his two followers, towards the Campe, who no sooner from the sight of the Citadell, but Merlin began to un­charme, and dissolve his former incantations and spels, so that the King was no more Goth­lois, but Vter-Pendragon, and his friend ceased to be Iordan of Tindagol, but Vrsin of Ricara­doch, and the Mage, who had made this Trans­formation, Their retrans­formation. left the shape of Bricot, and turned againe to be Merlin: and the King being now arrived at his Army, first caused the body of Gothlois to bee searcht for amongst the slaine [Page 41] souldiers, after to be embalmed and honoura­bly interred, and first acquainting Igerna by let­ters with al the former passages, how they stood, and how much hee had hazarded his person for the fruition of her love, hee invited her to her Lords Funerall, at which the King and she both mourned, but after the celebration thereof en­ded, he the second time courted her, and in few The King e­spouseth the Duchesse. dayes made her his Queene of a Duchesse: by whom hee had Arthur and Anna, by which match the fame of Merlin spread farre abroad, the explanation of whose former prophesie, I leave to the following Chapter.

CHAP. 6.

ARthur the sonne of Vter-Pendragon, and Igerna, succeeded his Father A summary of King Arthurs noble conquests in the Principality, therefore cal­led, the Bore of Cornwall, because begot and borne in that Country, and of a Cor­nish Duchesse. Hee was a great planter and sup­porter of Religion, and the Christian Faith: for so all our British Chronologers report of [Page 42] him: His Conquests were many, and some of them miraculous. By the Islands of the Ocean are meant, Ireland, Island, Scotland, and the Or­cades, Gotland, Norway, and Dacia: all which are called Provinciall Islands, which he brought un­der the obedience of his Scepter. By the plant­ing of the Flowre de Lyces, in his owne Garden, is likewise intended his conquest of France, with sundry other appendant Provinces: as Flanders, Poland, Burgundy, Aquitaine, Ande­gavia, and Normandie: all which with divers others paid him an Annuall Tribute, and of which Countries for their long and faithfull ser­vices, hee gave the Earldome of Andegavia to Gaius his Taster, and the Dukedome of Nor­mandy to Bedverus his Cupbearer; in memory of whose Regall bounty, it grew to a custome, A custome de­rived from K. Arthur. for the Kings of France to make their Tasters and Cupbearers, Earles and Dukes of Andega­via, and Normandy.

By his pluming and shaking off the Eagles feathers, was his great victory over the Romans foretold, who when their Prince Lucius with ten other Kings, invaded this his Land of Bri­taine with a numberlesse Army of Souldiers, the most of them hee slue, acquitting the Tribute payed to Rome since the time of Iulius Caesar, and those who survived hee made his Feodors and Vassals, by which he got the sove­reignty over many Provinces before subjugate to the Roman Empire, sending the dead body Lucius the Roman Empe­rour slain by Arthur. of their Emperour back to Rome there to bee [Page 43] interred: next where it is said his name shall be as meat to all those mouthes that shall speake of his notable and noble atchievements by which no other thing is meant, but that the very relati­on of his brave Gests shall be a refreshing and delight to all such as shall either reade them or heare them with much pleasure by others re­ported, whose very begetting, conception and birth, carry with them the novelty of a Miracle: And where it is further said that his end shall be doubtfull, hee that shall make question of the truth of Merlins prophesie in that point (let him to this day) but travell into Armorica or Little Britain, and in any of their Citties proclame in their streets that Arthur expired after the com­mon Of Arthurs death. and ordinary manner of men; most sure he shalbe to have bitter and railing language asperst upon him: If he escape a tempestuous shower of stones and brick-bats.

The sixe Kings that succeeded him in order The s [...] Kings that ord [...]rly succeeded King Arthur. were Constantinus the eldest sonne of Cador Duke of Cornwall, (and Arthurs Cousin Ger­man) the second was Constantinus brother, the third Conanus Aurelius, their Nephew, the fourth Vortiporius, the fift Malgo, the sixt Ca­retius, for when Arthur in that great battaile which he fought against his Cousin the Arch­traytor Mordred whom he slue, himselfe being mortally wounded, and therefore had retired Mordred slain by Arthur. himselfe into the vale of Avalan, in hope to be cured of his hurts, before his death (and the manner of which is uncertaine) hee sent for his [Page 44] Cousin Constantine, before named (a man of approved vertue, and expert in all Martiall Discipline) and made him King, against whom the Saxons assisted by the two sonnes of Mor­dred, assembled themselves, who having defea­ted Constantinus noble victories. them in sundry battails, The elder sonne of Mordred, who had for his refuge fortified Win­chester, he took, in the Church of Saint Amphi­balus (whither hee had fled for Sanctuary) and slue him before the Altar: the younger he found hid in a Monastery in London, whom he caused likewise to be slaine, and this happened in the yeere after the Incarnation of our blessed Savi­our, 543. but in the third yeere after he was per­fidiously betraid to death, by the practice of his Nephew Conanus Aurelius, and his body royal­ly interred, in the Mount Ambria, neere unto Vter-Pendragon.

Then reigned his brother, whom Conanus suf­fered not to rest one houre in peace, till hee had incarcerated him, and in the same yeere usurped the Diademe, a young man of excellent parts Conanus and his conditions. and noble carriage, had hee not beene tainted with ambition, the love of Civill Warres, and Parricidiall Impiety, having slaine one of his Uncles, imprisoned the other, and kild his two sonnes to attaine to the Regall Sovereignty, which not long he enjoyed, for the next yeere after he expired, whom succeeded Vortiporius, against whom the Saxons made a new Insurre­ction, Vortiporus & his victories. and by whom they were utterly subver­ted, by which hee became absolute Monarch of [Page 45] this Island, but after foure yeeres yielded his bo­dy to the earth, and left his Crowne to Malgo, who was invested in the yeere of Grace, after some Authours 581.

This Prince was strong in body, fortunate in Malgo's de­scription and character. Arms, and of larger size and stature then any of his Antecessours, who was a great suppressor of Usurpers and Tyrants, for hee not only enjoy'd this Kingdome entire, but conquered by his sword, all the six provinciall Islands, of whom it is reported that hee was the fairest of all the British Nation, but those excellent gifts of Na­ture he shamefully abused, as being much addi­cted to Sodomitry, and as hee was a proditor of others Chastities, hee was also prodigall of his owne, after whose death in the yeere 586, Caretius a most wicked King. Caretius was instituted in the Throne, a Prince hatefull to good men, an incendiary of Ci­vill and Domesticke combustions, an exiler of his Nobles, a slayer of his Citizens, a robber of the rich, a suppresser of the poore, and indeed subject to all the vices can be named.

By the German Worme, and the Sea Wolfe, What was ment by the German worm and the Sea­woolfe. waited on by woods, brought from Africa, through Saint Georges Chanell, which shall support him, our Prophet would have us to know that the Saxons are comprehended; in the Worme and in the Wolfe, Gormondus King of Africa, who in the time of this Caretius, came with a migh­ty Navy upon the British Seas, first with three hundred and sixty thousand souldiers, who first invaded Ireland, and made great spoyle of the [Page 46] Country, and from thence hee was invited by the Saxons, to assist them against the British Nation, to which hee assenting, invaded the Kingdome with fire and sword, committing many direptions, and outrages, chasing the King from place to place, and from Citie to Citie, till hee was in the end forced to flie into Wales, where they shut him up: and by this means the German Worme, by the means of this Sea-wolfe had the upper hand of the Red Dragon: whilst these things were thus in agitation, there came to this great Generall of the Africans, from the transmarine parts of Gallia, one Isimbardus Isimbardus the Nephew to Lewis the French King. Nephew to Lewis the French King, who com­plained unto him that his Uncle, against all Iu­stice, kept his right from him, imploring his aid for the recovery therof, promising him great rewards: in pledge whereof, like a wretched Apostata, hee renounced his Faith and Chri­stianitie: of which proffer Gormundus accepted, and made his speedy Expedition for France.

But the Miscreant Isimbardus failed of his purpose, and was justly punisht by the hand of God for his Apostasie: for at their landing in the Port of Saint Waleric, a young Gentleman called Hugo, sonne to Robert Earle of the Mount, having received an affront from this Isimbard, challenged him to a single Duell, who entertaining the Challenge, was by the foresaid King left dead in the field, and the French set­ting A just reward of [...]postasie. upon the Hoast of the Pagans, gave them a great discomfiture, in so much that of all that [Page 47] infinite number, scarce any were left to beare the tydings of their disaster into their Country, but either perisht by the sword, or were drow­ned in the Ocean: in which time saith the pro­phet, Religion shall faile, which hapned when The failing of Religion made good in Gor­mundus and the Saxons. this Gormundus with the Saxons rioted and made havock in this Island, suppressing Religi­ous Houses, and ruinating Churches, so that scarce a Christian Native, durst shew his head, but he was subject to persecution and torture.

But it follows in the prophesie, that the ho­nour of Londons Clergie shall give place to Do­robernia or Canterbury, that the Seventh who sate in the Eboracensian See, which is the Arch­bishopricke of Yorke, shall be compeld to flie into Armorica, or Little Britaine, and that Me­nevia shall be adorned with the Pall that belonged to the Citie of Legions, give me leave to use a little circumstance in the explaining of these: that finding the truth of his predictions, by the successe, the Reader may be more easily induced to give credit unto the rest, in which I shall strive (though plain) to be much briefer.

The three prime Seats or Sees, were the three The former Prophesie ex­plained Archbishopricks, which were London, Yorke, and the City of Legions: now note how punctu­ally he comes to the purpose: the dignity of Lon­dons Metropolitanship was transferd to Can­terbury by Saint Augustine, whom Pope Grego­ry sent hither with others to preach the Gospel, who also gave the primacie of the City of Legi­ons unto Menevia a Citty of Wales scituate neer [Page 48] to the Demeticall Sea, but the Citty of Legions stands vpon the River Osca not far from the Se­verne Sea, which was first erected by King Beli­nus, whose valiant brother Brennus, being Ge­nerall of the Senon Galls, after many Honoura­ble exployts and glorious Victories by him at­cheived, assaulted the famous Citty of Rome, tooke, sacked and spoyled it in the dayes of Ahashuerosh and Hester, Gabinus, and Porsenna being Consuls the first of whom hee slue in Battail, and the other tooke Prisoner, &c.

By the Arch-Bishop of York the seventh, inaugu­rated Of Samson Archbishop of York, and his six brothers. into that See, who should bee compeld to seek shelter in Little Britaine, is intimated, Samson then Resident, who in that great persecution, made by the Africans, and the Saxons, with six of his brothers all Clergiemen, and of great sanctitie of life, fled into the lesse Britaine, and there establisht his Metropolitan Cathedrall: The rest of his six brothers, whose names were Melanius, Matutus, Maclovius, Pabutaus, Pater­nus, The names of the Archbishop Samson's six brothers. and Waslovius, being all Divines, were made the Rectors of other Churches, and be­came in short time to be capable of Episcopall Dignities, which seven Brothers not only the Natives of the Country, but all the bordering Provinces, call the seven Saints of Britain (mea­ning the lesse Britaine) even to this day, now let it be held any deviation or digression from the subject now in hand, if I borrow so much pa­tience of the Reader to acquaint him with a strange and almost miraculous story, or legend, [Page 49] by what accident, or rather Divine providence, these seven holy and devout brothers, were by the mutuall congresse of two Noble parents (the Father and Mother) begot, and conceived in one wombe, and after mature time of Tee­ming, delivered into the World at one day: but because I am loth to swell the pages of this Chapter beyond the limits of the former, I will referre the relation thereof unto that next en­suing.

CHAP. 7.

THe Legend reports that their mo­ther The like is re­ported by the Countesse Al­torfence the Mother of the Guelfi in Italy. being a Noble and chast Ma­tron, but in her feminine ignorance not acquainted with the accidents belonging to other women, conceived a strange opinion, from which she could not be removed, that it was not possible for any of that sex, to [Page 50] conceive more then one at once, unlesse she had had the consociety of so many severall men as shee brought forth children, in so much that she vilisied and disreputed, holding all those no better then adulteresses and prostitutes, who were delivered of Twins, or a more numerous issue: But the God of all flesh, and the Creatour God the justi­fier of inno­cence. of Nature, being also the searcher of hearts, and a justifier of innocence (to convert this Lady from her erroneous beliefe, and to cleere these unjust aspersions, with which shee had branded other chast and fruitfull wombs) so by his pro­vidence ordained, that by her sole Lord and Husband, she at one congression, was conceived of seven sonnes, and delivered of them at one time, being within the compasse of one day.

Which shee seeing, and much amazed at the prodigious novelty of such an unexpected issue and now favouring by a reciprocall retribution these accusations and suspicions which shee had so often cast upon other good women might be throwne upon herin a desperate way; thereby thinking to salve her reputation (which shee thought hazarded at last, if not quite lost) shee consulted with the midwife, and one of her most trusty maids, (having hyred them to A cruell pur­pose of a mo­ther. that purpose,) to take the young spralling in­fants and either to kill them or to cast them into the next River to which purpose, as they were hasting, and carrying them in little baskets, it pleased the higher powers that a grave and reve­rent Bishop met them upon the way, and as hee [Page 51] passed by the women hee heard the infants to cry and make mone which hee imagined was Gods provi­dence in the preservation of the children. to implore his helpe and aide: therefore hee made stay of them and would needs see what they carried in their laps concealed, which they (as loth to betray their ladies secrets unwilling to shew, hee grew the more suspicious and com­pelled them having some servants then about him to discover what was hid in their baskets, which being opened, the babes all living seemd to rejoyce at his sight and smile in his face, with which he was much delighted.

Then more strictly examining them to what purpose they carried them in that manner? and threatning them with the severity of the Law, if they told him not the truth, they knowing the power and authority of the Church, and danger of Ecclesiasticall censure, and that their attempt deserved (if not execution) yet excom­munication at the least, concealed no part of the truth, but earnestly solicited him, whatsoever became of them, to have a care of their Ladies honour: the pious and charitable Prelate having been before himselfe of her perverse opinion, and now seeing how justly the Creatour of all things, had dealt with her, and to what despe­ration shee was brought, by thinking to save a A good and charitable Prelate. poore credit in this life by the murther of so hopefull an issue, to forfet all the hopes she had in the World to come; hee dismist the bearers without any further trouble: adjuring them to tell their Lady, that they had wounded the [Page 52] young Infants according to her commande­ment (of which he himselfe would take charge, and adopt them for his owne) and causing them to be born to his palace, and after to the Church, he himselfe baptized them, and gave them their names as aforesaid, then sent for Nurses, and commanded that they should bee carefully edu­cated, and when they came to any understand­ing, he set them to schoole, and caused them to be instructed in all the seven Liberall Arts (for hee found them to be of pregnant and capable apprehensions) who after by his means came to be preferd to Church promotions, and after to The seven children pro­ved seven Bishops. Episcopall Dignities: I now proceed to Merlins next prophesie, which thus followeth.

Whosoever shall read Matthew of West­minster, our ancient English Chronologer, pag. 29. shall finde that in the days of Cadwallo, King King Cad­wallo and his fortune. of this Island the thirteenth after Brute, that for three dayes together bloud dropt from the clouds, after which came great swarms of infe­ctious Flyes: by whose bytings or stingings there was great mortality in this Land, and by the shower of bloud is further intimated, the great effusion of British bloud, sometime by publicke hostility, sometimes by Civill and Domesticke enmity, profusely wasted: in so much that the earth appeared, as if bloud had been powred downe from the Heavens, after which by the barrennesse of the earth followed so great a Famine, that nothing was found for A great F [...] ­mine. the people to feed on, but the roots of withered Herbs and Grasse, and such flesh as they could catch by hunting.

No wonder then if this made the British Na­tion (figured under the Red Dragon) greatly to Britain much distressed. droop, which after much sufferance and labour, was restored to his pristine state and dignity: For Cadwallo, who was King Anno salutis 633, after many horrid crosses and disasters, [...]xile, ex­pulsion from his Kingdome, and the losse of his whole Inheritance was forced with a few of his followers that remayned of his many Le­gions, [Page 54] to retire into the lesse Britaine, to his Cousin King Salomon, who courteously recei­ved him, where hee wintred, and in the spring when Kings goe customably out to warre, hee Cadwallo re­turns to Bri­tain. furnisht him with an Army of ten thousand a­ble men, when having shipt her safely, and pro­sperously arrived in this his owne native and hereditary provinces, And hearing that Paean­da King of Mercia (or middle England) had be­sieged in Exeter, his Cousin Briant, with those poore remainder of Britons, which he had left behind: dividing his souldiers into severall Squadrons, not only removed the siege, but took the King prisoner, who having given him sufficient hostages for his truth and fidelity, Cadwallo re­ceiveth Paean­da into league. gave him also his only daughter to wife, so that hee became the Father in Law, who made him Generall of his Army.

After which Cadwallo calling all his exiled subjects (dispersed abroad in severall provinces) into the Kingdome, hee raised a competent Ar­my, and invaded Northumberland with fire and sword, of which Edwinus was then King, who assembling to his aide all the Reguli, (or lesse Kings) gave him a strong encounter, in which his whole Army was discomfited, and himselfe slain in the field, whom succeeded his sonne As­sricus, assisted by Chaldodus, Duke of the Orca­des Cadwallo vi­ctorious over the Northum­bers. whom Matthew of Westminster cals Offridus and Gothaldus) now Cadwallo not contented with his former victories, gathered his whole forces together, against Offricus; whom hee [Page 55] also slue in battaile, with his two Nephewes, and Cadamus the Scots King, who came to take part with the Northumbers: which done he past through all the Kingdome, being so malicious­ly and cruelly bent against the Saxons, that hee His cruelty a­gainst the Saxons. neither spared age, nor sex, killing the old and young Infants new borne, and those that never saw the sun in their mothers wombs, purposing utterly to extirpate and root out all the Saxon Nation: thus you see the red Dragon, namely the British Nation after much dejection exalted, and the s [...]ales of the white Serpent (the Saxons) stai­ned in sanguine tincture, by so generall a massacre.

It followeth, seven Scepter-bearing Kings shall be slaine in the field, of which one of them shall bee The names of the seven Kings slaine by Cadwallo. Sainted: now these seven Kings slaine by Cad­wallo, and his father in law Paeanda, were Edwi­nus, his sonne Offricus, and Oswaldus (the Saint spoken of) which were three Kings of Nor­thumberland, Segebartus, Egricus, and Anna, who raigned over the Orientall Britons, and Cadamus the Scotch King, concerning which Oswaldus his sanctity and other pious vertues, the ancient Chronicles write largely, (as also the The story of Sa [...]t Oswal­dus. Lords of those [...]imes) many panegyricks in his prayse, which would be too tedious here to in­sert, yet some [...] of him, howsoever credible or n [...], I [...]hought fitting to remember, it was said of him, that when Aldanus Bishop of Scotland (whose language neither he nor any of his Saxons understood) did at any time p [...]h before him and his people, hee would put upon [Page 56] him a royall garment, worn only on solemne Festivall days, and whether by vertue of that, or by divine rapture, he would deliver all that Ser­mon word for word to his Countrymen in their proper and moderne language: hee was also so H [...] temperance and charity to the poore. temperate in his owne diet, and withall so libe­rall to the poore, that when he had guests at his Table, hee would not only spare from his owne stomach, but if hee saw any of them to gor­mondize, or feed more then became them, hee would bid them to eat more sparingly, and tore­member those hungry bellies at the gate, which attended the reversion and fragments from his boord and bounty.

This reverent Bishop Aldanus being feasted by him on an Easter day, the King commanded a great silver Charger fild with the best meats at his Table, to bee carried to the beggars at his gate, who when they had eaten the meat, hee sold the dish, and equally divided it amongst them, which the Bishop seeing, said aloud, Live may that liberall hand, ô may it always live and never taste of corruption, which (if we will be­lieve the Roman Legend) proved according to his propheticall acclamation, for many yeeres after his death, when his Tombe was searched, and all the rest of his body according to the A pr [...]tended Miracle. common course of Nature was putrified and turned to dust, that hand and arme alone were preserved, from corruption and rottennesse, and remained as entire, flesh, bloud, veines, and arte­ries, as when he was interred.

[Page 57] It followeth in the History six of these before named Kings, being slaine in severall conflicts, Cadwallo whose high spirit was irreconciliable towards the Saxons: pursued this Oswald from province to province, chasing him even to the wall which Severus the Roman Emperour built, to part and divide the two Kingdomes of Bri­taine and Scotland, and then sent his Generall and Father in law Paeana, to give him battaile at a place called Hed-field, or holy Camps, in which by the prayers of this Oswaldus. The Bri­tons The battail of Headfield. Hoast was quite discomsited, of which de­feat when King Cadwallo understood, he gathe­red a fresh Army, and gave him a second bat­taile at a place called Bourne: in which Oswaldus and his Army were wholly routed, and himselfe The death of Oswaldus. died lamented in his owne pious bloud, for whose charity and sanctitie hee was after cano­nized, and remayneth to this day one of the Saints blessed in our Kalender, whose death hap­ned in the yeere of our Saviour, 644: which im­proved that part of Merlins prophesie, Seven Kings shall bee slaine, of which one shall bee Sainted.

By the brazen man, mounted upon a steed of brasse, who is said to do all these, is antonomasti [...]e meant King Cadwallo, to honour whom, after his death, for his many brave victories, and ex­pelling Cadwallo the brazen man, and why so called. the Saxons out of the land, the peeres and people caused his statue, at his full size and proportion to be cast in brasse, sitting also upon an Horse of brasse, in whose buckler they in­tombed [Page 58] his embalmed body, and after set it upon the prime gate of the Citie London, (it being a piece of admirable art and pulchritude) and neere unto the same, in further memory of him built a Church, dedicated to Saint Martin, therefore saith the Prophet, The brazen Horse and Man shall watch the Gate whether the people wake or sleepe, which continued for many yeeres after.

CHAP. 8.

AS Merlin in all his prophesies aimeth at a continued History of the maine A continuation of the History. passages in this Ile of Britain: so I also desire to observe a concordance of times, left the neglect of either might breed a confusion in both, as shall be made good in the sequell: his prophesie followeth.

By the Crimson Dragon is still meant Eng­land, which after the death of Cadwallo, being The conque­ring Britains fall at ods with themselves. impatient of peace, for want of forreigne Ene­mies shall be at Civill dissention in it selfe, of which shall ensue much strage and mortality, such Dearth, also Famine and Desolation which shall happen by the plague, that destroyeth the men, and the Murrian that killeth the cattle, that the Natives shall bee forced to leave the Kingdome as a Wildernesse unpeopled, the re­maynder of the living being scarce sufficient in [Page 60] number to bury the dead, which strange depo­pulation sell in the third and last yeere of Cad­wallader the sonne of Cadwallo, which was in the yeere of Grace sixe hundred fourescore and sixe, which maketh up the yeere of the World, Cadw [...]llader the last King of the Britains. by the account of Polycronicon, and other of our English Chronologers, five thousand eight hun­dred, fourescore and five, so that it appeareth the native Britains had the title and soveraignty of this Kingdome from Brute: first landing by the space of one thousand eight hundred, and two and twenty yeeres, Cadwalloder being the last King of the Britons, after whom the Saxons or Angles, had the full dominion thereof, which maketh good that in the prophesie, The white Dragon shall invite the Almans daughter, which implyeth a greater supply of the German nation, and crowne themselves. For from that time they bare the Scepter, and had the absolute jurisdi­ction over the whole Land, which they conti­nued for a long season.

To passe over all the Saxon Kings to the time K. Etheldred the sonne of Alfride. of Ethelredus, in whose dayes An Eagle from the Rock (which was Swanus King of Denmarke) shall rise &c. The better to explain our prophet, and to carry the History along, this Etheldred the sonne of the most Royall King Edward, by his second Wife Alfrida, by some cald Estrild, when he came to bee crowned, by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury, hee could not con­taine himselfe, but with a propheticall spirit uttered those words: because by the bloudy [Page 61] slaughter of thy brother thou hast aspired to the Kingdome, The sinne of thy most wicked and mischievous mother shall never bee expiated, nor any who were of her Diabolicall counsell, but by the greatest effusion of the Saxon bloud, that ever was shed since their first comming into Britaine, and further the beginning of thy Reigne shall be cruell, the middle thereof mise­rable, and the end shamefull, all which accord­ingly hapned.

His Father King Edgar, of ever surviving me­mory, Edward the eldest sonne of King Edgar made King. had by his first wife called Egelsleda, a no­ble sonne named Edward, and by his second Alfrida, this Etheldred, Edgar being dead, the Barons assembled, and made Edward King in the yeere of grace eight hundred threescore and fifteene, at which his stepmother greatly repi­ned, using all the means both of power, proofe, and friends to have inaugurated her sonne E­theldred, being then a lad but of seven yeeres old, which in the end most traiterously shee ac­complished, for the King hunting in the Forrest, neere unto the Castle of Corffe, in the West Country, who having lost all his company, be­thought himselfe that his stepmother with her A wicked step­mother. sonne liv'd in that Castle, to whom hee would give a friendly visit, who spying from her win­dow afarre of, cald to a Villaine that attended her, and whispered in his eare what hee should doe: by this the King was come to the gate, and shee descended to meet him, saluting him with a Iudas kisse, and intreated him to alight [Page 62] and sojourne with her for that night, which hee modestly refusing, said hee would only drinke a horsback and so be gone, which being brought, as the cup was at his mouth, her trayterous ser­vant with a long Dagger strooke him quite through the body, at which hee put spurs to his horse thinking to have recovered his servants, but through his great losse of bloud hee fainted, and falling from his horse, one of his feet was fastned in the stirrop, and so hurried to a place called Corisgate, where his miserably mangled body was found, and not being knowne at that The base mur­ther upon King Edward. present to be the King, without ceremony bu­ried, whom as you have heard, his brother by the Fathers side succeeded.

