The plain Englishman's historian, or, A compendious chronicle of England from its first being inhabited to this present year 1679 but more especially containing the chief remarques of all our Kings and Queens since the conquest, their lives and reigns, policies, wars, laws, successes, and troubles : with the most notable accidents, as dearths, tempests, monstrous births, and other prodigies that happened in each of their times respectively / by H.C.

CHAP. X. Edward the First, by Reason of his Tallness called Long-shank.

THis Heroick Prince began his Reign in November 1272. But being absent in the Holy Land came not to England till above twelve Months afterwards, and then was joyfully Crowned. His first Attempt was to restrain the Exorbitance of the Cler∣gy, by the Statute of Mortmain, forbidding the Encrease of their temporal Revenues &c. His next Enterprize was against Leolyn Prince of Wales who rebelled against him, but was soon after slain, and his head Crowned with Ivy set upon the Tower of London. This was the last of the Welch Princes, in whose stead the Country being

wholly subdued, and King Edward having a Son born in those Territories viz. at Caer∣narvan, having caus'd ('tis said) his Queen to lye in there, on Purpose that they might have a Governour that was their Country∣man, created him, viz. Edward that suc∣ceeded him in the Crown, Prince of Wales, whence the Title to this day belongs to the eldest Son of our Kings.

And now grievous Wars arise with the Scots, whose King Alexander breaking his Neck by a Fall, and leaving no Issue, several Competitors, but especially John de Baliol and Robert Bruce pretended Title to the Crown, the Decision whereof was referred to King Edward as alledging a Right of Superiority over that Kingdom, who pla∣ced the Crown on the Head of Baliol, he doing Homage for the same to himself. But afterwards confederating with France against King Edward, a mortal Dissention grew be∣tween them; whereupon K. Edward marches towards Scotland, and wins Berwick not with∣out the loss of the Lives of 20000 Scots, and takes Baliol Prisoner, leaving Officers there to manage that Realm, against whom Peter Walleys makes head, till Edward in a se∣cond Expedition at the Battel of Fonkirk kills above forty Scots, and seemed Master of the whole Land, the Scots swearing Feal∣ty

to him the third time, but to little pur∣pose, for then Bruce sets up for King, which so incensed King Edward, that he provides a mighty Army, and swears his Son and Nobles that if he died in that Expedition they should not bury his Corps, but carry it with them about Scotland, till they had vanquisht the Usurper, and absolutely brought the Country to Subjection, but be∣fore his coming the Earl of Pembroke had put to flight the new King, with great slaughter at St. John's Town, and our King had little to do but to cause Executi∣on to be done on great Persons taken Pri∣soners, no Enemy daring to appear before, except that Invincible Enemy Death, who here seiz'd him with a Bloody Flux, and put an end to his Triumphs the seventh of July 1307. and thirty fifth Year of his Reign, having first (amongst other things) charged his Son on his Blessing never to re∣call his old Companion in Extravagance Peirce Gaveston from Banishment, that he should carry his Bones about Scotland till he had subdued it, and send his Heart to the Holy Land, with thirty two thousand Pounds which he laid by for that Pur∣pose.

In this Kings time were all Jews banisht out of England, being above fifteen thou∣sand, who had all their Goods confiscate, he likewise by Proclamation forbad the burning of Sea-coal in London and the Suburbs, for avoiding the noisome smoak. In his time Roger Bacon and Thomas Bungey, two learned Fryars, flourisht; who being great Mathematicians, were in that Igno∣rant Age counted Conjurers, whence were raised the Fables of a Brasen Head, and walling England round with Brass &c. In the sixteenth Year of this King, as he and his Queen sate in their Chamber in Gascoin upon a Bed talking together, a thunder-Bolt came in at the Window, past between them, and shew two of their Gentlemen that stood behind them.