although the French seemed to speake reason yet Arguments are euer with multitudes too weake for Suspitions Wherefore they did aduise the King roundly to embrace the Britons quarrell and to send them speedy aides and with much alacritie and forwardnesse granted to the King a great rate of Subsidie in contemplation of these aides But the King both to keepe a decencie towards the French King to whom he profest himselfe to be obliged and indeed desirous rather to shew Warre then to make it sent new solemne Ambassadors to intimate vnto him the Decree of his Estates and to iterate his motion that the French would desist from Hostilitie or if Warre must follow to desire him to take it in good part if at the motion of his people who were sensible of the cause of the Britons as their ancient Friends and Confederates hee did send them succours with protestation neuerthelesse that to saue all Treaties and Lawes of Friendship hee had limited his Force to proceed in aide of the Britons but in no wise to warre vpon the French otherwise then as they maintained the possession of Britaine But before this formall Ambassage arriued the Partie of the Duke had receiued a great blow and grew to manifest declination For neere the Towne of Saint Alban in Britaine a Battaile had beene giuen where the Britons were ouerthrowne and the Duke of Orleance and the Prince of Orange taken Prisoners there being slaine on the Britons part six thousand Men and amongst them the Lord WOODVILE and almost all his Souldiers valiantly fighting And of the French part one thousand two hundred with their Leader IAMES GALEOT a great Commander When the newes of this Battaile came ouer into England it was time for the King who now had no subrerfuge to continue further Treatie and saw before his Eyes that Britaine went so speedily for lost contrarie to his hopes knowing also that with his People and Forreiners both he sustained no small Enuie and disreputation for his former delayes to dispatch with all possible speed his succours into Britaine which hee did vnder the conduct of ROBERT Lord BROOKE to the number of eight thousand choise Men and well armed who hauing a faire wind in few houres landed in Britaine and ioyned themselues forthwith to those Briton-Forces that remained after the Defeat and marched straight on to find the Enemie and incamped fast by them The French wisely husbanding the possession of a Victorie and well acquainted with the courage of the English especially when they are fresh kept themselues within their Trenches being strongly lodged and resolued not to giue battaile But meane while to harrasse and wearie the English they did vpon all aduantages set vpon them with their Light-Horse wherein neuerthelesse they receiued commonly losse especially by meanes of the English-Archers But vpon these atchieuements FRANCIS Duke of Britaine deceased an accident that the King might easily haue foreseene and ought to haue reckoned vpon and prouided for but that the Point of Reputation when newes first came of the Battaile lost that somewhat must bee done did ouerbeare the Reason of Warre After the Dukes decease the principall persons of Britaine partly bought partly through faction put all things into confusion so as the English not finding Head or Bodie with whom to ioyne their Forces and being in iealousie of Friends as well as in danger of Enemies and the Winter begun returned home fiue moneths after their landing So the Battaile of Saint Alban the death of the Duke and the retire of the English succours were after some time the causes of the losse of that Duchie which action some accounted as a blemish of the Kings Iudgement but most but as the misfortune of his times But howsoeuer the temporarie Fruit of the Parliament in their aid and aduice giuen for Britaine tooke not nor prospered not yet the lasting Fruit of Parliament which is good and wholsome Lawes did prosper and doth yet continue to this day For according to the Lord Chancellours admonition there were that Parliament diuers excellent Lawes ordained concerning the Points which the King recommended First the authoritie of the Star-chamber which before subsisted by the ancient Common-Lawes of the Realme was confirmed in certaine Cases by Act of Parliament This Court is one of the sagest and noblest Institutions of this Kingdome For in the distribution of Courts of Ordinarie Iustice besides the High-Court of Parliament in which distribution the Kings-Bench holdeth the Pleas of the Crowne the Common-Place Pleas Ciuill the Exchequer Pleas concerning the Kings Reuenue and the Chancery the Pretorian power for mitigating the Rigour of Law in case of extremitie by the conscience of a good man there was neuerthelesse alwaies reserued a high and preheminent power to the Kings Counsell in Causes that might in example or consequence concerne the state of the Common-wealth which if they were Criminall the Counsell vsed to sit in the Chamber called the Star-Chamber if Ciuill in the White-Chamber or White-hall And as the Chancery had the Pretorian power for Equitie so the Star-chamber had the Censorian power for Offences vnder the degree of Capitall This Court