The history of England giving a true and impartial account of the most considerable transactions in church and state, in peace and war, during the reigns of all the kings and queens, from the coming of Julius Cæsar into Britain : with an account of all plots, conspiracies, insurrections, and rebellions ... : likewise, a relation of the wonderful prodigies ... to the year 1696 ... : together with a particular description of the rarities in the several counties of England and Wales, with exact maps of each county / by John Seller ...

The Reign of King HENRY the Third.

AFter the untimely Death of King John, Henry his Eldest Son being but Nine Years of Age, was Crowned at Gloucester in the presence of Wallo the Popes Legate, and divers Nobles; and by reason of his Non-age, was put under the Gaurdianship of Pembrook, who was by the consent of the Peers made Protector of the Realm during his Minority; who prudently mannag∣ed Affairs, administring the Laws and Justice upright∣ly to the People: Yet long he had not been Crowned, before Philip the French King, thinking to take advan∣tage of this change, dealt underhand with some dis∣contented Noblemen, and supposing by this means he had made a strong Party in England, Invaded the King∣dom; yet the Protector was not idle in his Charge, but Leavied a considerable Army; and though the Welsh, under Llewellin their Prince, Rebelled, to favour the

proceedings of the French, he made head against them, and stopt their Ravages, before a sufficient Force could come to his Camp from other parts, and slew many of them in several Skirmishes, tho' as yet they came to no considerable Battel.

And now Pope Innocent being Dead, and Honorius seated in the Pontifical Chair taking part with King Henry, not only confirmed the power of his Predecessors Apostolical Legate in England, but by him Cursed Prince Lewis who came over with the French Forces to take possession of this Realm, and all his Adherents, Excommunicating and Depriving them of all the Pri∣viledges of Christians; which put a stop to their car∣reer: So that Lewis made shew as if he only waited for a fit opportunity to depart, yet in the mean time King Philip his Father, with great care and cost, pre∣pared Reinforcements, and Shiped them for England: But Hugh d' Burg, Master of the Cinque Ports, Manned out a Fleet, upon notice they were putting to Sea; and after a sharp Engagement, Sunk, Burnt, and Took the greatest part of the Enemys Ships, which consisted of 150 Sail. This Exploit got him a good esteem among the People, which he after lost by his Covetousness, as will appear, and much daunted the French that were already in England, making Prince Lewis intreat the Popes Legate to Absolve him; and for so much Money as would defray the charges of his Return, he promised to deliver up all the Castles and Places he had in his possession; which being done and agreed to, he Sailed for France, and left his Friends in England to shift for themselves; many of which were forced into Banish∣ment, and some of the more forward taken and Exe∣cuted, but the greater Number Pardoned.

Upon this, a Parliament was called, and in it the Antient Saxon Laws of Edward the Confessor, and di∣vers

other good Laws, made by succeeding Kings, were reduced into a smaller compass, what seemed superflu∣ous, according to the Constitution of the then present Government, being left out. And this has continued a happiness to the Kingdom, being that Magna Charta, or Great Charter of England, that set a Barrier between the Succeeding Kings and the People; That the one should not encroach on the Subjects Rights, but live as free born Subjects; nor the other upon the Prerogative of the Crown, but that the Scale should be in a due Ballance between Soveraign and Subject. This was Ratified and Confirmed under the Great Seal, to the high satisfaction of the Kingdom; so that the Parlia∣ment Granting the King a considerable Tax, the People paid it with all the alacrity immaginable, with which Money he not only discharged his Debts, but Levied a formidable Army, who under the Leading of Richard the Kings Brother, and divers Nobles, won much back again that the French had taken during the Troubles in his Fathers Reign, entirely reducing the Provinces of Poictiers, and Gascoyne; and returning with little loss of Men from this Glorious Enterprize, were received with great Joy: However the absence of the Army gave the French King leasure to practice his usual method of stiring up Differences and Dissen∣tions in those places, by which means he surprized some Towns; but King Henry grown up, and being a Prince of Courage and Valour, resolved to go in Per∣son; whose Arrival so terrified the French, that they Deserted divers Places without contending; and those that yielded not on Summons, were taken by Force.

