JOHN King of England , Matt. Paris , Fol. 268. Line 32. repenting of his granting of Magna Charta in the 17th year of his Reign , after three Months stay breaking forth from the Isle of Wight , sailed up to Dover , whither his Messengers , whom he had sent into Parts beyond the Sea , resorting to him , they brought with them out of divers Countries a multitude of Soldiers and Armed Men , which struck all such as beheld them with Fear and Horror : For there came from the Parts of Poictou and Gascony Noble Persons and Warriors : Savaric of Malcon , Geofrey and Oliver of Buteville , Brothers , accompanied with very Great Forces of Soldiers and Armed Persons , who promised faithful Obedience to the King . There came likewise from the Countries of Louvain and Brabant very courageous Men , Walter Buck , Gerard , Sotin , and Godeschal , with Three Legions of Armed Men and Slingers , such as thirsted after nothing more than Humane Blood . Besides there repaired to the said King out of Flanders , and other Foreign Countries , all such who were greedy of other Men's Goods , Debtors , Exiled and Excommunicated Persons , Murtherers , all such to whom their Country was a Banishment , not a Refuge ; such as these adhering to him , gave this desperate King very great hopes of making Resistance [ against the Barons . ]

There likewise came Hugh de Boves , a stout Soldier , Ibidem , 268 , 269. but proud and wicked , to the Port of Calice in Flanders , with an Innumerable multitude of Armed Persons to the Assistance of the King of England , where having taken Shipping with all his Company , he earnestly desired to sail for Dover ; but a sudden Tempest arising , before they could reach their desired Haven , they suffered Shipwrack , and were all drowned in the Sea ; insomuch that as not one of 40000 Men escaped alive . This great number of Men all came with their Wives and Children for England , for this purpose , that the Natives being expelled this Kingdom , and utterly exterminated , they themselves might possess this Land by a perpetual Right . For the before-mentioned cruel King , to the Leader of them , yea , this cruel Tyrant , had given ( as it is reported ) by his Charter to the aforesaid Hugh de Boves , that Seducer , that Fugitive , the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk .

Matt. Paris ▪ 274 , l. 20. The King contrived how he might confound his Enemies , namely , the Barons of England , and how he might provide Stipends for those foreign Nations which served under him ; at length the King got together two Armies , that with one of them he might suppress the Eruptions of such Barons as were resident at London , and that with the other he might destroy the Northern Provinces of England with Fire and Sword , by laying waste whatsoever should come in his way . These things were transacted at St. Albans the 13th . of the Calends of January . The Army which he left behind him was commanded by Warlike Men , as W. Earl of Salisbury , Falcasius the King's Brother , who had no Bowels of Compassion , Savaric de Malcon a Warrior , and bloudy-minded , with his Pictavians , William Brievere , an expert Warrior , with his whole Power , Walter Buck , a Villain , and Blood-thirsty Man , with his most impious and ignoble Flemings and Brabantines , noted for all kind of Wickedness : There were also others with them whom , to avoid Prolixity , I for a time omit to mention .

Ibidem . King John lays waste the Northern parts of England . King John being now of a King become a Tyrant , from a Man transforming himself into Brutish Cruelty , went from St. Albans , taking with him towards the North William Earl of Albemarle , Philip of Albin●t , John Marshal ; and of Foreigners , Gerard of Sotin , Godeschall , with the Flemings and Slingers , and other desperate People , who neither feared God nor Man : Who , when for that Night he had rested a little at Dunstable , rising before Day , he took his way towards Northampton , wasting all the Houses , and burning the Seats of the Barons with his divided Forces , in an Hostile manner , he plundered , taking Spoils and Cattel ; and thus destroying all things , he made a miserable Spectacle to all such as beheld it . And to heighten this Desolation and Malice of his , the King commanded his Incendiaries to burn the Fences and Villages , by casting Fire into them all along as they went , that he might take pleasure in the sight of the Losses of his Enemies ( if they may be called Enemies , who endeavoured to bring him to a sense of Clemency and Justice ) and by Rapine enrich those most outrageous Instruments of Iniquity whom He had under Him . All Persons of whatsoever Condition , Age , or Rank they were , were taken , whosoever were found without the Church or Church-yard , and being tormented after several ways , were compelled to pay a most heavy Ransome , according that of the Poet — Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi . Kings scruple not what Outrage they commit ; But 't is their Subjects who must pay for it .

Such as were in any of the Fortresses of the Barons , when they had Intelligence of the King's Approach , leaving the Castles destitute , and consulting their own Safety , fled to secret Places , quitting their Provisions with great Spoils and variety of Furniture as a Prey to their Enemies : But the King placing his own People in the disfurnished Castles , as has been above related , with his most wicked Followers hastened to Nottingham .

