[medallions featuring english royalty from william the conquerer to charles I with medallions featuring the cromwells and parliament above a map of the british isles]

The faithful Analist: OR The EPITOME OF The ENGLISH History: GIVING A true Accompt of the Affairs of this NATION, from the Building of the Tower of LONDON, in the days of William the Conquerour, to the Throwing down the Gates of the said City, by the command of the PARLIAMENT, which sate before the Secluded Members were admitted, in the Yeer 1660.

IN WHICH All things Remarkable both by Sea and Land, from the Yeer 1069. to this present Yeer of 1660. are truly and exactly represented.

Lipsius in Tacit.

In Historiâ pressum & concisum dicendi Genus praestat copioso.

LONDON, Print. for W. Gilbertson in Giltspurstreet.

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TO THE Right Worshipfull and Right Worthy MATTHEVV GILLEY Esquire.

Honored Sir,

IT hath been hereto­fore as much the Commendation as the Industry of the ablest Wits, to contract much [Page] into little; by which they have been as Be­neficial to the Memo­ry as the Apprehension; For in long Discourses or Sentences (be they never so accute) the apprehension often fails and is lost, before it can arrive to the period of them; and the Me­mory which can retain that which the Ʋnder­standing never fully apprehended, must [Page] be needs prodigious.

Sir, In this Book you shall find much in little; the History of almost a thousand years contracted into a Ma­nuel, and that which is profitable unto all men, must needs be ungrateful unto none.

There is nothing memorable from the Conquest to these pre­sent Times, that is here omitted, whether you [Page] look upon the magni­ficent of our ancient buildings, or the gal­lant Exployts of this Nation, both by Sea Land, against dome­stick and forraign E­nemies; or rare Revo­lutions of State, or the sad labours of the English Swords that were drawn of late for the purity of Reforma­tion, which as yet is more in the Idaea, then [Page] the Embryo, and is ra­ther discovered, then obtained.

Sir, should I insert more (as much more I might) I should but anticipate your un­derstanding, I shall on­ly humbly desire you to grant this compen­dious Chronicle your Protection, and if there be life in Histo­ry, as no doubt there is, you shall live with [Page] it, And it shall be Honour for me to be found to be

The humblest and most faithful of all that serve you. W. G.

A Table of the most remarka­ble passages, in the lives of all the Kings and Queens of England, from Wil­liam the Conqueror to the late Lord Richard the Protector.

I. William the Conqueror.

SUch a dearth was in England, that men did eat horses, cats, dogs, and mans flesh, Anno regni. 3.

The earth hard frozen from the midst of Novem. to the midst of Apr. an. reg. 11.

So great a floud (by immoderate raine, that hills were made soft, and in their fall overwhelmed many villa­ges that lay under them, to the great amazement of all. an. reg. 20.

II. William Rufus.

BY a great tempest in London, the wind overturned six hundred, and six houses, and the roof of Bow Church in Cheapside, an. reg. 4.

So great a famine and pestilence, that the quick were not able to bury the dead, an. reg. 6.

All the Land belonging to Earl Goodwin, was covered with sands by an inundation of the Sea, which place ever since is called Goodwin sands. an. reg. 11.

Blood sprang out of the earth, at Finchamsted in Berkshire. an. r. 12.

The King hunting in Newpark in Hampshire, was accidentally killed by the glance of an Arrow, ann. reg. 13. wanting one moneth and some few daies.

III. Henry the first, called Beau­clark.

THere appeared about the Son four circles, and a Blazing Star, ann. reg. 5.

In March and December, excee­ding great thunders, and lightnings, [Page] and the Moon at both times seemed to be turned into blood. an. reg. 18.

So low an ebb, betwixt the Tower of London and the Bridge, that men, women, and children, did wade over on foot, an. reg. 15.

A great fire beginning in the West­cheap, consumed a great part of Lon­don, all along from thence to Algate, an. reg. 33.

The King dying in France, his bo­dy being powdered with salt, and wrap­ped in buls hides, was conveighed from thence, and buried a [...] Redding in Berkshire, an. reg. 35.

IV. King Stephen.

THe town of Bath, and Saint Pe­ters Church in it, were both con­sumed with fire, an. reg. 3

Many Cities, and towns in several places of this Land, were either de­stroyed or defaced with fire, in the time of this King and his Predecessor.

It is memorable in this King, that although during his whole raign, he had continual warrs, yet he never bur­dened the people with taxes.

V. King Henry the second.

LOndon Bridge was new builded of timber, by Peter a Priest of Cole-Church, an. reg. 10.

So great an Earthquake in Ely, Nor­folk, and Suffolk, that it overthrew them that stood upon their feet, and caused the Bells to ring in the steeples, an. reg. 12.

The City of Leicester burned by the Kings command, the walls, and Castle razed, and the inhabitants dispersed into other cities for their disobedience to their King, an. reg. 20.

A fish was taken neer to Orford in Suffolk, which had the shape of a man, it was kept in the Castle of Orford, for the space of six months for a won­der, it would eat greedily all manner of meat, but could not speak a word; at the last he stole away from his kee­per and ran to the sea again, an. reg. 33.

VI. King Richard the first called Ceur de Lion.

IN the daies of this King, were Ro­bin Hood and little John, the law­less subjects of so many Ballads. Ro­bin Hood maintained a hundred tall men, and Archers so expert, that four hundred have sled at the twang of their bow.

The Iews of Norwich, St. Edmons­bury, Lincoln, Stamford, and Lyn, were plundered; at York, five hundred of them, besides women and children, did betake themselves unto the Castle, to defend themselves, which the people assaulting the Iews grew so desparate, that they cut the throats of their own wives, and children, and did cast them over the walls on the Christians heads, and having▪ committed this exe­crable murder, they burned both the house and themselves, an. reg. 7.

VII. King Iohn.

HAyl as big as the eggs of hens, an. reg. 4.

Many men and women were destroy­ed [Page] by thunder and lightning, an. reg. 8.

The Arches, and stone work of the London bridge were finished, an. re. 9.

Three thousand persons endeavou­ring to preserve themselves from the fire, not far from London bridge, so indiscreetly did throng into the boats, (that were ready to receive them) that they were devoured by the water, anno reg. 15.

VIII. Henry the third.

A Young man, who called himself Iesus, and desired to be crucified, and an elderly woman who called her self Mary the mother of Christ, and who had bewitched the young man to his madness, were both brought before the Archbishop of Canterbury, who caused them both to be closed up be­tween two walls of stone, where most miserably they ended their wretched lives, an. reg. 5.

So terrible a thunderclap was heard, when Mass was saying in the Cathe­dral Church of Pauls, that the Church did shake as if it would have fallen, and out of a dark cloud there leaped [Page] such a flash of lightning, that all the Church seemed to be on a fire, the peo­ple thinking they should have been bur­ned, ran all of them out of the Church, fell groavling on the ground void of understanding, an. reg. 15.

The Iews at Norwich stole a boy, and circumcised him, an indirision of Christian Religion, they had an in­tent to have crucified him at Easter, for which fact, they justly suffered as they deserved, an. reg. 19.

A Scholer of Oxford endeavouring to kill the King in his chamber at Woodstocst, was taken and pulled to pieces with horses, an. reg. 20.

The Iews were constrained to pay twenty thousand mark, or to be kept in perpetual imprisonment; the wals of the Tower of London, were thrown down by an Earthquake, as they were some years before, an. reg. 27.

The Thames overflowed the banks about Lambeth, and drowned houses and fields, for the space of six miles all along. In the great Hall at Westmin­ster, men did ride on horseback, an. reg. 28.

The sea flowing twice without an Ebb, did make so horrible a noise, that it was heard a great way into England, and did much amaze and affright the people; and not long afterwards, in a dark night, the sea seemed to be all on a fire, and the waves to fight against one another, so that the Marriners were not able to save their ships from ship­wrack, an. reg. 34.

The steeple of Bow in Cheapside, fell down, and slew many men and wo­men, an. reg. 35.

IX. Edward the first called Long-shanks.

GReat Earthquakes, lightning, and thunders, with a blazing star, and a Comet in the appearance of a great Dragon which made many men afraid, anno reg. 3.

An accusation was made, for clip­ping the Kings coyn, for which offence, two hundred sixty and seven Iews were executed, an. reg. 5.

So great a frost, that five arches of London Brige, and all Rochester Bridge were born downe, and carried [Page] away, anno regni, 9.

The Summer was so exceeding hot, that many died with the extremity thereof, an. reg. 16.

The King banished the Iews out of England, giving them wherewith to bear their charges till they were out of England, the number of the Iews ex­pulsed were 15 M. and nine person, an. reg. 19.

Three men had their hands cut off, for rescuing a prisoner from an Officer of the City of London, an. reg. 22.

The Monastery at Westminster, was much ruined by fire, an. reg. 27.

X. Edward the second.

PEirce Gauston being banished, and returned again into England, was taken by the Barons of England, and beheadded at Warwick Castle, an. reg. 5.

The King caused Writts to be pub­lished, that no oxe stalled, or corn-fed, should be sold for more then four and twenty shillings; no gras-fed oxe, for more then sixteen shillings, a fat stal­led cow at twelve shillings, another [Page] cow at ten shillings. A Butt Motton, whose wooll is well grown, at twenty pence, a fat mutton shorn at fourteen-pence, a fat hogg of two years old, at three shillings four pence, a fat goose at two pence half penny, in the City three pence; a fat Capon at two pence, in the City two pence half penny, a fat hen at one penny, in the City at three half-pence; four pidgeons for one penny, twenty four eggs for a penny, in the city twenty eggs a penny; I would they were so still, an. reg. 6.

And yet for all this, there was a grievous famine and mortality, so that the quick could hardly bury the dead; the cattel died by reason of the corrup­tion of the grass: the famine was so great, that some in holes and corners, did eat the flesh of their own children. the thieves that were in prison, did pluck in pieces those that were newly brought in amongst them, and greedily devoured them half alive, an. reg. 11.

A great murraine of kine happened, insomuch, that doggs and ravens eating of them were poysoned, an reg. 12.

II. King Edward the third.

KIng Edward the second, was cru­elly murdered in the Castle of Berkley by the practise of the Queen his wife, and the Lord Mortimer, an. reg. 2.

Roger Mortimer was taken and sent to London, where he was condem­ned and hanged, an. reg. 3.

The sea brake in through all the banks of England, so that great store of cattle were drowned, an. reg. 11.

In Oxfordshire, a serpent was found having two heads, and two faces, like women, one face attired of the new fa­shion of womens attire, and the other face like the old attire, and wings like a bat, an. reg. 20.

Many men and women, perished with thunder and lightning. Feinds and devils, and strange apparitions were seen by men, and spake to them as they travelled, an. reg. 25.

A frost in England, from the midst of September, to the moneth of April, an reg. 38.

XII. King Richard the second.

IAck Straw was beheaded for Re­bellion against the King, anno reg­ni 3.

Wat. Tiler being arrested by the Mayor of the City for high Treason was slain in Smithfield, and all the rest of the crew pardoned by the King.

There was a general Earthquake, of the effects whereof, the waters did partake, insomuch that it made the ships in the havens to totter, an. reg. 6.

The nobles rose against the King, and in Oxford the West and Sou­thern Schollars did assail the Nor­thern, by reason whereof many mur­ders were committed, an. reg. 11.

XIII. King Henry the fourth.

IOhn Holland late Duke of Exce­ster, Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey, Edward Duke of Aumarle, John Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, with several other persons, having con­spired privily to murder the King, were all put to death for their treason, an. reg. 2.

King Richard died in Pontefrad Castle, he was buried at Langley, an. reg. 3.

A pestilence in London consumed above thirty thousand persons, and not long afterwards, there followed a hard frost which continued fifteen weeks, an. reg. 11.

XIV. King Henry the fifth.

RIchard Earl of Cambridge, Sir Thomas Grey, and others, were executed at Southampton for a con­spiracy against the King, an. reg. 2.

The King fought the memorable battail at Agin Court in France, and obtained a marvellous victory, anno reg. 4.

Sir John Oldcastle having broke out of the Tower, was taken by the Lord Powis and sent to London, where being convicted by the Parlia­ment, he was carried to St. Giles in the fields, where he was both hanged and consumed with fire, an. reg. 6.

XV. King Henry the sixth.

THere was a great Earthquake which continued for the space of two houres, an. reg. 5.

A Welchman murdered a Widow in White-Chappel, and stole away her goods, but afterwards coming by the place where he did the murther, the women of the Parish with stones, and sheeps-hornes, and durt off the dung­hills made an end of him, an. reg. 8.

The gate on London bridge, with the Tower next to Southwark fell down, and the two farthest Arches of the said Bridge, and no man perished, anno reg. 15.

All the Lions in the Tower of Lon­don died, an. reg. 16.

The Postern of London, by East-Smithfield, against the Tower of Lon­don sunck by night, and a great wind blew down almost one side of the street, called the old change, an. reg. 18.

Eleaner Cobham, Dutches of Glo­cester for sorcery, received sentence of pennance from the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and on the seventeenth of [Page] November, she came from Temple-Bar to Pauls, with a Taper of wax in her hand, which she offered at the Al­tar; on the Wednesday following, she went from Gracious street to Leaden-Hall, and so to Algate; and on the next Market day, she went from Cheapside to St. Michaels in Conrnhil, in form aforesaid, an. reg. 20.

The Commons of Kent did rise in great number, one Jack Cade being their Captain; these Rebels did great mischief, but they submitted at last to the Kings mercy, and Jack Cade was slain in the Wild of Sussex, an. reg. 30.

William Carton of London Mer­cer, brought over into England from Germany, the science of Printing, which he practised afterwards at the Abby of St. Peters in Westminster, an. reg. 38.

XVI. Edward the fourth.

MAny battails were fought be­twixt King Edward, and the adherents to King Henry the sixth, in which King Edward still prevai­led, [Page] at the last King Henry was taken and sent to the Tower where he was murthered, an. reg. 4.

Some riotus persons that fired the gates of the City of London, and would force their entrance into the City, be­ing apprehended. the King caused the rich to hang by the purse, and the poor by the neck, an. reg. 12.

George Duke of Clarence was drowned in a butt of Malmssey, anno reg. 18.

XVII. King Richard the fourth.

EDward the fifth being deprived of his life by his unnatural Uncle Ri. having raigned but two months & some few daies, his Uncle commonly called, the usurper was proclaimed King, and crowned at Westminster, presently af­terwards insued the death of the Duke of Buckingham, who was beheaded at Salisbury for treason, and on the year following was the battail at Bosworth field where Richard was slain himself, and buried in the Grey Fryars Church at Leicester.

XVIII. King Henry the seventh.

THe Sweating sickness began in the moneth of September, which in six weeks time devoured a great number of people, an. reg. 1.

A commotion was made by the Commons in Cornwal, upon the discon­tent of some subsedy which was gran­ted to the King, they came as far as Black Heath, where three hundred of them were slain, and fifteen hundred taken Prisoners; the Lord Andely chief leader of them was beheaded on Tower hill, an. reg. 10.

Perkin Warbeck proclaimed him­self King Richard the fourth, second son to King Edward, was taken, being once pardoned before, and executed at Tiburn, an. reg. 11.

XIX. King Henry the eighth.

AN Insurrection of the Apprenti­ses in London against Aliens, for which divers of them were hanged with their Captain John Lincorn a Broker, this being on the first of May, it was called afterwards the ill May [Page] day, anno regni 9.

Richard Rice a Cook was boyled in Smithfield for poysoning divers persons at the Bishop of Winchesters house, an. reg. 23.

Many great personages were behea­ded in this Kings daies, and some of his own wives when he began to be wea­ry of them.

XX. Edward the sixth.

THe Book of Common Prayers was read in English to the great con­tentment of the people, an. reg. 2.

The Commons made great commo­tions, and rose against inclosures, the Rebels in Norfolk and Suffolk were most formidable, but being subdued by the Earl of Warwick, Rob. Kett was hanged in Chains on the top of Nor­wich Castle, and William his Brother was hanged on the top of Windham Castle, an. reg. 3.

XXI. Queen Mary.

THe Popish Bishops were all resto­red, an. reg. 1.

Sir Thomas Wiatt having drawn [Page] forces together against the Queen and peace of the kingdome was beheaded, anno reg. 3.

The French became Masters of Callice, an. reg. 4.

Many Protestants for their consci­ences did perish in the flames of Mar­tyrdome during the raign of this Queen.

XXII. Queen Elizabeth.

THe Book of Common Prayer was established and Mass clean sup­pressed, an. reg. 1.

The lofty spier of Pauls steeple, which was two hundred foot high from the top of the Stone battlements, was set on fire by lightning, which fire cea­sed not till it came down to the roof of the Church, and consumed all the bels and lead, an. reg. 3.

Sir Thomas Gresham did build the Royal Exchange at his own proper costs, by the advice and incouragement of Queen Elizabeth, an. reg. 8.

The ground opened, and certain rocks with a piece of ground removed, and went forward for the space of four [Page] daies, so that where pasture grounds was, there was tillage, and where til­lage ground was, there was pasture found in the place of it; this was done neer Marlech in the County of Here­ford, an. reg. 13.

Strange and numerous apparitions of great flies in Winter, and terrible Earthquakes, and a woman in London brought to bed of four children, an. reg. 18. the like afterwards, an. reg. 22.

Mary Queen of the Scots was put to death, an. reg. 31. and in the year fol­lowing was the great victory against the Spanish Armado supposed to be in­vincible.

The Earl of Essex was beheaded, the Earl of Southampton was also ar­raigned, and found guilty of high trea­son, an. reg. 43.

XXIII. King Iames.

RObert Dove Merchant taylor, gave means for ever, for the toling of a Bell in Sepulchres Church, to cause good people to pray for such priso­ners as are to be executed, an. reg. 2.

The wonderful deliverance from [Page] the horrible gunpowder treason, an. reg. 3.

The great hard frost when boothes were set up on the River of Thames, an, reg. 7.

Sir Thomas Overbury was com­mitted to the Tower, where not long afterwards he was poysoned, an. reg. 10.

Prince Henry dyed on the sixth of Octob. 1611. and on the fourteenth of February following, the Lady Eliza­beth was married to the Palsgrave.

Sir Walter Raleigh that miracle of arms and arts was beheaded, anno reg. 16.

XXIV. King Charles.

KIng Charles was married to Hen­retta Maria, sister to the King of France then living, an. reg. 1. In this year the pestilence raged in London, of which above five thousand died in one week.

The Earl of Castle-Haven, being arraigned at the Kings Bench bar, and found guilty of Rape and Sodomy, was executed on Tower hill, an. reg. 6.

Mr. Pryn, Doctor Bastwick, and Mr. Burton, were sentensed in the high Commission Court, and ordered to be banished, an. reg. 11. Ship-money this year was called upon to be paid which procured afterwards great divi­sions.

The King marched against the scots, who would not endure any altera­tion in their religion.

The Scots in the second expedition having the better, the King was en­forced to call a Parliament, an. reg. 15.

The King and Parliament not a­greeing, the battail of Edge hill was fought, an. reg. 17.

After many battels at Newbery, Marston Moore, Naseby, and other places the King was quite worsted, and enforced to fly to the Scots, an. reg. 22.

The King being sold to the English by the Scots was brought from the Isle of Wight, and being tryed by a High Court of Iustice was beheaded before the gates of Whitehal, an. reg. 23.

XXV. Oliver Cromwel Protector.

AFter the death of King Charles, Oliver Cromwel having made himself famous by many great at­chievements was chosen to be Genera­lissimo of the Common-wealth of En­gland in the place of the Lord Fairfax, and advancing into Ireland he took Drogheda by storm, and pursuing his victories he became absolute master of that Nation, anno 1649. and 1650.

The great battail at Dunbar was fought, where the Scots were totally overthrown, two and twenty great guns taken, and arms for fifteen thousand men, an. 1651.

The arms of the Crown of England, and statues of King Charles, were put down by order of Parliament, 1651.

Mr. Love the Minister, and Mr. Gibbons, were beheaded both on Tower hill 1651.

The great battail at Worcester where the young King of Scotland was overthrown, an. 1652.

Many great battails at sea betwixt [Page] English and Hollanders, 1652. and 1953.

The Lord General Cromwel was declared, and sworn Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England, Scot­land, and Ireland, 1654.

The Hollanders obtained peace of the English, 1654.

A BRIEF ABSTRACT OF All the wonders and remarkable passages since William the Conque­rour till the Raign of King Charles.
Written for the benefit of posterity.

To the Reader.

REader, I have taken pains to ab­stract out of the Chronicle, all the remarkable wonders and passages of concernment, from William the Conqueror to the raign of King Charles, I hope thou art not so ignorant, but that thou wilt find it, and grant it useful for us and our posterity here­after, Vale.

Wonders and remarkable pas­sages.

William Conquerour.

An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1069 A Gelricus Bishop of Durham, be­ing accused of treason, was im­prisoned at Westminster.

An. Reg. 4 Such a dearth was in England that men did eat horses, cats, dogs, and mans flesh.

An. Dom. 1070 An. Reg. 5 King William bereaved all the Monasteries and Abbies of England, of their gold and silver, sparing nei­ther Challice nor Shrine.

An. Dom. 1075 An. Reg. 10 Walter Bishop of Durham, bought of King William the Earldome of Northumberland, wherein he used such cruelty, that the inhabitants slew him.

An. Dom. 1076 An. Reg. 11 The earth was hard frozen from the middest of November to the midd'st of April.

An. Dom. 1077 An. reg. 12 Upon Palm Sunday about noon, appeared a blazing Star neer unto the Sun.

An. Dom. 1078 An. reg. 13 This year King William builded the Tower of London.

An. Dom. 1079 An. reg. 14 Thurstone Abbot of Glassenbury, in his Church, caused three monks to be slain, and eighteen men to be wounded, that their blood ran down from the Altar to the steps.

An. Reg. 15 This year was a great wind on Christmas day: a great Earthquake and roaring out of the earth the sixth of April.

An. reg. 20 There was a great floud, so Pauls Church burnt. that hills were made soft and con­sumed, and with their fall overwhel­med many villages, to the great amazement of all.

An. reg. 21 In a province of Wales called Rose, was found the Sepulchre of Gawen, upon the sea shore, who was sisters son of Arthur the Great, king of Brittain, being in length fourteen foot. King William being at Roan in Normandy, went with a great Army into France, spoyling all things as he passed, last of all he burned the city [Page 4] of Meaux with our Lady Church and two Anchorits that were inclosed there, the king cheared his men to feed the fire, and came himself so neer, that with the heat of his harness he got a disease: also the Kings horse leaping over a ditch, did burst the in­ner parts of the King, with the pain whereof he was sore afflicted, and re­turned to Roan, where shortly after he ended his life, the ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord 1087. when he had raigned 20. years, eight months, and sixteen dayes.

I would have the Reader under­stand, that I set down nothing but things that are remarkable in this kings dayes, nor in any kings dayes else; and that is the reason, that the date of years do not follow in order, for I skip a great part of needless things, because I would not be too tedious, nor abuse thy patience too much.

William Rufus.

An. Reg. 4 Agreat tempest fell on St. Lukes day, especially in Winchcomb, where a great part of the Steeple was overthrown, and in London the wind overturned 606. houses, and the roof of Bow Church in Cheap-side, where­with some persons were slain.

An. Reg. 6 This year was a great famine, and so great a mortality, that the quick were scant able to burie the dead.

An. Reg. 11 All the land that sometimes belonged to Earl Goodwin, by breaking in of the sea was covered with sands, and is yet to this day cal­led Goodwin sands.

An. Reg. 13 In the summer, blood sprang out of the earth, at Finchamsted in Barkshire.

King William on the morrow af­ter Lammas day, hunting in the new Forrest, sir William Tirrel, shooting at a dear, at unawares hit the King in the brest, that he fell down dead, and never spake word; his men, and [Page 6] especially that Knight hid them­selves: but some came back again, and laid his body upon a colliers cart, which one poor lean beast did draw to the City of Winchester, where he was buried, he reigned twelve years, eleven months, lacking eight daies.

Henry Beauclark. Henry the first.

An. Reg. 2 VVInchester and Glocester burnt.

An. Reg. 5 There appeared about the sun four circles and a blazing star.

An. Reg. 13 This year was a great mortality of men and murren of beasts.

An. Reg. 15 The City of Worcester was burnt, the tenth of October the River Med­way by no small number of miles, d [...]d so fail of water, that in the midst of the Channel, the smallest vessels and boates could not pass; the self same day, the Thames did suffer the like want of water, for between the Tower of London and the Bridge, not onely with horses, but also a [Page 7] great number of men and children did wade over on foot.

An. Dom. 1115 Chichester was burnt, many storms and a blazing starr.

An. Dom. 1116 In March was exceeding light­ning and in December thunder and hail, and the moon at both times seemed to be turned into blood.

An. Dom. 1119 An. Reg. 20 King Henry having tamed the French men, and pacified Normandy, returned into England, in which voy­age William Duke of Normandy, and Richard his son, and Mary his daugh­ter, Richard Earl of Chester and his wife, with many noble men, and to the number of 160. persons were drowned.

An. Reg. 23 The City of Glocester burnt.

An. Reg. 32 The City of Rochester sore defa­ced with fire.

An. Reg. 33 A great fire beginning at Gilbert Beckers house, in West Cheap, consu­med a great part of London from thence to Allgate.

An. Dom. 1135 An. Reg. 36 Worcester was sore defaced with fire.

An. reg. 34 King Henry remaining in Norman­dy, deceased the first day of De­cember, [Page 8] Anno 1135. when he had reigned 35. years four months: his bowels, brains and eyes were buried at Roan, the rest of his body being powdered with salt, and wrapped in bulls hides was buried at Reading.

King Stephen.

KIng Stephen was a man of noble parts, and hardy; passing come­ly of favour and personage, he excel­led in martial policy, gentleness and liberality towards all men: and al­though he had continuall war, yet he did never burthen the Commons with taxes.

An. Reg. 1 Fire which began at London stone consumed eastward to Algate, and westward to St. Pauls Church.

An. Reg. 2 An. Dom. 1137 Rochester was burnt, with all the city.

An. Reg. 3 The Arch-Bishops Sea in York, Saint Martins Church without the walls, and the hospital with thir­ty nine Churches were burnt.

Saint Peters Church at Bath, and [Page 9] all the city was burnt.

An. Reg. 5 Robert Earl of Glocester with a great power, invaded the town of Nottingham, and spoyled it, the townesmen were taken, slain, or burnt in the Churches whereunto they fled.

An. Reg. 16 An. Dom. 1150 England was full of trouble and war, set forth to fire and rapine, th [...]ough the discord betwixt the king and certain Lords, which took part with Henry Plantagenet.

An. Dom. 1154 This caused the king to be so wil­ling to render up his crown and go­vernment to Henry Plantagenet, on­ly he had his honor gran [...]ed him so long as he lived: King Stephen dyed the twenty fifth of October when he had reigned eighteen years, ten months, and odd dayes.

Henry the second.

An. Reg. 10 An. Dom. 1163 LOndon Bridge was new made of timber, by Peter a Priest of Cole-Church.

An. Reg. 12 An. Dom. 1165 A great Earthquake in Ely, Nor­folk [Page 10] and Suffolk, so that it overthrew them that stood upon their feet, and caused the bels to ring in the Stee­ples.

An. Reg. 20 An. Dom. 1174 The City of Leicester burnt by the kings command, the walls and castle rased, and the inhabitants dispersed into other cities for disobedience to­wards the king: the king of Scots ta­ken prisoner led into Normandy, and compounded for his ransome Christs Church in Canterbury burnt.

An. Reg. 26 The City of York was burned, the Church of St. Andrews in Rochester was consumed with fire.

An. Reg. 31 The Abby of Glassenbury burned

An. Reg. 32 A great Earthquake threw down many buildings, among the which the Cathedral Church of Lincolne. was rent in pieces, Chichester city likewise was burnt.

An. Reg. 33 Neer unto Orford in Suffolk, cer­taine fishers took in their nets, a fish [...]1. having the shape of a man; which fish was kept by Bartholomew de Glan­vile, custos of the castle of Orford in the same castle for the space of six months, and more for a wonder, he [Page 11] spake not a word, all manner of meat he would gladly eat; but most gree­dy was he after raw flesh, or fish: at length he stole away from his keeper and ran to the sea again.

An. Reg. 34 The town of Beverly with the Church of St. Iohn there, was burnt.

King Henry departed this life, the sixth day of Iuly in the year of our Lord, 1189. when he had reigned twenty four years, seven months, lacking eleven daies, and was buried at Fonteverald in the Monastery of Nunns, by him founded.

Richard Coeur de lion.

An. Reg. 1 IN this time were many outlawes and robbers, among whom Ro­bin Hood and little Iohn remained in the woods dispoyling and robbing the rich of their goods; the said Ro­bert maintained an hundred tall men, and good Archers, with such spoyles as he got, upon whom four hundred men were they never so strong, durst not give the onset, poor [Page 12] mens goods he spared, abundantly relieving them with that which he got from Abbies and houses of rich Earls.

An. Dom. 1191 The Jews of Norwich, Saint Ed­monsbury, Lincoln, Stamford and Lyn, were robbed, and at York to the number of five hundred, besides wo­men and children entred a tower of the castle, which the people assayling, the Jews cut the throats of their wives and children, and cast them over the walls on the Christians, heads, the residue they locked up, and burnt both the house and them­selves.

Richard the first.

An. Dom. 1199 KIng Richard turned his armes against the Barons of Poicton that rebelled against him; he set their Cities and Towns on fire, spoi­led their countrey, and killed many of his adversaries: at last came to the Dukedome of Aquit [...]e, and be­sieged the Castle of Chalne, where­on [Page 13] Bertrane de Gordani, smote him with a venomed dart; and although the King won the Castle, yet he lost his life, for of this wound he di­ed the sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord 1199. when he had raigned 9 years 7 months, and was buried at Founteverard, his heart was buried at Roan, and his bowels at Chalne.

King Iohn.

An. Reg. 4 An. Dom. 1202 HAil as big as hens eggs.

An. Reg. 7 The 14 of Ianuary began a frost which continued till the 22 of March, so that the ground could not be tilled, whereof it came to pass, that in Summer following, a quarter of wheat was sold for a Mark, which in the daies of Henry the seventh, was sold for twelve pence.

An. Reg. 8 Great thunder and lightning were seen, so that many men and women were destroyed, besides cattel and houses overthrown and burned; corne in the fields was bea­ten [Page 14] down with hail-stones as big as Goose-eggs.

An. Reg. 9 The arches and stone bridge over the Thames at London, was this year finished, by Serle Mercer and Willi­am Alman, then procurators, or [...]a [...]e [...]s of the bridge works.

An. Reg. 15 The tenth of Iuly at night, the City of London upon the south side of the River of Thames, with the Church of our Lady, of the Cannons in Southwark being a fire, an excee­ding great multitude of people pas­sing the b [...]idge, sodainly the north-part, by blowing of the south wind, was also set on fire, and the people which were even now passing the bridge perceiving the same, would have returned, but were stopped by the fire, and it came to pass, that as they protracted time, the south end was fired, so that people thronged between the two fires; there came to aid them many ships and vessels, into the which the multitude so un­discreetly pressed, that the ships be­ing drowned, it was said there were destroyed about three thousand per­sons.

An. Reg. 17 Saint Edmonsbury consumed with fire.

It was reported that King Iohn was poysoned by a Monck, but certain it is he dyed in the Castle of Newarck on the 19 of Octob. 1216. where the Captain of the Castle cau­sed him to be imboweled, and was conveighed to Worcester and there honourably buried, when he had reigned seventeen years and five months, lacking eight dayes.

Henry of Winchester.

An. Dom. 1222 A young man was brought before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury who willed himself to be crucified, and to be called Jesus, and an old woman that had bewitched the young man to such madness, procu­red her self to be called Mary the mother of Christ, they were both closed up between two walls of stone where they ended their lives in misery.

The Citizens of London falling out with the Bailiffe of Westminster and [Page 16] the men of the Suburbs at a game of wrastling, made a great tumult against the Abbot of Westminster, for the which their Captain Constan­tine, with some others, were hanged, the rest had their feet and their hands cut off.

Henry the third.

An. Reg. 13 An. Dom. 1230 GReat thunder and lightning which burnt many houses, and slew both men and beasts.

An. Reg. 15 Upon the day of St. Paul, when Roger Niger Bishop of London was at Masse in the Cathedral Church of S. Paul, suddainly the weather waxed dark, and a horrible thunder-clapp lighted on the Church, the same was shaken as if it would have fallen, and out of a dark cloud came such a flash of lightning, that all the Church see­med to be on fire, all the people thought they should have been bur­ned, and ran all out of the church; and being astonished, fell upon the ground voyd of all understanding, none of all the multitude tarried in the Church save the Bishop and one Deacon, which stood still at the high Al [...] [...].

An. Dom. 1233 The seventh of April there appea­red as it were four suns besides the natural sun, of a red colour, and a great circle of Christal colour.

An. Reg. 17 The morrow after Saint Martins day began thunders very horrible which lasted fifteen daies.

An. Reg. 19 This year was a great dearth and pestilence, so that many poor people died for want of victuals.

An. Dom. 1235 The Jewes of Norwich stole a boy, and circumcised him, and had an in­tent to have crucified him at Easter, for which fact they were convicted.

An. Dom. 1236 The Thames overflowed the banks, so that in the great Pallace of Westm [...]nster men did row with Wherries in the midst of the Hall.

An. Dom. 1237 Ottobon a Cardinal came into England as a Legat from the Pope, this year passed stormy and trouble­some weather and very unhealth­ful.

An. Dom. 1238 Ottobon being lodged in the Abby of Osney; the Scholars of Oxford slew his Master-cook, and the Legat for fear got him into the Steeple of the Church, where he stayed, till the [Page 18] Kings Officers coming from Abing­don, conveied him to Wallingford where he accused the misdoers, Otho de Killeney a Standard bearer to the Scholers, was taken and put into pri­son, with twelve others; who not long after, went from Saint Pauls Church to the Legats house, bare footed and bare headed, where they asked him forgiveness.

A Scholer of Oxford enterprised to kill the king in his chamber, at Woodstock was taken and pulled to pieces with horses.

An. Dom. 1240 The Stone work and Bulwork which the King caused to be builded by the Tower of London, was shaken by a tempest and an Earthquake to­gether that it fell down: but the King commanded that the same should be builded again, many strange fishes came to shore, where­of forty were Sea Bulls and one of a huge bigness passed through the Bridge of London unhurt, till he came to the Kings house at Mortlack and there he was killed.

An. Dom. 1241 An. Reg. 26 The Jews were constrained to [Page 19] pay 20000 marks or else to be kept in perpetual imprisonment. The walls and bull-works that were new­ly builded about the Tower of London, were again thrown down by an Earthquake.

An. Dom. 1263 The Thames overflowed the banks about Lambeth, and drown­ed houses and fields the space of six miles, & in the great Hall at Westmin­ster, men took their horses backs.

An. Reg. 31 The Church of Saint Mildred in Canterbury; and a great part of the City was burnt.

An. Reg. 32 A great plague was in England.

An. Reg. 32 The Town of New-Castle upon Tine was burned, Bridge and all.

An. Reg. 33 By a strange Earth-quake tops of houses were thrown down, walls did cleave, the heads of Chimneys and Towers were shaken.

An. Reg. 34 In October, the Sea flowing twice without ebbe, did make such a hor­rible noyse, that it was heard into England a great way; besides this, in a dark night, the Sea seemed to be on a light fire, and the waves to fight one against another, so that the [Page 20] Marriners were not able to save their ships: and at Winchelsea, besides cottages for salt, and fither-mens houses, bridges and mills, above three hundred houses, with certain Churches, through the violent rising of the Sea were drowned.

An. Dom. 1255 142 Jews were brought to West­minster, which were accused for cru­cifying a child at Lincoln, eighteen of them were hanged, the rest re­mained long prisoners.

An. Reg. 43 A Jew at Tewksbury fell into a Privy upon the Saturday, and would not be helped out because it was his Sabbath; wherefore Richard of Clare, Earle of Glocester, kept him there while Munday, at which [...]ime he was dead.

An. Dom. 1263 In the 10 year of Richard the Emperour, there was a Blazing-star seen three moneths; at this time there was a Schisme among the Princes Electors in Germany.

An. Dom. 1264 There was slain of Jews in Lon­don to the number of 700. their wares spoiled, and their Synagogues defaced, a multitude more of them, [Page 21] because one Jew would have forced a Christian man, to have paid more then two pence for the usury of twenty shillings the week.

An. Dom. 1268 Variance fell between the fellow­ship of Gold-smiths, and Taylors of London, causing great mischief to be done, and many men slain, for which Riot, twelve of the chief Captains were hanged.

An. Dom. 1269 The river of Thames was so hard frozen, from Saint Andrews tide to Candlemas, that men and beasts pas­sed over from Lambeth to Westmin­ster, the Merchandize was carried from Sandwich, and other Havens, to London by Land.