The French King perceiving the Cowardize of his own Men, and the Courage of the English, after many losses began to study how he might come to a Peace; and upon surrendering what he had possessed himself

of, it was concluded, advantagiously enough to the Honour of King Henry and the English Nation. But soon after this, some discontented Nobles at home, la∣boured to Alienate the minds of his Subjects from him, upon a Jealousie that he reposed his greatest confidence in Strangers, and made little account of their Fidelity; but to prevent any Eruption that might give his Ene∣mies abroad the advantage of Regaining what they had Lost, and what cost him much Treasure in Recovering, he Laboured to reconcile himself to them, and sent a∣way many Strangers from his Court; with whom in∣deed it was much pestered, and the English Nobles had some reason to complain of it; by which means, and some other Concessions, a Reconcilement was made. And now the Earl of Chester Dying without Issue Male, leaving only Four Daughters, the King Seized his Possessions, and Annexed them to the Crown, aug∣menting them with large additions of Yearly Reve∣nues, Regal Priviledges and Honours, giving the Ladies in lieu of it divers Castles, Lordships, and Man∣nors, which exceeded their own in true value; and having Married Prince Edward his Son, to Elianor Sister to the King of Spain, he gave him the Province of Guyan, and the Lordship of all Ireland, and created him Earl of Chester and Prince of Wales, which two latter Dignities he then annexed as inseparable Titles to the Eldest Sons of the Kings of England; and so they at this day continue; soon after this, the King nar∣rowly escaped being Murthered by an Oxford Scholar, who about Midnight crept in at the Window of that Chamber where he usually Reposed, but that Night he was absent at a Merri-making; however the Student being found there with unusual Weapons about him, upon Examination Confessed he came with the before∣mentioned Design, but would not acknowledg what

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••duced him to it, or any that we, ••upposed to have ••t him on work; whereupon his A••ms and Legs be∣••g fastened to Four Horses, he was by them Drawn 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pieces.

The French King (as you have heard) entering into Peace with England, nothing more at length appeared 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it but that he did it to gaine time, so that he might ••come Stronger; for Philip being Dead, Lewis the ••inth, his Son, broke out into open Hostilities without ••ving any warning, his Father before his death having ••ade preparations to enable him to do it, wasting in ••uyan all the places where he came. This roused King Henry, and made him Levy great Forces with a purpose ••o drive him out, not only of that, but all Normandy, and ••uch other places as he had a right claim to, and were ••etained from him by the French: So that passing over ••nto France, many fierce Encounters passed between ••hem with various success, tho' in them the French were ••enerally worsted; but Fortune no further favouring his endeavours, but only to stop the French Torrent, ••nd their further Encroachments, he returned for England. On his departure, the French King Married Alphonsus his Brother, to the Daughter of the Earl of Tholouse, and gave him the Earldom of Poictiers, and so cunningly contrived it, that he would have procured the Earl of March to do him Homage for such Lands as he pretended he held in that Province, but he refused it, and could not by Entreaties or Threats be wrought on to comply; which so enraged the French King, that he entered with an Army into the Earldom of March, and laid all waste before him; but was Fought with by the English Army, newly Transported, near Burdeaux; yet the English being much inferiour in Number, after a Long, Bloody and Doubtful Fight, were constrained to quit the Field; and King Henry, who did wonders

in the Battel that day, hardly escaped being taken Pri∣soner; whereupon the Earl of March found he was in a necessity to submit to the Terms offered him by the French King after which King Henry settling his af∣faires as well as he could, returned to England, and made a fi••m Alliance with the King of Scots, to streng∣then his Interest against France.

