other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
and the blood from the earth cryeth to Almighty God for vengeance If the common people cryed out I assure you the friends of the Queene and her children made no lesse exclamation and complaint with loud voyce lamentably crying and saying alas what will â—e doe to others that thus shamefully murdereth his owne bloud without cause or desert whom will hee save when hee slayeth the poore Lambes committed to him in trust now wee see and behold that the most cruell tyranny hath invaded the Common-wealth now wee see that in him is neither hope of Justice nor trust of Mercy but abundance of cruelty and thirst of innocent bloud But when this newes was first brought to the infortunate mother of the dead children yet being in Sanctuary no doubt but it strake to her heart like the sharpe dart of death for when shee was first informed of the murther of her two Sonnes shee was suddenly amazed with the greatnesse of the cruelty that for feare she sounded and fell downe to the ground and there lay in a great agony like to a dead corps And after that shee came to her memory and was revived againe shee wept and sobbed and with pittifull scrieches shee replenished the whole Mansion her brest shee strooke her faire haire shee tore and pulled in pieces and being overcome with sorrow and pensivenesse rather desired death then life calling by name divers times her sweet Babes accounting her selfe more then mad that she deluded by wile and fraudulent promises delivered her younger sonne out of the Sanctuary to his enemy to be put to death thinking that next the oath made to God broken and the duty of allegeance toward her children violated she of all creatures in that point was most seduced and deceived After long lamentation when shee saw no hope of revenging otherwise she kneeled downe and cryed on God to take vengeance for the deceitfull perjury as who said shee nothing mistrusted but once hee would remember it What is hee living that if hee remember and behold these two noble infants without deserving so shamefully murthered that will not abhorre the fact yea and be moved and tormented with pitty and mercy And yet the world is so fraile and our nature so blinde that few be stirred with such examples obliviously forgetting and little considering that oftentimes for the offences by the Parents perpetrate and committed that sinne is punished in their line and posterity This chance might so happeÌ„ to these innocent children because King Edward their Father and Parent offended in staining his conscience hee made his solemne oath before the Gate of the City of Yorke as you have heard before and promised and sware one thing by his word thinking cleane contrary in his heart as after did appeare And afterward by the death of the Duke of Clarence his brother hee incurred of likelihood the great displeasure toward God After this murther thus perpetrated and that hee had visited his Towne of Gloucester which hee for his old Dignity both loved and with ample liberties and priviledges endowed and decorated he tooke his journy toward the County of Yorke where the people abusing his lawfull favour as hee both favoured and trusted them in his heart had of late presumed to attempt divers routs and riots contray to his lawes and infringing of his peace and upon hope of his maintenance were so elated that no Lord were he never of so great power could either pacifie or rule them till the King himselfelfe came personally thither to set a concord and an unity in that Country and to bridle and rule the rude rusticall and blustering bold people of that region and so he by long journeying came to the Citie of Yorke where the Citizens received him with great pompe and triumph according to the qualities of their education and quantity of their substance and ability and made divers dayes playes and Pageants in token of joy and solace Wherefore King Richard magnified and applauded of the North Nation and also to shew himself apparantly before them in habit royall with Scepter in hand and Diadem on his head made Proclamation that all persons should resort to Yorke on the day of the Ascention of our Lord where all men should both behold and see him his Queene and Prince in their high estates and degrees and also for their good wills should have received many thankes large benefits magnificent rewards At the day appointed the whole clergie assembled in Copes richly vested and so with a reverent ceremonie went about the citie in procession after whom folowed the King with his Crowne and Scepter apparelled in his Circot robe royall accoÌ„panied with no smal number of the nobilitie of his Realme after whom marched in order Queene Anne his wife crowned leading in her left hand Prince Edward her son having on his head a demy crown appointed for the degree of a Prince The King was had in that triumph in such honour and the common people of the North so rejoyced that they extolled and praysed him farre above the Starres After this solemne feast and glorious pompe he kept great counsellers there as well for the ordering of the countrey in time as for the brideling and punishing of such as there had misgoverned themselves and further of the gentlemen of that countrey he augmented the number of his domestical Ministers and servants in the which persons he put his whole trust and affiance When all things were thus discreetly ordered hee returned by Notingham and after came to London whom more for dread then for love the Citezens received in great companies Thus King Richard by a new invented crueltie late practised tyranny obtained and grew to high praise and honour and then by the admiration and judgment of the common multitude he was most esteemed to bee exalted into Heaven when hee covertly had intelligence that hee was like to loose his estate and could by no meanes have long continuance in his usurped power for assuredly after the death of King Edwards children when any blustering winde perrilous thunder or terrible tempest chanced or were apparently like to happen Sodainely the people having in their fresh memorie the facinorous act of their King and Prince would openly cry and make vociferation that God did take vengance and punish the poore Englishmen for the crime and offence of their ungratious King whom they blamed accursed and wished to have extreame tortures Although King Richard heard often of these slaunderous words malicious sayings and knew well by what persons they were spoken yet he durst not with strong hand bee on the first inventors revenged knowing that some time it is no wisedome to refuse or disdaine them that tell a ruler his dutie or declare to him his misbehaviour towards the common wealth or counsell him to amend and change his ill life After this great felicity he fell againe into a great feare and pensivenesse of minde and because he could by no meanes either correct
which was Father to Sir Charles Brandon by King Henry the 8. created Duke of Suffolke and matched hand to hand with Sir Iohn Cheiny a man of great force and strength which would have resisted him and the said Iohn was by him manfully overthrowne and so he making open passage by dent of sword as hee went forward the Earle of Richmond withstood his violence and kept him at the swords point without advantage longer then his companions either thought or judged which being almost in despaire of Victory were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley which came to succour them with three thousand tall men at which very instant King Richards men were driven back and fled and hee himselfe manfully fighting in the middle of his enemies was slaine brought to his death as hee worthily had deserved In the mean season the Earle of Oxford with the aide of the Lord Stanley after no long fight discomâ—ted the forward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the flight but the greatest number which compelled by feare of the King and not of their meer valiant motion came to the field gave never a stroke and having no harme nor damage safely departed which came not thither in hope to see the King prosper and prevaile but to hear that he should be shamefully confounded and brought to ruine In this Battaile dyed few above the number of a thousand persons And of the Nobilitie were slaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke which was warned by divers to refraine the Field insomuch that the night before hee should set forward toward the King one wrote on his Gate Iack of Norfolke be not too bold For Dickon thy Master is bought and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding hee regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a Gentleman and a faithfull subject to his Prince absented not himselfe from his Master but as hee faithfully lived under him so hee manfully dyed with him to his great fame and laud. Theâ—e were slaine beside him Walter Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Radâ—liffe and Robert Brakenâ—uâ—y Lieutenant of the Tower and not many Gentlemen more Sir William Catesbey learned in the Lawes of the Realme and one of the chiefe Counsellors to the late King with divers others were two dayes