of Star-chamber is compounded of good Elements for it consisteth of foure kindes of Persons Councellors Peeres Prelates and Chief-Iudges It discerneth also principally of foure kinds of Causes Forces Frauds Crimes various of Stellionate and the Inchoations or middle acts towards Crimes Capitall or hainous not actually committed or perpetrated But that which was principally aimed at by this Act was Force and the two chiefe Supports of Force Combination of multitudes and Maintenance or Headship of great Persons From the generall peace of the Countrie the Kings care went on to the peace of the Kings House and the securitie of his great Officers and Counsellors But this Law was somwhat of a strange composition and temper That if any of the Kings seruants vnder the degree of a Lord doe conspire the death of any of the Kings Counsell or Lord of the Realme it is made Capitall This Law was thought to bee procured by the Lord Chancellor who being a sterne and haughtie man and finding he had some mortall Enemies in Court prouided for his owne safetie drowning the enuie of it in a generall Law by communicating the priuiledge with all other Councellors and Peeres and yet not daring to extend it further then to the Kings seruants in Check-rowle lest it should haue beene too harsh to the Gentlemen and other Commons of the Kingdome who might haue thought their ancient Libertie and the clemencie of the Lawes of England inuaded If the will in any case of Felonie should be made the deed And yet the reason which the Act yeeldeth that is to say That hee that conspireth the death of Councellors may be thought indirectly and by a meane to conspire the death of the King himselfe is indifferent to all Subiects as well as to Seruants in Court But it seemeth this sufficed to serue the Lord
his Raigne the King called his Parliament Wherein a man may easily guesse how absolute the King tooke himselfe to bee with his Parliament when DVDLEY that was so hatefull was made Speaker of the House of Commons In this Parliament there were not made any Statutes memorable touching publike Gouernement But those that were had still the Stampe of the Kings Wisedome and Policie There was a Statute made for the disanulling of all Patents of Lease or Grant to such as came not vpon lawfull Summons to serue the King in his Warres against the Enemies or Rebels or that should depart without the kings license With an Exception of certaine Persons of the Long-robe Prouiding neuerthelesse That they should haue the kings Wages from their House till their Returne home againe There had beene the like made before for Offices and by thin Statute it was extended to Lands But a man may easily see by many Statutes made in this kings time that the king thought it safest to assist Martiall Law by Law of Parliament Another Statute was made prohibiting the bringing in of Manufactures of Silke wrought by it selfe or mixt with any other Threed But it was not of Stuffes of whole piece for that the Realme had of them no Manufacture in vse at that time but of Knit-Silke or Texture of Silke as Ribbands Laces Caules Points and Girdles c. which the People of England could then well skill to make This Law pointed at a true Principle That where forraine materials are but Superfluities forraine Manufactures should bee prohibited For that will either banish the Superfluitie or gaine the Manufacture There was a Law also of Resumption of Patents of Gaoles and the Reannexing of them to the Sherifwicks Priuiledged Officers beeing no lesse an Interruption of Iustice than priuiledged Places There was likewise a Law to restraine the By-lawes or Ordinances of Corporations which many times were against the Prerogatiue of the King the common-Common-law of the Realme and the Libertie of the Subiect beeing Fraternities in Euill It was therefore Prouided that they should not bee put in Execution without the Allowance of the Chancellor Treasurer and the two Chiefe-Iustices or three of them or of the two Iustices of Circuit where the Corporation was Another Law was in effect to bring in the Siluer of the Realme to the Mint in making all clipped minished or impayred Coines of Siluer not to bee currant in payments without giuing any Remedie of weight but with an exception onely of a reasonable wearing which was as nothing in respect of the incertaintie and so vpon the matter to set the Mint on worke and to giue way to New Coines of Siluer which should bee then minted There likwise was a long Statute against Vagabonds wherein two things may bee noted The one the Dislike the Parliament had of Gaoling of them as that which was chargeable pesterous and of no open Example The other That in the Statutes of this Kings time for this of the Nineteenth yeare is not the onely Statute of that kind there are euer coupled the punishment of Uagabonds and the Forbidding of Dice and Cards and vnlawfull Games vnto Seruants and meane people and the putting downe and suppressing of Ale-houses as Strings of one Roote together and as if the One were vnprofitable without the Other As for Riot and Retainers there passed scarce any Parliament in this time without a Law against them