Rymer's Foedera with Syllabus: Epistle Dedicatory

Epiftle Dedicatory

TO THE QUEEN.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

This, the Eighth Volume which You give the World, contains, within a small Compass of Time, a wonderful Variety and Vicissitude of Affairs.

The Beginning gives some Glympses of a Change to ensue in England, and towards the End it discovers the Likely Prospect of a Revolution in France.

That People, whose Humour it has always been to be troublesome to their Neighbours, now that Henry the Fourth, Your Majesty's most Noble Progenitor, is upon the Throne, make their usual Efforts to annoy and give Disturbance in all Parts of his Dominions.

And, to perform some Feats of an extraordinary Figure, they hit upon a new Device, of forging Kings, and making counterfeit Princes.

In North Britain is idoliz'd that Phantom of a King, Thomas of Trumpyngton.

And Owen Glendourdy, that Impostor of a Prince, is set up to play the Mimick in Wales.

And so it was that this Pretender had the Honour to enter into a League Offensive and Defensive with the then French King, a League transacted with all the Solemnity and Equipage of their reciprocal Ambassadors and Credentials.

And undoubtedly the French were not wanting on occasion to support this their new Confederate, their trusty Ally, Owen Glendourdy.

But so far from Success were these Machinations of the Enemy, that, not long after, we see the most Eminent amongst them sue to this very King Henry the Fourth for his Protection.

Of which Number are the Duke of Berry, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Bourbon; they own this Henry the Fourth for their Lord and Sovereign, do him Homage, and become his Vassals.

And now it is, Most Redoubted Sovereign, now it is that the English Troops Pell-mell enter France, and but one Battel remains betwixt them and Paris.

For now indeed were the Dispositions made and Operations concerted, which afterwards are accomplish'd, and have Effect under Henry the Fifth, in the Eighth Year of his Reign,

Besides the Traverses of War, which are very extraordinary,

Treaties of Marriage, May it please Your most Excellent Majesty, make the most shining Part of this Volume.

Philippe of Lancaster is married to Erycus King of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, and Duke of Pomerania; And this is done more than Ten Years before that this King Erycus is discovered or brought to appear in History.

Here also is negotiated, by the Emperor Rupert, that Palatine Match betwixt his Son Lewis and Blanch our King's Daughter, with a Noble Train of German Princes attending the Ceremony.

From which Marriage are descended the Palatine Families, to this Day so much the Support and Ornament of the German Nation.

God's Providence, hitherto so manifest in Your Preservation, hath still the same Eye on Your Piety and Zeal for his Service; who shall say what yet farther Blessings are in Store, ordain'd for Your Majesty's Glory, the Good of Your People, and the Common Benefit of Humane Kind?

Which, that he grant, is the Prayer of,

Your Majesty's

Most Devoted Servant,

T. RYMER.