after beheaded at Leicester Amongst them that ranne away were Sir Francis Vicount Lovell and Humfrey Stafford and Thomas Stafford his Brother which took Sanctuary at Saint Iohns at Gloucester Of Captives and prisoners there was a great number for after the death of King Richard was knowne and published every man in manner vnarming himselfe and casting away his abiliment of warre meekly submitted themselves to the obeisance and rule of the Earle of Richmond of the which the more part had gladly so done in the beginning if they might have conveniently escaped from King Richards espyals which having as cleare eyes as Linx and as open eares as Midas ranged and searched in every quarter Amongst these was Henry the fourth Earle of Northumberland which whether it was by the commandement of King Richard putting diffidence in him or he did it for the love and favour that hee bare unto the Earle stood still with a great companie and intermitted not in the battell which was incontinently received into favour and made of the councell But Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey which submitted himselfe there was not taken to grace because his Father was chiefe Counceller and hee ly familiar with with King Richard but committed to the Tower of London where hee long remained and in conclusion delivered and for his truth and fidelitie after promoted to high honours and dignities On the Earle of Richmonds part were slaine scarce one hundred persons amongst whom the principall was sir William Brandon his standard bearer This battell was fought at at Bosworth in Leicestershire the two and twentieth day of August in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty sixe the whole conflict endured litle above two houres King Richard as the fame went might have escaped and gotten safegard by flying For when they which were next about his person saw and perceived at the first joyning of the battell the souldiers faintly and nothing couragiously to set on their enemies and not onely that but also that some with drew themselves privily out of the prease and departed They beganne to suspect fraud and smell treason and not only exhorted but determinately advised him to save himselfe by flight and when the losse of the battell was eminent and apparent they brought to him a swift and a light horse to convey him away He which was not ignorant of the grudge and ill will that the common people bare towards him casting away all hope of fortunate successe and happie chance to come answered as men say hee would make an end of all battailes or else there finish his life Such a great audacitie and such a stout stomacke raigned in his body for surely he knew that to be the day in the which it should bee decided and determined whether hee should peaceably obtaine and enjoy his kingdome during his life or else utterly forgoe and bee deprived of the same with which too much hardinesse hee being overcome hastily closed his helmet and entered fiercely into the hard battell to the intent to obtaine that day a quiet raigne or else to finish there his unquiet life and unfortunate governance And so this miser at the same very point had like chance and fortune as happeneth to such which in place of right justice and honesty following their sensuall appetite love use and imbrace mischiefe tyranny and unthriftinesse Surely these be examples of more vehemency then mans tongue can expresse to feare and astunne such evill persons as will not live one houre vacant from doing and exercising crueltie mischiefe or outragious living When the Earle had thus obtained victorie and slaine his mortall enemie hee kneeled downe and rendered to almighty God his harty thankes with devout and godly orisons beseeching his goodnesse to send him grace to advance and defend the catholike faith and to maintaine justice and concord amongst his subjects and people by God now to his governance committed and assigned which prayer finished he replenished with incomparable gladnesse ascended up to the top of a little mountaine where he not onely praysed anâ—â—â—â—ded his valiant souldiers but also gave unto them his harty thankes with promise of condigne recompence for their fidelitie and valiant facts willing and commanding all the hurt and wounded persons to bee cured and the dead carcases to bee delivered to the Sepulture Then the people rejoyced and clapped hands crying up to heaven King Henry King Henry When the Lord Stanley saw the good will and gratuity of the people hee tooke the Crowne of King Richard which was found amongst the spoyle in the field and set it on the Earles head as though hee had beene elected King by the voice of the people as in
in the twenty fifth yeare of Lewis the eleventh then being the King of France and the morrow after hee was Proclamed King and with great solemnity rode to Westminster and there 〈◊〉 in the seate Royall and called the Judges of the Realme before him staightly commanding them to execute the Lawes without favour or delay with many good exhortations of the which hee followed not one and then hee departed towards the Abby and at the Church doore hee was met with Procession and there was delivered to him by the Abbot the Scepter of Saint Edward and so went and offered to Saint Edwards shrine while the Monkes sang Te deum with a faint courage and from the Church hee returned to the Palace where he lodged till the Coronation And to bee sure of all enemies as hee thought hee sent for five thousand men out of the North against his Coronation which came up evill apparelled and worse harnessed in rusty harnesse neither defensable nor scoured to the sale which mustered in Finsbury fiâ—ld to the great disdaine of all the lookers on The fourth day of Iuly hee came to the Tower by water with his wife and the fifth day he created Edward his onely begotten sonne a child of tenne yeares old Prince of Wales and Iohn Haward a man of great knowledge and vertue aswell in councell as in battell hee created Duke of Norfolke and sir Thomas Haward his sonne he created Earle of Surry and William Lord Barkeley was then created Earle of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovell was then made Vicount Lovell and the Kings Chamberlaine and Lord Stanley was delivered out of ward for feare of his sonne the Lord Strange which was then in Lancashire gathering men as men said and the said Lord was made Steward of the Kings houshold likewise the Arch-Bishop of Yorke was delivered But Morton Bishop of Ely was deliverd to the Duke of Buckingham to keepe in ward who sent him to his manour of Brecknoke in Wales from whence hee escaped to King Richards confusion The same night the King made seventeene Knights of the Bath The next day he roade through London with great pompe and especially the Duke of Buckingham was richly apparelled and his horse trapped in blew velvet embroidered with the naves of carts burning of gold which trapper was borne by footmen from the ground with such solemne fashion that all men much admired it On the morrow being the sixt day of Iuly the King came towards his Coronation into Westminster Hall where his Chappell all the Prelates mitered received him And so they in order of Procession passed forward After the Procession followed the Earle of Northumberland with a pointlesse sword naked and the Lord Stanley bore the Mace of the Constableship The Earle of Kent bore the second sword on the right hand of the King naked The Lord Lovell bore an other sword on the left hand Then followed the Duke of Suffolke with the Scepter and the Earle of Lincolne with the Ball and Crosse. After them followed the new Earle of Surrey with the sword of Estate in a rich scabbard On the right side of him went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Crowne then followed King Richard in a Circot and robe of purple velvet under a Canopie borne by the barrons of the five Ports going betweene the Bishops of Bathe and Duresme The Duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high Steward of England bare the Kings traine After him followed the Earle of Huntington bearing the Queenes Scepter and the Vicount Lisle bearing the rod with the Dove And the Earle of Wiltshire bare the Queenes Crowne Then followed Queene Anne daughter to Richard Earle of Warwicke in robes like to the King between two Bishops and a canopie over her head borne by the Barons of the Ports On her head a rich Coronall set with stones pearles After her followed the countesse of Richmond heire to the Duke of Somerset which bare up the Queenes traine After followed the Dutches of Suffolke and Norfolke with Countesses Barronesses Ladies and many faire Gentlewomen in this order they passed thorow the palace entred the Abbie at the West end and so came to their seates of estate And after diverse songs solemly sung they both descended to the high Altar and were shifted from their robes and had diverse places open from the middle upward in which places they were annointed Then both the King and the Queene changed them into cloathes of gold and ascended to their seates where the Cardinall of Canterbury and other Bishops Crowned them according to the old custome of the Realme giving him the Scepter in