A Brief ACCOUNT OF THE Royal Matches OR Matrimonial Alliances, Which the Kings of England have made from time to time since the year 800. to this present 1662.  
Collected by a careful Collation of History with Records.  
LONDON, Printed by I. G. for. H. Brome at the Gun in Ivy-lane, MDCLXII.   

A Preamble.  
THE Saxons having succeeded the Romans in the sway of this Country, As they changed the name thereof from Britain to England, so the Government also came to be altered, and diffused to an Heptarchy or Septemvirat, for there ruled here seven Kings at once (such as they were) for the space of 400. years and more, during which time as the Government was confused, so the History is full of distraction and incertitudes, there being scarce any Authentic Record to be found for asserting any thing; In somuch that what is written of that Heptarchy is believed rather in courtesy, or by an implicit Faith then otherwise.  
But since Egbert King of the West Saxons came by his prowess and policy to be sole King of England, which was above 800. years since, the current of History runs more clear, and the Renown of the succeeding Kings rang louder beyond the Seas, which made foreign Princes to seek Alliances and Confederations with us.  
Therefore touching the present Design, we will take our Rise from that time when England came to be a Monarchy, and first of King Ethelwolph the Son of the foresaid Egbert, Anno Dom. 837.   

KIng Ethelwolph the second English Monarch, having visited Pope Gregory the fourth at Rome, and returning through France, married The Lady Judith, called in those days the Perl of Beauty, daughter to Charles the Bald, who was then Emperor and King of France.  
King Edward the Outlaw (as they called him) married The Lady Agatha daughter to the Emperor Hen. 2.  
King Athelstans' sister was married To Otho the Emperor.  
The Lady Margaret daughter to King Edmund Ironside coming to be Queen Regnant, was married To Malcolm the third King of Scotland, Anno 1026. whence King James and his Progenitors are lineally descended.  
King Canutus (the first of the three Danish Kings which reigned here about 26. years) married The Lady Emma sister to the Duke of Normandy, and Guinhilda his daughter by her was married to the Emperor Hen. 3.  
King Edward the Confessor, or St. Edward took a Wife at home (as all the rest of the Saxon Kings did, except the abovementioned) viz. The Lady Editha daughter to the Earl Godwyn.   

