thruft forth of the Town above Fifteen hundred of the poor and impotent People, whom this Chriftian King Edward turned not back, but fuffer'd them freely to pafs through his Camp, relieving them gratis with fresh Victuals, and giving two Pence a piece Sterling to each of them. But whilft the King was bufied abroad in France, the Scots (in Favour of the French) invaded England, advancing as far as Durham, where the English encountring them, overcame them, and took David their King Prifoner at Nevil's Crofs by Durham. There lay dead in the Field the Earl of Murray and Strathern, the Conftable, Marthal, the Chamberlain, and Chancellor of Scotland, with many other Nobles. Prifoners taken, befides the King, were the Earls of Douglas, Fife, Southerland, Wigton, and Monteith. In this Battle, on the English Side, were many Spiritual Perfons, who for the Defence of their Country, made ufe of carnal Weapons. And as King Edward's Friends were fuccefsful in England, fo were they alfo in Foreign Parts; for in Bretaign, Sir Thomas Dagworth overthrew the Lord Charles Blois, though he had much the Odds of him as to Number of Men. In Gascoign and thofe Parts, Henry Earl of Derby and Lancaster worsted the Duke of Normandy, and took fundry Places of great Importance; amongst the reft, that confiderable Town of Brigerac, where he permitted every Soldier to feize any Houfe, and convert all therein to his own Profit. Whereupon it happened, that a certain Soldier called Reth, having broke into a House where the Moneyers had for Safety ftowed the Money of that Country in great long Sacks, he acquainted the Earl therewith, fuppofing that the Earl intended not fo great a Treasure for a private Share;

1346.

but the Earl told him, That accordingly as he had at first proclaimed, let the Treafure be worth what it William would, yet was it all his own. And Wittlefey, now after almoft a Year's Siege, A.B. of Calais was delivered to King Ed- Cant. ward's Mercy. In Little Britain the King's Warden thereof, Sir Walter de Bendley, vanquished the Marshal of France in Fight, flew 13 Lords, 140 Knights, 1000 Efquires, and took Prifoners 9 Lords, befides many Knights and Efquires. At length, after much Spoil made upon the French, a Peace was concluded on betwixt the two Kings, though it continued not long e'er the French broke the Agreement. In Revenge whereof, Edward prefently entred France with an Army, and spoiled it were he came; and after his Re turn into England again, when he heard that John the new King of France had given to Charles the Ďauphin the Dutchy of Aquitain, King Edward bestowed the fame upon the Black Prince, commanding him to defend that Right with the Sword. The Prince thereupon, furnifhed with a gallant Army, fet fail towards France, where he took many Towns and Prifoners, advanced into the Bofom of France up to the very Gates of Burges in Berry; from whence, wheeling about to return to his chief City Bourdeaux, John King of France encountred him with a great Army, having the Odds of fix to one; notwithstanding which, the victorious Prince of Wales difcomfited the French, took Prifoners King John and Philip his youngest Son, the Archbishop of Sens, and many great Lords, and about two Thoufand Knights, Efquires, and Gentlemen bearing Armories. And flew in Fight above fifty-two Lords, and feventeen Hundred Knights, Efquires, and Gentlemen, with Sir Reginald Camian, who that Day bore

H 2

the

1376: the Orflamb or French Enfign; and of the common Soldiers about fix Thoufand. To James Lord Audley, who in this Fight received many Wounds, the Prince gave 500 Marks Land in Fee Simple, which faid Land the Lord Audley beftow. ed on his four Efquires that had continued with him in all the Brunt and Fury of Danger. King Edward the Father, whilft his Son was thus profperou fly bufied in France, proceeded in hoftile Sort against the Scots, and brought King Baliol at Roxborough to make a Surrender of his Crown to him. Prince Edward, after his late Victory, marched with Joy and Triumph to Bourdeaux; where having refreshed his wearied Soldiers, he took his leave of France, though not of the King thereof; for him he brought with himfelf a Captive to London, whither the Prince was welcomed with exquifite Honours by Henry Picard, then Lord Mayor. Which faid Picard afterwards, at one Time, feafted at his own Charge the Kings of England, France, Scotland, and Cyprus. King Edward ordered that eight Days fhould be spent in giving God the Glory for the Victory; and not long after, with a Fleet of one thousand one hundred Sail, he paffed over from Sandwich to a fresh Invafion; and being come before the Walls of Paris, he honoured four hundred Efquires and Gentlemen with Knighthood. Ample Conditions were offered by the French unto the King of England, to which he would not at prefent liften; yet at length was perfuaded to an Accord on thefe Conditions: That himself and Son Edward should for ever releafe unto King John and his Heirs the Right and Claim which they had unto the Crown of France, Dutchy of Normandy, &c. That King John and his Son fhould for thein