This continued happy to him for a time; but his Court not being purged of Parasites, and Whisperers, who with their stories set him against the English Nobi∣lity, a fatal Discord befel, which at times lasted till his Death; for the Nobles grudging he bestowed Favours on those that deserved them not, and was scanty in his Liberalities towards them that had Merited of him, at the expence of their Blood and Treasure, from Mur∣muring they fell to open Reproaches, charging him with the violation of those Liberties and Priviledges that he had so solemnly Confirmed and Granted: This Angered the King, and made him inwardly Fret, but finding they spoke the sense of the greatest part of the Nation, to bring things to a quieter temper, and alay or satisfie the discontents of his Subjects, he called a Parliament at Oxford, tho' in it what he aimed at was, for the most part, if not altogether, frustrated; so that it was afterward, through the Distractions that hap∣pened upon it, called Insanum Parliamentum, or The Mad Parliament: For when multitudes of such as were Grieved came for Redress of their Grievances, the Lords and Commons endeavouring to Redress what was amiss, Established many things Profitable, as they intended, for the Common-Weal, but highly deroga∣tory to the Kings Prerogative; and to the end those things that they had so contrived, should be lasting, and inviolably observed, they made choice of Twelve Noblemen, by the Title of Les douze Piers, or The

Twelve Peers, giving them absolute Power and Autho∣rity to Maintain and Support those Laws; of whom the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester were chief; and for this they had their Pattent, and took a solemn Oath, which was Sealed and Ratified by the King, although he did it unwillingly; so that the Parliament being ended, the Commissioners began by strict Execution to give Life unto those Laws and Ordinances, thrusting out of their Places and Offices many of the Kings Me∣nial Servants, and Attendants, placing others in their stead, which very much troubled him; for by these pro∣ceedings he perceived those that waited on his Person, were rather to be Trusted by others than by himself; and that he should be furthest from chusing those that were to be nearest to him; this made him grow Me∣lancholy, and vex himself exceedingly; yet thinking to mend what he supposed amiss, he called another Parliament, which contrary to his expectation Ratified and Confirmed more strongly all that the former had done, tho' he at the opening of the Sessions had com∣plained of the hard Usage he had received from the Twelve Peers; and by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, and Nine other Bishops of the Kingdom, a solemn Curse was denounced against all such as either by Di∣rection, Council, Arms, or otherwise, withstood or hindered the Execution of those Laws, or the Autho∣rity of the Twelve Peers. This made the King more Melancholy than before; when, to divert himself he Sailed to France, and had an Enterview with King Lewis, who highly welcomed him, Lodged him in his own Palace, Feasted him, and used him with all Gen∣tleness, Curtesie, and Honour; protesting in his Par∣liament of Estates, That he was much dissatisfied in his Conscience for detaining from King Henry his Dutchy of Normandy and such other Territories in France as

in Right he ought to Enjoy; and on the other hand King Henry intending to conclude an inviolable Peace freely surrendered to him Normandy, Anjou, Poictiers and Mayn, and in the same Parliament with great Solemnity and Honour, he received them again to him∣self and his Heirs.

Whilst things thus proceeded in France, a Quarrel happened between Prince Edward the Kings Son, and the Duke of Glocester, about the Laws being put too severely in Execution; which made the King hasten home, to prevent the Danger or Mischief that might happen thereby, and with some difficulty he reconciled them; and hoping to remove the curb the Peers had laid on him, with much Expence, he procured Bulls of Pope Alexander the Third, by virtue of which himself and all others who had Sworn to maintain those new Laws and Ordinances, and to support the proceedings of the Peers and their Authority, were freely Absol∣ved from their Oaths; yet they took no notice of it, but proceeded to displace such Judges, Justices, and Sheriffs, as the King had appointed, for not following their Orders, and put such in their Places and Offices as they thought fit: So that the King being no longer able to endure these Indignities, caused the Popes Bulls to be Read and Proclaimed in the chief Towns and Cities of England and Wales, straightly Commanding all Persons, of what Estate, Condition or Degree so∣ever, That from thence forth did by Word or Deed Support or Maintain the said Laws and Ordinances, or the Authority of the Twelve Peers, that they should be committed to Prison, and not delivered thence without the Kings consent: And hereupon he Swore the Londoners from twelve Years Old, and upwards, to be True and Faithful to him, and to be Aiding to him and his Heirs against all Opposers. In the mean while