An. Dom. 1271 The Steeple of Bowe in Cheap, fell down, and slew many people, men and women.

An. Dom. 1272 In Iune began a great riot in Nor­wich, through the which the Mona­stery of the Trinity was burned: whereupon the King rode down, and making enquiry for the chief doets thereof, caused thirty of them to be condemned, hang'd, drawn & quarter'd, and their Quarters to be burned.

King Henry died on the sixteenth of November, in the year of our Lord 1272. when he had reigned 56 years, and 28 daies, and was buried at Westminster; he built a great part of the Church.

King Edward, sir-named Long-shanks.

An. Reg. 2 An. Dom. 1274 THis year fell a great variance at Oxford, between the Northern men and Irish men, wherein many of the Irish men were slain.

An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1276 On Saint Nicholas day even, were great Earthquakes, Lightnings, and Thunder, with a great Dragon, and a Blazing-star, which made many men afraid.

An. Reg. 4 An. Dom. 1277 There was a general Earthquake, by force whereof, the Church of Saint Michael of the Mount without Glassenbury, fell to the ground.

An. Reg. 5 Michael Tony was hanged, drawn and quarter'd for Treason.

Michaelmas Term was kept at Shrewsbury. Reformation was made for clipping the Kings coyn; for which offence 267 Jews were exe­cuted.

Edward the First.

An. Dom. 1281 An. Reg. 9 THere was such a Frost, that five arches of London-Bridge, and all Rochester-Bridge was borne down, and carried away, with many Bridges more.

An. Reg. 15 On New-years day at night, as well through vehemency of the wind, as violence of the Sea, many Churches were overthrown and de­stroyed, not only at Yarmouth, Dun­wich, and Ipswich, but also in divers other parts of England.

An. Reg. 16 An. Dom. 1288 The Summer was so exceeding hot, that many men died with ex­tremity thereof, and yet Wheat was sold at London for three shillings four pence the Quarter, and such cheap­ness of Beans and Pease, as the like hath not been heard of.

An. Reg. 17 Great hail fell in England, and af­ter ensued great rain, that the year following Wheat was raised from five pence the bushel, to sixteen pence, and so encreased yearly, till it was lastly sold for twenty shillings the Quarter.

An. Reg. 19 The King banished all the Jews out of England, giving them to bear their charges till they were out of the Realm; the number of Jews then expulsed, were 15. M. 9. persons.

An. Reg. 22 An. Dom. 1294 Three men had their right hands cut off, for rescuing a prisoner from an Officer of the City of London.

An. Reg. 23 An. Dom. 1295 The water of Thames over-flow­ing the banks, made a breach at Rother-Hith beside London. The low ground about Bermondsey and Tothil, was over-flowed.

An. Reg. 27 An. Dom. 1299 Fire being kindled in the lesser Hall of the Palace at Westminster, the flame thereof being driven by winde, fired the building of the Mo­nastery next adjoyning, which with the Palace were both consumed.

An. Reg. 33 An. Dom. 1305 William Wallace, which had often times set Scotland in great trouble, was taken and brought to London, where he was hanged, headed, and quartered.

An. Dom. 1307 The King being vexed with a Bloody Flux, departed this life the seventh of Iuly at Burgh upon the Sands, in the year of our Lord, 1307. [Page 25] when he had reigned thirty four years, seven moneths, and odd daies, his body was buried at Westminster.

Edward Carnarvan.

An. Reg. 1 EDward Carnarvan, so called, be­ing born at Carnarvan, began his Reign the seventh of Iuly, in the year 1307. he was fair of body, but unstedfast in manners, not regard­ing to govern the Common-wealth by discretion and Justice, which cau­sed great variance between him and his Lords.

Edward the Second.

An. Reg. 2 An. Dom. 1309 THe Lords envying Pierce of Gavestone, Earl of Cornwall, a stranger born, banished him the Land.

An. Dom. 1309 An. Reg. 3 The King sent for Pierce of Gave­stone out of Ireland, and gave him the Earl of Glocesters Sister in marriage, which caused him again to rise in pride, scorning the Nobles of the Realm; the Barons therefore decla­red [Page 26] to the King; that except he would dispel the said Pierce from his company, they would rise against him, as against a perjured Prince: whereupon once again he caused Pierce to abjure.

An. Dom. 1310 An. Reg. 4 Pierce of Gaveston returned into England, and came to the Kings pre­sence, who forgetting all oaths and promises made to his Barons, recei­ved him as a heavenly gift.

An. Reg. 5 The Church of Middleton in Dor­setshire was consumed with light­ning, the Monks being at Mattins.

An. Dom. 1311 The Barons of England being con­federated against Pierce of Gaveston, besieged him at the Castle of Scar­borough, where they took him, and brought him to VVarwick Castle, and caused his head to be stricken off.

An. Dom. 1314 THe King caused his Writs to be published for victuals, that no Oxe stalled or corn-fed, be sold for more then twenty four shillings; no grass-fed Oxe for more then sixteen [Page 27] shillings; a fat stalled cow at twelve shillings; an other cow at ten shil­lings; a fat mutton corn-fed, or whose wooll is well grown, at twen­ty pence; another fat mutton shorn, at fourteen pence; a fat hogg of two years old, at three shillings four pence; a fat goose at two pence half penny, in the City three pence; a fat capon at two pence, in the city two pence half penny; a fat hen at one penny, in the City one penny half penny; four Pidgeons for one penny; twenty four eggs a penny; in the Ci­ty twenty eggs a penny.

An. Dom. 1315 A Tanners Son of Exeter named himself the Son of Edward the First, for the which he was hanged at Nor­thampton.

An. Dom. 1316 The dearth encreased through the abundance of rain that fell in harvest, so that a quarter of Wheat, or Salt, was sold for eleven shillings. There followed this famine, a grievous mortality of people, so that the quick could hardly bury the dead; the beasts and cattel also by the corrupt­ness of the gross, whereof they fed, [Page 28] died; horse-flesh was counted great delicates; the poor stole fat dogs to eat; some in holes and corners eat the flesh of their own children; the thieves that were in prison, did pluck in pieces those that were newly brought in amongst them, and gree­dily devoured them half alive.

An. Dom. 1318 A great murrain of kine hapned, dogs and ravens eating of the kine were poysoned, and did swell to death, so that no man durst eat any beef.

The King doting so much on the two Spencers, as he did on Pierce of Gaveston, maintaining wars against his Barons, and his Barons against him, was at last overthrown, and ta­ken prisoner, the two Spencers hang­ed, drawn, and quartered, as Tray­tors to the Commonwealth of Eng­land. The King, after he had reign­ed nineteen years, six moneths, and odd daies, was deposed by consent of Parliament, who elected Edward his eldest Son.

Edward the Third.

An. Reg. 1 EDward the Third, about the age of fourteen years, began his reign the 25 of Ianuary, in the year of our Lord, 1326. in feats of arms he was very expert, at the beginning of his reign he was chiefly ordered by his Mother Isabell.

An. Dom. 1327 The Inhabitants of the Town of Bury besieged the Abbey, burnt the gates, wounded the Monks, bare out all the gold and silver ornaments, books, Charters, the assay to their coyn, stamps, and all other things appertaining to their coyn.

An. Dom. 1328 The 22 of September, at night, King Edward the second was cruelly murdered in the castle of Barkley, by the practice of the Queen his wife, and the Lord Mortimer, and the Bishop of Hereford; he was bu­ried at Glocester.

An. Dom. 1329 By procurement of the old Queen, Roger Mortimer, and Edmond of VVoodstock, Earl of Kent, the Kings Uncle was beheaded at VVin­chester.

An. Reg. 3 Roger Mortimor was taken by VVilliam Mountacute, and sent to London, where he was condemned, and hanged.

An. Dom. 1335 The Sea banks broke in all through England, but specially in the Thames, so that all the cattel and beasts near thereunto were drowned.

An. Dom. 1339 A sudden undation of water at New-Castle upon Tine, bare down part of the Town wall, where an hundred and twenty men and wo­men were drowned.

An. Dom. 1350 In Oxfordshire, near Chippingnor­ton, was found a Serpent, having two heads, and two faces, like women; one face attired of the new fashion of womens attire, and the other face like the old attire, and wings like a B [...]tt.

An. Reg. 25 Men and women perished in di­vers places with Thunder and Light­ning, Fiends or Devils, and strange apparitions were seen by men, and spake unto them as they travelled.

An. Reg. 36 A great dearth and pestilence in England, in which died Henry Duke of Lancaster, who was buried at Leicester.

An. Reg. 38 A great winde in England over­turned houses and Church-steeples.

An. reg. 37. A Frost in England lasted from the midst of September, to the moneth of April.

An. Reg. 51 King Edward ended his life at his Mannour of Shene, the 21 day of Iune, in the year of our Lord, 1377. when he had reigned fifty years, four moneths, and odd daies; he was buried at Westminster.

King Richard of Bourdeaux.

An. Reg. 1 RIchard the Second, the Son of Prince Edward, being but ele­ven years old, began his Reign the 21 of Iune, in the year of our Lord, 1377. in bounty and liberality he far passed all his Progenitors; but for that he was young, was most ru­led by young counsel, and regarded nothing the counsel of the sage and wise men of the Realm: This thing turned the Land to great trouble, and himself to great misery.

An. Dom. 1388 Iack Straw was beheaded for Re­bellion against the King; Wat Tyler [Page 32] arrested by the Mayor of the City of High-Treason, was slain in Smith­field, and all the rest of the crew par­doned by the King.

An. Reg. 6 A general Earthquake the 21 of May, and a water-shaking, which made the ships in the Haven to tot­ter.

An. Reg. 7 Iohn Bale brought to Saint Al­bans, was hang'd, drawn and quar­ter'd.

Iohn Rawe, Captain of the Rebels in Suffolk, was hang'd and quar­ter'd.

An. Reg. 9 The 18 of Iuly was an Earth­quake.

An. Reg. 11 An. Dom. 1390 The Nobles rise against the King.

In Oxford, the Welsh and Sou­thern Scholars assailed the Nor­thern, whereby many murders were committed.

An. Dom. 1391 The good man of the Cock in Cheap a Brewer, at the little Con­duit, was murdered in the night by a Thief, who came in at the gutter window, as it was known long after by the same thief, when he was con­demned for felony.

His wife was burned in Smith­field, and his three men hanged wrongfully.

An. Dom. 1397 The Earl of Arundel, with many more, were put to death, for that they rebuked the King in matters of State something liberally.

An. Dom. 1398 Thomas Arundel, Arch-bishop of Canterbury, was banished the Realm.

An. Dom. 1399 Iohn of Gaunt, Duke of Lanca­ster, deceased, and was honourably buried in Saint Pauls Church.

An. Reg. 23 The King exacted great sums of money of seventeen Shires of the Realm, and laid to their charges, that they had been against him with the Duke of Glocester, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick; wherefore he went about to induce the Lords, both spiritual and temporal, to make a submission by writing, acknowledg­ing themselves to be Traitors to the King, though they never offended him.—Moreover, he compelled them to set their hands to blanks, to the end, that so often as it pleased him, he might oppre [...] them.

An. Reg. 23 But all this made nothing for [Page 34] him, but all against him, for within a while after, he was sent to the Tower, till the next Parliament, which was begun the morrow after Michaelmas-day, at which time he resigned all his power and Knightly title to the Crown of England and France, to Henry Duke of Hereford, and Lancaster, when he had reigned twenty two years, three moneths, and odd daies.

Henry the Fourth: Henry of Bollengbrook.

An. Reg. 1 HEnry the Fourth, son to Iohn of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, was made King of England, more by force, then by lawful succession, or election: He began his Reign the 29 of September, in the year 1399.

An. Reg. 2 The King caused the Blanok Charters to be burnt, made to King Richard.

Iohn Holland, late Duke of Exe­ter; Thomas Holland, Duke of Sur­rey, Edward Duke of Awmarl, Iohn Mountecute, Earl of Salisbury; Thomas [Page 35] Spencer, Sir Ralph Lumley, Sir Thom­as Blunt, Sir Benedict Cely, Knights, with others, conspired against King Henry, and appointed privily to murder him, but their Treason was found out, and they were all put to death.

King Richard being in Pomfret-Castle, died the fourteenth day of February, his body was brought to London, and so through the City of London to St. Pauls Church, bare-fa­ced three daies for all beholders; from thence he was carried to Lang­ley, and there buried.

An. Dom. 1402 Certain men affirmed that King Richard was alive, for the which a Priest was taken at Warwick, who was drawn, hanged, and quarter'd. Walter Waldock, Prior of Lawd, was likewise hanged and headed, and eight grey Friers hanged and headed at London, of the which, one Ri­chard Fresby, Doctor of Divinity, was drawn, and hanged.—Sir Ro­ger Claringdon Knight, a Esquire, and a Yeoman, were beheaded at London, and divers grey Friers hang­ed [Page 36] and beheaded, and two at Leice­ster, all these had published King Ri­chard to be alive.

An. Dom. 1407 A Pestilence in London consumed above thirty thousand.

An. Dom. 1408 A Frost lasted fifteen weeks.

An. Dom. 1409 Henry Earle of Northumberland, and the Lord Bardolph, came into England with a great company, pre­tending by Proclamation to deliver the people from the great oppression that they were burdened with; but by Sir Thomas Rokebey, Sheriff of York-shire, he was encountred at Bramhammoor, and there slain; the Lord Bardolph was likewise wound­ed to death.

An. Dom. 1412 After the fortunate chances hap­ned to King Henry, being delivered of all civil division, he was taken with sickness, and yeelded to God his spirit, the 20 of March, 1412. when he had reigned thirteen years, six moneths, and odd daies: he was buried at Canterbury.

Henry of Monmouth.

An. Reg. 1 HEnry the Fifth began his Reign the 20 of March, in the year 1412. This Prince exceeded the mean stature of men; he was beau­teous of visage, his neck long, body slender and lean, his bones small, ne­vertheless he was of marvellous great strength, and passing swift in running.

An. Dom. 1413 Sir Iohn Old-Castle, for divers points touching the Sacrament, be­fore the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, VVinchester, and others, was convicted and com­mitted to the Tower of London, out of the which he brake, and fled.

An. Dom. 1414 Certain adherents of Sir Iohn Old-Castle, assembled them in Thickets field near London, but the King being warned, took the field before them, and so took of them such numbers, that all the prisons in London were full of them, divers of them were executed.

An. Dom. 1415 The King rode to Southampton, [Page 38] where was discovered a great con­spiracy against him by Richard Earle of Cambridge, Sir Thomas Grey, and Henry Scrope, and others, who were executed at Southampton.

An. Dom. 1416 The King entred the Sea with a—thousand Sail, and the third night af­ter arrived at Normandy: He laid siege to Hartslue, which was yeelded to him; he fo [...]ght the battel at A­gent-Court, where he had a marvel­lous victory.

An. Reg. 5 An. Dom. 1417 On Easter day, at a Sermon in Saint Dunstones, in the East of Lon­don, a great fray hapned, where ma­ny people were fore wounded, and Thomas Pettwarden Fishmong, slain. The beginners of the fray was the Lord Strange, and Sir Iohn Russel, Knight, through the quarrel of their two wives, were brought to the Counter in the Poultry, and excom­municated at Pauls-Cross.

An. Reg. 6 An. Dom. 1418 Sir Iohn Old-Castle being taken after he had broke out of the Tower, was sent to London by the Lord Powes out of VVales; whi [...]h Sir Iohn was convict by Parliament, and sent [Page 39] to Saint Giles in the fields, and was there hanged, & consumed with fire.

An. Reg. 7 An. Dom. 1419 The Parson of VVrotham in Nor­folk, which had haunted New­market-hith, and there robbed and spoiled many, was with his Concu­bine brought to Newgate at London, and there died.

An. Reg. 9 At this time such was the general and capital command of the King of England in France, as their own Chronicles testifie, that in the Court of Chancery in Paris, all things were sealed with the Seal of King Henry of England, and the Great Seal of England was there new made and u­sed, wherein was the Arms of France & England, & as the King sat in chair of State, he held two Scepters in his hands; in his right hand was a Scep­ter smooth and plain, only the pro­portion of the French coyn, com­monly called the French crown; and in his left hand he held a Scepter full of curious arts, carved and vvrought vvith the Arms of England, as is u­sed in the English money, and on the top thereof a Cross; the French were [Page 40] much vexed thereat, but knevv not hovv to help themselves.

An. Reg. 10 An. Dom. 1422 King Henry being at Boys at Vin­cent, waxed [...]ck, and died the last day of August, in the year 1422. when he had reigned nine years, five moneths, and odd daies, he was bu­ried at VVestminster.

Henry of Windsor.

An. Reg. 1 HEnry the Sixth, being an Infant of eight moneths old, began his Reign the last of August, in the year 1422. the governing of the Realm was committed to the Duke of Glocester, and the guard of his person to the Duke of Exeter, and to the Duke of Bedford, was given the Re­gency of France.

An. Reg. 4 The morrow after Simon and Iudes day, the Mayor caused a great watch to be kept, with most part of the Ci­tizens in armour to stand by the Duke of Glocester against the Bishop of VVinchester, who lay in Southwark with a great power of Lancashire and Cheshire men, but the matter [Page 41] was appeased by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury.

An. Reg. 5 The 28 of September was an earth­quake, which continued the space of two houres.

An. Reg. 6 From the beginning of April unto Hallow-tide, was such abundance of rain, that not only hay, but corn also was destroyed.

An. Reg. 7 The Duke of Norfolk passing through London-Bridge, his Barge o­verwhelmed, so that thirty persons were drowned, and the Duke, with others that escaped, were drawn up with ropes.

So under God the people stood their friend,
And sav'd them by a Rope; that's some mens end.

An. Reg. 8 A Brittain murdered a Widdow in VVhite-Chappel Parish, without Al­gate, and bare away her goods, but being pursued, he took succour in the Church of Saint George in South­wark, from whence he was taken, and forswore the Land; but as he [Page 42] came by the place where he did the murder, the women of the Parish with stones, and sheeps-horns, and dirt off the dung-hills, made an end of him.

An. Dom. 1431 At Abbington began an Insurrecti­on of certain lewd persons that in­tended to have wrought much mis­chief, but the chief Author being Bailiff of the Town, named William Mundevile, a Weaver, with some o­thers, were put to death.

An. Dom. 1432 The King of England crowned in Paris; but within a while after lost all his Father got in France.

An. Dom. 1433 Four souldiers of Calice beheaded, and a hundred and ten banished; and before that time was banished one hundred and twenty.

An. Reg. 13 The Thames was frozen, that the Merchants which came to the Thames mouth, were carried to Lon­don by land.

An. Reg. 15 The gate on London-bridge, with the Tower next to Southwark fell down, and the two furthest arches of the said Bridge, and no man pe­rished.

An. Reg. 16 All the Lions in the Tower of London died.

An. Reg. 17 A great wind in London blevv down almost one side of the street, called the Old-Change.

An. Dom. 1439 Sir Richard VVich, Vicar of Her­metsworth in Essex, was burnt on Tower-hill the 17 of Iune.

An. Dom. 1440 The 18 of Iuly, the Postern of London by East-Smith-field, against the Tower of London, sunk by night.

An. Dom. 1441 A stack of wood at Bernards-Ca­stle fell down, and killed three men, by the fall of a stair at Beford, where the shire day was kept, eighteen per­sons were slain.

An. Dom. 1442 Eleanor Cobham, Dutchess of Glocester, was cited to appear before Henry Chichely archbishop of Can­terbury, to answer certain matters of Necromancy, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Heresie, and Treason; vvhere, when she appeared, the aforesaid Roger was brought forth to witness against her, and said, that she vvas the cause, and first stirred him to labour in that art; then she vvas committed to the ward of Sir Iohn Stuard Knight; then [Page 44] vvas taken also Margery Gurdmain, a Witch of Ely, vvhose Sorcery and Witchcraft the said Eleanor had a long time used; wherefore the said Witch vvas burned in Smith-field.

The ninth of November, Dame Eleanor appeared before the arch­bishop, and others, and received sen­tence of Penance, vvhich she per­formed; on the 17 of November she came from Temple-Bar vvith a taper of vvax in her hand, from Fleet-street to Pauls, vvhere she offer'd her taper to the altar; on Wednesday next she vvent through Bridg-street, Grace-Church-street to Leaden-hall, and so to Christ-Church by Algate; on Friday she vvent through Cheap, to Saint Michaels in Corn-hill, in form aforesaid.

The eighteenth of November, Roger Bolinbroke vvas arraigned, dravvn from the Tower to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered.

An. Dom. 1445 On Candlemass Eve, in divers places of England, vvere heard terri­ble thunders, vvith lightning, where­by the Church of Baldock in Hart­fordshire, [Page 45] the Church of VValden in Essex, and divers others, vvere sore shaken, and the Steeple of Saint Pauls in London, about three of the clock in the afternoon, vvas set on fire in the midst of the shaft, but by the labour of vvell-disposed people the same vvas squenched.

An. Dom. 1448 Adam Molins, Bishop of Chiche­ster, Keeper of the Kings Privy Seal, vvas by Sea-men slain at Portsmouth.—Bluebeard, a Fuller taken beside Canterbury, for raising a Rebellion, vvas hanged and quartered.

An. Dom. 1449 The Duke of Suffolk vvas banish­ed the Land, vvho sailing tovvards France, vvas met on the Sea by a Man of War, and vvas beheaded, his corps vvas cast up at Dover. The Commons of Kent did rise in great numbers; one Iack Cade being their Captain, these Rebels did great mis­chief, putting to death vvhom they pleased, until at last the King offer­ing them a pardon if they vvould submir, they condescended to it; Iack Cade their Captain fled, and vvas slain in the Wilde of Sussex. [Page 46] after this the King went down into Kent, and finding who were the chief of this rebellion, caused them to be hang'd, drawn and quartered; the 29. of Iune, VVilliam Bishop of Salisbury was murdered by his own Tenants.

An. Reg. 35 An. Dom. 1456 A great riot was committed in London against the Italians and Lum­bards.

An. Dom. 1457 At Erith were taken four great fishes, whereof two were Whales: Frenchmen landing at Sandwitch, wasted the town, and slew the inhabi­tants.

An. Reg. 36 Sir Thomas Piercie, Lord Egre­mount, and Sir Richard Piercie his brother, being prisoners in Newgate, brake out by night, and went to the King, other prisoners took the leads of the gate and defended themselves a long while against the Sheriffs, and all other Officers.

An. Dom. 1458 A fray in Fleetstreet, between men of the Court, and the inhabi­tants of the same street, in which fray the Queens Atturney was slain: for this fact the King committed the [Page 47] Governors of Furnival, Clifford, and Barnards Inn to prison, and William Taylor Alderman of the Ward, with many others, were sent to Windsor Castle.

An. Dom. 1459 The science of Printing was found in Germany at Magunce: VVilliam Caxton of London Mercer, brought it into England in the year 1471. and first practised it at the Abbie of St. Peters at VVestminster.

An. Reg. 38 The land being miserably divided, the King fighting many battels in midst of several dissentions, was at last worsted, and Edward Earle of March got his kingdome from him.

An. Reg. 29 Edward Earl of March came to London with a mighty power of March men, and accompanied with the Earl of VVarwick, the 26 of Fe­bruary, where he was joyfully recei­ved: Edward being elected, was pro­claimed by the name of Edward the fourth, on the fourth of March, and King Henry lost his kingdome, when he had reigned thritty eight years, six months, and odd dayes.

Edward the fourth.

An. Reg. 1 EDward Earl of March began his reign the fourth of March by the name of Edward the fourth, in the year 1460.

The twelfth of March VValter VValker Grocer, living in Cheap­side, for speaking some words against King Edward, was beheaded.

The thirteenth of March Edward took his journey towards the North, where between Shierburn and Tad-Caster, all the North part met him, and on Palm Sunday the twenty ninth of March fought a great battel, in which were slain Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland, Iohn Lord Clifford, Iohn Lord Newel, Leo Lord VVells, and many of rank and qua­lity on both sides, to the number of 357 and eleaven persons, but King Edward got the field, the Duke of Exeter, the Duke of Sommerset, the Lord of Ross; the Lord Hungerford fled to York to King Henry, and then with the King and Queen, [Page 49] and Prince fled to Barwick and so to Edenborough.

An. Reg. 3 Queen Margaret landed in the N [...]rth, where having but small suc­cour, was fain to take the Sea again, and by a tempest of weather was driven to Barwick where she landed, but lost her ships and goods.

Many battels were fought between the two Kings, Henry and Edward, and much blood was shed on both sides, striving for supremacie, one while the Commons with some of the Lords would have Henry restored again to his former dig­nity. and another while Edward should rule; at length Henry being overpowred, was arrested, and sent to the Tower, where within a while after, he was murdered, and buried at Chertsey since removed to Wind­sor.

An. Reg. 4 A great pestilence and the Thames frozen over.

An. Reg. 11 Thomas the Bastard of Faucon­bridge with a riotous company of shipmen, and others, of Essex and Kent, came to London, where being [Page 50] denied passage through the City, he fired the gates, w [...]n the Bulworks at Algate, and entred the City; but the Citizens killed them that ent­red, causing the rest to flie pursued them as far as Black wall, slaying ma­ny.

An. Reg. 12 King Edward rode into Kent, where he caused inquiry to be made of the foresaid riotous persons, hang­ed the rich by the purse and the other by the necks: the Major of the town with others, were beheaded there.

Thomas the Bastard of Falkon­bridge was taken at Southampton and beheaded.

An. Reg. 14 The Duke of Exceter was found dead in the Sea, between Dover and Callice.

Iohn Goose was burnt on the Tow­er hill.

An. Reg. 17 An. Dom. 1478 King Edward in his progress hun­ted in Thomas Burdits Park, at a Buck and slew many Deer, among the which, one was a white Buck: Thomas Burdit, when he understood thereof, wished the Bucks head in [Page 51] his bellie that moved the king to do it; Burditt was apprehended of trea­son, condemned, drawn from the Tower of London to Tiburne and there beheaded.

An. Reg. 18 An. Dom. 1479 George Duke of Clarence, Edwards broth [...] in the Tower of London was drowned in a Butt of Malmsey.

An. Reg. 19 A great dearth and a great sick­ness in London, and divers other parts o [...] the Realme.

An. Reg. 21 Thieves for robbing St. Martins le grand, in London, three were drawn to the Tower hill, and there hanged and burnt, the other were pressed to death.

An. Reg. 23 King Edward making great pro­vi [...]on for war into France, ended his life at Westminster, the ninth of A­pril, in the year 1483. when he had reigned twenty two years one moneth, and odd daies; he was bu­ried at Windsor, he left issue, Edward the Prince, and Richard Duke of York, and five daughters: Elizabeth that after was Queen, Cicely, Ann, Katherine and Bridget.

Edward the fifth.

An. Reg. 1 EDward the fifth about the age of thi [...]teen years, began his reign the ninth of April, in the year 1483 which Prince reigned a small space, either in pleasure o [...] liberty, for his unnatural unkle Richard Duke of Glocester, within three months, de­prived him of his life and Crown, as it was generally reported, this Ed­ward reigned two months and ten daies.

Richard Duke of Glocester.

An. Reg. 1 RIchard the third, brother to Ed­ward the fourth, was proclai­med king the 22 of Iune in the year 1483. he put to death Anthony Woodvile, Earle Rivers, Lord Rich­ard Gray, the Q [...]eens brother, Sir Thomas Vaughan, and Sir Richard Hawes at Pomfret, and William Lord Hastings, in the tower of London, all in one day.

He was crowned at Westminster [Page 53] on the seventh day of Iuly.

After this were taken for Tray­tors against the king, Robert Ruff Serjeant of London VVilliam Davie Pardoner, Iohn Smith Groom of king Edwards stirrop, and Stephen Ireland Wardroper in the Tower, with many more, who were charged that they had sent Letters into Brittain to the Earl of Richmond and of Pembrook, and also that they were minded to steal our of the Tower Prince Ed­ward and his brother, for the which they were drawn from VVestminster to the Tower of London, and there upon the hill they were all four be­headed.

A grudge began between king Richard and the Duke of Bucking­ham, insomuch that the Duke con­spired with some Noble men against him, intending to bring into the land Henry Earl of Richmond as heir to the Crown, for which conspiracy the Duke of Buckingham was behea­ded at Salisbury.

The thirteenth of December, was a great fire in Leaden-hall in London, [Page 54] where was burnt a number of hou­ses, and all the stocks for gunnes & o­ther provision belonging to the city.

King Richard borrowed great sums of mony of the City, but being cut off before the time of payment came, the City lost it.

Collingborn Esquire, was drawn from Westminster to the tower of London, and there upon the hill was headed and quartered.

An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1415 Sir Roger Clifford Knight, and one Fortescue, were drawne through London; and at Saint Martin le grand, Sir Roger would have broke from the Sheriffs, and taken Sanctu­ary, but the Sheriffs took him again, and had him to tower hill, where he was beheaded, and Fortescue had his pardon.

Henry Earl of Richmond, Iasper Earl of Pembroke his Uncle, the Earl of Oxford, and many other Knights, and Esquires, with a small company of Frenchmen, landed at Milford Haven on the sixth of August, whose coming when it was heard of in VVales, divers Noble men with great [Page 55] companies met him, and then marching against king Richard at a village called Bosworth near to Lei­cester, he met with his enemies the 22 of August, where between them was fought a very sharp battel, in con [...]lusion whereof, King Richard with divers others were slain, and King Henry obtained a Noble victo­ry; and immediately the L. Stanley crowned him King in the field, with the crown which was taken off King Richards head: Richard was buried at the Grey-Friers Church at Leice­ster, when he had held the crown two years, two moneths.

Henry Earl of Richmond.

An. Reg. 1 HEnry the seventh, born in Pem­broke Castle, began his reign the 22 of August, in the year 1485. he was a Prince of marvellous wisdom, policy, justice, temperance, and gra­vity; and notwithstanding many great troubles and war, he kept his Realm in right good order, for the which he was greatly honoured of Forraign Princes.

On the 22 of August was a great [Page 56] fire in Bredstreet, in the which fire was burnt the Parson of Saint Mil­dreds, and one man more of the Parsonage there.

The sweating sickness began the 21 of September, and continued to the end of October, of the which sickness a number of people died.

The 30 of October, King Henry was crowned at Westminster; he or­dained a number of chosen Archers, to give daily attendance on his per­son, whom he named Yeomen of the Guard.

King Henry borrowed certain sums of money of the City, which was repayed the nexr year after.

Wheat was sold for 3 shillings the bushel, and Bay-salt at the like price.

The Cross in Cheap-side was new builded.

The King married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Edward the 4th, by the which means the two Hou­ses, York and Lancaster, were united.

An. Reg. 6 Roger Shavelock a Taylor within Ludgate slew himself; and foras­much as he was a man of great [Page 57] wealth, there was a great contest be­tween the Kings Almoner, and the Sheriffs of London.

An. Dom. 1493 A riot made upon the Eastelings, or Stilliard-men, by Mercers men, and others of the City of London; for the which many of them were sore punished.

An. Dom. 1494 An. Reg. 10 Wheat was sold at London for six pence the bushel, Bay-salt at three pence half penny, Nantwitch salt for six pence the bushel, white herrings at six shillings the barrel, red, at three shillings the Cade, red sprats six pence the Cade, and Gascoin wine at six pound the Tun.

Sir VVilliam Stanley was behe aded on Tower-hill.

An. Dom. 1495 Perkin Warbeck arrived in Kent, where when he and his company saw they could have no comfort of the country, they withdrew again to their ships; but the Mayor of Sand­wich, with certain men of the coun­try, fought with the residue that were left behind, and took 169 persons, who were hanged in Kent, Essex, Sussex, and Norfolk.

An. Dom. 1497 By meanes of a subsidy that was granted to the King, a commo­tion was made by the Commons of Cornwall; whi [...]h under the leading of Iames Lord Audley, with Micha­el a Blacksmith, and others, came to Black-heath, where the King met them, overthrew them, and took their Captains: there was slain of the Rebels three hundred, and taken fifteen hundred.

The Lord Audley was beheaded on Tower-hill, the Blacksmith and Flamock were hanged and quartered at Tyburn.

The King sent an Army into Scot­land, under the Earl of Surrey, and the Lord Nevil, which made sharp war upon the Scots. In Bedfordshire at the town of Saint Needs, fell hail­stones eighteen inches about. Per­kin Warebeck landed in Cornwall, went to Bodmin, where being ac­companied with three or four thou­sand men, he proclaimed himself King Richard the fourth, second son of Edward the fourth: from thence he went to Exeter and besieged it, [Page 59] which City was valiantly defended by the inhabitants, but many of the Rebels were slain, and the [...] with­drew themselves to Taunton; from thence Perkin fled to Bewdley, where he took sanctuary, and was af­terward taken, and pardoned his life.

An. Reg. 14 A Shoemakers son was hanged at Saint Thomas Watrings, for naming himself to be Edward Earl of War­wick, who was then kept close pri­soner in the Tower.

An. Dom. 1499 Perkin Warbeck and Iohn-a-wa­ter were executed at Tyburn.

Edward Plantagenet, Earl of War­wick, son to George Duke of Cla­rence, was beheaded at Tower-hill. Shortly after, Bluet and Astwood were hanged at Tyburn.

An. Reg. 19 The 21 of November at night, a perillous fire began upon London-bridge, near to Saint Magnus Church, whereof six tenements were burnt. The 7 of February certain houses more consumed with fire, a­gainst Saint Buttolphs Church in Thames-street.

An. Reg. 21 The prisoners of the Marshalsey broke out, and many of them being shortly after taken, were put to exe­cution, especially those that had lain for Felony.

An. Dom. 1507 An. Reg. 23 About Christmas was a Bakers house burnt in Warwick-lane, with the Mistress of the house, and two women servants.

About this time the City of Nor­wich was much wasted with fire, there was 160 houses consumed, with most part of their goods.

King Henry died at Richmond the 22 of April, when he had reigned 23 years, and 8 moneths, and was buried at Westminster in the new Chappel, which he caused to be builded: he left issue Henry Prince of Wales, who succeeded in the Kingdome. Lady Margaret, Queen of Scots, and Lady Mary, promised to Charles King of Castile.

Henry the Eighth.

An. Reg. 1 HEnry the Eighth, at the age of eighteen years began his reign [Page 61] the 22 of April, Anno 1590. of per­sonage he was tall and mighty, in wit and memory excellent: the third of Iune he married Lady Ka­therine his first wife, who had been late wife to Prince Arthur deceased. On Midsommer day the King and Queen were crowned at Westmin­ster.

An. Dom. 1510 Sir Richard Emson Knight, and Edmond Dudley Esquire, who had been great Councellors to King Hen­ry the seventh, were beheaded on Tower-hill the eighteenth of Au­gust.

An. Dom. 1515 Richard Hunne, a Merchant-Tay­lor of S. Margarets Parish of Bridge­street, who had been put in the Lol­lards Tower about the end of Octo­ber, was now the fifth of December found hanged in the same place, and after burned in Smithfield.

An. Dom. 1517 The Thames was frozen, that men with horse and carts might pass be­twixt Westminster and Lambeth.

An. Dom. 1517 An. Reg. 9 On May-eve was an insurrection of young men, and Apprentices of London, against Aliens, of the which [Page 62] divers were hanged, vvith their Cap­tain Iohn Lincorn a Broker; the resi­due, Ill May­day. to the number of four hundred men, and eleven vvomen, tyed in ropes all along one after another in their shirts, came to Westminster-hall vvith halters about their necks, and vvere pardoned.

An. Dom. 1518 Many died in England of the svveating sickness, and especially a­bout London; wherefore Trinity Term was one day at Oxford, and then adjourned to Westminster.

An. Dom. 1521 The 27 of May was Edward Duke of Buckingham beheaded.

King Henry wrote a book against Luther, and therefore the Pope na­med him Defender of the Faith.

An. Dom. 1524 In December, in the City of Co­ventry, Francis Philip, Christopher Pickering, and Anthony Mainle, in­tended to have taken the Kings trea­sure of his Subsidy, as the same came towards London therewith to have raised men, and to have taken the Castle of Killingworth, and then to have made wars against the King, for the which they were drawn, hanged [Page 63] and quarter'd at Tyburn; the other of their conspiracy were executed at Coventry.

An. Dom. 1526 The eleventh of February, four Merchants of the Still-yard did pe­nance at Pauls, and Doctor Barnes bare a faggot.

An. Dom. 1527 An. Reg. 19 In November, December, and Ia­nuary, fell abundance of rain, that thereof ensued great floods, which destroyed corn-fields, pasture, and beasts; then was it dry till the twelfth of April, and from that time it rained every day and night till the third of Iune.

Such a scarcity of bread was then at London, and all England over, that many died for want of succour: The bread-carts coming from Stratford to London, were met by the way, and the people were ready to p [...]ll it out of the carts, insomuch that the Mayor and Sheriffs were forced to go and rescue the same, and see the carts brought to the markets ap­pointed: Wheat was then at fifteen shillings the quarter; shortly after the Merchants of the Still-yard [Page 64] brought from Dansk such store of wheat and rye, that it was better cheap in London, then in any part of the Realm beside.