his left hand and the ball with the crosse in the right hand and the Queene had the Scepter in her right hand and the rod with the Dove in the left hand On every side of the King stood a Duke and before him stood the Earle of Surrey with the sword in his hands And on every side of the Queene standing a Bishop and a Lady kneeling The Cardinall sung the Masse and after paxe The King the Queene descended and before the high Altar they were both houseled with one host divided betweene them After Masse finished they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine and there the King left the Crowne of Saint Edward and put on his owne Crowne And so in order as they came they departed to Westminster-hall and so to their chambers for a season during which time the Duke of Norfolke came into the Hall his horse trapped to the ground in cloth of gold as high Marshall and voyded the Hall About foure of the clocke the King and Queene entred into the Hall and the King sate in the middle the Queene on the left hand of the table on every side of her a Countesse holding a cloth of pleasance when shee list to drinke And at the right hand of the King sate the Bishop of Canterbury the Ladies sate all on one side in the middle of the Hall and at the table against theÌ„ sate the Chancellour and all the Lordes At the Table next the cupboord sate the Major of London And at the Table behind the Lords sate the Barons of the Ports And at the other boords sate Noble and Worshipfull personages When all persons were set the Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall the Earle of Surrey Constable for that day the Lord Stanlâ—y Lord Steward sir Willâ—am Hopton Treasurer and sir Thomas Percy Controler came in served the King solemnly with one dish of gold and another of silver And the Queene all in gilt vessels and the Bishops all in silver At the second course came into the Hall sir Robert Democke the Kings champion making a Proclamation that whosoever would say that King Richard was not lawfully King hee would fight with him at the utterance and threw downe his Gauntlet and then all the Hall cryed out King Richard And so hee did in three parts of the Hall and then one brought
vertuous and womanly mother but also compassed all the meanes and waies that hee could invent how to stuprate carnally know neece his under the pretence of a cloaked matrimony which Lady I have sworne and promised to take and make my wife as you all know and beleeve If this cause bee not just and this quarrell godly let God the giver of victory judge and determine We have thankes be given to Christ escaped the secret treasons in Britaine and avoyded the subtile snares of our fraudulent enemies there passed the troublous seas in good and quiet safegard and without resistance have penetrate the ample region and large countrey of Wales and are now come to the place which wee so much desired for long wee have sought the furious Bore and now we have found him Wherfore let us not feare to enter into the toyle where wee may surely slay him for God knoweth that wee have lived in the vales of miserie tossing our shippes in dangerous stormes let us not now dread to set up our sailes in faire weather having with us both him and good fortune If wee had come to conquer Wales and had achieved it our prayse had beene great and our gaine more but if wee winne this battell the whole Realme of England with the Lords and Rulers of the same shall be ours the profit shall be ours and the honour shall be ours Therefore labour for your gaine and sweat for your right while wee were in Britaine wee had small livings and little plenty of wealth or welfare now is the time come to get abundance of riches and copie of profit which is the reward of your service and merit of your paine And this remember with your selves that before us be our Enemies and on either side of us bee such as I neither surely trust nor greatly beleeve backeward wee cannot fly So that here wee stand like sheepe in a fold circumsepted and compassed betweene our enemies our doubtfull friends Therefore let all feare be set aside and like sworne brethren let us joyne in one for this day shall bee the end of our travell and the gaine of our labour either by honorable death or famous victory And as I trust the battelâ— shall not be so sower as the profit shall bee sweet Remember that victory is not gotten with multitude of men but with the courage of hearts and valliantnesse of mindes The smaller that our number is the more glorie is to us if wee vanquish if we be overcome yet no laud is to bee attributed to the victors considering that tenne men fought against one and if we die so glorious a death in so good a quarrell neither fretting time nor cancaring oblivion shall bee able to obfuscate or race out of the booke of fame either our names or our godly attempt And this one thing I assure you that in so just and good a cause and so notable a quarrell you shall find mee this day rather a dead carion upon the coole ground then a free prisoner on a carpit in a Ladies chamber Let us therefore fight like invincible gyants and set on our enemies like untimerous Tigers and banish all feare like ramping lyons And advance forward true men against traytors pittifull persons against murtherers true inheritours against usurpers the scourges of God against tyrants display my banner with a good courage march forth like strong robustious champions and begin the battell like hardy conquerors the battell is at hand and the victorie approacheth and if we shamefully recoile or cowardly fly wee and all our sequell be destroyed and dishonored for ever This is the day of gaine and this is the time of losse get this day victorie and bee conquerors and leese this daies battell and bee villaines and therefore in the name of God let every man couragiously advance forth with his standard These chearefull words hee set forth with such gesture of body smiling countenance as though already hee had vanquished his enemies and gotten the spoyle Hee had scantly finished his saying but the one armie espied the other Lord how hastily the souldiers buckled their helmes how quickly the archers bent their bowes and frushed their feathers how readily the billmen shooke their billes and prooved their staves ready to approach and joyn when the terrible trumpet shall sound the bloody blast to victorie or death Betweene both armies there was a great marsh which the Earle of Richmond left on his right hand for this intent that it should be on that side a defence for his part and in so doing he had the sunne at his backe and in the faces of his enemies When King Richard saw the Earles company was passed the marsh hee commanded with all hast to set upon them then the Tâ—umpeters blew and souldiers shouted and the Kings archers couragiously let fly their arrowes the Earles bowmen stood not still but paide them home againe The terrible shot once past the armies joyned and came to hand strokes where neither sword nor bill was spared at which encounter the Lord Stanley joyned with the Earle The Earle of Oxford in the meane season fearing lest while his company was fighting they should bee compassed and circumvented with the multitude of his enemies gave commandement in every ranke that no man should be so hardy as to goe above tenne foot from the standard which commandement once knowne they knit themselves together and ceased a little from fighting the adversaries suddenly abashed at the matter mistrusting some fraud or deceit beganne also to pause and left striking and not against the will of many which had rather have had the King destroyed then saved and therefore they fought very faintly or stood sâ—ill The Earle of Oxford bringing all his band together on the one part set on his enemies afresh againe the adversaries perceiving that placed their men slender and thinne before and thicke and broade behind beginning againe hardily the battell While the two forwards thus mortally fought each intending to vanquish and convince the other King Richard was admonished by his explorators and espialles that the Earle of Richmond accompanied small with a number of men of armes was not far off and as he approched marched towards him he perfectly knew his personage by certaine demonstrations and tokens which hee had learned and knowne of others And being inflamed with ire and vexed with outragious malice he put his spurres to his horse and rode out of the side of the range of his Battaile leaving the avantguards fighting and like a hungry Lion ran with Speare and rest toward him The Earle of Richmond perceived well the King furiously came toward him and because the whole hope of his wealth and purpose was to bee determined by Battaile hee gladly proffered to encounter with him body to body and man to man King Richard set on so sharply at the first brunt that he overthrew the Earles Standard and slew Sir William Brandon his Standard Bearer
