that secret operation, according to the ancient prophecy, that whithersoever that chair should be removed, the kingdom should be removed with it: and this chair King Edward caused to be brought out of Scotland, and to be placed at Westminster among the monuments, where it still continues.

This King restored to the citizens of London their liberties, which for some misdemeanours they had forfeited. In the sixteenth year of his reign, the sun was so exceeding hot, that many men died with the extremity thereof; and yet wheat was sold for three shillings and four pence a quarter at London. This King by proclamation forbid the use of sea-coal in London and the suburbs, for avoiding the noisome smoak. In his time the bakers of London were first drawn upon hurdles, by Henry Wallis, mayor; and corn was then first sold by weight.

In a synod held in his time, it was ordained according to the constitution of the general council, that no ecclesiastical person shall have more than one benefice, with the cure of souls. About this time the new work of the church at Westminster was finished; and the foundation of Black-friars near Ludgate, was laid by Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury. And Queen Margaret began to build the quire of the Gray Friars in London, now called Christchurch. In his time was began to be made the great conduit, formerly at the lower end of Cheapside. And Henry Wallis, mayor, made the tun in Cornhill a prison for nightwalkers, and likewise built a house at the Stocks Market for fish and flesh, which since the fatal fire in 1666 is demolished and laid into the street.

In the ninth year of his reign, there was such a great frost, that five arches of London bridge, and all Rochester bridge was carried down and borne away. On St. Nicholas day in the evening, were great earthquakes, lightning, and thunder, with a great dragon, and a blazing star, which extremely terrified the people. In his two and twentieth year, three men had their right hands cut off for rescuing a prisoner from an officer of the city of London: and about that time the river of Thames overflowing the banks, made a breach at Rotherhithe near London, and the lower grounds thereabout were all laid under water. In his twenty seventh year, a fire being kindled in the lesser hall of the palace of Westminster, the flames thereof being driven by the wind, fired the monastery next adjoining: which with the palace were both consumed. The same year by an act of common council in London, with the King's consent, it was ordained, that a fat cock should be sold for three halfpence, two pullets for three halfpence, a fat capon for two pence halfpenny, a goose for four pence, a mallard

three halfpence, a partridge three halfpence, a pheasant fourpence, a heron sixpence, a plover one penny, a swan three shillings, a crane twelvepence, two woodcocks three half pence, a fat lamb from Christmas to Shrovetide sixteen pence, and all the year after for fourpence; and wheat was this year so plentiful, that a quarter was sold for ten

groats.

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that they threaten, unless he would banish him his court and kingdom, they would hinder his coronation. Which he promises to do but doth not perform; but on the contrary, bestows so much treasure upon him, that he scarce left means to sustain himself, or to maintain his queen.

This put the lords into a new discontent, who thereupon went again to the King, and told him plainly, that unless he would put Gaveston out of the court and kingdom, they would rise up in arms against him as a purjured King. Whereupon out of fear, the King sends him to France, where finding no entertainment more than in other places, he soon returns again, and is received into as much favour as before. Whereupon the whole nobility join together (except Gelbert Earl of Gloucester) and raising forces send to the King, either to deliver Gaveston into their hands, or else to banish him immediately out of the kingdom. But the King, led by evil counsel, still refused. Whereupon the lords hearing where he was, seized him, and cut off his head.

The King being much concerned at his death, to vex the nobility, takes into his nearest familiarity and council, the two Spencers, Sir Hugh the father, and Sir Hugh the son, men as debauched and odious to the lords and the people, as the other was, for they inclined the King to a lewd and wanton course of life among whores and concubines, and to forsake the company of his modest and virtuous Queen, which made him a scorn to foreign princes, and hateful in the sight of all honest men; yet the King, in despight of his lords, supported the Spencers in whatever they did. Whereupon the lords rise in arms, and the King likewise raiseth forces, where a great battle was fought, and the barons were overthrown, and after the fight, two and twenty of the lords were beheaded: which increased the pride and insolence of the Spencers.

Yet the Queen who fled to Germany, soon after returned accompanied with three hundred knights and select men of arms, with whom the lords and the Londoners joined; and seizing upon the Spencers, the father who was fourscore and ten years old, was cruelly executed, having his heart pulled out, and his body left hanging on the gallows while he was alive; and the son, with the King himself were imprisoned: and soon after young Spencer was drawn, hanged and quartered, his head set upon London bridge and his four quarters bestowed in -several cities. Then was a parliament called, wherein it was agreed to depose the King, and set up his son, which he (because they threatened to exclude both him and his son, and set up a King of another race) consented to. And thereupon the Bishop of Hereford, and other commissioners, came and sate at a place appointed to take his resignation, and the King coming forth in mourning robes, upon a sudden fell down in a swoon, and could hardly be recovered. After which the Bishop of Hereford declaired the cause of their coming. To which the King answered, that as he much grieved his people should be so hardened against him, as utterly to reject him, so it was some comfort to him, that they would yet receive his son to be their Sovereign.