The King euer hauing an Eye to Might and Multitude There was granted also that Parliamemt a Subsidie both for the Temporaltie and the Clergie And yet neuerthelesse ere the yeare expired there went out Commissions for a generall Beneuolence though there were no Warres no Feares The same yeare the Citty gaue fiue thousand Markes for Confirmation of their Liberties A thing fitter for the Beginnings of Kings Raignes than the latter Ends. Neither was it a small matter that the Mint gained vpon the late Statute by the Recoinage of Groats and Halfe-groats now Twelue-pences and Six-pences As for EMPSON and DVDLEY'S Mills they did grinde more than euer So that it was a strange thing to see what Golden Showres powred downe vpon the Kings Treasurie at once The last paiments of the Marriage-money from Spaine The Subsidie The Beneuolence The Recoinage The Redemption of the Cities Liberties The Casualties And this is the more to bee marueiled at because the King had then no Occasions at all of Warres or Troubles Hee had now but one Sonne and one Daughter vnbestowed Hee was Wise Hee was of an High Mind Hee needed not to make Riches his Glorie Hee did excell in so many things else saue that certainely Auarice doth euer finde in it selfe matter of Ambition Belike hee thought to leaue his Sonne such a Kingdome and such a Masse of Treasure as hee might choose his Greatnesse where hee would This yeare was also kept the Serieants Feast which was the second Call in this Kings Dayes About this time ISABELLA Queene of Castile deceased a right Noble Ladie and an Honour to her Sexe and Times and the Corner-stone of the Greatnesse of Spaine that hath followed This Accident the King tooke not for Newes at large but thought it had a great Relation to his owne Affaires especially in two points The One for Example the Other for Consequence First hee conceiued that the Case of FERDINANDO of Arragon after the death of Queene ISABELLA was his owne Case after the death of his owne Queene and the Case of IOAN the Heire vnto Castile was the Case of his owne Sonne Prince HENRY For if both of the Kings had their Kingdomes in the right of their Wiues they descended to the Heires and did not accrew to the Husbands And although his owne Case had both Steele and Parchment more than the other that is to say a Conquest in the Field and an Act of Parliament yet notwithstanding that Naturall Title of Descent in Bloud did in the imagination euen of a Wise-man breed a Doubt that the other two were not safe nor sufficient Wherefore he was wonderfull diligent to inquire and obserue what became of the King of Arragon in holding and continuing the Kingdome of Castile And whether he did hold it in his owne Right or as Administrator to his Daughter And whether he were like to hold it in Fact or to bee put out by his Sonne-in-Law Secondly hee did reuolue in his minde that the Stateof Christendome might by this late Accident haue a turne For whereas before time Himselfe with the Coniunction of Arragon and Castile which then was one and the Amitie of MAXIMILIAN and PHILIP his Sonne the Arch-Duke was farre too strong a Partie for France hee beganne to feare that now the French King who had great Interest in the Affections of PHILIP the young King of Castile and PHILIP himselfe now king of Castile who was in ill Termes with his Father-in-law about the present Gouernment of Castile And thirdly MAXIMILIAN PHILIPS Father who was euer variable and
Chancellors turne at this time But yet hee liued to neede a Generall Law for that hee grew afterwards as odious to the Countrie as hee was then to the Court. From the peace of the Kings House the Kings care extended to the peace of Priuate Houses and Families For there was an excellent Morall Law moulded thus The taking and carrying away of Women forcibly and against their will except Female-Wards and Bond-women was made Capitall The Parliament wisely and iustly conceiuing that the obtaining of Women by force into Possession howsoeuer afterwards Assent might follow by Allurements was but a Rape drawne forth in length because the first Force drew on all the rest There was made also another Law for Peace in generall and repressing of Murthers and Man-slaughters and was in amendment of the Common Lawes of the Realme being this That wheras by the Common Law the Kings-suit in case of Homicide did expect The yeare and the day allowed to the Parties Suit by way of Appeale and that it was found by experience that the Partie was many times compounded with and many times wearied with the Suit so that in the end such Suit was let fall and by that time the matter was in a manner forgotten and therby Prosecution at the Kings suit by Indictment which is euer best Flagrante crimine neglected it was ordained That the Suit by Indictment might bee taken as well at any time within the yeare and the day as after not preiudicing neuerthelesse the Parties Suit The King began also then as well in Wisdome as in Iustice to pare a little the Priuiledge of Clergie ordaining That Clarkes conuict should bee burned in the hand both because they might taste of some corporall punishment and that they might carry a Brand of