great a concourse of People no one Voyce or Gesture of applause was heard or seene either for Protectour or Preacher their conceived hopes were rendered vaine so as both of them being utterly out of Countenance the one returned much confused to his Palace the other very Resolute to his House where understanding by his friends how exceedingly Hee was blamed Hee a few dayes after Died for meere shame The Protectour for all this ceased not to pursue his intent being resolved come what would come to effect His desire Audacity Importunacy and Violence might effect that which Fraud Calumny and Perswasion could not so as having put the Chamberlaine to death on the Thirteenth of Iuly and indeavored three or foure dayes after by Doctor Shaw's Preaching to seduce the People on the one and Twentieth of the same Moneth hee sent the Duke of Buckingham accompained by many Lords and Gentlemen to the Major and Aldermen of London with whom were likewise the Common Counsell of the City commanded purposely to attend Where being a very well spoken man hee made a long Narration of the last Kings Actions thereby to make his memory odious and his Children incapable of succession Hee said Hee was come to propound unto them a weighty businesse and of inestimable advantage to the whole Kingdome and every Member thereof the which conteined in it the security of their Lives their Wives Honesty and the safety of their Goods which till that time had beene subject to so many Robberies Taxes and Impositions which being imposed without necessity there was no hope of ever seeing an end of them the ablest men amongst them were most subject to these miseries as better endowed by Fortune then were the rest and because these grievances were not sufficient to satisfy Avarice great summes of Money were raised under Title of Benevolence the Title taking from both the Name and Nature that not being given with Good Will which being not in the power of the Giver to withstand was given by violence the Good Will remaining onely in the King in His Desiring it Receiving it and thereby inriching his Coffers things which though they were all insufferable yet might they bee indured were they not come to that height as that Impositions past on to Punishments Punishments to Ransomes deniall of the Benevolence to Contempt of the Lawes such contempt to Treason which was the Trap-hole whereinto did fall the Lives and Livelyhoods of the impoverished and evilly treated Subject so as so long and exemplary a Patience was not longer to bee indured Hee instanced in the Names of sundry that had come by Sinister ends that their Goods might bee seised on hee called the Auditors to witnesse not any one of them being there who had not had some feeling of these proceedings either in themselves or their friends That plots had not been wanting to endanger their Lives and Goods little things had beene made great meere Chimeras and imaginations though in themselves vaine were made capable of Pretence none was so poorely spirited or void of sence but might invent some any superficiall colour being sufficient to ruine the People Then falling upon discourse of the late Warres he shewed how his accesse unto the Crowne was through much blood That hee came to it before his time for during Henry the Sixt his Life Hee had no pretence thereunto The very imputation of being of the contrary faction was enough to make a rich Man a begger Great were the number of those that were impoverished the one halfe of the Kingdome at least being then Lancastrians Hee bad them consider how long the Warre indured which if it were deplorable betweene two severall Nations and in a forreigne Countrey how much more miserable was it at Home where the Sonne should be found to be against the Father one Brother against Another friends becomming Enemies Hee forgot not to urge his flight into Flanders when hee had lost the Kingdome and how many Mens lives his retorne cost as well of those who adhered to Him as of His opposers Hee called to minde the many fought Battells the cruelty used in Victories the desolations of Cities and Provinces the Slaughters of so many of the Nobility which were not for number and Valour to give way to whatsoever Empire and which was not to be regained but in a long revolution of time more blood being spent in a short time to lose themselves then was lost in so many Yeares for the winning of France That they had beene but little bettered by Peace rich Men not being secure of their Lives and Goods an avaritious Tyrant neither trusting nor loving one that had Power and Meanes not trusting nor loving His Brother he put him to a miserable Death For what concerned Woemens reputation it never had a more insnaring Enemy or Persecutor since not contented to have deceived the Lady Lucy with promise of Marriage and to have taken away the Wife of Shore a Man of such esteeme and here though from the purpose Hee fell to praise Shore to captivate the good will of his fellow Citizens hee never cast his Eye upon Woman in his Life that hee desired not to enjoy not regarding either the feare of God nor his Owne nor other mens Honour trampling the Laws under foote and those of Friendship and Blood whilst a Prince who is the Father of his Subjects should abstaine from so doing as from Incest his Women Subjects being his Daughters Hence proceeded the Earle of Warwickes distastes the illegitimate Marriage if Marriage it might be called with a Widdow full of Children and the renewing of a Civill Warre the cause of so many evills and if reputation which is for its owne sake to be desired were not the chiefe Ornament of Woemen the establishing of Families and of more worth then all Worldly Treasure hee ought to reverence it if not as the generall duty of All Princes to whom it is not permitted to usurpe what is another Mans much lesse his Honour the chiefest of all possessions yet as his owne Peculiar duty being Obliged to the noble City of London the Metropolitan of so great a Kingdome for that shee had taken part with the House of Yorke assisted it in so many Warres with Expence Blood and Danger and not to repay it with Ingratitude rendring evill for good shame for Honour and charging himselfe with an ignominy neither to be cancelled in this World nor forgotten in the World to come without the extraordinary mercy of God but was to be punished with like punishment as Tyranny Lust and Ingratitude But it was not to be wondred if Hee were such a Man Hee was like to little Rivulets which deriving themselves from Ditches and Marsh-grounds are thicke and muddy since not being of the House of Yorke Hee could not partake of the worth thereof his actions shewing Hee discended from some low and stinking originall That therefore they were to praise God who drying up the Puddle had given them a
that sided with him whereas Valentine on the contrary had Provinces Princes and Republiques for his enemies the wary wickednesse of the one will be the more remarkable who knew his advantage and the unwary rashnesse of the other who assisted onely by Ecclesiasticall forces terminable with the Popes death undertooke what was not to be effected or at least not long to be made good The ambition of getting the Kingdome began in Richard during his brothers life and having formerly plotted the whole affaire he laid the first ground-worke thereof by the death of Henry the sixth and the Duke of Clarence and in processe of time he finished the Fabrick by putting those to death who were likely to oppose him and by terrifying the rest he made his election which was made by the baser sort of people be as available as if it had been legally resolved upon by the whole Kingdome and which is further observable he pretended not to accept of it till intreated and enforced Arguments of a head-piece which had it been imployed in good enterprises instead of proving the most lewd might have been the wisest then to be found For all things else there was no evill which he committed not He betrayed his Nephews and then slue them he cheated his brothers wife and together with her those whom he made use of as instruments to remove the little Duke of Yorke from the Sanctuary in the height of cruelty and irreligion he counterfeited the perfection of piety and tendernesse of blood All his actions were larded with fraud and lyes the Queen and her brother were by him perswaded to lay downe their armes the later whereof he imprisoned and beheaded in like manner he incensed and