the Barons met, and entered into a Resolution among themselves, rather to lose their Lives than decline the upholding the Laws; and fancying the King had some desperate design upon them, their Jealousie so encreased, that retiring to the Marches of Wales, they raised a strong Army, and furnished it with all things necessary for the War they intended; yet pretended to abstain from any Hostility or Violence, unless the King com∣pelled them to it. Then they sent their Letters in a most submissive and humble manner to the King, pro∣testing their Duty, Service, and true Allegiance to him; entreating his Highness for the Honour of Almighty God, for the health of his own Soul, and for the wel∣fare and happiness of his People and Kingdom, utterly to defie (except his Queen and Children) all such as Councelled him, or did themselves intend to suppress the Laws and Ordinances established in the Parliament at Oxford, or the Authority and Power, which for the advantage of the common good, was Granted to the Twelve Peers. But the King displeased at these Let∣ters, returned not any Answer; which made them dis∣play their Banners, and march towards London; and as they passed by the Houses of such as favoured the Kings proceedings, on the account of the Popes Bulls, they Plundered and Spoiled them, and laid many in Ruins by Fire, Proclaiming such Persons Enemies to the King and Government.

Approaching London, they sent their Letters to the Mayor and Citizens, to know whether they were re∣solved to support the Laws and Ordinances or not, and the Authority of the Twelve Peers; protesting before God, that themselves meant not, nor intended any o∣ther thing; and if they were found defective in any point, a speedy Reformation should be made.

These Letters were no sooner received and read,

but they were sent to the King, who demanded of the Mayor and Citizens whether they would support those Laws and the Twelve Peers, or renounce them; but fearing their Plunder when such an Army was at their Gates, they Assembled in Common-Hall, and agreed to send the King Answer, That they would stand by the Laws and Peers, tho' a little before they had Sworn to the King to stand by him against all opposers. This greatly displeased the King; but they setting light by his Anger, received the Barons with their Army into the City, with many expressions of Joy; and from hence they Marched to Windsor Castle, and displaced all Stran∣gers, rifling them of what they had gotten by their Places and Offices, especially such as the Prince had put into Trust; this yet more offended the King: But his Privy Council laboured to pacify him, by sending to the Barons to restore the Goods taken from the Aliens, and telling him that from thenceforth none but himself should place Persons in Trust; but to neither of these the Barons would accord; but at last concluded to put the descision of the Controversie to Lewis the French King, and inviolably stand to his Award; and King Henry agreeing to it, Peace for a time ensued; and the Swords on both sides were Sheathed; and the matter Stated on either part being controverted before the French King, it was by him Decreed, That all the said Ordinances and Laws should be Annihilated, and from thenceforth no Authority or Power should be left in the Twelve Peers. But this Sentence was so distasteful to the Barons, that they publickly accused him of Partiality to curry-favour with King Henry, absolutely refusing to stand by his Award; and so strongly were they bent to maintain whatsoever had been in Parliament Established, That they repaired a∣gain to the Marches of Wales, and Levied new Forces;

and in their passage to London, Spoiled and Burnt the Goods, Lordships and Houses of Sr. Roger Mortimer, who had Counseled the King against them: To oppose their Proceedings, Prince Edward Marched with the Kings Army against them; and a cruel Battel was fought for the space of a whole Day, in which the Prince Acted Wonders beyond what could be expect∣ed from his Young Years: But most of his Comman∣ders being Slain, he was at length compelled to leave the Field, and March hastily back again with his broken Army, leaving the Barons Masters of the Field.

After this Victory, the Barons Marched their Army to London, where they were received with great de∣monstrations of Joy; and soon after the Rifraff of the City, contrary to the minds of the sober Citizens, ap∣pointed to themselves two Captains, whom they stiled Constables of London; and made Proclamation, That all who were affected to their Party should take Arms, upon Ringing the great Bell at St. Pauls; and so Assembling in a Tumultuous manner, they committed many Outra∣ges upon the Houses of those that did not approve their Proceedings; and then in a great troop went to the Palace of Richard, King Henry's Brother, who by the German Princes had been Elected King of the Romans, and entering it by force, seized and carried away all his Plate, Treasure and Rich Furniture, pulling down and defacing, for the most part, that stately Building.