In whose reigne hapned divers prodigies pretending great disaster, among which was the sterility of the earth, the burning of London by an accidentall fire, but the most ominous and terrible was the invasion of the Danes and their many massacres & inhuman butcheries commit­ted through all the shires and provinces of the Kingdome, as more amply hereafter, but by the way is to be noted that in the eighth yeere of his reigne hee was espoused to Ithelgina, whom Ethelredus marriage and Issue. some call Elgina, daughter to Earle Edgebertus by whom in processe of time he received a sonne called Edmund (after for his notable valour, sirnamed Ironside) and two others, Edwin and Ethelstane, with a daughter named Egina.

About the eleventh yeere of his reigne the The Invasion of the Danes. Danes pierced the land in sundry places, against [Page 63] whom the King being wholy addicted to effe­minacie and cowardise, durst make no hostile opposure, but for the present appeased them with great summes of mony, which being spent they fell to new robberies. Then the King bri­bed them with more, notwithstanding which, they spoyled Northumberland, and at last laid siege to London, and to increase his sorrow and trouble, Earle Elphricus who was Admirall of The son pu­nisht for the the Navy, fled like a Traitour to the Danes, and took part with them against his naturall Liege, for which the King commanded that his sonne Algarus should have his eyes torne out of his head: during which time, burning Fevers, and the bloudy Flix destroyeth many of the Na­tives, to which was added scarcity and penury amongst the commons, in so much that they were forced to rob and steale from one another, so that what by their owne pilfering and pillage Fathers trea­son. of the Danes, the land was brought to extreame misery, by whose continuall invasions, and the Kings pusillanimity, the Tribute paid unto them was raised from ten thousand pounds to forty thousand (named for the continuance thereof Dane-gelt) they yet not satisfied: to adde to the former, the British Peeres were so hollow bre­sted Dane-gelt. amongst themselves, that when they were at any time assembled, and had determined any thing to the impeachment of the Danes, they were warned thereof by some of the falshearted Counsell, of whom were most suspected Elphri­cus, Edricus inten­ded by the Snake. and Edricus, the Snake formerly mentioned in the prophesie.

[Page 64] The Land besides other distresses continuing under this grievous Tribute, the King by the The Kings se­cond mariage. advice of those familiars who were about him, married Emma the daughter of Richard the third Duke of Normandy, and first of that name, who was for his boldnesse and valour sir­named, Richard the Hardy, or without feare: and she (by the French Chronicles) Emma the flowre of Normandy, by which Match hee was greatly animated and incouraged, so that pre­suming on the power of his Father in Law, hee sent into all the Townes, Cities, and Villages of this Land, secret and straight Commissions, charging the Rulers and Magistrates upon the night succeeding the day of Saint Brice, that all A generall Massacre of the Danes throughout all the Land. the Danes should be murdered in their beds, the execution whereof they committed to their Wives and Women, which was also, according­ly performed (a strange wonder that so great a secret should passe generally through that sex, without uttering or discovery.)

This generall Massacre of the Danes (as same reports) began at a little Towne in Hertfordshire twenty foure miles from London, called Weal­win, from which act it tooke first name, as if there the weal of their Country was first warm, and the day of Saint Brice: hapned that yeare upon the Monday, which to this day is called Hoc, or Hop-monday, but wherefore I know not, unlesse by Hoc: this day as a remarkablenote Hoc, or H [...]p Monday. to posterity, or by Hop, as that day the Danes (according to a proverbe wee retaine from [Page 65] Antiquity) as that day hopt without their heads.

Now concerning the pride of the Danes and their incredible tyranny exercised through­out The pride and insolency of the Danes over the Britains. the whole Kingdome, which was the occa­sion of this their universall slaughter, our Eng­lish Historians have thus recorded of them, they caused the Farmers and Husbandmen to plow, sow, and eare the ground, and to doe all the servile labour that belonged to agricul­ture and husband [...]y, whilst they kept their wives and commanded their daughters and servants at their pleasure, and when the Master of the house came home, hee was forced to salute his superintendent Dane as his Lord, and whilst the Usurper eate and fed of the best, the poore oppressed owner could scarcely have his fill of the worst: besides, for feare and dread they cal­led them in every house where they had rule Lord Dane, which after when the English had attained to their former honour grew to a title of great opprobry and contempt, for when Lord Dane turned into Lurdain. any one would rebuke or revile an other hee would in scorne call him Lurdan, a word in the Countrey in use euen to this day.

But now comes in the Eagle by which is inten­ded Swanus K. of Denmark, who surpriseth both, that is subdueth the Saxons & the other Almans or Germans, whom they had admitted into the land, and after infinite devastations, depopulati­ons and spoils with his broad wings soared over the whole Kingdome and made prey in every [Page 66] province thereof (the particulars would aske much time and paper) who in conclusion tooke from the White Dragon the Saxons after they had held the sovereignty by many successive Kings both Crown and Scepter: but before this happened the unfortunate King: whose onely fight was with money to impoverish his owne people, and inrich the enemy (for hee often bought his peace which prov'd to no purpose) Edricus crea ted Duke of Mercia. hee made Edricus whom Merlin calleth the Snake, Duke of Mercia, who was of low and base birth and parentage, yet had attained to great wealth and rich possessions, false of tongue, subtle of brain, and eloquent in speech, and persidious in purpose and promise, which will more at large appeare hereafter.

In this interim, Swanus so farre prevailed, The King with his Queene forc't to flye the Land. that the King fearing the continuall persecution of the Danes, first sent Emma his Queene, with his two younger sonnes which were Alfred and Edward, to Richard the second of that name, and fourth Duke of Normandy, who was her naturall brother, and after was compeld to flie thither in person, with a slender traine of followers, of which when Swanus had notice, he grew inflamed with greater pride and inso­lence: and amongst other of his Tyrannies, hee fired the City of Canterbury, and slue nine hun­dred religious persons tithing them, as killing nine and saving the tenth, with 8000 women & children, and because the reverend Bishop would not, or could not pay him downe three thou­sand [Page 67] pounds, hee kept him prisoner seven mo­neths, The Bishops name was El­phigus. and caused him after at Greenwich, foure miles from London, to be stoned to death: and wheresoever hee came, hee reserved all the wo­men to be vitiated and defloured, aswell the re­ligious as others: robbing the Shrine of Saint Edmond, not leaving any cruelty which could finde a name, unperformed. At length upon the day of the Purification of the blessed Virgin in the yeere one thousand and fourteen, he died miserably howling and crying, three dayes and nights together before his death: whom succee­ded The death of the Tyrant Swanus. his sonne Canutus. And two yeeres after, at one thousand sixteen expired at London, King Edelfred, and was buried in the Church of Saint The death of Edelfredus. Paul: whom succeeded his sonne Edmund, sir­named Ironside, and these two Princes were the two Lions spoken of in the former prophesie, of whom you shall heare more in the en­suing Chapter.

CHAP. 9.

EDmund sirnamed Ironside, the sonne of Egelredus, and Canutus the sonne of Swanus King of Denmarke, be­gan to rule the English Nation, An­no 1016, and in the twenty ninth yeere of Ro­bert King of France, the Londoners with some of the English Nobles favouring Edmund, but the greater part of the Nobility, and Clergie ad­hering to Canutus, betwixt which yong and va­liant Princes were fought sundry cruell and bloudy battails (too long here to reherse.) In which infinite both of the Natives and Stran­gers fell by the sword: one of which was fought in Dorsetshire, besides a Towne called Gilling­ham: [Page 69] another in Worcestershire, which conti­nued from morning till night, when they surcea­sed In which bat­tail Canutus was overcome by Edmund. fight either for great wearinesse, or for want of light, when both Hoasts joyned the next morrow early, and eagerly; in which battaile the Traytour Edricus perceiving the fortune of the day to encline towards Edmund, pitcht a The treason of Eldricus. dead mans head upon a speare, and calling to his Countrymen, cryed out with this acclamation, Fly you Englishmen, and preserve your lives, for behold this is the head of Edmund your King: of which the Prince being warned, hasted to that part of the field, and plucking off his Hel­met to shew that he was living, so comfortably and couragiously demeaned himself among his souldiers, that in the end hee had the better of the day.

In the preparation of another field, when both the Hoasts were ready to joyne battaile, upstar­ted This Comman­der was of K. Edmunds party. one of the Commanders, and appearing betweene the two Armies, in the Front of ei­ther, spake aloud as followeth: You Princes both, to you I declare my selfe: you see how we daily perish, for neither of you gaine an ab­solute victorie: Edmund cannot bee overcome because of his great strength and courage, and Canutus cannot be subdued, being also much fa­voured by Fortune: what then shall be the finall successe of this inveterate malice and contenti­on? when all your Knights & souldiers are slain; shall you not bee then inforced either to com­pound your enmity, or to fight hand to hand, [Page 70] betwixt your selves? If this must bee the end; why do you not one of these two? For the first, Is not this Kingdome now sufficient for two, which before contented seven? or if your spleen be so great that it cannot be reconciled, by an equall division of the Land; why doe not you two fight alone, that strive to be Lords alone? For if we all perish, who shall be left either to serve you, or to keepe forreigne invaders out of the Land?

Which words were so emphatically delive­red, and tooke such impression both in the Prin­ces themselves and both their Armies, that a Truce being made, they agreed to end the warre betwixt them in a single Duell, for which was assigned an Isle called Olkney neere Gloster, in­compast with the water of Severne, which makes good the prophesie.

In which place at the day prefixed, the two wor­thy and warlike Champions compleatly armed, singly met, the two Hoastsstanding without the Isle, where first they encountred with sharpe The combat be­twixt Ed­mund and Ca­nut [...]s. Lances on Horsback, breaking them even to the very Truncheons: then they alighted and fought long on foote with their keene swords, till their armours were broken in divers places, and they both were dangerously wounded, when retyring for breath, by the first motion of Ca­nutus, [Page 71] they made an accord betwixt themselves, Canutus made the first motion of peace. embracing one another as brothers, to the great rejoycing of both Armies.

After which, they made an equall partition of the Land, and Canutus married Emma the mo­ther of Edmund: but the Snake Edricus, whom his Lord had not only pardoned for his former Treason, but promoted unto further dignity, by creating him Earle of Kent, notwithstanding which, he corrupted his sonne then attending the King, who awaited his opportunity, and as he was doing the necessiites of nature, strooke him with a Speare into the fundament, of which mortall wound hee dyed soone after at Oxford: Edmund slaine by the traytour Edricus. Then Edricus posted in haste to Canutus, and saluted him by the Title of sole Sovereigne of the Kingdome, insinuating, that for his love and honour hee had removed his Competitour, and told him the manner how; which Canutus having truly understood, and that the Treason was uttered from his owne mouth, and in his personall hearing, like a just and wise Prince, he replyed unto him: Forasmuch, ô Edricus, as for my love, thou hast slaine thy naturall Lord whom I entirely affected, I shall exalt thy head above all the Lords of England, and presently commanded his head to be struck off, and pitcht A traytours just reward. upon a pole, and set upon the highest gate of London, and his body to bee throwne into the River of Thames; yet Marianus and others write otherwise concerning the manner of his death, which makes good what is formerly spoken, that a speckled Snake,

Meaning the Kings Treason in which the Trai­tor was closeted, as one whom hee most favou­red and honoured.

Canutus being now sole Monarch, the white Canutus sole Monarch of England. Dragon was forced to stoop to the Eagle, that is, the Saxons were compeld to bee under the sub­jection of the Danes, by whom they were so mi­serably opprest, that scarce the tenth part of them were left in the Land, and these that re­mayned were forced to tithe their goods, and pay it as a tribute to the Danes: therefore saith the Prophet,

It followeth in the History, in a great assem­bly made of the King and his Barons: a que­stion was propounded whether in the composi­tion made betwixt Edmund and Canutus, there was any mention made of Edmunds children to have the inheritance of their Father after his death, that was, in halfe part of the Kingdome? to which a great part of them, thinking there­by to insinuate unto the Kings favour answered, Nay: but it hapned unto them contrary to their expectation, for knowing them to be naturall Englishmen, and before sworn to King Edmund [Page 73] and his heires, hee hated them for their perjury, never trusting them after, but some hee exiled, The Kings conscionable justice. and some were slaine, and others being strooke with the hand of God died suddenly: It was likewise ordered by the foresaid Counsell, that the two sonnes of Ironside, Edmund and Ed­ward should be sent to Swanus (the elder bro­ther of Canutus) King of Denmarke: the pur­pose is diversly reported, some say to be slaine, What became of the sons of Edmund Iron­side. and that Swanus abhorring the Act, sent them to Salomon then King of Hungary, where, Edmund died of a naturall death, but his brother Edward in the processe of time, married Agatha, the daughter of Henry the fourth of that name Em­perour, and by her (besides daughters) had a sonne sirnamed Ethelinge: This Edward of our English Chronologers, is named the Out-law, because he never returned into England his na­tive Country. In this interim died Swanus King of Denmarke, and the Crowne fell to Canutus, so that he was sole Sovereigne of both Nations, the English and the Danes.

Canutus landed in Denmarke, with a strong Army to possesse himselfe of his lawfull Inheri­tance, and to oppose the Vandals who had pier­ced that Land, and when the King was other­wise negotiated, Earle Goodwin with a band of Englishmen set upon the Invaders by night, and rowted their whole Army, for which noble act the King had him in great favour, and the Eng­lish Nation ever after: This King was greatly beloved of his subjects, for many of his vertues, [Page 74] as being very charitable and devout, a great re­payrer and decorer of Churches, especially of divers Cathedrals which hee caused to be richly beautified with gilding, their Altars and Roofs more gloriously then in former ages: thereby confirming that part of the prophesie.

Some attribute the cause of his devotion to a noble care he had, to repaire what his tyranni­call Father had before ruined, that the memory of his Atheisticall cruelty might bee quite for­got; others that it was at the Altar of Emma his Queen, the Widow Dowager of Egelredus, and mother of Ironside, who was a Lady of great religious sanctity: Hee made also a Voyage to Rome, where hee was pontifically received by Bennet the eight of that name, and demeaned himselfe with great magnificence and honour. It is further reported of him, that after his great entertainment there, and return from rhence, he was so tumoured with pride, that standing by the Thames side, at a flowing tyde, hee charged the water that it should presume no further, nor dare to touch his feet, which was so farre from obeying his command, that he stil keeping his ground, from his ankles it came up to his knees, at which suddenly stepping backe out of Vaine pride soone repented of. the River, he blushing said: By this all earthly Kings may know, that their powers are vaine, [Page 75] and transitory, and that none is worthy of that name but he who created the Elements, and to whom they only obey.

This Canutus married his eldest daughter, by his Wife Elgina, the daughter to the Earle of Hampton, to Henry sonne of the Emperour Con­radus The death of Canutus. the second of that name, and soone after died at Shaftbury, and was buried at Winchester, when he had reigned nineteen yeeres, leaving two sonnes, Harold, sirnamed for his swiftnesse in running, Harefoot, and Hardy Canutus, whom Harold sonne of Canutus King of Eng­land. in his life time hee caused to bee crowned King of Denmarke: Harold succeeded his Father in the Crowne of England, in the beginning of whose Reigne: there was great doubt made of the Legitimacie of his birth, or whether hee were the Kings sonne or no: but more espe­cially by Earle Goodwin, who was a man of a turbulent spirit, who to the utmost of his power, would have disinherited him, and con­ferred the Kingdome to his brother. But Leo­fricus whom the King much loved and trusted by the assistance of the Danes, opposed mightily Goodwin, and his sonne, so that they were ut­terly disappointed of their purpose.

Harold was no sooner setled in the King­dome, but hee robbed his stepmother Emma, (that good and devout Lady) of her Iewels and Emma wife to Canutus ba­nished. Treasure, and then banished her the Land, wherefore she sailed to Baldwin Earle of Flan­ders, where she was nobly entertained and con­tinued, all the Reigne of this Harold, in which [Page 76] hee did nothing worth register, or deserving memory, who after three yeeres and some few moneths died at London, (or as some say at Ox­ford) and having no issue, left his brother Hardy Canutus, heire to the Crowne, with the death of whose elder brother I conclude this Chapter.

CHAP. 10.

YOu see how hitherto Merlin hath pre­dicted nothing which the successe and event have not made good: wee will yet examine him further, and prove if hee have beene as faithfull in the future as the for­mer: who thus proceedeth.

It followeth in the History, Hardy Canutus the Hardy Canu­tus the Dane crowned King of England. sonne of Canutus and Emma, began his Reigne over England, in the yeere of Grace, one thou­sand forty one, who was o [...] such cruelty, as that he was no sooner setled in the State, but he pre­sently sent Alphricus Archbishop of Yorke, and Earle Goodwin to Westminster, to take up the A barbarous cruelty in a brother. body of his deere brother, and having parted the head from the shoulders, to cast them into the River Thames, which was by them accord­ingly performed, the cause thereunto moving was for rifling, and after exiling his mother Em­ma, whom hee caused with great honour to be brought againe into the Land.

Hee revived also the (almost forgotten) Tri­bute His riot and e [...]cesse. called Dane gelt, which hee spent in drink­ing Deep, and Feeding high, for these were his delights: For besides his immoderate quaffing, he had the Tables through his Court spred four [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] times a day, with all the riot and excesse that might be devised: who himselfe minding only gormondizing and voracitie, committed the whole rule of the Land to Emma and Goodwin, (who had married the Daughter of Canutus, by his first wife Elgina) by whom many things were much misordered to the great discontent of the Commons. This Earle had many sonnes (as witnesseth Polychronicon, lib. 6. cap. 15.) by his Earle Good­wins sons and daughter. first wife who was sister to Canutus, hee had but one, who by the striking of an Horse, was throwne into the Thames and there drowned, whose mother after died by Lightning, and was of such incontinent life, that shee prostituted Virgins and young women, to make base and mercenary use of their bodies: she dead, he mar­ried a second, of whom hee begot sixe sonnes, Swanus, Harold, Tostius, Wilnotus Syrthe, or Surthe, and Leofricus, with a daughter named Goditha who after was married to Edward the Confessor.

Hardy Canutus wholly devoted to all volup­tuousnesse, being at a Feast at Lambeth, in the midst of his mirth and jollity, drinking a ca­rowse out of a bowle, elbow-deep, fell downe Hardy Canu­tus dieth drin­king. suddenly and rested speechlesse for the space of eight dayes, at the end whereof he expired, in the eight day of Iune, when hee had raigned two compleat yeeres, leaving no issue lawful of his body, and was buried by his Father at Win­chester, in whom ended the Line and Progeny of Swanus, so that after this King the bloud of [Page 79] the Danes was quite extinct, and made uncapa­ble of any Regall Dignity within this Land. The end of the Danish perse­cution and how long it conti­nued. Their bloudy persecution ceasing, which had continued (counting from their first landing in the time of Brightricus King of the West Sax­ons) by the space of two hundred fifty five yeeres, or thereabout: by this Hardy Canutus, Merlin intended his Helluo, as being a glutto­nou, Prince, whose bibacity and voracity would continue from morning till midnight, in the first yeere of whose Reigne,

The two sonnes of Egelredus and Emma, namely Alphred, and Edward, who before were sent into Normandy, came into England to see their Mother, and were Princely attended by a great number of brave Norman Knights and Gentlemen, of which Earle Goodwin (that By the seven heads are meant he and his six sonnes who a [...]sisted him in all his bloudy projects subtle seven-headed Hydra before spoken of) having notice', hee began to plot and devise how to match his only daughter Goditha to one of the two Princes, but finding Alured the el­dest to be of an high and haughty spirit, and would disdaine so mean a marriage, he thought by supplanting him to conferre her upon the younger, who was of a more flexible dispositi­on, Earle Good­wins p [...]te. to compasse which, hee pretended to the King and Councell, that it might prove dange­rous to the state to suffer so many strangers to enter the Land without license.

By which he got authority and power to ma­nage that businesse according to his owne dis­cretion, as being most potent with the King, [Page 80] and a great incourager of his profusenesse and riot: therefore being strongly accompanied he met with the two Princes and their traine, and set upon them as Enemies, killing the greater part of them at the first encounter, and having surpris'd the rest upon a place called Guil-downe hee slue nine and saved the tenths, and then thinking the number of the survivors too Earle Good­wins great cruelty. great, he tithed againe that tenth putting them to cruel deaths, as winding their guts out of their bellies, with other torturing deaths) then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely, where hee dyed shortly after, but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter, and sent him to his mother Emma: all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith.

Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son, the better to secure the other, shee sent him into Normandy, but Edward after sirnamed the Co [...]fessor made King. Hardy Canutus beeing dead, he was sent for o­ver to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance: so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma, began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha (whom Guido calleth Editha) [Page 81] the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin, who as all Authors affirme, lived with her without any car­nall society, whether it were in hatred of her kinred, as by the greatnesse of her father com­pel'd to that match, or for that he altogether de­voted himselfe to chastity, it is left uncertaine.

In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mo­ther accused of adultery, with Alwin Bishop of Winchester. Emma, was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester, therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels, and confined her to a strict kee­ping in the Abby of Worwell, the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy; but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne, wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice, affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever, to give the World satis­faction of her innocence, who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and le­gall hearing: but Robert Archbishop of Canter­bury Robert Arch­bishop of Can­terbury a­gainst the mo­ther Queen. not pleased with the motion, said unto them, My Brethren Bishops, how dare ye plead for her, who is a beast and no woman? as by defaming the King and her sonne, and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin: (proceeding further) but if it be so that the wo­man would purge the Priest, who shall then purge the woman? who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred, and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poyso­ning of her sonne Edward: but be she guilty or no; if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon [Page 82] nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot, for her selfe foure shares, and for the Bishop five, he may be then cleered, and she also.

To which shee granted, and the day of her This [...] Chronicles of same for truth. purgation assigned, at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present, she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot, and having passed over the nine shares unhurt, shee said, Good God, when shall I come to the place of my purgati­on? When they opened her eyes, and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine, she kneeled downe, and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence. Then the King repented him of his credulitie, restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her, asking of her forgivenes and blessing. But the Archbishop Robert, who was once a Monke in Normandy, and was sent for over by the King, and first made Bishop of London, and Emma acquit from the suspi­tion of Incon­tinency. after raised to be Metropolitan, fled into his Countrey, and was no more seene in England after.

After many insolencies committed against the King, by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes (too long to reherse) they were forced to abandon Earle Good­win and his sons flie the Land. the Land, and flie into Flanders to Earle Bald­win, (whose daughter Iudith, Swanus his eldest sonne had married) and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels, and their goods and Lands seized: where they con­tinued as exiles for the space of two yeeres: du­ring [Page 83] which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin, and were royally entertai­ned, returning with great gifts and presents into his Country, after which Goodwin by intercessi­on of his friends here in England, was called home with his sonnes, who were received into grace, and restored to their former dignities and possessions: giving for pledges of his fideli­ty, his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons resto­red. Swanus, whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy, to be kept in safe custodie.

Not long after, in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor; upon an Easter Monday, Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table, in the Castle of Win­sor, it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stum­bled, but recovered himselfe of a fall, at which the Earle laughed heartily, and said; there one brother helped the other, meaning one leg had supported the other, which the King observing, said, yea, and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me, had it not bin for Earl Goodwin, by which words the Earl apprehending, that he upbraided him with his brothers death, thinking to excuse himself of the Act, said, so may I safely swallow this mor­sell of bread that is in my hand, as I am innocent of that deed, in swallowing of which hee was choaked: which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board, his bodie be­ing Goodwins remarkable death. conveighed to Winchester, and there inter­red: [Page 84] Macrinus saith, that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died [...]hree days after: howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement: His eldest sonne living who was Harold (for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem) had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him: But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent (of which hee was Earle, were eaten up and devoured by the Sea, upon wh [...]se dangerous shelves and quick­sands, many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned, and they are called Goodwins Sands, unto this day, which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra, where he saith,

Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey, in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie: about the 20. yeere of King Edward, hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilno­tus and his Nephew Hucun, who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Norman­die. Earle Goodwin; buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot or by the extremity of tempests, hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe, and there surprised, and sent as prisoner to Wil­liam Duke of Normandy, who some say, forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe: [Page 85] but that which carrieth more shew of trueth, is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes fa­vour, in whose power hee now was, told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire, and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne, hee would keepe the Crowne to his use; for which Meaning the Duke. the Duke gave him his daughter in contract, with promise of a large dowry; but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage; in confir­mation of which, Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other, and after sent him over, with rich gifts: all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with, who expi­red the fourth day of Ianuary, when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor. odde dayes, and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beau­tified and repaired.

After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold, the second son of Earle Goodwin, and last King Harold crow­ned King of England. of the Saxons, who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six: the ambition to gain a Crowne, making him for­get his oath and promise made to Duke Willi­am: In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius, who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin, and Mal­charus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland: then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway, (whom Guido the Historiographer cal­leth [Page 86] the sonne of Canutus) hearing of the death of Edward, with an Army of three hundred England inva­ded by the Danes. ships, entred the mouth of the River Tyne, pre­tending to conquer England, as his right and lawfull inheritance, which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Nor­thumberland, till he himselfe had gathered suf­ficient forces: who gave the Danes a strong battaile, but being overset with multitudes, they were forced to give backe, so that the e­nemy entred further into the Land, which the King hearing, Harold made haste with his pow­ers. And met them at a place called Stratford bridge. In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland, and tooke part against his brother: Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy bat­tail in which Harold was victor. and cruell battaile. In which many brave Knights breathed their last, and amongst them Tostius: the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke, met and fought hand to hand, in which combat Harold of Denmarke, fell under the hand of Harold of England, who was like­wise Master of the field, in which Olanus bro­ther to Harfagar, and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners: of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and ho­mage.