slue the Chamberlaine He sacrilegiously divulged his mother to be an Adultresse in a place appropriated for preaching the Word of God declared his nephews to be Bastards counterfeited the good he had not conceal'd the evill he had was like to none but to himselfe Encomiums worthy of such qualities and qualities unworthy of that Crowne which consisting of Honour was whilst he wore it dishonoured by his wickednesse He omitted not any shew of sorrow at his brothers death he solemnised his Funerals at Yorke with the rites of mourning But whilst aiming at usurpation he seemed to be fond of his nephews whom he intended to betray he minded not divine admonitions which manifesting themselves by sundry waies are wont by way of observation to advertise us of dangers to the end that reforming our selves we may change our lives and thoughts from bad to good for Christian vertues are able to frustrate that which the Ancients called Fate by withdrawing us from vice and procuring the divine Providence to protect us The observations here meant are that all the Kings Richards and all the Dukes of Gloucester came to violent ends an observation redoubled in him being by name Richard and by title Duke of Gloucester Such like observations though they be not superstitiously to be believed yet are they not slightly to be despised But the proud man considers no other interest no not the concernment of his life so his ambition may be satisfied upon which his spirits were wholy bent and upon the arriving whereunto he out did himselfe He made his vices vertues He became courteous liberall and affable especially to Lawyers he studied nothing but justice observance of the Lawes and the peoples indempnity by which arts he prevailed so farre as the Crown which was tumultuously conferred upon him was legally offered him by the Parliament which with base flattery intreated him to accept of it out of these reasons That the Kingdome of England had been very happy under the government of wise Kings assisted by understanding Counsellors but when their successors began to governe themselves according to their owne fancies she fell into all manner of misery The chiefest of which and from which all the mischiefes of the present time did derive was Edward the fourths unfortunate praetended marriage with Elizabeth widow to Sir Iohn Gray who did still assume to her selfe the title of Queen which had perverted all the orders not onely of God and the Church but of nature and the Kingdome there being now no more propriety nor any condition which was not subject to feares since the Lawes either abandoned or abused were rendered uselesse and of no protection Hence proceeded faults of all sorts murthers extortions and such oppressions as men had no security neither of their lives nor fortunes much lesse of their wives or daughters all women were subject to violence nor was any one though she should refuse safe in her Honour To this might be added the blood of so many of the Nobility of hundred thousands of the Communalty shed in the late warres to the universall prejudice of all men and to the greatest sufferance of the most innocent That the forenamed pretended marriage was Clandestine made without the knowledge or consent of the Nobility the Devill was the authour thereof witchcraft the meanes Elizabeth the chiefe agent and her mother the Dutchesse of Bedford her coadjutrix that so it was believed and when time and place should serve it would be proved But that which chiefly aggravated this businesse was That King Edward was long before married to another Lady when he tooke her to his wife so as in living with her contrary to the Lawes of God and of the Church in continuall adultery his sonnes by her were bastards and as such incapable of succession That by this so heinous sinne and to the prejudice of the true heire hee had provoked Gods anger who had therefore forsaken him and brought the Kingdome into all those miseries For these and other reasons they were inforced to elect a King who by nature and by the Law was undoubted heire unto the Crown And because the Duke of Clarence convict of high treason in the seventeenth yeere of the reigne of his brother Edward had by his Attainder rendred his issue incapable of succession therefore the Protector being the onely undoubted sonne and heire of Richard Duke of Yorke He and no other was undoubted successour not reckoning in his vertues which were such as of themselves made him worthy of the Crowne he being so richly indowed especially with justice wisedome and valour witnessed in so many actions and battels wherein he had personally beene shewing his naturall inclination to the common good Whereupon having no other respect but the peace and tranquillity of the Kingdome his prosperity and ancient reputation they had chosen him their King and Soveraigne Lord. Intreating him to accept the charge as well by Title of Inheritance as of Election they promising for their parts that they would be his good and faithfull Subjects ready upon this and any good occasion to live and die with him for the oppressions and extortions they had suffered contrary to the Lawes of God and the Kingdome had made them resolve to runne what ever danger
of the Prince and so to lose together with their wealth their reputation which in so great a losse ought to bee kept unspotted for the dignity of their profession and not to give a colour of reason to the wrong they were to receive Every one thought the Kings warlike inclination would bee the Canon which should batter them to pieces but hee not having as yet made choyce of an enemy warre with France would be of a vaste expence Scotland was neerer hand and easier to bee invaded Iames the first their King being prisoner in England they thought that his pretentions to the Crowne of France as most proportionate to the greatnesse of his minde would serve for an argument and that by perswading him to that enterprise they should stay the proposition which was to be made against them The Parliament being met the Archbishop of Canterbury a Chertosin Monke failed not in a well ordered speech opportunely to propound it his principall heads were the equity of his Majesties pretentions the honour of the King the reputation of the State and the occasions now offered of making it feasable by reason of the troubles that Kingdome was in In the first he shewed how the King was the naturall ancient heire of Normandy Angier Poictou Umena and Gascony of all which he now possessed onely a little part of Gascony That being heire to Edward the third hee was likewise heire to France otherwise the title which he thereof assumed would be unjust He declamed against the Salique Law as invented in those dayes onely to exclude England no mention being made thereof in Chronicles or other memorialls but since I cannot give you the very words the story necessary requires me to shew you the Law in a rough draught to the end that you may examine the late undertakings of Edward the third or the present ones of this Henry against that Kingdome be justifiable or no. Edward the second King of England married Isabell daughter to Philip the faire King of France Philip besides this his daughter Isabell left three sonnes Lewis Hutin Philip the long and Charles the faire all which reigned Kings one after another and though Lewis left a daughter named Iane and his wife with child of a sonne which soone after dyed and that Odone Duke of Burgony Uncle by the mother side to Iane did what in him lay to make her succeede unto her father yet Philip the long her Uncle who was crowned in Rheims whilst armed and the gates shut having then foure daughters did by marriage appease those Princes who did oppose him giving his eldest daughter to this Duke of Burgony together with the County of Burgony the which by her mother did belong to the said Iane and to Lewis Count of Eureux the most poteâ—… Prince of all the adversaries hee gave the same Iane and for her portion the Kingdome of Navarre the County of Brye and Shampania so as the businesse thus layed asleepe and he afterwards dying Charles succeeded him not interrupted by Iane since her giving way to her other Uncle passed as a ruled case Charles dyed leaving his wife with child Edward the third King of England who was neerest of bloud as borne of Isabell sister to these three Kings pretended to the regency in case the child the Queen went withall should live if otherwise to the Crown On the other side Philip