and their Heirs releafe unto King Edward and his Heirs the whole Country of Aquitain, Santoign, &c. alfo the Country of Ponthieu, &c. the proper Inheritance of Queen 1fabel, King Edward's Mother. That King Jobn fhould pay for his Ranfom the Sum of Thirty Hundred Thoufand Scutes of Gold, every two of which fhould be Six Shillings Eight Pence Sterling; with fome other Conditions. All which were ratified with Hands, Seals, and Oaths at Calais, though by the Falfhood of the French King this Amity continued not many Years; for King John by underhand Dealing fought to alienate the Hearts of King Edward's Foreign Subjects from him, and the County of Ponthieu he furprized before King Ed ward heard thereof. Wherefore the King fent over John Duke of Lancaster, and Humphrey de Bobur Earl of Hertford, to invade France, who pierced up as far as Roan; and after them the King fent that renowned Captain Sir Robert Knolls, who went on very profperously, till by the Inftigation of Sir John Mer ferworth, and fome others, (who thought themfelves better than Sir Robert) a Divifion was made in the Army, whereby the English Fortur.es were hindred; for the which Menfterworth paid the Loss of his Head. About the fame Time alio fome great Officers of the King's, as Jobs Duke of Lancaster, the Lord Lati mer, and Sir John Stirrie, were complained of for Fraudulency to the State, and at the Requeft of the Parliament, called The Good, were displaced. But that which caused the greateft Grief to Englishmen, was the Lofs of their martial Prince Edward, who left this Life upon Trinity Sunday, 1376, about his Age 46, and was buried at Canterbury. Nor did his martial Father

long

long furvive him, for in A.D. 1377, he died at Shene in Surry, and was buried at Westminster. His Wife was Philippe the Daughter of William Earl of Hainault and Holland; her Mother was Sifter to Philip of Valois, King of France. His If fue were Edward the Black Prince, fo called for his dreadful valorous Acts; William of Hatfield, Lionel, Duke of Clarence; John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancafter; Edward Earl of Cambridge, and Duke of York; William of Windfor; Thomas of Woodflock, Duke of Gloucester; the Earldoms alfo of Effex and Northampton, and the Conftablefhip of Eng. Land, came to him by Right of his Wife Eleanor, the fole Heir of Hunphrey de Bohun, Earl of Effex, &c. Tabel was married to Ingelram of Guines, Earl of Soifon and Archduke of Auftria; Foan was efpou fed by Proxy, with Alphonfo the Eleventh King of Caftile and Leon, but died before the Efpoufals were folemnized; Blanch died young; Mary was married to John Montfard, Duke of Britain; Margaret was married to John de Haftings, Earl of Pembroke. He built Queen borough in Kent, in Honour of Queen Philippe his Wife. He erected a Building at Windfor Cafle,whofe Circumference was fix hundred Foot, where Knights and Men of War were to have their Entertainment of Dier at his Charge, and begun a magnificent Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary; which King Henry the Eighth, and Sir Reginald Bray, finished. He is alfo faid to be the Founder of the most noble Order of the Garter; fo intituled, perhaps, from the Garter he took up of the Countess of Salisbury's, which flipped off in a Dance, or perhaps for that in a Battle, wherein he was victorious, Garter was the Word or Signal. But fome will have this

King to be only the Reviver of this 1377. Order, and Richard the First to be the Inftitutor of it. King Edward confirmed Magna Charta about twelve Times. He reftrained the Pope from conferring English Benefices on Stran gers. He invited Clothworkers to repair hither out of Foreign Parts, to whom he granted fundry Privileges. The Staple of Wool, which had been in Flanders, he revoked, eftablishing the fame in Weftminster, Canterbury, Chichester, Bristol, Lincoln, and Hull.

