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1435

John

innocent Blood, leave Orleans at Liberty. This Letter was entertained by the English with Laughter, and Stratford, Joan reputed of them no better A. B. of than a Bedlam or Inchantrefs. But Cant. be the what he would, yet by her Encouragement and Conduct, the English had Orleans pluck'd out of their Hopes, and with much Lofs were driven to raise the Siege. In all Adventures Joan was one, and the foremost. At one Sally, the being shot through the Arm, faid to her Followers, Come, this is a Favour, let us go on, they cannot efcape the Hand of God. The Englih loft at this Siege the Earl of Salisbury, the Lord Moline, the Lord Poynings, Sir Thomas Gargrave, and of all Sorts (if you believe the Enemy) were flain in fuch Sallies as the martial Maid made 8,000, our own Writers fay but 6,000. After the raifing of this Siege, fome Towns were took by the English; but at a Village called Potay, the French coming upon them before the Archers could fortify their Battles with an Empalement of Stakes, the English, after three Hours bloody Refillance, were put to the worft: The Lords Talbot, Scales, Hungerford, and Sir Thomas Ramplone, were taken Prifoners. Which Lofs was followed with the fudden Revolt of fundry Towns. Nor was it long e'er Charles recovered Auxerre and Rheims; in the laft of which, according to the Maid's Direction, he was folemnly crowned King of France. Hitherto the Virgin had been very lucky: But coming to the Refcue of Champagne, diftreffed by the English and Burgundians, he was taken by a Burgundian Knight, who fold her to the English, and they fent her to Roan, where he was burnt for Sorcery, Bloodshed, and unnatural Ufe of man-like Apparel and Habi

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liments, contrary to her Sex. The Rumour of whofe Death, and igno minious Caufe thereof, was fomething incommodious to Charles's Affairs for a Time; and it was thought, that the coming of young King Henry into France would be much more, who December 7, 1'431, was crowned King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester. At which Time fuch of the French Nobility as were present, did their Homage to him. The King's Patents and Grants touching French Matters, paffed under the Seal and Style of Henry, King of the Frenchmen, and of England. And about this Time the English Affairs fucceeded pretty fortunately in France. The Earl of Arundel and Lord Talbot carry about victorious Arms, and terrify Main, Anjou, and other Places with their Succeffes.

A. D. 1435, that famous Patriot and General John Duke of Bedford, died at Paris. Upon which many Towns voluntarily yielded; and Multitudes of the French for fook the English to join with Charles. And though the English Forces then in France were not altogether flothful, yet through a fatal Security, or Negligence, or both, at Home there were not speedy Sufficiencies of Refittance miniftred. Richard Duke of York was created Regent of France; but before he arrived there, Paris was loft by the Treachery of the Citizens, Feb. 27, 1436. And Philip, Duke of Burgundy, now in Perfon gives Proofs of his Diffatisfaction to the English, bring. ing his Forces before the Town of Calais; for the Relief of which Piace, the Protector Humphrey Duke of Gloucefter, paffed with a great Army; but Burgundy had withdrawn his Forces before the Duke arrived. Howbeit the Duke took fome Revenge on him, by wafting

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Part of his Dominions; which done, he with Honour returned to his Charge in England.

In France the Earl of Warwick was very active, driving the Duke of Burgundy's Forces from Crotoy, freeing Abbeville from the Danger of a Baftile; for twenty Days fpoiling the Country of Picardy about Amiens and Artois. The Duke of Somerset, Lords Talbot and Willoughby were alfo bufied in other Places for the Security of what the English had gained. But the common Enemy, the Turk, increafing in Strength, Ambafadours were fent from all Parts to determine these bloody Differences betwixt the Nations of France and England, whereupon a Truce was made by the two Kings for eighteen Months.

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A. D. 1444, was King Henry married with Margaret the Daughter of Renate, Duke of Ajou and Lorraine. In which Marriage, fay fome, began the mournful Tragedies of our Country; for after this Day, the Fortune of the World began to decline the King; fo that he left his Friends in England, and Revenues in France; for fhortly all was ruled by the Queen and her Council, to the great Difprofit of the King and his Realm, and to the Maugre and Obloquy of the Queen her felf, who had many a wrong and false Report made of her.