Count of Vallois sonne to Châ—…rles who was brother to Philip the faire made the like pretence as neerest heire male alledging that the Law Salique which did exclude the women did likewise exclude such sonnes as were by them borne Whereupon the three States gathered together Philip got the regencie and the Queen Dowager bringing but a daughter the Kingdome Edward alledged in his behalfe that this law was never knowne till then and then invented to defraude him of succession no mention being made thereof in the memory of man nor by any whatsoever ancient Authentique writer That to give it a being when it had none and cause it to rise up in one night like a mushrome was likely not onely not to give it a subsistence but also to make it not to be credited That hee did not deny the succession of the male in all times past but that the succession of the female sex had not hapned to the Crowne till these present times That the relinquishment made by Iane to her owne prejudice and pursued without his consent or knowledge ought not to prejudice him nor ought it be concluded that shee having laide aside her claime to the prejudice of a third the third should likewise quit his claime to the prejudice of succession That she had yeelded by force being doubly betrayed by her Uncle that he migâ—…t usurpe the Country of Burgony and by her husband that he might make himselfe King of Navarre both of them being contented with the certainty of this gaine the hopes which they might promise unto themselves by warre being uncertaine and of lesse account That if the Law were fundamentall as they would have it beleeved to be it would not have beene violated in the two first races That in the first race the French writers made a doubt whether Morevius were the sonne of Claudian or not and that if he were not his son it is to be beleeved say they that hee was his next a kin which is as much as to conjecture the one and doubt of the other They affirme him to have succeeded not so much by vertue of the Lawes as by the free election of the States not being aware that the terme free election doth contradict the Law Salique it being impossible that there should bee any sort of election much lesse free where the Lawes doe determine an undoubted successour otherwise one of two inconveniencies would necessarily ensue either that the election should annull the Law or the Law make the election superfluous the next in bloud all others excluded being by the Law without election appointed to the Crowne That it cannot be denyed that when Childericus was driven out of the Kingdome Aegidius a Citizen of Rome was chosen King and that his sonne Siagrius after the death of Childericus who was received as King again did pretend unto the Crowne by vertue of his fathers election which he never would have done had there beene such a Law to oppugne him Clodoveus left foure sonnes of which one was a bastard they were all called Kings not onely of such proportions as was left unto them by their father but of all France whilst the Law Salique supposeth but one King and doth not admit of bastards Dagobert left the Crowne of France to Clodoveus the second his younger son and to Sigisbert his eldest sonne the Kingdome of Austracia without any manner of dispute whilest that the Law Salique aimes not so much at the exclusion of women as to the advantage the first borne sonne should have over the younger The same Sigisbert
fell and Marrying him to one of his Daughters he began under that pretext to trouble him againe the which though it were done under the name of the Count de Pointevere yet it being the forces of France which did most oppresse him he was forced to betake himselfe to his accustomed Protection of England without the which as he could not preserve himselfe being surmounted by France so could he find no peace to affie in with France being betrayed and disobeyed by his Subjects at last having reconciled himselfe to Clissonne and both of them being dead Iohn the fift his Sonne he of of whom wee now speake brought up in France under the Government of Iohn Duke of Burgony Sonne in Law to Charles the sixt would have beene constant if the French had knowne how to conceale their desire of taking from him his Estate a thing which he deserved not for he had sundry times given them proofes of his good will especially when being come to Amiens with 10000. fighting Men two dayes before the battell of Agencourt he sent to the Commanders to desire them to stay for him the which to their Cost they would not doe his Brother the Count de Richmond being there sorely wounded and taken Prisoner France by this and other losses growing into a bad condition Henry the fift being powerfull in Normandy and he having beene treacherously made Prisoner by Pointeveres Bretheren and set at liberty by his Subjects and knowing by certaine of the Kings and Dolphins letters which came into his hands that it was they who had beene the boutefe◅'s to boote that it made not for him to have so puissant an Army upon his confines he made agreement with Henry and afterward forsooke him being naturally inclyn'd to the other side at last the two Kings being dead to comply with Philip of Burgony he condescended to this last confederacy with the Duke of Bedford at Amiens The following inconstancies will be by this story manifested one thing only remaines to be superficiously knowne that Britanny was never at quiet till such time as Lewis the twelfth having Married Anne the last Heire of whom came Claudia and Renete the latter Married to Hercules the second Duke of Ferrara the former to Francis the first King of France shee was by the said Francis united to the Crowne of France The Duke of Bedford made but small abode after his returne to Paris for having assembled a great number of Souldiers he went to celebrate his Marriage at Blois in Champania whether his Wife was brought accompanied with a great number of the chiefest Ladies and Lords of Burgony the Marriage being consummated and the solemnities over he brought her along with him not forbearing by the way as he came to besiege Pons upon the Seene which he tooke by assault putting the defendants to the Sword so as his Wife amidsts armes and bloud was brought to Paris The Earle of Salisbury was gone to besiege Montegulionna a little Fort but of much inconvenience to the Neighbouring parts for being hardly to be taken for Garrison though not of above 120. Men was become very insolent he spent there 6 Moneths having indeavoured though in vaine at his first comming to take it by assault This meane while William Stuart Constable of Scotland was come into France with 3000. Scotts with whom together with certaine others that were added unto him by Charles he went to besiege Crevant a place which held for the Duke of Burgony whose Mother he being himselfe in the Low Countries gave order to Tonlongonne his Marshall to succour it having advertis'd the Regent Bedford that he might doe as much on his side Salisbury was comanded to assist in this succour so as leaving Men sufficient to continue the siege he joyned himselfe with Tonlongonne in Auserres and being come within a quarter of a league of Crevant they lighted making their Horses be led aloofe of from the Army to the end that they might rely upon their Souldiers Armes not their Horses leggs they marched slowly up unto the Enemy that they might not tyre themselves being much incumbred by the Sunne which in Iuly seem'd to them being arm'd and in March to be very hot The Scotch Campe was augmented by 600. Spanish Horse sent thither by Charles under the Conduct of Marishall Severa◅ to boote with whom was come the Count de Vantadore and many others these were placed upon an advantageous Hill by which the English were to have come if they had taken that way but cōming another way they could not joyne Battell for the River Iona was betweene them Such was the will they had to fight as drew them downe into the plaine keeping themselves in readynes the one nor the other side not doing any thing for almost the space of 3. Howres The first that mov'd were the English and Burgonians as those who were come with a resolution to fight they set upon a Bridge defended by the Enemy and having wonne it passed forward whilst those of the Town sallyed forth to second them the Battell was fought with vallour resolution and hatred but the Scotts who had placed themselves in the Forefront of the Battell being almost all slaine or taken Prisoners