This made him, of a Friend, ever after an Enemy to the City and Barons: For whereas before he had la∣boured a Reconcilement between the King and them, he utterly gave over that good office, and exasperated him to continue the War against them; so that the King having notice that Sr. Peter Montfort had gathered considerable Forces near Northampton, declaring for the Barons, he Marched thither, whereupon Mountfort

retired into the Town with his Forces, and was straightly Besieged; so that in a little time it being taken by Assault, he with Simon the Earl of Leicesters Son, and many others, were taken Prisoners, and dis∣posed of in several Goals, till a further course could be taken with them. But the Barons being strong in the Field, little regarded this blow, but advancing their Banners near Lewis in Sussex, gave the Kings Army Battel, which continued with such obstinate cruelty on both sides, that Fathers and Sons, Brothers and other near Relations Killed one another without Remorse; and such a havock was made, that the Army on either side being much wasted, the King taken Prisoner with his Brother, &c. after Fourteen Hours desperate Fight∣ing, and the slaughter of 20000 Men on both sides, the Royal Party by these Accidents was so weakened, that a Treaty ensued; and it was Agreed, That the King should by new Articles, and the renewing his Oath, Confirm the Authority granted to the Twelve Peers, and all the Or∣dinances and Laws; with this Caution notwithstanding, That Two Lords Spiritual, and Two Temporal, should take a View of, and Examine the said Laws and Ordinances, and if they saw any reason to Amend or Alter them, they might do it, and if they agreed not in their Opinions, Then the Duke of Britany as Ʋmpire, should be invested with full Power to Arbitrate and End the Difference: And the King and his Brother for standing to this, had their Liberty, and gave their two Eldest Sons as Hostages, who upon that account were detained in the Castle of Dover about nine Months.

Upon this the King called a Parliament, which again crossed his expectation, by Confirming and Ratifying the Laws of the Oxford Parliament, and Authority of the Twelve Peers, which constrained the King to take a new Oath to maintain them, and the Peers Authority;

till according to Agreement, if any thing was found amiss, it should be Reformed, &c. and all such as in those Wars, or otherwise, had Maintained them, were Pardoned by the King: Whereupon the Young Princes were set at Liberty. But soon after, fell a Difference between the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester, the two heads of the Barons Faction, which made them divide into parties to decide their Quarrel by the Sword; yet the King, fearing this might Involve many of his Subjects in Ruin, and shake the Quiet of the whole Kingdom, interposed his Authority and Medi∣ation to make them Friends: But whilst this was do∣ing, Prince Edward, the Kings Son, taking advantage of their difference, departed secretly from Court, and consorting with the Earls of Glocester and Warren, Sr. Roger Mortimer, and others, they raised an Army on the Marches of Wales, and fell on the Earl of Leicesters Forces with such fury, near Eversham in Worcestershire, that they totally Routed them; and in this Battel the Earl of Leicester, Simon his Eldest Son, Sr. Hugh Spencer, and many others of note, were Slain; and so enraged were the Soldiers, that they dispitefully used the Earls dead Body, by cuting off the Head, Hands, Feet, and Privy Members, sending them into divers Shires, as Trophies of their Victory.

This turn of fortunate Success, so ellevated the drooping King, that he resolved utterly to throw off his Fetters, and assume his Kingly Authority uncon∣trouled; whereupon, whilst his Enemies were full of fear and mistrust, and their strength in a manner utterly broken, he summoned a Parliament, which conforming to his will, more through dread of his Anger, than voluntarily, Repealed the Laws and Ordinances made in the Oxford Parliament, disannuling the Authority of the Twelve Peers; and all Patents, Commissions, and Instru∣ments

whatsoever, that tended to the Establishing and Rati∣fying those things, were by the Kings express Command∣ment brought forth, publickly Cancelled and made void; by which means he regained his former Power and Li∣berty, to say and do as he pleased.