CHAP. 11.

HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory, divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the bat­tail against William. from the enemy taken, equally, but ava­ritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use, and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought, but to those whom hee most favoured, by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds an­swer to Duke William. hearts of many of his Knights: in this Interim, died the Daughter of Duke William (before contracted to Harold) by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise: But Duke William was of a contrary minde, and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces, put him in remembrance of the breach of both, to which Harold gave a slight answer, that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept, that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome, without the assent of the Peeres and [Page 88] Barons of the Realme, besides oaths and promi­ses made either by feare or force, were of no vali­dity, and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction: for that was his peremptory answer.

At which Duke William being much incen­sed, gathered a selected Army, which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William [...]ndeth in England. an Enterprize, and launching from the port of Saint Valery, In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex, at a place called Penusy, making three Three preten­ses for his In­vasion. pretences for his invasion: The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne, as next Heire, and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed. The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred, and bro­ther of the late King, committed by E. Goodwin, upon Guildowne, which was done (as hee pre­tended) by the especiall instigation of Harold: The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert (before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma) with which also hee chargeth Harold, as the sole animatour of his exile; and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction, when he faith,

By the Iron-men, meaning the Normans, in The prophesie explained. Iron Casks and Corslets; by wooden Tents, their [Page 89] Navigable Vessels, who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons, and expelled the Eglets, who were the Danes, the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so em­blematized: the story followeth, Duke William landing one of his feet slipt, and the other stuck fast in the sand, which one of his Knights ob­serving, A good Omen. cried aloud, A good Omen, now Willi­am, England is thine owne, and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King, at which he smiled, and piercing further into the Land, hee made proclamation, that no man should take any prey, or make any spoyle, or doe any vio­lence to the Natives; saying, it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne.

Harrold was at that time in the North, who hearing the Normans were landed, gathered his forces by the way as he came, to supply his ar­my, which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Nor­ways, and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast. discover their strength, word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers, as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven, (which was their custom then, and the English used to weare their Mouchatos thick and long) to which Harold answerd: but wee shall finde them neither Barmen, nor Bookemen, but vali­ant Knights expert in all manner of warlike dis­cipline. Then Gurth or Surthe one of the yong­est brothers of Harold advised him in person to [Page 90] stand apart, and that himselfe with the Lords and Barons would inc [...]unter the Normans, be­cause he was sworne to the Duke, and they not; and if they were put back, he then might rally their dispersed troups and maintaine his owne claime and his Countrys quarrel, to which hee would by no meanes assent.

Then Duke William by a clergie man sent him Three profers made by the Duke to the King before the battaile. three proffers of which to take his choyce; the first, that according to his oath he should deli­ver up the Crowne, and all the rights thereto belonging, which done, to receive it againe and hold it of him as in fee during the terme of his life, and after his death to returne it againe to the said William, or to such an one of his sons as he would assigne it unto: the second, to depart and leave the Kingdome without more contention: The third, that to spare the shed­ding of Christian bloud, they two might singly end the quarrell by the sword: All which offers Harold refused, returning answer by the Prelat, that hee would try his cause by the dint of swords, and not of one sword, and that he and his Knights were ready, to defend their Coun­try against all Forreigne Invaders whatsoever: The Duke hearing this his answer delivered un­to him, he gave strict charge, that all his people that night should watch and spend the houres Two different dispositions in the boasts. in prayer with the Priests, when on the contrary the English Hoast past away the time in dancing and drinking.

The next morning (being Saturday) the four­teenth [Page 91] day of October, the two Hoasts met at a place where now standeth Battaile Abbey in Battaile Abby in Sussex. Sussex, (which was after built, and so called by Duke William, in memory of this battaile there fought, and his great victory then atchie­ved) in the beginning of which conflict a Nor­man Banneret called Thilfer, slue three English Gentlemen one after another, but in attempting the fourth was himselfe slaine. Then began a The battail be­twixt King Harold with Duke William terrible noyse of the clattering of Harnesse, the rushing of shields, the trampling of Horses, with loud cryes and acclamations on both sides, in which the Normans opposed mightily, and the English defended themselves manfully, and the better, because they fought close keeping their battaile whole without scattering, or ranging abroad; which when Duke William ob­served, he gave a signe to his Commanders that they should give backe, as if they were almost compeld to flie and forsake the field, yet sub­tlely embattailing the foot, and placing the Horse for Wings on either side: the English ho­ping instantly to have routed them, dissevered their Squadrons as for present pursuite: but the Normans returning tooke them at that disad­vantage, and strooke them down on every side: yet was this battaile so stoutly fought by the Englishmen, that Duke William was there that day beaten from his Steed, and three Horses slaine under him: but in the end Harold was slaine, being shot into the eye with an arrow, King Harold slain in the eye with an arrow. and fell downe dead in the field: which his army [Page 92] seeing, they dispersed themselves, and every man fled to his best safety.

Thus died this valiant King Harold, having worne the Crowne from the fift of Ianuary to the fourteenth of October, making up nine mo­neths, and some odde dayes, and was buried in the Monastery of Waltham which hee himselfe The end of the Race of the Saxons. had founded; in whom ended the bloud of the Saxons which had continued from the begin­ning of King Hengists reigne, for the space of five hundred fourscore and one yeere, all which time they had reigned as Kings in this Land, (saving those foure and twenty yeeres in which Edward the Confessor had the Sovereignty) who was of the Norman bloud by his Mother Emma, daughter to Richard the Hardy, the third Duke of Normandy, and first of that name.

Then Duke William buried his slain men, and suffered the English to doe the like. Now when Mercia and Northumber­land, not in this battail. the news of Harolds death came to the two Earles of Mercia and Northumberland, who were not then in that battaile (some thinke, that by reason of the distance and difficulty of the way they could not arrive with their forces soon enough, but others have conjectured, that they purposely absented themselves, because in the division of the Danish spoyles, they were neglected, but howsoever, they came to Duke William, and submitted themselves, giving pled­ges Duke VVil­liam crowned King of Eng­land. for their truth and fealty: thus William Duke of Normandy, sirnamed the Conquerour, base [Page 93] sonne to Robert, the sixt Duke of that Province, and Nephew unto Edward the Confessor, began his Dominion over this Realme of England, in the yeere of Grace, one thousand threescore and nine, the fifteenth day of October, and was crow­ned upon Christmasse day (by Aldredus Arch­bishop of Yorke) next following: I now pro­ceed to Merlins next prophesie.

The first part is plaine and easie, the appea­rance Part of the Prophesie ex­plained. whereof is gathered from the former cir­cumstances: under the man, who leadeth the Iron Nation forth to prey, is figured the Conquerour, who brought into this Kingdome the strongly armed Normans, where finding fat spoile, that is, a rich and fertile Iland, where he feeds will stay: that is, where he fareth well, and hath all things [Page 94] in his owne power, to his will and pleasure; there he will make his abode and plant himself, (suppressing the red Dragon for a space, that is, the first Britains, after mingled with the Saxons, and from Hengists-men called Englishmen, then with the Danes, and now againe opprest by the Normans, yet was the bloud of the first Natives (howsoever mingled) never extinguished, and the Nation howsoever extreamly suffering, yet never altogether eradicated and extirpt: but to passe over the Reigne of the Conquerour (be­cause no further aymed at by my Author) I pro­ceed to the rest:

Meaning from Duke William now living, (by which two Dragons are intimated his two eldest Sons: Robert sirnamed Corthose or Short­hose, and William Ruffus, so stiled because of his ruffe haire and beard.)

This Robert the eldest, because hee might Robert rebel­leth against his Father. not be possest of the Duchy of Normandy, which his father had before promist him, hee by the aide of the French King Philip, and Lewis his sonne, invaded that Dutchy and tooke divers prizes thence; which put his Father to much grievance and trouble; in so much, that at length the father and the sonne with two great Hosts met in the plaine field, where betwixt them was fought a cruell and bloudy battell, in which King William, was wounded and beaten from [Page 95] his horse, and in great danger to be tooke or slaine; which his sonne Robert hearing, in true filliall piety hee restored his Father, set him upon a fresh Horse, and delivered him from all danger: howsoever in that conflict many of the Kings men fell by the sword, and his sonne William received many wounds, so that they were compeld to forsake the field and yeeld the honour thereof to his Sonne Robert, for which Robert gai­neth the day of his Father. rebellion as some have related, he laid an heavy curse upon him, which proved fatall unto him in the end.

Some write that by the leaping off an horse hee got such a straine (meaning King William) that it was the cause of his death, and when hee found that hee was pasthope of life, hee cal­led his three sonnes unto him exhorting them to fraternall love and unity, and by his will appointed to Robert the eldest, the Duchie of Normandy, to William the second, the Kingdom of England, and to his third sonne Henry, (be­cause K. Williams admonition to his sons. hee was a piece of a Scholer, sirnamed Beauclerke) hee bequeathed his moveables and treasure: then he informed his two eldest sonnes of the disposition of the people, whom they were to governe, advising William to be affable, courteous, and liberall to the English: and Ro­bert to behave himselfe roughly and sternly to­wards the Normans: which having uttered, hee The death of William, sir­named the Conquerour. died within few houres after in Normandy, and was buried in the City of Cane, in the third yeere of his Duchie, but of his Reigne over [Page 96] England, one and twenty yeeres and ten mo­neths, in the moneth of Iuly: in which time of his Sovereignty, hee kept the English so streight and low, that none of the Nation bore any of­fice of profit or honour, but hee somewhat fa­voured the City of London, by granting them their first Charter, which is written in the Saxon Londons first Charter gran­ted by King William. tongue, and sealed with green Wax, and is com­prehended in eight or nine lines at the most: with whose death I also conclude this Chap­ter.

CHAP. 12.

WIlliam the second of that name, sir­named William the second crowned King of Eng­land. Rufus, or the Red, beganne his Reigne in the moneth of Iuly, in the yeere of Grace, one thousand sourescore and nine, but Rainolf Monke of Che­ster, in his Polychronicon, affirmes that Robert was absent at the death of his Father, and hea­ring that hee had preferd his younger brother to the Crowne of England, hee was greatly in­raged, [Page 97] and laid his Dukedome to pawne to his brother Henry, for certaine summes of money, with which hee hired an Army, and landed at Hampton: of which his brother having intelli­gence, sent unto him with this submission fol­lowing, A strange sub­mission of a King. Thy brother William entreateth thee to be no way incensed at what I have done. For he calleth himselfe not absolute King, but Viceroy and thy Substitute, and to reigne under thee, be­ing greater, and therein better, because before him borne, who hath taken upon him this charge, only because of thine absence; yet since he is now in place and authority by thy suffe­rance, he humbly prayes thee that he may under thee still so continue, paying unto thee annually three thousand marke, with condition, that the survivour of the two may peaceably enjoy the Kingdome.

Duke Robert who was not unacquainted with the politick proceedings of his brother, shaked his head, and began to pawse, about an answer, and being of a loving and gentle disposition, The two bro­thers attowd. bountifull withall, and still preferring his ho­nour before his profit (as in all his after procee­dings hee made manifest) condescended to his brothers request, and returned into Normandy: but William was of a more subtle and crafty condition, and yet withall ambitious after vain­glory, to maintaine which, hee extorted both from the Spiritualty and Temporalty. He buil­ded He buildeth Westminster Hall. Westminster Hall, and by reason that his brother Robert, was then in the holy Warres, to [Page 98] redeeme Ierusalem from the Pagans, hee spent some time in Normandy, about his brothers af­faires: but at his returne, the building of the Hall being finished, he seemed much disconten­ted with the littlenesse thereof, saying it was more fit for a Dining Chamber then a Kings Hall, purposing, if hee had liv'd, to have made a farre greater.

In the beginning of the thirteenth yeere of his Reigne, the third day of August, being hun­ting in the New Forrest, by the glancing of an Arrow shot by the hand of one Sir Walter Tyr­rell, The King mur­thered to death by Sir Walter Tyrrell. the King was wounded to death in the forty fourth yeere of his age; who escaped and saved himselfe, for none pursued him, and few (in regard of his former tyranny) sorrowfull for his death: some thinke that this arrow was purposely aymed at him, to fulfill the prophesie of the two brothers.

Now Robert, though hee still aymed at the Kingdome, yet never attained unto it, and the other died, according to Merlins words, spiculo Invidiae, by the dart of Envy: the King thus wounded was laid in a Horse-litter, and con­veyed to Winchester, where hee died and was buried: In his life time he took upon him great The Kings Character. things: the day before hee died, one asked him where he purposed to keep his Christmasse? to [Page 99] which he answered, at Poyctiers, for the Earle in­tendeth a Voyage for Ierusalem, meaning to seize upon his Earldome.

Henry of Huntington reporteth of him, that though he was generally reported avaritious and gripple-handed, yet he was in his owne con­dition, bountifull, and liberall, as may appeare by the narration following. The Abbot of a great Monastery being dead, too wel-monied Monks of the same place made friends to the King offe­ring Iustice and li­berality in the King. large summes, to be promoted to that dig­nity: there was also a third Monk, who out of his meeknesse and humility had accompanyed them to the Court, and to give attendance on him whom the King should admit to be Abbot: who called to the Monkes severally, and either of them outbid the other: the King casting his eye upon the third (who came as their servant) thin­king, his businesse had been to the same purpose, demanded of him, if hee would give more then his brethren had proffered: who answered him againe, that he would neither offer nor give to the value of one penny, neither would he take any such charge upon him which came unlaw­fully by symony: whose words when the King had duly considered, he said that he of the three was best worthy to take so holy a charge upon him, and gave it him freely.

Duke Robert being at this time in the holy Henry usur­peth the crown. Wars, the yongest brother Henry, third son to the Conquerour, and first of that name, began his Reigne the fift day of August, in the yeere [Page 100] of our Lord eleven hundred and one, and this was he whom Merlin cals Leo Iustitiae, the Lion [...]f Iustice: who banisht from his Court all flattering and effeminate Sycophants: he was al­so abstinent, and abhorring gormondizing, and the excesse of Feasts: hee was further well stu­died in the seven Liberall Arts, and used to fight more with counsaile then the sword, and yet upon just occasion, hee would shew himselfe as valiant as he proved fortunate.

In the second yeere of whose Reigne, Robert his brother, being there imployed in the Wars of Palaestine, against the Miscreants and Infi­dels, receiving newes that his brother William was dead, and that his brother Henry had usur­ped Duke Robe [...]t offered to bee made King of Ierusalem. the Crown of England, notwithstanding that the Christian Princes offered to make him King of Ierusalem, yet he refused that honour, but with great speed returned into Normandie, and there raised forces, to claime his right unto the Crown of England, and landed at Ports­mouth, but a mediation of peace was made be­twixt them, and that hee should have the same yeerly revenue of three thousand Marks, which he had in the days of King William: with which he returned fully satisfied, at which his Lords and Peeres were much discontented, as also for other things which in his easie nature hee had yielded to, both against his honour and profit, Duke Robert neglected by his Peeres. for which he was by them lesse regarded, and in the end quite neglected.

This Robert in his Fathers days was in all his [Page 101] enterprizes victorious, and after did many brave exployts at the siege of Acan against the Turks: and (as is before said) was by the great suffrage of the Christian Hoast chosen King of Ierusa­lem, but whether hee thought it to be an ho­nour with too much trouble, or for the co­vetousnesse of the Crowne of England, hee made refusall thereof, for which it hath beene thought, that hee sped the worse in all his endevours after. For a dissention fell betwixt him and his Nobles, so that they sent to King Henry his brother, that if hee would come over into Normandy, they would deliver up the whole Country into his hands, and acknow­ledge him their sole Lord and Governour, of which profer it is said, Henry accepted: but be­fore any hostility was threatned, Robert came into England to visit his brother and new sister (for the King was lately married to Mawd the Duke Roberts easie and libe­rall disposition. daughter of Malcolme, King of Scotland) at whose request he released to his brother the tri­bute of three thousand Marks by the yeere, and so departed.

Notwithstanding which, by the instigation of bad and wicked Counsellours, this seeming brotherly love was quite abrogated and dissol­ved, so that the King with a strong Army inva­ded Normandy, and by reason that Roberts Peeres and Nobles fell from him, hee chased him from place to place, and won from him his Cities, Cane, Roan, and Faloys, with all other pla­ces defensible; so that Robert was forced to de­fire [Page 102] aide of Philip the French King, and after of the Earle of Flanders, but they both failed him, so that with those few forces which hee could make, hee gave battaile to his bro­ther, in the which hee was surprized and taken prisoner, and sent over into England, and put Duke Robert taken pr [...]soner by his b [...]other. into the Castle of Cardiffe in Wales, where hee remayned his whole life time, and being dead was buried at Glocester, and thus hee who might have been King of Ierusalem, and twice King of England (had he taken the opportunity offered The Duchy of Duke Robert. him) died with no greater title, then the bare Duke of Normandy.

Warres then grew betwixt the King of Eng­land, and the French King, in which they sped diversly, but in the end Henry beat him in his own Country, and had of him a glorious victo­ry, to the great terrour and astonishment of all the French Nation, and those lesser Princes of his Confederacie, making good that of the Prophet:

By the Lily is meant the Flowre de Lyce, which The Prophes [...]e explained. the French King beares in his Scutcheon, which was said to quake like an Aspen, (whose leafe of all others is soonest moved with the winde) by [Page 103] reason of the great affright and terrour hee put the French into at the noyse of his Drummes, the thundring of his Horses hoofs, and the lowdnesse of his warlike instruments.

About the twentieth yeere of this Kings Reigne, when he had been three yeeres together in Normandy, the King took shipping at Harflute (a part of that Duchie) the foure and twentieth day of November, and arrived safe in England, not many houres after: And soon upon that his two sonnes, William who was Duke of Nor­mandy, with Richard his brother, with Notha the Countesse of Parsie, Richard Earle of Che­ster, with his wife the Kings Niece, The Arch­deacon of Hereford, with Knights, Gentlemen, and others, to the number of an hundred and forty persons: These took shipping at the same Port to follow the King, but in their passage, the ship sunke under them, and they were all drowned to one man, saving a Butcher, who reported that this disastrous misfortune fell The Kings two sonnes with many others drowned. by the negligence of the Master and Saylers, who in the night being at dissention amongst themselves, ran the Vessell upon a Rocke, and split her; from which danger the young Duke William was escaped by getting into a boat neer the sh [...]are: but when hee heard the lamentable out-cry of the Countesse Notha, hee comman­ded the Rowers to row back, and if it were pos­sible to save her life, who having recovered her into the boat, they were by a tempestuous gust so over-charged, that it was violently overtur­ned, [Page 104] and they all swallowed in the Sea, of which strange accident Merlin also prophesied in these words:

The King to maintaine his former Warres which proved so terrible to the French and o­thers, was forced to exact money from all man­ner of people, not sparing the Clergie nor the Laitie, and therefore Merlin cals him

By the Flowers, meaning the Spiritualty, by the Nettles the Temporalty: in the twenty seventh yeere of this Kings Reign died Henry the fourth Emperour of that name, who had before mar­ried Mawd, the daughter to Henry King of Eng­land, after whose death she came to her Father in Normandy, who because hee had no heires male left of his body, hee caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare in his presence, that they The Lords sworne to the succession of Mawd the Empresse. should keep the Crowne of England to the use of this Mawde the Empresse, if hee died with­out issue male, and she surviving.

In the eight and twentieth yeere of his Sove­reignty, Ieffery Plantaginet Earle of Anjoy, was espoused unto Mawde the Empresse, from whom Her second mariage. descended Henry the second, sirnamed Short-Mantle, [Page 105] who after Stephen was King of Eng­land; King William being in Normandy, (as some write) fell either with his Horse or from his Horse, which after was the cause of his death. But Rainolph saith, that he tooke a surfet by ea­ting of a Lamprey, and died of that, when he had reigned thirty five yeers and odde moneths, The death of Henry the first of that name. whose body when it was embowelled, before it could be embalmed, cast such a stench that none could abide the place, where hee was dissected, and though it was wrapped in a Buls skin, yet it little abated the smell, in so much that divers were infected therewith, and the Chyrurgion who clensed the head, died of the unwholsome scent which proceeded from the braine, which some conjectured to bee a just judgement laid upon him for his mercilesse cruelty shewed upon his brother Robert, whose eyes (as some have reported) hee caused to bee torne out of his head during his imprisonment: his body was brought into England, and was afterwards buried in the Abbey of Reading which he before had founded; after whose death, Fame spoke of him, as of all other Princes, both in the better and worse part. Divers said, that he sur­passed many of his Predecessour Kings in three How the King was spoken of after his death. things, in wit, in eloquence, and good successe in battaile; and others spared not to say that he was pestilently infected with three notorious vices: Covetousnesse, Cruelty, and Lechery.

CHAP. 13.

STephen Earle of Bolloigne, and sonne Stephen Earle of Bulloigne crowned King. to the Earle of Bloys, and Mawd si­ster to the wife of Henry late de­ceased, began his Reigne over the Realme of England, in the yeere of grace, one thousand one hundred thirty six, who was va­liant and hardy, but as some affirme, contrary to the oathe made to King Henry concerning Mawd the Empresse, he usurped the Crown, and was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canter­bury, at West minster, upon the day of Saint Ste­phen, in Christmasse weeke, which Archbishop (who had taken the same Oath) died shortly Perjury puni­shed by the hand of God. after, with diverse other Lords guilty of the same perjury: which as some write, was animated and incouraged by one Hugh Bigot; who was Steward to King Henry, and presently after his death came over into England; and be­fore the said Archbishop came, other Lords [Page 107] tooke an Oath, and sware that he was present a little before the Kings death, when hee heard him to disinherit his Daughter Mawd, for some distaste that hee had taken against her, and had adopted, as his lawfull Heire Stephen his Nephew: to which the Archbishop with the rest gave too hasty battaile: neither did this Hugh for his wilfull perjury escape unpunished, who soone after with great trouble of consci­ence most miserably expired: but before I pro­ceed Hugh Bigot dyeth miserably further in the story, I will deliver unto you Merlins Prophesie of those times: which fol­loweth.

By the Sagittary, which is one of the twelve Celestiall Signes, and is the same which hee cal­leth Part of it ex­ [...]laned the two shap't Centaure, is figured King Ste­phen, who gave not the Lions, as his former pre­decessours had done, but emblazed the before­named Sagittary in his Scutcheon: and there­fore [Page 108] he is by the Prophet so stiled: by the Eglet is also intended Maud the Empresse, and by the Morian Mountaines a place in Italy so called, si­guratively including all Italy by a part thereof: now let vs see how this with the rest is m [...]de good by the event.

In the beginning of his reigne, King Stephen King Stephen extorteth both from the Cler­gie and the Laity. used great rigour against the Clergy, as fining some Bishops, and imprisoning others. Be­sides he seised on all the strong holds and Castles within the Realm, as still fearing the comming in of Maud the Empresse: in which time Robert Earle of Glocester, the base sonne of King Henry took displeasure against the King, for seising the strong holds of Glocester, Hereford, Webly, Bristol, Dudly and others, part of which belonged to his Inheritance; and therefore he sent letters to his sister Maud, promising to assist her in the iust claime of her Inheritance.

In the moneth of Iuly and sixth yeare of King Mawd the Em­presse landeth in England. Stephen, [...]aud the Empresse landed at Portsmouth and made towards Bristol, at what time Stephen layd siege to the Castle of Walling-ford, who hearing of her arivall gathered all the forces hee could make, and drew towards the Enemie; in which time Robert Earle of Glocester & Ranulph Earle of Chester were ioyned to the Empresse; and when both their hoasts were in the field, ready to give the alarme, Ranulph Earle of Chester thus spoke to his souldiers and sayd.

I require you friends and Countrimen, that I The Barons Oration to their souldiers. who am the cause to bring you here, to hazard [Page 109] lives, may be the first man to put mine owne in danger: whom Earle Robert interrupted, and said, It is not unworthy to thee, who deman­dest the first stroake and hazard of this battaile, who both for thy noblenesse of bloud, and thy knowne magnanimity and courage farre surpas­sest other men; but the Kings false oath hath levied men to this unjust warre, in which wee must either strive bravely to winne the mastery, or else be basely overcome; and we now are run into that hazard, that none of us is safe, which shall not acquit himselfe by his resolution and Knightly boldnesse: therefore shew your valour, and be assured of victorie.

Then Earle Baldwin standing in the front of Earle Bald­wins incou­ragement to to the Kings Army. the Kings battaile, began to incourage his soul­diers in this manner: To men that shall fight three things are by them to be observed: The first, the Iustice of the cause, lest they indanger their soules, which is cleere on our part, who sight for our King & Country: the second is the number of men, and the accommodation of Armes, for few are not to oppose a multitude, nor naked men against armed; and we parallel, if not exceed them both in amunition and number: the third is, boldnesse and courage, not for de­fence only, but offence: which me thinks I espy in your faces: and therefore of all these three our Army is sufficiently furnished. Now what bee our enemies? A weake and distressed woman, assisted by two weak supporters; Robert Earle of Glocester, a man daring without deed, and ac­customed [Page 110] to word, with words, not weapons: and Ranulph Earle of Chester, haughty, but with­all fool-hardy, constant in nothing, and con­scious only of Conspiracies, who proposeth great enterprizes, but never brings any to good effect: and for many Legions, conducted by such Leaders; the more they be in company, the soo­ner they be overcome.