amongst the number of Prisoners were the Constable and the Count de Ventadoure each of them with like misfortune having lost an eye and the French set upon behind by the Garrison of Crevent the Assailants wonne the field having slaine 1200. of the Enemies and taken 400. Prisoners This Victory to boote with the freeing of Crevant was accompanied with the taking in of Cussi Chasteau de La Roche Schartres upon the Loire Mondidiere Abbeville and Han upon the Soame This is the relation made by Monstrelette and the French Writers The English Writers who do particularly name the chiefe of those who were slaine or taken Prisoners affirme that their Men past the River forcing not only the Bridge but the Foords that besides the chiefe Men whom they name and the ordinary Souldiers which they put not into this number they slew 1800. French Gentlemen 3000. Scotts amongst which the Lord of St. Iohnstonne and 12. Knights whose names they relate and tooke 2200. French Prisoners all Gentlemen that on their side were slaine 2100 amongst which Sr Iohn Gray Sr. William Hale Sr. Gilbert Halsull and Sr. Richard Madocks Boetius and Buchanan speake nothing at all of this let the Reader beleeve as he listeth After this bickering the Earle of Salisbury return'd to his Siege of Montaguliome where he found that the defendants of 120. that they were were reduc'd to 30 the rest having forsaken the place to the end that the Victualls might hold out the longer to those that remained but when they had eaten all their Horses they could not though yeelding up the Towne save their lives without the summe of 22000. peeces of Gold by them there called Saluti which they obliged themselves to pay leaving foure of the chiefest of them
and Abbey and many Houses they retired to Mount Saint Martin where la Hire expected them who having this meane while burn't Beaurevoire and la Motta a house of pleasure belonging to the Countesse de Laigni being reunited to them did infinite mischiefe in the Countrey not meeting with any opposition as hee before so resaw hee should not for Iohn de Luxenburgh Count de Laigni and Count S. Paul his nephew being diverted from those affaires by reason of the old Count Peter his Brother there was none other that could withstand him in so much as having scoured the Champion burnt Houses and made great booty hee went to Laon to divide the prey all his men returning rich unto their Garrisons and not one man of them lost Paunesach a Captaine of Laon payed for these losses for being one that did emulate or rather envy the others good fortune hee phancied unto himselfe the like successe Hee went towards Marle with 400. Souldiers intending to surprize Vervins which belonged to Giovanna de Bar daughter in law to the above named Iohn de Luxenburg but as soone as hee had begun to set fire on the suburbs of Marle neere unto Vervins Iohn came up unto him who upon the first advertisement came together with his nephew with all possible speede to interrupt him and gave him battle Monstrelet sayes that Iohn did wonders in his owne Person that hee alone would have beene able to have beaten the enemy had they beene more in number then they were Hee slew about 160. of them tooke 80. of them prisoners the greatest part whereof were hang'd the next day and to flesh his nephew hee made him kill some of them the which hee did with such dexterity and tooke such delight in embruing his hands in bloud as hee gave open testimony of his naturall bad inclination a cruell custome and not to bee practised Wee are naturally too apt to doe evill though some are of an opinion that a Souldier cannot bee a perfect warrier unlesse hee bee perfectly cruell Others attribute this worke to Willoughby and Kerill sent by the Regent as soone as hee heard the French had entred the upper Burgony that it was they that slew the 160. recovering those places to Philip which hee had formerly lost At this time the Lord Talbot was returned from England with 800. men and having taken the way of Roan to goe to Paris hee by the way set upon Ioyng a Castle seated betweene Beauvois and Gizâ—… hee destroyed it and hang'd up the Inhabitants Being come to Paris his army was increased by some troopes commanded by the Marishall de Lilliadam and Monsieur d'Orveille where withall hee tooke and raised Beaumont upon the Oyse By composition hee recovered the City and Castle of Creil held by Amadore de Vignelles Pont Saint Massens Nonaville and Casaresse yeelded unto him hee tooke by force the City of Crespi in Valois and recovered Cleremont which was formerly taken by the enemies Hee thought to have assayed Beauvois but finding it in a condition not to bee enforced With so few numbers hee returned with great booty to Paris In pursuite of this good fortune the Earle of Arundel went to besiege Bommolins which being surrendered hee destroyed Hee went to Orle in the County of Mayne and playing upon it with his Canon hee had it upon composition But being gone towards Saint Selerine Monsieur de Lore beleeving that hee came to charge him came forth into the field and surprized him Giles sayes that hee slew about 80. or 100. of his men and made the rest runne away being for the space of an houre Maister of the Artillery victualls and tents but that the English making head againe did againe charge upon them though hee returned with 80. horse and many prisoners The English say that being set upon at unawares they gave backe about a bow-shoot that being encouraged by the Earle they slew a great many of them and enforced the rest to save themselves within the City Disagreements which will not permit judgement to bee passed upon the businesse And yet as it seemeth to me Giles himselfe doth explaine it for if the French were Maisters of the artillery baggage and tents for an houre the permitting them to bee taken from them makes it cleare unto us that they who tooke them last had the advantage the remainder resting doubtfull whether they retreated or fled with the booty of horses and prisoners as Giles reports or rather whether their onely gaine was the safegard of themselves Hee and Hallian doe both report that about 12000. of the English besieged the City of Louviers wherein were the two brothers la Hire and Amadore de Vignolles Florence d'Illiers Ghirard de la Paliera and many others who all did valiantly defend themselves but not able to withstand so great a number they yeelded the City and the Walles thereof were throwen downe They name not the mayne who did command in chiefe in this great number of men whilest in the like and in actions of lesser consequence they omit not the name of any one particular Captaine for since they would have the Earle of Arundell to bee routed if they should name him here they would call in question the first defeate The English say that it was hee who besieged Louviers and that it was yeelded unto him without the striking of a blow that it was in his returne to Saint Selerin that hee had so powerfull an army Louviers being fallen into his hands when hee had onely his first ordinary forces That hee besieged Saint Selerin for three Moneths together at the end whereof hee tooke it by force and therein tooke Monsieur de Lore's sonnes prisoners and slew Iohn d' Armagne William de Saint Aubin both of them Captaines and 800. of the garrison Giles and Hallian confesse the three Moneths siege and the assault wherein the two Captaines were taken but in stead of saying it was taken they say it was like to bee taken and that the besieged not being succoured were inforced to surrender the Towne to receive safe conduct and to march away on foot not carrying any thing along with them Chartier Goguinus and Dupleix say that hee tooke it and Serres that hee tooke it by force so as if the English Writers needed to proove the truth of what they say it would bee made good by the contradiction of their adversaries from hence the Earle went to the siege of Silli which is by them related with like inequality Giles sayes that the captaine thereof articled to surrender up the place in case that hee were not succoured or that the Earle were not fought withall within 15. dayes and that hereupon hee gave him ostages That the Duke d' Alanson Charles d' Aniou the Count de Richmont the Marishall of France Messieurs de Lokhac and Graville who at the importunity of Monsieur de Lore had gathered a great army to succour Saint Selerin made use thereof to succour Silly