We come now to the Norman and English Kings after the Conquest.  
KIng William the first, or the Conqueror married The Lady Maude Daughter to the Earl of Flanders.  
King William the second called Rufus Had no wife, but divers natural children, among whom the Lord Bertran was most advanced.  
King Henry the first married. The Lady Matilda or Maude, daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland by Margaret sister to Edgar Atheling, whereby the Saxon or English Blood Royal was restored, he had by her Maude the Empress, but left 14. natural children besides, viz. seven Sons, and seven Daughters.  
King Stephen married The Lady Matilda the late Duke of Boulogne's daughter, but had no issue lived; He left two natural Sons, whereof the one was made Earl of Norfolk, the other Abbot of Westminster.  
King Henry the second Son of Maude the Empress (by jeffrey Plantagenet her second Husband) married Elinor the divorced Wife of Lewis the seventh King of France, by whom he had divers children, and left besides some natural children by Rosamund.  
King Richard the first married The Lady Berengania daughter to the King of Navarre.  
King john married three Wives, two at home, and one abroad, viz. Alice daughter to the Earl of Morton, and Avicen daughter to the Earl of Gloucester, and having no issue of neither, he married Isabel Heiress to the Duke of Angoulesme in France, of whom he had Hen. 3. (who succeeded him) and Richard who was Earl of Gloucester, and crowned King of the Romans.  
King Henry the third married Elinor daughter to Raymond Earl of Province in France, by whom was Edward the first, the scourge of the Scots, and Edmund Crouchback Duke of Lancaster, who was the ground of the feud 'twixt the two Roses.  
King Edward the first married two Wives, the first was Eleanor daughter to Ferdinand K. of Spain, by whom he had four Sons, and nine Daughters; His second Wife was Margaret eldest Daughter of Philip the Hardy King of France.  
King Edward the second of Caernarvon (the first installed Prince of Wales) married Isabel daughter of Philip le Bel▪ king of France.  
King Edward the third married. Philippe daughter to the Earl of Henault, by whom he had seven sons, and five daughters, the eldest was the Black Prince, who married at home, viz. the Lady Joan daughter to the Earl of Kent, though twice a Widow; he had two base Sons, Sir Robert Clarendon, and Sir John Sounder.  
Richard the second married two Wives, viz. The Lady Anne daughter to the Emperor Charles the fourth. His second Wife was Isabel daughter to Charles the sixth King of France.  
King Henry the fourth married two Wives, the first at home, viz. The Lady Mary daughter of Humphrey Bohun Earl of Hereford, etc. his second Wife was Joan Daughter to Charles King of Navarre.  
King Henry the fifth married Yhe Lady Katherine daughter to Charles the sixth of France, who being left a young Widow married Owen Tewdor of Wales, who was Grandfather to Hen. 7. and thereby restored the British Royal Blood, uniting it with the English.  
King Henry the sixth was married to Margaret daughter to Reyner Earl of Anjou, and King of Jerusalem, Sicily, and Arragon.  
King Edward the fourth married Elizabeth Widow of Sir John Grey.  
Richard the third married The Lady Anne daughter of Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick, widow to Ed. Prince of Wales, Son of Hen. 6.  
King Henry the seventh married The Lady Elizabeth daughter to Edw. the fourth, Heir to the House of York, who united the two Roses.  
King Henry the eight had six Wives, whereof three were Katherine's, two were Forreners, the other four born within the Realm; of which Wives, he was divorced from two, and two were beheaded. His first Wife was Katherine daughter of Ferdinand King of Spain, a most pious Lady, from whom after 20. years' cohabitation he got to be divorced. The second, Anne daughter of Sir Tho. Bullen Earl of Wiltshire, and Ormond. The third was Jane Seymor daughter to the Earl of Hartford. The foursh was Anne of Cleve, from whom he was divorced. The fifth was Katherine widow to the Lord Latimer, and daughter to Tho. Howard Duke of Norfolk beheaded and buried in the Tower with Anne of Bullen. The sixth was Katherine Parr, sister to the Marquis of Northampton.  
Queen Mary was married To Philip the second King of Spain.  
King james married The Lady Anne daughter to Frederick the third King of Denmark.  
King Charles the First married The Lady Henrietta Maria youngest daughter to Henry the great of France, which was the eighth Royal alliance that was 'twixt England and France.  
King Charles the Second married The Lady Katherine sole daughter to Don John the fourth King of Portugal, and sister to Don Alonso the sixth now Regnant.   

THere was a Matrimonial Alliance once before 'twixt the Blood Royal of England and Portugal, which was about Anno 1376. between john the First, King of Portugal, and the Lady Philippe daughter to john of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster; King john had five Sons by her, the two eldest with the Father were all three Knights of the Garter at one time; the youngest Son was Henry, who being a speculative studious Prince was much addicted to the Mathematics, and specially to the Art of Navigation, which induced him to set forth some Ships for Discovery of new Countries, and his Design succeeded so well, that in the first voyage, he discovered the Azores & other Islands in the Atlantic Sea, next the Coasts of Gu●ney, Cape Verd, and so at last the passage by the Promontory, or Cape of Good Hope to the East Indies, which discoveries have proved so gainful and glorious to that Nation ever since.  
By the former Alliance, it may be said that Portugal married with England, by this England hath married with Portugal. And as the former was the fortunatest Alliance that Portugal ever made by their own confession to this day; So may this prove to England: may all the blessings of Heaven be poured down upon it according to the due and daily Devotions of all truehearted Subjects, and particularly of I. H.  
FINIS.