An. Reg. 23 Richard Rice a Cook was boiled in Smithfield, for poysoning divers persons at the Bishop of Winchesters house.

The eleventh of April, seven men with their horses, and a ferry man; were drowned at Lambeth.

Thomas Bilney was burned at Norwich.

An. Reg. 24 An. Dom. 1532 The 25 of May was taken be­tween London and Greenwich, two great fishes, called Hurlepools.

Five men were hanged and quar­ter'd at Tyburn, for coyning and clipping of money.

A great fish was taken at Black­wall, which was brought to Westmin­ster to the King.

An. Reg. 26 The 15 of May was a great fire at Salters Hall in Bredstreet.

The fourteenth of August was a great fire at Temple-bar: the six­teenth of August was the Kings Sta­ble burned at Charing-cross, wherein [Page 65] were burned many great horses, and great store of hay.

An. Dom. 1537 The Prior of the Charter-house at London, the Prior of Beval, the Prior of Exham; Reynolds a Bro­ther of Simon, and Iohn Hail, Vi­car of Thisleworth, were all condemn­ed, drawn, and hanged, and quar­ter'd at Tyburn, the fourth of May.

The eighteenth of Iune, three Monks of the Charter-house of Lon­don, Exmewe, Middlemore, and Ni­digate, were hanged and quarter'd at Tyburn.

The 22 of Iune, Doctor Iohn Fish­er, Bishop of Rochester, was behead­ed on the Tower-hill.

The sixth of Iuly, Sir Thomas Moor was beheaded on Tower-hill.

Within a while after the Lady Ann Queen was had to the Tower, and there for things laid to her charge, was shortly after beheaded: The nineteenth of May, the Lord Rochford, Brother to the said Queen, Henry Norrice, Mark Smeton, Willi­am Brierton, and Francis Weston, all of the Kings Privy Chamber, about [Page 66] matters touching the Queen, were put to death.

In the beginning of October, at an Assise for the Kings subsidie kept in Lincolnshire, the people made an insurrection, and gathered nine and twenty thousand persons together; against those the king did send the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Shrews­bury, and the Earl of Rutland, with a strong power, whereof, when the Rebels heard, they desired pardon, brake up their Army, and departed home, but their Captains were ap­prehended and executed.

The ninth of October, a Priest and a Butcher were hanged, for speaking in the behalf of the Lincolneshire men, they were hanged at VVindsor.

After began an insurrection for the sames causes in York-shire, the people gathered to the number of forty thousand, against those Rebels the king sent the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the Mar­quess of Exceter, with a great Army, with whom a battel was appointed to be fought, on the Eve of Simon [Page 67] and Iude, but there fell such rain the night before, that the two armies could not meet, whe [...]eupon they desired the D. of Norfolk to sue to the King for a pardon, and that they might have their liberties, whi [...]h the Duke promised, and rid post to the king then lying at Wind­sor, to know his pleasure, and so ap­peased them; Ask that was the chief in this rebellion came to Lon­don, and was not onely pardoned but rewarded with gifts: the king dealt with this Ask as his Father did with Perkin Warbeck, let him alone a while to see what he would do, and these kings did but just play with these miscreants as the cat playes with the mouse, for they were both of them hanged.

The twelfth of December, the Thames being frozen, the king, and Queen Iane rode through London to Greenwich. The third of February was Thomas Fitz Garret, son and heir to the Earle of K [...]ldare behea­ded, and five of his Uncles, drawn, hanged, and quartered at Tiburn: in [Page 68] this moneth Nicholas Musgrave, Thomas Gilby, and others, stirred a new rebellion, and besieged the City of Carlile, from whence they were driven, and many of them put to death; also Sir Francis Bigott, and others began a conspiracie, and for the same were atainted.

The twenty ninth of March were twelve men of Lincolne drawn to Ti­burn and there hanged and quarte­red for a new rebellion.

In Somerset shire was another re­bellion began by Mr. Paulet, and some other of his friends; the chief of them to the number of sixty were condemned, whereof fourteen were hanged and quartered, one of them was a woman.

In Iune the Lord Darcie the Lord Hussey, Sir Robert Constable, Sir Tho. Pierce, Sir Francis Bigott, Sir Stephen Hamelton, Sir Iohn Bulmer, and his wife, George Lumbley Nicholas Tem­ple, Robert Ask, VVilliam Thrift, Abbot of Fountains, Anthony Abbot of Gervaur, the Abbot of Rivers, William Prior of Burlington, all [Page 69] these were put to death. Sir Robert Constable of Hull, Ask hanged on a Tower [...]t York Lady Bulmer burned in Smithfield Lo [...]d Darcie beheaded at Tower hill, Lord Hussey at Lin­colne, and the rest of them suffered at Tiburn.

The twelfth of October was born at Hampton-Court, Prin [...]e Edward, and Q [...]een Iane lost her life the 14 of October.

Alwin a P [...]iest, Harsam customer of Plimmouth, and Thomas Evel were all hanged and quartered at Tiburn.

The twelfth of May Fryer Forrest was hanged and burned in Smith­field, for denying the kings suprema­cy, with him was burnt the gathe­ring of Wales, (that is) as much as to say Darvar an image.

The seventeenth of May was a great fire at Saint Margaret Pattons in London, where many houses, and many per [...]ons were burned, Edmond Cunningsby for counterfeiting the kings signe Manual, and Edward Clifford for the same cause were hanged at Tiburn.

The first of September, was one Cartwel hangman of London, and two other hanged by Clarken-wel, for robbing a Booth in Bartholomew faire.

Henry Marquess of Exceter, Earl of Devonshire, Hen. Pool. L. Mountacute, & Sir Edward Nevil, the 9th of Ian. were beheaded on tower hill, two Priests, Crofts, Collins, and a Mar­riner, were hanged and quartered at tyburn.

Iohn Lambert was burnt in Smith­field, on Ashwednesday, Iohn Potter and William Mannering hanged in Pauls Church-yard, for killing of Ro­ger Cholmley Esq; in the same place.

The third of March, Sir Richard Carew knight of the Garter, and Master of the kings horse, was be­headed on towe [...] hill.

The Vicar of VVansworth with his servant and his Chaplain, and Fryer Ware w [...]e h [...]nged and quar­tered at Saint Thomas VVatrings.

At this time were all monasteries suppressed because the king like Ia­nus would look two wayes.

The Abbot of Reading, and two Priests, were hanged and quarter'd at Reading; the same day was Ri­chard Whiting, Abbot of Glassenbu­ry, hanged and quartered at Tower­hill, besides his Monastery, accord­ing to an old Prophesie.

The Lady Anne Cleve received at Black-heath, and brought to Greenwich, and the sixth of the same moneth married to King Henry.

The ninth of Iuly, Thomas Lord Cromwel, Earl of Essex, was com­mitted to the tower of London: the 28 of Iuly he was beheaded on tow­er-hill, with the Lord Hungerford. King Henry was divorced from the Lady Anne of Cleve.

The thirtieth of Iuly, Robert Barnes, Thomas Gerrard, William Ie­rome, Priests, we [...]e burned in Smith­field, the same day Thomas Abell, Edward Powel and Richard Feather­stone, were hanged and q [...]tered for denying the kings sup [...]emacy, the fourth of August, were drawn to Tyburne, six persons and one lead Laurence Cook Prior of Doncaster, [Page 72] William Horn a Laie b [...]other of the Charterhouse, Giles Horn Gentle­man, Clement Philpot, Edmond Broomeham, Darbie, Kenham, Robert Bird, Gervis Carow, all put to death for denying the s [...]p [...]emacie.

The King married again.

The eighth of August, Lady Ka­therine Howard was [...]hewed openly as Q [...]een at Hampton-Court.

Great draught, and a great death of hot bu [...]ning, agues and feavours. the salt water flowed above London­bridge.

Ralph Egerton, and Thomas Har­man, put to death for counterfeiting the Kings b [...]oad Seal. In April, cer­tain persons began a new rebellion in York-shire, whi [...]h were shortly ta­ken and put to death in several pla­ces, of which Leigh Tattersal and Thornton were put to death at Lon­don, Sir Iohn Nevil Knight, and ten persons more were put to death at York.

The Countess of Salisbury was [Page 73] beheaded in the tower, Damport and Chapman were hanged at Greenwich for a robbery.

The 21 of Iune Lord Leonard Grey was beheaded on the tower-hill; he was Deputy of Ireland; the same day were hanged at St. Thomas VVatrings, Mantile, Roydon, and Frowds, Gentlemen, for spoil and murder they had done in Nicholas Pelhams Park: the Lord of Dacres of the South being in company on Saint Peters day, was led from the tower to tyburn, and there hanged.

On Christmas Eve at night began a great fire in the house of Sir Iohn Williams, master of the Kings Jew­els, where many of those jewels were burnt, and a great many of them stoln.

The Lady Katherine Howard, whom the King had married, for her unchast living with Thomas Culpeper, and Francis Durham, was by Parlia­ment attainted, Culpeper and Dur­ham were hanged at Tyburn. The 23 of Ianuary the King was pro­claimed King of Ireland: the 13 of [Page 74] February were beheaded within the Tower, the Lady Katherine Howard, otherwise called Queen Katherine, and the Lady Rochford.

An. Reg. 34 An. Dom. 1542 The seventh of March, Margaret Davy, a Maid, was boiled in Smith­field, for poysoning three housholds where she had lived.

The 12 of Iuly, King Henry mar­ried Lady Katherine Parre, late wife to the Lord Latimer.

Anthony Person, Robert Testwood, and Henry Filmer, were burnt at Windsor.

A great plague was at London, and therefore Michaelmas term was ad­journed to Saint Albans.

This year [...]han [...]ed four eclipses, one of the Sun the 24 of Ianuary, and three of the Moon.

German Gardner, and Lark Par­sons of Ch [...]lsey, Singleton and Ass­bey, were hanged at Tyburn for de­nying the Kings Supremacy.

An. Dom. 1544 The third of April a Gun-powder house in East-Smithfield was blown up, and therein burned five men, a boy, and a woman.

This year was taken by the Kings ships on the English Coast, the num­ber of three hundred French ships, so that the Grey-Friers Church in London was laid full of wine; the Austin-Friers and Black-Friers were laid full of Herrings, and other fish, that were taken going into France.

A Priest did penance at Pauls-Cross, and there confessed that he pricked his finger, when he was at Mass, and wiped it on the Corporis and Altar cloth, and went about to make the people believe that the miraculous Host did bleed after the words of Consecration.

The 13 of February, a Priest was set on the Pillory in Cheap-side, and burnt in both cheeks with the letters F and A. a paper on his head where­in was written, For false accusing; which judgement was given by the Lord Chancellor in the Star- [...]ham­ber: a notable example of Justice.

An. Reg. 37 An. Dom. 1545 The French Kings Navy coming out of New-haven and Deep, arri­ved in Sussex afore bright Hamsted, where they set some of their Soul­diers [Page 76] a land, but the Beacons were fired, and the country came down so fast upon them, that the French men fled.

Some certain ships of the Kings Ships. called Hedgehogs, one of them had a mischance before Westminster, a fir­kin Men burned. of powder took fire, and killed seven men, and the eighth man was drowned.

The 20 of Iuly the King being at Another mischance. Portsmouth, the goodly ship called the Rose, with Sir George Carrow the Captain, and many other Gentle­men, were drowned in the midst of the Haven.

The French were beaten off at the Isle of Wight; and likewise in Sussex, at a place called New-haven.

One William Foxley, Potmaker for the Mint in the tower of London, fell asleep the 27 of April, who could not be wakened neither by kicking, cramping, or pinching, till the first day of the next term, whi [...]h was full fourteen daies and fifteen nights: the cause of this his thus sleeping could not be known, though [Page 77] the same were diligently enquired after by the Kings Physitians, and men of learning, yea, the King him­self examined him, and he was in all points found as he had slept but one night; and he was living till the year of our Lord, 1587.

The 16 of Iuly were burned in Smithfield for the Sacrament, Anne Askew, Iohn Lassels, Nicholas Over­den Priest, Iohn Adlam taylor, and Doctor Shaxton, sometimes Bishop of Salisbury, preached at the same fire, and recanted, perswading them to do the like, but they would not.

The Admiral of France came to England where he was gallantly and honourably entertained: the English in those daies kept them at a di­stance, and forced them to submit.

The 12 of December Thomas Duke of Norfolk, and Henry Earl of Sur­rey, his son was sent to the tower.

Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey was beheaded on the tower-hill, the 19 of Ianuary.

The 28 of Ianuary King Henry de­ceased, and left the Crown to his [Page 78] son Prince Edward, Lady Mary his daughter by Katherine, and the third, Lady Elizabeth by Queen Anne of Bullen: he deceased when he had reigned 37 years, nine moneths, and odd daies, and was bu­ried at VVindsor.

Edward the Sixth.

An. Reg. 1 EDward the sixth began his reign the 24 of Ianuary, 1546. when he was but nine years old: King Henry his Father had appointed by his Will for his Privy-Councel, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chan­cellour, the Bishop of Durham, with others, to the number of sixteen. The sixth of February the Earl of Hertford was elected to be Prote­ctor to the Kings person: the sixth of February the Lord Protector in the Tower of London, endued King Edward with the Order of Knight­hood.

King Edward was crowned at Westminster the twentieth of Fe­bruary.

An. Dom. 1557 The fifteenth of May, Doctor Smith recanted at Pauls-Cross.

The Lord Protector, and the rest of the Councel, sent Commissioners into all parts of the Realm, willing them to take down all images out of their Churches, for the avoiding of idolatry: with them were sent di­vers preachers to perswade the peo­ple from their Beads, and at that time procession was forbidden.

The Church-Service read in En­glish to the people.

On Saint Peters day Stephen Gard­ner Bishop of Winchester, preached before the King, for the which he was sent to the Tower.

An. Reg. 2 An. Dom. 1548 The seventh of Iuly a Priest was hanged and quarter'd in Smith-field, for killing one Mr. Body, one of the Kings Commissioners; other of his Fellows were put to death in other places.

A great pestilence in London.

The 16 of September Saint Anns Church within Aldersgate was burnt.

An. Reg. 3 The 16 of Ianuary Thomas Seimer [Page 80] Lord Admiral was sent to the Tower of London, he was Brother to the Lord Protector; on the 20 of March he was beheaded on the Tower-hill.

An. Dom. 1549 The 23 of April six houses at Broken-wharf were burned.

In May, by reason of a Proclama­tion for Inclosures, the Commons of Sommersetshire and Lincolnshire made a commotion, and brake up certain Parks of Sir VVilliam Her­berts, and the Lord Sturtons; but Sir VVilliam Herbert slew and execu­ted many of those Rebels. In Iuly the Commons of Essex and Kent, Suffolk and Norfolk, rose against Inclosures, and pulled down many parks and houses.

Also the Commons of Cornwall and Devonshire, desired not only the inclosures might be disparked, but al­so to have their old Religion: these besieged the City of Exeter, which was valiantly defended; Iohn Lord Russel with a number of Souldiers enter'd the City of Exeter, slew and took prisoners more then four thou­sand, and after hanged a number of [Page 81] them in the town, and about the country: the Lord Grey likewise, with strangers, horsemen, slew many people, and spoiled the country.

The last of Iuly, VVilliam Lord Marquess of Northampton entered the City of Norwich, and on the morrow the rebels also entered the town, burnt part thereof, put the Lord Marquess to flight, and slew the Lord Sheffield.

Divers persons were executed as aiders of the aforesaid rebels, of the which one was hanged within Al­gate, and an other at the Bridg-foot, towards Southwark.

The rebels in Norfolk and Suffolk incamped themselves at Mount Sur­rey, near unto Norwich, against whom Sir Iohn Dudley Earl of VVarwick went with an army, where meeting with the rebels, they had thought all to have died in the place, but God brought it to pass, as well there as in all other places, they were partly by power constrained, partly by pro­mise of a pardon perswaded to sub­mit themselves, the Earl of VVar­wick [Page 82] enter'd the City of Norwich the 27 of August, when he had slain a­bove five thousand rebels, and taken their chief Captain, Robert Kett of Windam tanner.

The twentieth of September, Ed­mond Bonner, Bishop of London, was sent from Lambeth to the Marshal­sey, for a Sermon which he preached at Pauls-cross, on the first of Decem­ber: on the first of October he was deprived of his Bishoprick, and sent again to the Marshalsey, for disobey­ding the Kings order in Religion.

The twentieth of November, Ro­bert Kett, and VVilliam Kett his brother, were d [...]livered out of the tower of London, to Sir Edward Win­dam, Sheriff of Norwich, where Ro­bert Kett was hanged in chains on the top of Norwich castle, and Willi­am Kett hanged on the top of Win­dam-steeple.

The nineteenth of Ianuary were murdered by St. Sepulchres Church without Newgate, in London, two Captains that had served the King at Boloigne, and elswhere; the one that [Page 83] was murdered was Sir Peter Gambo, the other Filieirga; which murders were committed by Charles Gavero, a Flemming, who came post from Barwick to do that act; the next morning he, with three of his com­panions, were taken in Smith-field; and carried to Newgate; and the twenty fourth of Ianuary they were all 4 hanged in Smithfield, Charles Gavero,—Balthazar Gavero,—Ni­cholas Dissalveron,—and Francis Devalasco.—

The twenty seventh of Ianuary, Humphrey Arundel Esquire, Thomas Holmes, VVinslowe, and Bury, cap­tains of the rebels in Devonshire, were hanged and quarter'd at Ty­burn.

The tenth of February one Bell was hanged and quarter'd at Tyburn for moving a new rebellion in Suf­folk.

The second of May, Ione Butcher was burned in Smithfield for heresie, she held that Christ took no flesh of the Virgin Mary, Richar [...] Lion▪ Go­dard Gorran, and Richard Ireland were [Page 84] executed the fourteenth of May for attempting a new rebellion in Kent.

In the moneth of May, a miller at Battle-bridge was set in the pillory in cheap-side, and had both his ears cut off, for speaking some words a­gainst the Duke of Sommerset.

On Saint Valentines day at Fever­sham in Kent, one Arden a gentle­man was murdered by consent of his wife, for the which fact, she was on the fourteenth of March burnt at Canterbury; Michael, Master Ar­dens man was hanged in chains at Fe­versham, and a maiden burnt; Mos­by and his Sister were hanged in Smithfield at London; Green, which had fled, came again certain years after, and was hanged in chains in the high-way over against Fever­sham, and Black-VVill, the Ruffin, that was hired to do the act, was burnt in Zealand at Flushing.

The twenty fourth of April, a Dutch-man was burnt in Smithfield for an Arrian.

The twenty fifth of May an earth­quake about Croydon, and those parts, [Page 85] did put the people in great fear.

An. Dom. 1552 The twenty sixth o [...] February, Sir Richard Vine, and Sir Martin Pa­tridge were hanged on tower-hill; Sir Martin Stanhope, with Sir Thom­as Arundel were beheaded there: the last of April a house near to the tower of London, with three barrels of powder, was blown up, the Gun­powder-makers, being fifteen in number, were all slain.

The third of August, at Middle­ton, eleven miles from Oxford, a wo­man brought forth a child which had two perfect bodies from the navel upwards, and were so joyned toge­ther at the navel, that when they were laid out at length the one head and body was West, and the other East; the legs of both the bodies were joyned together in the midst, they lived eighteen daies, and they were women children.

The eighth of August were taken at Queenborough three great fishes, called Dolphins and the week follow­ing at Black-wall was six more taken, and brought to London.

The seventh of October were three great fishes called Whirl-pools ta­ken at Gravesend.

The eighth of October was three more great fishes, called Whirl­pools, taken at Gravesend and drawn up to the Kings Bridge at VVestmin­ster.

King Edward being at the age of sixteen years, ended his life at Green­wich, on the sixth of Iuly, when he had reigned six years, five moneths, and odd daies, and was buried at VVestminster.

The tenth of Iuly was pro [...]lama­tion made of the death of King Ed­ward, and how he had ordained that the Lady Iane, Daughter to Frances, Dutchess of Suffolk; which Lady Iane was married to the Lord Gil­ford Dudley, fourth son to the Duke of Northumberland▪ should be Heir to the Crown of England.

The eleventh of Iuly, Gilbert Pott drawe [...] to Ninion Sanders Vintner, dw [...]lling [...] the sign of S [...]int-Iohn-Bapt [...]st-head within Ludgate, was set on the pillory in Cheap, wi [...]h bo [...]h [Page 87] his ears nailed to the Pillory and cut off, for words speaking at the time of Proclamation of the Lady Iane.

Lady Mary eldest daughter to King Henry the eight fled to Fram­mington Castle in Suffolk where the people of the countrey almost wholly resorted unto her.

In Oxford Sir Iohn Williams, in Buckinghamshire Sir Edmond Peck­ham, and in divers other places ma­ny men of worship offering them­selves as guides to the common peo­ple, gathered great powers, and with all speed made towards Suf­folk, where the Lady Mary was. Also the thirteenth of Iuly by the appointment of the Coun­cel, the Duke of Northumberland, the Earl of Huntington, the Lord Grey of Wilton, and divers others, with a great number of men of Armes set forward to fetch the La­dy Mary by force, and were on their way as far as Burie.

The ninteenth of Iuly the Counsel assembled themselves at Baynards Castle, where they communed with [Page 88] the Earl of Pembrook, and immedi­ately with the Lord Mayor of Lon­don, certain Aldermen of London, and the Sheriffs, Garter King of Arms, and a Trumpet went into Cheap, where they proclaimed Lady Mary daughter to King Henry the eight, Queen of England, France and Ireland.

The twentieth of Iuly, Iohn Earl of Northumberland, being at Saint Edmonsbury, and having sure know­ledge that the Lady Mary was at London proclaimed Queen of En­gland, returned back again to Cam­bridge, and about five of the clock in the Evening, he came to the mar­ket-place and caused the Lady Ma­ry to be likewise proclaimed Queen of England: but shortly after, he was arrested and brought to the Tower of London, the twenty fifth of Iuly un­der the conduct of Henry Earl of A­rundel, thus was the matter ended without any bloodshed, which men feared would have brought the death of thousands.

Queen Mary.

An. Reg. 1 MAry the eldest daughter to King Henry the eight, began her reign the sixth of Iuly, in the year 1553. She came to London and was received with great joy, and en­tred the Tower the third of August, where Thomas Duke of Norfolk, Doctor Gardner, late Bishop of Win­chester, and Edward Courtney, son and heir to Henry Marquess of Ex­eter, prisoners in the Tower, dischar­ged: the fifth of August, Edmond Bonner late Bishop of London, priso­ner in the Marshal Seas, and Cut­bert Tunstal Bishop of Durham, pri­soners in the Kings Bench, were re­stored to their Seas: shortly after, all the Bishops which had been depri­ved in the time of King Edward the sixth, were restored to their Bisho­pricks again, also all beneficed men that were married, or would not for­sake their opinions, were put out of their livings and others set in the same.

The eleventh of August, certain gentlemen minding to pass through London Bridge in a Wherrie, were there overturned, and six of them drowned.

The thirteenth of August master Bourn a Canon of Pauls, preached at Pauls Cross, so offended some of his audience, that they breaking si­lence cryed out, pull him down, and one threw a dagger at him, where­upon master Bradford, and Master Rogers, two preachers in King Ed­wards dayes, with much labour con­veyed the said master Bourn out of the audience into Pauls School.

The twenty second of August, Iohn Duke of Northumberland, Sir Iohu Gaites, and Sir Thomas Palmer Knights, were beheaded on tower hill.

The Queen was crowned at VVestminster the first of October by Doctor Gardiner Bishop of Winche­ster.

The twenty f [...]f [...]h of October the Ba [...]ge of Gravesend was overturned and forty persons drowned.

In the beginning of the moneth of Ianuary, the Emperour sent a noble­man called Egmont, and certain other Embassadours into England, to conclude a marriage between King Phillip his son, and Queen Mary.

The twenty fifth of Ianuary, Sir George Gage Chamberlain, certified the Lord Major of London, that Sir Thomas VViat, with cettain other Rebels, were up in Kent, whereup­on great watch was kept, and that night the Lord Major himself rode about the City to look to the same and every night after, two Alder­men did the like; in the day time the gates of the City were guarded by substantial Citizens.

The 27 of Ian. the L. Treasurer came to Guild-Hall from the Coun­sel, to request the citizens to prepare hundred foormen well armed, to go against VViat, which was gran­ted; and on the morrow were sent to Gravesend by water.

The twenty ninth of Ianuary, the Duke of Norfolk wirh the Captain of the guard, and other Souldiers, and [Page 92] the Captains and Soldiers that were sent from London, minding to assault Rochester Castle, where VViat and his company lay, but the Captaines of the City fled over Rochester Bridge to Wiat, so that the Duke was faine to fly for London again to save his life.

Thus Wiats number being streightned with the Queens Ord­nance and treasure, the thirtieth of Ianuary he removed to Black Heath.

Henry Duke of Suffolk Father to Lady Iane, flying into Leicestershire and Warwick-shire, made Procla­mation against the Queens marriage with the Prince of Spain, but the people gave no regard to his words.

The first of February the com­mons of the City assembled in their Liveries at the Guild-Hall in London, whether the Queen with her Lords came riding from Westminster; and there after vehement words against Wiat, declared that she meant no otherwise to marrie then the Coun­sel shall think both honourable and commodiously to the Realme, and [Page 93] therefore willed them truly to assist her, in oppressing them that contrary to their duties rebelled, shee appointed Lord William Howard Lieutenant of the Ci­ty, and the Earl of Pembrook, General of the field, which both pre­pared all things necessary: Wiat en­tred Southwark the third of February wherefore the draw bridge was bro­ken down, Ordnance bent to that part, general pardon proclaimed to all that would give over and forsake the rebels. After Wiat had lain three daies in Southwark, he turned his journey to Kingson on Shroue-Tuesday in the morning, being the sixth of February, where he passed over the Thames, and purposed to come to London in the night, but by reason that the carriages of his chief Ordnance brake, he could not come before it was fair day.

The same Shrove-Tuesday in the afternoone were two men hanged in Pauls Church-yard, one of them was late Sheriff of Leicester, the other a Baker.

On the morrow early in the mor­ning, the Earl of Pembrook and di­vers others were in Saint Iame's field, with a great power, and their Ordnance so bent, that Wiat was forced to leave the common way, and with a small company came un­der Saint Iame's wall, to scape the Ordnance, and so went by Chearing-Cross to the Bell-Savage, nigh unto Ludgate without any ressistance, in at the which gate, he thought to have been received, but perceiving that he was deceived of his purpose, he fled back again, and at Temble Bar, was taken and brought by water to the Tower of London.

The tenth day of February, the Duke of Suffolk which was taken in Leicester shire, was brought to the City of London, by the Earl of Hun­tington, and one of his brethren with him, and so had to the tower.

The twelfth of February Lady Iane and her husband Lord Gilford were beheaded.

The fourteenth of February about the number fifty of Wiats faction [Page 95] were hanged on twenty paire of Gallowes. in divers parts about the City proclamation was made.

The seventeenth of February, that all strangers should depart.

The twenty second of February certain of VViatt faction to the number of four hundred and more, were lead to VVestminster, coupled together with halters about their necks, and their in the tilt yard, the Queen who looked forth of her Gallery pardoned them.

The twenty fourth of February Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk was be­headed on the tower hill.

The eleventh of April Sir Tho­mas VViat was beheaded on the tower hill, and after quartered; his quarters were set up in divers places, and his head on the Gallowes, at Hay hill, near Hide Park.

The twenty seventh of April, Lord Tho. Gray was beheaded: Wil­liam Thomas Gentleman, for con­spiring the Queens death, was hanged and qua [...]tered.

The tenth of Iune Doctor Pen­dleton [Page 96] preached at Pauls Cross, at whom a gun was shot, the bullet ligh­ted on the Church wall, but he that shot it could not be found.

The nineteenth of Iuly, the Prince of Spain arrived at Southampton, af­ter he came to VVinchester, and there going to Church, was honour­ably received by the Bishop, and a great number of Nobles on Saint Iames day; the marriage was solem­nized between him and Queen Ma­ry shortly after they came to Lon­don, where with great provision they were received of the Citizens, the eighteenth of August.

The 26 of Octob. a Spaniard was hanged for killing an [...]nglish-man.

The eighteenth of November, great joy there was among the peo­ple, with ringing of bells, prayers for the Queen, and thanksgiving in all churches for he [...] being with-childe, which proved no such matter.

The 4 of Febr. Ioh. Rogers, Vicar of St. Sepulc. was b [...]nt in Smithfield.

On Easter day a Priest n [...]med VVilliam Slower, with a wood knife [Page 94] wounded an other Priest, as he was ministring the Sacrament to the peo­ple in Saint Margarets Church at Westminster, for the which fact the said VVilliam on the twenty fourth of April had his right hand cut off, and for opinions he held in matters of Religion, was burned nigh unto Saint Margarets Church.

The tenth of May, William Con­stable a millers son▪ who had named himself to be King Edward the 6th, was sent to the Marshalsea, and the 22 of May he was carried about Westminster-Hall, before the Judg­es, whipped about the Palace, and then through Westminster into Smithfield.

The first of Iuly, Iohn Bradford was burned in Smithfield for Religion.

In the moneth of August▪ a mon­strous fish was brought to Lin, of for­ty foot in length.

In October fell such abundance of rain, tha [...] for the sp [...]ce of six daies men might [...]ow with Boats in Saint Georges fields; water came into Westminster Hall half a yard deep.

The twenty sixth of October, Do­ctor Ridley, and Doctor Latimer were burned at Oxford for Religion.

William Constable, who had cau­sed letters to be cast abroad, that King Edward was alive, and to some shewed himself to be King Edward, the thirteenth of March was drawn, hanged and quarter'd at Tyburn.

Cardinal Pool the Sunday follow­ing was consecrated Arch-bishop of Canterbury.

The twenty eighth of March, part of Newgate, called Mannings Hall, was burnt.

Certain persons purposed to have robbed the Queens Exchequer, to the end they might be the better able to make war against her; Udal Throgmorton; Pecham, Daniel, and Stanton, were apprehended, and di­vers others fled.

The twenty eighth of April, Throgmorton, and Richard Udal, was hang'd and quarter'd at Tyburn.

The nineteenth of May, Stanton was likewise executed at Tyburn.

The eighth of Iune, Rossey, De­tick, [Page 99] and Bedell, were executed at Tyburn.

The eleventh of Iune, Sands, a younger son of Lord Sands, was hanged at Saint Thomas a Watrings, for a robbery.

The twenty seventh of Iune, thir­teen persons were burnt at Stratford the Bow.

The eighth of Iuly, Henry Pea­cham, and Thomas Daniel, were hanged and headed for conspiracy on Tower-hill.

Cleba a Schoolmaster, and three Gentlemen in Lincolns-Inne, being brethren in Norfolk, were hanged and quarter'd at Bury for conspiracy.

About this time began the hot burning Feavers, whereof died ma­ny old persons, so that in London di­ed seven Aldermen in the space of ten moneths.

The 21 of November, a man was brought from Westminster with a pa­per on his head, riding with his face toward the horse tail to the Stan­dard in Cheap-side, and there set on the pillory, and after burned in both [Page 96] the cheeks with the letters F and A, for falsly accusing a gentleman of treason.

The sixteenth of December, a stranger born was arraigned for ma­king keyes to Newgate to have mur­dered the Keeper, and let forth the prisoners; at which time of his ar­raignment, he thrust a knife into the side of his fellow prisoner, that had given witness against him, so that he was in peril of death there­by, for the which fact he was ta­ken from the Bar into the street, be­fore the Justice Hall, where his hand being first stricken off, he was then hanged on a Gibbet: the Keeper of Newgate was arraigned and indicted for that the said prisoner had a wea­pon about him, and his hands loose.

The Lord Sturton murdered two men, for the which he was convey­ed from the tower of London to Sa­lisbury, and there hanged, with four of his servants, the sixth of March.

A Blazing-star was seen at all times of the night, from the sixth to the tenth of March.

The twenty third of April, Tho­mas Stafford, and others, to the number of thirty two persons, com­ing out of France, took the Castle of Scarborough, which they enjoyed two daies, and then were taken and brought to London.

The twenty eighth of May, Tho­mas Stafford was behe [...]ded on the tower-hill, and on the morrow af­ter three of his companions were drawn to tyburn, and there hanged and quartered.

The first of Ianuary, the French­men came to Calice with a great Ar­my, and within four daies were ma­sters thereof, and shortly after won all the pieces on that side of the Sea.

The French King also invaded Flanders, spoiled and burnt Dun­kirk, before King Philip could come to the rescue.

The seventh of Iuly, within a mile of Nottingham, a tempest of thun­der, as it came through two towns, beat down all the houses and Chur­ches, the bells were cast to the out­side of the Church-yard, and some [Page 102] webs of lead, four hundred foot in the field, writhen like a glove, the river of Trent running between the two towns: the water running, was with the mud carried a quarter of a mile, and cast against trees; trees were pulled up by the roots, and cast twelve score off; a child was pulled out of a mans hands, and carried a hundred foot, and then let fall, and died; five or six men were killed; there fell some hail-stones that were fifteen inches about.

The Quartain Agues continued very sharp, insomuch that many old folk died, especially Parsons and Priests, so that a great number of Parishes were unfurnished.

King Philip being absent out of the Realm, Queen Mary ended her life the seventeenth of November, in the year 1558. when she had reign­ed five years, four moneths, and odd daies: the same day deceased Car­dinal Pool, and a little before two of her Physitians, beside many Bishops and Noble men: Queen Mary was buried at Westminster, and Car­dinal [Page 103] Pool at Canterbury.

Queen Elizabeth.

An. Reg. 1 THe seventeenth of November, 1558. came certain news unto the Parliament House of the death of Queen Mary, whereat many re­joyced, and many lamented, and forthwith her death being generally known, they proclaimed Lady Eli­zabeth, second daughter to Henry the Eight, Queen of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith: this was done in London and West­minster, the Queen was then at Bi­shops Hatfield, but not proclaimed there till two daies after.

The Queen came shortly after from Hatfield to the Charterhonse, until the time of her Coronation she stayed there: the Bishops kneeling down acknowledged their alleage­ance: the fourteenth of Iannary she rode in triumph to the Palace of Westminster, and the next day was crowned by Doctor Oglethrop, Bi­shop of Carlisle.

The twentieth of Ianuary began a Parliament, wherein the fruits, tenths, and supremacy were reser­ved, and connexed to the Crown. In this Parliaments time the Queen granted license for a free disputation to be held in Westminster Church, concerning some different points in Religion, but it came to no effect.

The twenty fourth of Inne, the book of Common-prayer was esta­blished, and the Mass clean suppres­sed in all Churches.

In ancient time many images were in Churches, which were main­tained by Queen Mary, but by Queen Elizabeth beaten down, and burned in the open streets.

The fifth of Inly, through shoot­ing off a gun in a house in Crooked­lane, a barrel of gunpowder took fire, which blew up four houses, shatter'd many other houses, slew twenty per­sons outright, and hurt as many, be­sides great damage to houses and goods.

The tenth of April, William Gef­fery was whipped from the Marshal­sea [Page 101] to Bedlam, for publishing, that one Iohn Moor was Jesus Christ; which said Iohn Moor, after he had been well whipped, confessed him­self a cozening knave.

An. Reg. 3 An. Dom. 1561 The fourth of Iune, between four and five a clock in the afternoon, a terrible tempest chanced of thunder and lightning, and chiefly about London, where amongst many harms, it fired the lofty Spire of Pauls-stee­ple, and began about the top there­of, which was two hundred foot high from the top of the stone battle­ments; the fire ceased not till it came down to the roof of the Church, and consumed all the bells, lead, and timber-work.

An. Reg. 4 In March a Mare brought forth a Foal with one body, and two heads, and a long tail growing out between the two heads.

A Sow farrowed a pig with four legs, like to the arms of a child, with hands and fingers.

In April, a Sow farrowed a pig with two bodies, eight feet, and but one head, many calves and lambs [Page 106] were monstrous; some with collers of skin about their necks, like to the double cuffs of shirts, and necker­chiefs, then used.

An. Dom. 1562 The fourteenth of May, a man­child was born at Chichester in Sus­sex, the head, legs and arms were like an Anatomy, rhe brest and belly big, from the navel a long string hanging about the neck, a coller of flesh like the ruff of a neckerchief, coming up about the ears.

An. Reg. 5 An. Dom. 1563 The sixteenth of Ianurry, a great tempest of winde and thunder hap­pened in the town of Leicester, which uncover'd many houses, and over­turned many.

Pestilence in 108. Parishes in London, besides eleven in the Su­burbs.

The eighth of Iuly, a great tem­pest of thunder and lightning, by the same was slain a woman and three kine in the Covent-garden, near Cha­ring-cross; in Essex a man was torn in pieces, his Barn beaten down, and his hay burnt.