more neerely concerne him that nothing could be more acceptable to subjects than to take a wife from amongst them since children must issue from the same blood that for portion he valued it not having more than he knew what to doe withall that for all other inconveniences contentment in a wife with whom one was to live and die did out-weigh them all His mother finding her perswasions to be of no force bethought herselfe of another means which proved alike vaine The King upon promise of marriage had wrought to his desire a Lady of great birth named Elizabeth Lucy She alledged that since before God this Lady was his legitimate wife he could not marry any other An impediment which delayed his satisfaction in the other for the Bishops required proofe thereof But the Lady Lucy examined upon oath in opposition to the instigation of the Dutchesse and her owne honour and interest did depose that the King did never passe unto her any direct promise but that hee had said such things unto her as had shee not thought them thereunto equivalent shee had never condescended to his will Upon this deposition the King did privately marry the other the marriage being afterwards published by her Coronation None were pleased herewithall the Nobility lesse than the Communalty their greatnesse being obscured by the sudden splendor of the Queenes kindred Her father was created Earle Rivers and shortly after made Lord High-constable of England Her brother Anthony was enricht by the marriage of the daughter and heire of the Lord Scales which Title was likewise conferred upon him Her sonne Thomas Gray which she had by her former husband did afterwards marry the daughter of William Bonneville Lord Harrington and was created Marquis Dorser Historians observe many mischiefes that ensued from this marriage besides the death of so many that was caused thereby Edward did thereby lose his Kingdome his children were declared to be bastards and strangled the Queenes house extirpated the Earle of Warwicke and his brother slaine But they name not the death of King Henry and his sonne which had not hapned had not the Earle of Warwicke for this cause taken up Armes King Lewis though thus abused did not suffer himselfe to be transported by passion but making use of his naturall dissembling expected a time for revenge And to pacifie the two sisters hee not long after married Bona to Galiazzo Maria Sforza Duke of Milan sonne to Francis but not with so good successe as Hall reports for her husband being slaine she within a few yeeres became a widdow and by her ill government afforded occasion to his cousin Lodowicke Sforza to take from her the government and the government life and Dukedome from her sonne Iohn Galeazzo The Earle of Warwicke this meane while wounded in his reputation parted from France more sensible thereof than he made shew for he could not though so farre cloake his anger but that Lewis was aware of it Being returned to England he so behaved himselfe with the King as that he seemed not to be at all distasted whilst this present injury did call to mind many other formerly received which would not though have hurried him to his ruine had it not been for this He saw how the King did apprehend his greatnesse and grew jealous thereof that his designe was to suppresse him when himselfe should be better established that he thought not himselfe King whilst men thought him as necessary to the conservation of the State as he was to the obtaining thereof That the services hee had done him were of such a nature as to shunne the tie of obligation ingratefull people doe oft times desire to rid themselves of the obliger That the state of businesse was such as would not suffer him to be debarred the communication thereof though Edward thought hee did thereby communicate unto him his government and made him Colleague of his Kingdome That he had sought after all occasions to bereave him of mens good opinion All which made him believe that he was sent into France to this purpose To this may be added and which boyled in him more than all the rest that Edward would have dishonoured his house by tempting the honesty of I know not whether his daughter or his neece wherein though he did not succeed the offering at it ceaseth not to be mischievous and wicked as a thing whereby he endeavoured to dishonour the family of his kinsman servant and benefactor All these things put together begat in him such an hatred as hee resolved to depose him and re-inthrone Henry as soone as a fit occasion should present it selfe And though hee retired himselfe to Warwicke under a pretence of an indisposition of health yet did the King spie his discontents though not so much as it behoved him to have done for hee thought him not so sufficient to depose him as he was to raise him up and that out of two reasons First that Princes doe seldome mistrust their owne power especially with their subjects secondly for that they doe believe the injuries they do are written in Brasse by those who receive them whilst they who doe them write them in Sand. The Queene was this yeere delivered of a daughter named Elizabeth who put a period to the Civill warres by marrying with Henry the VII Edward did this meane while peaceably possesse his Kingdome his enemies were all or slaine undone or frightned He had none to feare save France and her but a little for Lewis was more inclined to wage warre at home than abroad Hee forbare not though to joyne friendship with Iohn King of Arragon who upon occasion might by way of diversion assist him in Languedocke a good though deceitfull foresight for it often happens that many yeeres are spent in the cultivating of a friendship which proveth faulty in the harvest Yet wisdome it is to manure such as put us not to too great charge for the opinion of having friends weighes with our enemies This friendship occasioned the transportation of a great many sheepe into Spaine whereby England was as much impoverished as Spaine was inriched He likewise for the same respect concluded a Truce with Scotland for 15 yeeres But the friendship of the Duke of Burgundy was that which most availed him and which re-established him in his Kingdome when he had lost it Philip the Duke of Burgundy did yet live and his sonne Count Caralois who by two wives had one onely daughter afterwards the sole heire of all those Territories the Duke was minded to marry him the third time hoping to secure the succession by issue male He bethought himselfe of Margaret sister to Edward a Princesse of great beauty and indued with a spirit not usuall to her sex but her being of the house of Yorke made him stagger in his resolutions For that the Queene of Portugall his wives mother was a daughter of the house of Lancaster by reason whereof her sonne Charles did love that house and
hate the other But since he could make no alliance of more jealousie to France nor of more commodity to the Low-Countreys he sent Anthony the eldest of his naturall sonnes commonly called the Bastard of Burgundy with some others Ambassadour into England to this effect He came with a retinue of 400. horse with rich Liveries and richer furniture He was graciously received by the King The businesse being propounded in Councell none with stood it but the Earle of Warwicke For framing the Rebellion which hee had formerly plotted with himselfe hee conceived this match would be harmfull to Lewis on whom he intended to relie and good for Edward whom he intended to destroy But he having but one vote the Ambassadours request was granted and Edward promised friendship to the friends of Burgundy and enmity to his enemies He presented his sister to the Bastard and other Ambassadors who kissed her hand as their Princesse and presented her with very rich Jewels which she accepted of with termes of gratitude both to her father in law and husband Great were the entertainments that were made Challenges at Tilt passed between the Bastard and the Lord Scales the Queenes brother and between his followers and the English Gentry the which I passe by as not requisite to our story In midst of these revellings came the newes of Philippes death which much grieved the Bastard so as taking leave of the King and of the new Dutchesse of Burgundy and being richly presented he passed over into Brabant and made such a relation to the Duke his brother of his Bride as did very well satisfie him Who as soon as he had appeased the Legeois wherein he spent some time he desired Edward to send her over unto him according to the Articles