Edward the 5 King of EnglaÌ„d â—â—d France Lord of Ireland THE HISTORIE OF THE PITIFVLL Life and unfortunate Death of Edward the fifth and the then Duke of Yorke his brother With the troublesome and tyrannical government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end Written by the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellor of England LONDON Printed by Thomas Payne for the Company of Stationers and are to be sold by Mich Young at his shop in Bedford-street in Covent-Garden neere the new Exchange 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IOHN LENTHALL Knight Marshall of the Kings-bench SIR IT is not unknowne to the World the great eare earnest sedulitie laudable custome that hath alwaies been observed in all ages for the preservation of antiquities by meanes wherof the acts and occurrences of former times are so clearely demonstrated as if they were manifested to the world by a perfect and lively representation which affordeth in it selfe a double profit doth thereby allure all well-disposed persons to the imitation of those things which are honest and vertuous and to the evitation of such things as are evill and obnoxious letting them therby understand the happie issue and successe of the one and the miserable and wretched end and event of the other for histories are as so many Records and Registers of matters that hath beene already past which being a thing that our humane natures are much inclined unto gives a great pleasure and delight in the reading Especially to those that are well affected to the same The consideration hereof hath moved me to revive that which hath for a long time been raked up in the embers of oblivion For there comming by chance into my hand a booke long since printed the authour whereof was that famous and learned Knight Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellour of England wherein is set forth the short Raigne and unfortunate death of the two young Princes Edward the fith the theÌ„ Duke of York his brother with the troublesome and tyrannicall government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end both which for the matter of the subject the worth of the Authour who lived in those times deserves to bee memorized to succeeding ages which having for many yeares escaped the presse and by that meanes likely to bee utterly lost I have thought it not amisse to put to my helping hand for the restoring of it to the world and because I know you to bee a gentleman that delights your selfe in matters of this nature I am bould to crave your patronage herein and that you would be pleased to shelter it under the wings of your protect on not doubting but by that meanes it will bee as welcome to the world and as wel entertained as it hath formerly beene which being the thing I wish together with your pardon for this my presumption I humbly rest Yours to Command W. S. THE PITTIFVLL LIFE OF KING EDVVARD the Fifth THE Eternall God calling to his Mercy the Noble Prince King Edward the Fourth of that Name Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales began his Reigne the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. and in the 23. yeere of Lewis the eleventh then French King Which young Prince reigned a small space and little season over this Realme either in pleasure or liberty For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester within three months deprived him not onely of his Crowne and Regality but also unnaturally bereft him of his naturall life And for the declaration by what crafty engin he first attempted his ungracious purpose and by what false colourable and untrue allegations he set forth openly his pretensed enterprise and finally by what shamefull cruell and detestable act he performed the same Ye must first consider of whom he and his Brother descended their natures conditions and inclinations and then you shall easily perceive that there could not be a more cruell Tyrant appointed to atchieve a more abominable enterprise Their Father was Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke which began not by warre but by Law to challenge the crown of England putting his claime in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the sixth where either for right or for favour his cause was so set forth and advanced that the Blood of the said King Henry although he had a goodly Son was clearly abjected and the Crowne of the Realme by authority of Parliament entayled to the Duke of Yorke and his Heires after the decease of the said King Henry the Sixth But the Duke not intending so long to tarry but minding under the pretext of dissention growne and risen within the Realm and of Covenants made in the Parliament not kept but broken to prevent the time and to take upon him the Governance in King Henries life was by too much hardinesse slaine at the Battaile of Wakefield leaving behind him three sonnes Edward George and Richard All these three as they were great estates of Birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy of promotions and impatient partners of rule and authority This Edward revenged his Fathers death and deposed King Hâ—nry the Sixth and attained the Crowne and Scepter of the Realme George Duke of Clarence was a goodly and well â—eatured Prince in all things fortunâ—te if either his owne ambition had not for him against his Brother or the envy of his enemies had not set his Brothâ—r against him for were it by the Queene or the Nobles of her Bloud which highly maligned the Kings Kindred as women commonly not of malice but of Nature hate such as their husbands love or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at the least wise heinous Treason was laid to his charge and finally were he in fault or were he faultlesse attainted was hee by Parliament and judged to death and thereupon hastily drowned in a But of Malmsey within the Towre of London Whose death King Edward although hee commanded it when he wist it was done pitteously hee bewailed and sorrowfully repented it Richard Duke of Gloucester the third Sonne of which I must most entreat was in wit and courage equâ—ll with the other but in beauty and lineaments of Nature farre underneath both for he was little of stature evill featured of limbes crooke-backed the left shoulder much higher then the right hard favoured of visage such as in estates is called a warlike visage and among common persons a crabbed face He was malicious wrathfull and envious and as it is reported his Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell that shee could not be delivered of him uncut and that hee came into the world the feet forward as men be borne outward and as the fame ran not untoothed whether that men of hatred reported above the truth or that Nature changed his course in his beginning which in his life committed many things unnaturally this I
nor nothing he enterprised nor tooke in hand by the which he should be driven thereunto For his tribute out of France he had a little before recovered and obtained And the yeere before he dyed hee recovered againe the Towne of Barwicke against the King of Scots And albeit that all the time of his reigne he was so benigne courteous and familiar that no part of his vertues was esteemed more than those high humilities Yet that condition in the end of his last dayes decayed not in the which many Princes by a long continued Soveraignty decline to a proud port and behaviour from their conditions accustomed at their beginning Yet lowlinesse and gentlenesse so farre forth in him increased that the Summer before he dyed hee being at Havering at the Bower sent for the Maior of London thither onely to hunt and make pastime where hee made them not so hearty but so familiar and friendly cheere and sent also to their Wives such plenty of Venison that no one thing in many dayes before gat him either more hearts or more hearty favour amongst the common people which oftentimes more esteeme and take for great kindnesse a little courtesie then a great profit or benefit And so this Noble Prince deceased as you have heard in that time his life was most desired and when his people most desired to keepe him Which love of his people and their entire affection toward him had beene to his Noble Children having in themselves also as many gifts of Nature as many Princely vertues as much good towardnesse as their age could receive a marvellous fortresse and a sure armour if the division and dissention of their friends had not unarmed them and left them destitute and the execrable desire of Soveraignty provoked him to their destruction which if either kind or kindnesse had holden place must needes have beene their defence For Richard Gloucester by nature their Uncle by Office their Protectour to their Father greatly beholden and to them by oath and allegiance bounden all the bonds broken and violated which binde man and man together without any respect of God or the World unnaturally contrived to bereave them not onely of their dignity and pre-eminence but also of their naturall lives and worldly felicity And first to shew you that by conjecture he pretended this thing in his Brothers life yee shall understand for a truth that the same night that King Edward dyed one called Mistelbrooke long ere the day sprung came to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse-street without Cripple Gate of London and when he was with hasty wrapping quickly let in the said Mistelbrooke shewed unto Pottier that King