An earthquake in the moneth of [Page 107] September in Liucolnshire and Nor­thamptonshire.

From the first of December to the [...]elfth, was such continual light­ning and thunder, that the like hath not been seen nor heard by any man living.

An. Dom. 1564 In the moneth of December, was driven or the shore at Grimsby in Lincolnshire, a monstrous fish, in length nineteen yatds, his tail fifteen foot broad, and six yards between his eyes.

The twentieth of September rose great floods in the Thames, that the marshes were overflowed, and many cattel drowned.

The seventh of October, all the North parts of the element seemed to be covered with flames of fire, proceeding from the North-East, and North-West, towards the midst of the firmament, and descended West.

The twenty first of Decemb. began a frost, which continued so extreme­ly, that on New-years even people went over, and along the thames on [Page 104] the yce, from London-bridge to West­minster, some played at the Foot­ball; divers of the Court being there at Westminster, shot at the Butts up­on the Thames; and people, both men and women, went on the yce, in greater numbers then in any street in London: On the third day of Ia­nuary it began to thaw, and on the fifth day was no yce to be seen be­tween London-bridge and Lambeth, which sudden thaw caused great floods, and high waters, that bare down bridges and houses, and drown­ed many people in England, especi­ally in York-shire, it bore away Owse bridge, and many other bridges.

The sixteenth of Iune, began a tempest about nine a clock at night, so great a tempest of lightning and thunder, with showres of hail, which continued till three of the clock in the next morning, so terrible, that at Chelmesford in Essex, five hundred acres of corn was destroyed; the glass windows of the East side of the town were beaten down, and on the West and South-sides of the Church [Page 105] were beaten down, with all the tiles of their houses, besides divers barns and chimneys, with the battlements of the Church which were over­thrown: the like harm was done in many other places, as at Leed, Crain­brook, and Dover.

This year, by the commandment of the Councel, divers musters of light horsemen on sundry daies, and in divers places about the City of London, were taken by the Mayor and other Commissioners for that purpose: But thus it happen'd on the eighth day of October, that Sir Richard Mallory riding through tower-street toward the tower-hill, there to take muster as was appoint­ed, he was met by Sir Francis Iobson then Lievtenant of the tower, and by him forbidden to enter the Hill with the Sword before him, where­unto no answer was made by the Mayor, but the Sword was violently seized upon by the Lievtenant, and his men, and defended by the Offi­cers of the Mayor, so that the Liev­tenant called for more Officers, and [Page 110] assistance out of the tower, and the Mayors Officers were minded to raise tower-street, and some of the City, so there was like to have been a great tumult, but the Lord Mayor caused proclamation to be made, that no man should draw a weapon, or strike a stroke, but every man to depart home, horse-men and all, till they were again warned to ap­pear, which was on the same day se­venth night, being likewise Munday, and the fifteenth day of Octoher, they did there appear before the Mayor, and did muster in the very place where they were appointed, where by the Councels appointment, the Mayor had the Sword peaceably born before him, as had been accu­stomed.

An. Reg. 8 The twenty fourth of December, there arose a great storm of winde, by whose rage the Seas and thames overwhelmed many persons, and the great gates at the West end of Saint Pauls Church in London, by force of the winde were blown open.

An. Dom. 1596 About this time Sir Thomas Gre­sham [Page 111] built the Royal Exchange, by the advice of Queen Elizabeth, at his own proper cost and charges, a fit meeting place for Merchants, who in former times used to meet in Lombard-street.

An. Reg. 9 The 22 of April, by great misfor­tune of fire, in the town of Ossestry in Wales, to the number of two hun­dred houses, besides cloth, corn and cattel, were consumed.

The seuenteenth of May, in the town of Milnal in Suffolk, thirty se­ven houses, besides ba [...]ns and sta­bles, were consumed with fire in the space of two houres.

An. Reg. 9 After a dry Summer, followed a sharp Winter, which caused such a scarcity of fodder and hay, that in divers places the same was sold by weight, for five pence the stone: there followed also a great dearth of corn.

On the twenty eighth of March, the Queen sent three of her Ships to Sea, to wit, the Antelope, the Swallow, and the Aid, and one Bark, against the Subjects of King Philip, [Page 108] who fought with eleven Sail, and brought home great treasure.

Within a while after they fought with fourteen Sail more, whereof six of them were sent into the river of thames.

An. Dom. 1568 The Gravesend Barge was cast a­way, and a many boats beside through a tempest.

The eleventh of October were ta­ken in Suffolk at Downham-bridge, seventeen monstrous fishes, some of them twenty seven foot in length, two miles from Ipswich.

The twenty seventh of Ianuary, a French man, and two English men were drawn from Newgate to Ty­burn, and there hanged; the French man was quartered for coyning of gold counterfeit; the English men, the one had clipped silver, the other for coyning tin-money.

The plague encreasing, Michael­mas term was adjourned unto Hilla­ry term.

An. Reg. 12 The Queen caused the Earl of Northumberland, and the Earl of Westmerland, for rebellion in the [Page 109] North, to be proclaimed traytors, and forthwith prepared an Army to suppress them, the twenty fourth of November.

The two Earls were overthrown, and fled into Scotland.

The other rebels were taken by the Earl of Sussex.

The fourth and fifth of Ianuary did suffer at Durham, to the number of sixty six Constables, and others, among whom an Alderman of the town, and one Parson Plumtree: then George Bowers Marshall did see them executed in every town, and other places, betwixt New-castle and Wetherby, about six miles in length, and four miles in bredth.

The 22 of February, Leonard Dacre having raised a number of people, the Lord Hunsdon setting on him with a company of valiant Soul­diers, slew many of his people, and forced him to fly into Scotland.

On Good-Friday, the twenty se­venth of March, Simon Digby, Iohn Fulthroppe Esquire, Robert Pennie­man, Thomas Bishop Gentleman, were [Page 114] drawn from the Castle of York, and there hanged, headed, and quarter­ed.

The seventeenth of April, the Earl of Suslex, with the Lord Hunsdon, Master William Drury, High Mar­shal of Barwick, with all the Garri­son, and power of the same, began a journey into Scotland, and enter'd into Tividale, burnt, overthrew, and spoiled all the Castles, towns and villages before them, till they came to Craling.

Sir Iohn Foster with a Garrison enter'd Scotland, burnt and spoiled Cargeln; there both the Armies met, and overthrew all that came before them, till they came to God­worth: the Lievtenant returned to Barwick the 22 of April.

The Lord Scrope, Warden of the West marches, enter'd Scotland the eighteenth of April, burnt and spoil­ed almost Dunfreize, took many prisoners, and returned safely: the marches of England were so well guarded by the Lord Eure, Sir George Bowes, and other of the Bishoprick, [Page 115] that not one house was burned, nor one cow taken away out of Eng­land: there were razed, and over­thrown, and burnt in this journey, a­bove fifty strong Castles, and Piles, and above three hundred towns and villages.

The twenty seventh of May, Tho­mas Norton, and Christopher Norton of Yorkshire, were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered for rebellion.

The twenty eighth of May, the Castle of Hambleton was yeelded to Sir William Drury, and by him pre­sently burned.

A conspiracy was made by cer­tain gentlemen, and others, in the County of Norfolk, ten of them were condemned of High-treason, three of them were hanged and quar­tered, which were these, Throgmor­ton, Thomas Brook, and George Dead­man.

The fourth of August, the Duke of Norfolk was removed to the Charter-house near Smithfield.

This day Iohu Felton was arraign­ed [Page 112] for hanging a Bull at the gate of the Bishop of Londons pallace, and also two young men for coyning and clipping, who were all all found guil­ty of high treason.

The eight of August Iohn Felton was drawn from Newgate into Pauls Church yard, and there hanged be­fore the Bishops pallace gate, and being cut down alive, was bowelled and quartered, the Sheriffs returned to Tyburn with two young men, which were executed for coyning and clypping.

The 5 of October, hapned a terri­ble tempest of wind and rain, so that many shipps and boates were drow­ned, the water overflowing, drow­ned many townes, villages, cattel, houses and goods, besides many men women and children were drowned in their beds.

An. Reg. 13 The seventeenth of February, at Kingstone, neat Marlech, in the County of Hereford, was seen the ground to open, and certain rocks with a piece of ground removed, and went forward the space of four daies, [Page 113] it removed it self between six of the clock in the evening, and seven the next morning, forty paces, carrying great trees and sheep coates, some with threescore sheep in them. The depth of the hole, where it first broke out, is thirty foot, the breadth of the breach wa [...] eightscore yards; it over­threw Rinnastone Chappel, also two high waies were removed, nigh a hundred yards, with trees and hedg­rowes, the ground in all is 26 Acres, and where tillage ground was, there is pasture left in place, and where was pasture, there is tillage ground gone upon it.

The first of Iune Iohn Story Doct. of the canon Law, who before had been condemned of high treason; was drawn from the Tower to Ty­burn, and there hanged and quarte­red.

The sixteenth of Iuly, Rebecca Chamber for poysoning her husband Thomas Chamber, was burnt at Maidstone in Kent.

The seventh of September, the Duke of Norfolk was removed from [Page 118] the Charter-house to the Tower.

The sixteenth of Ianuary, Thomas Duke of Norfolk was arraigned in Westminster Hall, and there by his Peers found guilty of high treason.

The eleventh of February, Ke­nelme Barne, and Edmond Mather were drawn from the Tower of Lon­don, and Henry Rolfe from the Mar­shall-see in Southwark, all three to Tyburn, and there hanged and quar­tered; Barne and Mather for con­spiracy, and Rolfe for counterfeiting the Queens hand.

The tenth of March, deceased Sir William Pawlet Knight, Lord Saint Iohn Earl of Wiershire, Marquess of Winchester, Knight of the Garter, one of her Majesties privy council, and Lord high Treasurer of England, he was borne in the year of our Lord 1443. he served Henry the seventh, Henry the eight, Edward the sixth, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth: himself did see the children of his childrens children growing to the number of 103.

This year 1572 was the massacre in Paris.

The second of Iune, was Thomas Duke of Norfolke beheaded on tow­er hill.

The twenty second of August, Thomas Piercie Earl of Northumber­land, now brought out of Scotland, whether he had fled, was beheaded at York.

The twenty fifth of March, being Wednesday in Easter week, George Brown, cruelly murdered, near to Shooters hill in Kent a wealthy Mer­chant of London named George San­ders, which murder was committed by the procurement of Mistress San­ders, wife to the said George Sanders, for the which fact, George Brown was hanged in Smithfiold, in London, the twentieth day of April, and after hanged in chaines near the place where he did the deed: Mistress Ann Sanders, Mistress Ann Druery, and trusty Roger, Mistress Drueries man; being all consenting to the murther, were all hanged in Smithfield on the thirteenth of May: not long after, Anthony Brown, brother to the said George Brown, was for notable fello­nies [Page 116] conveyed from Newgate to York, and there hanged.

The second of Inne a great tem­pest o [...] rain and hail hapned at To­cester in Northamptonshire, where six houses in that town were borne down, and fourteen more fore peri­shed, the hail stones that fell were six in hes about, one child was there drowned, and many sheep and other cattel.

The sixteenth of Iune Thomas Woodhouse Priest, was arraigned in the Guild Hall of London and con­demned for high treason; who had judgement to be hanged and quar­tered, and was executed at Tyburn the 19 of Iune.

The sixteenth of August, Walter Earl of Essex sailed into Ireland with the Lo [...]d Rich, and many other Gen­tlemen; the Earl after many great dangers on the sea, landed at Knock­fergus, the Lord Rich after the like dangers landed at Castle Kilciffe, Sir Brian Makephelin; on the sixth of September came to Knockfergus to the Earl of Fssex, and there made [Page 117] his submission: After him, Ferdo­rough, Macgillastick, Roze, Oge, Mackwilline did the like; and di­vers others sent their messengers to the Earl, to signifie, that they were at his command; as the Baron of Dongarrow, Condonell, Odonell, and the Captain o [...] Kylulto.

The Earl of Essex having the Country of Clanyboy, and other, the Queens Majesty directed her letters to the Deputy of Ireland willing him to make the Earl of Essex General of the Irish Nation.

An. Reg. 16 The sixth of Iuly, in the Isle of Thanet, a monstrous fish of the Sea did shoot himself on shore, where for want of water, beat himself on the Sands, and died; the length of this fish was twenty two yards, the neather jaw twelve foot, the open­ing, the thickness of the back where­on he lay, to the top of his belly, was fourteen foot, his tail o [...] the same breadth; between the eyes twelve foot, some of his ribs were sixteen foot long, his tongue was fifteen foot long.

The fifteenth of August, being Sunday, Agnes Bridges, a Maid, a­bout the age of twenty years, and Rachel Pinder, a wench about twelve years of age, both of them counter­feiting to be possessed by the Devil, stood at Pauls-Cross, where they ac­knowledged their hypocritical coun­terfeiting, requiring forgiveness of God, and the world, for they made the people believe many strange things.

The fourth of September, in the afternoon, such a storm of rain hap­pened at London, as the like a long time could not be remembered, in­somuch that the channels of the Ci­ty ran so violently, that a Lad a­bout [...]he age of eighteen years, near unto Dowgate, was borne down the stream, and by the same carried from the Conduit there towards the thames, with such a swiftness, that no man with staves, or otherwise, could stay him, till he came against a cart-wheel that stood in the wa­ter-gate, and there he was taken up dead.

An. Reg. 17 Michaelmas term, which had been adjourned by Proclamation, began at Westminster on the sixth of No­vember; the same sixth day in the morning, there happened two great tides in the river of thames; the first by course, the second within an hour after, which overflowed the marshes: the fourteenth of No­vember, about midnight, divers strange apparitions of fire and smoke were seen in the ayr, to proceed out of a dark cloud in the North, to­wards the South which so continued till the morning: the next day fol­lowing, the heavens did seem to be all on a fir [...], and over our heads, the flames from the Horizon round a­bout, did seem to meet.

The twenty fourth of February, at Flies in February Tewksbury a strange thing happened after a flood, in the afternoon there came down the river of Avon, a great number of flies and Beetles, su [...]h as in Summer evenings use to strike men on the face, in great he [...]ps, a foo [...] thick on the water, so that to credible mens judgements, [Page 120] there were within a pair of Butts length of those flies, about an hun­dred quarters; the mills thereabout were quite dammed up with them, for the space of four daies after, and then were cleansed, by digging them out with shovels: from whence they came is yet unknown, but the day was cold, and a hard frost.

The sixteenth of February, be­tween four and five a clock in the af­ternoon, great earthquakes happen­ed in the City of York, Worcester, Glocester, Bristow, Hereford, and the countryes about, which caused the people to run out of their houses, for fear they should have fallen upon their heads: in Tewksbury, Bredon, and other places, the dishes fell from the shelves, and books in mens Stu­dies fell down before their faces: In Norton Chappel the people being on their knees at evening prayer, the ground moving, caused them to run away in great fear, fearing that the dead bodies would have risen, or the Chappel have fallen; part of Rithing Castle fell down, with certain brick [Page 121] Chimneys in Gentlemens houses.

The 22 of Iuly, two Dutchmen Anabaptists were burned in Smith­field.

The thirtieth of Iuly was a great tempest of thunder and lightning, both men and beasts in divers places were stricken dead; also hailstones fell which were seven inches about.

The twenty sixth of September, a Poulterers wife in the Parish of Christ-Church without Newgate, was brought to bed of four children at one birth, and the same day moneth, the mother was buried, but all the four children were living, and were christned, but lived not long after the mother.

An. Reg. 18 The eleventh of February, Anne Averies, Widdow, f [...]swearing her self for a little money, that she should have paid for six pound of tow at a shop in Woodstreet, of Lon­don, fell immediately down speech­less, casting up at her mouth the same matter, which by natures course should have been voided downwards, till she died; a terrible [Page 122] example of Gods Judgements a­gainst them that make no consci­ence of forswearing themselves.

An. Dom. 1576 The fifth of March, in the night, a Tilt-boat, with the number of thir­ty persons, coming from Gravesend to London, were all drowned, except one boy.

The moneth of August, many complaints being brought to the Queen against the Flushingers for great spoils and robberies by them committed upon her Subjects, her Majesty gave commandement to put four good ships, and two Barks of her own to Sea, under the charge of Master William Hollstock, Esq; Controuler of her Majesties Ships, with eleven hundred men, victualled for six weeks, in which time was ta­ken eight Flushingers Ships and Barks, prizes, and two hundred and twenty Sea-rovers in them, who were sent to several prisons.

Walter Earl of Essex, and Earl Marshal of Ireland, Knight of the Garter, died in Ireland the twenty fifth of August, at Divelyn, and was [Page 123] buried at Carmarthen in Wales.

The seventeenth of March, through a strange tempest which happened in the North, near the town of Richmond, not only cotta­ges, trees, barns, and hay-stacks, but also the most part of a Church call­ed Patrick Brunton, was overthrown, with most strange sights seen in the ayr, both terrible and fearful.

The twentieth of Iune, William Lumley, a poor man in the Parish of Emeley, in the County of Worcester, being kept in prison by a wealthy Widdow, he having a Mare of 22 years old with Foal, within three daies after foaled a mare colt, the which immediately had an Udder, out of which was milked the same day a pint of milk, and every day after gave above three pints, to the great relief of his wife and children, the which colt continued so a long time after, as hath been seen by ma­ny thousands.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth dayes was the Assizes held at Oxford, where was arraigned and condemn­ed [Page 124] one Rowland Inks, for his sediti­ous tongue, at which time ther arose amidst the people a damp that al­most all were smothered, very few escaped that were not taken at that instant; the Jurors died at that in­stant; shortly after died Sir Robert Bell, Lord Chief Baron; Sir Ro de O­lie, Sir William Babington, Master Wenman, Master de Olie, High She­riff, Master Danvers, Master Har­court, Master Kirk, Master Fiet­place, Master Greenwood; Master Fo­ster, Master Nash, Serjeant Barham, Master Stevens: there died in Ox­ford three hundred persons, and sick­ned there, and died in other places two hundred and odd, from the sixth of Iuly, to the twelfth of August, af­ter which day died not one of that sickness.

On Sunday, the fourth of August, between the hour of nine and ten of the clock in the forenoon, whilst the Minister was reading of the second Lesson in the Parish Church of Bli­borough, a town in Suffolk, a strange and terrible tempest of lightning and [Page 125] thunder, strooke through the wall of the same Church into the ground, almost a yard deep, drave down all the people on that side, above twen­ty persons, then rending the wall up to the Vestry, cleft the door and re­turned to the Steeple, rent the tim­ber, brake the chaines, and fled to­wards Bongey six miles off; the peo­ple that were stricken down, were found groveling on the ground more then halfe an houre after, whereof a man and a boy were found stark dead, the other were scorched; the like flash of lightning and cracks of thun­der rent the parish Church of Bongey, nine miles from Norwich, wrung in sunder the wiers and wheels of the Clock, slew two men which sate in the Belfrey and scorched another, which hardly escaped.

An. Reg. 20 The eleaventh of November, at night was seen a blazing Star with a long stream, which star was seen till eight a clock in the morn.

The seventeenth of Ianuary one Simon Pembrook, dwelling in South­wark, being suspected to be a conju­rer, [Page 126] by the Commandement of the ordinary judge for those parts appea­red in the parish Church of Saint Sa­viour, at the Court holden there; this Simon leaned his head upon the Pew where the Proctor stood, which after he had done for a little space, the Proctor lifted up his head to see what he ailed, and found him to be dead, and straightway the said Simon fell down and ratled a lit­tle in the throat, and never spake af­ter; this was done just as the Judge came into the Church, who said it was the just judgement of God upon him: after his cloathes being ope­ned, there were found about him devilish books of conjuration and abominable practices; a picture of a man, having three Dice in his hand, and this writing, chance, dice, for­tunately, and divers papers of such like matter, as behad dealt in for men, such as are mentioned in Le­viticus. chap. 20. ver. 6. If any soul turn himself after such as work with spirits and after soothsayers, to go a whoring saith the Lord, I will put [Page 127] my face from that soul, and will cut him off from among my people.

The third of February, Iohn Nel­son for denying the Queens supre­macy was drawn to Tyburne and there hanged and quartered.

The fourth of February and the night following fell such abundance of snow, that on the fift in the mor­ning the same was found at London to be two foot deep, and being dri­ven northeast on bancks, it was found to be an ell deep, and in some places a yard and an halfe; in the which drifts of snow, in the coun­tries, many cattel, and men and wo­men were overwhelmed, and lost, it snowed till the eighth day, and freez­ed till the tenth: then followed a thaw with continual rain a long time after, which caused such high floods, that the marshes and low grounds were drowned; the water rising so high in Westminster Hall, that after the fall thereof, some fishes were sound there remaining.

The twenty fourth of April, Mat­thew Hammont of Hithersey three [Page 128] miles from Norwich, Plowright, for denying Christ to be our Saviour, and publishing divers other horrible heresies, was convented before the Bishop o [...] Norwich, condemned in the consistory, and delivered to the Sheriffs of Norwich, to be executed, but because he had spoken treasona­ble words against the Queen, and some of her Counsel, he was by the Major Sir Robert Wood, and Serjeant Windham condemned to loose his ears, which were cut off the thir­teenth of May, in the market place of Norwich and on the twentieth of May, he was burned in the Castle Ditch.

This year Mark Scaliot, Black­smith of London, for trial of his workmanship, made one Lock of I­ron, Steel and Brass, of eleven seve­ral pieces, and a pipe key, all clean wrought, which weighed but one grain of gold: he also at the same time made a chain of gold of 43 links; to which chain the lock and key being fastned, and put about a fleas neck, she drew the same with ease; all [Page 129] which lock and key, chain and flea, weighed but one grain and a half.

The seventeenth of Iuly, the Queens Majesty being on the river of thames, being betwixt her Man­nor of Greenwich, and Deptford, in her privy Barge, accompanied with the French Embassador, the Ea [...]l of Lincoln, and others, it chanced that one Thomas Appletree, Serving-man, being in company with some of his friends, would needs discharge a Caliver, being charged with a bullet, and shooting at randome, by misfortune shot one of the Water-men in the Queens Barge; the se­cond next unto the Bales of the said Barge, who sat within six foot of her Highness, clean through both arms, for the which fact the said Thomas was on the 21 of Iuly brought to the water side, where was a Gibbet set up, and when the Hang-man had put the rope about his neck, he was by the Queens pardon delivered from execution.

This year, Iohn Fox of Woobridge, 269 William Wicnor, Robert Moor, En­glishmen, [Page 130] having been prisoners a­bout the space of thirteen years, In Turkey. with more then two hundred of di­vers Nations, freed themselves, by killing their Keeper, and returned home to their own countries.

In the moneth of September and October, fell great store of rain, which caused great raging floods in sundry places of this Realm, which caused many men, cattel, and houses to be drowned: In the town of Newport, the cottages were bo [...]ne down, and the corn lost, pasture ground over­whelmed, cattel d [...]owned: In the town of Bedf. the water came up to the market place, where cupboards, chests, and forms swam abour the houses; their fuel, co [...]n and hay, was by the water borne away; also the town of Saint Edes in Hunting­ton-shire, was overflowed s [...]ddenly, when all men were at rest in their beds, the waters brake in with such force, that the town was all defaced, the Swans swam down the market place, and all the town about the boats did float, Gormanchester was [Page 131] suddenly supprest, their houses full of water, and their cattel destroyed.

An. Reg. 22 An. Dom. 1580 The sixth of April, being Wed­nesday in Easter week, about six a clock in the evening, a terrible earthquake happened at London, and generally throughout all England, by violence whereof the great clock bell at Westminster struck against the hammer, as divers clock bells did, both in City and Country: In Lon­don a piece of the Temple Church fell down: in the late dissolved Church of the Grey-Friers, now called Christ-Church, in the Ser­mon time, one stone falling from the top of the Church, killed a young man out-right, and one other stone so bruised a maid, that she lived but four daies after, the man and the maid being fellow-servants in one house: divers were bruised, and run out of the Church. Some stones fell off from the Church of Saint Pauls in London, and some from the Church of Saint Peters at Westmin­ster; divers chimneys lost the [...] [...]ops, and ships on the Thames, and on the [Page 132] Seas, were seen to totter: this earth­quake did not continue above a quarter of an hour in London, but in divers parts of Kent, it held them so terrible, that the people went out of their houses, for fear they should fall on their heads.

The thirteenth of Iune, about six a clock in the morning, at Shipwash, within Bothel-Baron in Northumber­land, there happened a tempest of lightning and thunder, after the which, of a sudden, came great showres of hail, among the which were stones of divers shapes.

The seventeenth of Iune, in the Parish of Blandsdon in York-shire, af­ter a great tempest of lightning and thunder, a woman of fourscore years of age, named Alice Perin, was deli­vered of an hideous monster, whose head was like unto a Sallet, the fore­part of him like a man, only he had eight legs, and not one like an o­ther, and a tail of half a yard long.

The 23 of September, at Fenistan­ton, in Hnntingtonshire, one Agnes, wife to William Linsey, was deliver­ed [Page 133] of an ugly and strange monster, with a black face, mouth and eyes, like a Lion, and both male and fe­male.

The eighth of October appeared a Commet or Blazing-star bushing to­wards the East, which was seen by night two moneths together.

The thirteenth of October, a man was drawn to Saint Thomas a VVa­trings and there hanged, headed, and quarter'd, for begging by a license; whereto the Queens hand was counterfeited.

In the marshes of Dainsey Hun­dred, in a place called Southminstor, in the County of Essex, there sud­denly appeared an infinite number of mice, which overwhelmed the said marshes, and did gnaw and shear the grass by the roots, spoiling and taint­ing the grass with their venomous teeth, in such sort, that the cattel that grazed thereon were smitten with a murrain, and died thereof; which vermin could not be destroy­ed by the policy of man, till it came to pass, that there flocked about the [Page 134] marshes such a company of Owles, as all the Shire was not able to yeeld, whereby the marsh-holders were shortly delivered from the vex­ation of those mice; the like of these was once in Kent.

The Queen the fourth of April dined at Deptford, and there after dinner enter'd the ship wherein Cap­tain Drake had sailed about the World, and being there, a Bridge that her Majesty came over broke, being upon the same more then two hundred persons, and no hurt done by the fall, and there she Knighted Captain Francis Drake in his ship.

This year was to be seen two Dutchmen of strange statures, the one i [...] height seven foot, and seven inches, in bredth betwixt the shoul­ders three quarters of a yard, and two inches, the compass of his brest one half yard, and two in hes, and about the wast one yard and one in [...]h; the length of his arms to the hands, a full yard, a comely man of person, but lame of his legs, for he had broke them with lifting a barrel of [Page 135] beer; the other was in height but three foot, he had never a good foot, nor any knee at all, and yet could dance a Galliard; he had no arm, but a stump to the elbow, or little more on the right side, on the which singing he would dance a cap, and af­ter toss it three or four times, and every time receive the same on his stump; he would shoot an arrow neer the mark, flourish with a Ra­pier, throw a Bowl, beat with a ham­mer, hew with an Axe, sound a trum­pet, and drink every day ten quarts of the best beer, if he could get it.

The first of December, Edmond Campion Jesuite, Ralph Sherwin, and Alexander Brian, Seminary Priests, having been arraigned and condem­ned for High-Treason, were drawn from the tower of London to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered.

An. Dom. 1581 Iohn Pain Priest, being condemn­ed of High-Treason for words by him spoken, was executed the fourth of April.

The fifteenth of May, a Blazing­star appeared about ten a clock at [Page 136] night descending in the North-west, the beard whereof streamed South-west.

The twenty eighth of May, Tho­mas Ford, Iohn Sherret, and Robert Iohnson, Priests, having been before condemned of High-Treason, were drawn from the Towor of London to Tyburn, and there hanged and quar­ter'd; and on the thirtieth of May, Luke Kerby, VVilliam Felby, Tho­mas Totten, and Laurence Richard­son, were for the same treason in the same place executed.

The nineteenth of Iuly, certain Firkins of Gunpowder, to the num­ber of seven, and as many more of Sturgeon laden in a Cart upon Gal­ley Key, some small portion of the same powder being shed on the ground, the horse in the same Cart striking fire with his foot, fired all to­gether, where the Sturgeon was blown away, some into the Thames, and some elsewhere; one Firkin was driven through a loom wall that was boarded over; the Crain at the Wharf, with many houses therea­bouts, [Page 137] were sore shattered, many men and horses blasted, three men and seven horses killed.

The twelfth of August, there a­rose a great tempest of lightning and thunder, whirlwind and rain, besides hail-stones fashioned like the Rowels of Spurs, two or three in [...]hes about, in the County of Norfolk; which tempest beat the corn flat to the ground, rent up many great trees, and shivered them in pieces: at Hemming, a mile from VVorsted, the West door of the Church weigh­ing above three hundred weight, was lifted off the hooks, and blown o­ver the Font, within one yard of the Chancel-door; the top of the Church was riven up, and the lead blown a­way; five webs of lead were ruffled up together like a glove, and blown into a field without the Church­yard: at East Russen were many Barns blowed down.

The seventeenth of Ianuary, in the Parish of Armitage in a place called Blackmore in Dorsetshire, a piece of ground containing three a­cres, [Page 138] removed it self from the place where it was planted first, and was carried clean over an other Close, where elder and willow trees grew, the space of forty Goad, every Goad containing fifteen foot, and hath stopt up a high-way that di [...]ected to­wards the market town of Cearn; and yet the hedges wherewith it was inclosed, inviron it still, and the trees stand thereon bolt upright, saving one Oke that is almost twen­ty load, and the ground remains a deep pit.

An. Reg. 25 The twenty third of Ianuary, be­ing Sunday, about four of the clock in the afternoon, the old underprop­ped Scaffolds of the Bear-Garden, on the South-side of the Thames, over against the City of London, o­vercharged with people, fell down, whereby to the number of eight persons, men and women, were slain, and many others sore hurt and wounded; a friendly warning to such as more delight themselves in the cruelty of beasts, then in the works of mercy, the fruits of full [Page 139] possessed Faith, which ought to be the Sabbath daies exercise.

An. Dom. 1583 This year 1583. William Prince of Orange was slain by Iowrigny a Wallon Souldier, who notwithstand­ing sundry extreme torments inflict­ed upon his body in prison; as also having his flesh pulled off with hot pinchers upon an open Stage, yet he never shrunk, or craved any favour, neither repented him of the fact.

On the sixteenth of April, about eight of the clock in the morn, a Gunpowder house in Fetter-lane, and many other houses neat ad­joyning, were blown up, with the loss of fifteen hundred weight of powder, two men and one woman were slain, and divers others sore hurt, and some strangely saved.

Elias Thacket was hanged at Saint Edmonsbury in Snffolk, on the fourth of Iune, for sedition; Iohn Coping on the sixth, for publishing certain books seditiously penned by one Robert Brown against the book of Common-Prayer, established by the Laws of the Realm.

On the seventeenth of Septem­ber, Iohn Lewis, who named himself Abdoit, an obstinate Heretique, de­nying the God-head in Christ, and holding other detestable opinions, was burned at Norwich.

The twenty fifth of September, a monstrous child was born in York­shire, having two heads.

The tenth of October, at Caster in Norfolk, about two miles from Yarmouth, there was a fish, by force of the Easterly wind driven ashore, the length thereof, from the neck to the tail, was seventeen yards and a foot, the head was great, for the chap of the jaw was three yards and a quarter in length, with teeth of three quarters of a yard in compass, great eyes, with two great holes o­ver them to spout water, her tail was fourteen foot broad in thickness, from the back to the belly, she was four yards and a half.

An. Reg. 26 Iames Earl of Desmond, in Ire­land wandring without succour, be­ing taken in his Cabbin by one of the Irish, his head was cut off, and [Page 141] sent to England, where the same, as the head of an arch traytor was set on London-Bridge, on the thirteenth of December.

The thirteenth of December, a fire beginning in a Brew-house in the town of Nantwich, from the West end of the town, the flame was dispersed so furiously, that in short time a great part of the South side, and some part of the East side was burned down to the ground; which fire continuing from six a clock in the evening, till six a clock in the morning, consumed in a manner all the whole town, and about the number of two hundred houses, besides Brew-houses, barns, stables; and in all about six hundred houses.

Iohn Sommervile of Edstow in Warwickshire, of late discovered and taken in his way, coming to have killed the Queen, confessed that he was moved thereunto by certain trayterous persons, his Kinsmen and Allies; as also by reading of certain seditious books lately published for [Page 142] the which the said Sommervile, Ed­ward Arden Esquire, Mary Arden his wife, Father and Mother-in-law to the said Sommervile, and Hugh Hall Priest, were on the sixteenth day of December arraigned in the Guild-Hall in London, where they were found guilty, and condemned of High-Treason.

On the nineteenth of December, Iohn Sommervile, and Edward Ar­den, being brought before the Tow­er of London, to Newgate, and there shut up in several places; within two houres after, Sommervile was found to have hanged himself, and on the morrow after, Edward Arden was drawn from Newgate to Smithfield, and there hanged and quartered, whose head with Sommerviles, was set on London-Bridge, and their quar­ters on the gates of the City.

On the tenth of Ianuary, William Carter was arraigned, and condemn­ed of High-Treason, for printing a seditious book, and was so the same drawn from Newgate to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered.

The seventh of February, were arraigned at Westminster▪ Iohn Fenne, George Haddock, Iohn Munden, Iohn Nutter, and Thomas Hemerford; all these were found guilty of High-Treason, and had Judgement to be hanged and quartered, and were ex­ecuted at Tyburn on the twelfth of February.

An. Dom. 1584 The 21 of May, Francis Throg­morton was arraigned at the Guild-Hall in London, where being arraign­ed, and found guilty of high-trea­son, had Judgement to be hang'd, drawn and quarter'd the tenth of Iuly next following, the said Throg­morton was conveyed by water from the Tower of London to the Black-Friers stairs, and from thence by land to the Sessions Hall in the Old-Bailey, without Newgate, where he was delivered to the Sheriffs of Lon­don, laid on a h [...]rdle, drawn to Ty­burn, and there hanged and quarter­ed.

The 21 of Ianuary, Jesuits, Se­minaries, and other Mass Priests, to the number of twenty one, late [...]i­soners [Page 144] in the Tower of London, Mar­shalsea, and Kings Bench, were ship­ped at the Tower-Wharf to be con­veyed towards France, and banished this Land for ever.

The second of March William Parry was drawn from the Tower, through the City of London, to West­minster, and there in the Palace Court was hanged and quartered for high-treason; as may appear by a book entituled, A true and plain Declaration of the horrible Treasons practised by William Parry, that Arch Traytor.

The twenty seventh of April, Philip Howard Earl of Arundel, for attempting to have passed beyond the Seas, without license of the Queen, was sent to the Tower.

On the twentieth of Iune, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, pri­soner in the Tower of London, upon suspition of high-treason was found there to have murdered himself.

The fifth of Iuly, Thomas A [...]field Seminary Priest, and Thomas Welby Dyer, were arraigned at London, and [Page 145] found guilty, and had Judgement to be hanged as Felons, for publishing books containing false, seditious, and slanderous matter; these on the next morning were executed at Ty­burn.

On the fourth of August, at the end of the town called Nottingham in Kent, eight miles from London, the ground began to sink, three great Elms being swallowed up, and dri­ven into the earth, past mans sight.

The fourteenth of September, Sir Francis Drake, General as well by Sea as by Land, Christopher Carlile Esquire, Lievtenant General, Mar­tin Frobisher, with divers other Gen­tlemen Captains, and two thousand and three hundred Souldiers in twen­ty two Ships and Pinnaces, departed from Plimmouth, and passing by the Isles of Bayon, and the Canaries, ar­rived at Saint Iago, which City they took and burn'd; after they sailed to Saint Domingo, which they spoil­ed, and ransacked, and retiring home­wards, razed and spoiled the City and Fort of Saint Augustine, in Ter­ra [Page 146] Florida; and the twenty seventh of Iuly, in Anno 1586. arrived at Plimouth.

The nineteenth of September, to the number of thirty two Seminary Priests, and other prisoners in the Tower of London, Marshalsea and Kings Bench, were imbarqued to be transported to Normandy, and ba­nished for ever.

The nineteenth of Ianuary, Ni­cholas Devoreux was condemned of treason, as being made Priest at Rhemes in France: also Edward Bar­bat Priest, for coming into this Realm, was likewise condemned of treason, and both drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered, on the 21 of Ianuary.

On the same day a maid was burn­ed in Smithfield, for poysoning of her Aunt with whom she lived, and would have poysoned her Unkle, but that she was prevented.

The fourteenth of March, at the Assizes kept at the City of Exeter, in Devonshire, before Sir Edward An­derson, Lord Chief Justice of the [Page 147] Common Pleas, Serjeant Floriday, Sir Iohn Chichester, Sir Arthur Bas­set, and Bernard Drake, Knights: Thomas Carew, Richard Cary, Iohn Fortescue, Iohn Waldran, and Thomas Risdon, Esquires, and Justices of the Peace: of the common people died very many Constables, Reves, Tyth­men, and Jurors, especially of one Jury, being twelve of them, died eleven, a strange sickness.