of the Contract which he forthwith did She tooke shipping at Dover being attended on by 500. horse and accompanied by the two sisters Anne Dutchesse of Exceter and Elizabeth Dutchesse of Suffolke She landed at Slewes and went from thence to Bourges where the marriage was celebrated The Earle of Warwicke could not at length so well dissemble his distasts as that the King did not perceive them But Princes are not wont to give satisfaction to their inferiours especially to their subjects lest they might tacitely confesse those faults into which as being exempt they pretend they cannot fall or else shew some sort of humiliation repugnant to their greatnesse This increased the Earles indignation for surposed ignorance admits of excuse which confest knowledge doth not so as thinking himselfe injured before contrary to all reason and his injury being now doubled by the no account that was made of it he resolved forthwith to doe what he along time before had thought upon And so dangerous resolutions not being to be undertaken without assistance he judged the assistance of his owne brothers fittest the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquesse When he had begun his discourse and laid open the reasons which moved him thereunto hee made an odious Parallell between Henry and Edward magnifying the gratitude and goodnesse of the former the ingratitude and wickednesse of the other He shewed how that their house had been the forwardest to spend their lives and livelihoods in the service of the Duke of Yorke the father and of Edward himselfe to make him King who had not recompenced them according to their high deserts and yet durst upbraid them with having been the raiser of their house whilst next under God they ought their chiefest honour to Henry that not contented thus to vilifie them he had endeavoured to dishonour their family and render it infamous by attempting to vitiate a daughter thereof He exaggerated the affront about the match with the Lady Bona which would not have been offered to the most contemptible man in the world Moreover that he had no waies excused it unto him but passed it over in silence not weighing that a mans honour ought to be more deare unto him than the apple of his eye or life it selfe Yet that he did not wonder at all this for that Edward judging other men by himselfe he thought other men should make as small account of their honour as he had alwaies done of his promises That his resolution was to doe what possibly hee could to take from him that Crowne which he had placed on his head and place it againe upon Henry a good and lawfull King That since they did partake with him in the injuries they ought likewise share with him in the revenge which would easily be effected if they would chearefully and heartily betake themselves unto it as they ought and as the chiefest of the Kingdome would doe And that he did assure himselfe they should not want assistance from Princes beyond the Seas necessity requiring it This proposition as it was unexpected so was it not at the first accepted of by the brothers But the Archbishop after long disputes giving way thereunto the Marquesse though with much difficulty suffered himselfe at last to be perswaded likewise moved by the tie of blood not any inclination of his owne for he loved Edward and was beloved by him This ambiguity was the ruine of them all for hee not able to deny his brothers nor yet to betray his Prince did amisse on both sides He assisted Edward by not cordially assisting his brother and he betrayed his brother by not heartily betaking himselfe to betray Edward Warwicke having laid this first groud-worke of his ruinous building he pursued the fabricke thereof with the Duke of Clarence for seeing him no waies pleased hee resolved to trie him Hee seemed to be sensible of the coolnesse used by the King of late to the Duke and expected what he would reply But he like a Cornet which with the first breath sends the sound abroad answered It was in vaine to complaine of things ancient and desperate That the King was in his owne nature disobliging and ungratefull and most to such as he was most obliged unto That since he made no account of his owne brothers much lesse would he doe it of other friends That he more valued his wives blood than his owne That he had disposed of three rich heires by marrying them to her sonne her brother and the Lord Hastings Mushroms sprung up in one night not having any consideration of his owne brethren Continuing in such like angry and threatning discourse hee gave the Earle occasion to lay himselfe open unto him who offered unto him his daugher with equivalent portion to those that he had named with numberlesse other promises and hopes The Duke was so blinded with his anger as hee minded not the injury he did unto himselfe that favouring the house of Lancaster the thing now in question hee destroyed his owne When it was more available to him to have his brother King than all the good could derive to him from this his ill taken advice The Earle more blinde than he did not consider the interest of
but he freed himselfe from any the least signe of guilt and Richard seemed not to valve his Wife least if He should embrue his Hands in the blood of a Lady of so great quality He might yet more incite the Peoples hatred He was contented shee should be committed to the custody of her Husband with order that she should be kept in some private place of her House and that none should be suffered to come to her who might conveigh Letters to her Son or Messages to any Other He also caused William Collingborne who had beene High Sheriffe of Wiltshire and Dorsetshire to be executed for having written by way of jeare That a Cot a Rat and Lovell the Dog did Governe England under a Hog alluding by Cat to Catesby by Rat to Ratcliffe and by the Dog to the Lord Lovell who gave the Dog for his Armes as did Richard the Boare for His and these three were His chiefest Favourites Some were of opinion Hee was put to death for having had Intelligence with the Earle of Richmond and with Marquis Dorset for hee was convict to have proffered Money to a certaine man to carry Letters into Britanny wherein Hee perswaded them to come Instantly and Land at Poole in Dorsetshire whilst Hee assisted by others would raise the People To keepe himselfe from troubles out of Forraine parts and that He might the betteâ—… minde his Home-broyles Richard thought necessary to hold good intelligence with the King of Scotland who often troubling Him with Inroades diverted him from his Home-affaires wherein consisted the preservation of his Life and Kingdome This businesse was treated by Commissioners who agreed upon a Truce for Three yeares each of them being to keepe what they were possest of except the Castle of Dunbarre which was given to King Edward by the Duke of Albany the last time that Hee fled from Scotland which the Scots would have restored And that he might have a double tie upon them he concluded a Marriage betweene the Duke of Rothsay Prince and Heâ—…e of Scotland and his Neece Anne of Poole Daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and his Owne Sister Anne a Lady so affectionately beloved by him as his Onely Sonne the Prince of Wales being dead he made Her Sonne Iohn Earle of Lincolne be proclamed heire to the Crowne disinheriting of meere hatred his brothers Daughters and for that having declared them to be Bastards his Owne title was preserved by the continuaâ—…ce of their such repute All these precautions did noâ—… notwithstanding free his perturbed minde from those furies which leaving their naturall habitation had brought Hell into his Conscience so as though Buckingham were dead and so many others Dead and Banisht yet could not he have any Security his 〈◊〉 commited his deserved Hatred and the Earle of Richmond would not suffer him to enjoy any one houres rest And albeit in his contriving how to usurpe the Crowne hee made no account of Him whilst his brother livâ—…d his minde being then fixt upon Henry that had beene King and was then in Being yet Times and Persons being changed He likewise changed Opinion the one being Dead the other Alive and at Liberty and who was the onely man that with Right and Justice could do that to Him which he unjustly and against all Right had cruelly done to others Hee therefore indevour'd againe to have the Earle in his possession or at least that the Duke of Britanny by bereaving him of his Liberty as he had