Edward was that night deceased by my truth quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be King and that I warrant thee What cause hee had so to thinke hard it is to say whether hee being his servant knew any such thing pretended or otherwise had any inkling thereof but of all likelihood hee spake it not of nought But now to returne to the true History were it that the Duke of Gloucester had of old sore practised this conclusion or was before-time moved thereunto and put in hope by the tender age of the young Princes his Nephews as opportunity and likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that that he never intended Certaine it is that he being in the North parts for the good governance of the Countrey being advertised of his Brothers death contrived the destruction of his Nephewes with the usurpation of the Royall Dignity and Crowne And forasmuch as he well wist and had holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings Bloud either part envying others authority he now thought as it was indeed a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of his intent and a sure ground and situation of his unnatural building if hee might under the pretence of revenging of old displeasures abuse the ignorance and anger of the one party to the destruction of the other and then to win to his purpose as many as he could and such as could not be won might be lost ere they looked for it But of one thing hee was certaine that if his intent were once perceived hee should have made peace betweene both parties with his owne bloud but all his intent he kept secret till hee knew his friends of the which Henry the Duke of Buckingham was the first that sent to him after his Brothers death a trusty servant of his called Persivall to the City of Yorke where the Duke of Gloucester kept the K. his brothers Funeralls This Persivall came to Iohn Ward a cret Chamberer to the Duke of Gloucester desiring that hee in close and covert manner might speake with the Duke his Master whereupon in the dead of the night the Duke sent for Persivall all other being avoided which shewed to the Duke of Gloucester that the Duke of Buckingham his Master in this new World would take such part as hee would and would farther waite upon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were The Duke sent backe the Messenger with great thankes and divers privie instructions by mouth which Persivall did so much by his travell that he came to the Duke of Buckingham his Master into the Marches of Wales and presently after with new instructions met with the Duke of Gloucester at Notingham which was come out of the North-country with many Knights and Gentlemen to the number of 600. Horse and more in his journey towards London And after secret meeting and communication had betweene him and the Duke of Gloucester hee returned with such speed that hee brought the Duke of Buckingham his Master to meete with the Duke of Gloucester not far from Northampton with three hundred Horses and so they two came together to Northampton where they first began their unhappy enterprise and so the Duke of Buckingham continued stil with the Duke of Gloucester till he was crowned King as yee shall plainely perceive hereafter The young King at the death of his Father kept houshold at Ludlow for his Father had sent him thither for Justice to be done in the Marches of Wales to the end that by the authority of his presence the wilde Welshmen and evill disposed persons should refraine from their accustom'd murthers and outrages The governance of this young Prince was committed to Lord Anthony Woodvile Earle Rivers and Lord Scales Brother to the Queene a wise hardy and honourable personage as valiant of hands as politick in Counsell and with him were associate others of the same party and in effect every one as hee was neere of kin unto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince That drift by the Queene seemed to be devised whereby her bloud might of right in tender youth be so planted in the Princes favour that afterward it should hardly be eradicated out of the same The Duke of
at London The Archbishop of Yorke fearing that it would be ascribed as it was indeed to over-much lightnesse that he so suddenly had yeelded up the Great Seale to the Queene to whom the custody thereof nothing appertained without especiall commandement of the King secretly sent for the Seale againe and brought it with him after the accustomed manner to meete with the Lords At this meeting the Lord Hastings whose truth toward the King no man doubted noâ— needed to doubt perswaded the Lords to beleeve that the Duke of Gloucester was faithfull and sure towards his Prince and that the Lord Rivers the Lord Richard and other Knights apprehended were for matters attempted by them against the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham put under arrest for their surety and not for the Kings danger and that they were also in safeguard there to remaine till the matter were not by the Dukes onely but also by all the other Lords of the Kings Counsell indifferently examined and by their discretions ordered and either judged or appeased And one thing hee advised them to beware of that they judged not the matter too farre forth ere they knew the truth nor turning their private grudges into the common hurt irriting and provoking men unto anger and disturbing the Kings Coronation toward which the Dukes were comming for that then might peradventure bring the matter so farre out of joynt that it should never bee brought in frame againe which if it should hap as it were likely to come to a field though all parties were in all other things equall yet should the authority bee on that side where the King is himselfe with these perswasions of the Lord Hastings whereof part hee himselfe beleeved and of part hee knew well the contrary these commotions were somewhat appeased But especially because the Dukes of Buckingham and Gloucester were so neere and came on â—o shortly with the King in no other manner nor no other voyce or semblance then to his Coronation causing the â—ame to be blowne about that such persons as were apprehended had contrived the destruction of the Dukes of Gloucester and of Buckingham and other of the Noble Bloud of this Realme to the intent that they alone would rule and governe the King And for the colour thereof such of the Dukes servants as rod with the Carts of their stuffe which was taken among the which stuffe no marvell though some were harnesse which at the breaking up of such an houshold must be brought away or cast away they shewed to the people and as they went said Lo here be the Barrels of harnesse that these Traytors had privily conveyed in their carriages to destroy the Noble Lords withall This divers although it made the matter to wise men more unlikely well perceiving that the intenders of such a purpose would rather have had their harnesse on their backes then to have bound them up in barrels yet much part of the common people were therewith right well satisfied When the King approached neere the City Edmund Shaw Goldsmith then Maior of the City with the Aldermen and Sheriffes in Scarlet and five hundred commoners in murrey received his Grace reverendly at Harnesay Parke and so conveighed him to the City where hee entred the fourth day of May in the first and last yeere of his Reigne and was lodged in the Bishop of Londons Palace but the Duke of Gloucester bare him in open sight so reverently saying to all men as he rode Behold your Prince and Soveraigne Lord and made such semblance of lowlinesse to his Prince that from the great obloquy that hee was in so late before he was suddenly fallen in so great trust that at the Councell next assembled he was made the onely chiefe Ruler and thought most meet to be Protectour of the King and his Realme so that were it destiny or were it folly the Lambe was betaken to the Wolfe to keepe At which counsell the Archbishop of Yorke was sore blamed for delivering the Great Seale to the Queene and the Seale taken from him and delivered to Doctor Iohn Russell Bishop of Lincolne a wise man and a good and of much experience and divers Lords and Knights were appointed to divers roomes the Lord Chamberlaine and some other kept the roomes that they were in before but not many Now were it so that the Protectour which alwayes you must take for the Duke of Gloucester sore thirsted for the atchieving of his pretended enterprise and thought every day a yeere till it were performed yet durst he no farther attempt as long as hee had but halfe his prey in his hand well witting that if hee deposed the one brother all the Realme would fall toth'other if he remained either in Sanctuary or should haply bee shortly conveighed to his Fathers liberty Wherefore incontinent at the next meeting of the Lords in Councell hee propounded to them that it was an heinous thing of the Queene and proceeding of great malice toward the Kings Councellors that she should keepe the Kings Brother in Sanctuary from him whose speciall pleasure and comfort were to have his Brother with him and that to bee done by her to no other intent but to bring all the Lords in an obloquy and