At which word, he was cut off by the violent The battell be­twixt the King and the Em­presse. comming on of the enemy: and now beganne a cruell battaile, resolutely and bravely fought on both sides, the violence whereof lasted long un­certain who should be victors; but in the end, the Kings Hoast was utterly routed: but hee of a more heroicke spirit (as scorning to flie) mayn­tained the fight with some few of his Knights, The King tak [...]n prisoner. and was taken prisoner; and being brought be­fore the Empresse, shee commanded him to bee conveyed under safe custody to the Castle of Bristoll, where he remayned indurance, from Candlemasse to holy Rood day next ensuing: after which victory, she was so exalted in thought, and puft up with pride, that shee thought now shee had the whole Kingdome in her owne possessi­on, and came triumphantly to Winchester: after to Wilton, to Oxford, to Reading, to Saint Al­bans, and lastly, to London: in all which places she was royally received: and during her abode there, the Queene made assiduate labour, for the delivery of the King her husband, promising he The Queenes p [...]tition to the Empresse. should surrender the whole Land into her pos­session, and either be take himselfe to some Re­ligious [Page 111] Order, or to become a banisht Pilgrime to the end of his life: but all was in vaine, shee could receive no comfort from the Empresse upon any conditions.

The Citizens of London likewise petitioned unto her, that they might use the Laws of Ed­ward the Confessor, as they were confirmed by the Conquerour, and that she would be pleased to disanull the strict innovations imposed on the land by her Father Henry: to which she nor her Counsell would in the least wise condiscend: but the tyde soone turned, for Kent tooke part The Londoners and Kentish­men take part with the King. with the King, and the Londoners being discon­tented at the deniall of their suite, and being assured that the Kentish men would in all their Enterprizes assist them, they purposed to have surprized her person; of which she having secret intelligence, left a great part of her Iewels and houshold-stuffe, and fled to Oxford: in which slight many of her adherents were disheartned, and a great part of her forces dispersed and scattered.

Then the Queene before so much despised, The Queene pu [...]sueth the Empresse. by the ayde of her friends, the Kentish men, Lon­doners and others gathered a strong host, under the conduct of one William De-Pre, to pursue the Empresse; who understanding the Queens forces daily to increase, and hers assiduatly to di­minish, shee left Oxford, and secretly escaped to Glocester, whither the Queenes host followed her: in defence of which City Robert brother Earle Bobert of Glocester taken prisoner of the Empresse making an excursion from the [Page 110] [...] [Page 111] [...] [Page 112] towne was surprised and taken: Briefly, a Com­munication was held between the two opposite parties, in which after much debating the busi­nesse on both sides, it was concluded that there should be one exchange made of the two priso­ners, so that the King vpon Holy rood day in har­vest King Stephen released in ex­change of Earle Robert. was released and delivered up to the Queen and her Army, and Robert of Glocester was sur­rendred to his sister Maud the Empresse.

The Land in this time was much distressed by these two Armies who were in continuall agi­tation, sometimes the King having the better, and sometimes the Empresse, to relate which at large would aske too long circumstance: but in the end the King had the better, in the seven­teenth Yeare of whose Raigne, dyed Ranulph Earle of Chester, and Ieffry Plantaginet husband to Maud the Empresse, after whose death their The death of I [...]ffery Plan­taginet. sonne Henry sirnamed short mantle (because hee used to goe in a short Cloak) was created Duke of Anjou, and Normandy; whose sonne few yeares after maried Elenor daughter to the Earl of Poyctow, who had before bin maried to Lew­is The marriage of Henry Duke of Nor­mandy. the French King: but for the too neernesse of blood divorced, after hee had received two daughters from her, Mary, and Alice: so that this Henry was the Earle of Anjou by his father, Duke of Normandy by his mother, and Earle of Poyctow by his wife.

This King Stephen had a sonne named Eu­stace, Eustace the sonne of King Stephen. who by ayde of the French King, warred upon the forenamed Henry, in which the Duke [Page 113] so Knightly demeaned himselfe, that it proved to their great disadvantage: some say that King Stephen would have crowned his sonne in his life time, but the Clergie would not agree thereto, having a command from the Bishop of Rome, to the contrary, and therefore his pur­pose tooke no effect. Then the King said siege to the Castles of Newbery, Wallingford, War­bycke, and Warwell, which had beene kept by the friends of the Empresse to her use, in hope of the comming over of her sonne Duke of Duke Henry landeth in England. Normandy, &c. who the same yeere, with a great Hoast entered England, and first wanne the Castle of Malmsbury, and after came to London, and possessed himselfe both of the City and the Tower, which more by his policie and promise, then his potencie and power performed.

Then King Stephen with his Hoast, drew neer to Duke Henry, but by the mediation of Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, and others of the Clergie and Nobility (who met at a place called the water of Vrme) they were kept from A peace media­ted betwixt the King and the Duke. present hostility, some endevouring peace, o­thers labouring warre, as their humours and af­fections guided them. After which the King took his way towards Ipswich in Suffolke, & the Duke towards Shrewsbury: in which interim died, and was drowned Eustace the sonne of King Stephen, and was buried at Feversham in Kent, in the Abbey which his Father before The death of Prince Eust [...]ce had founded.

After which, Theobald with others, ceased [Page 114] not to bring these two Princes to an attone­ment, which was so earnestly laboured; that a peace was concluded, upon the conditions fol­lowing, namely, that the King (having now no heire) should continue in the sole Sovereignty during his life: and immediately after the con­clusion and establishing of that Edict, Henrie should be proclaimed Heire apparant, in all the chiefe Cities and Bor [...]ughs of England; and that the King should take him for his sonne by adoption, as immediate Heire to the Crowne and Kingdome, wherein that part of the pro­phesie is fulfilled, which saith,

By the Centaure, and two shap't Monster, or the Sagittary, which are all one, meaning the King, and by the Lions whelpe, Henry Duke of Nor­mandy, The death of King Stephen. &c. and after King of England. In the end of this yeere died King Stephen, when hee had reign [...]d eighteen yeeres and odde moneths, and was buried by his sonne Eustace at Fever­sham.

This King spent his whole Reigne in great vexation and trouble, which (as some conje­cture) hapned because hee usurped the Crowne contrary to his Oath made to Henry the first: [Page 115] that hee should maintaine the inheritance of his daughter Mawd the Empresse: this Stephen Vpon what grounds Ste­phen preten­ded his title to the Crown. was the sonne of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne, and of Mary sister to Mawd who was married to his predecessor Henry: these two are the daugh­ters of Margaret the wife of Malcolm King of Scots, which Margaret was the sister to Edgar Etheling, and daughter of Edward the outlaw, who was sonne to Edmund Ironside.

Mawd the Empresse daughter to Henry Beau­clarke, had by her second husband Ieffery Plan­taginet, this Henry the second of that name, by whom the bloud of the Saxons againe retur­ned to the Crowne, partly by King Stephen, but more fully by him, so that consequently the bloud of the Normans continued but threescore The Norman bloud in sixty yeeres extin­guished. and ten yeeres, accounting from the first yeere of William the Conquerour, to the last of the reigne of Henry first, compleating those words the prophesie.

CHAP. 14.

HEnry the second, sonne of Ieffery Plan­taginet, The Coronati­on of King Henry the second. and Mawd the Empresse, began his Reigne over England, in the moneth of October, and the yeere of our Lord God, one thousand one hundred fifty five, of whom be­fore it was thus prophesied.

The first words of this Prophesie seeme to re­flect Part of the prophesie ex­plained. upon the Empresse his Mother: by rejoy­cing her third nest, may be intended, that having three sonnes, Henry, Ieffery, and William, the two later failing, (as dying in their youth) shee might rejoyce in him whose Father (being King) she saw to shine in gold: or else, being first espoused to Henry the Emperour, and next to Ieffery Plantaginet, shee might in her death re­joyce in her third espousall with her Saviour: but againe, where hee stiles her the Eglet of the Flawde, or Borbon League; It may bee conferd upon the Queen, who being first married to the King of France, and through neernesse of bloud divorced from him, and sent to her Father, and after married to this King, being then Duke of Normandy, she may be said first to have built her nest in France, secondly, in Normandy, and third­ly, and last in England.

This Prince (as the Chronicle describes him The Kings Character. to us) was somewhat high-coloured, but of a good aspect, and pleasant countenance, fat, full chested, and low of stature: and because hee grew somewhat corpulent, hee used a sparing and abstinent diet, and much exercised Hunting. He was well spoken, and indifferently learned, [Page 118] Noble in Knighthood, and wise in counsaile, bountifull to strangers, but to his familiars and servants gripple-handed, and where hee loved once or hated, constant, and hardly to be remo­ved: he had by his wife Eleanor six sonnes and three daughters: The names of five of them His Issue. were William, Henry, Richard, Godfery, and Iohn; of which two came to succeed him in the Throne, Richard and Iohn, of the sixt there is small or no mention: the eldest of his daugh­ters hight Mawd, and was married to the Duke of Saxony; the second Eleanor, to the King of Spaine; the third named Iane, to William King of Sicily.

This King was prosperous in the beginning of his Raigne, but unfortunate in the end, as the sequell will make apparant: he was of such magnanimity and courage, that hee was often heard to say, that to a valiant heart, not a whole World sufficeth, and according to his words hee greatly augmented his Heritage, and much ad­ded The Kings Dominions. to his Dominions. For hee wonne Ireland by strength, and in the seventh yeere of his Reigne, (for divers affronts offered him by William King of Scotland) he made such cruell warre upon him, that in the end hee tooke him He taketh the Scots King pri­soner. prisoner, and compeld him to surrender into his hands, the City of Carlile, the Castle of Bamburch, the new Castle upon Tyne, with divers other holds, and a great part of Northumber­land, which William before had wonne from the Borderers. He likewise added the whole King­dome [Page 119] to his owne, and from the South Ocean to the North Islands of the Orcades, hee closed all those Lands, as under one principall; which done, and receiving fealty and homage of the said King, having a certaine summe of money promist to bee payd unto him within nine moneths following, hee suffered him to goe at liberty.

He spred his Empire so far, that none of all his No King before him of such large Empire. predecessours had so many Countries and Pro­vinces under their Dominion and rule: for be­sides the Realme of England, he had at once in his possession, Normandy, Gascoine, and Guien, Anjou, and Chinou, with Alverne and others, and by his wife as her rightfull Inheritance, the Pyrene Mountaines, which part France and Spaine: which proves

In the seventh year of his Raigne, died Theobald Tho Becket created Arch-bishop of Can­terbury. Arch-bishop of Canterbury, and Thomas Becket, who was then Chancellour of England, was translated unto that See: and in the ninth yeare the King cal'd a Parliament, at Northampton. where hee intended to abolish some privileges which the Clergie had usurped, amongst which one was, that no Priest, or Clergie man, though he had committed felony, murther or treason [Page 120] against the Kings owne person, yet had hee not power to put him to death, which he pur­posed to have reformed; in which Thomas Becket then Arch-Bishop violently opposed him, and gave him very peremptory and unseemly lan­guage, vilifying the Kings prerogatiue and au­thority, The Archbi­shop opposeth the King. to his face; but when he saw he had not power to prevaile against the King, hee in great heate and hast, sped him to Alexander then Bi­shop of Rome, grievously complayning on the King, and suggesting, what iniuries and inno­vations he would put upon the holy Church continuing there partly in Italy, and partly in France, for the space of six yeares together.

After which time Lewis King of France, recon­ciled The King and the Archbishop atton'd. the King and the Archbishop (the King being then in Normandy) and Becket returned to his See at Canterbury, whither hee summond all such persons as in his absence had spoyled, and rifled his moveables and goods, advising them first by faire meanes to restore them; but when he saw that course prevailed not, he tooke The King cur­sed by the Archbishop. a more severe and compulsory way, excommu­nicating and denouncing all such accursed in his Anathema (not sparing the Kings royall person,) at which the parties here in England, whom it particularly concerned, sailed over unto the King in Normandy; and made a grie­vous complaint against the Archbishop, at which his being extraordinarily incensed, sayd in the open audience of those then about him, had I any friend that tendered mine honour and safe­ty, [Page 121] I had ere this time beene revenged of that traiterous Archbishop.

At that time were present, and heard these words, Sir William Breton, Sir Hugh Morvill, Sir Richard Fitzvile, and Sir William Tracy, which foure Knights, having communed and considered amongst themselves, with an unani­mous resolution took shipping, and landed at Dover, and road thence to Canterbury, where the fift day in Christmasse weeke, they slue the said Bishop in the Church as hee was going to the Altar, who had before in the open pulpit The Archbi­shop slain go­ing to the Al­tar. denounced the King, and divers others of his subjects accursed: which answers to the former,

By the All-commanding Keys, is meant the power of the Keyes of Rome, who striving to force the lock opening to his nest, that is, his prin­cipality and prerogative, broke their owne wards, which proved true in this Th. Becket, Pri­mate and Metropolitan, who was slaine in the yeer 1170, over whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed:

which with small alteration may bee thus para­phrased,

Henry in the fourteenth yeere of his Reigne, caused his eldest sonne Henry to bee crowned King of England, at Westminster, giving him full power over the Realme, whilst hee himselfe was negotiated in Normandy, and his many o­ther provinces, which after proved to his great Henry crow­neth his sonne Henry King. disadvantage and trouble. In which interim he had cast his eye upon a most beautifull Lady cal­led Rosamond, on whom hee was so greatly en­amoured, that it grew even to dotage, inso­much that hee neglected the Queenes company, The faire Lady Rosamond. insomuch that she incensed all his sonnes, who tooke up armes against their Father in the quar­rell of their mother, by which the peace of the Land was turned to hostility and uprore; yet the King so farre prevailed, that hee surprised the Queen, and kept her in close prison, and withall The King im­prisons the Queene. was so indulgent over his new Mistresse, that he built for her a rare and wondrous fabricke, so curiously devised, and intricate with so many turning Meanders, and winding indents, that none upon any occasion might have accesse unto her, unlesse directed by the King, or such as in that businesse hee most trusted: and this edifice [...]e erected at Woodstocke, not farre from Ox­ford, and made a Labyrinth which was wrought like a knot in a Garden called a Maze, in which any one might lose himselfe, unlesse guided by a line or threed, which as it guided him in, so it [Page 123] directed him the way out: But in processe it so hapned, that the sonnes having the better of The Sonnes release their mother. their Father, set at liberty their Mother, who when the King was absent, came secretly to Woodstocke with her traine, at such a time when the Knight her Guardian being out of the way, not dreaming of any such accident, had left the Clue carelesly and visible in the entrance of the Labyrinth.

Which the Queene espying, slipt not that ad­vantage, but wound her selfe by that silken threed, even to the very place where shee found her sitting, and presenting her with a bowle of poyson, shee compeld her to drinke it off in her presence, after which draught shee within few minutes expired, and the Queene departed thence in her revenge fully satisfied, for which cruell act the King could never be drawne to re­concile Lady Rosa­mond poisond by the Queene. himselfe unto her after, and this makes good that of Merlin.

Rosamund being dead, was buried in the Mo­nastery of Goodstow, neere unto Oxford, upon whose Tombe was inscribed,

[Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 124] Which by an ancient Writer was thus paraphra­sed into English.

Such was their English poetry in those dayes. Long after the death of Rosamond was shewed in that Abbey, a rare Coffer or Casket of hers about two foot in length, in which was a strange artificiall motion, where were to be seen Giants fighting, Beasts in motion, Fowls flying, and Fishes swimming: This Henry was troubled by the Queenes animating of his sonnes against him: betwixt whom were divers conflicts, which would appeare tedious to bee rehearsed. It is written of this King, that in his Chamber at Windsore, hee had painted an Eagle with foure Henries cha­racter of his foure sonnes. young ones, whereof three of them, pulled and pecked the body of the old Eagle, and the fourth picked at his eyes: and being asked what that picture should signifie, hee made answer, This old Eagle figureth my selfe, and the foure birds, my foure sonnes, who cease not to pursue my life: but most of all my sonne Iohn, whom I most have loved, and therefore

The nature of the Pelican in the Desert be­ing to pierce her brest with her bill, and feed her young ones with her owne bloud. In the The death of King Henry sonne of King Henry. twenty eight yeere of this Henry, died his el­dest sonne Henry; whom hee had before crow­ned, much repenting on his death-bed, for his unnaturall rebellion against his Father.

Rainold Monke of Chester relates, that soon after the death of the Lady Rosamond, Lewis the French King, and the eighth of that name, sent to King Henry one of his daughters to bee kept for his second sonne Richard, whom the King vitiated, and laboured to Haguntia a Car­dinall then in the Land, for a Divorce betwixt Henry labou­reth a divorce betwixt him and his wife. him and his wife, intending to have maried that French Lady; but he failed of his purpose (for he meant by that match to have disinherited his unnaturall sonnes.) It is further recorded, that when William King of Scots was taken by the King of England, Hee did him Homage at the City of Yorke, and in witnesse of subjection, he offered his Hat and Saddle upon Saint Peters Altar, which were kept there many yeeres after.

This King had many strange admonitions for Sundry admo­nitions to the King to amend his life. the amendment of his life: one was that in his returne from Ireland, as he was taking his horse, there appeared unto him a man of a pale and meager aspect, bare-foot, and in a white Mantle, [Page 126] who spake unto him and said, I am sent to thee from the Lord of the Sabbaoth, who comman­deth thee to take order that no Markets bee kept, nor any servile worke bee done on the Lords day (dressing of meate excepted only) which if thou feest performed, whatsoever thou purposest, thou shalt bring to a good and happy end: whose speech the King seemed to distaste, and said to him, that held his bridle, aske of this Churle, if he have dreamed that which hee speaketh? to which the apparition answered againe: whether I have dreamed or not; take thou heed to my words, and amend thy life, or what thou now mockest, shall returne to thy great misery, which having said, he vanisht sud­denly: the strangenesse whereof though he se­riously apprehended, yet of the former there was nothing amended.

He had a second admonition by an Irishman, His second ad­monition. who told him all things which the King had done in secret, which hee had thought none had knowne but himselfe, and withall advised him to repentance and amendment of life, but hee regarded it as the former: about which time being the foure and twentieth yeere of his The bones of King Arthur and his Queen found. Reigne, were taken up the bones of King Ar­thur, and his Queene Guenever, in the Vale of Avalon, the haire of her head seeming white, and of a fresh colour, but as soone as touched, they turned to powder: their bones were after translated to the Church in Glastenbury, and there the second time buried: they were found [Page 127] by a Bard or Singer of Rythmes under the root of an Oke fifteen foot within the ground: his third admonition I leave to the next Chapter.

CHAP. 15.

A Knight called Sir William Chesterly, alias Lindsey, told him boldly, that His third ad­monition. there were seven severall things by him specially and suddenly to be re­formed First, to see better to the defence of the Church, and provide for the maintenance thereof: Secondly, to see his Lawes better exe­cuted, and Iustice more exercised: Thirdly, not to rob the rich, nor extort from them their goods by violence: Fourthly, to make restitu­tion of all those lands and goods as hee had so wrested: Fiftly, to make no demurre or delay in just sentence, but suffer the right to have law­full processe: Sixtly; to see his subjects satisfied for such things as had beene taken up to his use, and to pay his servants and souldiers which fell [Page 128] to robbery, for that default. Seventhly, that he should speedily cause the Iewes to avoid the Land. But this advise prevailed with him as the former.

In his thirtieth yeere, Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem, came into England, to solicite his aid against the Saracens (who had invaded the Christian Territories:) and to defend the holy City, which by Saladine King of Surry, was wonne soon after. For by the relation of Peter Desroy, a French Chronicler, Ierusalem was wonne by Godfrey of Bulloigne, in the yeere of Grace, one thousand fourescore and nineteene, and continued under nine Christian Kings, of which Guy of Resingham was the last: this He­raclius Nine Christian Kings raigne successively over Hierusa­lem. further profered the King the keyes of the holy City, and of our Lords grave, presen­ting him Letters from Pope Lucius, the third of that name, which charged him to take upon him the journey, according to an Oath by him formerly made: to which the King answered, The King re­fuseth to be Generall fo [...] the Holy Land. he could not leave his Land in trouble as a prey to the French, and his owne aspiring sonne; but he would give largely out of his owne coffers, to such as would take that voyage in hand.

To which the Patriarch replyed, we seek a man, not mony, every Christian Prince sendeth us money, but none sendeth us a Prince, and therefore we demand a Prince that needeth mo­ney, and not money that needeth a Prince; who finding no other comfort from the King, de­parted his presence much discontented: but the [Page 129] King thinking to sooth him up with faire words followed him to the Sea-side; but the more the King laboured to humour him, the more harsh, and hardned he grew against the King, and said unto him, hitherto thou hast, reigned gloriously, The Patriarchs answer to the King. but hereafter thou shalt be abandoned of him whom thou forsakest: think what he hath given to thee, and what thou in gratitude hast retur­ned to him againe: who at the first wast false to the French King, and after slewest Thomas Beck­et, and now lastly forsakest the protection of Christs faith: at which words the King was much moved, and sayd to the Patiarch, though all the people of the Land were one body and spoke with one mouth, they durst not say to me as thou hast done: true, saith the Patriarch, for they love thine, and not thee; the safety of thy goods temporall, but not the safety of thy soule: then he offered his head to the King, say­ing; now doe me that right which thou did'st to thine Arch-Bishop: for I had rather be slayne by thee, then by the Sarazens.

The King kept his patience, and replied; should I depart out of the Land, mine owne sons would seise upon my Crowne and Scepter in mine absence: no wonder (answered the Patri­arch) A proud and peremptory Patriarch. for of the devil they come, and to the de­vill they shall: and so departed from the King in great anger: after which all things went a­verse & against him: Giraldus Cambrisius writes of him, that he cherisht strife amongst his owne children, thinking thereby to live himselfe in the [Page 130] more rest and further saith, that hee was peere­lesse for three things; wit, war, wantonnesse. He Raigned twenty sixe yeares victoriously and gloriously, foure yeares distractedly and doubt­fully, and his five last yeares infortunately and miserably: in the end by meere vexation and an­ger he fell into a fever, and dyed thereof in the Castle of Chinon in Normandy in the moneth of The death of King Henry the second. Iuly, when he had raigned thirty foure yeares eight moneths and odd dayes, and was buried at Founte-blew: fulfilling that of the former pre­diction.

Richard the first of that name, and second sonn Richard the first succedeth his father. of Henry sirnamed Short Mantle, succeeded his father, and began his Raigne over England in the moneth of Iuly 1189, who upon the day of his Coronation, commanded that all the pri­soners about London, which lay in for the Kings debt or otherwise (murder and treason excep­ted) should be set at large, of whose future Reign it was thus predicted.

This King soone after his Coronation, conferd upon his brother three great dignities and ho­nours, as the Earldome of Nottingham, Corn­wale, Chester, and Lancaster, and maried him to the daughter of the Earle of Gloster who was his only childe, by which he was heire to that Earldome also, all which he after but cru­elly requited: then the king sought to be absol­ved for his rebellion against his father, which he easily purchast upon promise to pursue the wars Richard un­dertaketh the holy voyage. in Palestina which his father refused, and to ex­pedite that voyage, he gave over the two Castles of Barwick and Rocheborough to the Scotch king for ten thousand pound towards the charges of his journey: moreover he sould to the old Bishop of Durham that Province for a great sum of mony, and (as he had covenanted) made him Earle thereof: which done the king laught and said to the standers by, observe what art and cunning is in me, who can make a young Earle of an old Bishop: by such meanes hee emptyed many of the Clergies bagges and fil'd his own [Page 132] coffers, granting large fees and annuities out of the Crowne; for which some (as far as they durst) blaming him, he replyed unto them, that it was good for a man to ayde himselfe with his owne: adding; that if the citty London were his, at that time of his neede he would sel that also, if he could meete with a merchant able to buy it.

In the second yeare of his Raigne hee made The Bishop of Ely made Vice Gerent in the Kings absence. William Longshamp Bishop of Ely, Chancellour of England, leaving the whole Land to his gui­ding, then sayled he into Normandy, and thence into France to Philip the second, and after co­venants drawne betwixt them, for the continu­ance of so great and hazardous a iourney, in the spring of the yeare they set forward, Richard by sea, and Philip by land, appointing their ran­devouz in Sicily: where meeting (as it was a­greed) a difference grew betwixt the 2. Kings, Difference be­twixt the En­glish and French Kings. in so much that King Phillip left Richard in Si­cily, and departed towards Acon or Acris: in which time the King of Cyprus tooke two of king Richards ships, and peremptorily denyed their delivery.

For which he invaded the kingdome of Cy­prus, making sharpe war therein, chacing the King from Citty to Citty; in so much that K. Richard conquered the Kingdome of Cyprus. he was compeld to yield unto him upon condi­tion, that he should not bee layed in bonds of iron, whereof the king accepted, and kept his promise, causing him to be fettered in chaines of silver, verifying that of the prophesie,

When he had remained there for the space of 2. months taking his pleasure of the countrey, & victualled his navy, he steered his course to­wards Acon, and by the way he encountered a great ship of the Soldans furnisht with store of amunition and treasure, which he surpri­sed & seized, after which he safely arived at the foresaid citty, and met with the king of France, of whom he was ioyfully received: for not long before, 2000 of his army were cut off by the Sa­razens: then King Richard caused the Citty to be violently assaulted on every side, so that they were forced to yield it upon these covenants The City of A­con taken by the Christans. following; to depart the place, leaving behind them horse, armour, victuals, and all things be­longing to war, and further, restore, and set at liberty all such Christian prisoners, as were then under their yoke and bondage, with di­vers other conditions, but these the chiefest: and this was done in the moneth of August, and in the year of our Lord one thousand one hun­dred fourescore and twelve.