This sickness began first among the prisoners, and then fastned on the rest by degrees.

The seventeenth of March a strange thing happened; Mr. Dor­rington of Spaldwick, in the Coun­ty of Huntington Esquire, one of her Maiesties Gentlemen Pentioners, had a horse which died suddenly, and being ripped up to see the cause of his death, there was found in a hole of the heart of the horse a worm, and of a wondrous form, for it lay on a round heap in a Call, or skin, in the likeness of a toad, which being taken out, and spread abroad, was in form and fashion not easie to be described; [Page 148] the length of which worm, divided into many grains, to the number of eighty, spread from the body like the branches of a tree, was from the snout to the end of the longest grain seventeen inches, having four issues in the grains, from whence dropped forth a red water; the body in big­ness round about, was three inches and a half; the coller was very like the coller of a Mackarel: this mon­strous worm, crawling about to have got away, was stabbed in with a dag­ger, and died, which after being dri­ed, was shewed to many Honoura­ble persons of the Realm.

The eighteenth of Iune, one Elks Clark, for counterfeiting the Queens Sign Manual, to a presentation of the Parsonage of All-Saints in Hast­ings, directed to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, or to his Commissary General, (the Diocess of Chichester being void) that he might be insti­tuted Parson there, was drawn, hang­ed, and quartered at Tyburn.

In the moneth of Iuly divers tray­terous persons were apprehended, [Page 149] and detected of most wicked con­spiracy against her Majesty; and al­so of minding to have stirred up a general Rebellion through the whole Realm, for joy of whose apprehen­sion, on the fifteenth of the same moneth at night, the Citizens of London caused the Bells to be rung, and Bonfires to be made, and also banqueting, every man according to his ability, some in their houses, some in the streets, with singing of Psalms, and praising God for preser­ving her Majesty, and the people of this land; which doings of the Ci­tizens were so well accepted of her Majesty, as by letters to them direct­ed may appear.

The seventh of September, certain of these wicked subjects were in­dicted: First, For intending treason against the Queens own person: Secondly, For stirring Civil Warre within this Realm: and thirdly, For practising to bring in a Forraign Power to invade the Realm: Seven of them appeared at Westminster, on the thirteenth of September, who [Page 150] all pleaded guilty, and were con­demned.

On the eighteenth of September the other seven were likewise ar­raigned, who pleaded not guilty, but were found guilty, and were con­demned.

These traytors, fourteen of them in all, were executed in Lincolns-Inn fields, on a Scaffold of timber made strongly for that purpose, even in the place where they had used to meet, and to confer on their trayterous practises, there were they hanged, drawn and quartered: seven of them on the twentieth of September, to wit, Iohn Ballard Priest, Adam Babington Esquire, Iohn Savage Gentleman, Richard Barnwel Gen­tleman, Chidrick Titchburn Esq; Charles Tylney Esquire, Edward Ab­bington Esquire: the other seven were also executed on the 21 of September, to wit, Thomas Salisbury Esquire, Henry Dunne Gentleman, Edward Iones Esquire, Iohn Travers Gentleman, Iohn Charnock Gentle­man, Richard Gage Gentleman, Ie­rom Bellamy Gent.

The eighth of October Iohn Low, Iohn Adams, and Richard Dibdail, being before condemned of treason in being made Priest, by order of the Bishop of Rome, were drawn to Ty­burn, and there hanged and quarter­ed.

The eighth of February, being Wednesday, according to sentence lately given by the Nobility, Mary Stuart Queen of Scots, about ten of the clock before noon, was executed, and suffered death, by beheading, on a Scaffold set up on purpose at the great end of the Castle of Fodringay in the presence of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, Henry Grey Earl of Kent, principal Commissioners, and others the Gentlemen of the coun­try near adjoyning to the number of three hundred; all her apparrel was burned, but her body with the head was honourably buried at Peterbo­row, on the first day of August next following.

Munday the twenty fourth of Fe­bruary, a man was hanged for Felo­ny at Saint Thomas a Watrings, being [Page 152] begged of the Surgeons for an Ana­tomy; after he was dead to all mens thinking, cut down, and stripped, laid naked in a chest, thrown in a cart, and so brought from the place of ex­ecution, through the Borough of Southwark, and the City of London, to the Chyrurgeons Hall in London, near unto Aldersgate, the chest being then opened, the weather being ex­treme cold, he was found to be alive, and lived till thursday next follow­ing, and then died.

The twenty third of February, a Gunpowder house at Redriff was blown up, and much harm done.

An. Dom. 1588 Great provision was made this year, both by Sea and Land, to with­stand the invasion of the Spanish Ar­mado against the Realm: for be­sides the general forces of the Land, appointed to be mustered, and put in readiness in several Shires for the defence of the Land, there was al­so a Levy made of two several Ar­mies; the one to make a body of a Camp to reside at Tilbury in Essex, to encounter with the Enemy, if he [Page 153] should attempt to land in any place of that country, whereof the Earl of Leicester, Lord Steward of her Ma­jesties houshold, was Lievtenant Ge­neral; as also of the armies levied against Forraigne Invasion; the o­ther to be imployed for the Guard of her Majesties person, under the charge of the Right Honoura­ble the Lord Hunsdon, Lord Cham­berlain to her Majesty: the Camp at Tilbury consisting both of Horse­men and Foot-men, raised out of all Shires, were of Lancers, two hun­dred fifty three, of light Horsemen seven hundred sixty nine, of Foot-men twenty two thousand: the Army for the Guard of her Maje­sties person, four hundred eighty one, light Horsemen one thousand four hundred thirty one, Footmen thir­ty four thousand and fifty. The Navy set forth, and armed for the Seas, consisted partly of her Maje­sties ships, partly of her Subjects, which were furnished out of the Port-towns whereunto they belong­ed: 269 Of this Navy, the chiefest and [Page 154] greatest part was under the charge of the Lord Charles Howard, of Essin­gham Lord, Admiral of England, and were addressed to encounter with the Spanish Fleet: the rest of the Ships were assigned unto the Lord Henry Seimour Admiral of the Fleet, to guard the Narrow Seas, and to stay the iss [...]ing out of the ships and vessels prepared by the Duke of Par­ma at Dunkirk.

The twenty third of May, the Lord Admiral c [...]me to Plimouth, with the Fleet aforesaid, finding there Sir Francis Drake in a readiness with more then 50 ships and Pinna­ces: the twenty fourth of Iune, the Lord Admiral issued out towards Plimmouth; he divided her Maje­sties ships into three parts, viz. Sir Francis Drake in the Revenge, he be­ing Vice-Admiral, with other, to­wards the Islands of Scilly; Iohn Hawkins Rear-Admiral, in the Vi­ctory, with other, toward the Isle of Ushent; and the Lord Admiral, with the rest, remaining in the Sleeve, appointed other there, all to discern [Page 155] if the Spanish forces did any way pass.

The nineteenth of Iuly, intelli­gence was brought to the Lord Ad­miral by a pyrat Pinnace, whose Cap­taine was Thomas Fleming, that the Spanish Fleet was descried, and that it was neer.

The twentieth of Iuly, the Lord Admiral made toward the sea, and the same day had sight of the Spanish Fleet, in number by estimation one hundred fifty eight sails, the Lord Admiral cast about towards the land to interrupt them from landing, and having got the wind of them, followed them close all that night, and so continually from place to place, until the second of August, in which space having by the power of God wonderfully overcome them, he returned to Margaret in Kent: now the Camp being kept at Tilbu­ry in Essex, under the charge of the Earl of Leicester, the ninth of Au­gust, her Majesty repaired thither, where all the whole camp being set in order of Battalia; she passed [Page 156] through every rank of them, to their great rejoycing, and lodged that night, and the night following, in the house of Master Edward Rich, in the Parish of Hornedon; on the next morning, she returned to the camp, and on the twelfth returned to Saint Iame's and shortly after the camp was dissolved.

Sunday the twentieth of August, Master Nowel Dean of Pauls—at Pauls Cross, in the presence of the Lord Mayor, and the Aldermen in scarlet, all the Companies in their liveries, preached, & moved them to give God thanks for the great victo­ry given to our English Nation, by the overthrow of the Spanish Fleet.

August the twenty sixth, at the Sessions nere unto Newgate, were condemned eight men for being made Priests beyond the seas, and remaining in this Realme contrary to the statute, four temporal men for being reconciled to the Church of Rome, and four others for releiving the others.

September the second, at night a [Page 157] fierce fire brake out over against the Dutch Church in London, to the great terror of the whole City, but by the burning down of one house, and pulling down some other, the fire was quenched.

September the eighth, the Minist­er at Pauls Cross, moved the people to give God thanks for the over­throw of our enemies the Spaniards, and there were shewed eleaven En­signes or Banners, taken in the Spa­nish ships by our men, and on the next morning hanged on London Bridge, towards Southwark, where then the faire was kept, being our Lady day.

October the eighth, a stable was burned with the number of twenty horses, at Drury house neer the Strand.

An. Reg. 32 November the nineteenth, was this year kept holy day through the Realme, with Sermons, singing of Psalmes, Bonefires, and much re­joycing and thanksgiving unto God, for the overthrow of the Spaniards, our enemies upon the seas, and a ser­mon [Page 158] at Pauls Cross tending to that end.

November the twenty fourth, be­ing Sunday, the Queens Majesty ha­ving attendants upon her the privie counsel and other of the Nobility, honourable persons, as well spiritual as temporal in great number, all on horseback, did ride in a Chariot Throne; the Lord Mayor and, Al­dermen attending her, with all the companies in their Liveries, stood along to Pauls Church, where she heard a Sermon preached by Doctor Pierce, Bishop of Salisbury, and then went to the Bishops Palace where she dined, and returned to Somerset house by torch light.

Ianuary the fifth at night, a great wind in the North-east, overturned trees, and did great harm in many places.

February the first, two souldiers were set on the Pillory at Leaden-Hall, where they stood for the space of three houres, the one had his ear nayled, the other his tongue pierced with an aul, which aul remained in [Page 159] his tongue till he was taken from the Pillory, for abusing their Captains with bad words.

About this time Francis Ket Master of Art, of Wimondham, for holding divers detestable opinions against Christ our Saviour, was burnt neer to the City of Norwich.

February the fifth, two Souldiers were hanged on trees at the miles end for being mutinous.

April the fourteenth, Philip Earl of Arundel, was arraigned at West­minster of high treason, and found guilty by his Peers, and had judge­ment accordingly.

April the eighteenth, Sir Iohn Norris, and Sir Francis Drake, with six of her Majesties ships, twenty ships of war, and an hundred fit for burden, having in them a choice company of Knights, Captains, Gen­tlemen, and souldiers, departed from Plimouth, and the twenty third of the same arrived at the Groin, the twenty sixth, they took the lower town with great store of Ordinance, victuals, cables, and other furniture [Page 160] for shipping; about the sixth of May they fought with the Spaniards, at Borges Bridge, where the enemy fled with the loss of seven hundred men, the lower town of Groine was burned, and the ninth of May our fleet set sail, the Earl of Essex, Sir Philip Butler and Sir Roger Williams met the Fleet, so that on the sixteenth the whole navie arived at Phinicha where they set to land, and the same day won both town and castle, af­ter this they divided the Armie, whereof part matched with Sir Iohn Noris by land, to Lisbon▪ the rest with Sir Francis Drake passed by sea to Cascales; the twenty fourth our men entred the suburbs of Lisbone, where they obtained rich spoyles, and plenty of every good thing: the twenty seventh the Army left Lis­bone and came to Cascales, without any great fight or skirmish, where they took the town and then retur­ned for England, but landing at Vi­goe, they took the town, and wasted the Countrey.

The twenty first of Iune Sir Francis [Page 161] Drake arrived at Plimouth; and the third of Iuly, Sir Iohn Norris with the rest of the Fleet arrived there also; the two Generals being offended one with the other.

The first of August at night, was the greatest lightning and thunder, that ever was seen or heard of any man living, and yet but small hurt done, God be praised.

The sixth of November Lodowick Grevil of Warwickshire Esquire, was brought from the Tower of London to Westminster, and there at the Kings Bench Bar for murder, and other notorious crimes wherewith he was charged, arraigned, and found guil­ty; but standing mute, had Judge­ment to be pressed to death, which was performed in the Goal of the King: Bench in Southwark, on the fourt [...]enth of November: on the which day for the same fact, his man was hanged at the Court Gate at Westminster.

An. Reg. 23 In this moneth of November, the Citizens of London were o [...]ten [...]i [...]es affrighted by fire: first on the twen­tieth, [Page 162] about four a clock in the morn, on Fish-street Hill, where one fair house was burn [...]d to the ground, and some people, in helping to quench it, were consumed, and the houses next adjoyning to it. Al­so the one side of Saint Leonards was sore spoiled: On the twenty two of November at night, about e­leven of the clock, one othe [...] house over against the first was in great danger, but soon slaked: On the twenty sixth, about one of the clo [...]k in the morn, one other house and some people were burnt, and many other houses near about were spoil­ed.

The fifth of Ianuary, about five a clock in the evening before Twelfth day, began a terrible tempest of wind in the South-west, which continued with great vehemency till about e­leven a clo [...]k at night: this in the City of [...]ondon blew the tiles off mens houses, and caused them to fear the overthrow of their houses: the lesser West-gate of Saint Pauls, next to the Bishops Palace, was bro­ken, [Page 163] with bolts, and locks, and strong bars of iron, so that the same was blown over.

In the Country, houses and barns were blown down, and some far from the places whereon they had stood, besides t [...]ees in great numbers to [...]n up by the roots: At the Sea a great deal of harm was done at Southampton; the Ships and Barks riding at anchor, we [...]e driven a shore and sunk, the like was never seen.

The fifth of March, a maid was burned in S [...]int Georges field with­out Southwark, for poysoning her Mistress, and other people.

This year 1589. Henry Duke of Guise, and his B [...]other the Cardinal Guise, were both slain by the com­mandement of the French King Hen. the third. This Duke was won­derfully beloved of the Clergy, and of the Peers, and Commons of France, of the Conclave, and ma­ny Forraign Princes; the manner of his death was taken very grievous­ly.

Within a while after, the said [Page 164] King Henry of France was also slain by a Frier, in revenge of the death of the two Brethren before named, and the Frier himself was instantly slain by them that were about the King, who slew him with the same envenomed knife wherewith he stab'd the King: this Henry the third was the last of the House of Valois, and presently upon his death, Henry of Burbon, King of Navarre, laid just claim to the Crown, but it was a long time e're he was setled: by the help of Queen Elizabeth at length he enjoyed the Crown of France peaceably, without any fur­ther molestation.

The next year following, the great and antient City of Paris, by their new King Henry the Fourth, was besieged, which City, until the day of their visitation, was a glori­ous and a flourishing City, and the most populous City in all Europe, until for their better defence, they were constrained to pull down all their Suburbs; and altho [...]gh the Siege lasted not above five moneths, [Page 165] yet such was the extremity of fa­mine amongst them, as it may well be said to be greater then that of Samaria, or Ierusalem; for after they had eaten all their herbage and carrion, and all manner of moist lea­ther, with whatsoever else they could get, many of them did eat their own children, and the chil­dren of others.

On Wednesday in Easter week, by shooting off a gun in the town of Ulfringhamton in Staffordshire, a­bout the number of eighty houses were burned.

In the moneth of Ianuary, one Nicholas a Perveyer, for converting to his own use certain provision ta­ken for her Majesty, was hanged for example to others.

The sixteenth of Iuly Edmond Co­pinger, and Henry Arrington Gentle­men, came into Cheap, and there in a Carre, proclaimed news from hea­ven (as they said) to wit, that one William Hacket Yeoman, represent­ed Christ, by partaking his glorified body, by his principal spirit, and [Page 166] that they were two Prophets, the one of Mercy, the other of Judge­ment, called and sent of God to help him in this great work: these men were afterward apprehended; the twentieth of Iuly, Hacket was arraigned, and found guilty, as to have spoken divers most false and trayterous words against her Maje­sty, to have raced and defaced her Armes, as also her picture, thrusting an iron instrument into that part that did represent the brest and heart, for the which he had Judge­ment, and upon the twenty eighth of Iuly brought from Newgate to a Gibbet in Cheap, where being mo­ved to ask God and the Queen for­giveness, he fell to cursing and rail­ing against the Queen, he made a prayer against the Divine Majesty of God, he was therefore hanged and quartered: His immodest speeches at his arraignment and death, utter­ly disgraced all his former seemed sanctity, wherewith he had shrewd­ly possessed the common people.

The next day Edmond Copinger [Page 167] having wilfully abstained from meat; died in Bridewell; and Henry Ar­rington, long after in the Compter, submitting himself, writ a book of repentance, and was delivered.

On the twenty eighth of October, Ben O Royrk, a great man of Ire­land, was arraigned at Westminster, and found guilty of High-Treason; and on the third of November exe­cuted at Tyburn.

The tenth of December three Se­minaries for being in this Realm, contrary to the Statute, and four o­ther for relieving them were execu­ted, to wit, Ironmonger a Seminary, and Swithen Wells Gentleman, in Grayes-Inne fields, Blaston & White Se­minaries, & three others at Tyburn.

The fourteenth of Ianuary, Cap­tain Arnold Cosby an Irish man, did forcibly set upon Iohn Lord Burk, neer to the town of Wansworth, in the County of Surry, and there upon a malicious intent did wilfully murder him, giving him one mortal wound with a Rapier, by means whereof he fell down; and after that, [Page 168] the said Cosby with a Dagger gave unto the said Lord Burk twelve, or more several wounds, of the which mortal wound he died within two houres after, for the which fact he was hanged on a Gibbet neer Wans­worth, on the twenty 7th. of Ianuary.

The eighteenth of February, Tho­mas Parmort was convicted of two several High-Treasons, one for be­ing a Seminary Priest, and remain­ing in this Realm, and the other for reconciling Iohn Barwis against the form of a Statute: the said Bar­wis was likewise convicted of trea­son, for being so reconciled, and al­so of Felony for relieving the said Priest: Thomas Parmort was execu­ted in Pauls Church-yard, on the twentieth of February.

The 27 of Febru. Sir Iohn Parrot Knight, was arraigned at Westminster, and found guilty of Treason, and had judgement, but died in the Tower.

The fourth of May, a Tilt-boat of Gravesend, having in the same Boat about the number of forty persons, was over-run by a Hoy, so that the [Page 169] greatest part of them were drown­ed over against Greenwich, the Court then being there, the Queen beheld the mischance.

In the moneth of Iune a young man was hanged in Smithfield, and a woman was burnt, both for poy­soning her husband a Goldsmith.

The fourth of September a wo­man was burnt in Smithfield, for poysoning her husband.

The sixth of September, the wind being in the West, as it had been for the space of two daies before very boysterous; the river of Thames was made void of water, the wind forcing out the fresh, and keeping back the Salt, that men in divers pla­ces might go two hundred paces o­ver, and then fling a stone to the land. A Collier on a Mare rode from the North side to the South, and back again, on either side London-Bridge, but not without peril of drowning both wayes.

An. Reg. 35 A certain woman, by the Coun­cels appointment, was whipped through the City of London, for af­ferming [Page 170] her self to be the daughter of Phillip King of Spain, as she had been perswaded by some accounted Soothsayers; after proved liers, for she was known to be a Butchers daughter in Eastcheap.

March the twenty first Henry Barrowe Gentleman, and Iohn Green­wood Clark, Daniel Studley Girdler, Sapio Bislot Gentleman, Robert Bow­let Fishmonger, were indicted for fellony, the said Barrow and Green­wood for righting certain seditious books tending to the ruine of the Queen and state, Studley, Billot, and Bowley for publishing and setting forth of the same books, and on the twenty third, they were all arraig­ned, found guilty, and had judge­ment the last of March, Henry Bar­row, and Greenwood were brought to Tyburne and there hanged the sixth of April.

About the same time Henry a principal penner and publisher of books, intitled, Martin Marre Pre­late was apprehended at Stebben­heath by the Vicar there, and sent to [Page 171] prison, in the moneth of May, he was arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar, condemned of fellony, and af­terwards conveighed from the Kings Bench to Saint Thomas watrings, and there hanged, this pernitious book much troubled the people.

Iuly the nineteenth, the Court of Assise was kept in Saint George's fields in a tent there, set up on pur­pose, many prisoners were arraign­ed, nineteen were burnt in the hand, but none executed; this assise was made an end the same day, which was thought to have lasted three daies, but the justices made hast away for fear of being infected with the pestilence.

This year no Bartholomew fair was kept, because of the sickness.

The whole number buried this year within the City of London, the Suburbs and other places adjoyning, as well of the plague as other disea­ses from the twenty first of the moneth of December in the year 1592. until the nineteenth of De­cember 1593. was as followeth, with­in [Page 172] the walls of all diseases, 8598. whereof the plague 5390. without the walls and in the liberties, 9295. the plague 5285, so that within the City and liberties, of all diseases, 17863. whereof of the Plague 10675.

February the eighteenth, Har­rington a seminary, was drawn from Newgate to Tyburn, and there hang­ed and cut down alive, he strugled with the hangman but was quarte­red.

The last of February, Rodoreck Lopez a Portugal as it was said, pro­fessing Phisick, was arraigned at the Guild-Hall in London, and there found guilty, and had judgement of high treason, for conspiring her Ma­jesties destruction by poyson.

In this moneth of March, were many great stormes of winde, which overturned trees, houses, steeples, and barnes, in Worcester shire, in Bewdley Forrest, many Oakes were overthrown, in Horton wood of the said shiere, more then one thousand five hundred Oakes overthrown in one day.

In Stafford shiere, the shaft of the steeple in Stafford town was rent in pieces, along through the midst, and thrown upon the Church, where­with the said roof was so broken, that one thousand pound would not make it good, houses and barnes were overthrown in most places in that shiere, in Canck Wood, more then three thousand trees were over­thrown, more then fifty steeples in Staffordshire were blown down.

The eleventh of April was a great raine, which continued more then twenty four houres, and withall a great north wind.

April the fourteenth, a woman was burnt in Smithfield for killing her husband.

May the second came down great flouds by reason of suddain showers of hail and rain that had fallen, which bare down houses, iron mills, provision of coles prepared for those mills, and likewise cattel.

Iune the seventh Doctor Lopez, and two other Portugals were drawn from the Kings Bench in Southwark [Page 174] to Tyburn and there hanged and quartered.

This year in the moneth of May, fell many great showers of rain, but in the moneths of Iune and Iuly much more, for it commonly rained day and night till Saint Iame's Eve; and on Saint Iame's day it began again and continued two daies after, notwithstanding there followed a fair harvest in the month of August; but in September great raines rai [...]ed high waters, such as stayed the Car­riages, and bore down b [...]idges, as at Cambridge, Ware, and elsewhere, so that grain grew to be of a great price, as a strike or a bushel of rie, five shillings, of wheat, six, seven, or eight, which dearth hapned more by meanes of transporting by our Mar­chants, then the unseasonableness of thew eather.

December the thirtieth a woman was burnt in Smithfield for coyning of money.

February the tenth, two Captains named York and Williams, were ex­ecuted at Tyburn for fellony.

February the tenth, Southwel a Jesuite that long time had laine in the Tower of London, was arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar, he was con­demned, and on the next morrow, drawn from Newgate to Tyburne and there hanged and quartered.

This year by reason of the late transportation of corn into forraign countries, it was grown here to an excessive rate, so as in some parts of the realm, from fourteen shillings to four marks the quarter.

C [...]r [...]ain men for coyning were hanged, also a Scrivener in Holbourn was hanged and quartered for taking the great Seal of England from the old Patent, and putting the same to a new.

On the twenty ninth of Iune be­ing Sunday in the after noon, a num­ber of unruly youths were gathered together on Tower hill, being bla­med by the warders of Tower street ward, who willed them to seaver themselves and depart from thence, these youths threw stones at them, and drave them back into Tower- [Page 176] street, and were hartned on by a souldier, who sounded a trumpet, but the trumpeter and many other of them being taken by the Sheriffs of London, and committed to prison, about seven a clock the same night, Sir Iohn Spencer Lord Mayor, rode to the Tower hill, attended by his Officers and some others, to see the hill cleared of all the tum [...]ltuous people where about the middle of the hill, some Warders of the Tow­er, with the Lieutenants men, told Sir Iohn that the sword ought not to be born up there, and two or three cat [...]hing at it, some bickering was there, insomuch that the sword bea­rer was hurt amongst them, but the Lord Mayor seeing the hill cleared of all trouble, rode back, and the sword bearer bearing up the sword.

Iuly the twenty second, in the pre­sence of the Earl of Essex and others sent from the Queen, were arraigned at the Guild Hall, five of those unruly youths that were on the Tower hill apprehended, they were condemned and had judge­ment [Page 177] to be hanged and quartered, & were on the twenty fourth day of the same month drawn from New­gate to the Tower hill, and there ex­ecuted.

An. Reg. 38 February the twentieth, five men for cousning and counterfeiting of Commissions, were set on the Pillo­ry in West Cheap, some of them had their ears nayled, and some cut off, some that had before lost their ears, were burnt on their cheeks and foreheads.

In the moneth of May fell conti­nually rain, every day or night, whereby the waters grew deep, brake over the high waies, namely, betwixt Ilford and Stratford the Bow, so that the market people ri­ding towards London hardly escaped, but some were drowned, also to­ward Lambeth in the high way, peo­ple not on horseback were born on mens b [...]cks, and rowed in Wherries in Saint Georges fields.

Robert Earl of Essex, and Charles Haward, high admiral of England, embarked with one hundred fifty [Page 178] ships on the first of Iune, weighed An [...]hor, and hoisted up sailes, and took their way from Plimmouth to­wards Spain, and wone Cadiz and returned with great booties and spoiles.

Sunday the eight day of August, great triumphs was made in London for the good success of the Earl of Essex against the Spaniard, the win­ning and burning of the famous town of Cadiz, the overth [...]ow of the Spa­nish Navy, with orher victo [...]ies; a sermon of thanksgiving was preach­ed at Pauls Cross in the fo [...]enoon, and bonefiers with great joy in the afternoon.

August the fifteenth a new house in Fleetstreet, hardly finished, so­dainly fell down, and with it one old house adjoyning next to it, by the fall whereof, the man of the house with a man servant and a child were killed.

Sunday the fifth of December, great number of people, being as­sembled in the Cathedral Church of Wells in Somerset-shire, in the sermon [Page 179] time before noon, a sodain darkness fell among them, and storm and tempest followed after, with light­ning and thunder, such as overth [...]ew to the ground them that were in the body o [...] the Church, all the Church seemed to be on a light fire, a loath­some steanch followed; some stones were stri [...]ken out of the Bell Tower, the wiers and iron [...] of the clock were melted, which tem­pest being ceased, and the people come again to themselves, some of them were found to be marked with strange figures on their bodies, and their garments not perished, nor any marked that were in the chansel.

A Parliament began at Westmin­ster on the twenty fourth of October, on the which day many people were were smothered and crushed to death, pressing between White-Hall and the Colledge Church to have seen her Majesty and the Nobility, riding in their robes to the said Par­liament.

This year pepper was sold for eight shillings the pound.

Ianuary the twenty fifth, one na­med Ainger, was hanged at Tyburn, for wilfully and secretly murdering of his own father, a Gentleman and a Counsellor of Graies Inn, in his chamber there.

An. Dom. 1958 On the third of April, Twiford town in Devonshire was burnt by ca­sualty of fire, beginning first in a poor cottage; a woman there frying Pancakes with straw the same fired the house and so to the town, about one of the clock in the afternoon; the rage of which fire lasted one houre and an half, consumed four hundred houses, one hundred and fifty thousand pounds consumed in money, plate, marchandise, house­holdstuffe and houses, fifty persons, men, women and children consu­med, an almes house preserved, with poor men therein in the midst of the fire.

Iuly the twelfth, one Iohannes Buckley, a priest made beyond seas, having been arraigned in the Kings Bench on the third of Iuly, and there condemned of Treason for [Page 181] coming into this land contrary to the Statute was drawn to Saint Thomas a Watrings, and there hanged and quartered, his head set on the Pillo­ry in Southwark, his quarters in the high wayes towards Newington.

The first of September, in the af­ternoon was great thunder and ligh­tening at London, two great cracks, as it had been the shooting off Ord­nance, some men were hurt at the Postern by the Tower of London, and one man slain at the Bridgehouse in Southwark over against the Tower.

November the ninth, an Esquire at Greenwich was arraigned at West­minster, and found guilty of high-treason, and on the thirteenth drawn from the Tower to Tyburne, and there hanged and quartered.

In the month of Iuly, were drawn hanged and quartered 2 Priests, one of them was named Hunt, and the other Sprat, for coming into this Realm contrary to the Statute, they were executed at Lincolne, two other Priests Edward Thing and Ro­bert Nutter, were likewise executed [Page 182] for this same offence at Lancaster, also Thomas Pallafray a Priest exe­cuted at Durham, and a Gentleman with him for relieving him, and lodging him in his house.

August the fifth, Iames King of Scots, escaped a strange and strong conspiracy in Scotland, practised by the Earl of Gowry and his brother.

An. Reg. 43 February the fifth in the morning being Sunday, a great tempest of wind brake the Windmil beyond Saint Giles in the fields without Lon­don, the miller thrown one way, an other man an other, one thrown north and the other south, a part of the Mil-roof and half the milstone likewise thrown down.

Sunday the eighth of February, about ten of the clock in the fore­noon Robert Devoraux Earl of Essex assisted by divers noble men and gentlemen in warlike manner, en­tred the City of London at the Tem­ple bar, crying for the Queen, till they came to Fanchurch street, and there entred the house of Master Thomas Smith, one of the Sheriffs [Page 183] of London, who finding himself not master of his own house, by meanes of the strength the Earl brought with him, and being ignorant of his intent and purpose, conveighed him­self out of a back door to the Lord Mayor of the City, whereupon the Eearl and his troop turned into Grace street, and there perceiving himself and his assistance to be pro­claimed Traytors, also the Citizens to be raised in Arms against him, he with his followers wandring up and down the City, towards Ludgate would have passed through, which was closed against him, so that he was forced to return to Queen Hith, and from thence by water to his own house in the Strand, which he forti­fied, but understanding that great Ordnance were brought to beat down his house, he yielded and was conveighed to the Tower about midnight.

February the seventeenth, Cap­tain Thomas Lee was drawn to Ty­burn and there hanged, bowelled, and quartered, for conspiracy against [Page 184] the Queen, he took it upon his death that although he deserved death, yet he was innocent of that he was condemned for.

The eighteenth of February, Iohn Pibush a Seminary Priest, after sea­ven years imprisonment in the Kings Bench, was hanged and quartered at Saint Thomas a Watrings, for coming into this Realme, contrary to the Statute.

The nineteenth of February, the Earl of Essex, and the Earl of South­hampton, were both arraigned at Westminster, and found guilty of high treason.

Ashwednesday the twenty fifth of February, the Earl of Essex was be­headed within the Tower, between the houres of seaven and eight a clock in the morning, being present the Earls of Hartford and Cumber­land, the Lord Thomas Haward Constable of the Tower for that time, and not passing sixty or seaven­ty persons more; the hangman was beaten as he returned thence, so that the Sheriffs of London were sent [Page 185] for to assist and rescue him from such as would have murdered him.

The seventeenth of February, Mark Backworth, and Thomas Fil­coks Seminary Priests, were drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged and quartered for coming into the realm, contrary to the Statute.

And the same day a Gentlewo­man named Ann Lina a widow was hanged in the same place for reliev­ing a Priest in her house contrary to the Statute.

February the last, a young Gen­tleman named Waterhouse was han­ged in Smithfield, for speaking and Libelling against the Queens procla­mation, and the apprahending of the Earl of Essex.

March the thirteenth, Sir Gelly Merrick Knight, and Henry Cuff Gentleman, were drawn to Tyburn, the one from the Tower, the other from Newgate, and there hanged and quartered, as being actors with the Earl of Essex.

March the fifteenth, a new Scaf­fold was carried from Leaden Hall [Page 187] in the night, to the Tower hill, and there set up by torch light.

The eighteenth of March, Sir Charles Danvers, and Sir Christopher Blunt Knights, were upon the new scaffold beheaded.

Two men were set on the Pillory in Fleetstreet, whipped with gaggs in their mouths, and their ears cut off for attempting to have robbed a Gentlewoman in Fetter lane, in the day time, putting gaggs into the mouths of the servants of the house because they should not cry out; one of these thieves was afterward hang­ed and quartered at Saint Thomas Watrings.

August the twenty sixth, Desmond and an other Knight brought out of Ireland, were sent to the Tower of London.

In November, the Lady Mary Ramsey, widow to Sir Thomas Ram­sey, sometime Mayor of London, was buried in the Parish Church or Hos­pital of Christ-church by Newgate­market, a charitable dole or armes was given for her on the same day in [Page 186] the afternoon, at the Leaden Hall, seventeen poor people being weak and aged, were there among the sturdy beggars crushed and troden to death.

Lightning and Thunder often be­fore Christmas, and in the holy­dayes, and an Earthquake at London on Christmas Eve at noon.

In the month of Ianuary, news came out of Ireland, that on Christ­mas day, that the Spaniards and Irish were overcome and slain in great numbers, and the English were victors.

The eighteenth of Ianuary at night, Bonfiers were made, with ringing of Bells, for joy of the news out of Ireland, the victory of our men against Tyrone.

Windsor Boate was cast away against Black Friers stairs by a tem­pest.

April the nineteenth, Peter Bul­lock Stationer, and one named Duc­ket, for printing of books offensive against the Queen and State were hanged at Tyburn.

April the twentieth, Stichborne, William Kenson, and Iames Page, Seminary Priests, were drawn to Tyburn, and there hanged and quar­tered.

The last of Iune, Atkenson a custo­mer of Hull, was set on the Pillory in Cheap, and with him three other, who had been brought thither on horseback, with their faces towards the horse tail, and papers on their heads, they were there whipped on the Pillory and lost their ears by judgement of the Star-Chamber, for slanderous words by them spoken against the Counsel.

The same day in the afternoon fell great lightning and thunder, with hail-stones in many places of nine inches compass, which in Sandwich in Kent lay a foot deep on the ground, broke the glass windows of their Churches and many tiles off their houses, some barnes were fired with lightning.

February the seventeenth, William Anderson alias Richardson a Semina­ry Priest, was drawn to Tyburn, and [Page 189] there hanged and quartered for being found in England contrary to the Statute.

In the month of March, the Q ly­ing at Richmond, dangeros sick, strait watches were set in London, with warding of the Gates; Lanthornes with lights all the night hanged out of Windowes, at which newes the people were sore perplexed.

Thursday the twenty fourth of March, about two of the Clock in the morning deceased Queen Eliza­beth, at her Mannor of Richmond in Surrey, being aged seventy yeers, and had Reigned four and forty yeers five moneths and odd dayes, whose Corps was privily convaied to White Hall, and there remained till the twenty eight of Aprill, and then buried at Westminster.

The same day aforesaid, the No­bility and Councell of State, with as great peace, prudence, and provi­dence, as the heart of man could imagine, assembled themselves to­gether, and far beyond the gene­ral [Page 190] imagination of all men, being a matter of remarkable conscernment, took speedy order, aswell for the in­stant manifesting the Queens death, as in publishing to the whole Realme, for their lasting comfort, the true and lawfull Successour, and about eleven of the clock the same Thursday in the forenoone, which according to the computation of the Church of England is the last day of the yeer, 1602. being accompa­nyed with the Lord Major, Alder­men and Sheriffes of London, and many other of most Reverend and Honourable quality, at the Cross in Cheape, Proclaimed, Iames the Sixth of that name King Scotland, to be the right King of England Scotland, France and Ireland Defender of the faith, being lineally descended from Margaret, the eldest daughter to King Henry the Seventh, by Eliza­beth his wife, which was the eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth, the said Margaret was married to King Iames the fourth of that name, King of Scotland, in the yeer of our [Page 191] Redemption 1503. who had Issue Iames the fifth: Who was father to Mary Queen of Scotland, and the said Mary was mother to Iames the Sixth, Monarch of the Island of great Brittany, and King of France and Ireland; This forenamed Pro­clamation, was most distinctly, and audibly read by Sir Robert Cecill Principall Secretary unto Queen Eli­zabeth, also the Lords and Privie Counsellors of Estate, with great diligence, send speedily Condinge Messengers to his Majesty into Scot­land, who manifested, their whole proceeding, with tender of their zealous love and duty, and the peo­ples universall joy, and great desire to see their King, which his Majesty most graciously accepted, approved all their proceedings, and returned them all Princely thanks, Authori­zing the Lords, and others late Privie Counsellours of Estate to the Queene, to persist as they had begun, until He came personally unto them.