murmure of the people as though they were not to bee trusted with the Kings Brother which Lords were by the whole assent of the Nobles of the Realme appointed as the Kings neere friends to the tuition of his Royall Person the prosperity whereof quoth he standeth not alone in keeping from enemies and evill dyet but partly also in recreation and moderate pleasure which hee cannot take in his tender youth in the company of old and ancient persons but in the familiar conversation of those that be not farre under nor farre above his age and neverthelesse of estate convenient to accompany his Majesty wherefore with whom rather then with his owne Brother and if any man thinke this consideration light I thinke no man so thinketh that loveth the King let him consider that sometime without small things greater cannot stand and verily it redoundeth greatly to the dishonour of the Kings highnesse and of all us that bee about his Grace to have it come in any mans mouth not in this Realme onely but also in other Lands as evill words walke farre that the Kings Brother should bee faine to keepe Sanctuary For every man will judge that no man will so doe for nought and such opinions fastned in mens hearts be hard to bee wrested out and may grow to more griefe then any man here can divine Wherefore mee thinketh it were not the worst to send to the Queene some honorable and trusty personage such as tendreth the Kings weale and the honour of his Counce and is also in credit and favour with her for which considerations none seemeth more meetly to me theÌ„ the reverend Father my Lord Cardinall Archbishop of Canterbury who may in this matter doe most good of all men
bee put to death And where it is otherwise then in these cases there is no need of Sanctuaries appointed by God in the Old Law For if necessity of his owne defence or misfortune drived him to that deed then a pardon serveth him which either is granted of course or the King of pitty and compassion giveth Now looke how few Sanctuary men there be whom necessity or misfortune compelled to goe thither And then see on the other â—ide what a sort there be commonly therein of such whom wilfull unthriftinesse hath brought to naught What a rabble of Theeves Murtherers and malicious hainous Traytors be and that in two places especially the one at the elbow of the Citie and the other in the very bowels I dare well avow it if you weigh the good that they doe with the hurt that commeth of them yee shall finde it much better to lose both then to have both And this I say although they were not abused as they now bee and so long have been that I feare me ever they will be while men be afraid to set their hands to the amendment as though God and Saint Peter were the Patrons of ungracious living Now unthrifts riot and run in debt upon boldnesse of these places yea and rich men run thither with poor mens goods there they build there they spend and bid their creditors goe whistle Mens Wives run thither with their Husbands Plate and say they dare not abide with their Husbands for beating Theeves bring thither stolne goods and live thereon There devise they new robberies nightly and steale out and rob rive and kill men and come again into those places as though those places gave them not only a safeguard for the harme that they have done but a license also to doe more mischiefe howbeit much of this great abusion if wise men would set their hands there unto might be amended with great thankes of God and no breache of the priviledge The conclusion is sith it is so long agoe I wot not what Pope and what Prince more pitious then politicke hath granted it and other men sensible of a religious feare have not broken it let us take paines with it and let it stand a Gods Name in his force as farre forth as reason will which is not so farre forth as may serve to let us of the fetching forth of this Noble man to his honour and wealth out of that place in the which hee neither is nor can be a Sanctuary or priviledged man A Sanctuary ever serveth to defend the body of that man that standeth in danger abroad not of great hurt only but of lawfull hurt for against unlawfull hurts and harmes no Pope nor King intended to priviledge any one place wherein it is lawfull for one man to doe another man wrong That no man unlawfully take hurt that liberty the King the Law and very nature forbiddeth in every place and maketh in that regard for every man every place a Sanctuary but whereas man is by lawfull meanes in perill there needeth he the tuition of some speciall privilege which is the onely ground of all Sanctuaries from which necessity this Noble Prince is farre whose love to his King Nature and kindred proveth whose innocencie to all the world his tender youth affirmeth and so Sanctuary as for him is not necessary and none he can have Men come not to Sanctuary as they come to Baptisme to require it by Godfathers he must aske it himselfe that must have it and reason sith no man hath cause to have it but whose coÌ„science of his own fault maketh him have need to require it What will then hath yonder Babe which if hee had discretion to require it if need were I dare say would be now right angry with them that keep him there And I would thinke without any scruple of conscience without any breach of priviledge to bee somewhat more homely with them that be their Sanctuary men indeed that if one goe to Sanctuary with another mans goods why should not the King leaving his body at liberty satisfie the party of his goods even within the Sanctuary for neither King nor Pope can give any place such a priviledge that it shall discharge a man of his debts being able to pay And with that divers of the Clergy that were there present whether they said it for his pleasure or as they thought agreed plainely by the Law of God and of the Church that a Sanctuary man should be delivered in payment of his debts and stolne goods to the owner and onely liberty reserved to him to get his living by the labour of his hands Verily quoth the Duke I thinke ye say very truth And what if a mans wife take Sanctuary because shee list to run from her husband I would thinke if she can alledge no other cause hee may lawfully without any displeasure done to Saint Peter take her out of Saint Peters Church by the arme And if no body may bee taken out of Sanctuary because he saith hee will abide there then if a child will take Sanctuary because he feareth to goe to Schoole his Master must let him alone And as simple as that example is yet is there lesse reason in our case then in it for there though it be a childish feare yet is there at the least some feare and herein is no feare at all And verily I have heard of Sanctuary men but I never heard before of Sanctuary children and therefore as for the conclusion of my minde whosoever may deserve to have need of it if they thinke it for their surety let them keepe it but he can be no Sanctuary man that hath no other discretion to desire it nor malice to deserve it whose life nor liberty can by any lawful processe stand in danger and hee that taketh one out of Sanctuary to do him good I say plainely hee breaketh no Sanctuary When the Duke hand done the temporall men wholly and the most part of the spirituall men also thinking no hurt earthly meant toward the yong Babe condescend in effect that if hee were not delivered hee should be fetched out Howbeit they thought it best in avoiding of all manner of rumour that the Cardinall should first assay to get him with her good will And thereupon all the Councell came to the Star-Chamber at Westminster and the Cardinall leaving the Protector and other Lords in the Starre-Chamber departed into the Sanctuary to the Queen accompanied with certaine Lords were it for the respect of his honour or that shee should by the persons of so many perceive that his errand was not onely one mans minde or were it for that the Protector intended not in this matter to trust one man alone or else if she finally were determined to keepe him some of the company had peradventure some secret instruction incontinent mauger her will to take him and to leave her no respit to conveigh him When the Queene and these Lords