But in dividing the spoyle of the citty, which was great and rich, there fell out also a division Causes of the second breach between the two Kings. betwixt the 2 Kings, w^ch kindled a fire which was never quench'd, the motives inducing there to were (as Polychronicon reports) because Ri­chard denied to Philip half of the spoile & booty taken in Cyprus, alledging that their covenants stretched no further then to those purchased in [Page 134] the holy Land; another was, that king Richard being in Sicily maried the daughter of the king of Navar, where before he had promised to es­pouse the sister of the King for which and other causes the French King with a small number of ships, departed from Acan, thence to Puis, after The French King departs to his country. to Rome, and so into his owne country, leaving the Duke of Burgundy Generall of the French in his stead, which fulfils that part of the pro­phesie.

During King Richards stay there, he sould the kingdome of Cyprus to the knight Templers, for 30000 marks, and (as the French Chronicle re­ports) forc'd it from them againe by strength Richard sels the Kingdome of Cyprus. and gave it to Guy of Lesingham the last K. of Ie­rusalem, & further for an affront offered him, he took the Duke of Austria's Banner, and stampt it and trampled it under his foote, for which the Duke sought all advantages to be revenged on him, (as shall be related hereafter) he then, be­cause the Turks had not delivered to him the He vilisieth the Duke of Austria. holy crosse according to their agreement at the taking of Acon, slew all that were in the City with their pledges and hostages, the whole number as some write, amounting to 5000 persons: then he provided for the present seige of Ierusalem, which as he was given to under­stand, He intends to besi [...]ge Ieru­s [...]lem was at that time much distressed: for it followeth.

Of Iebus and Salem, the holy City had the de­nomination of Ierusalem: and by the lame and blinde is intended the idols of the infidels, who have feete and walke not, eyes and see not, &c. King Richard marching within five mile of the place, purposed to inviron it round, that no supply or succour might bee brought unto it; daily expecting when the Duke of Burgundy with the French would follow him, who perfidious­ly against his oath and promise, made an orati­on to his souldiers as followeth: It is knowne unto you all noble friends and countrymen, that The Duke of Burgundies Oration to his Souldiers. though our Soveraigne Lord the King be ab­sent, yet all the flower and chivalry of France are here present, and whatsoever is done to the dignity of the Christians, and disgrace of the infidels, is most likely by us to be atchieved, the English being cowards and meacockes, and we couragious and manly; yet whatsoever noble act shall be attempted by us, the honour thereof shall bee attributed to them, their King being resident here, & ours so far remote from hence: my counsaile is therefore, that we march back to Acon, and leave them to the hazard that ayme at the honour: which speech so prevailed with his people, that Richard was prevented in his The death of the Duke of Bu­gundy. former purpose, and the Duke of Burgundy soone after dyed.

Yet this Lyon-hearted leader was no way [Page 136] dauted with the French delirements: but ray­sing his siege, hee pursu'd the Soldans, who then begirt the towne and Castle of Iaphath, and won it, taking there many Christians prisoners, and then man'd it with his owne men, sending them whom he surprised to bee else where imprisoned, whom K. Richard com­ming too late to the siege, most fortunately met and rescued: which done hee set upon the King Richards victory over the Souldiars. towne and Castle and tooke them, setting there a strong garrison of Christians. After which victory he wonne Dacon and Garles, two great Cities, and repaired the Castle of Askelon with sundry others, which the Pagans had much de­faced and ruined: after which, he commanded all his prisoners to be slayne, which others sold to their profit (and advantage) by which hee grew to be the greater terror to the Turks: but victuals daily diminishing & sicknes increasing in his army, and the French fayling him, having set things there in the best order that necessity King Richard leaveth h the Holy Land. would permit him, he took shiping at Acon (cal­led also Tholomida, & from thence he sailed into Cyprus: then he sent his wife and her sister with the greatest part of his people, into Sicilia, and because he could not well brooke the Sea, hee thought to make a short cut into Histria, but by force of weather was driven a shore betwixt Venice and Aquilea, where landing with that small traine which followed him, He was espy­ed, by some of the Duke of Austria's Knights (whose standard he had trod under foote, who [Page 137] after laid waite for him, and tooke him; the manner whereof I leave to the ensuing Chap­ter.

CHAP. 16.

IN the absence of the King, whilst The tyranny of the Bishop of Ely, made pro­tector of the Land. he was busie in his warres abroad, the Bishop of Ely Chauncellour, and Pro-rex at home; opposed the Lords, abused the Commons, and oppressed the Clergy: hee rid not abroad, attended with lesse then a thousand horses; to maintaine which pompe, and Luciferian pride, hee ex­torted from the poore, from the Peeres, but especially from the Prelates; holding in his hands at once, besides Ely, the two Arch­bishopricks of Canterbury, and Yorke: impri­soning whom he pleased, and releasing where he liked: nor was the King more earnest in vex­ing the Pagans and Infidels in the Land of Pa­lestine, [Page 138] then he was eager and extreame against his Christian brethren, whose patronage and protection were committed to his charge, so that it verifies;

In which interim, the King being on all sides King Richard ambusht in his returne. ambusht by the Austrians, for betwixt Venice and Aquilea, in a Province belonging to the Duke, he was beset by one Mainart de Goresen, but with losse of some of his traine, he by his manhood escaped. After at a towne named Frisach, one Frederick de Saint Soon made a se­cond attempt upon him, and tooke six of his Knights, but he by his noble valour made his way through the ambush of the enemy, with­out surprizall, and strooke up towards Germa­ny: but spies being set to know what course he King Richard taken. took, he was at length betrayed into the hands of the Duke of Lemple cousin to the Emperor, who sent him to the Duke of Austria: he pre­sently rifled him of all the treasure and iewels hee had about him, and committed him for a moneth to strait and close prison.

During which time (as some write) the Duke Hence he had the appe [...]ation of Cur de Ly­on. put him to cope singly with a great and migh­ty Lion, weaponlesse and unarmed, who having conquered the beast, ript up his heart and flang it in the Dukes face, and after that with a blow under the eare he slew the Dukes sonne; and [Page 139] further, that his daughter being enamoured both of his person and great valour, he left her vitiated and deflowred: but howsoever in this all witnesses agree, that when the moneth was expired, he sent him to the Emperour who was Henry the first of that name, and sonne to Frederick the first, who put him into a darke and obscure dungeon, covenanting with the Duke, that he should have the third part of his ransome: there he remained for the space of a yeere and three moneths, at length up­on a palm-sunday, he caused him to be brought before his Princes and Lords, to answer what could be obiected against him, where hee ap­peared with such a manly and maiestick aspect, and withal answered so directly and discreetly to whatsoever was laid to his charge, that they generally comiserated his iniust durance: then King Richard ransomed at an hundred thou­sand pound, and set at li­berty. his ransome was set at an hundred thousand pound sterling, and hostages given for the pay­ment by such a time: which done, he was set at liberty: which verefies,

The King in the eight yeere of his Reigne, The Kings ar­rivall into England. about the latter end of March landed at Sand­wich, and came straight to London, where he was ioyfully received, and then calling a Counsaile of his Lords, he first took order to pay his ransome: and because his brother [Page 140] Iohn in his absence had usurped the Diadem & was at that time in France, he deprived him of all Honour and title, and tooke from him, all those Earledomes and revenewes that hee before had conferd upon him, and caused him selfe at Winchester to be the second time crow­ned, and then began the ancient grudge to re­vive betweene the two Kings of England and France, which was the more aggravated, be­cause the French King supported Iohn, against the King his Brother: But Prince Iohn seeing how much his fame was magnified in the mouths of all men, and that all the parts both of Christendome, and Paganisme, resoun­ded with his praise, he made means to his mo­ther Queene Eleanor, by whose mediation a Iohn reconci­led to the K. his brother. peace was made betwixt her two sonnes, whilest the wars in Normandy and France, went stil forwards.

Many wery the battailes fought betwixt the two Kings, and much effusion of bloud on both sides, where sometimes the one, some­times the other had the better, but for the most part Richard the best, during which com­bustion before the last 20000 pound for his ransome was payd, his two hostages the Bish­ops of Bath in England, and Roan in Norman­dy, came unto him and told him that they were set at liberty by the Emperour, and fur­ther shewed, that his great enemy the Duke of Austria, was accused of Innocent the third then Pope, for the iniuries before offered him, [Page 141] and that upon Saint Stephens day hee prickt his foot with a thorne, which gangrend, and should have beene cut off, and being told hee must die, he sent to his Bishops to be absolved, which they had denied to doe, till hee had showne himselfe repentant, for the foresaid wrongs, and released his hostages, which being The death of the Duke of Austria. accordingly done, the Duke died, and they were delivered.

In the processe of the wars before spoken of, King Richard, in the tenth yeere of his Reigne, after Christmasse, besieged a Castle in France neere Lymoges, called Gaylyard, the cause was, that a rich treasure being found within the Seig­niory of the King of England, by one Widomer Vicount of Lemruke, hee had denyed to render it up, and fled thither for his refuge, and de­fended it manfully till the fift day of April, upon which day the King walking unadvisedly, to The King too unadvised. take view of the Fort, and where it might be best entred, one named Bertrand Genedow (whom some Writers call Pater Basale,) marked the King and wounded him in the head, (but some say in the arme) with a poysoned arrow, after which hurt received, hee caused a violent and desperate assault to be made, in which hee wonne the Castle, then hee made inquiry, who hee was that had wounded him? who being found and brought before him, the King de­manded of him, why he should rather ayme at his person, than any of those who were then about him? who boldly made answer, because [Page 142] thou slewest my Father and my brethren, for which I vowed thy death whatsoever became of me: the King after some pawsing leisure, for that answer gave him his pardon and liberty, but the rest of the souldiers he put to the sword, and caused the Castle to bee razed to the earth, The death of King Richard the fir [...]. and dyed the third day after, whose body was buried at Fount E-a-Bleu, at the feet of his Fa­ther, which no way erres from the prophesie.

Iohn the youngest sonne to Henry the second, Iohn made King of Eng­land. and brother to the late deceased Richard, was proclaimed King, the tenth day of April, in the yeere of Grace, one thousand one hundred fourescore and nineteene, and was crowned at Westminster, upon holy Thursday next ensuing: of whom it was thus predicted:

The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox, and after the Leo pard. in the premisses, where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peo­ples hearts, and rob him of his Kingdom, think­ing his brother all that time as dead, when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty, but finding him waking, as being enfranchised and set at large, he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows, being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother: the rest shall follow in order: hee was King Iohns ch [...]acter. of a disposition, course, and retrograde, self­will'd, and proud, in all or most of his underta­kings very infortunate. In the first yeere of his reigne, he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester, pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud, and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme, King Iohns second mariage and issue. in France, by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard, and three daughters, Isabel, Eleanor, and Iane: He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Brita­ny, and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur, son to Ieffery Plantaginet, [Page 144] to his great derogation and dishonour, he after left all Normandy, which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy. from him, even to one Towne and Village, ap­proving that of the Prophet.

The Prophet, for his stained and contaminated life and government, would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion, but a Leopard alluding, as well to his spotted fame as his skin, by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King, seized all Normandy, and tooke it into his absolute possession, annexing it to his Crowne, which no French Monarch ever had, since the time of Charles the Simple, who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry, with Guilla his daughter, which had successively continued un­der the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Norman­die, and the Kings of England, three hundred yeers and upwards.

In the first yeere of his Reigne, Stephen Lang­ton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury, by the Monks, the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop. King, for which hee complained him to the Pope, who sent unto him loving and kinde Let­ters, to admit of the said Stephen, to which his Lords advised him; but the more he was impor­tuned, the more implacable hee grew, returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall. The next yeere came a strict comman­dement [Page 145] from Rome, that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See, that the whole Land should be interdicted, charging these four Bishops, William of London, King Iohns obstinacy. Eustace of Elie, Walter of Winchester, and Giles of Hereford, to denounce the King and his Land accursed, unlesse his command were pun­ctually obey'd: but though these Prelates, with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him, to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church, all was to no purpose, for which, upon the six and twentieth day of March, they began in Lon­don, and first shut up the doores of all Temples, Churches and Chappels, with all the other pla­ces where Divine Service was used, and as in London, so they did through the whole Land, The whole land by the Pop [...] accursed. for which the King was so inraged, that he sei­zed all their temporalties into his hands, putting them into such feare, that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop, some write, that this interdiction was of such power and validity, that during the time therof, which was six yeers, three moneths and odde dayes, no Service was said, no Sacraments administred, no Childe Christned, none Married, and not any suffered An uncharita­ble Bull. to come to Confesse.

In this interim, the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation. rage, proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall, that held any Lands or other live­lihood here, shall by the next Michaelmasse re­turne into the Land, or failing therein, forfeit their whole estates, besides that diligent search [Page 146] should be made, what Letters should be brought from Rome, which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Cler­gie. King: then hee extorted from all the Monaste­ries, not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie: For which a new Commission was sent from Rome, by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced, to which by the authority of the Pope was added, that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England, as well spi­rituall as Temporall, from all duty and allegi­ance before sworne to the King, and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him, to de­pose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity; but all these tooke no more impressi­on The Lords and others acquit of their alle­giance by the Pope. in him, then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man, or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble.

But by the way (which I cannot let passe) this King Iohn, in the tenth yeere of his Reigne, and of grace, one thousand two hundred and ten, The first Ma­jor and She­ [...]iffs of Lon­don made by K. Iohn. granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents, that in stead of two Bayliffs, by which their Magistracy was held, they should yeerly choose themselves a Major, and two Sheriffs; which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin, and Peter Duke, and Thomas Neale, Sheriffs. The same yeere London bridge which before was of tim­ber, London bridge Saint Mary Overies. was begun to be builded of stone, and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in South­wark.

CHAP. 17.

I Proceed where I left: in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunde­rings from the Pope. Pandolphus, with another a Latere, to accompany him, to solicit the same businesse, who were sent back with a like frivolous answer: yet hee sent againe the yeere following, the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick, and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries, &c. Then at last, the King considering, into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials, how he had lost Normandy abroad, and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission. at home: that his Lords were acquitted of their allegiance, and in what danger his souls and his peoples were, hee and his whole Nation stand­ing accursed, he at length condiscended, to sub­mit himselfe to whatsoever the Court of Rome [Page 148] should determine. The Articles proposed by the Pope, and by him to be performed were these following.

Peaceably to suffer Stephen Langton to enter The Articles that hee should yield to. into the Land, and to enjoy the primacy and profits of his Archbishoprick, that these whom hee had banisht should be repeald, and their goods whom hee had rifled, should be to them restored: and that he should yield up his absolute right and title to the Crowne of England, and he & his heirs, thence-forward, to hold it of the Pope and his successors: to which having gran­ted, and he and his Lords being sworne to ob­serve Iohn delivers up his Crowne to the Popes use. the same, Hee kneeling tooke the Leg [...]te to him, the Crowne from his head, and delive­red it to the Popes use, saying these words, I here resigne up the Crowne of the Realmes of England and Ireland, into the hands of pope Innocent the third, and put my selfe wholly into his power and mercy; then Pandolph as Depu­ty for the Pope tooke the Crowne, and kept it five dayes in his possession, and then the King received it from him againe: First, having sea­led and delivered up an Instrument or writing, the effect was, that he could challenge no power but by permission of the Pope; and further to pay unto the Apostolicke See yeerly a thousand Marks of silver, seven hundred for the Crowne of England, and three hundred for the King­dome of Ireland: for the payment of which Tribute yee [...]ly paid by King Iohn to Rome tribute but the Peter-pence were after gathered, and this confirmes the premisses exprest in the prophesie.

It is made so plaine, that it needs no further In­terpretor: In those days, lived one called Peter Peter of Pom­fret. of Pomfret, a Bard, (and such then were held as Southsayers and prophets) who predicted di­vers of the Kings disasters, which fell out accor­dingly: amongst which one was, that hee should reigne but fourteene yeeres: but when the King had entred the fifteenth, hee called him into question for a false prophet, to which hee an­swered, that whatsoever hee had foretold was justifiable and true. For in the fourteenth yeer hee gave up his Crowne unto the pope, and hee paying unto him an annuall tribute, the pope raigned, and not hee: notwithstanding which apology he caused him as a Traytour to be han­ged and quartered.

After which he bore himselfe so aversly, to­wards his Barons, that the greatest part of them Lewis sonne to the French King called in to England by th [...] Barons. fell from his Allegiance, and called in Lewis (son to the French king) into the Land, covenant­ing to make him king, who was received with his whole Army, and possessed of London, the Tower, and many other strong holds in the [Page 150] kingdome; betwixt whom and the king were sundry conflicts and skirmishes, in which they diversly sped, during which dissention in the seventeenth yeere of his Reigne he expired (as the Authour of Polychron. saith) at Newarke, of The death of King Iohn. a bloudy flix. But by the relation of our Eng­lish Chronicle, to which we give more credit, as also by the authority of Master Fox in his Mar­tyrologie, he was poysoned by a Monke (having been a great Rifler of their Monasteries) and dyed at Swinsted Abbey in Lincolnshire (this Monke being of the same House) and his body was after buried in the Cathedrall Church at Winchester, which fatall accident hapned unto him the day after Saint Luke, being the eigh­teenth of October, after hee had reigned sixteen yeeres, six moneths and odde days, leaving be­hind him two sonnes, Henry and Richard. In his death verifying,

Not forgetting the former, which was predi­cted of Lewis comming into the Land,

Henry the third of that name, and eldest son Henry the third crowned King. to King Iohn, at the age of nine yeeres beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England, the [Page 151] twentieth of October, in the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred and sixteene, Philip the second being then king of France: this king reigned the longest, and did the least (of remark­able memory) of any of his predecessours: Of whom it was thus predicted,

Presently upon the young Kings Coronation, the greatest part of the English peeres, revolted The English Lords revolt from Lewis to Henry. from the French party, and acknowledged him their sole King and Soveraigne, so that within a short season, they quit both him and all the Aliens, and Strangers out of the Land: in the eight yeare of his Raigne was held a Parlament The first gran­ting of Wards. in which was granted to the King and his succes­sor Kings, the Wardship and Mariage of all the Heires: which act was called by wise men of that age, Initium Malorum.

[Page 152] In the thirtieth yeare of his Raigne dyed Frederick the Emperour who had before ma­ried Isabell the Kings sister. who for his con­tempt of the church of Rome was accursed, of The death of the Emperour Frederick. whom was made this Epitaph,

Which though it cannot sound so well in our English tongue, yet is thus paraphrased.

After whose death the Electors could not agree in the choise of a successor: some nomi­nated the Duke of Thoring, others the Earle of Holland, and some againe stood for Rich­ard Earle of Cornwale the Kings brother, but in the end Rodulphus Duke of Habspurg, was inaugurated by Pope Gregory the ninth: so that great variance and strife continued for the space of 27 yeares, to the great Im­poverishment of Italy and the lands of the em­pire, in the fortieth yeare of the King landed in England upon Innocents day in Christmas Richard Earle of Cornwall crowned Empe­rour. weeke, divers Princes of the Empyre, and did their homage to Richard Earle of Cornwale, [Page 153] as King of the Romans and Emperour, who upon Ascention day after was crowned in A­quisgrane, verifying:

In the 41 yeare, about Saint Barabas day in the moneth of Iune, the king called his high The mad Par­liament. Court of Parliament at Oxford, which was cal­led the mad parliament, because in it divers Acts were concluded against the Kings plea­sure, for the reformation of the state: for which, after great dissention grew betwixt the King and his Nobles, called the Barons Wars, which proved the perishing of many of the Peeres, and almost the ruine of the whole Realme: for in that Session were chosen twelve Peeres, whom they called the Douz Peeres, who had full Commission to correct and reforme whatsoever was done amisse in the Kings Court, the Courts of Iustice, and Exchequer through­out Twelve of the Nobilitie cho­sen, and called the Douz Peeres. the Land, to whose power the King and Prince Edward his sonne signed and assented un­to, though somewhat against their wills: of all which passages, such as would be fully satisfied, I referre them to our English Chronicles, or to Michael Draytons Poem of the Bar [...]ns Warres, wherein they are amply discoursed: and my nar­row limits will not give mee leave to relate them at large: yet I borrow permission to [Page 154] insist a little further on one particular.

All things being in combustion betwixt the The Baro [...]s Letter to the King. King and his Peeres, and their Armies assem­bled on both sides, the Barons framed a Let­ter to the King to this purpose. To the most ex­cellent Lord King Henry, by the grace of God King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Guian, &c. The Barons, and other your faith­full servants; their fidelity and oath to God and you coveting to keep, sending due saluting, with all reverence and honour under due obeysance, &c. Liketh it your Highnesse to understand, that many being about you have before time shewed unto your Lordship of us many evill and untrue reports, and have found suggestions not onely of us, but also of your selfe, to bring your Realme to subversion: Know your excel­lency, that we intend nothing but health, and security to your person, to the uttermost of our powers. And not onely to our enemies, but al­so yours, and all this your Realme, wee intend utter grievance and correction, beseeching your grace hereafter to give to them little credence; for you shall find us your true and faithfull sub­jects to the uttermost of our powers. And wee Simon Mountfort, Earle of Leceister, and High Steward of England, and Gilbert Clare, Earle of Glocester, at the request of others, and for our selves, have put to our Seals the 10. of May.

To which Letter the King framed this An­swer. The Kings an­swer to the Barons Let­ter. Henry by the grace of God, King of Eng­land, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Guian: to [Page 155] Simon de Mountfort, and Gilbert de Clare, and their Complices: Whereas by Warre and generall disturbance in this our Realme, by you begunne and continued, with also burnings and other enormities, it evidently appeares that your fidelity to us due, you have not kept, nor the security of our person litle regarded: for so much as our Lords, and other our trusty friends, which daily abide with us, yee vexe and grieve, and them pursue to the utmost of your powers, and yet daily intend; as you by the report of your Letters have us ascertained: we, the griefe of them admit, and take for our owne, especially when they for their fidelity, which they to us daily impend, stand, and abide by us, to suppresse your infidelity and untroth: Wherefore of your favour and assurance we set little store, but you, as our enemies, we utterly defie. Witnesse our selfe at our Towne of Lewis, the twelfth of May.

Moreover, Richard his Brother King of the Romans (who was come over into England with his wife and son) with Prince Edward and other Lords about the King, sent them another Let­ter, Richard the Emperour and Prince Ed­wards Letter to the Barons. the tenour whereof was this: Richard by the grace of G [...]d King of the Romans, semper Augustus, and Edward the Noble first begotten sonne of the King of England, and all other Ba­rons firmly standing and abiding with our So­veraigne Lord the King: To Simonde Mount­fort, and Gilbert de Clare, and all other their false fellowes, &c. By the Letters which yee sent to [Page 156] our Soveraigne Lord, wee understand that wee are defied of you; neverthelesse, this word of de­fiance appeared to us sufficiently before, by the deprivation, and burning of our Mannors, and carrying away of our goods; wherefore we will that yee understand, that we defie you as our mortall and publicke enemies, and whensoever we may come to the revengement of the inju­ries that you to us have done, wee shall requite it, to the utmost of our power; and where yee put upon us, that neither true nor good counsell to our Soveraigne Lord we give, you therein say falsely and untruely: and if that saying, yee Sir Simon de Mountfort, and Sir Gilbert de Clare, will testifie in the Court of our Soveraign Lord, we are ready to purchase to your surety and safe comming, that there wee may prove our true and faithfull innocency, and your false and trayterous lying. Witnessed with the Seales of Richard King of the Romans, and Sir Edward Prince, before named. Given at Lewes the twelfth of May. The successe of the Battaile fol­loweth in the next Chapter.

CHAP. 18.

WHen the Barons had received these letters, they were resolved to try it out by the sword, & on wednesday being the 24 day of May, early in the morning, both hoasts met, where the Londoners who took part with the Barons, gave the first assault, but were beaten back, some-what to the The battaile betwixt the King and the Barons. dismay of the Barons Army: but they cheared their fresh and lusty Souldiers in such wise, that they valiantly came on: by whose brave resoluti­on, those before discomfited resumed their for­mer strength and vertue, fighting without fear: in so much that the Kings vaward gave back & left their places: in this battaile the father spa­red not the sonne, nor the sonne the father, (such was the misery of those home bred wars) in so much that the field was every where strow­ed with dead b [...]dyes, for the fight continued the greatest part of the day: at last the victory [Page 158] fell to the Barons: so that were taken the King, the King of the Romans, and prince Edward The King ta­ken prisoner with the King of the Ro­mans and P. Edward. with five and twenty Barons and Bannerets, and the people slaine on both sides, amounted to above twentythousand.

These royall prisoners being put in safe keep­ing, a peace was after debated, and at length concluded, and they released, but it proved to small purpose, for many battailes were after fought betwixt them, in which sometimes the King, sometimes the Barons had the better (the circumstances are too long to relate) in which Prince Edward bore himselfe bravely: in pro­cesse the five & fiftieth yeer of this Kings Reign, the King of the Romans made attonement be­twixt the King his brother, and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester, who had continued the wars of the Barons, upon condition that hee should take a Voyage into the Holy Land for the King, for which hee should have towards his charge eight thousand Marks in hand, and when hee was on shipboard foure thousand more, and to bee ready the first day of May next following: but this failing in him; Prince Edward under­tooke it in his stead, and the yeere after ab [...]ut the end of March, dyed Richard Emperour of The death of Richard K. of the Romans. Almaine, King of the Romans, and Earle of Corn­wall, being the Kings brother, after hee had go­verned the Empire betwixt fifteen and sixteene yeeres, and was buried at Hales an Abbey of white Monks which hee had before time foun­ded: and the yeere following, upon the sixteenth [Page 159] day of November, died Henry the Third King of England, after he had governed the Realme fifty The death of Henry the third. six yeeres, and twenty seven days, leaving for his Heire Prince Edward, who was then in the Holy Land, and another sonne called Edmund Crowch­backe: His body was buried in the Abbey of Westminster, and over him inscribed:

Thus Englished,

The premisses confirme the prophesie of his Reigne towards the latter end of his time: which was turbulent and troublesome, to the exhausting of the Kings treasure, the deaths of many of his Noble Barons, and almost to the destruction and desolation of the whole Realm: therefore it was truly said of him:

[Page 160] By the Lion the King is personated, and by the rest of the beasts and birds named, the se­verall Crests and Emblazons in the Barons Armes and Scutchions, by which they were distinguisht. Prince Edward his sonne was at the time of his death in the Land of Palaestine. Of whom also it was thus predicted.