done in his brother King Edwards time would secure him from the Mischiefe that might ensue by his comming into England and not believing he was likely to obtaine a favour of this nature by way of Friendship much lesse for any Rights sake he grounded his demands upon the basis of Profit and Interest the onely meanes to obtaine ones desire from such as have no feeling of Justice He loaded his Embassadours with Monies and Presents to present unto the Duke together with Them he offered him Richmondshire and all the Revenues of the Earle as likewise all that belonged in England to all those that were fled over to him into Britanny the which being very much would have sufficed to have corrupted any other save Duke Francis the second one of the Noblest and most vertuous Princes that lived in those times as he was held by all men This is Argeâ—…es his relation who affirmes hee hath found among the Records of Britanny the grant of this County together with the Names of the Churches Monasteries and Priories therein but if the Duke should die without heires of his body the Reversion should fall to the King The Embassadours or Deputies as Hee 〈◊〉 them could not have accesse unto the Duke being come to a season that He was beside Himselfe an infirmity He was often subject unto whereupon they made their adresses to Peter Landais who had power to dispose of the Prince and State as He pleased The large sums of English money made him listen to what they propounded his base minde not valuing Honour made him accept of the Offer but not in such manner as it was propounded For He being the man that was to deliver up the Earle the Duke not being in condition either to yeild him or to detaine Him He would have Richmondshire to himselfe whereupon many Messengers were sundry times dispatcht for England which was the Earles safety for these practises being discovered in England and the Bishop of Ely being adveâ—…tised in 〈◊〉 He speedily gave the Earle notice thereof advising him immediately to depart from thence for that He was bought and sold betweene Richard and those who were of chiefe authority in that State so as if He did not sodainely save himselfe He would fall into his enemies hands The Earle received this advertisement when He was at Vennes from whence hee sent 〈◊〉 France 〈◊〉 a safe-conduct which was by the King thereof without delay sent him and it being impossible to save Himselfe and all his Partakers at the same time he feigned to send the Lords that were with him to visit the Duke at Rennes giving order to the Earle of Pembroke who conducted them that when they should be upon the Confines He should immediately quit the Countrey as he did whilst He himselfe feigning two dayes after to visit a friend of his not farre from Vannes got on horse-back waited on onely by Five servants and when He was entred the Wood He put on one of His servants Coates and got by By-wayes out of the State and arrived at Aniou whether the Earle of Pembroke with the rest were but long before come His escape was the easier in that it was not suspected having left above three Hundred English all of His Retinue behinde him in Vennes otherwise it would have gone ill with Him For Peter had already raised people and appointed Commanders over them who were within three dayes to have beene at Vennes to have detained Him hearing by what meanes I cannot
tell of his Departure he dispatched so speedily after Him as those who had the Commission to stay Him got to the uttermost bounds of Britanny not above an Houre after He was gone out of them The Duke being this time returned to His perfect sence was displeased hereat thinking this might redound to his Dishonour He chid Landais and commanded that all the English that were left in Vennes should be suffered to depart making them to be defrayed not onely whilst they were in His State but till they came to their Master to whom He likewise sent the Money He had promised by Edward Woodvile and Edward Poinings two English Gentlemen for the which the Earle returned Him many Thankes saying He should not be at quiet till Fortune had befriended Him with some meanes whereby in some sort to requite His infinite Obligation to the Duke by whose favour only He lived King Charles was then at Langres whither the Earle went to Him and acquainted Him with the reason of His flight from Britanny and how the Nobility and People of England had sent for Him to free them from Richards tyranny Hee intreated his assistance which was not hard to obtaine from so generous a Prince as Hee was against one who for his notorious wickednesse was abhorred by all men The King bad him be of good comfort promised to assist him and brought him on his way to Montargis treating the Lords that were with him with hospitality becomming a King whilst thus he was ordering his affaires Fortune the better to encourage him sent unto him a man not onely forgotten but who was little better then thought dead Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford who after the Battell at Barnet had gotten into Scotland from thence to France and from thence had made himselfe Master of Saint Michales Mount in Coâ—…wall where being besieged and yeilding up the place King Edward had sent him prisoner This Noble-man had so farre prevailed with Sir Iames Blunt Captaine of that Fort and Sir Iohn Fortescue Porrer of Callis that he did not onely obtaine his liberty but got them to forsake their commands and go along with him to put themselves under the conduct of the Earle of Richmond But Blunt having left his Wife and all his goods in Hammes he fortified it compleately and added to the usuall garison an extraordinary number of Souldiers to the end that if they should be besieged they might defend themselves till Fortune had turned her back upon Richard The Earle tooke this unexpected Liberty of the Earle of Oxford as a good augury for being of Noble Blood of esteemed valour of praise-worthy constancy having beene alwayes a sider with the House of Lancaster one in whom vertues disputed for precedency in whom wisdome and valour were rivalls he thought God had given him his Liberty at this so necessary time that hee might assist him The King being returned to Paris the Earles retinue increased all that were fled from England as well as all the English that were in those parts either as Schollers in the Universities or returning from their Travells flockt unto him amongst which one Richard Fox a Secular Priest a man of very good parts who was shortly after advanced to great places and dignities Richard this meane while was not wanting to Himselfe his spirits were bent upon his Owne Preservation and the preservation of the Crowne which hee unworthily wore and though he saw both Heaven and Earth conspired against him yet hee thought by his own Wil nesse to make his party good in despight of them both But when he understood the Earle was fled out of Britanny he was much amazed his safety consisted in his hopes of having Him in his power vvhich now fayling him he began to feare his enemies forces consisted novv of both the factions for by the Match vvith the Princesse Elizabeth he had united the faction of Yorke to his owne of Lancaster so as the claime of Yorke falling upon him by his Marrying the right Heire he vvas sure to meet vvith great Opposition His onely remedy vvas to breake the Match but barely to breake it vvas not enough he must do more and by fore-casting the vvorst do vvhat vvas best for Him He thought how to strengthen himselfe by the same pretences notwithstanding his being therein opposed by the Laws Blood and Enmity he vvould marry his Neece Incest vvould serve but as a Laurell to crowne all other his abominations He could easily vvithout any scruple rid himselfe of his present Wife His conscience vvas so stecled over as it could not suffer compunction As for the opinion of the World vvho regards not Honour values not shame His subjects hatred vvas not to be respected so long as with a Rod of Iron he could keepe them in obedience That vvhich he pitcht upon vvas Deceit Slaughter and Incest for Deceit vvith Allurements and faire Promises to sweeten the Queene Mothers distastes and thereby to make vvay for the other two his Wives Death and his Marriage vvith his Neece He chose people fit for this office They excused what was past they made her believe the King was much troubled for his much beloved Neeces that he was sorry they should make themselves voluntary prisoners that they