to withstand his adversaries as ever he was But my sonne can deserve no Sanctuary you say and therefore hee can not have it forsooth the Lord Protector hath sent a goodly glose by the which that place that may desend a theefe may not save an innocent but he is in no danger nor hath no need thereof I would God hee had not Troweth the Protector I pray God he may prove a Protector rather then a destroyer whereunto his painted processe draweth that it is not honourable that the Duke bide here it were more comfortable to them both that he were with his Brother because the King lacketh a play-fellow yea bee sure I pray God send him better play-fellowes then him that maketh so high a matter upon such a trifling pretext as though there could none bee found to play with the King but that his Brother which hath no lust to play for sicknesse must come out of Sanctuary out of his safeguard to play with him as though that Princes so young as they be could not play without their Peeres or children could not play without their kindred with whom for the most part they agree much worse then with strangers But the childe you say cannot require the priviledge who told the Protector so Aske him and you shall heare him aske it and so shall hee if yee will Howbeit this is a strange matter suppose hee could not aske it and thinke he would not aske it and imagine he would aske to goe out if I say he shall not Note if I aske the priviledge for my selfe I say that hee that against my will taketh out him breaketh Sanctuary Serveth this liberty for my person onely or for my goods too you may not from hence take my Horse from me if I stale him not nor owe you nothing then followeth it that you may not take my childe from me hee is also my ward for as farre as my learned Councell sheweth me he hath nothing by descent holden by Knights service but by socage then the Law maketh me his guardian then may no man lawfully I suppose take my ward from mee out of this place without the breach of Sanctuary and if my priviledge could not serve him nor he aske it for himselfe yet sith the Law committeth to me the custody of him I may require it for him expect the Law give the Infant a guardian onely for his goods discharging him of the care and safe-keeping of his body for which onely both goods and lands serve Wherefore here intend I to keep him sith mans Law serveth the guardian to keepe the infant and the Law of Nature willeth the Mother to keep the child and Gods Law priviledgeth the Sanctuary and the Sanctuary priviledgeth my Sonne sith I feare to put him to the Protectors hands that hath his Brother already which is if both failed inheritor to the Crowne as heire Male as hee saith The cause of my feare no man hath to doe to examine and yet feare I no further then the Law feareth which as learned men tell mee forbiddeth every man the custody of them by whose death he may inherit lesse Land then a Kingdome I can say no more but whosoever hee be that breaketh this holy Sanctuary I pray God send him shortly need of Sanctuary when he may not come to it for I would not that my mortall enemy should be taken out of Sanctuary The Cardinall perceived that the Queene ever the longer the farther off and also that shee began to kindle and chafe and speak sore biting words against the Protector and such as hee neither beleeved and also was loth to heâ—re he said to her for a finall conclusion that hee would no more dispute the matter and if she were content to deliver the Duke to him and to the other Lords there present hee durst lay his owne body and soule both in pledge not onely for his surety but also for his estate and surely he knew nor suspected any cause but he might so doe but hee knew not all And further he said if shee would give him a resolute answer to the contrary hee would therewith depart incontinent and shift who so would with his businesse afterward for he never intended further to move her in the matter in the which shee thought that he and all other also save her selfe lacked either wit or dull truth Wit if they were so that they nothing could perceive what the Protector intended and if they should procure her sonne to be delivered into his hands in whom they should perceive towards the child any evill will intended then shee might thinke all the Councell both evill advised and of little fidelity to their Prince The Queene with these words stood in a great study and forasmuch as she saw the Lord Cardinall more readie to depart then the remnant and the Protector himselfe ready at hand so that shee verily thought that shee could not keepe him there but he should bee incontinent taken thence and to conveigh him elsewhere neither had shee time to serve her nor place determined nor persons appointed to conveigh him and so all things were unready when this message came so suddenly on her nothing lesse looking for then to have him out of Sanctuary which she knew now men to be set in all places about that hee could not be conveighed out untaken and party as shee thought it might fortune her feare to bee false so well shee knew it was either needlesse or bootlesse Wherefore if shee should needs goe from him shee deemed best to deliver him and especially of the Cardinals faith shee nothing doubting nor of some other Lords whom shee saw there which as she feared lest they might be deceived so well was she assured that they would not be corrupted then thought she that it would make them the more warily to looke to him and the more circumspectly to see his surety if shee with her owne hands betooke him them by trust and at the last she tooke the young Duke by the hand and said unto the Lords my Lord quoth shee and all my Lords neither am I so unwise to mistrust your wits nor so suspicious to mistrust your truths of the which thing I purpose to make such a proofe that if either of both lacked in you might turn both me to great sorrow the Realm to much harme and you to great reproach For loe here is quoth shee this Gentleman whom I doubt not but I could keepe safe if I would whatsoever any man say and I doubt not also but there be some abroad so deadly enemies unto my Bloud that if they knew where any of it lay in their owne body they would let it out wee have also experience that the desire of a Kingdome knoweth no kindred the Brother hath beene the Brothers bane and may the Nephewes be sure of the Uncle each of these children are others defence while they be asunder and each of their lives lyeth in others body keepe
his false contrived treason and also lest the delaying of his execution might have encouraged other mischievous persons partners of his conspiracie to gather and assemble themselves together in making so great commotion for his deliverance whose hope now being by his well deserved death politickly repressed all the Realme shall by Gods grace rest in good quiet and peace Now was this proclamation made within two houres after hee was beheaded and it was so curiously indited and so faire written in Parchment in a faire set hand and therwith so large a processe that every child might perceive that it was prepared and studied before and as some men thought by Catesby for all the time betweene his death and the publishing of the Proclamation could scarce have sufficed to the bare writing of it alone albeit that it had beene in paper and scribled forth in hast at adventure So that upon the proclaiming thereof one that was schoolemaster at Pauls standing by and comparing the shortenesse of the time with the length of the matter said to them that stood about him here is a gay goodly cast fouly cast away for haste And a Merchant that stood by him said that it was written by inspiration and prophesie Now then by and by as it were for anger and not for covetousnesse the Protector sent Sir Thomas Howard to the house of Shores wife for her Husband dwelt not with her which spoyled her of all that ever she had above the value of two or three thousand Markes and sent her body to prison And the Protector had laid to her for the manner sake that shee was of Councell with the Lord Hastings to destroy him In conclusion when no colour could fasten upon these matters then he layed heinously to her charge that thing that shee could not deny for all the world knew that it was true and that notwithstanding every man laughed to heare it then so suddenly so highly taken that she was naught of her body And for this cause as a godly continent Prince cleane and fauâ—tlesse of himselfe sent out of Heaven into this vicious world for the amendment of mens manners hee caused the Bishop of London to put her to open penance going before a crosse one Sunday at procession with a taper in her hand In the which she went in countenance and pace so womanly and albeit she was out of all array saving her kirtle onely yet went shee so faire and lovely and namely when the wondering of the people cast a comly red in her cheekes of the which before she had most misse that her great shame woon her much praise amongst them that were more amorous of her body theÌ„ curious of her soule and many good folk that hated her living and were glad to see sinne corrected yet pittied they more her penance then rejoyced at it wheÌ„ they considered that the Protectour did it more of a corrupt minde then any vertuous affection This woman was borne in London well friended honestly brought up and very well married saving somewhat too soon her husband an honest and a young Citizen godly and of good substance but forasmuch as they were coupled before she was well ripe shee not very fervently loved for whom shee never longed which was the thing by chance that the more easily made her to incline to the Kings appetite when hee required her Howbeit the respect of his royaltie the hope of gaine apparrell ease pleasure and other wanton wealth was able soone to pierce a soft tender heart but when the King had abused her anon her husband being an honest man would not presume to touch a Kings concubine but left her up to him altogether When the King died the Lord Hastings tooke her which in the Kings dayes albeit that he was sore enamored with her yet hee forbare either for a princely reâ—erence or for a certaine friendly faithfulnesse Proper shee was and