This Change was very Plausable, [Page 192] and well pleasing unto the Nobility and Gentry, and generally to all the Commons of the Realm, among whom the name of a king was to strange, that few could Remember, or had seen a King before, except they were aged persons, considering that the Government of the Realme had continued neer the space of fifty yeeres under the Reigne of two Queens, which is the far greater part of an old mans age, but tidings hereof being brought to the king in Scotland, he called a Co [...]nsell to him, and taking order for setling all things in his Realme of Scotland, began his voyage towards Eng­land.

King Iames.

An. Reg. 1 PResently upon the death of Queene Elizabeth of Famous memory, the Nobility of this land, and P [...]ivie Councellors of estate un­to the said Queen, accknowledged [Page 193] Iames the sixth then King of Scot­land for their lawfull king, and within six houres after her death, the said Lords and Counsellors, gave full satisfaction unto the peo­ple by three proclamations, the first at the Court Gate, the second at the Cross in Cheapside, and the third at the Tower, by the name of Iames the First King of England, Scot­land, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, the King being then full thirty six yeers of age, and Crouned King of Scots in his infancie, began his Raign over the Isle of Great Brittany the 24. of March, 1602.

The Nobility and State aforesaid, with [...]ll speed sent Charles Piercy, and Master Thomas Sommerset, with Letters unto the King signifiying the death of the Queene, and the tender of their duties, love, and alegian [...]e, but Sir Robert Carie rid poste, and b [...]ought the first newes to [...]he king & as he rod gave know­ledge un [...]o his brother Sir Iohn Ca­rie, then Governour of Barwick, this [Page 194] calme and discreet course, of the English Lords, in Proclaiming the King, and quiet setling the whole Estate, without faction or interrup­ti [...]n, was as plausible unto all his loving Subjects, as admired of For­raign Nations.

Aprill the fifth, the King came from Eden-Borowgh to Barwick, and the next day came newes of many disordered persons, that were in Armes in the Borders, whereat the King was much troubled, and forth­with there was power sent to sup­press them, and after that, when the King came to London, he with the advise of the Counsell, set all the parts of the North Borders, in as good condition, as any other parts of his Dominions.

Aprill the tenth, divers priso­ners were discharged out of the Tower, amongst whom, the Earle of Southampton was the chief­est.

Aprill the twenty seventh, was thirteen persons slain and blown in peeces by misfortune, at the Gun­powder [Page 195] Mill at Reddriffe.

Aprill the twenty eight, at West­minster a very Royall Obsequy, for the late Queene Elizabeth, accord­ing to the Kings appointment, by his Letters to the Lords of the Privie Counsell.

May the nineteenth, Proclama­tion was made for the suppression of disordered persons in the North: and for the mutuall Peace and A­mity of both Kingdoms.

Iune the first, there was one whip­ped through London, for presuming to come to the Court, having his house infected.

Iune the fourth, Vallentine Tho­mas, having been many yeers prisoner in the Tower of London, was arraig­ned at the Kings Bench Barr, and there condemned of High Treason, for Conspiracy against our late Queene, and some of her Counsell, and the seventh of Iune, about Six of the clock he was drawn from the Kings Bench in Southwarke to Saint Thomas a Waterings, and there han­ged and quartered.

Iuly the second, the King So­lemnized the Feast of Saint George, at Winsor, and Installed Prince Henry Knight of the Garter, and there the chief Ladies of England, did Hommage to the Queene.

There were also made Knights with Prince Henry, the Duke of Lennox, the Earle of South-Hampton, the Earle of Marre, and the Earle of Pembroke.

Within a few dayes after were made divers Proclamations for the apprehension of Anthony Copley, Sir Griffin Markham▪ Knight, and Wil­liam watson, and VVilliam Cleark Priests and about the same time was apprehended as Traytors, the Lord Cobham and his brother, the Lord Gray, Sir VValter Rawley, and o­thers.

The fifth of August was Com­manded by the Bishops to be kept as a Holy day, with Prayers, Preach­ing and thanksgiving to Almighty God, for the Kings escape from be­ing murdered by Earle Gowrie in Scotland.

The Plague, increased most g [...]ievo [...]sly in London, and thereupon it w [...]s ordered that every Wednes­d [...]y the [...]e sho [...]ld be a general Fasting and Prayer, with preaching, through the land, to d [...]aw the people to hu­mility and rep [...]ntance.

This year was Bartholomew fair forbidden to be kept, and Michael­mas Te [...]m adjorned, and to be kept at Westminster, but by reason of the sickness, it was afterward kept at Winchester, and the Lord Mayors great tri [...]mphs and feasts was this year omitted.

The fourth of November, the Lord Cobham, the Lord Grey of Wil­ton were b [...]ought from the Tower of London unto Winchester, to be ar­raigned; and to that purpose were sent to W [...]nchester, Sir VValter Raw­leigh▪ Sir Gr [...]ffin Markham Knights, George Brook brother to the Lord Cobham, Anthony Copley Gentleman, William Watson and William Cleark P [...]ie [...]s: and the same day out of the G [...]tehouse at Westminster▪ went Sir Edward Parham, he was acquitted [Page 198] by the Jury. The twenty ninth of November were executed the two P [...]iests and six daies after was George Brook hanged, and the ninth of De­cember, Sir Griffin Markham and the two Barons, a [...]ter they had been se­verally brought upon the Scaffold in the Castle of Winchester, and had made their confessions, and p [...]epared themselves to die, upon a suddain, the Kings Warrant written with his own hand, was there delivered to Sir Benjamin Titchborne, High She­riff of Hampshire, [...]ommanding him to stay execution, these three and Sir Walter Rawleigh were returned P [...]i­soners to the Tower again, the fif­teenth of December.

From the twenty third of Decem­ber 1602. unto the twenty se [...]ond o [...] December 1603, the [...]e died of all diseases, within London and the li­be [...]ties thereof, thi [...]ty eight thousand two hundred forty and four, whe [...]e­of, of the Plague, thirty thousand, five hundred s [...]venty eight, and the ne [...]t year afte [...], London was clear of that infection, and then were all the [Page 199] shires in England grievously visited, note the work of God.

March the fifth, was proclamati­on m [...]de, for authorising the Book of Common Prayer.

February the twenty second, Pro­clamation was made against all Je­suits and Seminaries, that they sho [...]ld forthwith depart out of the Kingdome.

March the fifth, Proclamation was made for conformation of the Ecclesiastical government of the Ch [...]rch of England, and the book of Common P [...]ayer, as it had been used in the time of Queen Eliza­be [...]h.

At this time Robert Dove of Lon­don Merchant Taylor, gave compe­tent me [...]ns [...]o [...] ever, for the toling of a bell in Saint Sepulchres Church, to cause good people to pray for such prisoners as are to be executed out of Newgate and to cease when they are executed; this bell should begin to toll at six a clock in the morning, and the same is made known to the Prisoners that the said bell is to put [Page 200] them in mind to p [...]epare themselves for death.

Upon the first day of May, Rich­ard Haydock a Physitian, asked for­giveness of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, for deluding the King and many o [...]hers, under pretence of being inspired, and to preach in his sleep by night, with which de [...]eit he had strongly possest the vulgar, as it was hard to remove them, although he confessed the abuse.

In this moneth Iohn Lepton of Kepwick in the County of York Esq; a Gentleman of an an [...]ient family, and of good reputation, his Majesties servant, and one of the Grooms of his most honourable privy Cham­ber, performed so memorable a journey as I may not omit to record the same to future ages, the rather because I have heard sundry Gentle­men who were goo [...] horsemen, [...]nd likewise good Phys [...]tians affi [...]me, it was impo [...]sible to be done without danger of his life.

He [...]ndertook to [...]ide five seve­ral times betwixt London and York, [Page 201] in six daies to be taken in one week, betwixt Munday morning and Sa­turday night, he began his journey upon Munday being the twentieth day of May, betwixt two and three of the clo [...]k in the morning, forth of Saint Martins neer Aldersgate; with­in the City of London, and came in­to York the same day, betwixt the houres of five and six in the a [...]ter­noon, where he rested that night; the noxt morning being Tuesday, about three of the clo [...]k, he took his journey fourth of York, and came to his lodging in St. Martins aforesaid, betwixt the houres of 6 and seven in the afternoon, where he rested that night, the next morning being Wed­nesday, betwixt two and three of the clock, he took his journey forth of London, and came into York about se­ven of the clock the same day, where he rested that night, the next mor­ning being Thursday, betwixt two and three of the clock, he took his jo [...]rney forth of York, and c [...]me to London the same day, be [...]wixt seven and eight of the clock where he rest­ed [Page 202] that night▪ the next morning be­ing Friday, betwixt 2. and 3. of the clock, he took his journey towards Yorke, and came thither the same day betwixt the howres of seven and eight, in the afternoon, so as he finished his app [...]inted journey, to the admi [...]ation, o [...] all men in five dayes, acco [...]ding to hi [...] p [...]o­mise, and upon Munday the twenty seventh of this moneth, he went from Yorke and came to the Court at Greenwich upon Tueseday the twenty eight to his Majesty in as fresh and cheerfull manner, as when he first began.

The second of Iuly 1605 seven­teen Scottish Ministers, contrary to the Kings former Exp [...]ess Comand­ment, h [...]ld a Sollemne Assembly at Aberdine in Scotland, who being Convented fo [...] the same before the Coun [...]ll of Scotland utte [...]ly denied, not onely their Lo [...]dships authority in that behalf, but the Kings also, saying that in matters Ecclesiasticall they neithe [...] owe no [...] ought to ac­knowledge themselves in any sub­jection, [Page 203] either to the King or to any Temporall power; and that all Sp [...] ­rituall difference, ought to be tryed and determined by the Church, as Competent Judges, justifying their voluntary meeting to be good and warrantable by the word of God, alleadging the severall Assemblies of the Apos [...]les, without knowledge or con [...]ent o [...] any Temporall Es [...]ate, for which Riot, and for denying the Kings Supremacy in Causes Ecclesi­asticall, Six of the chief of them the tenth of Ianuary following at Black­ness, were ar [...]aigned and condemn­ed of High Treason.

Iuly the eighth Proclamation was m [...]de against Pirates, and other En­glish Ma [...]iners, and Souldiers, who under pretence of Serving the Sta [...]es▪ robbed divers English men and others who made complaint thereof to his Majesty. Now this is the third Proclamation against Pi­rats.

William Calverley of Carverley in Yorkshire Esquire, murdered two of his own children, at home at his [Page 204] own ho [...]se, then stab'd his wi [...] in [...]o the body, with full intent to have killed her, and then instantly with like fury went from his house, would have killed his childe at nu [...]se, but was p [...]evented, he was p [...]est to death at Yorke the fifth of March.

Thomas Pearcy, Robert Catesby, and o [...]her [...] in the last yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign, by the Ins [...]igation of certain Jesuits practised with the King of Spain, to send a well fur­nished Army upon England, promi­sing him great aide, to entertain them at their arrivall at Milford Haven, and to that end the King promised to send them fifty thou­sand pound, for Levying of Horse and Foot, and preparation in Eng­land for them of Ammunition, but when this was in a maner concluded upon Queen Elizabeth died, and the King of Spain upon certain knowle [...]ge that King Iames was establi [...]hed, di [...]p [...]tched his Embassa­do [...] [...]n [...] Commi [...]sioners for Eng­land, for con [...] [...]mation o [...] a la [...]ing [Page 205] Peace between them, yet neverthe­less, the said Robert Catesby sent Thomas VVinter again to the King of Spain, to Resollicite their former project, but the King answered him? Your old Queen is dead with whom I had warres; and you have a King with whom I have ever been at Peace and amity, and for continu­ance thereof, I have sent my Com­missioners, and untill I see what will become thereof, I will not hearken unto any other course whatsoever, when VVinter returned and made this known unto Catesby, Percey, and the rest, they began to cast about what might be done of themselves, to the Advance of the Romane Ca­tholike Religion, but first they would see the event of the first Parliament, if they would mittigate any former lawes, and try what good the con­clusion of Peace with Spain would do before they attempted any fur­ther, but when they perceived, that neither Parliament, nor publi [...]ke peace so [...]ted in any part to their de­sires, and that the peace concluded [Page 206] with Spain, was rather a more ready means for the law to proceed against them then otherwise, because the peace concerned onely the amity of christian princes, for the general good of Christendome, without any particular or private respect; then Catesby told the rest he had a devise in his head that should free them and the rest of the Catholicks here in England from their oppressors, and when he had found out fit Ministers for execution of his devise, after they had taken oath and Sacrament for se [...]recie, he told them he had de­vised the mean to blow up the Par­liament house▪ by undermining the same, when the King, and Queen, and Prince, and Commons were as­sembled, which project they pre­sently embraced, and forthwith Pearcie hired lodgings close to the Parliament house, and then they appointed miners, who with great difficulty digged and undermined part of the wall, but after a while they understood that the vante right under the Parliament house was to [Page 207] be let, then Guido Faukes hired it, this Guido Fawks was of late a Soul­dier in Flanders and for that purpose sent for, who by consent of the rest changed his name, and was called Iohn Iohnson, Master Pearcies man, after they had hired the vaute, they secretly conveighed into it thirty and six barrels of powder and cove­red them over with billets and fag­gots.

About ten daies before, the Par­liament began, an unknown party met with a servant of my Lord Mounteagles, and delivered him a letter, charging him speedily to de­liver it to my Lord, which he did, when his Lord had read it, and ob­served the dangerous contents, with a special caveat not to appear the first day of Parliament, he was ama­zed, and forthwith delivered it to the Earl of Sallisbury the Kings chief Secretary, and Counsello [...] of State, when the Earl had judiciously observed the strange phrase and te­no [...] thereof, with the terrible threats therein against the whole state, he [Page 208] acquainted the Lord Chamberlain therewith, and then they shewed it to the Lord Admiral [...], the Earls of Worcester, and Northampton, who instantly consulted what was fittest to be done, omitting neither time, dilligence, nor industry, all which notwithstanding, they could not as yet find out the depth of this myste­ry, and were therefore much trou­bled in mind, because the appointed day of Parliament drue near, which was Tuesday the fifth of November: the Saturday before, the King being returned from hunting, the said Lord acquainted his Highness with what had past, and when his Majesty had well noted the strange contents of the letter, which purported the suddain ruine of the state, the King said that notwithstanding the slight regard that should be given to scat­tered Libels, yet this was more quick then was usually in Libels, and willed them to search in all places as well not dayly frequented as of usu­al repair, and as conce [...]ning any for­raign disturbance or inva [...]ion, he well [Page 209] knew the force and preparation of all Ch [...]istian Nations, and that whatso­ever plot and treason was now in hand, it must be performed in some unsuspected place, and by some homeb [...]ed Traytors, whereupon new search was made, about the Court and Parliament house, but co [...]ld not as [...]et find any thing out worthy their labours, all which la­bors, all which searches was per­formed with such silence and discre­tion, as there rose no manner of sus­pition either in Court or City, the Lord Chamberlain whose office it most concerned, never rested day nor night, and the night before the Parliament, as Sir Thomas Knevet with others scouted about the Parli­ament house, espied a fellow stand­ing in a corner very suspiciously, and asked him his name, and what he was, and what he did there so late, who answered very bluntly his name was Iohn Iohnson, Master Pearces man, and keeper of his lodgings, Sir Thomas Knevet still continued his search in all places, and returning [Page 210] thither again, found him lingring there, still searched him, and found under his cloke a dark Lanthorne with a candle burning in it, and about him other signes of suspition, that he stood not there for any good, then the Knight entred the vaut, where he found the powder covered with faggots and billots, and then the Lord Chamberlain commanded the Traytor to be bound, and being now three of the clock in the mor­ning, he went unto the King, and with exceeding joy, told his Majesty the treason was found out, and the traytor in hold, the King desired to see Faukes, who when he came be­fore the King, used like trayterous speeches, as he did at his first appre­hension, affirming he was the onely man to performe this treason: say­ing it sore vexed him that the deed was not done, and for that time would not confess any thing, touch­ing the rest of the conspirators, but that he himself onely alone was the contriver and practiser of this treason.

Between five and six a clock in the morning, the Conusel gave or­der to the Lard Major of London to look well to the City, and in very calme manner, to set civill watch at the Citie Gates, signifying there­withall that there was a plot of trea­son found out, and that the king would not go to Parliament that day, the same day in the afternoon the manner of the treason was by way of Proclaimation made known unto the people, for joy whereof there was that night, within the Ci­ty and about as many bonfires as the streets could permit, and the peole gave humble and hearty thanks to Almighty God for their King and Countreyes right blessed, escape.

Within three dayes after two o­ther Proclamations were made, sig­nifying unto the people who were the chief Conspirators, with com­mandment to apprehend Pearcy and Catesby, and to take them alive if it were possible, which said Pearcy and Catesby were gone to Holback [Page 212] in Warwick Shire, to meet Winter, Grante and others; where under pre­tence of a great hunting they made account to raise the Countrey and surp [...]ize the lady Elizabeth, from the Lord Harrington, whom they meant to Proclaime Queen, and in whose name they meant to take up Arms, being perswaded that the King, the Prince and the Duke of Yorke, were at that time blown up in the Parli­ament House, but when they found their treason was known and pre­vented, and saw the Kings Forces round about the house, so as they could not escape, Pearsey and Cates­by very desperately issued out, and fighting back to back, were both flain with one Musket shot.

Saturday the ninth of November, the King went to Parliament, where in the presence of the Queen, the Prince, the Duke of Yorke, the Em­bassadours of the King of Spain, and the Arch-Duke, and the Lords Spi­rituall, and Temporall, and Com­mons of the same, he made a ve­ry solemne oration, Manifesting [Page 213] the whole Complott or this trea­son.

Ianuary the nineteenth, a great Porpaise was taken alive at West-Ham, in alittle Creeke; a mile and a half within the land, and was pre­sented unto Francis Gofton Es­quire, Chief Auditor of the Imprests, and within a few dayes after, a very great Whale came within eight miles of London: whose length was divers times seen above the Water, and the same was judged to be a great deal longer then any Ship in the River.

A few dayes before Christmass, the Parliament broke up, and began to sit again the twenty second of Ianuary being Tuesday, and conti­nued untill the twenty seventh of May next following, in which Par­liament, they gave the King and and his Successours, three entire Subsidies, and six Fifteens, and then the Parliament was proro [...]ged, un­till the eigh [...]een [...]h o [...] November at this [...] the Clargie gave unto the King and his Successors four entire [Page 214] Subsidies, and in this Parliament it was enacted, that the fifth of No­vember should be kept Holy day for ever, with preaching, and giving God thanks for his mercy, in pre­venting that terrible danger, of the late practise by Pearcy and Catesby with the rest of their wicked Crew, to blow up the Parliament House.

Ianury the twenty seventh, at Westminster were Arrained Thomas Winter, Guydo Fawkes, Robert Keyes, and Thomas Bates, for plotting to blow up the Parliament House, Digging in the Mine, taking oath and Sacrament for secresie, and Sir Everard Digby for being made ac­quainted with the said treason, yeelding assent to it, and taking his corporal oath for secrecy all which Inditements were proved against them, and by themselves confessed, and thereupon had Judgement gi­ven them, to be Drawn, Hanged, and quartered, their limbes to be set upon the City Gates, and their heads upon London Bridge according to which sentence, the thirtieth of [Page 215] Ianuary, Sir Everard Digby, Robert Winter, Iohn Graunt, and Baites, at the West end of Saint Pauls Church, and the next day after the other four were executed in the Parlia­ment yard, and six of the eight ac­knowledged their guiltiness in this horrible plot, and dyed very penitent­ly, but Graunt and Keyes did not so.

Saturday the twenty second of March, between six and seven a clock in the forenoon; a rumor was so dainly spread throughout the Court, and the City of London, that for cer­tain, the King that morning was slain, as he was a h [...]nting in Okeing Parke, twenty miles from London, which dreadful newes still increased, untill nine of the Clock, being se­conded by Infinite suggestions, by reason whereof it was generally re­ceived for truth, and thereupon the Court Gates were kept shut; The Lord Major began to set Cuard at the City Gates, and to raise the Trained bands; Sir William Wade Liverenant of the Tower did the like with his Hamlets within his liber­ties, [Page 216] and the Parliament was much amazed: but by eleven of the Clock, the joyfull news of the Kings good health was made known in London by Proclamation, as it had been at the Court an hou [...]e before, whereat the people began to revive their vexed spirits, which till then were wonderously surcharged with hearts grief. This flying newes went three dayes journey into the Countrey be­fore it was surp [...]est.

Friday the twenty eight of March, 1606. w [...]s Araigned and Condemned Henry Garnet, Provinciall of the Iesuites in England, for being ac­quainted with the Gunpowder plot, and consealing the same, for the which▪ he was condemned to be Drawn Hanged and Quartered and his head to be set upon London B [...]idge, and according to that Sen­tence he was Executed the third of May at the West end of Saint Pauls Church where he acknowledged the greatnesse of his offence, in consea­ling the treason; and besought all Catholikes to forbear and desist [Page 217] from Treason and all other violent attempts whatsoever, against Kings, and Princes, saying that all such pra­ctises were utterly against the Ca­tholike Religion.

The twenty nine and thirtieth of March, the winde was extreame vi­olent, so as it caused much Ship­wrack upon the Coasts of England France and the Low Countreyes, in brought in the Sea and drowned much Cattell, and in Picardie neer Dyope, it blew down a steeple which Slew sourscore persons in the fall thereof, in Flanders, and up towards Germany, there were many Church­es, Townes, Windemills. and Trees blown down, and the eighth of Iune following it rayned twenty four houres, and the next day there a­rose great land floods which carried away Mills, Trees and Houses, made new Currants where never any was before, it carried away great store of Cattell, Timber and other things from off upland grounds.

The tenth of Iune Proclaimation [Page 218] was made for the banishing of all seminaries, Jesuites, and Roman­priests.

The fifteenth of Iuly the wife of Richard Homewood of East Grimsteed in Sussex without any known cause, murdered her own three children, and threw them into a pit, and then cut her own throat likewise.

The twentieth of Ianuary, it pleased God to send a mighty westwind, which continued sixteen houres, which brought in the sea, by reason whereof, and of high spring­tides, both which encountred the land waters, after a great raine, which caused the River of Severn, beginning as far as the Mount in Cornwal, to overflow her banks all along on both sides, up into Somer­set shire, and Glocester-shire, in some places the water overflowed the banks three foot, in other places five foot, and some places seven foot, by reason of which suddain inunda­tion, much people and cattle were drowned, many Churches and villa­ges borne down and spoyled and [Page 219] some utterly destroyed, and in Wales in several places, it did great harme in manner as aforesaid, the like be­fore was never known.

Maundy Thursday, the second of April, there hapned great inundati­ons of water in Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, and the seventeenth of April, there arose in the City of Co­ventry a most strange and dreadful inundation.

November the twenty sixth, pro­clamation was made concerning the Earl of Tyrone Terconnel, and others of Ireland, signifying their purpose and practise to exterpit the English Nation out of Ireland, and to confer and yield the kingdome of Ireland, to the Pope, and Tyrones soliciting forraign Princes to attempt the con­quest thereof.

The twentieth of December, pro­clamation was made to apprehend the Lord Maxwel, who wounded the porter and so brake prison out of Edenborough Castle, this Lord Maxwel ayded Iames Mackdonel to escape likewise.

December the eighth, begun a hard frost, and continued till the fif­teenth of the same, and then thaw­ed, and the twenty second of Decem­ber, it began again to freez very vio­lently, so as some persons went halfe wap over upon the ice, and the thir­tieth of December, many people went quite over in many places, and so continued till the third of Ianua­ry▪ the people passed dayly between London and the Bank-side at every half ebb, for the floud removed the ice, and forced the people dayly to seek new paths, except onely be­tween Lambeth and the ferry at Westminster, by which it became ve­ry firme passage, untill the great thaw, and from Sunday the tenth of Ianuary, untill the fifteenth of the same, the frost grew extreame, so as the ice became firme, and removed not, and then all sorts of men wo­men and children went boldly upon the ice in most parts, some shot at pricks, others bowled, and daunced, with other variable pastimes; by rea­son of which concourse of people, [Page 221] were many that set up boothes, and standings, upon the ice, as fruit-sel­lers, victuallers, that sould beer and wine, shoomakers, and a barbers tent, every of them had fire near un­to them, the fifteenth of Ianuary it began somewhat to thaw, and so continued four daies together; yet nevertheless the great ice upon the Thames held firm and passable, and became somewhat smooth, like as in the last great frost in the year 1564. which before were very craggy and uncertain: the nineteenth of Ianua­ry, the frost began again, but not so violently, until Sunday the twenty fourth of Ianuary, and held on until the thirtieth of the same, the first of February the ice began to break by little and little, and the next day in the afternoon all the ice was gone, and quite dissolved, so as no sign re­mained thereof. Many bridges were spoiled by this frost, and much fowle pe [...]ished, especially small birds, which in many places▪ were found frozen to death▪ this frost was more grievous in France and Ireland then in England.

February the ninth, Sir Iohn Ram­sey Knight, Baron of Barnes, Vis­count Hadington, married Elizabeth the eldest daughter of Robert Earl of Sussex, the King gave her in marri­age, and at dinner he drank to the Bride and the Bridegroom in a fair cup of gold, which he gave him, and with it six hundred pound a year pen­sion out of the Exchequer, to the longest liver of them both, this the King did do, to reward his faithful service, against the dangerous treason of Earl Gowry in Scotland.

March the tenth, was laid the first stone for the new building of Algate, but it was not fully finished till the next year after, this ouldgate was taken down and finished at the charges of the Citizens.

April the eleaventh, George Ier­vas a Seminary, was drawn to Ty­burn and there executed.

April the eleaventh being Mun­day, the quarter Sessions was held at Edmonsbury, and by negligence an out malthouse was set on fire, from whence in most strange and [Page 223] suddain manner, through fierce winds, the fire came to the farther part of the town, and as it went, left some streets and houses safe, and un­touched; the flame flew cleare over many houses near unto it, and did much spoile to many fair buildings fardest off, and ceased not untill it had consumed one hundred sixty houses, besides others, and in dam­mage of wares and household goods, to the full value of threescore thou­sand pound, the King shewed a great deal of kindness to the distressed in­habitants, as in giving them five hun­dred load of Timber to repair their houses, as in preferring their best means to raise their general and par­ticular estates, and in giving them a new Charter, the Knights and Gen­tlemen likewise of the County per­formed great kindness unto the townsmen, the City of London gave freely towards their relief.

April the nineteenth, at White-Hall dyed Thomas Earl of Dorcet, Lord High Treasurer of England, he died suddenly at the Counsel table.

April the twenty ninth proclama­tion was made, commanding the oath of allegiance to be ministred to all persons that should come from beyond the seas, onely to distin­guish honest subjects, from traite­rous practisers, and not for any point or matter in religion, all known Merchants and others of honest state and quality, was exempte from take­ing this oath, this proclamation was made, by reason that many suspiti­ous persons of base sort came dayly from beyond seas, and refused to take the oath.

Iune twenty third, Thomas Garnet a Jesuit was executed at Tyburne, having favour offered him, if he would have taken the oath of alle­giance which he refused.

This Summer at Astley in War­wick shire, by reason of the fall of the Church, there was taken up the corps of Thomas Grey Marquess of Dorset, he was buried the tenth of October, 1530 in the twenty second year of the [...]aign of Henry the eighth, and albeit he had lain seventy eight [Page 225] yeers in the the Earth, yet his Eyes, Haire, and flesh remained in a man­ner as if he had been newly bu­ried.

For these five yeeres past, great and manifold Roberies spoiles, Piracies, murders and Depredati­ons, within the Streights, and else­where, have been committed by severall Companies of English Pi­rats, as well upon our own Nation as others, but especially upon the Florentines and Venetians, wherewith his Majesty was much grieved, and for that cause published from time to time severall Proclamations, de­nownsing the same offenders to be Rebells, and therewithall gave order for their suppression and apprehensi­as Traiters and peace breakers: but all this prevailed not, for they still pre­vailed, persisted and maintained their former villanies▪ with which offenders there were some English Marchants who very cunningly un­derhand used Commerce, Track, and Trafficke for stollen goods, to the great Cheri [...]ing, of those Male­factors, [Page 226] and dishonour of this Nati­on, for redresse whereof the King by Proclamation the eighth of Ianu­ary, Prohibited from all manner of medling, or dealing with them upon great penalties, all English Mar­chants whatsoever, Commanding the judge of the Admiralty to pro­ceed severely in Justice against all such offenders, and that from him there should be no appeal granted to any person touching the premi­ses: all which notwithstanding the number of Pirats still increased, and did much damage to the English Marchants and to all other Nations, there were Hollanders and Easter­lings, that at this time and before became fierce Pirats, and held con­sort with the English Robbers, viz. Ward, Bishop, Sir Francis Vorny: and others, whereupon the King of Spain sent certain Ships of Warr, un­der the command of Don Lewis Faxardo, who very pollitickly about the middle of Iuly came upon them at Tunis, and sudenly burned twenty of their ships, lying in Harbor, [Page 227] at which time though Captain Ward escaped in person, by being then a shore, yet his great Strength, and Riches perished in the fire, with some of his Confederates.

December the two and twentieth, Nineteen Pirates were executed at Waping some had been in consort with the English Pirates.

Sunday the nineteenth of Februa­ry, when it should have been low water at London-Bridge, quite con­trary to course, it was then high Wa­ter, and presently it ebbed almost half an houre, the quantity of a foot, and then suddenly it flowed again, almost two foot higher then it did before, and then ebbed again, untill it came to its course almost as it was at first, so that the next flood began in a manner as it should, and kept its due course in all respects, as if there had been no shifting nor alte­ration of Tydes, all this hapned be­fore twelve a clock in forenoone, the weather being indifferent calme.

The thirteenth of Iune the King, [Page 228] Queen and Prince, with many great Lords and others, came to the Tow­er, to make triall o [...] the Lions single valour, and to have the Lions skill, a great fierce Bear that had killed a Childe, but the Lyons being tryed by one and one at a time, and lastly by two together wh [...]ch were bread in that open yard, where the Bare was put loose for Combat, yet would none of them assaile him, but fled from him, to their Dens, after the first Lion was put forth, then was there a Stone Horse put into the Bare and Lyon, who when he had gazed upon them a while, fell to gra­zing, standing in the midst between them both, and whereas at the first there was but two Mastives let in who fought sto [...]tly with a lion, there was now six Dogs let in, who flew all upon the Stone Horse, being most in their sight at their first entrance, and would soon have wearied the horse to death, but that suddainly, even as the King wisht, there Ente­in th [...]ee stout Barewards, who won­derous valliantly rescued the Horse, [Page 229] and brought away the Doggs: whilst the Lyon and the Bear stood staring upon them, and the fifth of Iuly, this Bare according to the kings Com­mandment was bayted to death by Dogges, upon a Stage, and the Mo­ther of the murthered Child had twenty pound given her out of the money given by the people to see the death of the Bare.

Robert Allyley being Araigned at Newgate for fellony, stood mute and and refused the ordinary triall, whreupon as the manner is, the Hangman came unto him to binde his hands, but Allyley resisted, and with his fist stroke him on the face in the presence of the Judges, who presently Remembred, that this pri­prisoner but the last Sessions before was there Convicted of Fellony, and for the same had obtained the Kings Speciall pardon, which par­dons in generall, are unto all per­sons but onely upon their good be­haviour unto King and his Subjects, and thereupon the Court gave judg­ment, that for the blow he gave, his [Page 230] hand should first be cut off: and then his body to be hanged for that fact, for the which he had his pardon, according to which sentence he was presently executed at the Sessions Gate.

Thursday the third of May, the French Queen was Crowned with all Solemnity in Paris, and having been ten yeers before maried to the King, and the next day was murthe­red in his Coach as he rode through Paris by a base villain that stabed him into the body twise with a long knife, that he died instantly, and his body was carried to the Loover, presently upon the Kings death, the Queen was made Regent, during her sons minority, viz. Lewis the thirteenth. The twentieth of May, being Sunday, our King, Queen and Prince, the Duke of Yorke, the lady Elizabeth, and all the Lords and Ladies of the Court mourned in Black for the death of the French King, Henry the fourth, and about the end of Iune, was he buried in Paris in as great Royalty as ever [Page 231] King of France; upon the murrher of this French King, the Lords and Commons of the house of Parlia­ment of England, humbly besought the King to have a more especiall care then formerly, for the preser­vation of his Royall Person; and al­so to the speedy order for the avoi­ding of Emminent danger and keep­ing his subjects in their due obedi­ence, and forthwith, the Com­mons of the Parliament, for the manifestation of their alleigance, love and duty they voluntarily of their own accord took the Oath of Allegiance, and after them the Lords of the upper house did so likewise, who ministred the same Oath to all their servants and followers, and such as refused to take oath were put from their Lord Services, and the Bishops in the Convocation House ordained that every Bishop in their severall visitations, should minister the same Oath unto all their Cler­gie, which they performed accord­ingly, this oath was also ministred to others as followeth, according to [Page 232] the Tenor of a speciall Statute made this Session of Parliament made in that behalf.

The fourth of Iune Proclamation was made commanding all Romane Priests and Iesuites, and Seminaries, to depart this Kingdom, by the fourth day of Iuly next, and not to return upon paine of the severity of the Law, also by this Proclamation, the King straitly commands, all Re­cusants to return home to their dwellings, & not to come within 10 miles of the Court, without speciall licence, but to depart from London, and the Court by the last day of this Moneth: and to remain confined ac­cording to the Tenor of the Statute in that behalf provided.

Presently after that the Oath of Allegiance was ministred unto all of­ficers, Atturnies and Clarkes, belong-to any of the Courts at Westminster Hall, and the Exchequer, and unto all Advocates, and Proctors of the Spirituall Courts, this Oath was also administred unto all Lawvers, in the Inns of Court, and Chancery, and [Page 233] unto all Students and Schollers in both the Vniversities.

The appointed time now drew neer, or Prince Henry to be created Prince of Wales, and upon Thursday the last of May the Lo [...]d Mayor and the Aldermen being accompanied with 54 several Companies of Ci­tizens of London in several Barges, bearing armes distinguished by their proper Ensignes, Banners and strea­mers in warlike manner, and there­withal plentiously furnished with se­veral sorts of excellent M [...]sick, and had also to entertain the Prince di­vers pleasant and ingenious trophies upon the water, all which in comely order went to Chelsea, the Lord Mayor as Admiral going formost, where from nine a clock in the mor­ning till th [...]e [...] in [...]h [...] afternoon, they attended the coming of the Prince, who could not come sooner by rea­son of the low ebb, at which time the King came from Richmond, be­ing very honourably accompanied and attended, and from Che [...]sea the Lord Mayor and Citizens, conduct­ed [Page 234] his Highness unto the Court at White Hall, as they returned from Chealsea the citizens led the way, and the Lord Mayor followed them, going alwaies next the Princes Barge, to see this joyful sight, the people for seven miles space, swar­med on both sides the River, and the Thames was covered with Boates, Barges and Lighters, full fraught with men, women, and childred; and upon Sunday the third of Iune, the King made twenty five Knights of the Bath, and the next day the King crowned the prince his eldest son, Henry prince of Wales, in the great chamber at Westminster, being per­ormed with great magnificence and solemnity, and with full consent of all the Lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons of the Parliament, being all there present, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London were also present at this creation, the princes titles were then proclai­med, Viz. Henry prince of Wales, Duke of Cornewal, and Rotheser, and Earl of Chester, in honor of this cre­ation: [Page 235] there was the next night at the Court, a most rich and royal mask of Ladies, viz. the Queen, the Lady Elizabeth, daughter to our So­veraign Lord the King, the Lady Arrabella, the Countess of Arundel, the Counress of Darbie, the Coun­tess of Essex, the Countess of Dorset, the Countess of Mountgomery, the Visecounts of Haddington, the Lady Elizabeth Gray, the Lady Elizabeth Guilford, the Lady Katherine Peter, the Lady Winter, the Lady VVindsor, and upon Wednesday in the after­noon, in the Tilt yard there were di­vers Earles, Barons and others, be­ing in rich and glorious armour, having most costly caparisons, won­derous ri [...]hly embrodered, with pearl gold, and silver, the like abil­lements for horses were never seen before, presented their several inge­nious trophies before the King, Queen, and Prince, and then ran a tilt, where there was a world of peo­ple assembled to behold them, and that night there were other tri­umphs upon the water, with ships of [Page 236] war, and Gallies fighting one against an other, and against a great Castle builded upon the water, and after these battels, then an houres space there were many strange and varia­ble fire works in the Castle, and in the ships and Gallies.

This year the King builded a most stately ship for war, being in all re­spects the greatest and goodliest ship that ever was made in England, and this glorious ship the King gave to his sonne Henry prince of VVales, the prince named it after his own dignity and called it the prince.

The seventh of December, Iohn Roberts a Benedickt Monk, some­times provincial of the Benidictans in England, and Thomas Summers a Seminary, were condemned at New­gate and hanged at Tyburne, they having been before sundry times ta­ken and bannished, and yet presum­ed to return again, and bere to pract­ice against King and State.