The famous Cuftom of the Kings of England Washing, Feeding, and Clothing of as many poor People upon Maurdy-Thursday, as they are Years old, is referred to the Celebration which this King made of his Fifth Year. His Concubine Alice Pierce was fo infolent, that the, would go into the Courts of Juftice, where, fitting by the Judges and Doctors, fhe would proudly perfuade or diffuade for her moft Advantage; therefore was complained of in Parliament, and removed from the Perfon of the King. At a Parliament held the Thirty-Seventh of his Reign, Gold and Silver, Silks, and rich Furs, were forbidden to be worn by any but eminent Perfons; alfo the Labourer and Husbandman was limitted to the Eating of fuch certain Mea's. An Act was likewife made, that no common Whore should wear any Hood, except ftriped with divers Colours, nor Furs, but Garments with the wrong Side outward. Stamford in Lincolnshire an Univerfity was inftituted, but of fhort Continuance.

At

The firft Duke of Cornwall was

Edward the Black Prince, whom his Father created in great Eftate Duke thereof, by a Wreath on his Head, a Ring on his Fingers, and a Silver Verge, And the fame Title

1377. of Duke of Cornwall (tis faid) is reputed unto the King's eldeft Son the very Day of his Nativity, having Right to the Royalties in the Stannaries, Wrecks at Sea, Customs, &c.

A Blazing-Star appeared, which continued thirty Days. Southampton was burnt by the French, A. D. 1348. It rained from Midfummer till Christmas. A Plague all over Christendom, fome fay the World; and fo raging in England, that fcarce the tenth Perfon of all Sorts was left alive. In London it was fuch, that in one Year's Space there were buried in the Ciftercian or Charter Houfe Church - Yard above Fifty Thousand. It began in the Year 1348, and continued till the Year

1357, and was feconded with Murrain of Cattle, and Dearth of all Things.

Now flourished in the Univerfity of Oxford, that famous Doctor John Wick iffe, whofe Followers in thofe Popish Times were called Lol lards, from Lolium, fignifying Tares or hurtful Weeds amongst Corn. He taught against Mafs, Tranfubftantiation, Adoration of the Hoft, of Saints, Images, and Reliques, with the reft of the Roman Trumpery; whofe honest Opinions were embra ced by many learned Men in the English Nation, and by fundry Perfons of great Honour and Quality, as the Duke of Lancaster, and Sir John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham, &c.

A. D.

1377. R

Ichard, the Son of Edward the Black Prince, was crowned King in the Eleventh Year of his Age; but e'er the Crown was fettled on his Head, the French braved it on the English Coafts, and the Scots fet Fire on the Tower of Roxborough; and through Want of Care in fuch who had the Charge of State Matters in the young King's Behalf, Things were declined to a fhameful Change, and the glorious Atchievments of the two late Edwards fell under an Eclipfe. The North Parts of England were grievously afflicted with the Stroke of Pestilence, and their Mifery augmented by the Inroads and Outrages of the Scots, who had now by Surprize gained Berwick, which upon the ninth Day after the Earl of Northumberland regained by Force.

A. D. 1379, a Parliament was held at London, wherein, for Supply of the King's Wants, it was agreed, That the Commons or poorer Sort fhould be spared, and the Burthen be wholly laid upon the abler Sort. And in the next Year following a Parliament was held at Northamp ton, wherein every one of each Sex, above fuch an Age, was charged to pay 12 d. per Poll; which, with the Hatred born to John Duke of Lancaster, was the Caufe of a great Infurrection of the Commons and Bondmen, chiefly of Kent, Effex, Surry, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cam bridgeshire. The principal Heads of the faid giddy Multitude, were Wat Tyler and Jack Straw. The Rebels of Kent embattel'd themfelves upon Black Heath by Greenwich, from whence they marched to London; where the common Sort ge

nerally