Whereupon Sir William Trussel speaker of the parliament, in the name of the whole kingdom, renounced homage to the King, in these words: I William Trussel, in the name of all the men of the land

I

of England, and of all the parliament procurator, do resign to thee Edward the homage that was made to thee sometimes, and from this time forward now following, I defy thee, and deprive thee of all royal power, and I shall never be tendant to thee as for King, after this time.

Not long after, this King was murdered by Sir John Matravers and Thomas Gurney, by thrusting an hot spit up his fundament into his bowels, after he had reigned nineteen years and six months, 1327. In the eighth year of his reign, was so great a dearth, that horses and dogs were eaten, and thieves in prison pulled in pieces, those that were newly brought in amongst them, and eat them half alive. Which continuing three years, in the end brought such a pestilence, that the living scarce sufficed to bury the dead. In this King's time, digging the foundation of a work about St. Paul's, were found above an hundred heads of oxen and kine, which confirmed the opinions, that of old time it had been the temple of Jupiter, and that there was the sacrifice of beasts.

Edward of Windsor, eldest son of King Edward the Second, by the order of parliament upon his father's resignation, was proclaimed King of England, January 25th 1327 and soon after a parliament was called, wherein Edmund Earl of Kent, the King's uncle, is accused of intending to restore his brother; upon which he was condemned, and brought to the scaffold, but was so generally beloved of the people, that he stood there from one of the clock till five in the afternoon, before any executioner could be found to do the office, till at last a silly wretch in the Marshalsea was gotten to cut off his head. But the authors of his death escaped not long themselves: for in the third year of the King's reign, another parliament is holden, wherein the Queen hath all her great jointure taken from her, and is put to her pension of a thousand pounds a year, and herself confined to a castle, where she remained the rest of her days, no fewer than thirty years. Time long enough to convince her, that her being the daughter of a King, the wife of a King, and the mother of a King, were glorious titles, but all not worth the liberty of a mean estate.

And Roger Mortimer her minion and favourite, lately created Earl of the Marches of Wales, was seized on this manner. The King taking others with him, went secretly one night by torch-light, through a private way under ground, till they came to the Queen's chamber, where leaving the King without, some of them went in, and found the Queen with Mortimer ready to go to bed; and laying hands on him, they brought him out, after whom the Queen followed, crying, good son, good son, take pity upon the gentle Mortimer; suspecting her son had been amongst them. This way was taken to apprehend him, to prevent tumult, he having no less than ninescore knights and gentlemen, besides other meaner servants about him continually. Being thus seized, he is committed to the Tower, and accused of divers crimes, and amongst the rest, that he had been too familiar with the Queen, by whom she was thought to be with child. Of which articles he was found guilty, and condemned, and thereupon is drawn and hanged at the common gallows at the Elms now called Tyburn, where his body remained two days an approbrious spectacle to all beholders.

This King Edward the Third was a victorious Prince, and with the assistance of his son Edward, called the Black Prince, won many considerable victories against the French and Scots, taking both their Kings prisoners, who were committed to the Tower of London. This King instituted the Order of the Garter, upon what cause it is uncertain; the common opinion is, that a garter of his own Queen, or some say, of the Countess of Salisbury slipping off in a dance, King Edward stooped and took it up, whereat some of the lords that were present smiling, as at an amorous action, he seriously said, it should not be long ere sovereign honour were done to that garter. Whereupon he added that French Motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense, Evil to him that evil thinks: therein checking his lords sinister suspicions.

In the fourth year of his reign the sea banks were overflowed through all England; but especially in the river Thames, so that all the cattle ⚫ and beasts near thereunto were drowned. There was likewise found a serpent having two heads, and two faces like a woman, one face drest after the new fashion, and another like the old, with wings like a bat, and men and women perished in divers places by lightning and thunder; fiends, devils, and apparitions were likewise seen by men, and spoke to them as they travelled. At this time upon the petition of the Londoners, an act was made that no common whore should wear any hood, except striped with divers colours, nor furs, but garments turned wrong side outward. This King confirmed the liberties of the city of London, and ordained that the Lord Mayor should sit in all places of judgment within the liberty of the same as chief justice, the King's person only excepted; and that every alderman that had been Mayor, should be justice of peace in all London and Middlesex, and every alderman that had not been mayor, should be justice of peace in his own ward. Also he granted to the citizens of London, that they should not be forced without their own consent, to go out of the city