Hee in the yeere one thousand two hundred Prince Ed­wards expedi­tio [...] to the Holy Land. threescore and eleven, and in the yeere of his fa­thers Reigne fifty five, upon the twentieth of August, tooke shipping at Dover, and sailed thence to Burdeaux, but because the French Ar­my (b [...]und upon the same adventure, was re­moved thence, he sped after, and met with them at Tunis, and from the [...]ce he took shipping for [Page 161] the Holy Land, and arrived with some French forces joyned with his owne. At Acris or Acon, what time the Christians possessed that City on­ly, and the City of Tyre, holding some few Castles to preserve them from the rage of the Soldan, There he was honorably received, and with great joy: after whose being there; the Soldan or Saladine, who had wonne all the Countrey there about, came thither with an Hoast of an hundred threescore thousand Sa­razens; and besieged the City, and made many bold and bloudy assaults. But the Prince, so Prince Ed­wards valour in defending Acris. valiantly demeaned himselfe, that hee defended the City, the Castles belonging to it, and all the Territories about, that notwithstanding the multitude of the Soldans Army, hee was com­peld to forsake the siege to his great shame and dishonour.

Even the French Chronicles, whose custome The French Chronicles te­stifie of P. Ed­wards valour. is to write boastingly of themselves, and spa­ringly of others; bestow on him a character of invincible courage, and that in all his stratagems and martiall exploits, hee so honourably beha­ved himselfe, that his very name was a terrour to the Turks, for many yeers after: who seeing his great boldnesse, and that they were not able to stand him in battaile, they plotted how to take away his life by Treason, and to that pur­pose, when he was resident in Acon, they sent to P. Edward traitcrously wounded. him a Sarazen, in the name of a Secretary, who in delivering unto him a counterfeit message, wounded him in the arme with an empoyso­ned [Page 162] Knife, which he wresting from the Infidels hand, slue with the same weapon, so that he died incontinently: Then hee cald for a Surgeon, and with incomparable sufferance, commanded him to cut out all the putrified and corrupted flesh, even to the scaling of the bone, without the least shrinking or alteration of countenance: of which base treachery hee was after revenged upon them to their great detriment and da­mage: and thus,

Hee is called Occidentall, as being bred in this our Westerne Island, and the Soldan is figured in the Orientall Moone, being a Prince in the Easterne part of the World, and bearing the se­micircled Moone in his Banner: Prince Edward during his aboad there, had by the Princesse his wife, a daughter called Ioane, who tooke a His wife was Isabell of Spain. Ioan of Acris. name from the place, and was called Ioane of Acris, because there born, and was after married to the Earle of Glocester: After his being there some two yeeres and upward, his father dying, hee was called home to take possession of the Crowne of England.

Edward the first of that name, and sonne of Henry the Third (by reason of his tall stature, sir­named Long-shanks, began his Reign, Novem. 17. the yeere of Grace, one thousand two hundred threescore and twelve who came to London, [Page 163] the second day of August, and was crowned at Westminster, the fourteenth of December fol­lowing The Cororati of P. Edward, sirnamed Lo [...]g­shanks. being the second yeere of his Reigne, at whose Coronation was present Alexander King of Scots, who the morrow following did ho­mage to him for the Kingdome of Scotland: but Lewellin prince of Wales, refused to come to that solemnitie, for which King Edward ga­thered a strong power, and subdued him in his Lewellin P. of Wales rebei­leth. owne borders: and in the yeere after hee called his high Court of Parlament, to which also Lewellin presumptuously denied to come, there­fore after Easter, he assembled new forces, and entring Wales, hee constrained him to submit himselfe to his mercy, which with great difficul­ty Lewellin took to mercy. hee obtained: then the King built the Castle of Flint, and strengthened the Castle of Rut­land, to keepe the Welsh in due obedience.

He gave also uuto David brother of Lewellin, David brother to Lewellin. the Castle of Froddesham, who remayned in his Court, and with his seeming service much de­lighted the King: but David did it only as a spie, to give his brother secret intelligence, of what­soever the King or his Counsell said of him or against him, who tooke his opportunity, and privatly left the Court, stirring up his bro [...]her to a new Rebellion, of which the King being informed, hee could hardly thinke that hee could prove so ingratefull, but being better as­certained of the truth, he made fierce warre up­on them: at length Lewellin was strictly besieged in Swandon Castle, from which when hee [Page 164] thought early in a morning to escape with ten Knights only, hee was met by Sir Roger Morti­mer, (upon whose Lands hee had before done great out-rage) who surprized him and cut off his head, and sent it to the King being then at The death of Lewellin P. of Wales. Rutland, who commanded it to bee pitcht on a pole and set upon the Tower of London, and further, that all his heires should be disherited, and their claime to the Soveraignty of Wales to be deprived the right thereof, solely remayning in the Kings of England, and their Successours. So one after was his brother David taken, and after doomed to be drawn, hanged and quarte­red, The death of David his bro­ther. and his head sent to the Tower and placed by his brother Lewellins: in which the prophesie is verified:

Of this Lewellin a Welsh Metrician writ this E­pitaph,

Thus anciently Englisht:

To which an English Poet of those times made this answer,

In the twentieth yeere of the King, upon Saint Andrews Eve, being the twentie ninth of November, died Queene Eleanor, sister to the The death of Q. Eleanor King of Spaine: by whom the King had foure sonnes, Iohn, Henry, Alphons, and Edward; the three first died, and Edward the youngest suc­ceeded [Page 166] his Father, and five Daughters, Eleanor who was married to William of Bar, Ioan of The Kings R [...]yall Issue. Acris, to the Earle of Glocester, Gilbert de Clare: Margaret to the Dukes sonne of Brabant, Mary who was made a Nun at Ambrisbury, and Elisabeth espoused to the Earle of Holland, and after his death to Humphrey Bokun Earle of Hereford.

This yeere also died old Queene Eleanor wife The death of K. Edwards mo­ther. to Henry the third, and mother to King Edward. I come now to the twenty fourth yeare of his Reigne, in which Alexander King of Scotland being dead, hee left three Daughters: the first was married to Sir Iohn Baliol, the second to Sir Robert le Bruise, the third to one Hastings. Amongst which there fell dissention about the Title to the Crown, as shall appeare in the next Chapter.

CHAP. 19.

THese three before-named, Baliol, Bruse and Hastings, came to King Edward as chiefe Lord and Sove­reigne Authority by which Eng­land claimed homage from the Scotch Kings. of that Land, to dispose of the right of their Titles to his pleasure, and they to abide his censure, who to the intent that they might know hee was the sole competent Iudge in that case, caused old Evidences and Chroni­cles to be searcht, amongst which was Maria­nus the Scot, William of Malmsbury, Roger of Hungtington, and others, in which were found and read before them, that in the yeere of Grace nine hundred and twenty, King Edward the el­der made subject unto him the two Kings of Cambria and Scotland: In the yeere nine hun­dred twenty one, the said Kings of Wales and Scotland, chose the same Edward to bee their Lord and Patron. In the yeere nine hundred [Page 168] twenty six Ethelstane King of England, subdued Constantine King of Scots, who did him fealty and homage. And Edredus brother and succes­sor to Ethelstane, subdued the Scots againe, with the Northumbers, who reigned under him.

It was also found in the said Chronicles, that King Edgar overcame Alpinus, the sonne of Kinudus, King of Scots, and received of him homage, as hee had done of his father before time. And that Canutus in the sixteenth yeere of his Reign, overcame Malcolm K. of Scots, and received of him oath and homage: that Wil­liam the Conquerour in the sixt yeere of his Reigne, was victorious over Malcolme, who be­fore received the Kingdome of the gift of Ed­ward the Confessor, who did him fealty; the like did Malcolme and his two sonnes to VVilli­am sirnamed the Red, sonne to the Conquerour: David King of Scots did homage also to Ste­phen King of England. VVilliam King of Scots did the like to Henry the third at the time of his Coronation, and when this Henry was dead, This Henry cald the third, was sonne to Henry the se cond, and was crowned, but dyed befo [...]e his Father. hee came after to his father Henry the second, into Normandy; and did the like to him also. Alexander King of Scots in the thirty first yeer of Henry the second, (sonne of King Iohn) married at Yorke the Daughter of the said Henry, and did him homage for the Realme of Scotland, &c.

Further, was shewed unto them the Popes Bulls, sent into Scotland; by vertue whereof, those of their Kings were accursed that would [Page 169] not bee obedient to their Lords, the Kings of England: Briefely, they acknowledging all these Authoriy from Rome. to be true, Bonds were made on both sides, in which thing Edward was tyed in an hundred thousand pounds to nominate their King, and the Scots againe bound to obey him, nomina­ted as their Soveraigne: After which writings sealed, they delivered the possession of the King­dome of Scotland into King Edwards hands, to preserve it to his use, of whom hee would make election, who made choise of Sir Iohn Bali­oll, as true and immediate heire, by marrying Sir Iohn Bali­oll made king of Scots. the eldest sister, for which he did him homage and sware him fealty: which done, the Scots with their new King, departed joyfully into Scotland.

But soone after, Baliol repented him of his Oath, and as some say, by the Counsell of the Abbot of Menrosse, others by the instigation of the King of France; but whether by one or both, certaine it is, that hee perfidiously revol­ted, and made warre upon England, which Ed­ward hearing, sped him with a great hoast into The Scots re­volt. Scotland, and laid siege to Barwicke, but they bravely defended the Towne, and burnt some of our English, with which they were so infla­med with pride, that they made this scornfull Rime upon the English:

At which King Edward being mightily mo­ved, so incouraged his souldiers, that they first wonne the Ditches, and after with great diffi­culty the Bulwarkes, and then came to the gates, which they inforced, and entring the Towne, slew twenty five thousand, and seven hundred Scots, and lost no man of note, save Richard King Edward winneth Bar­wicke. Earle of Cornwall, and of meaner people twenty seven and no more; which hitherto upholds the former prediction.

By the Northerne Dyke is implyed the Ri­ver Tweede, and by Wyke the Towne of Bar­wicke: but I pursue the History: The King ha­ving possest the Towne and Castle, hee sent Sir Hugh Spencer, with Sir Hugh Parcy, and other Noble men to besiege Dunbar, whither came a mighty Host to remove them thence, with whom the English had a fierce and cruel battail, A glorious vi­ctory at the ta­king of Dun­bar. in which were slaine of the Scots twenty two thousand, and of the English a very small num­ber, wherefore the English to reproach the [Page 171] Scots in regard of their former Rime made this,

After the taking of the Towne and Castle of Dunbarre, the King besieged the City of E­denborough, and wonne both it and the Castle, Edenborough taken, with the Castle, Crown, &c. in which were found the Regalities of state, which King Edward tooke thence, (and offe­red them at the shrine of Saint Edward, upon the eighteenth day of Iune the year following.) Then Sir Iohn Baliol, with diverse of his Clergy and Nobility, submitted themselves to the kings grace, and having setled the affaires of Scotland, hee brought them up to London, and then asked them what amends they would make him for all the trouble and damage they had put him to? who answered, they wholly submitted themselves to his mercy. Hee then replyed, your Lands nor your goods doe I de­sire, but I will that you take the Sacrament, to be my true Feodaries, and never more to beare Armes against me: to which they willingly as­sented, of w^ch were sir Iohn Commin, the Earle of Stratherne, & the Earle of Carick, and foure The Scotch sworne on the Sacrament. Bishops took Oath in the behalfe of themselves and the whole Clergy: which done, the king gave them safe conduct into their Country.

But not long after, they hearing the king was [Page 172] busied in his warres of Gascoyne, against the French king, they made a new insurrection, ha­ving They breake their oath. one VVill. Wallis a desperate Ruffin and of low condition to be their chiefe Leader: which the King hearing, having ordred his affaires in [...]rance, hee sped towards Scotland, and entring the Kingdome, he burnt and wasted wheresoere he came, sparing only all Churches, Religious Houses, and the poore people who besought him of mercy. At length hee met with the Scottish Army upon Saint Mary Mawdlins day, at a place called Fonkirke, where hee gave them The b [...]ve bat­taile at Fon­k [...]ke. battaile, and slue of them thirty three thousand, with the losse only of twenty eight men and no more, and finding no other enemies able to resist him, hee returned into England; and after mar­ried Margaret the French Kings sister, by which King Edward marrieth the French Kings sister. a peace betwixt England and France was con­cluded.

Then went king Edward a third time into Scotland, and almost famished the Land, and tooke the strong Castle of Estrevelin, and soon after was taken William VVallis at the Town of The end of William Wal­lis. Saint Dominick, who was sent to London, where he received his judgement, and upon Saint Bar­tholomews Eve, was drawne and quartred, his head stooke off and set on London bridge, and his foure quarters sent to bee hanged up in the foure chiefe Cities of Scotland: after this Ro­bert le Bruce claymed the Crowne of Scotland, without acquainting king Edward therewith, and drove all the Englishmen out of the Land; [Page 173] of which he vowed revenge, and to hang up all the Traytors in that kingdome: who before hee set forward on that expedition made foure hun­dred and foure knights at VVestminster, upon a Whitson Sunday, with whom and the rest of King Edward maketh 400, and foure Knights. his Army he once more pierced Scotland, and upon Friday before the Assumption of our La­dy, hee met with Robert le Bruce and his Hoast, beside Saint Iohns Towne, and slue of them se­ven thousand at the first encounter, and the rest fled. In this battaile was taken Sir Simon Fri­zell, and sent to London, where hee was drawne, hanged and quartered: there suffered also Iohn Earle of Athelus, and Iohn brother to VVilliam King Edwards last victory o­ver the Scots. VVallis, but Robert le Bruce fled from Scotland into Norway, to the King, who had married his sister.

When King Edward had thus abated the pride of his enemies, he returned again South­ward, and a great sicknesse took him at Bozroes upon Sands, in the Marches of Scotland, be­yond Carlile, and when he knew hee should die, hee called unto him Aymer de Valence Earle of Pembroke, Sir Henry Piercy Earle of Northum­berland, Sir Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne, and Sir Robert Clifford Baron; and swore them to crowne his sonne Edward of Carnarvan after his death: then hee called his sonne, charging him with many things upon his blessing, but The Barons sworne to the successour. especially that hee shall never receive Pierce Ga­vestone his old companion (before banisht) into the Kingdome: and so dyed upon the seventh [Page 174] of Iuly, when hee had reigned foure and thirty yeeres, seven moneths and odde dayes, and The death of K. Edward the first. thence his body was conveighed to Westminster, and there buried: approving the prophesie.

Upon whose Tombe this Distich was inscri­bed:

Thus in those dayes Englisht:

Of his sonne Prince Edward, the Prophesie runs thus: A prophesie of the Reigne of Edward the second.

To confirme which, Edward the second of that name (and sonne of Edward the first) borne at Carnarvan a Town of VVales, began his Reigne over England, the eighth of Iuly, in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred and seven, and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth day of December, whose Fathers Obsequies were scarcely ended, but forgetting the great His Coronation charge and command layed upon him in his death, hee sent in haste for his old friend and fa­miliar Pierce Gauestone out of France, whom hee received with great joy, then sayling into Pierce Gave­stone revoked from banish­ment. France the fifteenth of Ianuary following, at Bolloigne in Picardy, espoused Isabell the His marriage. daughter of Philip the Faire, and returned with her into England, where soone after hee made [Page 176] Gaveston Earle of Cornwall, and gave him the Gaveston made E [...]le of Cornwall. Lordship of VVallingford, to the great displea­sure of the Barons, who were sworne to his fa­ther not to suffer him to come into the Realm.

In the second of his Raign, remembring the complaint that Steph. Langton Bishop of Chester had made of him and Gaveston for sundry ry­ots committed in his fathers dayes, for which he was banished, he sent him prisoner to the Tow­er, where he was strictly kept, and ill attended, The Bishop of Chester sent to the Tower. for which end seeing how by this Pierce the kings treasury was howrely exhausted, the Ba­rons assembled themselves, and contrary to the Kings pleasure, banished him into Ireland for a Gaveston bani shed into Ire­land. yeere, where the King gave him the Domini­on over the whole Land, but so mourned and lamented his absence, that by the consent of Lords he was shortly call'd back again: where he demeaned himselfe with greater pride and insolence then at first, despising the Lords and chiefe peeres of the Land, calling Sir Robert of Clare Earle of Gloster whoreson, the Earle of Gavest. abu­seth the peeres Lincolne sir Henry Lacy Burstenbelly, sir Guy Earle of Warwick, black dog of Arderne, and the no­ble Earle Thomas of Lancaster churle: and moreover having the keeping and command of all the kings treasure, he tooke out of the Iewell-house a table of Gold and tressels of the same, which once belonged to King Arthur, with many other invaluable Iewels, and delive­red He robs the Kings treasury them to a merchant called Amery of Frisk­band, to beare them over into Gascoigne, which [Page 177] was a great losse to the kingdome: and further by his loose and effeminate conditions, he drew the King to many horrible vices, as adultery (& as some think) sodomitry, with others: there­fore the Lords againe assembled, and maugre the king, banisht him into Flanders.

In the first yeere upon the day of saint Brice He is banisht into Flanders being the 13 day of November, was born at Win­sor the first and eldest sonne of King Edward that after his father was king of England, & na­med The birth of Edward the third. Edward the third: and the same yeere Ga­veston was called out of Flanders by the king, and restored to all his former honours; and then he demeaned himselfe more contemptuously toward the Barons then before, who besieged him in the Castle of Scarborough, and won it, and tooke him and brought him to Gaversed The death of Pierce Gavest. besides Warwick, and there smote off his head, which was done at the instigation of Thomas Earle of Lancaster (whom Merlin calls the bear) and this approveth the premisses:

CHAP. 20.

BY the Cornish Eagle in the former Chapter is meant Pierce Gavestone Earle of Cornwall; by his plumes of gold, his pride and riches bor­rowed and extorted from others: by the Goat, the King who was given to all intemperate effe­minacie: by the Beare, Thomas Earle of Lanca­ster, &c. This King was of a beautifull aspect, King Edwards Character. and excellent feature: of a strong constitution of body, but unstedfast in promise, and ignoble in condition, as refusing the company of men of honour, to associate himselfe with lewd and vile persons, he was much addicted to bibacity, and apt to discover matters of great counsell and of stupration, and adultery, perswaded thereto by his familiars the French men, for whose death the King vowed an irreconciliable [Page 179] revenge against the Barons, which he after per­formed: indeed so unking-like was his mis­government, that a base Villaine called Iohn Tanner, named himself the son of Edward the Iohn Tanner an Impostor. first, and that by the means of a false nurse, hee was stoln out of his cradle, and this Edward be­ing a Carters son was laid in his place, which the people for the former reasons were easily in­duced to believe: but the Impostor was disco­vered, and by his own confession, judged to be hanged and quartered.

In the seventh yeere of his Reigne, Robert le Robert le Bruce wars against Eng­land. Bruce, King of Scots, whom his Father made flye into Norway, hearing of the misguiding of the Kingdome, and the dissention betwixt him and his Barons, warre strongly against him and his friends in Scotland, and wonne from them Castles and Holds howsoever well munified, to the great damage of the English, who were in­teressed The Kings power against Scotland. in the Land. For which affront, the King assembled a great power, and invaded Scotland by Sea, burning and destroying all such Townes and Villages as were in his way, which Robert le Bruce hearing, he hasted with a strong Army, and upon S. Iohn Baptists day both Hoasts met at a place called Estrivelin, neere unto a fresh River called Bannoksburne, where betwixt them was fought a cruell battaile, in which the English were compeld to forsake the field. For which, in derision of the English, the Scots made this Ryme Doggerill,

In his ninth yeere, Barwick was betrayed to the Scots, by one Peter Spalding whom the King had Barwick be­trayed to the Scots. made Governour of the Town and Castle: and in the eleventh ye [...]re, the Scots entred the bor­ders of Northumberland, most cruelly robbing and burning the Country, even the houses of women who lay in Childbed, not sparing age, The cruelty of the Scots. nor sex, religious nor other: therefore the King raised a new Army, and laid siege to Barwick, in which interim the Scots past the River of Swale, and leaving the Coast where the Kings people lay, came into the Borders of Yorkeshire, to whom the Archbishop with Priests and ploughmen (unexercised in armes) gave battail, but were discomfited, in which so many Priors, Clerks, Canons, and other Clergymen were slaine, that they called it the white battaile: when The white bat­taile. the King heard of this overthrow, hee broke up his siege, and retyred to Yorke, and soone after to London.

After this, nothing was done without the advice of the two Hugh Spencers, the father and the sonne: and in a Counsell held at Yorke, Hugh Spencer the sonne, maugre the Lords, was [Page 181] made high Chamberlain of England, who bore him as haughtily as ever did Gavestone: but let The pride of Hugh Spencer the sonne. me take the prophesie along.

By the Goat is figured lascivious Edward, there­fore said to appeare out of a Car, as born in Car­narvan, his hornes of silver and not of Iron, de­notes his effeminacie, being unserviceable for warre, as may appeare, in his successe against the Scots: by the Flower of life and death is in­tended his Queene Isabel the Flower of France, at first deare to him as life, but in the end (as most Writers have suspected) with Mortimer, accessary to his death: but to proceed with the History.

The Barons (to a great number) seeing how The assembly of the Barons. the Spencers misled the King and misgoverned the affaires in the Land, assembled themselves and tooke a solemne and unanimous vow to re­move them out of the Kingdome: and as their first attempt, certain of them appointed to that purpose, entred upon the Mannors and Castles of the Spencers, in the Marches of Wales, spoy­ling and ruining them to the earth, of which riot they complained to the King, who summo­ned them to appeare before his Counsell, which The petition of the Barons to the King. they refused to doe, but gathered unto them a [Page 182] stronger Hoast, and sent to his Majesty, humbly beseeching him to remove from his person the two Spencers, which daily did to him great dis­honour, and to the Common-weale: which da­mage, with humble request the King hearing, and doubting his owne safety, called a Parlia­ment to be held at London, to which the Barons came with a great Hoast all suited in demy-par­ted Iackets of yellow and greene, with a list of white, cast overthwart, for which the common The Parlament of white-bands people called it the Parliament of white-bands, in which the two Spencers were banished the Kingdome for ever.

But the yeere following, the King revoked the Acts made in the former Parliament, and called them into England, contrary to the will of the Barons, and set them in greater authority then before, to the great disturbance and almost utter subversion of the Realme: for now the whole Land was in combustion, and the King animated by the Spencers, tooke on him the shape of a Lion, and ceased not till hee had cut off the chiefe and prime Nobility of the Land: For besides those that were slaine, none was brought to the Barre, but was thence led to the blocke: who having got the better of his Barons, he called a Parliament at Yorke, in which Hugh Spencer the Father was made Earle of Hugh Spencer the father made Earle of Win­chester. Winchester, and soone after was one Robert Bal­dock a follow of debaucht life and condition, made Chancellour of England: Then forfeits Robert Bal­dock made Chancellour. and sines were gathered, without sparing of [Page 183] priviledged places or other, till a mighty summe of money was gathered towards another expe­dition into Scotland, and then his Army con­sisted (according to Caxton and others) of an hundred thousand men, but hee sped in that as in the former, for on Saint Lukes day, at a place called Bellalaund, or Brighland, hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner, which could not have beene, had he not had some trai­tours about him: and now confer the premisses The King al­most surprized at dinner. with the Prophesie:

The two Owls are the two Spencers, who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston, grew into the especiall favour of the King, who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon, by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons, by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls, and then for­ced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands, &c.

The state of the kingdome thus standing, and the two Spencers commanding all the Land [Page 184] had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian: to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings, the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene, which was after the cause of their ruine. opposite to the Queen, whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day, they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land, and perswaded the King to send her into France, to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes, having before seized on all her lands, and those belonging to the Prince. The Queen sent into France. Briefely, the Queene arrived in France, and was royally received by her brother, who hearing of her base usage, and by whom, he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsel­lors, and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage, or he She is royally received by the King her bro­ther. should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian: Of which K. Edward took little regard, in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband.

After the Queenes three months abode in France, the Prince desired of his Father, that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle, which his Father granted, and said to him at parting, Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing, and mine, and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may: who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court, hee joyfully re­ceived him, and said; Faire sonne, you bee wel­come, and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian, as his ante­cessors have done, I give you the Lordship to [Page 185] hold of me in heritage, and so the Prince was created, and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien. of Guien.

Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed, especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure, and finding that (not­withstanding his often sending) they made no haste to returne, hee made Proclamation, that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land, they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state: but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers, whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies, she removed not thence: then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands, before seized, and took the profits of them to his owne use, and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King, if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister. to sojourne longer in his Realme, upon which he commanded them thence, without any fur­ther comfort or succour.