In the mean time , William Earl of Salisbury and Falcasius , The Southern Parts of England depopulated . with their Soldiers , whom the King had dismiss'd at St. Albans , appointed the Garrisons of Windsor , Hartford , and Berkhamsted , with a strong armed Body , to have a watchful Eye upon such as passed to and from the City of London , and to take care to cut off the Barons from Provisions : Which being done , they marching through the Counties of Essex , Hartford , Cambridge , and Huntingdon , were intent upon plundering and ravaging , like Holofernes , Fol. 275. Commander of the Assyrian Army , made the Villages Tributary , took the Men Captives , burn'd the Houses of the Barons , destroyed their Parks and Warrens , cut down their Orchards ; and at last , even in the Suburbs of London , they set Fire , and carried away an inestimable Booty . And when Messengers from divers Places recounted these things to the Barons , they looking upon each other , said . The Lord hath given ; The Lord hath taken away : These things must be born with Courage . And when amongst other Abominable Outrages committed by the King , and his most wicked Accomplices , they heard likewise that their Wives and Daughters were exposed to scorn , they sighing said , These Things doth the Pope's most beloved Son in Christ , who protects his Vassal in subduing so Free and Noble a Kingdom after this unheard of manner .

The King having divided his wicked Forces entring into the Northern Parts , by setting Fire to the Seats of the Barons , Tyranny . driving away Preys of Cattel , making Spoils , wasting all things with the Sword , contemning God , nor regarding the Poor , destroyed whatsoever came in his way : For these Soldiers of Satan , Ministers of the Devil , and they also who were gathered together from the more remote Parts for this purpose , like Locusts , covered the Face of the Land . It was a sufficient Cause of Death for the poor Inhabitants , if they were but thought to have something ; and they which had nothing , were constrained to confess they had something ; and he who had it not , was grievously tormented as if he had , to enforce him to pay the same . These Murderers ran up and down , blooded with human Slaughter , Night-wanderers , Incendiaries , Sons of Belial , with their drawn Swords , that they might extirpate , from Man to Beast , all things necessary for humane Uses ; and , with their drawn Knives , throughly searched Towns , Houses , Church-yards , Churches , despoiled all People , Fol 276. insomuch as they spared neither Women , nor Children , nor such as were Aged . And what they could not consume themselves , they set on Fire , or otherwise rendred it unfit for Man's Use . And such as were altogether unblameable , calling them the King's Enemies : Wheresoever they were found , they were hastily cast into Prison , fetter'd , and at last forced to pay a most grievous Ransome . The Priests also standing at the very Altars , carrying the Sign of the Holy Cross in their hands , or handling the very Body of our Lord , venerable in their holy Vestments , they thus standing at the Altars , who ought to be respected for the sake of Religion were taken , tormented , despoiled , wounded : Nor was there any , Bishop , Priest , or Levite , who might pour fourth Wine or Oil into these Wounds so inflicted upon them . Soldiers also , and other Persons of what Condition soever , they tormented in like manner , hanging up some by the Reins and Privy-Members , others by the Feet and Legs , some by the Hands , and Thumbs , and Arms ; they did spit in the Eyes of these miserable Sufferers Salt mix'd with Vinegar , not at all understanding that they were created after the Image of God , and signed with the Character of Christ . Others they forced either wholly to expire , or scarcely to be able to draw their breath , putting them in Vessels , and upon Gridirons over hot burning Coals , and then dipping their roasted Bodies in Water covered with Ice , Assata Corpora . that they might as it were with Hellish Torments pass from too much Heat into the extremity of Cold ; and whilst they miserably cried out in the mid'st of Torment , and horribly groaned for the excessive Anguish of their Punishments , no body pitied them ; nor did their Tormentors cease from exacting Money , which these suffering Persons had not , neither was any Credit given to them who were thus afflicted . Some , who had nothing , promised great things , that so at least for some very short time they might deserr the Cruelties which had been thus experienced . This was a general Persecution in England , whilst Fathers by their Children , Brothers by their Brethren , Citizens by their Fellow-Citizens were sold to be tormented .

Matt. Paris , Fol. 278. Anno 18 Regis Johannis . About this time , when at length the Barons ( who had now lost all which was most desirable in this World , and were utterly destitute of hope of better Fortune how of themselves they might recover their Losses , ) were inwardly touched with grief of Heart , and what to do they knew not : Cursing the Subtilty , Backslidings , and Infidelity of the King ; and saying with repeated Sighs , Woe be to you , John , thou last of Kings , the Abomination of English Princes , the Confusion of the English Nobility ! Oh , England , who art already laid waste , and must yet still farther be wasted ! Oh , England , England ! who in the Eyes of all good Men hast hitherto been the chief of Provinces , art now made Tributary ; not only made subject , and reduced to Fire , Famine , and the Sword , but must be governed by mean Slaves and Foreigners : Since nothing can be more unfortunate than to be subjected to the Slavery of such Vassals .