Upon Newyears day at night, the prince o [...] VVales being ac [...]ompanied with twelve others, viz. Two Earles, [Page 237] three Barons, five Knights, and two Esquires, they performed a very stately mask, in which was an excel­lent Sceane, ingenious speeches, and rare songs, and with great variety of most delicate Musick.

The twentieth of April 1611. Sir Thomas Overburie was commit­ted to the Tower, and died there the fifteenth of September, next follow­ing.

May the thirteenth being Mun­day in Whitson week, at Windsor were enstalled Knights of the Garter, Prince Charles Duke of York, sonne to our soveraign Lord the King, and Thomas Earl of Arundel, and Robert Vi [...]ount Rochester.

Wednesday the eighteenth of March, 1611. Bartholomew Legate an obstinate Heretick, and a strong Arian, was burned in Smithfield, and the eleaventh of April following, viz. Edward Wightman an other per­verse Heretick, having refused more favour then he could desire or de­serve, was burned at Lichfield, this Heritick would have made the peo­ple [Page 238] believe that he himself was the Holy Ghost, and immortal, with other vild opinions not fit to be mentioned amongst Christians.

May the twenty ninth 1612. Richard Newport and VVilliam Scot Seminaries were executed at Ty­burne.

Iune the twenty fifth, Robert Car­liele, and Iames Edwin, were execu­ted for murthering Iohn Turner fen­cer, and the twenty seventh of Iune the Lord Sanquire was arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar, for conspiring and hiring the said two persons to kill the said Turner, the Lord confes­sed the Indightment and was execu­ted upon a Gibber, the 29 of Iune at Westminster.

In the months of October, Novem­ber and December, there hapned great winds, violent storms, and tempests, which caused much ship­wrack upon the Ocean, in havens and Rivers, and did great damage upon the land, and the net spring ex­traordinary rain fell, even till Saint Iames-tide, and yet upon the hum­ble [Page 239] and hearty prayers of the people in all Churches, it pleased Almighty God to send a more plentiful harvest then had been in many years be­fore.

Friday the sixteenth of October, 1612. at eleven a clock at night ari­rived at Gravesend the most illustri­ous young Prince Fredrick, the fift of that name, Count Palatine of the Reyne, being very princely attended, he was received by Sir Lewis Lewke­nor Knight, master of the ceremo­nies, whom the King had sent before to attend the coming of the Prince, upon knowledge of his arrival, the King sent speedily the Duke of Le­n [...]x, with other Earls and Barons, to signifie his hearty welcome, and the next Sunday they accompanied the Palsgrove by Barge, from Craves­end to VVhite Hall, where Prince Charles Duke of York received him at his first landing, and brought him up into the great bankqueting house, where he was entertained by the King, Queen, Henry Prince of Wales, and the Lady Elizabeth.

The twenty ninth of October, the Palsgrave dined at Guild-Hall, and the chief nobility of the Land, where he had presented unto him a rich Bason and Eure, and two Livery­pots, richly engraven, and richly guil­ded.

Friday the sixth of October, died the most noble and hopeful Prince Henry, Prince of Wales, he was roy­ally buried in the Chappel Royal at Westminster the seventh of Decem­ber.

Upon Saint Thomas day, the Palsgrave and Grave Marris were elected Knights of the Garter, and upon Sunday the seventh of Februa­ry, the Palsgrave and Grave Mau­rice was enstalled at Windsor.

The fourteenth of February be­ing Shrove Sunday, the Lady Eliza­beth was married to the Palsgrave, in as most royal manner as ever Prin­ces were, with masking, tilting, and turnament, and many rare showes both by land and water, where the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of Lon­don, in behalf of the City and them­selves, [Page 241] presented the bride with a very fair chain of oriental Pearl.

And thus Reader have I presented thee a chain of the best oriental pearles I could pick out of K. Iames his raign, being most remarkable, and worthy observation, who was called a second Solomon, and the peace-maker of Christendome, and had peace with all Nations: and I conclude thus,

If we by Kings again should ruled be,
We wish to have no worse a King then he;
This land did flourish, by the trades in­crease
He rul'd, he swai'd, he liv'd, he di'd, in peace.

Remarkable Passages, The Life and Reign of King Charles.

Anno. 1600 CHarles the second Son of King Iames, on the ninetenth day of November, in the yeer 1600. Du­ring his Infancy he was of a very sickly constitution, and at his birth so unlike to live that his Christening was dispatched in haste, but as he grew in yeers he did grow into strength.

An. Dom. 1602 Being two yeers old he was Cre­ated Duke of Albany Marquesse of Ormond, Earle of Rosse, and Barron of Ardmanock,

An. Dom. 1603 On the twenty sixth of March, King Iames had newes that Queen Elizabeth was dead, by Sir Robert Cary, for which good newes this young D. of Albany was afterwards committed to the charge and gover­nance [Page 243] of Sir Robert Caries La­dy.

An. Dom. 1604 On the seventh of Iune 1604. he was created Duke of Yorke, An. Dom. 1606 and in the sixth yeer of his age 1606. he was taken from the charge of the women, Master Thomas Murray a Scot by Nation was made his Tutor, he profited exceedingly in the know­ledge of good letters.

An. Dom. 1611 In the 11. yeer of his age was he made Knight of the Garter, and in the yeer following he lost his Bro­ther Prince Henry, whom he imme­diately succeded in the Dukedom of Cornwall.

An. Dom. 1616 On the third of November 1616. he was creared Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester and Flint.

An. Dom. 1622 And on the eighteenth of Febru­ary 1622. attended with the Duke of Buckingham, Sir Francis Cotting­ton, and Master Indimion Porter, he being disguised took Ship at Dover, arrived at Bulloign in France, and ha­ving casually had a sight of Lady Henretta Mariah, at a Mask at Paris, he rode post from thence [Page 244] to the Court of Spain.

An. Dom. 1623 On the seventh of March, he ar­rived at Madrid, and the King of Spain being informed by Count D: Olivares what a hazzardous adven­ture he had taken to have a sight of the Infanta, he had that Royal en­tertainment given him, which a Princely Sutor might expect, and by his Courtly and Gallant behavi­our, did win much on the affections of the Infanta, and the Articles of the Marriage were agreed upon, but the Pope protracting time, and there be­ing no hope of the Restitution of the Palatinate, which was one of the gratest occasion of his Journey, having desired leave to return, he with much danger arrived at Ports­mouth on the fifth day of October 1623.

The treaty with Spain being not now likely to proceed, it was now thought fit to negotiate a Marriage with the Princes Hennaretta Mariah the youngest daughter of France, which in the yeer 1624. was carri­on by the Earle of Holland, and af­terwards [Page 245] concluded by the Earl of Carlile, and King Iames did seem to be exceedingly well pleased with it.

An. Dom. 1624 On the yeer following March the seventh, King Iames died at The­balds, and immediately afterwards Prince Charles was Proclaimed at the Court Gate, King of Great Brittain France and Ireland. The Funeralls of the deceased King were celebrated on the seventh of May, and presently afterwards were the Espousals of King Charles with the Lady Hennaretta Mariah, who on the twelfth of Iune landed at Dover, the King being then at Canterbury, did meet her the next day at Dover, His first complement unto her was, that he would be no longer master of himself then he was a servant to her. And this love he continued to the last houre of his life, for on the day before his unfortunate end, his daughter the Lady Elizabeth, with the Duke of Yorke, being with much adoe permitted to come unto him, he desired the Lady Elizabeth to [Page 246] assure her mother if ever she again did see her, that his thoughts had never strayed from her, and that his affections should be the same to the last.

On the Thursday following they came from Gravesend to Whitehall with a very great company of Lords and Ladies, and the Great Guns from the Ships, and the Tower of London did thunder forth their gratulations as shee passed by them.

On Saturday the eightenth of Iune, there was a Parliament assembled, but the plague growing hot, it was ad­journed to Oxford, where the King did put them in minde as before of necessity of putting forth his Fleet the in pursuance of the war, in which they had ingaged his father, but the began now to quarrell at the greatnesse of the Duke of Bucking­ham, and laid something to his charge in reference to the death of his father, whereupon the King expecting monies to advance the affaires of the Kingdom, and not ac­cusations [Page 247] against those who were then the principall Ministers of state dissolved the Parliament.

The contagion raging in London, Michaelmas Terme was ordered to be kept at Redding, and speciall Instructions were given to the Judg­es to put in execution the statutes against Recusants.

An. Dom. 1626 On the sixth of February the so­lemnity of his Coronation were ce­lebrated. And a Parliament was cal­led again on the sixt of the same moneth, where the King demanding a supply for monies, and representing that on the yeer before, the Fleet miscarried at Cuziz for wat of it, Master Clement Cooke son to the Lord Cooke stood up, and said it was better to dye by a forraign E­nemie, then to be destroyed at home, at which most insolent words the King was much troubled, and in­stead of satisfaction, hearing of a Declaration that was then contri­ving by some busy heads he disolved that Parliament also.

This yeer the King of France sei­zed [Page 248] An. Dom. 1527 on all the English ships which lay at Burdeaux and other places, and then began an open war a­gainst England, wherefore in the yeer following the Duke of Bucking­ham, with ten of the Navy Royall, and ninety Marchantmen, set sayl from Portsmouth, and landed at the Isle of Ree from whence in Septem­ber following he was beaten off with the loss of 2000. common Souldiers, and fifty Officers.

An. Dom. 1628 The Rochellers having sollicited the King of England, whom they found to be powerfull at Sea for his assistance, the King called another Parliament on the seventeenth of March, where a bill being drawn up against Tunnage and Poundage, which the King by no meanes, would condescend unto, the Parliament was adjourned the twentieth of Decemb. In the meantime the Duke of Buck­ingham being ready again to set sayl from Portsmoth was killed by Iohn Felton, a discontented officer of the last yeers Army, who for that offence was hanged up in chaines, neer unto [Page 249] the place where the murder was committed.

The Duke being slain the Earl of Lindsey was chosen Admirall, who found the Haven of Rochell so strongly barred, that it was impossi­ble for his Ships to force their way & give relief unto the besieged who thereupon submitted to their King without delay.

In the yeer 1629. a peace was concluded betwixt England and the two Crownes of France and Spain.

The Parliament called on the yeer before was dissolved by the King who extreamly complained a­gainst the carriages of some men in the House of Commons, who be­ing examined by the Lord Treasurer were sent, some of them to the Tow­er, some to the Gatehouse, and some▪ to the Fleet.

Charles Iames, eldest son to the King was borne at Greenwitch, May the thirteenth, and dyed almost as soone as he was borne; being first Christened by one of the Kings Chaplains.

An. Dom. 1630 Doctor Layton a Schotchman ha­ving wrote a Book inciting the peo­ple to kill all the Bishops, had his nose slit his eares cropt, and was stigmatized in the forehead.

Peter Paul Rubin, the famous Painter, having made overtures for a peace with Spain, the said peace was afterwards proclaimed, Novem­ber the twenty seventh 1630. In which it was articled, that the King of Spain should use all his power and interest with the Emperour for the restitution of the Palatinate to King of Bohemiah.

Charles Duke of Cornewall by birth, was born at Saint Iame's, May 19. 1630.

An. Dom. 1621 On the twenty fifth of Aprill, the Earl of Castle-haven being Arraign­en at the Kings Bench Bar, and found guilty of Rape and Sodomy, was by his Peeres condemned, and execu­ted on the Tower Hill the four­teenth of May following.

On the 4. of Novem. the Queen was delivered of her eldest daughter who was baptized Mary.

An. Dom. 1632 The Church of Saint Pauls was this yeer begun to be repaired, and on the second of December the King was visited with the small pox.

An. Dom. 1633 May the thirteenth, the King went to Scotland attended with a gallant train, and on the tenth of Iune he was crowned at Edenbrough, and on the twentieth of Iuly returned safe to the Queen at Greenwitch.

This yeer the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, Doctor Abbot died, and Doctor Land then Bishop of London succeeded in his place.

On the thirteenth of October, the Queen was delivered of her third son, who was Baptized Iames, and on the twenty fourth of the same moneth was Created Duke of York. Orders were sent into Scotland for the observing of the Church Disci­pline as in England which was the the occasion of great tumults, and the sad war that followed.

An. Dom. 1634 The Dutch this yeer began to in­croach upon his Majesties Domini­ons by Sea, which was defended by [Page 252] Grotius in his Book intituled Mare Liberum, and answered by Master Selden in his book intituled Mare Clausum.

Writts being issued out to rayse money for a certain number of Ships to be set forth, for the de­fence of the Nation, which then was called Ship money, some of the dis­contented members of the former Parliament were absolutely against it and it begat a great quarrell.

An. Dom. 1635 On the sixth of March 1635. William Iuxon, Bishop of London was made Lord Treasurer.

On the eighth of Ianuary, the Lady Elizabeth was borne, who sur­vived her father, but dyed with hearts grief not long afterwards.

An. Dom. 1636 In September the Earl of Arun­del was sent Ambassadour extraor­dinary to the Emperour.

This yeer 1636. Master Prin, Doctor Bastwick, and Master Burton in the moneth of Iune were senten­ced in the high Commission Court, and ordered to be banished, &c.

Master Hamden refusing to pay [Page 253] Ship money, sentence passed against him by twelve of the Judges, who absolutely declared for the legality of it, only Judge Hutton, and Judge Crook dissented.

An. Dom. 1637 On the twenty third of Iune 1637. the Book of Common pray­ers being begun to be read in Scot­land according to the Kings orders, there began a great uprore, all the Churches protesting absolutely a­gainst it, whereupon by the Kings Command, a Proclamation was pub­lished, and severe penalties to be inflicted on the contemners of it, but nothing would prevail, where­upon the Marques of Hamilton was sent down to Scotland, and a treaty there was but it took no effect, for during the said treaty the Scots had provided all things necessary for war, and not long afterward Epis­copacy was there totally abollished.

This yeer on the seventeenth of March the Queen was delivered of a daughter, who at the Font received the name of Ann.

This yeer there were great con­testations [Page 254] in Scotland▪ two Petitions were presented against the Common prayer book, Proclamations were made at Edinborough, and severall places, for preventing of disorders, but to no effect, for the Covenant­ers every where began to rayse Arms, impose texes, seise on the Kings Castles, and prepare for war, having chosen David Lesly an old Soldier for their Generall.

On the latter end of October, the Queen mother came into Eng­land, which many people looked up­on as a forerunner of mischief.

An. Dom. 1639 On the seventeenth of March 1639. The King set forth against the Scots attended with a Royall Army, and on the seventeenth of Iune, a generall accord was made at Barwick, upon which the King pre­sently disbanded his forces and re­turned to London, whither he was no sooner come, but the Scot did openly protest against the Pasification, and retained the Officers of the Army in pay, hereupon the King was infor­ced to call for the Lord Leievete­nant [Page 255] out of Ireland, whom not long afterwards he created Earl of Stra­ford.

The Bishop of Canterbury reviving the antient Ceremonies, was loo­ked upon as addicted too much to to the Religion of Rome.

An. Dom. 1640 On the thirteenth of August, 1640. Another Parliament assem­bled, and the King finding that they had no desire to assist him with mo­ney to advance against the Scots, but were ready to comply with them he dissolved that Parliament, to the great grief both of City, and countrey.

Iuly the eighteenth, The Queen was delivered of a Son who was baptized Henry.

On the twentieth of August, the King marched towards the North in his own person, having received some large contributions from the Clergie, and a very conside­rable number of the Gentry, At Annick he understood of a defeat given by Generall Lesly to a party of his, consisting of 3000. foot, and [Page 256] 1200. Horse, that Sir Iacob Ashley had deserted Newcastle, and that the Scots had imposed a task of 350. pound a day on the Bishoprick of Dirham, and 300. pound a day on the Countey of Northumberland, which sad newes did much afflict him.

On the twenty fourth of Septem. the Lords being assembled with the King at Yorke, it was resolved that a Parliament should be called on the third of November following, In the mean time the English to gain a cessation of Arms, was inforced to yeeld to the Scots unreasonable pro­positions. This Parliament by reason of the long Sessions of it, being cal­led the long Parliament being met, Master Prin, Master Burton, and Doctor Bastwick were released of their Imprisonment having great dammages allowed them.

The Earl of Straford, the Arch­bishop of Canterbury, and Bishop Wren, were impeached of High treason and to the Tower, Sir Francis Winde­bank, and the Lord Finch fled be­yond [Page 257] the Seas, and most of the Judges who had declared them­selves for Ship money, were voted delinquents, Judge Barkely was ar­rested by the Usher of the Black Rod for high Treason, as he sate one the Kings Bench.

An. Dom. 1641 On the two and twentieth of March, 1641, the tryall was of the Lord Straford, which continued many dayes, and having said as much for himself as man could speak, and the King himself interce­ding for him, it made his cause the worse, and on Wednesday the twelft of May, he was beheaded on Tower Hill.

On the second of May the Lady Mary was married to the Prince of Orange with great solemnity.

Three hundred thousand pounds was ordered for the Scotch Army to send them out of England to which they were a charge unsupport­able.

The Parliament adjourned from the eight of September to the twen­tieth of October, and on the tenth of [Page 258] August the king went to Scotland, and came back to London on the beginning of November follow­ing.

About the latter end of October, brake out the barbarous & inhumane Rebellion in Ireland, where above two hundred thousand persons were most barbarously murdered.

An. Dom. 1642 On the fourth of Ianuary 1642. the King attended with divers Gen­tlemen, came into the house of Com­mons, and seating him in the Speak­ers Chayre demanded five members of the house to be delivered to him, whose names were, Sir Ar. Hazelrig, Master Denzill Hollis, Master Prin Mr. Hamden and Master Sroud, but finding they were not there, he went into his coach for London, being in­formed they were fled thither, and made Proclamation for their appre­hension, which the Commons vo­ted illegall and scandalous.

In February the King and Queen went to Canterbury with the Prin­ces, wife to the Prince of Orange, the Queen understanding that the house [Page 250] intended to charge her with Trea­son went along with the Princesse her daughter into Holland. Much about this time the Bishops were quite voted down.

The king coming back to Greenwitch went afterwards towards Yorke, in the mean time the Parlia­ment doth Seise upon the Maga­zine at Hull, and Regiments of Horse and Foot are Listed, and the Earl of Essex appointed to be Gene­rall, the noyse of whose preparations, doth hasten the King from Yorke to Nottingham, where he Sets up his sttandard, and much encreaseth his Forces, as he marcheth, & on Sun­day, October twenty third, was the great Battaile fought at Edgehill, the fight terrible, and five thousand slain upon the place; He afterwards marcheth towards London, and at Brainford, defeateth a Regiment of the Parliaments, but finding how numerous the Earle of Essex Army was, that lay betwixt Brainford and London he retired to his Winter quarters at Oxford.

An. Dom. 1643 On the latter end of February 1643. the Queen who had bin accu­sed of pawning the Jewels of the Crown came to him, and brought great supplies of powder, Arms, and Ammunition, The ensuing Sum­mer made the King master of the North and West. Some few places onely excepted. The Earl of New­castle had cleared all beyond the Trent but Hull, and Prince Rupert, and Prince Maurice had redewced Bristol Exeter and all the Towns of any importance in the West, Pool, Lime and Plimotuh excepted, but making some stay to reduce Glocester the Siege was raysed by the Earl of Essex, and on the twentieth of September the famous Battaile of Newbery was fought, where many were flain on both sides, and on the next day Prince Rupert follow-the Reare of the Earle of Essex Ar­my almost as far as Reading.

An. Dom. 1644 The K. being come to Oxford, he Summoned a Parliament, which ap­peared on the two and twentieth day of Ianuary, and on the Sixteenth [Page 281] of the same moneth the Scots Army entred England, consisting of eigh­teen thousand foot and two thousand horse; at this time Newark being be­sieged by Sir Iohn Meldrum, with an Army of seven thousand, Prince Ru­pert with four thousand horse and one thousand foot doth raise the siege: not long afterwards Latham house was relieved by him.

The Queen went from Oxford to the west of England April 16. where at Exceter she was delivered of a daughter Henretta, who not long af­terwards did follow her into France where she still remains: on the yeer before she was brought to bed of a daughter at Oxford, whose name was Katharine, and died almost as soon as it was born.

The King having given a defeat to Sir William Waller at Cropredy Bridge, advanced after the Earl of Essex and followed him so close, that at last he forced him into Corn­wal, his horse taking the advantage of the night, made a shift to escape, but the foot came to capitulation, [Page 282] and delivered up their Arms and Ar­tillery, there being nine thousand arms, and forty nine pieces of excel­lent brass Ordnance, the king made such a stay in Cornwal, that before he could return to Oxford, the Earle of Essex was again in the head of an army seconded by the Earl of Manchester and Sir William Waller, and at Neubery again there was a very hot incounter in which both sides drew off by degrees, and the Parliaments side had the better of it.

Prince Rupert having marched from Latham house to York, some certain moneths before, there was a terrible fight at Marshon Moore be­tween the army of the prince Rupert, and the forces of the parliament, where multitudes being slain, there was three thousand taken prisoners, twenty pieces of Ordnance, and a considerable number of Officers: not long afterwards York was surren­dred, and Colonel Brown at Abing­don performed remarkable service.

An. Dom. 1645 On the first of Ianuary 1645. Sir [Page 283] Iohn Hotham was executed on the Tower-hill for betraying his trust, and on the next day, his son follow­ed the same fortune.

On the tenth of Ianuary the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury voted guilty of High Treason, was brought unto the Scaffold on Tower-hill where his head at one blow was severed from his shoulders by the hands of the executioner.

The town of Taunton held out gallantly against the Kings party, Pomferat was relieved by Sir Mar­maduke Langdale, the Treaty at Uxbridge took no effect, the Earl of Essex being thought to be too mild, the Lord Fairfax is made Captain General of the Parliaments forces, in the mean time the kings force who had taken the field not long be­fore do range up and down the countreys, and having relieved Chester they faced Leicester, and presently after began to storm it, the Kings Canons playing upon the town a whole day and a night, many breaches were made, and the con­testation [Page 284] was carryed on with much resolution on both sides, in some breaches they came to the push of pike, on Saturday they entred the town, where much treasure was ta­ken, and in hot blood many were put to the sword.

Sir Thomas Fairfax, who (as I have said) was wholly made Gene­ral in the place of the Earl of Essex, hearing this, advanced from Gilling to Naseby, where observing great bodies of horse to appear on the hils neer Harborough, he ordered the army to randezvouse neer to Naseby to which places the royal army made their approches.

Saturday the fourteenth of Iune, both armies ingaged, the King ha­ving the better at the first, for Prince Rupert had routed one wing of the Parliaments horse, and followed the chace at Maston Moor so unadvised­ly, that he left the whole body of the foot open to the other wing, who giving them a gallant charge, did put the whole army to an absolute rout, and made themselves masters of the [Page 285] kings Camp, carriage and canon, and of his Cabinet also where many let­ters were found which the Parlia­ment afterwards published.

After this Leicester was immedi­ately reduced, and General Fairfax, marching into the West defeated the Lord Goring, and became master of all the Garrisons in the West, and for a conclusion of all, had the City of Bristol surrendred unto him; at the same time there being no hope of relief, Pomfret, and Scarborough, and Carlile, and some other Garri­sons in the North, did yield them­selves unto the mercy of the Parlia­ment, and Bazing house, which a long time had been besieged, was storm­ed and taken by Lieutenant General Cromwel.

A great defeat was given to the Lord Hopton, at Torrington, and the same fortune attended Sir Marma­duke Langdale at Sherburn, all being lost in the west the prince of Wales found the opportunity to conveigh himself into France.

The King marching toward Chest­er [Page 286] which was then besieged by Sir William Berton, and Colonel Iones was persued in the way, and charged in the front by the besiegers, routed at Bouton heath, where the Lord Bernard Stuart was killed upon the place, the last of the three brethren that had lost their lives in their prin­ces quarrel.

After this the King returned to Oxford, and was so much incensed against his two Nephews, prince Rupert and Maurice, for delivering up such places of great importance in the west, the loss of Bristow did most of all perplex him, who there­upon when prince Rupert and his brother Maurice returned to Ox­ford did command them to be disar­med, and would not suffer them to walk the streets with their swords by their sides as they had done former­ly, though afterwards they were re­stored again to all apparances of fa­vour.

An. Dom. 1646 In the twenty first of March, Sir Iacob Astley was beaten at Donning­ton neer unto Stow in the Wold, in the [Page 287] which fight himself was taken priso­ner, and the kings hopes quite lost.

Wherefore on the twenty seventh of April, he left the City of Oxford in a disguse, and on the fourth of May did put himself into the hands of the Scots at Newark, who carrid him to Newcastle, which occasioned the surrender of Oxford to the Lord Fairfax on the twenty fourth of Iune following.

On the fifteenth of Iuly prince Ru­pert went for France, and prince Maurice to the Hague.

In the midst of August or there­abouts the Scots sold the King for the sum of two hundred thousand pounds in ready money, the Com­missioners sent by the House to re­ceive him, did bring him to Holmby.

On the fourteenth of September the Earl of Essex died.

An. Dom. 1647 In the moneth of February, the Scots abandoned Newcastle, and the Parliament voted the Army to dis­band, those onely excepted who were reserved for the subduing of Ireland; there began now to be some [Page 288] contestations in the House betwixt the Presbyterian and Independant party, and the Parliament began to find that they had not the Army so much at their devotion as they con­ceived.

On the fourth of Iune, Cornet Ioyce carried away the king from Holmby, and brought him to New­market; on the twenty eighth of Iune he was brought to Hatfield, and from thence to Causam, where after much importunity, his children were permitted to come unto him, at whose sight he was very joyful.

On the seventh of August, the Lord Fairfax and his victorious Ar­my, did ride in triumph through the City of London; a little before this, there were eleven of the members of parliament impeached, and Ma­jor General Massey, and Colonel Poyntz abandoning the guarding of the City did fly over into Holland.

From Casam Lodge, the King was removed to Hampton Court, where being terrified with the apprehensi­on of some dangers, he put himself [Page 289] into the power of Col. Hammond in the Isle of Wight who secured him in Carisbrook Castle during his re­straint: in this place he wrote that excellent Book intituled Icon Basili­con. Propositions were here sent un­to him by both Houses of Parlia­ment as had been before at New­castle, and Holmby house, to which he returned the same answer as he did then.

An. Dom. 1648 The Parliament voted on the third of Ianuary, that no more ad­dresses should be made unto his Ma­jesty.

February the twenty first, Iudge Lenkins was brought unto the Bar of the House, for which he was fined a thousand pound, and a charge was voted to be brought in against him.

The Wel [...]h being up in arms to the number of eight thousand foot, and four hundred horse, were de­feated by Colonel Horton.

There were several insurrections in Kent, Cornwal, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridge-shire, and other places. There was a sharp incounter at [Page 290] Maidstone betwixt the Kentish for­ces and those of the Parliaments, the fight continued six houres, at the last, the town was taken, and 1400 prisoners with good store of booty.

The Seamen revolt and refuse to serve the Earl of Warwick; the Earl of Holland riseth in arms with the Lord Francis, brother to the Duke of Buckingham, the Lord Francis was killed about King-stone, and the Earl of Holland flying to Saint Needs was taken by Col. Scroope and sent prisoner to Warwick Castle.

Sir Iohn Owen is taken prisoner in Wales, the Kentish being scattered did put themselves in the town of Colchester, which being strongly be­sieged by Sir Thomas Fairfax, did yield upon composition, Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were there shot to death, and the noble L. Capel was reserved for the scaffold, where he looked death in the face with an undaunted magnanimity.

The marriners that revolted being discontented that prince Rupert, and prince Mauris were there Admirals [Page 291] fell off with the greatest part of their ships, and return again to the Earl of Warwick.

Lieutenant General Cromwel, ha­ving reduced Wales, and the three Captains that were the ringleaders, having yielded themselves, whose names were Langhorn, Poyer and Powel, two whereof were afterwards shot to death, he marched against the Scotts in Lanchashire, who all­though they were formidable in their numbers, yet he discomfits them, takes all their Foot, Canon, Armes, Ammunition; the Duke did render himself prisoner to the Lord Gray, Sir Marmaduke Langdale, and Lievtenant General Middleton were both taken prisoners.

Following this blow Lie. Ge. Crom. advanceth into Scotland, & suppressed all those that did there oppose him, and had the towns of Barwick and Carlile delivered to him.

In the mean time the Parliament recal the Votes of no addresses to the King, and ordered that a perso­nal treaty should be at Newport, in [Page 292] the Isle of Wight, but the Commissi­oners sent thither, spent so much time before they drew towards a conclusion, that they gave the Offi­cers of the Army the oppertunity to frame a remonstrance, in which it was declared that the King was the sole cause of all that bloodshed which had been in the kingdome, and nothing could be more expedi­ent then to bring him to the barr of Justice; in persuance whereof, some of the officers having seized upon his person, did bring him over to Hurst Castle in Hampshire, and from thence by degrees to Windsor, and at last to Westminster.

In the mean time the Army ha­ving purged the House of all those Members whom they conceived to be opposite to them, they did erect a High-Court of Justice, Serjeant Bradshaw being chosen to be presi­s [...]dent of it.

On Saturday Ianuary the twenti­eth, his Majesty was brought from the Palace of Saint Iames unto Westminster-hall, where being [Page 293] brought up into the Court, he was no sooner sate, but the Lord president told him that they were assembled by the authority of the Commons of England to proceed to his tryal for betraying the trust repo­sed in him by the people, and com­manded his charge to be read, which was to this effect.

‘That being admitted King of England, and intrusted with a limi­ted power to govern according to the laws for the good of the people, out of a wicked design to hold up a tyrannical power to overthrow the peoples rights, he the said Charles Stuart hath trayterously and mali­tiously leavied war against the par­liament, particularly on or about, the 13 of Iune 1642 at Beverley, and on the 24 of August, at Not­tingham, where he set up his Stan­dard of war, and on the 23 of Octo­ber at Edgehil, and at many other times in other places, by which cruel and unnatural war by him le­vied, much innocent blood hath been spilt, much treasure wasted, [Page 294] and some parts of the land spoyled even to desolation, by which, and by granting Commissions to the prince his son, it appeareth that the said Charles Stuart is the author and contriver of the said unnatural war, and thereby guilty of all the murders and Treasons commit­ted in the said war, for the which he is impeached, as a Tyrant, Traitor, and Murtherer, and it was desired that he may answer the premises, that such procedings and senten­ces may be had upon him as are agreeable to Justice.’

Lord President.

Sir, you heard your Charge read, and it is desired that in the behalf of the Com­mons of England you do put in your an­swer to it.

King.

I would know by what pow­er I was called hither, I was not long agoe in the Isle of Wight, how I came thither it is too long to relate, I would know by what law­full Authority I was brought from thence, and when I know that I shall answer. Remember, I am your King, [Page 265] and what sins you bring upon your heads, and think well upon it, I say, think well upon it before you go from one sin to a greater; I will not betray my trust, by answering to a new and unlawfull Authority.

Lord Presi.

If you had been plea­sed to have observed what had been-hinted to you, you would have known by what Authority it is, by that Autho­rity, which Authority require, you in the name of the people of England by which you are Elected King to an­swer them.

King.

Sir, I deny that.

Lord Presi.

If you acknowledge not the Authority of the Court they must proceed.

King.

Let me know by what Au­thority I am called hither, I stand more for the priviledge of my people then any that is seated here.

Lord Press.

The Court desires to know whether this is all you will an­swer.

King.

I do desire that you would give me, and all the World satis­faction [Page 296] in this; It is no slight thing you are about, I am sworn to to God for the peace of my Countrey, and therefore you may do well, first, to satisfy God, and afterwards the World, by what Authority you do this, There is a God in Heaven that will call you, and all that gives you power, to account.

Lord Pres.

The Court expects your finall Answer, you desire satisfaction of their A [...]hority, It is by Gods Au­thority, and thats our present worke.

King,

That Which you have said satisfies no reasonable Man.

Lord Pres.

That is in your appre­hension, We that are your Iudges think it reasonabl.

The President commanded the King to be taken, who according­ly was convayed back to S. Iamses. On the Munday following, the Court having met in the Painted Chamber, did order that the King should be suffered to argue to the Iurisdiction of the Court, which if he did, the President should give [Page 297] him to understand, That the Com­mons in England Assembled in Par­liament have Constituted this Court whose power may not, nor shall not be disputed against by him.

Immediately afterwards, the Court being set the Captain of the Guard was commanded to fetch the King, and Solicitor Choe having read the Charge as before, he required the King to give his positive answer, which if he refuse, it should be ta­ken pro Confesso, and the Court should proceed to Justice.

Lord Prisi.

I require your positive Answer.

King,

I protest against the Juris­diction of this Court, if power with­out Law may alter the fundamen­tall laws of the Kingdom, what Sub­ject is he that can be secure of his life, or Estate. And proceeding to shew Reasons why he could not al­low the Authority of the Court, he was interrupted by the President, who told him that the Court desired a di­rect Answer.

The King, I understand law, and [Page 298] Reason, and therefore under favour, I do plead for the liberty of the people more then you do, and there­fore if I should impose a belief upon any Man without giving reasons for it, it were unreasonable.

President.

The Votes of the Com­mons of England Assembled in Parli­ament are the Reasons of the King­dom.

King.

The Commons of Eng­land were never allowed to be a Court of Indicature: The King ur­ging again to give in his Reasons, the President told him that his Rea­sons were not to be heard against the highest Iurisdiction, to which the King answered, Shew me the Court where Reason is not to be heard. Up­on these words the President command­ed the King to be taken away, and the default recorded.

On the day following the Court met again, and the King being brought, and seated in his chaire. The President told him that it was not for him to dispute the prerogative of the Court, and being sensible of his [Page 299] delayes the Court required him posi­tively to answer whither he was guil­ty or not guilty of the Treasons laid to his Charge.

King.

I desire to know whither I may speak freely or not.

President.

You are not to be per­mitted to run out into any discourses untill you have given a direct answer to the matter laid in charge against you.

King,

I valve not the Charge a a rush, It is the liberty of the Peo­ple that I stand for; Being here in­terrupted, he proceeded, Sir you ought not to interrupt me. How I came here, I know not, there is no Law to make your King your priso­ner.

President,

The Court once more demands your possitive Answer. To which the King replied. To give satisfaction to the people of my clearnesse, and to satisfie them, that I have done nothing against the trust comitted to me, but to alter the Fundamentall Lawes of the King­dom, and to acknowledge a new [Page 300] Court against thei [...] priviledges, you must excuse me. To which the Presid. replyd. This is the third time you have affronted and disowned the Court. How far you have preserved the pri­viledges of the the people, your acti­ons have spoke, you have written your meaning in bloody Characters, but Sir, The pleasure of the Court is, that the Clark record the default, and Gen­tlemen you that have the Charge of him, Take away the prisone [...], who was immediately convayed back to Saint Iamses.

On Saturd [...]y, Iune the twenty seventh, the court sate again, and the King desired that he might be heard to speak, and hoped he should give no occasion of interrupti­on.

President.

You may, but you must hear the court first, whereupon the President addressing himself to the Court, told them that the prisoner at the Bar hath been severall times charged with Treason, and hath been so far from obeying the Court, by submitting to their Iustice, that he be­gan to debate their Authority, and [Page 301] being required to answer he was plea­sed to be Contumations, whereupon the Court having Considered of the noto­riousness of the Fact were resolved to pronounce Sentence on the prisoner, but in respect he desired to be heard be­fore Sentence, the Court was resolved to hear him.

The King told him, A hasty Sen­tence once past may sooner be re­pented, then called, I do desire to be heard before the Lords and Com­mons in the Painted Chamber if it be reason, and really for the welfare of the Kingdom, and liberty of the Subject, I am sure of it, it will be well worth your hearing before my sentence be past, I therefore do con­jure you, as you love that which you pretend, which I hope is reall, the liberty of the Subject, and the peace of the Kingdom, that you will grant me a hearing before you passe sen­sentence.

President.

This is but a further declinig the Iurisdiction of the Court.

The King told him It was no de­clining [Page 302] the Jurisdiction, although he could not own it.

The President told him that what he offered, tended to a delay, which neither the Kingdom nor Justice could admir, but the Court was content to withdraw for a time; here­upon the King being withdrawn, after the space of half an houre the Court did sit again, and the prisoner being brought, the President told him that the Court had withdrawn pro forma tantum, and that having considered what he had offered them, and of their own Authority, which was grounded on the Su­pream authority of the Parliament, they had Acted according to their Confession, and being now his Judg­es they were to know, that Judges were no more to delay then to de­ny, and were therefore resolved to proceed on punishment and judgement.

King.

It is vain for me to dispute, I know yo [...] have power enough, but I would fain know the lawfulness of that power. I do put at your [Page 303] doores all the inconveniences of a hasty sentence, which the childe unborne may repent.

President.

The Court desireth to know, If you have any thing more to say before sentence.

King.

If you will grant me this delay, I doubt not but to give you some reasonable satisfaction, I re­quire you therefore, as you will an­swer at the dreadfull d [...]y of Judge­ment, that you will consider it.