At that time Sir Iohn Henaud, brother to the Earle of Henaud (a man of great courage and valour) being in the French Court, much com­miserating the Queene and the Prince, desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle, of which she was glad, and taking his noble offer, was there honourably received. Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daugh­ter to the Earl of Henaud. and Phillip the Earles Daughter, upon certaine conditions, one of which was, that the Earle [Page 184] [...] [Page 185] [...] [Page 186] should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes, under the conduct of his Brother. In which interim, the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne, with Letters, to some of the French Peeres, that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne, or at least send them a­way disgraced out of the Realme, which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henau­ders, and brought to the Queene during her a­bode The Spencers beat at their own weapons. there, which the Earles brother seeing, said unto her, bee of comfort Madam, this is a good Omen, the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers.

Of which the King of England having intelli­gence, he sent to all the Ports and Havens to in­terdict their landing: notwithstanding which, the Queene and Prince, with these foure hun­dred Hollanders, and a small company of En­glish gentlemen, who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel, besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk. Harwich in Suffolke, the fifteenth of September (Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader) without any opposition or resistance, to whom after their landing, the peo­ple resorted in great companies, and sped to­wards London, where the King and the Spencers were then resident, who hearing of the multi­tudes that then drew unto her: left Walter Sta­pleton Bishop of Exeter, Custos of the Citie, The King and Spencers flie to Wales. and with a small company fled towards Wales: she came then to London, where the people were [Page 187] willing to receive her, which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing, the Commons of the City tooke him violently, and beheaded him with two of his Esquires, at the Standard in West-cheap, whose bodies were borne to the Thames side (where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking) and there unreverently buried.

The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King. the king, who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell, the two Spencers, and his infamous Chancellour Baldock, where after counsell ta­ken it was agreed, that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle, whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales, to raise the Welsh­men in his aid, of which the Queene having no­tice, sent thither the Earle of Kent, Sir Iohn He­naud, with others, who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bri­stoll taken. tooke the towne and castle, with Hugh Spencer the father alive, and delivered them to the Queene, who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions into Wales, who took the King, the Earle of Arundell, Hugh Spencer the son, and the Chancellour, and brought them all priso­ners to Hereford, in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London, and kept it to the Queenes use.

Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude, the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spen [...]: the father put to death. his oath, was Hugh Spencer the father put to [Page 188] death, and after buried at Winchester, and upon Saint Hughs day following, being the eigh­teenth Hugh the son drawn, hanged and qu [...]rtered. day of November, was Sir Hugh the son drawne, hanged and quartered at Hereford, and his head sent to London, and set upon the Bridge, making good:

The common fame went, that after this Hugh was taken, hee would take no manner of suste­nance, and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death, of whom was made this Distich following.

Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate, dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in New­gate. in prison: then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords, were with great joy the fourteenth day of December, received at London, and thence conveighed to Westmin­ster, where a Parliament was called, the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter.

CHAP. 21.

FRom this Parliament were Messen­gers sent to the King, then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle, three Bishops, three Earles, two Abbots, two Ba­rons, two Iudges, with Sir William Trussell, Procurator of the Parliament, to depose him of all Kingly dignity, who the five and twen­tieth of Ianuary, in the presence of the afore­said Lords, from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following.

I William Trussell, in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power. this Land of England, (procurator of this Parliament) resigne to thee Edward, the homage that was sometimes made to thee, and from this time forth, deprive thee of all Kingly power, and I shall never be attendant on thee as King [Page 190] after this time. And thus was Edward the second deposed (and his sonne Edward made King) when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes, who during his im­prisonment, first, at Kenelworth, and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life, finding at length what it Edward great­ly repentant. was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition: many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant. And amongst the rest this fol­lowing.

[Page 191] Edward the third of that name, sonne of Edward the second, and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King. the Faire, at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne (his father yet living) the six and twen­tieth of Ianuary, in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six, and was crowned at Westminster, upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing, at what time the earth yielded plenty, the Ayre temper, the Sea quietnesse, and the Church peace: hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchi­ses of London, and gave Southwarke to bee un­der the Lord Majors rule and government. Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted.

The effect of all these will succeed in their order: in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne, the late [Page 192] King Edward was miserably slaine, and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward. Mortimer, who notwithstanding in the Parlia­ment after was made Earle of March: the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary, the young King married the Lady Philip, daughter to the Earle of Henault, in the City of Yorke, A Parliament held at Nor­thampton. and soone after cald a Parliament at Northamp­ton, to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mor­timer and the old Queene, an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots, who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage, and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land, with all Charters and Patents, and many rich Iewels, which had be­fore beene wonne from them by the Kings of England, amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland, is especially named, and the yeere fol­lowing, David the son of Robert le Bruce, King of Scots, married Iane sister to the King of England, whom they after to the derision of the English called, Iane make peace, and amongst o­ther The Scots taunt the English. taunting Songs made of our Nation, this was one.

But these merry and jigging tunes were turned [Page 193] to their most lamentable Aymee's, within few moneths after.

During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Morti­mer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer. and the Mother Queene, And the great per­sons appointed to that purpose were vilified, and not set by: which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur, was said to keep a round Table, to which many noble Knights belonged, to his in­finite cost and expence. But howsoever in the Articles obje­cted by the Parliament against Mor­timer. third yeere of the King, the said Sir Roger was surprized in Nottingham Castle, though the keyes were day and night in his owne keeping, and sent to the Tower, who was accused of the Lords of the Parliament, of these particulars following, first of the bloudy murder of Ed­ward of Carnarvan in Berkley Castle, secondly, that he had confederated with the Scots against the honour of the King; thirdly, that hee had received great summes of money from Sir Iames Douglas Captaine of the Scots, delivering unto him the Charter called Ragman, to the Scots great advantage, and impoverishing of England: Fourthly, that hee had ingrost into his hands much of the Kings treasure, which he had riotously wasted to his owne use, by which meanes the King was forc't to borrow of his friends: fiftly, that he was more private and familiar with Queene Isabel the Kings Mother, then was to Gods pleasure and the Kings ho­nour: of which Articles being convicted, hee was by authority of the said Parliament [Page 194] judged to death, and upon Saint Andrews Eve following at London, drawne and hanged.

In his fourth yeere about the beginning of August, Sir Edward Baliol, the sonne of Sir Iohn The death of Mortimer. Baliol, sometime King of Scots, obtained such favour of King Edward, that with the aide of Sir Henry Beaumont, Sir David Stocley, Sir Ief­ferey Mowbray, and two thousand Englishmen, they entred Scotland by Sea, where drew to them such multitude, that in short time, Sir Ed­ward was Lord of a great Hoast: and kept his way till he came to a place called Gladismore, (or as some write) Crakismore, where hee was en­countred with the power of Scotland, where betwixt them was fought a sharpe and cruell Sr. Edward Balioll crow­ned K. of Scots battaile, in which a great multitude of the Na­tives was slaine, by reason whereof hee was crowned King at the Towne of Stone shortly after, and met with the King at New-castle, where Edward received of him fealty and ho­mage for the Crowne of Scotland: but soone after the Scots laid plots against his life, which he narrowly escaped, being forc't to flie from place to place, and hide himselfe, which King Edward hearing, with a strong army pierced K. Edward of England besie­geth Barwick. the Realme of Scotland, and laid siege to the Towne of Barwick.

Upon the nineteenth of Iuly, the Scots with a mighty power made thither, with purpose to remove the siege, whom King Edward met, and encountred on Halidon Hill, giving them bat­taile, over whom he had a triumphant victory, [Page 195] insomuch that hee slue of them seven Earles, nine hundred Knights and Bannerets, four hun­dred The famous battaile at Hallidowne Hill. Esquires, and of the common people, two and thirty thousand, in which battail were slain of the English, but 15 persons, after which glo­rious victory the Captaine of Barwick the mor­row following, being Saint Margarets day, yielded to the King both the Town and Castle, which verifies that

Tyke is that which the Northerne men call a Dogge, and by the Canicular Tyke is meant the Dog-starre: Tweed is the water which parteth the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland, and by Wyke (as is before remembred) meant the Towne of Barwicke, I onely capitulate this one battaile, (of many) against the Scots, pur­posing the like compendiousnesse in his famous victories over the French.

During the dissention betwixt the two Kings of England and France, which by no mediation could be atton'd, though there were many mee­tings English ships taken by the French. to that purpose, the French King sent a strong Navy to Sea to take our English Mer­chants, and encountred with two good ships of England, called the Edward and the Christo­pher, and after nine houres fight, in which were slaine of both parties about sixe hundred men, the two ships were taken, and all the wounded [Page 196] Englishmen alive cast overboard into the Sea: after King Edward in his fifteenth yeere in the moneth of Iune, tooke shipping, and sayled towards Flanders, where met him Sir Robert Morley, with the North Navy of England, so that his Fleet consisted of three hundred sayle, and at Midsomer upon Saint Iohns Eve, hee met and fought with the French Navy, which were foure hundred saile, which lay in waite for him [...]eere to the Towne cald Sluce; their chiefe Ad­mirals were Sir Hugh Querret, Sir Nicholas Bu­chet, and Barbe Nore, in English black beard: The French Admirals. Betwixt these two Royall Fleets was a strong and bloudy fight which continued for the space of eight houres before it could be distinguisht which way the victory was likely to incline; yet in the end, by Gods mercy, and the manhood of the King, the French were chaced, and many of their ships burned and taken, amongst which were the ships of the two Admirals, Querret and Buchet, who maugre the French were han­ged up in their owne Vessels, and amongst the rest were recovered the Edward and the Christo­pher, manned with the French: in this battaile the King himselfe was sore wounded in the thigh, and of the French were slain thirty thou­sand A glorious Sea­victory. in that one Navall conflict: soon after, (or as some write) a little time before, by the advice of his confederate Princes, hee layed claime to the Crowne of France, as his rightfull inheri­tance, King Edward lays claime to the Crowne of France. and for the more authority to counte­nauce it [...] hee quartered the English Lions with [Page 197] the French Flower de Lyces, as they remaine to this day, so that we see

I am forc't to intermit many and divers con­flicts and skirmishes, with winning of Forts and Castles, Challenges, that past betwixt the two Kings, with the particular valours and noble Gests of sundry of our Nation, to relate which would aske a voluminous Tractate, where my confinement is to a meer epitomy of Chronicle, passing over all accidents saving what are most remarkable, which brings me to the eighteenth yeere of his Reigne. In which at a Parliament King Edwards eldest son crea­ted Prince of Wales. held at West minster, his eldest sonne Edward was created Prince of Wales, and he in the yeer following, first instituted the famous & renow­med Order of the Garter, which was solemni­zed at Windsor, as it is continued to this day. In his one and twentieth yeere, hee landed in Nor­mandy, The Order of the Garter first instituted. and burnt and spoyled all the Country before him, wasting the Province of Constan­tine. Then he laid siege to Caan the chief City, and wonne it, and amongst other he took there prisoners the Constable of France, and the Kings Chamberlaine, and all the spoyle of the City which was held to be inestimable, and sent to his ships, which was conveighed into Eng­land.

[Page 198] He then entred France, and coasted towards Paris, to Vernon, to Poysie, to Saint German, still wasting as hee went. Then hee tooke and made use of all the Kings Royall Mannors and Palaces, and drunke his Wine, and occupied all such stuffe and necessaries as he there found, and after his departing set them on fire, as Saint German, Mount-joy, Pezzy, &c. In so much that the French King thinking it a great dishonour, both to him and the whole Nation, that the English should pierce the heart of his Kingdom unfought with, hee therefore assembled all his prime Chevalry, and met with the English (farre inferiour to them in number) neere to a town called Cressie, and upon the twentie sixt of Au­gust, was fought betwixt them a sharpe and The famous field of Cressy wonne by the English. bloudy battaile, in which at the end King Ed­ward was the triumphant Victor, where were at that time slaine of the French party, The King of Bohemia, sonne to Henry the Emperour the seventh of that name, with the Duke of Lo­raine, the Earle of Alonson, brother to the King, Charles Earle of Bloys, the Earles of Flanders, Sancer, Harcourt, and of Fiennes: with divers other, to the number of eight Bishops and Earls, with seventeene Lords of name: and of Banne­rets, Knights and Esquires, more then sixteene hundred, so that their owne Chroniclers report that the flower of France perisht in that battail: besides of the commons, above eight thousand, and the French King with a small company sore wounded, fled to a Towne called Bray, and The French King wounded. [Page 199] there lay the night following.

Whom King Edward pursued not, being ad­vertised of another great host comming to­wards him, and therefore he kept the field, and A second bat­tell. set watches, and made great fires thorow the host, and so continued till the munday fol­lowing, upon which day early in the morning, appeared to them a new army of French men, of which they slew more in number than the Saturday before, and then having given thanks unto God for his great victorie, he marches to­wards Bulloine, and thence to Calais, to which K. Edward be­siegeth Calais. he laid siege for the space of a whole yeare: then came the French King with a numerous Army to remove him, but before his comming it was Calais won by the English. yeelded to King Edward, so that hee departed thence sad and ashamed. But King Edward staied in the towne a month, and removed all the old Inhabitants which were French, and stored it with English, but especially Kentish men, and having set all things in order, hee sailed with great t [...]iumph into England, and arrived at Lon­don the twentie third day of October, where he was magnificently received of the Citizens, and so conveyed unto Westminster.

We have hither to spoke only of the father: it followes that some thing should be said of the son, the unparallel'd Edward Prince of Wales, Why Prince Edward was called the Black Prince. not for his complexion, but for his terrour in battell, surnamed the Black Prince, who whilst his father rested him in Calais, with a puissant host entred Gascoyne, and made spoyle at his [Page 200] pleasure through the whole Country, and with great riches and many noble prisoners, hee rety­red himselfe to Burdeaux, and though the Earls of Armineck and of Foyz, of Poytiers and Clere­mont, with Iames de Burbon, and many other Knights who had double the number to the Prince, were in his way, yet passed he from Tho­lous to Nerbon, and from Nerbon to Burdeaux without battaile, where having reposed himself awhile, and rested his army, he sent many of his prisoners into England, and there entred the pro­vince of Berray, and therein made sharpe warre; which King Iohn of France hearing, he gathe­red a mighty number of people, and made to­wards the Prince, who in the mean season was passed the River of Loyer, and encountred by divers of the Nobility of France, betwixt whom was a sharp conflict, but the fortune of the day fell to the Prince, who slue many of his enemies, P. Edward victorious a­gainst the French. and took divers prisoners; as the Lord of Craou and others of note to the number of fifty foure, whom he had sent to safe custody in Bur­deaux, and himselfe sped to Towres, whither also K. Iohn came against the prince, who took his way to Poytiers: where we for a while leave him upon his march, &c.

CHAP. 22.

WE left Prince Edward upon his march toward Poytiers: in keeping which way a French Army encountred A second bat­tail against the French. him, but he chaced their multitude, and besides many slaine took of them forty pri­soners: amongst which were the Earle of San­cer, the Earle of Iurigny, the Lord Chasterlin Master of the Kings palace, and a Knight called Sir Guilliam de Daneham, whom hee also sent to his rendevouz at Burdeaux, and soone after hee lodged him and his Hoast neer Poytiers: so that the Fronts of both Hoasts lay within a quarter of a mile each of other, betwixt whom the Car­dinall of Pernigvort sent from pope Innocent [Page 202] the sixt laboured to make a peace; but finding his endevour frustrate, hee retyred himselfe to Poityers, to attend the successe of the battaile, which was fought upon Monday the nineteenth of September, in the yeere of Grace, one thou­sand The famous battail of Poytiers. three hundred fifty six, and the sixt yeer of Ring Iohn: the manner followeth.

The Duke of Athenes, with such of the No­bility as were in the Kings Vaward, about two aclocke in the afternoone set upon the English Hoast, which was strongly munified with wood and trees in the manner of a Barricadoe, so that the French Cavalry, could not approch them; but the shot of the English Archers was so vio­lent, that it overturned horse and man: and whilest the Duke of Athenes, with Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France and others, as­saulted the prince and his people on one side, The Duke of Normandy King Iohns eldest son, and the Duke of Orleance the Kings brother, set upon him on another part, which two Dukes were Leaders of two strong Armies. But these The manner of the battaile. three battails did little harme to the English, for by reason of their arrows the French were so gauled and wounded, that they fled, to the great dismay and discomfort of the King, and the rest of his people.

Who then in person came on with his mayn Hoast: but the English kept themselves whole without scartering, and received them on the points of their weapons with such dexterity and courage, that the French were forc't to give [Page 203] back, of which the English taking the advan­tage, rowted their whole Army: in which bat­taile Noble men of France slaine in the battaile. were slaine of men of note, the Duke of Athenes, the Duke of Burbon, Sir Iohn Clere­mont Marshall of France, Sir Henry Camian Ban­neret, who bore that day, the Oriflambe (a special relick that the French Kings used in all battailes to have borne before them) the Bishop of Cha­bous, with divers others, to the number of fifty foure Bannerets, Knights, and others.

And of prisoners taken in that battaile, were Iohn King of France, Philip his fourth sonne, Iohn King of France tooke prisoner. Sir Iaques of Burbon, Earle of Poitou, and bro­ther to the Duke of Burbon, Sir Iohn of Artoys, Earle of Ewe, Sir Charles his brother, Earle of Noble men took prisoners. Longevile, Sir Giffard Cousin German to the French King, Sir Iohn his sonne and heire, Wil­liam Archbishop of Sence, Sir Simon Melen bro­ther to the Earle Canlarvive, and Earle of Van­dature. The Earles of Dampmartin, of Vendos­me, of Salisbruch, of Moyson, the Martiall Den­ham with others, as Bannerets, Knights, and men of name, (according to their owne Wri­ters) fifteene hundred and above: from which battaile escaped Charles eldest son of King Iohn, and Duke of Normandy, with the Duke of An­joy, and few others of name. And King Edward after due thanks given to Almighty God for his Charles Duke of Normandy escapeth from the battaile. triumphant victory, retyred himselfe to Bur­deaux with his Royall prisoners, where the King and the rest were kept till Easter following.

In the one and thirtieth yeere of the King, the [Page 204] sixteenth of April, Prince Edward being eight and twenty yeeres of age, tooke shipping with his prisoners at Burdeaux, and the foure and twentieth of May, was received with great joy by the Citizens of London, and thence con­veyed to the Kings palace at Westminster, where the King sitting in his estate Royall, in West­minster Hall, after hee had indulgently enter­tained the Prince, he was conveyed to his lodg­ing, and the French King royally conducted to the Savoy, where he lay long after, and in the Winter following were royall Iusts held in Smithfield, at which were present, the King of Three Kings present at the Iusts in Smith­field. England, the French King, the Scotch King (then prisoners) with many noble persons of all the three Kingdoms, the most part of the strangers being then prisoners.

Whilst K. Iohn remayned in England, which was for the space of 4 yeers and odde days, The king of England and the blacke Prince his son, with their Armies over-run the greatest part of France, during the time of Charles his Regency over the kingdome who was king Iohns eldest son, against whom they had many memorable victories, spoyling where they list, and sparing what they pleased: in so much that king Ed­ward The Father and sonne victorious in [...]rance. made his owne conditions ere any peace could be granted: at length the king was delive­red, and royally conveyed into his country, who so well approved of and liked his entertainment here, that in the thirty seventh yeere of king Edward, he returned into England, and at El­tham [Page 205] besides Greenwich, dined with the king, and in the same afternoon, was royally received by the Citizens, and conveyed through Lon­don to the Savoy, which was upon the twenty fourth of Ianuary: but about the beginning of March following, a grievous sicknesse tooke him, of which he dyed the eight of Aprill fol­lowing, King Iohn dy­eth at the Sa­voy. whose body was after solemnly convey­edto St. Denis in France, and there royally in­terred.

In the fortieth yeere of the king, one Bar­thran de Cluicon a Norman, with an Army of Frenchmen, entred the land of Castile, and war­red upon Peter king of that Country, and with­in foure moneths chaced him out of his king­dome, and crowned Henry his bastard brother in his stead, wherefore hee was constrained to flie to Burdeaux, and to demand aide of Prince Ed­ward, who commiserating his case, as being lawfull king, (howsoever of a tyrannous and bloudy disposition) he granted his request, so that hee assisted Peter with his English Archers against the bastard Henry, with his French Spear­men, whose two Armies m [...]t neere unto a town called Doming, where betwixt them was a l [...]ng P. Edwards victoryia Spaine. and cruell fight, but in the end the victory fell to the Prince and Henry with his whole army were rowted: In which battail were taken Barthran de Claicon, and Arnold Dodenham Marshall of France, with divers others as well French as Britons, and Spaniards, and slain to the number of five thousand of the enemies, and of the [Page 206] princes Army sixteen hundred, after which hee enstated Peter in his kingdome, who after perfi­diously denyed to pay the princes army.

For which he was after divinely punished, as also for killing his owne wife, the daughter to the Duke of Burbon; for his Bastard brother Henry, knowing how hee was justly abandoned by the English, having gathered new forces, gave him battaile, in which being taken, his brother commanded his head to be strooke off, which was immediately done: after which, Iohn of The death of Don Peter. Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, the Kings sonne, and Edward his brother Earle of Cambridge, married the two daughters of this Peter late King of Ca­stile: Iohn espoused Constance the elder, and Iohn a Gaunts title to Spain. Edward Isabel the younger, by which marri­ages the two brethren claimed to be inheritours to the Kingdome of Castile or Spaine.

In the one and fiftieth yeare of the King, up­on the eighth of Iune, being Trinity Sonday, dyed that renowned souldier, Edward the black Prince in the palace of Westminster, whose body The death of the blacke Prince. was after carried to Canterbury, and there so­lemnly interred, who in his life time was much beloved, both of the Commons and the whole kingdome, especially for removing from the kings person all such as had misled him in his age, by which the Common Weale was much oppressed: amongst others was the Lord Lati­mer noted for principall, and Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine, with Sir Richard Skory, Alice Pierce the Kings Con­ [...]ine. all which were according to the Commons just [Page 207] complaint, by the Prince removed: but hee was no sooner dead, but the king contrary to his promise before made, called them again, admit­ting them to their former Offices, and Honours, and Alice his prostitute to his wonted grace and favour.

In the two and fiftieth yeer, the two and twen­tieth day of Iune dyed at his Mannor of Sheen, The death of K. Edward the third. now called Richmond, the royall and most vi­ctorious Prince king Edward, the third of that name, of whom it was truly predicted:

As also that of the unparalleld blacke Prince his sonne, who died before his Father.

By the Kid is intended the Prince Richard his sonne, who succeeded his grandfather in the Throne, and therefore so cald because of his condition, so suiting with the nature of his predecessour Edward the second, whom the pro­phet [Page 208] for his dissolutenesse of life, and inabi­lity to manage a State, called a Goat, not a Lion: but to come to the story, King Edward left behind him foure sonnes, Lionel Duke of K. Edwards Royall Issue. Clarence, Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, Edward of Langley Duke of Yorke, and Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Cambridge, taking their sirnames from the places where they had their birth, by whom, and the rest of the Nobility, his body was conveyed from Richmond to West­minster, and there solemnly and sumptuously interred, over whose Tombe hung this inscrip­tion.

Which for the better understanding of the vul­gar, I give you thus paraphrased in English.

Richard the second of that name, and sonne of Edward, sirnamed the blacke prince, eldest Richard the second of that [...]ame made King. sonne to Edward the third, a childe of the age of eleven yeers, began his Reign over the Realme [Page 209] of England, the two and twentieth of Iune, in the yeere of Grace, one thousand twenty seven, and upon the fifteenth of Iuly, being the day of Saint Swithen ensuing, he was crowned at West­minster: in the first yeer of whose Reigne about Aprill, landed in Kent, Anne the Daughter of Charles the fourth, Emperour of that name, late dead, and sister to Wenceslaus then Emperour, who by the Major and Citizens of London was honourably met upon Black-heath, and with great triumph conveyed vnto Westminster, and His Royall ma­riage. the eight day of May, solemnely espoused to King Richard, of whom it is thus predicted.

The yeere before (which was the fourth of The insurrecti­on of the Com­mons. his Reign) was a great insurrection of the Com­mons throughout the Land, especially in Kent and Essex: the reason was, because in the third [Page 210] yeere at a parliament held at Westminster, there was granted to the king a Groat of every per­son male or female, above the age of fourteene yeeres. The chiefe Captains and Leaders of the The Captains of the Rebels. Rebels Army were Iack Straw, William Wawe, Wat Tyler, Iack Shepherd, Tom Miller, and Hob Carter, these gathered great multitudes of the Commons, and assembled themselves upon Blackheath, three miles from London, and upon the eleventh of Iune entred the Tower of Lon­don where the King was then lodged, and took Th [...]y take the Tower. thence perforce Doctor Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert Hales prior of Saint Iohns, and a white Frier Confessor to the King, whom with a mighty acclamation and voice they drew to the Tower-hill, and there cut off their heads.

Then by boats and barges they returned into Southwarke, and robbed all strangers of what Their robberies in Southwarke. In Westmin­ster. Nation soever, thence they went to Westminster, and took thence all the Sanctuary men, and came unto the Savoy, which was the Duke of In the Strand. Lancasters house, and first pilladge it, and after set it on fire, and then to the palace of Sr. Iohn neere Clerkenwell, and spoyled it. After they searched the Temples and Innes of Court[?], ma­king havock of all, burning their Law books, The Innes of Court. and killing as many Lawyers and Questmon­gers as they might find: that done, they went to St. Martins le Grand, releasing there all that had Their mighty insolencies. there took Sanctuary, with the prisoners of New­gate, Ludgate, & the two Counters, tearing their [Page 211] Registers and Books. The like they did to the Kings Bench and Marshalses in Southwarke, and moreover they did thorow the whole City of London, according to their own wils and plea­sures.