We have read of many Kings and inferior Princes , who have fought even until Death for the Deliverance of their Countreys under their Obedience ; but thou , John , ( of unhappy Memory to future Ages ) that this your Land , which from all Antiquity hath been free , might be enslaved , hast bestowed thy Thoughts and Pains to draw others with thee into Bondage , not unlike the sliding of a Serpent , hast first withdrawn thy self from this Firmament ; being become of a most free King , a Tributary , a Farmer , and a Vassal of Slavery : Thou hath link'd this most Noble La●d to perpetual Bondage , never to be free'd from these servile Fetters , unless He , who had Compassion over us and all the World , when anciently they were enslaved under the yoke of Sin , taking pity , shall at some time or other condescend to deliver us . And what shall we say of thee , O Pope ? Who being the Father of Holiness , the Pattern of Piety , the Tutor of Justice , and the Guardian of Truth , oughtest to shine for an Example to the whole World ; Art thou consenting to such an One ? Dost thou praise and defend such an One ? But it is for this reason that Thou defendest this Exhauster of English Money , and the Imposer upon the British Nobility , who inclines himself to thy side , that all things may be swallowed up in the Gulph of Roman Avarice . At length it was decreed , that they would elect some powerful Person to be their King , by whose means they might be restored to their ancient Possessions , believing that none could reign more cruelly than John , and framing this sorry Argument .

And when for some time they had hesitated whom to Elect , they at last agreed in this , that they would set over them Lewis the Son of Philip the French King , and advance him to be King : And their Reason was because that if by the means of Lewis , and his Father , the foreign multitude , with which King John was surrounded , being the greatest part of them their Subjects , should desert him , when he should likewise be deprived and destitute of his own Forces at home , he himself would remain in a manner alone without Power ; and , making a Virtue of Necessity , would hearken to more wholesome Counsels . And afterwards this Resolution being pleasing to them all , they sent by solemn Messengers , namely , the Lord S. Earl of Winchester , and Robert Fitzwater , to King Philip and Lewis his Son , Letters Sealed with the Seals of all the Barons , earnestly beseeching the Father , that he would send his Son into England that he might reign , and the Son that he would come forth to be Crowned .

Lewis having accepted of their Invitation , comes over for England ; and being joined by the Barons at London , who making War upon King John and his Party , in which Lewis and the Barons prevailed .

Matt. Paris , Fol. 287. Anno 1216. Not long after which , it fell out that the Viscount of Molun , a Nobleman of the Kingdom of France , who came over into England with Lewis , was dangerously sick in the City of London ; who , perceiving that his Death was near at hand , desired to discourse with such of the Barons of England , as were remaining in the City of London , for the Safeguard thereof ; and he confessed in the hearing of them all , telling them , I am grieved at your Desolation and Subversion , because ye are ignorant how many Dangers hang over ye : For Lewis hath sworn , and sixteen more Earls and Barons of the Kingdom of France with him , that if it shall be his Fortune to subdue England , and to be Crowned King , he would condemn to perpetual Exile all those who now serve in the War under himself , and those who are the Followers of King John , as Betrayers of their Master , and would extirpate all their Race out of the Land . And that you may not doubt of this , I my self , who now lie in continual expectation of Death , do , as I hope my Soul shall be saved , affirm unto ye , that I was one of those who with Lewis have sworn it . Wherefore I now earnestly advise ye , that for the future ye provide for your Safety ; and that these things , which now I have related unto ye , be kept secret . And having thus said , this Nobleman forthwith expired . And when these Words were spread among the Barons , they were very much grieved to find themselves thus every way distressed . For Lewis had given their Lands and Castles , which he had in divers places subdued , to French-men , which they murmured at ; and that which troubled them the more was , that he gave out as if they were Traitors ; and it farther encreased their Sorrow to find that they were every Day excommunicated , and deprived of all Earthly Honour , whereby they fell into the greatest Affliction both of Body and Mind . Many of them therefore had Thoughts of returning to be obedient to King John ; but they were much afraid , whether he , whom they had so much provoked to hate them by their Revilings , would receive them upon their Repentance .

But by the timely Death of King John , which shortly after happen'd , and the setting up his Son to be King , to whom the Barons resorted , the villainous Design of Lewis , and his Adherents , became abortive , as the Historian tells us .