President.

If you have nothing more to say, we must proceed to Sen­tence.

King.

I have nothing more to say.

President.

Then the Court hath something to say to you, though it will not be acceptable to you, and procee­ding in a long speech, shewing how Kings had been executed for their misgovernment. The King desired to be heard concerning the Imputati­ons laid to him, before that sen­tence was prono [...]n [...]ed.

The President replied that his [Page 304] time was now past and not far from Sentence & because they would not ac­knowledg him to be a Court, they could not admit of what had to say, and the Clarke by the Presidents appointment, did read the Sentence, which was: ‘That for the Treasons and Crimes laid to his charge, the Court did adjudge him the said Chales Stu­art, as a Tyrant, Traytor, and Murtherer to be put to death, by severing his head from his Body.’ The sentence being read, the Court stood up in Confirmation of it, as the Act and Resolution of the whole Court. The King offered again to speak som­thing, but the Presid. would not hear him, and commanded the prisoner to be carried away, and convayed to Whitehall.

On Munday Ianuary, 29. The King desired that he might have the happines to see his children, which was granted him, they were with him, three or four hours, and at the parting there was a sad farewell be­twixt the Father and the children.

On the day following he recei­ved [Page 305] the Sacrament, and about ten of the clock, being attended by a Regiment, Doctor Iuxon being on the right hand of him, and Colonell Tomlinson on the le [...]t, he walked on foot th [...]o [...]gh the Parke from S. Iamses to White-Hall. In the way some of the Foot Souldiers reviled him, the King hearing of them did pittie them, and said, Alas poor men, they will speak as much of their own Colonell for a tester.

And going on, he desired the Bi­shop of London and the Colonell to go a little faster, for said he I am now going for a Heavenly Crown, which I do with less trouble of Spirit, then I have often fought for an earthly Diadem. As soon as he came into White-Hall, he immedi­ately retired himself into his caba­net chamber, where he continued in his devotions, and dinner being rea­dy he refused to eat, and onely re­freshed himselfe with a Manchet and a Glass of Claret wine.

About one of the clock he was conveyed through the Banquetting [Page 306] house, and a way being made through the great Window he came upon the Scaffold, which was cover­ed with black, where he beheld two Executioners, and both of them dis­guised with visards, which nothing affrighted him, and pulling off his doublet he was to be seen by all in a Silk Wast-coate of Azure Colour. The multitude that were on the ground making a great and confused noyse which were increased by many Troops of Horse that were neer unto the Scaffold to attend the Execution, he addressed him to Co­lonell Tomlinson in these words.

I shal be very litle heard of any body else, I shall therefore speake a word unto you here. Indeed I could have held my peace very well, if I did not think that holding of my peace would make some men to suppose that I did submit as much unto the guilt as to the punishment; But I conceive it is my Duty first to God, and then unto my Countrey to clear my self, bo [...]h as an honest Man, a good King, & a good Christian. I shall [Page 307] begin first with my Innocence, and introth I think it not very needfull for me to insist long upon this, for all the world knows that I never did be­gin a war with the two houses of Parliam. and I call God to witnesse to whom I must shortly make an account, that I never did intend to incroach upon their priviledges. They began upon mine. It was the Militia they began upon. They confessed that the Militia was mine, but they thought it fit for to have it from me; And to be short, if any body will look into the Dates of the Commissions, of their Commis­sions, and mine, and likewise to the Declarations, he will see clearly that they began these unhappy troubles, not I; So that as for the guilt of these enormous crimes that are laid against me, I do hope that God will clear me of it. I will not (for I am in charity) and God forbid that I should lay it upon the two ho [...]ses of Parliament, there is no necessity of either. I hope they are free of this guilt, but I believe that evil [Page 308] instruments betwixt them and me, have been the chief Cause of all this bloodshed, so that, as I finde my self clear of this, I hope and pray to God that they may also. Yet for all this, God forbid, that I should be so evil a Christian as not to say, that Gods judgement are just upon me. Many times he doth pay Ju­stice by an unjust sentence, that is ordinary. I will onely say this, that an unjust sentence that I suffer­ed to take effect, is now punished by an unjust sentence upon me; So far I have said to shew you how that I am an innocent man. Now for to shew you that I am a good Christian I hope (poynting to Doctor Iuxon) there is good man will bear me witness, that I have forgiven all the world, and even those in particular, who have been the chief causers of my death, who they are God knowes, I do not desire to know, I pray God for­give them. But this is not all. My charity must go further, I wish that they may repent, for indeed they [Page 309] have committed a great sin in that particular, I pray to God with Saint Steven, That this be not laid to their charge, and withall that they may take the right way to the peace of the kingdom, for my charity com­mands me, not onely to forgive par­ticular men, but to indeavour to the last Gaspe the peace, and happiness of the Kingdom; So sirs I do wish with all my soul, that they may in­deavour the peace of the King­dom.

Now sirs I must shew you both how you are out of the way, and put you in a way. First, you are out of the way; for certainly all the way that you ever had yet, as far a I could find by any thing, is in the way of conquest: Certainly this is an evil way, for conquest in my opinion is never just, except there be a good and a just cause, either for matter of wrong or a just title; and then if you go beyond the first quarrell that you have, that makes it unjust in the end that was just at first; for if there be onely matter of conquest, then it is [Page 310] a great robbery, as a Pirate said to Alexander, that he was the great Robber, himselfe was but a petty Robber; and so Sirs, I doe thinke, for the way you are in you are much out of the way. Now sirs, for to put you in the way, believe it, you wil ne­ver go right, nor wil God ever prosper you, untill you give God his due, the King his due, that is, my successor, and the people their due; I am as much for them, and more then any of you; you must give God his due by regulating rightly his Church, ac­cording to the scripture, which is now out of order, and to set you in a way particularly now I cannot, but onely a Nationall Synod freely cal­led, freely debating among them­selves, must settle this, when every opinion is freely and clearly heard; For the King indeed I will not, the Laws of the Land will clearly in­struct you for that, therefore because it concerns my own particular, I do onely give you a touch of it. For the people I do truly desire their liberty and freedome as much as any body whosoever; but I must tell you, that [Page 311] their liberty and their freedom con­sists in having government under those laws by which they live, and their goods may be most their own, it is not in having a share in the Go­vernment, that is nothing pertaining to them. A Soveraign and a Subject are clean different things, and there­fore untill you do that, I mean, that you do put the people into that li­berty which I speak of, they will ne­ver certainly enjoy themselves.

Sirs, it was for this that I am hi­ther come, for if I would have giv­en way to an arbitrary power, that is, to have all laws changed accor­ding to the power of the sword, I needed not to have come here, and therefore I tell you, and I pray to God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the people. Introth sirs, I should not hold you any longer, I will onely say this to you, that I could have desired some little time longer, because I would put this which I have said in a little better order, and have had it a little better digested then I have now [Page 312] done, and therefore I hope you will excuse me, I have now delivered my conscience, and I pray God you take those courses that are best for the good of the kingdome, and your own salvations.

Doctor Juxon.

Although it be ve­ry well known what your Majesties af­fections are to Religion, yet because it may be expected that you should speak something to give satisfaction to the world therein, I must beseech your Majesty to declare your self in that particular.

King.

I thank you heartily my Lord for this remembrance, I had almost forgotten it; in troth Sirs my conscience in religion is already, as I think, well known to all the world, and therefore I declare before you all, that I die a Christian according to the profession of the Church of Engl. as I found it left unto me by my Father: and (pointing to the Bishop of London) this I do believe, that this honest man will witnesse with me. Then turning to the Offi­cers, he said, Excuse me for the same, I have a good Cause and a gracious [Page 313] God, I will say no more. On this the Bishop of London said unto him, There is but one stage more; this stage is full of noise and tumult, it is but a short one, but you may con­sider it will soon carry you from earth to heaven, and there you will find an abundance of unrepented joy and comfort. To this the King re­plied, I passe from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown, where there is no disturbance, no disturbance in the world. The Bishop melting into tears, assured him that he was ex­changed from a temporall to an e­ternall crown: a good exchange. After this, the King putting his hair under his cap, after some short and fervent ejaculations in private, with his hands and eyes lift up to heaven, immediately stooped down and laid his neck upon the block, and the King perceiving the Executioner prepared and armed to give the fatal blow, said unto him, Stay for the signe: and after a very little pause, stretching forth his hands, the execu­tioner at one blow severed his head [Page 314] from his body: and even his ene­mies wept in private for what they had done in publick.

His body was put into a coffin co­vered with black velvet, and carried from thence to his house at Saint Iamses, where being embalmed and wrapped up in a sheet of lead, it was exposed to the view of the people.

On Wednesday the 7 of Feb. his body was delivered to two of his servants to be buried at Windsor, where the next day the Bishop of London, the Duke of Richmond, the Marquess of Hartford, and the Earls of Lindsey and Southampton repaired, and buried him in a vault in St. Geor­ges Chappel, it being the same vault where Henry the eight had beene heretofore interred.

The Life and death of Oliver Cromwel, Lord Protector.

OLiver Cromwell was born in the town of Huntingdon, he was descended from the family of the Williams in the Coun. of Glamor­gan, one whereof marrying with the onely child and daughter of the Lord Cromwell, raised and behea­ded by Henry the Eight, the whole Family afterwards retained the Name of Cromwell which was thought more Honourable.

In the month of August 1649. Six moneths after the decease of King Charles Oliver Cromwell, being chosen by the Parliament to be Go­vernor of Ireland, advanced into that Nation with a very gallant Army of Horse and Foot, where having ta­ken and besieged Dogheda, by de­grees [Page 316] became absolute master of that whole Nation.

In the same year Doctor Dorislaus who assisted at King Charles his death, being sent as Agent into the Low Countreys, was killed at the Hagne; and Mr. Acham being not long afterwards sent as an Agent in­to Spain, was killed at Madrid.

In the year 1650. the Common­wealth of England preparing to make war against the Scots, Oliver Cromwell, who for his many great services in the wars of England, was made Lieutenant General, was now chosen to be Generallissimo of the Armies of the Common-wealth of England in the place of the Lord Fairfax.

This year in the moneth of Sep­tember, was the famous battell of Dunbar, where the English having totally overthrown the Scots, did take ten Collonels, 12 Lieutenant­collonels, 9 Majors, 47 Captains, 72 Lientenants, and eighty Ensignes, two and twenty great Gunns, and arms for fifteen thousand men.

In the same moneth Edenburgh and Leith were taken.

Col: Eusebius Andrews being dis­covered to bring over Commissi­ons to raise souldiers for the King of Scotland, was condemned for it, and beheaded on Tower hill. Much about the same time Generall Blake at sea did ruine Prince Ruperts Fleet.

In the year 1651. the Armes of the Crown of England were put down by order of Parliament, and the Statues of King Chales were put down, one of them at the old Ex­change, and the other at the west end of Pauls.

This year the Lord Saint Iohn and Mr. Walter Strickland were sent Ambassadors into Holland, where they were much affronted by the English Royalists.

The Isle of Scilly was reduced, and one Brown Bushell was beheaded at London, a famous Royalist both by sea and land.

This year M. Love and Mr. Gib­bons were beheaded on Tower-hill.

In the moneth of August the King of Scotland with an army of twelve thousand men, did enter in­to England by the way of Carlile, and on the third of September fol­lowing was the battel at Worcester, where the King of Scotland being over-powred lost the day, where there were taken six Collonels of horse, eight of foot, thirty seven Captains of ho [...]se, seventy three of foot, seventy [...]x Standards, ninty nine Ensignes, one hundred fifty and eight Colours, all the Canon, the Royall Standard, the Kings coach and horses, the King himself made an escape strangely, and in a disguise passed unknown into France.

This yeare the Isle of Iersie was taken and the Isle of Man reduced; and not long afterwards the strong castle of G [...]ernsey was surrendred to the Pa [...]liament.

In the moneth of May 1652. was the first Sea-fight betwixt the Eng­glish and the Hollanders, Generall Blake gave the first volley, and let flie three guns at Van-trumps flag, [Page 319] to which Van-trump answered by a shot from the stern of his ship back­wards, signifying his disdain to veyl his flag, and instead of striking his main top-saile, he caused a red flag of war to be set up in token of a combat to his whole Fleet, and without any further delay he gave Gen. Blake a broad side, who retur­ned two for one, and for the space of four hours together both Fleets did fight with great animosity. In this fight it is said that one Holland man of war was sunk, and another taken with thirty guns: on the English side there were some slain, and more wounded, and the ship Gen. Blake commanded as Admirall, was much indammag'd in her masts, saile, tack­ling, and apparell.

This action being disowned by the States of Holland, there was af­terwards open war proclaimed be­twixt the two Nations, and the greatest part of the English Fleet sailed Northwards towards the Isle of Orkeney under the command of Generall Blake, thinking the Dutch [Page 320] would be ready there to convey home their Fishermen: in the mean time another Fleet of the Hollan­ders were discovered not far from Plimouth, against which Sir George Ascue advanced with forty men of war, and though in his first charge he was sufficiently dammaged in his sailes, masts and yards, yet he got windward of his Enemies, and once again charged the whole body of them. Amongst the English there were severall hurt and killed, and it was conjectured by the wrack that two of the Holland men of warre were sunk: the night coming on, the English made towards Plimouth to repair their vessels, but especially their masts, yards, and tackling which were so torn in the fight, yet they were inforced to give over the enemy.

In the moneth of September Ge­neral Blake fought with the French fleet that were carrying Auxiliaries and provisions to the relief of Dun­kirk, and having mastered them to obedience, it was the onely meanes [Page 321] that Dunkirk was surrendred to the Spaniard.

Some few dayes afterwards he discovered about sixty saile of Hol­land men of war, commanded by Admirall de Witte, on the backside of the Goodwins Sands, whom he fol­lowed almost as far as West-chappell in Zeland, and took the Admirall of the reer squadron.

Not long afterwards there was a­nother fight betwixt eleven of the Holland men and a squadron of the English in the Mediterranean sea, where the the English being over­powred by numbers, the Phaenix, a very gallant Frigot, of five and forty guns, was boarded by a Holland man of war, and inforced to yeild.

On the ninteenth of September a part of the English fleet set saile for Denmark, to demand the English ships that were there detained, and whose lading was carried on shore and sold. This Ambassage was fruit­lesse, and no restauration made until many moneths afterwards: coming home the Antelop Frigot being Ad­mirall, [Page 322] commanded by Captain Ball, steering too much to the shore, did run upon the sands, where she was lost, and it was ten to one that the whole Fleet had not followed her, she bearing the lanthorn. She was an excellent Frigot, and carried fifty brass guns.

Not long afterwards the Hollan­ders came forth to sea againe with fourscore ships and upwards, against whom the English Fleet, under the command of Gen. Blake, advanced; it is said they consisted not of above two and forty ships, and that not a­bove half of them ingaged in that dayes service, and bare the brunt of the puissant Holland Fleet. The A­vent-guard and the Victory, two brave Frigots, having been that whole af­ternoon ingaged in the midst of the enemy, who fired from all sides on them, got off in a very good conditi­on. The Garland, a frigot that car­ried forty pieces of Canon, was boar­ded, and being over-powred on all sides, was inforced to yeild; the Bonaventure, a gallant ship, going to [Page 323] relieve the Garland, did fall also in­to the hands of the enemies. Gene­rall Blake, who commanded the Tri­umph plunging into the midst of his enemies to fetch off the Garland and Bonaventure, was clapt on board by the Dutch, and had his fore-mast shot down close to the board; but having stoutly defended himselfe, he at length got cleare, and went off with the rest of the Fleet.

But on the latter end of February 1653. the English did put forth to sea again with a gallant fleet, Gen. Blake in the Triumph followed by Gen. Dean, having discovered 80. Holl. men of War (who seemed to out-dare them between the Isle of Wight and Portland) began the fight; the English Fleet came not up unto their Generall, who all the morning had been engaged untill two in the afternoon, at what time there was a most cruell fight, which continued till dark night. The English lost the Sampson, which was so leaky and so unserviceable, that the Hol­landers sunk her themselves after [Page 324] they had taken her. On the next day and the day following the Eng­glish again assaulted the Hollanders; on the last day the fight was more obstinate then the former. The En­glish in this fight took about nine men of War, and fifty Merchants ships, and sunk severall other ships; fifteen hundred prisoners were brought up to London. Gen. Blake was hurt in this incounter, having done as much as could be expected from a gallant seaman, and many of his captains and officers, who were men of great courage, were both hurt and killed in this desperate in­counter. In this spring the English lost some ships at Legorne, captaine Badily who commanded a squadron of nine men of War, being not able by the averseness of the wind to come up and assist captain Appleton, whose Frigots not equal to the Hol­landers were surrounded by them. There were lost in this fight the Leopard and Smugge Frigot, which carried fifty pieces of canon; she was boarded & taken by the Dutch Ad­mirall, [Page 325] and for the space of five hours maintained a stout fight with him and two other great ships. At the same time the Bonaventure, a gal­lant frigot of the English was blown up, an iron bullet from the enemy having unhappily fired the powder. The Pilgrim was also taken, having her main and mizen masts both shot down. The Levant Merchant ano­ther stout English frigot was taken. The Sampson being assaulted by young Van-trump, and a fire-ship of the Hollanders, was soon set on fire, and perished in the sea.

Not long afterward Gen. Cromwel alledging that the drifts of the Par­liament were to establish themselves in a perpetuall Senate, which was di­rectly against the ambition of his spirit, which desired predominant o­ver all, he found the meanes to dis­solve the long Parliament, which very few seemed to be grieved at; and that all the world might be sa­tisfied with the reasons wherefore he did it, he published his Manif [...]esto for it.

A Council of State was presently setled, and not long afterwards there was another great fight be­twixt the English and the Dutch, which continued for the space of two dayes: in this fight the English lost Gen. Dean one of their Admi­rals, who was taken off by a great shot in the first days ingagement: there were slain of the English (as the lists then gave account) one hun­dred and threescore men, and two hundred and forty hurt; of the Hol­landers one thousand and five hun­dred were taken prisoners, and six men of war were sunk; the English pursued their victory to the very mouth of the Texell, and blocked up the Hollanders in their own ports.

In the mean time on the begin­ning of July Gen. Cromwell called a­nother Parliament, which by reason of the sudden and unexpected disso­lution of it, was called the short Parliament.

On the latter end of this moneth there was a memorable fight betwixt [Page 327] the Dutch and the English, during the time of a treaty betwixt both Nations, this battel was fought with admirable resolution on both sides. The fight began in the evening, which though but short was very smart. The Dutch in the night-time being recruited with five and twenty gallant ships, did fall of themselves the next morning on the English fleet with a great deal of gallantry and resolution. In this fight Admi­rall Van-trump was slain: there were twenty men of War of the Hollan­ders sunk or burnt in this fight. Of the English there were slaine out­right eight Captains, and five hurt: the Triumph and the Andrew, two Frigots, were sorely put to it, and received great dammage in their sails and rigging. The Hollanders seeing so great a number of their ships lost did face about, and did bear away with al the sail they could make unto the Texell and the Engl. not judging it expedient to ingage too far upon them, did set saile with the whole Fleet towards Yarmouth, [Page 328] to dispose of such ships as were disa­bled, and to put their wounded men on shore.

The Pa [...]liament before mention­ed being conceived too weak to go on with the management of the great and high affairs of State, it was dissolved on the 12 of Decemb. fol­lowing.

And presently afterward the Lord G. Cromwell was declared & sworn Lord Protector of the Common­wealth of England Scotland and Ire­land at Westminster, in the presence of all the Judges, the Barons of the Exchecquer, and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London. At this time certain Articles were presented, which he took a solemn oath (according to his custome) to see them kept, protesting moreover that he would mind nothing so much as the good of the Common­wealth, and the glory of God. Pre­sently after this he was proclaimed Protector at the Palace-yard in West­minster and at the old Exchange by the Lord Mayor.

His Highness being now where he would be, desired to know the affe­ctions of the people. A report was raised that a great part of the army was discontented at his inaugurati­on unto his new dignities, whereup­on the disaffected in severall coun­ties thinking to joyn with them, did take up arms, and finding the suc­course promised and expected to stand out against them, they cryed out they were betrayed, and most of them being taken were sent to forreign plantations. On this account Sir Henry Slingsby was taken priso­ner in York-shire, & beheaded after­wards upon another account of the same nature. M. Penruddock, M. Lu­ces, M. Thorpe, M. Kensey, M. Graves, who cryed out much against Sir Io­seph Wagstaffe, were condemned and executed in Wiltshire.

Much about the same time Mr. Peter Vowel was hanged at Charing­cross; and on the same monday M. Iohn Gerrard and the brother to the Portugall Ambassadour were be­headed on Tower-hill.

On the third of September ano­ther Parliament was assembled, which was dissolved again on the January following.

This year the Marquess of Leda came over in a magnificent manner, as an Ambassadour from Spain, but his Highness at that time having no desire to make any alliance with Spain, did conclude a peace with the Crown of France.

This year on the latter end of December, a gallant Fleet under the command of Generall Pen and Ge­nerall Venables, did put forth to sea, who on the tenth of May following arrived at Iamaica, the design ha­ving miscarryed, as Sancto Domingo in Hispaniola.

On the fifth of April the articles of peace were signed and delivered on the behalf of the two Nations of England and Holland, the Protector to testifie his joy did most sumptu­ously intreat the Holland Ambassa­dours.

This year the Highlanders in Scotland disdaining the subjection of [Page 331] Generall Middleton, but Generall Monk falling into the North of Scotland did give them so full a charge on the latter end of July, that he absolutely defeated them, and made them incapable of ever appea­ring in arms again.

An. Dom. 1655 This year his Highness constituted Major Generals for the preservation of the peace of the Common­wealth in the respective Counties of this Nation, whose power appea­ring to be of too great a latitude, they were afterwards disinvested of it.

The Lord Bulstrode Whitlock was sent Ambassadour into Sweden, where he entred into a close league with that nation.

Generall Blake arriving with his fleet at Sunis, sent unto the Gover­nour of the place to demand satisfa­ction for some English ships which the pirats in those parts had taken a­way, which being denied, he came with the Vice-admirall and Rear­admirall within musket shot of the Castle, on which he incessantly fired, [Page 332] and on the other forts whilest the o­ther ships took the opportunity to fire, part of the Turkish Navy then riding in the Haven. This was so well performed, that in four hours space nine great vessels were burnt down to the very keels, the English losing but five and twenty men, and five and forty wounded. Hereupon the King of Tunis sought to the En­glish for peace, and restored the pri­soners which Blake had demanded for little or nothing.

The Lord Willougby of Parham, the Lord Newport, Mr. Seamor, and M. Newport, were sent to the Tow­er upon the suspition of a new Con­spiracy.

His Highness going into S. Iamses Park for his recreation, had his coach ready for him, which was drawn with six Flanders horses, he undertook to drive the coach him­self, but the horses impatient of his command did flie forth, and threw him out of the coach-box on the ground, being much hurt and brui­sed. Not long afterwards his eldest [Page 333] son had a fal from his horse, and did break his leg of which he still goes lame.

His Highness sent twelve good men of War well manned, and well provided with all necessaries, to Ia­meica with Colonel Humpheries Re­giment, not long afterwards Gene. Pen, and after him General Venables arrived from Iameica, who had not the same countenance from his High­ness, as when they did put forth to sea.

In the yeer 1656, Seven Spanish Ships comming from Lime in the Indies most richly laded, were incountred in the way by Generall Montague, about nine leagues from Cadis, The fight was violent, and the rather because it was known with what mettall the Ships of Spayn were laded. In the fight, the for­tune of England easily prevailed, there was one Ship burned, another sunk, two were taken, and two run a ground, & one got away with a Por­tugall prize. In the ship that was burned, was Marquess of Budex, his [Page 334] wife and one daughter, In another of the Ships that were taken, was the young Marques his brother, and a sister that was set on shore in Spain, The two brothers were brought to England, and a long time prisoners in Chelsy Colledge, from whence they had the fortune to make their escape.

An. Dom. 1657 The rich Plate fleet being after much expectation come to Spain, Blake understanding where they had unladen, resolved with himselfe, though he missed of the money, to be revenged on the purse, and made up to them with the greatest part of the strength he had, and burned and sunck sixteen great vessails, amongst which there were five Gallions, the Admirall, Vice-Admirall, and Rear-Admirall, the greatest part whereof had Brasse Ordnance mounted on them. His Highness rewarded this service of Blakes with a Diamond Ring worth a thousand pound.

On the beginning of May the English were sent to assist the French, with a body of six thousand Foot, [Page 335] under the Command of the Noble Sir Iohn Reynolds.

In the middle of the moneth of Iune, his Highness was installed in the Protectorship, when the Trum­pets sounded there were few or al­most no acclamations of the people although the numbers were almost infinite, who thronged to behold him at his Investment into his new dignities.

This veer the Fort of Mardike was convaied unto the English, and Sir Iohn Reynolds comming for England, was at Sea, most unfortu­nately, if not cruelly cast away. Generall Blake being sick, died in the sight of Plimmouth, and had the Honour to be buried in the Chap­pell of Henry the Seventh.

Henry Cromwell the younger son of the Protector was made Lord Deputy of Ireland, and not long afterwards the Court began to be full of Jealousies, for now there was a new report of another conspiracy against the Protector, for the effect­ing whereof VVhitehall should have [Page 336] been set on fire by one Iohn Synder­combe and some others, Synder­combe was apprehended and sent to the Tower, and sentenced to lose his life, which many that knew his crime affirmed would never be by a publike Execution, he died sudden­ly in the Tower, on the night before his execution, to the murmuring of many, and the admiration of all, howsoever his Body was brought to Tower Hill, where it was buryed under the Scaffold, and (to increase yet more the noyse of the people) it had a stake drove through it.

On the fourth of February 1658. his Highness put a period to the Parliament then being, on the pro­ceedings whereof so many hopes de­pended, he said he would trust no more to men but rely on GOD onely. The Parliament being thus dissolved a high Court of Justice was presently erected.

Many young men were acccused, and at this court of Justice, were con­demned to dye, whose last words on the ladder, and the haltars about [Page 337] their necks, were, that they were drawn in by those men, who after­wards did accuse them: the old Knight, Sir Henry Slingsby said he was trappanned, Colonel Ashton and some others, who were hanged, drawn, and quartered, confessed ra­ther a desire then any ability, to put the plot in execution, and all of them absolutely denied, and seemed to abhor that most barbarous, and desperate design of setting the City on fire.

At the same time, and for the same plot, Doctor Iohn Hewyt was beheaded on the Tower hill, whose death was much lamented by many learned Divines, but above all, by the pious Lady his wife, who not long afterwards, petitioned to the Parliament for justice, for the death of her husband.

In this year on the second of Iune, a Whale of a prodigious bulk, being sixty foot in length, and of a propor­tionable bigness, was cast upon shoar not far from Greenwich, which was taken to be a presage of new [Page 338] events to come.

The English and French having overthrown the Spaniards in a me­morable battail, not far from Dun­kirk, which was at that time be­sieged by them, it was the means that not long afterwards, the most considerable Town of Dunkirk was surrendred to the English.

In Iuly, the Lady Elizabeth Cley­pole, second daughter to the Pro­tector, departed this life; she was a Lady of a gallant spirit, and dyed in the flower of her age, which struck more to her Fathers heart, than all the heavy burden of his affairs, so great a power hath nature over the dispositions of men, when the tye of blood is seconded by love & likenes: she dyed with good lessons in her mouth, and seemed to despise the frailty, of greatness, and the pomp of the earth, her last words were very memorable, and left a great im­pression in the brest of her Father.

Not long afterwards, it pleased God, that the Protector fell sick himself, he languished about a fort­fortnight [Page 339] of a disease, which at the beginning was but an Ague, but on Friday morning, the third of Septem­ber, he had all the signs of a dying person; and about three of the clock in the afternoon, he departed the world, being disserted his vital parts were found to be sound, and whole, only his heart was dryed up, and no blood in it, to make it either moist or warm.

His greatest care was to name a Protector, to be his successor, which was Richard his eldest Son, a Gentle­man of great hopes, of a generous spirit and beloved, even of those who were enemies to his Father, of whose short Protectorship, we will give you as short, but as precise a view as possibly we can, committing no­thing that is superfluous, nor omit­ting any thing that is memorable.

The Life of RICHARD, Son to OLIVER, during the short time of his Protectorship.

OLiver, the Protector of these three Nations, was no sooner dead, but on the day following, be­ing Saturday Septem. 4. Richard his eldest son was proclaimed Protector with great solemnity, both at the old Exchange, and in other places; the Commanders of the Army were the first that acknowledged him, and they were the first that forsook him. The flatteries of the people did seem to promise a long continuance to his regency, for from the first week of his Protectorship, almost to the last, there were nothing but gratula­tions from one place or another to [Page 341] him, with as many protestations that they would live and die in his ser­vice: The very same they presented to the Parliament, when the supre­macy of power was restored unto them, to be as officious, no doubt, to third interest, if a third interest had gained the predominancy.

The first care of our neece Pro­tector, was for the funerals of his fa­ther which were resolved should be solemnized with extraordinary mag­nificense, to leave more glory on the name of his father, and to beget a greater estimation in his own.

Wherefore being imbalmed, and wrapped in a sheet of Lead, the hearse on the 26 of September, was conveighed about ten of the clock at night, from White-hall to Somerset house where it remained some daies in private, before it could be in a readiness to be exposed to the pub­like view. The Effigies (more rich­ly adorned then ever was any King of England) was l [...]id first on a bed of state, afterwards it was set upright, there was nothing admitted that was [Page 342] in Art, or Wealth, or Industry to render it illustrious.

On Tuesday, November 23. the Effigies with all the solemnity, and Pageantry that could be was brought in a stately Charriot from Somerset house to Westminster Abby, and that day, and many weeks after­wards, the people in great multi­tudes came to behold it, and with their hats off, did reverence to it, in the same place, where before the Al­ter stood in the Temple of God; but this blind superstition had its period in the moneth of May following, at the time of the restauration of the long Parliament, who having taken away the power from the son, might well pull down the image of his Fa­ther.

Not long afterwards, his High­ness was advised by his Counsel to choose a Parliament, it being con­ceived to be the onely way to esta­blish himself in the affections of the people; Writs therefore were issued for a free Parliament, which met on the seven and twentieth of Ianuary [Page 343] next en [...]ing, where the death of the two speakers Mr. Chalonel Cruse, (a person of admirable knowledge, and integrity) and Mr. Lis [...]eho [...]e Long, Recorder of London, we [...]e the forerunners of the short life of that Parliament, and of the short govern­ment of the Protector himself.

In this Parliament, the Lady Mary Hewyt, (sister to the Earl of Lindsey, and the Relict of Doctor Iohn Hewyt not long before behea­ded) petitioned the grand Commit­tee of the whole House for grievan­ces, against the High Court of Justice, for taking away the life of her deer husband; but some Mem­bers of the House of Parliament, who were present at the reading of it, did declare themselves to be con­cerned in it, and alledged that it was the priviledge of a Member of Par­liament, not to be petitioned against any where▪ nor to seek redress from any Court but from the Parliament it self; the Petition therefore was re­turned from her to the Committee with that intimation.

After this, and several other Pe­tions of a high nature, for unjustly apprehending and detaining men Prisoners in the Tower, and for the bannishing and the selling of several Gentlemen to the Barbadoes, for slaves; for which Serjeant Maeynerd was ordered to bring in a Bill for prevention of the like Tyranny in the future: the accounts of the Common-wealth was called for, and a Committee being appointed to ex­amine them, it was found that in the last five years, the Common-wealth was much in arrears, and by the ill mannagement of those who were intrusted with the receipts and dis­bursements of the money, they were run in debt no less than five and twenty hundred thousand pounds.

At the last, some transactions in the Army, being taken into conside­ration, and it being voted that all Officers of the Army, should repair to their several charges, and that they should hold no meeting during the sitting of Parliament, but by the consent o [...] the Protector, and both [Page 345] Houses; and that none should be in office but such onely as world sub­scribe not to interrupt either house of Parliament in their proceedings, it wrought so much upon the spirits of some of the Commanders, that not long afterwards, the Parliament was dissolved, and a period given to the Government of the Protector­ship.

THE RESTAURATION Of the Long PARLIAMENT.

THe long Parliament being dis­solved in the year 1653. by the Lord Oliver Cromwel, were now en­couraged by the Lord Fleetwood, and many other of the Commanders to return to exercise of their former power, and promised the uttermost assistance of the Army therein, and accordingly on the seventh of May, 1659. some forty of them, or there­abouts, [Page 346] did meet in the painted Chamber, from whence, having the Mace carried before them, they pas­sed into the house, where a Declara­tion was passed; that all such as shall be imployed in any place of power in the Common-wealth, be persons fearing God, and faithful to the Common-wealth: After this, they chose a Counsel of State, consisting for the most part of their own Mem­bers.

There being at the same time, many Members of the same Parlia­ment, in London, and some of them in the Hall, they endeavoured to go up into the House, but were not per­mitted by the Souldery; amongst these Members was Sir George Booth who being of a high spirit, and dis­contented at it, did speak some words very hastily, which as rashly after­wards, he did put in practise.

The Parliament removed Col. Berkstead, from being Leiutenant of the Tower, many Petitions and com­plaints being preferred against him, and Col. Fitz was chosen to supply his place.

A pardon was pulished for the most part, of whatsoever had been acted from the interruption of the Parliament, in April 1659. until the new convention of them on the ninth of may, 1659.

In the Moneth of Iune, Leiu. Ge­neral Fleetwood was made Comman­der in chief of all the forces in En­gland and Scotland; the Lord Henry Cromwel, was removed from his command in Ireland, and Commissi­oners were appointed to govern that Nation in his place.

The Militia of the City of Lon­don, and of the respective countries were revived, and the Commissio­ners for the Militia of the three Na­tions, were signed and delivered by the Speaker of the Parliament, and ordered so to continue.

In the month of Iuly, there was a whisper throughout the Nation, that now was the time for a free Parlia­ment, and for the taking off the Tax­es from the shoulders of the oppres­sed, whereupon there began to be a general insurrection (almost) all [Page 348] England over; but it was quickly supposed by the vigilance, and the industry of the County Troops. The insurrection which was most great, and dangerous, was in the Northwest of England, where in the Counties of Lancashire, and Cheshire, and parts adjoyning, Sir George Booth had drawn together an Army of four thousand persons, some of them, both Commanders and others, ha­ving been actually, in the service of the King of Scotland, and the King his Father; against these the Lord Lambert marched, with an Army consisting of about seven thousand horse and foot, and having given them a great rout at Winnington bridge, he totally dispersed them.

Sir George Booth was taken after­wards at Newport Pagnel, being dis­guised in the habit of a Lady, from whence being sent to London with a strong guard, he was en [...]ounterd in the way by a party of Colonel Hac­kers Regiment, who did conveigh him prisoner to the Tower of Lon­don, where for the present he conti­nueth [Page 349] having been oftentimes exa­mined by Sir Arthur Hazelrige, Sir Henry Vane, and others.

A Proclamation was agreed upon, that if Iohn Mordant Esquire, Son to the Earl of Peterborough, Major Ge­neral Massy; Charles Stuart, Earl of Litchfield, of the family of the Duke of Ritchmond. Sir Thomas Leven­thop Knight, William Compton, Son to the Earl of Northampton; Thomas Fanshaw, son to Sir Thomas Fanshaw Knight, and Major General Brown, do not render themselves to the Par­liament, upon the seventeenth of September, or to the Counsel of State, they shall be accounted guilty of the treasonable crimes that are charged against, which time is not expired at the ending of this History, it being Thursday September 8. in the year 1659.

To begin the year the Army sub­mitted to the Parliament, who sate again at Wewminster; the nine Com­manders, whose Commissions were made void on the twelfth of Octob. were all commanded to depart to [Page 350] their houses most remote from Lon­don, if otherwise they were found to stay there, to be secured, Sir Hen­ry Vane was required to go to his house at Raby, in the County of Durham, and Major Salloway was committed prisoner to the Tower.

General Monck, being on his march to London, according to the desire of Parliament, Mr. Scot, and Mr. Luke Robinson, were sent to con­gratulate him; the Parliament con­ferred on him, for his remarkable service, a thousand pound a year, and the Lord Mayor called a Common-Counsel, where it was ordered, that three of their Members should be sent unto him, to acquaint him how sensible they were of the great ser­vice which he had performed for the good of the City, and Common­wealth, for which they were resol­ved at his coming to the City, to give him some testimony of their gratitude.

On the eighteenth of this moneth, the Parliament resolved upon Com­missioners for the great seal, and [Page 351] Judges of the several Courts of Justice in Westminster Hall, as also of Judges for the Court of Admiralty, and for the probate of Wills.

The City of Excester, and Count of Devonshire, have declared for the recelling of the Members that were secluded in the year 1648. which on wednesday last, was delivered by Mr. Bamphield recorder of Excester, to Mr. Speaker; and it is informed that other Counties are adjoyning with them, in a petition to the same ef­fect.

The End.

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