When Iack Straw who was prime Com­mander above the rest, had executed all these The pride of the Captain. insolencies, and saw no resistance against him, he was suddenly so tumoured with pride, that he thought no man worthy to be his peere, in so much that hee rode againe to the Tower, where he found the King but weakly attended, and in a manner, compeld him to ride through divers parts and streets of the City, and so con­veyed him into Smithfield, where in the Kings presence, (to whom hee did small or no reve­rence at all) hee caused a proclamation to bee made, though using his Majesties name, yet to his owne wicked end and purpose, which Wil­liam Walworth Fishmonger, and then Lord Major seeing, and not able to endure, his so great presumption and insolency, he stept to­wards, and first with a blow on the head stoun­ded him with his Mace, and after with a short Dagger which he wore by his side, he wounded him to death, then with a Sword strook off his The death of Iack Straw. head, and lifted it upon the point of a Speare, and shewing it to the Rebels, Cryed out alowd, King Richard, God save King Richard, who when they saw their chiefe Captaine slaine, they fled in great disorder, of which many were ta­ken and some slaine, and the remnant were [Page 212] chaced, so that both City and Suburbs were voided of them that night, being the fifteenth The Rebels di­sperst. of Iune, making good what was predicted.

By the young Kid is intended the wanton King, by the Hedghog, and the gray beasts frequent in the Country, Iack Straw, VVat Tyler, and the rest of the Captaines and Commons: by the Daulphin, VVilliam VValworth, who was free of the Fishmongers, and they give the Daulphin in their Escutchion, &c.

CHAP. 23.

WHen the King saw the great man­hood and courage of the Lord Ma­jor The Lord Ma­jor and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King. and his Brethren, the Aldermen his assistants, hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth, with Ni­cholas Bremble, Iohn Philpot, Nicholas Twiford, Robert Laundor, and Robert Gayton Alderman: and moreover, in the memory of that Noble Act, added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger, as it remayneth to this day: In the ele­venth yeere of this King, Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester, and Uncle to the King; the Earle of Arundell, with the Earles of Warwicke, [Page 214] Darby and Nottingham, taking into their consi­deration, how much the land was misgoverned, and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him, they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale. called Radecockbridg, and having assembled a strong power came to London, and there caused the King to call a Parliament, whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke, Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin, Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke, and Chancellour of England, fearing the censure of that high Court [...]ed the Land, and dyed in forreigne Countries: Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords cau­sed to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England, Sir Nicholas Brembre, late Major of the City, Sir Iohn Salisbury, of the Persons judged to death. Kings Houshold, Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House, Sir Simon Burleigh, Sir Thomas Bernes, Sir Robert Belknap, with one Iohn Vske, Serjeant at Arms, all which by the foresaid Par­liament, were convict of Treason and put to death, some at Tyburne, some at Towerhill, and all such as fled with those that forsook the land, by the authority of that high Court, banished for ever.

In the thirteenth yeare, Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain. of Lancaster, with a strong army, sailed into Spaine, to claime the Kingdome in right of La­dy Constance his wife, the daughter of Don Peter, with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces, so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and [Page 215] amity, the conditions were, that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter, named Constance, and moreover should give unto the said Duke, to recompence the charges of his warre, so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots; and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife, hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace. Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold, within the towne of Bayon, which con­ditions being ratified, and assurance given for the performance thereof, the Duke departed with the King of Portugall, to whom shortly af­ter hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne, so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall.

King Richards first wife being dead, after hee K. Richards second marri­age. maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France, who was but 8. years of age, at whose espousalls in the French kings Court, many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them, as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer, who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers, and a Enterchange­able gifts be­twixt the two Kings. ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones: at a second meeting, Richard gave him a curi­ous O [...]ch set with rich stones, valued at five hundred Markes: then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold, and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds, and in it the picture of St. Michael, a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe, ano­ther with the image of the Trinity, and a fourth [Page 216] with the image of Saint George, all of them set with stones of great splendor, Richard then pre­sented him with a Belt or Bauldricke, set with great Diamonds, Rubies, and Emeraulds, which for the riches thereof, the King wore upon him so often as they met together: many other pre­sents past betwixt them, and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares, Peace conclu­ded betwixt England and France. and amongst other things King Richard de­livered up Brest, which had beene long held by the English.

The yeare after in the Moneth of February, the King held a magnificent Feast at Westmin­ster Hall, whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest, whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood, he went to his Majesty and said, Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers? who asked him again what they were? The Duke replyed, these be your subjects & souldiers cashiered from Brest, who have done you good service, and have now no meanes to live upon, who have been ill paid, and now are worse rewarded: To whom the King answered, it was my will they should have been well paid, but if ought have failed therein, let them petition to our Treasurer: at length the Duke said, but it savoureth of small discre­tion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease, which was got with great difficulty by your Progeni­tors: The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King. at which the King changed countenance, and said, Vncle how spake you these words? which the Duke with great vehemency uttered [Page 217] againe: whereat the King being more moved, replyed: Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land? by St. Iohn Baptist nay, &c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ran [...]or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke, which was never extinguished, till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered.

For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king, called to him A second pur­pose for refor­mation. the Earles of VVarwicke, of Arundel, and of Nottingham, who was Marshall of England, and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury, with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVest­minster, and these were solemnly sworne to sup­plant from their authority the Duke of Lanca­ster, the Duke of Yorke, with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome. But Nottingham contrary to his oath, revealed all to the king; A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently, whilst the other thought them­selves secure, called another Councell, in which it was decreed, that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke sh [...]uld bee censured and brought to the King, who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock, (some say at Plashy in Es­sex, others at Greenwitch) in the night time, and taking him in his bed, first sent him to the Tow­er, and thence had him secretly conveyghed to Callis, where he was pireously murthered. After, The murder of the Duke of Gloster. the 2 Earles of Arundel & Warwick were judged and executed: After was called a parliament, in which divers of the Nobility had more honou­rable titles conferred upon them: And other [Page 218] upstarts neither of birth nor quality, were ad­vanced to office and honour, in which parlia­ment also, many true heires were dis-inheri­ted, &c.

For which the people greatly murmured a­gainst the King and his Councell, pretending that the revenues of the Crowne were wasted The rumour of the Commons, and the causes thereof. upon unworthy persons: for which divers ex­actions were put upon the Commons: that the chiefe rulers about the King were of low birth, and little reputation; and men of honour kept out of office and favour; that the Duke of Glo­ster was secretly murdered without processe of Law; and the Earles of Arnndel and Warwicke put to death contrary to the Kings owne pro­clamation, with divers others, to the number of eight and thirty severall Articles, all which at his deposing were publickly protested against him.

Harding the Chronologer reports, that King Richard was prodigall, ambitious, and luxuri­ous, The estate of the Kings Court. to whose Court resorted at their pleasures ten thousand persons, pretending businesse there; that in his kitchin were three hundred Serviters, and in every office to the like num­ber: of Ladies, Chamberers, and Landresses, three hundred, who exceeded in costly and sum­p [...]uous apparell, and farre above their degrees: The very groomes and yeomen were cloathed in silke, sattin, and damaske, scarlet, imbroyde­ry, The great pride of the court. gold chaines and Gold smiths worke were then common: such was the pride then in the [Page 219] Court: It was also commonly voyc'd that hee had let to farme the revenues of the Crowne to Bushy, Baggot and Green, which caused the No­bility also with the Commons to grudge a­gainst the King and his government. And this yeare being the one and twentieth of his reign, died Iohn a Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster, at The death of Iohn a Gaunt Duke of Lan­caster. the Bishop of Elyes Palace in Holborne, and was buried on the North side of the Quire in Paules, where his Tombe remaineth to this day.

This yeare also fell a great difference betwixt Differences betwixt the two Dukes of Hereford and Norffolke. the two Dukes of Hereford (who was sonne to Iohn a Gaunt) and the Duke of Norfolke, the cause was (after some Writers) that the two Dukes riding from the Parliament, the Duke Norfolke, said unto the other: Sir, you see how unstedfast the King is in his word, and how shamefully hee putteth his Kinsmen to death, exiling some and imprisoning others, and no doubt, what hath hapned to them, may in time fall upon us, &c. of which words the Duke of Hereford, accused him unto the King, which the one affirming, the other denying, a day of bat­taile was appointed them at Coventry, upon the eleventh of September, where the King and the greatest part of the Nobility were present: where both appearing in the Lists, and ready for the Combat, the King threw down his war­der, and staid the fight, and forthwith banished The two Dukes banished the Realme. the Duke of Hereford for ten yeeres, and the Duke of Norfolke for ever: upon which sentence, Hereford sayled into Britaine: and Norfolke, after [Page 220] passing divers Countries, lastly, came to Venice, and there ended his life.

In his two and twentieth yeere, the common fame ran, that he had farmed the Realm of Eng­land to Sir VVilliam Scroop Earle of VViltshire, and Treasurer, and to Sir Iohn Bushy, Sir Iohn Bagot, and Sir Henry Green, and in the moneth of Aprill, the King with a potent Host sayled into Ireland, leaving for his Pro-rex in England, The Kings iourney into Ireland. his Uncle Edmund Langley, Duke of Yorke. In which Voyage he prospered well, and quieted the realme to his pleasure, and whether it were for some noble act done, or out of his grace and bounty (I cannot say) hee there Knighted Henry sonne to the Duke of Hereford (then in exile) which Henry after his Fathers death was crow­ned King of England by the name of Henry the first.

Whilst King Richard was thus busied in Ire­land, the Duke of Hereford, late banisht with the Archbishop of Canterbury who had before left the Realme, and Thomas sonne to the Earle of Arondell late beheaded, these with others being a small company in number landed at Ra­venspurre, in the North, and under pretence of The Duke of Hereford lan [...]s at Ra­venspurre. laying claime to the Dukedome of Lancaster, due to him by Iohn of Gaunt his Father decea­sed, he raised the people as hee went, to whom multitudes assembled, being weary with the mis­government of King Richard: who hearing how the estate in England then stood, made speedy returne from Ireland, and in the begin­ning [Page 221] of September, landed in Milford Haven, and sped him thence to Flint-castle in VVales, in­tending thither to gather more strength to op­pose The King lands in Wales. the Dukes proceedings.

Who in the interim proclayming himselfe Duke of Lancaster, in the right of his Father Iohn a Gaunt, came to Bristow, where without resistance, hee seised upon Sir William Scroope Earle of Wiltshire and Treasurer of England, Sir Iohn Bushy and Sir Henry Green, with Sir The Earle of Wiltshire with others executed. Iohn Bagot, who escaped and fled into Ireland, but the other he there judged and put to execu­tion, which the King (being then in Flint Ca­stle) hearing, he much doubted his safety, and so did all these who were then about him, there­fore Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester, and Steward of the Kings Houshold contrary to his Allegiance, broke his white Staffe openly in the Ha [...]l, willing every on [...] to shift for himselfe, by reason of which the King was forsaken of all his people, and soone after surprized and presented The King taken and presented to the Duke. to the Duke, who put him under safe keeping, and himselfe hasted towards London.

Who comming neere to the City, sent the The hate of the Commons to the King. King secretly to the Tower, of which some ill disposed persons ambusht him in the way, and would have slain him because of his former mis­government; but the Citizens enformed of their malicious purpose, rescued him from their fury: then the Duke comming to London, (by consent of the King) a Parliament was begun the thirteenth of September. In which many ac­cusations [Page 222] and Articles concerning his misruling the Realme, to the number of eight and thirty the King was charged with: and for which the King subscribing (willing as it was then given out to his owne deposement, hee was deprived from all Kingly Majesty: the manner of the pro­ceedings therein were too long to relate) which sentence being publisht and openly read in Par­liament, Henry Duke of Hereford, and now of King Richard deposed. Lancaster, rising from the place where hee before sate, and standing where all might behold him: first, making the signe of the Crosse upon his forehead, and after on his brest (silence being commanded) he spake as fol­loweth: In the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, I Henry of Lancaster, Clayme the Realme of England, with the Crowne, and all the appurtenances thereto belonging, as I am rightly discended from the right Line of the bloud comming from that good Lord K. Henry the third, and through the right that God of his grace hath sent me, with the help of my kinred and friends to recover the same, which was in point to be undone, for default of good gover­nance and justice, &c.

Which having spoken, hee sate downe in his The Duke of Here [...]ord claymes the Crowne. place: then every one hearing his clayme, spake what hee thought; and after some distance of time, the Archbishop of Canterbury, knowing the minds of Lords, stood up, and asked the Commons if they would assent with the Nobi­lity in their election, which they thought to be [Page 223] needfull, and for the good of the Kingdome: to which, with an unanimous voice they said, yea, yea: after which the Archbishop approch­ing the Duke, uttered some words to him in pri­vate: which done hee arose, and taking him by the hand, led him unto the Kings Seat, and pla­ced him therein; after made a long Oration to that noble Assembly, the effect whereof was to prove the Dukes Title to the Crowne, and to justifie the deposing of the King, verifying what was before predicted of him.

By the foure Lions are figured his foure Prince­ly Uncles sonnes to Edward the third, whom he severally injured, preferring men raised from nothing, to be eminent above them both in ho­nour and office: and by the Fox Henry of Bal­warke, who clothed himselfe with all the golden ornament of Regall Majesty, and snatcht him from the midst of all the fold, that was from amongst his own subjects and people, and after caused him to bee put to a violent and cruell death.

CHAP. 24.

HEnry the fourth of that name and sonne to Iohn a Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, tooke possession of the whole Domi­nion of England, upon the last day of September, in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hun­dred fourescore and nineteene: after which he made new Officers cleane through the King­dome, One and forty Knights of the Bath made. and then gave order for his Coronati­on, and the Eve before hee in the Tower made 41 knights of the Bath, of which three were his owne sonnes, and three Earles, and five Lords, &c. Then the morrow after being Monday the thirteenth of October, he was crowned at West­minster, King Henries Coronation. by the Archbishop of Canterbury, after [Page 225] which solemnity ended, a great and sumptuous feast was held in the great Hall, where the king being sate in the middest of the table, the Arch-bishop The manner of his great feast in Westmin­ster Hall. of Canterbury, with three other Prelates, were placed at the right hand of the same table, and on the left hand the Arch-bishop of York, with foure other of the Clergy: Henry the kings eldest sonne stood by his Father on his right hand with a sword poyntlesse; and the Earle of Northumberland new made Lord Con­stable with a poynted sword on his left hand, both swords being held upright: Before the king stood all dinner time, the dukes of Aumerl, of Surry, and of Exceter, with two other Earles, and the Earle of Westmerland, late made Marshall, rov'd about the Hall, with many Tip Staves to make roome, that the Officers with more ease might serve the Tables.

Of which, the chiefe upon the right side of the hall was begun by the Barons of the Cinque ports: and at the Table next the Cupboord upon the left hand, sate the Lord Major, and the Aldermen of London, which Major being Drewe Barendine Goldsmith, was presented (according to the custome) with a cup of gold: after the second course came in, Sir Thomas Di­mocke, armed at all poynts, and sitting upon a The Kings Champion. good Steed road to the higher part of the Hall, and before the King caused a Herald to make Proclamation, that whosoever would affirme King Henry was not lawfull inheritour to the Crown and Kingdome of England, he was there [Page 226] ready to wage battaile against him, which Pro­clamation hee caused to bee made after in three other parts of the Hall, in French and English, with many more observances at such solemni­ties exercised and done, which feast being en­ded, the morrow after being tuesday, the par­liament was againe begunne: of this King and his reigne it was thus predicted.

In the former parlament were many Chal­lenges of the peers one against the other, which came to none effect; but onething was there con­firmed, What was done in the Parliament. that whosoever had hand in the good Duke of Glosters death should dye as traitors: For which divers found guilty after suffered, [Page 227] moreover, sundry acts made in the time of Ri­chards reigne, were disannulled and made voyd, and others held more profitable for the king­domes good and Common-weales, enacted in their stead.

Then was King Richard removed from the Tower, and thence conveighed to Leedes, and King Richard removed to Pomphret. after to the Castle of Pomphret: there was pro­vision made for the King to keep his Christmas at Windsor, in which interim the Dukes of A­merle, of Surrey, and of Exeter, with the Earles of Salisbury and of Gloster, with others of their affinity, Lords, Knights, and Esquires, made great provision for a Maske to be presented be­fore the King upon Twelfth night, which grew neere, and all things were in readinesse for the performance thereof: But that day in the Mor­ning, A conspiracy of the Lords against King Henry. came secretly unto the King the Duke of Aumerle, and discovered unto him, that he with the foresaid Lords & gentlemen had made a so­lemne conjuration to kill him in the said Mask, therefore advised him to provide for his safety: upon which notice given, the King departed privately from Windsor, and came that night to London: upon which the Lords finding their plot to be discovered, they fled westward: but the King caused speedy pursuit after them: so that the Duke of Surry, and the Earle of Salis­bury, were taken at Ciceter, Sir Thomas Blunt, Sir Benet Saly, and Thomas Wintercell at Ox­ford, Sir Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter at Pit­well in Essex, and divers others in severall places; [Page 228] the Noble men were beheaded, the rest drawne and quartered; but all of their Heads set up­on the Bridge gate at London, approving the premises.

The King having well considered of this great conspiracy, and that they intended by his death to restore the imprisoned King to his dia­dem, The Foxes po­licy. he bethought himselfe that he could live in no safety whilst the other was breathing, and therefore he determined of his death, and to that purpose called unto him one Sir Pierce of Exton to see his will executed, who presently poasted to Pomphret, and with eight more well armed entred the Castle, and violently assaulted him with their Polaxes and Halberds in his Chamber, who apprehending their purpose, and seeing his owne present danger, most valiantly wrested one of their weapons from him, with which he manfully acquitted himselfe, and slew foure of the eight before he himselfe fell; but at the last he was basely wounded to death by the hand of Sir Pierce of Exton, whose body was af­ter laid in the Minster at Pomphret to the pub­licke view, that all men might be satisfied of his The Death of K. R [...]chard. death, and was after brought up to London, and exposed to all eyes in Pauls, least any man [Page 229] should after pretend to lay any plots for his liberty.

And now King Henry being in peaceable and quiet possession of the Kingdomes, thought it time to rifle his predecessors Coffers, in whose Treasury he found in ready Coyne three hun­dred thousand pound sterling, besides Plate, What King Richards trea­sure amounted to at his death. Iewels, and rich Vessels, as much (if not more) in value: Besides in his Treasurers hands hee found so many gold Noble, and other summes, that all of them put together amounted to se­ven hundred thousand pounds sterling: yet could not all this summe afford him a better fu­nerall than in the poore Friery of Langley, which after by Henry the Kings sonne in the first yeare of his reigne was removed thence, and with great solemnity interred amongst the Kings in the Chappell of Westminster: All this processe verifying the former prediction.

Over his Tombe in the Chappell the King caused these Verses following to be inscribed.

Thus Englished:

Concerning which Epitaph one of our English Chronologers, seeing how it savoured more of flattery then truth, thus exprest himself.

In the second yeere of King Henries Reigne, The rebellion of Owen Glendour. Owen Glendour rebelled in Wales, against whom the King entred the Countrey with a strong ar­my, but at the Kings comming hee fled up to the Mountaines whom the King for the en­dangering his Hoast, durst not follow, but re­turned [Page 231] without deeming any thing worthy note. In the yeere following Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester, and Sir Henry Piercy, sonne and heire to the Earle of Northumberland, ga­thered The battaile at Shrewsbury. a great power, and upon the one and twentieth day of Iuly, met with the King and his army, neere unto Shrewsbury, betwixt whom was fought a cruell and bloudy battail, but at length the King was victor: in which fight Tho­mas Percy Earle of Worcester was taken, and his Nephew, Sir Henry with many a brave Nor­therne man was slaine. And upon the Kings part, the Prince was wounded in the head, and the Earle of Stafford with many others slaine. It was observed that in this battail father fought against sonne, sonne the father, brother the brother, and uncle the nephew: the twenty fift of Iuly following, was Sir Thomas Percy behea­ded at Shrewsbury, and in August after, the Duchesse of Britain landeth at Flamoth in Corn­wall, K. Henries se­cond mariage with the Du­chesse of Bri­tain. and from thence conveyed to Winchester, where shee was solemnely espoused to King Henry.

Soone after Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke, with the Lord Mowbray Marshall of England, with others to them allyed, made a new insurrection against the King, with purpose A n [...] insur­rection. to supplant them, to whom the King gave bat­taile on this side Yorke, where after some losse on both sides, the King had the better of the day, the Archbishop and the Martiall being both ta­ken in the field, and soone after beheaded: in [Page 232] that Kings Reigne was the Conduit builded in Cornwall, as it now standeth. The Market of the Stocks at the lower end of Cheapside, and the Guild hall of London new edified, and of a Sumptuous buildings du­ring this kings Reigne. small cottage and ruinous and decayed house made such a goodly structure, as it appeares to this day. Moreover, the famous and stately Bridge of Rochester, with the Chappell at the foot of the said Bridge was fully perfited and finished, at the sole charge and cost of Sir Robert Knolls who in the time of Edward the third Sir Robert Knolls. had atchieved many brave and memorable vi­ctories in France and Britain, who also re-edi­fied the body of the White Friers Church in Fleetstreet, to which place hee left many good Legacies, and there lyes buried: the foundation of which place was first laid by the Lord Gray Cotner: but to carry our prediction along with the premisses, to prove that they differ n [...]t in the least circumstance;

Wee read also of divers justs and marti [...]ll exer­cises Divers turna­ments & justs performed in Smithfield be­twixt English­men and strangers. performed in Smithfield, in the presence of the King, the Nobility and Ladies, in his sixt yeere: the Lord Morif a Baron of Scotland, challenged Edmund Earle of Kent, in which the Earle bore himselfe so valiantly, that to him was given the honour of the Turnament, and [Page 233] in the tenth yeere came the Seneschall of Henalt, with a brave company of his owne Countri­men and strangers to performe the like martiall exercises in the same place before the King. A­gainst the Seneschall himself ran the Earle of So­merset, to whom was given the honour of the first day: upon the second day came in a Knight Henalder as Challenger, against whom rose as defendant Sir Richard Arondell, who after cer­tain courses run on horsback with their Lances, they combated on foot with Axes, where the Henalder had the better, for he brought him on his knee: the third day came a third challenger whom Sir Iohn Cornwayle encountred, and put to the worst: upon the fourth day appeared an Esquire Henalder, and was met by Iohn Cheyney, who at the second course overthrew his adver­sary The honour fals to the English. horse and man, for which the King instant­ly made him Knight: on the fift day came a fift challenger, him one Iohn Steward an Esquire op­posed, and came off with honour. Against the sixt challenger, came in a Gentleman called Wil­liam Porter, who so couragiously demeaned himselfe, that there hee wonne his Knighthood. Against the seventh Champion appeared Iohn Standish Esquire, whom for his valour there shewne, the King also Knighted: a Gascoigne also demeaned himselfe so well against another stranger, that he was also made knight: upon the eight and last day, came in two Henalders chal­lengers, against whom came two English Bro­thers who were of the Garrison at Calice, be­twixt [Page 234] whom was so long and so violent a bicke­ring, that they were commanded by the King to cease combat, lest any of them who so well had fought, might in the end have come off with disgrace. Thus this challenge was finished to the great honour of the King, who bounti­fully feasted the Strangers, and with rich gifts sent them backe into their Countries.

In the eleventh yeere in a Parliament held at A bill put up into the Parlia­ment house by the commons. Westminster, the Commons put up a Bill unto the King, to take all the temporall lands out of the Clergy mens possessions, the effect whereof was, that the Temporalities disorderly wasted by the Churchmen, which might suffice to find to the King, fifteene Earles, fifteene hundred The effect of the bill. Knights, six thousand two hundred Esquires, and an 100 Almes houses to the reliefe of poore people, more then were at that time in the land, and besides all those that the King might put yearely into his coffers twenty thousand pound, and of this by particulars they made manifest proofe, to which bill no answer was made, but that the King would take thereof further deli­beration.

In his fourteenth yeer, the King cald a Coun­sell at White Friers, in which it was concluded that speedy provision should bee made for the The King pre­pares a voyage for the Holy Land. Kings Voyage to visit the holy Sepulchre, but after the Feast of Christmasse, whilst hee was praying at Saint Edwards shrine, to take there his leave, and speed him upon his journey, so grievous a sicknesse tooke him that they feared [Page 235] he would there have expired, wherefore they bare him to the Abbots Palace, and brought him into a chamber, and laid him upon a pallat by the fire, who when he came to himselfe, asked what place he was in? those that attended him, told him that it belonged to the Abbot of West­minster, and finding himselfe so extreamly sick, he demanded if that chamber had any particular name? they answered that it was called the Hie­rusalem: who presently replyde, then thanks be The King falls sick. to the father of Heaven, who hath thus greatly admonisht mee of mine end: For now I know that I shall die in this chamber according to a prophesie long since spoke of mee, which said I should die in Hierusalem, which spoken, and ha­ving made his peace with Heaven, hee in the same place departed this life, the twentieth The King died the twentieth of March. of March, after hee had reigned fourteene yeers five moneths, and one and twenty days, still up­holding the former prediction.

This King left behind him foure sonnes, Henry who was King after him: Thomas Duke of Clarence, Iohn Duke of Bedford and Humphrey Duke of Glocester, and two Daughters, the one [Page 236] Queen of Denmarke, the other Duchesse of Bavaria, or Barr, His body was after conveyed by water from Westminster to Feversham in Kent, and thence to Canterbury, where he was royally interred.

CHAP. 25.