This Parliament was no sooner ended, but the King expressed his anger towards the City of London, be∣cause (as is alledged) the Rulers and Inhabitants had always despised him, and taken part with the Barons against him; vowing to consume it with Fire, and leave it in a heap of Rubbish, as a lasting Monument of their Rebellion to succeeding Ages; and so firmly had he determined it, That all his Friends and Favorits had much ado to avert him from this purpose, nor could it be done, till the Citizens caused an Instrument in Writing to be drawn, and Ratified it with their com∣mon Seal, by which they Confessed their Rebellion, humbly craving Pardon, and without any restraint or exception sub∣mitted their Lands, Goods, Lives, and the whole City, to the Kings Grace and Mercy: Whereupon paying 1000 Marks Fine, they were Restored to their Liberties and Customs, which had been seized into the Kings hands, during which space they had suffered much dammage; yet for what Wrongs soever they received, they could find no Redress: And many Robberies and Piracies during the Wars being committed by the Inhabitants of the Cinque-Ports, to hinder his Courts of Justice be∣ing pestered with many Complaints, he ordered they should be heard in the Courts within the Jurisdiction of those Ports; where the Persons agrieved expecting little redress, because the Inhabitants were parties, few Complaints after that were made.

Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester, by his revolt from the Barons, and joyning his Interest with the Prince, ex∣pecting high preferment for the success that had given

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the King all these Advantages, and not meeting with it agreeable to his mind, grew angry, and Meditating Revenge, retired from Court into the City; where the Citizens forgeting how lately they had been Pardoned, and the danger they were in, flocked to him in great Numbers, and then Sallying through Temple Bar, went to the Kings Palace at Westminster, which they Rifled, with the Houses of many Court Favourites in and out of the City. This Outrage made the King pronounce no less than utter Destruction to them. But the Prince and Kings Counsellours, fearing such severity might renew the Civil War as dangerous as ever, with much ado pacified him so far, that he Granted a Pardon to the Earl of Glocester, and all that had Acted in the late Tumult. Yet the Earl finding but cold Entertainment at Court, fearing some mischief might befal him at home, Made it his request to the King that he would send him with an Army to make War in the Holy Land. This motion, tho' it tended to much charge and ex∣pence, pleased the King well; for he considered if he continued at home he would still be Plotting, but abroad he could little injure the quiet of the Govern∣ment; so that an Army being raised, the Earl repen∣ted him of his Undertaking, and feigned so many causes for delay, that the King took the Command out of his hand, and gave it to Prince Edward, who Transported the Army into Palestine, and by his valorous Acts brought such a Terror on the Turks and Sarazens, That they seldom, if they could avoid it, adventured themselves against the Christians in that Quarter where the Prince drew up; and the Terror of his coming made them raise the Siege of the City of Acon, which they had pressed hardly for a long time, with 100000 Men; which made them secretly contrive his Death: For a Sarazen, under pretence of delivering him a

Letter, Stabbed him in the Arm with an Impoisoned Knife; whereupon the Prince struck him down with his Foot, and upon the noise, his Guards coming in, cut the Villan in pieces; yet so desperate was the Wound, by reason of the venom, that the Surgeons declared, That unless any at the hazard of their Lives would daily suck the Wound, to draw away the Poison, his Life could not be saved; this, when all his Courtiers strained Courtesie to do, or utterly refused, was under∣taken by Elianor his virtuous and loving Wife, Sister to the King of Spain, who had accompanied him in that tedious Journey; and yet she was not at all injured by it.

And now the King having had some Peace, was a little disturbed by a Tumult in Norwich, who Burnt the Monastery of the Trinity; but he hasting thither, they dispersed, yet escaped not so, for a strict enquiry being made into the matter, 50 of the chief Actors were Drawn, Hanged and Quartered, and their Quar∣ters Burned. Soon after this, the King fell Sick, and Dyed at the Abby of St. Edmund's in Suffolk, on the Sixteenth of November, Anno Dom. 1275, in the 57th Year of his Reign, and 65th of his Age. He was Buried with great Magnificence at Westminster.

In this Kings Reign, an Imposture at the Provincial Synod at Oxford, suffered himself to be Wounded in the Hands, Feet and Sides, saying he was Christ; and a Woman that went about with him called herself the Virgin Mary; but being taken and closed up between two Walls, they there miserably perished.

On St. Paul's Day in the 15th Year of his Reign, such an unusual Thunder and Lightening happened, That whilst Roger Niger Bishop of London was at Mass, in St. Paul's, the Cathedral was so shaken, that the Peo∣ple verily supposed it would have falln, and that they

should have been burned with the flashes of Lighten∣ing; whereupon all, except the Bishop and Arch-Deacon, ran out; but it being more terrible abroad, they fell on their Faces, and lay as astonished near an Hour. There also appeared as it were four Suns, be∣sides the Natural one, which had a great Circle of a Chrystal colour; and after St. Martins Day, it began to Thunder very horribly, which lasted 15 Days.