mistrusted the naturrall inclination and love of an Unkle who as if he were their Father thought of nothing but their Good That his chiefest desire was to treate them according to their Birth and his Affection to have them in Court to finde out good Husbands for them and see them well bestowed and that if it should be his fortune to lose his Wife whose indispositions were such as there was no great hope of her Life his resolution was to make the Princesse Elizabeth his Queene that the Neerenesse of Bloud would prove no impediment Lawes were not without some Exceptions and were to be dispenced withall when the Necessity of the State the Quiet of the Kingdome and the Peoples safety did require it They forgate not the Marquis Dorset promising him Mountaines of Gold if he would returne to England they shewed how the way he was in was dangerous that he should rather hope upon a fortune already made then to be made that old wayes were plaine and sure New ones slippery and Precipitious These men with these and the like conceptions knew so advantageously to behave themselves that the Queene at the very first Onset gave them Hearing and began to Melt and at the second gave consent to All that the King desired forgeting her sonnes deaths her Husbands Infamy who was divulged to be a Bastard her own shame her marriage being in the Pulpit said to be Adulterous she a Concubine and her Daughters illegitimate and which most imported the Promise she had made to the Countesse of Richmond concerning the Marriage of her eldest daughter sealed with an Oath All these things were to her as if they never had beene Ambition so farre prevailed with her as to make her faulty
fight with him or hinder his landing on the English shoare In other parts he left no place unprovided for people were not suffer'd to land without diligent search that so some news might be had of the Duke of Buckingham Banister into whose hands the Duke had trusted his safety hearing of the Proclamations and the Rewards therein promised were it either for Feare or Avarice discover'd where he was to the Sheriffe of Shropshire who going to Banisters house found the Duke in a Day-labourers apparrell digging in a Garden in which habit he sent him well guarded to Shrewsbery where Richard then was He denyed not the Conspiracy he hoped by his free confession to have gotten admittance into â—…he Kings Presence some think with an intention to beg his Pardon others to kill the King with a Dagger which he wore underneath his Cloths But Richard not suffering him to be brought unto him he was beheaded on All-soules day without any other manner of Processe in the Market place To Banister the chiefest of all ungratefull Traytors nothing that was promised was made good Richard who was unjust in all things else was just in This denying him the reward of his Disloyalty which amongst his many Faylings worthy of Blame was the only one worthy of Commendation Punished thus slightly by man he received much more greivous punishments from God his Eldest son died mad his second of Convulsion fits his Third son was Drown'd in a Standing poole and his Daughter a very Beautifull young Woman was crusted over with Leprosy he himselfe in his later Yeares was convict of Man-slaughter and condemned to be Hanged but was saved by his Booke The Duke was in his death accompained by many others amongst which by Sir George Browne Sir Roger Clifford and Sir Thomas Saintlieger who was the last husband to the Dutchesse of Exeter the Kings sister The Earle of Richmond assisted by the Duke of Britanny had got together five Thousand Britons and forty Ships furnished for all purposes wherein he imbarked himselfe and made for England But the next night he met with a terrible Tempest which disperst all his Vessells carrying them into severall places insomuch as there remained onely One with him with the which he found himselfe neer the Haven of Poole in Dorsetshire where he discoverd the shore all over pester'd with men whereat he was much afraid for they were placed there to hinder his landing in like manner as others were sent for the same purpose to other places He cast Anchor expecting the arrivall of his Other Ships he commanded that none should go on shore without His leave and sent forth a boate to see who those men were when the boat was come within Hearing those on shore said they were sent to conduct them to the Duke of Buckingham that was not far from thence with a great Army expecting the Earle of Richmond so to give chase to Richard who had but small forces with him being abandoned almost by All men But the Earle finding out the cosenage for had it beene so they wanted not Boates to have sent some known man abord him no newes being heard of the rest of his Fleet and the wind being reasonable faire for him to re turne he hoisted Saile and with a fore-winde landed in Normandy Charles the Eight Reigned then in France his Father Lewis being not long before dead the Earle was desirous to returne by Land to Britanny and being to go through France he durst not adventure without a safe conduct he therefore dispatcht away a Gentleman to the King for one he was graciously heard by the King who commiserated the Earles misfortunes and together with a safe conduct sent him a good sum of money by meanes whereof he past safely into Britanny whether likewise he sent his Ships But understanding there what ill successe his affaires had in England how the Duke of Buckingham was dead and that the Marquis of Dorset with the rest of his companions who having many dayes expected some news of him in that Court grew now to dispaire thereof believing some mischiefe had befalne him and therefore had withdrawne themselves to Vennes was come he was much grieved and tooke this frowne of Fortune at his first beginning for an ill Omen yet was he comforted at the arrivall of his Friends promising some good to himselfe through their safeties When he was come to Renes he sent for them and welcomed them with termes of Curtesy and Thankefulnesse The condition of affaires being well weigh'd they resolv'd to effect what formerly had beene but spoken of to wit The war against Richard and his deposing and the making of Richmond King upon Condition that he should promise to Marry the Lady Elizabeth Daughter to Edward the Fourth These Articles were agreed upon and sworne unto by all parties on Christmasse day in the Cathedrall Church of that City where likewise the Marquis with all the rest did Homage unto him as to their actuall King swearing to serve him Faithfully and to employ their Lives and Estates in endevouring Richards destruction The Earle failed not to acquaint the Duke with all these proceedings and to make knowne unto him the cause why he undertook this businesse and what he stood in need of to effect it the cause was his being sent for Called in and Expected Richards government being growne intolerable that he stood in Need of was Another Fleet and supplies of money he having in setting forth the Former spent all that his Mother had sent him and what he had gathered amongst his Friends he therefore desired the Duke to lend him some monies promising to boote with the never to be forgotten Obligation sodainly to repay him when God should have given a blessing to his just endevours The Duke was not backward either in Promises or Performance so as the Earle had conveniency of furnishing himselfe with Men and ships â—…hilst Richard did what he could in England to hinder his designe though to no purpose for if God keepe not the City the Watchman watcheth but in vaine He in sundry places put many who were guilty or suspected to death and having returned to London Hee called a Parliament wherein the Earle of Richmond and all that for his cause had forsaken the Land were declared enemies to the King and Kingdome and had their goods confiscated They being many and the richest men of the Kingdome their confiscations would have beene able to have discharged the Warre against them had not Richard beene formerly too liberall in his Donatives thereby endevouring to reconcile mens mindes unto him and to cancell the uncancellable memory of his cruelty to his Nephews so as though the Summes were great which hereby accrew'd yet were they not sufficient nor did they free him from laying insufferable Taxes upon his people 'T was a wonder the Lord Stanley was not in the number of the Proscribed his Wife Mother to the Earle of Richmond being chief of the Conspiracy