faire nothing in her body that you could have changed but if you would have wished her somewhat higher This say they that knew her in her youth some said and judged that she had beene well favored and some judged the contrary whose judgement seemeth like as men gesse the beauty of one long before departed by a shape taken out of a charnell house and this judgement was in the time of King Henry the eight in the eighteenth yeare of whose reigne she dyed when she had nothing but a rivelled skin bone Her beauty pleased not men so much as her pleasant behaviour for shee had a proper wit and could both reade and write merry in company ready and quicke of answer neither mute nor full of bable sometimes taunting without displeasure but not without disport King Edward would say he had three concubines which in divers properties diversly excelled one the merriest the other the wiâ—est the third the holiest harlot in the Realme as one whom no man could get out of the Church to any place lightly unlesse it were to his bed the other two were somewhat greater personages then Mistris Shore and yet neverthelesse of their humilitie were content to bee namelesse and to forbeare the praise of these properties But the merriest was Shores wife in whom the King therefore tooke great pleasure for many he had but her hee loved whose favour to say the truth for it were sinne to belie the devill she never abused to any mans hurt but to many mens comfort and reliefe For where the King tooke displeasure shee would mitigate and appease his minde where men were out of favour shee would bring them into his grace for many that had highly offended shee obtained pardon and of great forfeitures she gate remission and finally in many weighty suites shee stood many men in great stead either for none or for very small reward and those rather gay then rich either that shee was content with the deede well done or for that shee delighted to bee sued unto and to shew what shee was able to doe with the King or for that that wanton women and wealthy be not alwaies covetous I doubt not some men will thinke this woman to be too slight to be written of among grave and weighty matters which they shall specially thinke that happily saw her in her age and adversity but we thinke the chance so much more worthy to bee remembred in how much after wealth she fell to poverty and from riches to beggery unfriended out of acquaintance after great substance after so great favour with her Prince after as great suite and seeking to with all those which in those dayes had businesse to speed as many other men were in their times which bee now famous only by the infamy of their evill deedes her doings were not much lesse albeit they be much lesse remembred because they were not evill for men use to write an evill turne in marble stone but a good turne in the dust which is not worst proved by her for after
win favour Hee was first upon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and neither left it nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queene and the Prince And while King Edward had King Henry in prison hee never returned but to the field at Barnet after which field lost and utterly subdued and all par-takings extinguished King Edward for his fast faith wisedome was not onely content to receive him but also wooed him to come and had him from thenceforth both in secret trust and speciall favour whom he never deceived For hee being after King Edwards death first taken by the tyrant for his truth to the King found the meanes to set the Duke in his toppe and joyned gentlemen together in aide of the Earle of Richmond which after was named King Henry the sevenâ—h First devising the marriage betweene the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth by the which his faithfull and true service declared to both his masters at once was an infinite benift to the Realme by the conjunction of the bloods of Lancaster and Yorke whose funerall titles had long unquieted the Realme This man afterwards escaped from the Duke and fled the Realme and never returned and went to Rome never minded to meddle with the world till King Henry the seventh sent for him and after made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England and after was made Cardinall and lived well to all mens judgements and died well But to returne to the former purpose he by the long and often alternate proofe as well of prosperity as adverse fortune had gotten by great experience the very mother and mistris of wisedome and deepe insight in politike and worldly drifts wherby perceiving now the Duke to commune with him fed him with faire words and many prayses and perceiving by the griefe of their communications the Dukes pride now and then to balke out a little brayd of envie towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the waies to pricke him forward taking alwaies the occasion of his comming and also keeping himself close within his bands that he rather seemed to follow him then to leade him For when the Duke began first to praise and boast the King to shew how much profit the Realme should take by his reigne Bishop Morton answered surely my Lord folly it were for mee to lie for I am sure if I would sweare the contrary ye would not once beleeve mee but if the world would have begunne as I would have wished that King Henries sonne had had the Crowne and not King Edward then would I have beene his true and faithfull subject but after that God had ordained him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was never so mad with a dead man to strive against the quicke so was I ever to King Edward a faithfull and true chaplin and glad would have beene that his children should have succeeded him howbeit if the secret judgement of God have otherwise provided I purpose not to spurne against the prick nor labour to set up that God pulleth downe And as for the late protector and now King and with that word hee left saving that he said that he had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his booke and beades and no further Then longed the Duke sore to heare what hee would have said because hee ended with the King and there so sodainely stopped and exhorted him familiarly betweene them both to be bold and to say whatsoever hee thought whereof he faithfully promised there should never come hurt and peradventure more good then hee would thinke And that hee himselfe intended to use his faithfull secret advice and counsaile which he said was the onely cause for the which hee procured of the King to have him in his custody where he might reckon himselfe at home or else hee had beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not have found like favour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said in good faith my Lord I love not much to talke of Pâ—inces as of a thing not all out of perill although the word bee without fault but yet it must be as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesops talke that when the Lyon had proclamed that on paine of death there should no horned beasts come into the wood one beast that had a bunch of flesh growing out of his head fled a great pace the foxe that saw him flie with all the hast asked him whither he fled In faith quoth he I neither know nor care so I were once hence because of the proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the foxe the Lyon never meant it by thee for that which thou hast is no horne in thy head No marry quoth hee I know that well enough but if hee say it is a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Bore shall picke any matter at any thing here spoken for it shall never come neere their eares In good faith sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken as well as before God I meant it could deserve but thankes and yet taken as I thinke it would might happen to turne mee to little good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke much more to know what it was Whereupon the Bishop said In good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith hee is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the wealth of this realme wherof his grace hath now the governance and whereof I my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise yet might it have pleased God for the better store to have given him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of the Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your grace and there left off againe The Duke somewhat marvelling at his sodaine pauses as though they were but parentheses with a high countenance said my Lord I evidently perceive and no lesse note your often breathing and sudden stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your words neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might perceive and have knowledge what your inward intent is now toward the King or what affectioÌ„ you beare toward me For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to us both for the which I my selfe knowledge and recognise to have none nor looke for no praise of any creature for the same maketh me not a little to muse thinking that you have some other privie Imagination by love or by grudge ingraved and