The Jews at Norwich Stole a Boy and Circumcised him, intending to have Crucified him at Easter; for which divers were Convicted, and put to sundry Punishments. In the 20th Year of the King, the Thames over-flowed its Banks, so that Boats were Rowed in the great Palace-Yard at Westminster, and also in the midst of the Hall. Pope Gregory the Ninth wrote to the King, That he might have safe conduct to come and see England; but was denied, in consideration it was thought he did it with an intent to Embroyl the Kingdom. In the 23d of the King a great Plague happened, consuming 500000 People of all Degrees; and Newcastle upon Tyne with the Bridge, was consum∣ed by Fire; and two Years after, the Sea Flowed without any considerable Ebb, and in the Night by the fighting of the Waves seemed all on Fire; making a terrible Noise, which was heard many Miles. On the 43d of the Kings Reign a Jew at Tewksbury fell into a Privy on a Saturday, and refused to be helped out, be∣cause it was on their Sabbath; whereupon the Duke of Glocester, Lord Lieutenant of the County, made him keep our Sunday there; when on Monday Morning he was found Dead.

And about this time Dr. Sternham wrote, That the Sufficiency of Holy Scripture, without Tradition or Innovation, were only necessary to Salvation; and Roger Bacon, a famous Divine of Oxford, was Imprisoned and

severely Persecuted by the Pope, for Preaching against the Absurdities of the Church of Rome. And John De Warren Earl of Surry Killed Alen de La Zouch in Westminster-Hall, on an Affront given by a Jostle. Seven Hundred Jews were Slain in London upon an In∣surrection, because one of them had extorted more than two Pence per Week for 20 s. Interest. Anno Dom. 1269, the Thames was so hard Frozen, that Men, Cattle and Wains, passed over on the Ice, a consider∣able time. Anno Dom. 1271 the Steeple of Bow-Church in Cheapside, London, fell; and in the fall oppressed many People which were slain in its Ruines.

Remarks on the County of Rutland.

RUtlandshire, or the County of Rutland, is commodi∣ously Situate among divers fertil Shires or Counties; being Bounded with Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire, being very neatly compacted, produ∣cing some considerable sprinkling of Corn, but more Pasture; being for the most part Plain without Hills, and few Woods in it that are considerable; also Cattle, Wooll, Fish, Fowl, and many other things, worthy to Rank it with the rest. It is divided into 5 Hundreds, containing 48 Parishes, 2 Market Towns, and is a third part bordered by the River Weland, branching into many pleasant Streams, over which is laid a very advantageous Bridge, leading to Barrowden. It sends Members to Parliament, Two Knights of the Shire.

Oxenham in this Shire is famed, as having been an An∣tient Station of the Romans, and for a great Overthrow the Danes received by Catmose. There is Ketton, memorable for a great Battel fought between King Arthur and the Saxons, wherein he became Victorious, forcing them into Lincolnshire, where in their rage they destroyed the most Antient Ʋniversity of the Britains, Founded at Stamford,

[illustration]

[illustration] map of Rutland

RUTLAND By I. Seller.

said to be so by King Bladud who found out the Virtue of the Mineral Waters at Bath.

Whitwell is memorable for another Overthrow given the Danes. Scyten is noted for a Speaking Eagle in the Reign of King Harrold the Last, which Prophesied the com∣ing in of the Normans, and the Subjection of the Kingdom by them. The other chief Places are Whissenden, Ashwell, Barrow, Market-Overton, &c.

The Seats of the Nobility are Exton, Brook, and North Luffingham, belonging to the Earl of Ganesborough. The Gentry have some Seats here, but not very many of any note. In this County were formerly many Castles, but Demolished in the several Civil Wars and other Commotions that have happened in this Kingdom, the Ruinous Foundations of many yet being upon digging broke up. I find but Four Parks in this County, and some of them but slenderly stored with Deer; yet there are many Hares, some Coneys, and pleasant Fishing and Fowling at the proper Seasons.