THE Saxons having succeeded the Ro­mans in the sway of this Country, As they changed the name thereof from Britain to England, so the Govern­ment also came to be altered, and dif­fused to an Heptarchy or Septem­virat, for there rul'd here seven Kings at once (such as they were) for the space of 400. years and more, du­ring which time as the Government was confus'd, so the History is full of distraction and incertitudes, there be­ing scarce any Authentic Record to be found for asserting any thing; In somuch that what is written of that Hep­tarchy is believed rather in courtesie, or by an implicit Faith then otherwise.

But since Egbert King of the West Saxons came by his prowess and policy to be sole King of England, which was above 800. years since, the current of Hi­story runs more cleer, and the Renown of the succeeding Kings rang lowder beyond the Seas, which made forren Princes to seek Alliances and Confederations with us.

Therefore touching the present Design, we will take our Rise from that time when England came to be a Monarchy, and first of King Ethelwolph the Son of the foresaid Egbert, Anno Dom. 837.

KIng Ethelwolph the second English Monark, having visited Pope Gregory the fourth at Rome, and returning through France, married The Lady Judith, called in those dayes the Perl of Beuty, daugh­ter to Charles the Bald, who was then Emperor and King of France.

King Edward the Outlaw (as they call'd him) married The Lady Agatha daughter to the Emperor Hen. 2.

King Athelstans sister was mar­ried To Otho the Emperor.

The Lady Margaret daugh­ter to King Edmund Ironside coming to be Queen Regnant, was married To Malcolme the third King of Scotland, Anno 1026. whence King James and his Progenitors are lineally descended.

King Canutus (the first of the three Danish Kings which raigned here about 26. years) married The Lady Emma sister to the Duke of Normandy, and Guin­hilda his daughter by her was married to the Emperor Hen. 3.

King Edward the Confessor, or St. Edward took a Wife at home (as all the rest of the Saxon Kings did, except the above-mentioned) viz. The Lady Editha daughter to the Earl Godwyn.

KIng William the first, or the Conqueror mar­ried The Lady Maude Daughter to the Earl of Flanders.

King William the second called Rufus Had no wife, but divers natural chil­dren, among whom the Lord Bertran was most advanced.

King Henry the first mar­ried. The Lady Matilda or Maude, daugh­ter to Malcolme King of Scotland by Margaret sister to Edgar Atheling, whereby the Saxon or English Blood Royal was restored, he had by her Maude the Empress, but left 14. na­tural children besides, viz. seven Sons, and seven Daughters.

King Stephen married The Lady Matilda the late Duke of Bullens daughter, but had no issue li­ved; He left two natural Sons, where­of the one was made Earl of Norfolk, the other Abbot of Westminster.

King Henry the second Son of Maude the Empress (by Ieffrey Plantaginet her second Husband) married Elenor the divorced Wife of Lewis the seventh King of France, by whom he had divers children, and left besides some natural children by Rosamund.

King Richard the first married The Lady Berengania daughter to the King of Navarre.

King Iohn married three Wives, two at home, and one abroad, viz. Alice daughter to the Earl of Mor­ton, and Avice daughter to the Earle of Gloucester, and having no issue of neither, he married Isabel Heiress to [Page 4] the Duke of Angoulesme in France, of whom he had Hen. 3. (who succee­ded him) and Richard who was Earl of Gloucester, and crown'd King of the Romans.

King Henry the third married Elenor daughter to Raymond Earl of Province in France, by whom was Edward the first, the scourge of the Scots, and Edmund Crouchback Duke of Lancaster, who was the ground of the feud 'twixt the two Roses.

King Edward the first married two Wives, the first was Eleanor daughter to Ferdinand K. of Spain, by whom he had four Sons, and nine Daughters; His second Wife was Margaret eldest Daughter of Philip the Hardy King of France.

King Edward the second of Caernarvon (the first in­stall'd Prince of Wales) mar­ried Isabel daughter of Philip le Bel▪ king of France.

King Edward the third married. Philippa daugher to the Earl of Henault, by whom he had seven sons, and five daughters, the eldest was the Black Prince, who married at home, viz. the Lady Joan daughter to the Earl of Kent, though twice a Widow; he had two base Sons, Sir Robert Cla­rendon, and Sir John Sounder.

Richard the second mar­ried two Wives, viz. The Lady Anne daughter to the Emperor Charles the fourth. His se­cond Wife was Isabel daughter to Charles the sixth King of France.

[Page 5] King Henry the fourth married two Wives, the first at home, viz. The Lady Mary daughter of Hum­phrey Bohun Earl of Hereford, &c. his second Wife was Joan Daughter to Charles King of Navarre.

King Henry the fifth mar­ried Yhe Lady Katharine daughter to Charles the sixth of France, who be­ing left a young Widow married Owen Tewdor of Wales, who was Grand­father to Hen. 7. and thereby resto­red the British Royal Blood, uniting it with the English.

King Henry the sixth was married to Margaret daughter to Reyner Earl of Anjou, and King of Jerusalem, Scicily, and Aragon.

King Edward the fourth married Elizabeth Widow of Sir John Grey.

Richard the third mar­ried The Lady Anne daughter of Richard Nevil Earle of Warwick, widow to Ed. Prince of Wales, Son of Hen. 6.

King Henry the seventh married The Lady Elizabeth daughter to Edw. the fourth, Heir to the House of York, who united the two Roses.

King Henry the eight had six Wives, whereof three were Katharines, two were Forreners, the other four born within the Realm; of which Wives, he was divorced from two, and two were beheaded. His first Wife was Katharine daugh­ter of Ferdinand King of Spain, a most pious Lady, from whom after 20. years cohabitation he got to be divorced. The second, Anne daughter of Sir Tho. Bullen Earl of Wiltshire, and Or­mond. The third was Jane Seymor daughter to the Earl of Hartford. The foursh was Anne of Cleve, from whom he was divorced. The fifth was Katha­rine widow to the Lord Latimer, and [Page 6] daughter to Tho. Howard Duke of Norfolk beheaded and buried in the Tower with Anne of Bullen. The sixt was Katharine Parr, sister to the Mar­quess of Northampton.

Queen Mary was married To Philip the second King of Spain.

King Iames married The Lady Anne daughter to Frede­rick the third King of Denmark.

King Charls the First mar­ried The Lady Henrietta Maria youngest daughter to Henry the great of France, which was the eighth Royal alliance that was 'twixt England and France.

King Charls the Second married The Lady Katherine sole daughter to Don John the fourth King of Por­tugal, and sister to Don Alonso the sixth now Regnant.

THere was a Matrimonial Alliance once before 'twixt the Blood Royal of England and Portugal, which was about Anno 1376. between Iohn the First, King of Portugal, and the Lady Philippa daughter to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster; King Iohn had five Sons by her, the two eldest with the Father were all three Knights of the Garter at one time; the youngest Son was Henry, who being a speculative studious Prince was much addicted to the Mathema­ticks, and specially to the Art of Navigation, which induced him to set forth some Ships for Discovery of new Countries, and his De­sign succeeded so well, that in the first voyage, he discovered the Azores & other Islands in the Atlantick Sea, next the Coasts of Gu [...] ­ney, Cape Verd, and so at last the passage by the Promontory, or Cape of Good Hope to the East Indies, which discoveries have proved so gainful and glorious to that Nation ever since.

By the former Alliance, it may be said that Portugal married with England, by this England hath married with Portugal. And as the former was the fortunatest Alliance that Portugal ever made by their own confession to this day; So may this prove to England: may all the blessings of Heaven be poured down upon it according to the due and daily Devotions of all true-hearted Subjects, and parti­cularly of I. H.