A. D. 1447, Good Duke Hum. phrey's Death was effected. He was much hated by the Queen and her Party, as the only Man who by his Prudence, as alfo by the Honour and Authority of his Birth and Place, feemed to impeach that Sovereign Command, which they pretended to fettle in the King, but meant indeed (as the Manner is under foft Princes) to reign themselves in another's Name. Many great Lords were drawn in (at the time of a Par

liament then holden at St. Edmond'sbury) to concur for his Deftruction, not perceiving that thereby they pluckt up the Flood-gate, at which the Duke of York fhould enter. This great Duke being come to attend in this Parliament, was arrested for High Treafon by John Lord Beaumont, High Conftable of England, the Dukes of Buckingham, Somerset, and others; and to guard him, certain of the King's Houfhold were appointed; but it was not long before he was found dead, whofe Body was fhewed to the Lords and Commons, as if he had died of a Palfey or Impofthume. His Servants Sir Roger Chamberlaine, Richard Middleton, Thomas Herbert, Arthur Turfey, Efquires, and Richard Needham, Gent. were condemned of High Treafon, and had this unexampled Punishment; they were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, there hang'd, let down quick, ftript naked, mark'd with a Knife to be quarter'd, and then a Charter of Pardon for their Lives was fhewed by the Marquefs of Suffolk. Thomas Wild, the Duke's Servant also, being condemned and pardoned, had for a Preamble in his Letters Patents Words importing, That he had been one among many other Traytors against the King with Duke Humphrey, who went about and practifed to deliver Eleanor, late Wife to the Duke, out of Prison, for which Purpose he had gathered a great Power and Number of Men to come to the Parliament at Bary, there to have contrived the King's Deftruction. Such was the End of this great Prince, who by the People of England was thought to be doubly murder'd, by Detraction and deadly Practice. He was not only a true Lover of learned Men, but himself. was alfo learned, and a Father of his Country. And now the whole

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1447. Frame of Government feemed to repofe itfelf on the Queen, and fuch Favourites as the King by her Commendations liked.

John Kemp, A. B. of Cant.

The Affairs of France were neglected. And the Duke of York perceiving the King to be ruled, and not to rule, began fecretly to allure his Friends and Nobility, and privily declared to them his Title to the Crown, as likewife he did to certain Governours of Cities and Towns. Which Attempt was fo politickly and clofely carried, that his Provifion was ready, before his Purpose was publick. The very State of things invited this fatal Confpiracy, there being now a milder King than England was worthy of, a Council out of Favour with the People, manifold Loffes and Difhonours abroad, a turbulent and jealous Condition of Things at home. Of all which the Duke of York had made his beft Ufe, cherishing the popular Difcontents; and instead of feeking to redress any Evils in the State, he reprefented them to be worse than they were, thereby to ripen that Breach of Loyalty in the Hearts of Men, which his Ambition wrought upon. In France Matters went on very unhappily on the English Side; for the Duke of Somerfet, during the Truce, fuffered a Town of Bretagn to be furprized, denying Reftitution thereof, che- rifhed his Soldiers in their Riot and Disorders. The French therefore making this their Example, furprized Town after Town, till they had gained all Normandy, and within few Years extorted the Dutchy of Gafcoign out of the English Poffeffion.

In the mean time the Duke of York raifed his Etteem in England, by his appeafing of a Tumuit which had happened in Ireland. And at a Parliament holden at Westminfer,

many Articles were exhibited by the Lower House against the Duke of Suffolk, wherein he was charged with evil Demeanor, Mifprifion, and Treafon, and committed Prisoner to the Tower, from whence he was difcharged within a few Weeks after.

About this Time Adam Molins, Bishop of Chichefter, and Keeper of the Privy-Seal, a wife and ftout Man, ftood in the Duke of York's Way to the Crown; therefore he procurei him to be flain at Portsmouth by cer tain Ship-men. And in a Parliament holden at Leicester, the Duke of Suffolk, a principal Pillar of King Henry's Safety, was fet at again by the Yorkifts. They charge that for a Crime on him (namely the Delivery of Anjou and Main) which themselves had univerfally in a former Parliament affented unto and ratified: This they profecuted fo effectually (tho' unjustly) against him, that he was condemn'd to be banished for five Years; but in his Way to Banifhment he was, by fome employed on Purpose, taken at Dover Road, where they ftruck off his Head at the fide of a Cockboat; nor was his Death much lamented of the People, because he was thought to have been a private Actor in the Death of the noble Duke of Gloucef ter. Now the Yorkifts, having thus rid Suffolk out of the Way, think it no unfit Time to begin to put their Defigns in Practice; fo induce the Commons of Kent to make an Infurrection. The Captain of the Rebels was a Villain named Jack Cade, whom fome by contraries call Jack Amend-all. Their Demands were, That the Duke of York, now in Ireland, might be called home; and that he, with fome others, whom Cade named, might be principally ufed in Council: That thofe guilty of good Duke Humphrey's Death,

Jack Cade with rebellious Rout comit Disorders

The House York claim the Crown.

P. 123

Ver Gucht Sculp

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