infamie But for this good Acts sake the King himselfe was after branded by PERKINS Proclamation for an execrable breaker of the Rites of Holy Church Another Law was made for the better Peace of the Countrey by which Law the Kings Officers and Farmors were to forfeit their Places and Holds in case of vnlawfull Retainer or partaking in Routs and vnlawfull Assemblies These were the Lawes that were made for repressing of Force which those times did chiefely require and were so prudently framed as they are found fit for all succeeding times and so continue to this day There were also made good and politicke Lawes that Parliament against Vsurie which is the Bastard vse of Money And against vnlawfull Chieuances and Exchanges which is Bastard Vsurie And also for the securitie of the Kings Customes And for the imployment of the Procedures of Forraine Commodities brought in by Merchant-strangers vpon the Natiue Commodities of the Realme Together with some other Lawes of lesse importance But howsoeuer the Lawes made in that Parliament did beare good and holesome Fruit yet the Subsidie granted at the same time bare a Fruit that proued harsh and bitter All was inned at last into the Kings Barne but it was after a Storme For when the Commissioners entred into the Taxation of the Subsidie in Yorkeshire and the Bishopricke of Duresme the people vpon a sudaine grew into great mutinie and said openly that they had endured of late yeares a thousand miseries and neither could nor would pay the Subsidie This no doubt proceeded not simply of any present necessitie but much by reason of the old humour of those Countries where the memorie of King RICHARD was so strong that it lies like Lees in the bottome of mens hearts and if the Vessell was but stirred it would come vp And no doubt it was partly also by the instigation of some factious Male-contents that bare principall stroke amongst them Hereupon the Commissioners being somewhat astonished deferred the matter vnto the Earle of Northumberland who was the principall man of Authoritie in those Parts The Earle forthwith wrote vnto the Court signifying to the King plainely enough in what flame hee found the people of those Countries and praying the Kings direction The King wrote backe peremptorily That hee would not haue one penny abated of that which had beene granted to him by Parliament both because it might encourage other Countries to pray the like Release or Mitigation and chiefely because hee would neuer endure that the base Multitude should frustrate the Authoritie of the Parliament wherein their Votes and Consents were concluded Vpon this dispatch from Court the Earle assembled the principall Iustices and Free-holders of the Countrey and speaking to them in that imperious Language wherein the King had written to him which needed not saue that an Harsh businesse was vnfortunately fallen into the hands of a Harsh-man did not onely irritate the People but make them conceiue by the stoutnesse and haughtinesse of deliuerie of the Kings Errand that himselfe was the Author or principall Perswader of that Counsell Whereupon the meaner sort routed together and suddenly assayling the Earle in his House slew him and diuers of his seruants And rested not there but creating for their Leader Sir IOHN EGREMOND a factious person and one that had of a long time borne an ill Talent towards the King and being animated also by a base Fellow called IOHN A CHAMBER a very Boutefeu who bare much sway amongst the vulgar and popular entred into open Rebellion and gaue out in flat termes that they would goe against King HENRY and fight with him for the maintenance of their Liberties When the King was aduertised of this new Insurrection being almost a Feuer that tooke him euery yeare after his manner little troubled therewith hee sent THOMAS Earle of Surrey whom hee had a little before not onely released out of the Tower and pardoned but also receiued to speciall fauour with a competent Power against the Rebels who fought with the principall Band of them and defeated them and tooke aliue IOHN A CHAMBER their firebrand As for Sir IOHN EGREMOND hee fled into Flanders to the Ladie MARGARET of Burgundie whose Palace was the Sanctuarie and Receptacle of all Traitors against the King IOHN A CHAMBER was executed at Yorke in great state for he was hanged vpon a Gibbet raised a Stage higher in the midst of a square Gallowes as a Traitor Paramount And a number of his men that were his chiefe Complices were hanged vpon the lower Storie round about him and the rest were generally pardoned Neither did the King himselfe omit his custome to be first or second in all his warlike Exploits making good his Word which was vsuall with him when he heard of Rebels that He desired but to see them For immediatly after he had sent downe the Earle of Surrey he marched towards them himselfe in person And although in his iourney hee heard newes of the Victory yet hee went on as farre as Yorke to pacifie and settle those Countryes And that done returned to London leauing the Earle of Surrey for his Lieutenant in the Northerne parts and Sir RICHARD TVNSTALL for his principall Commissioner
and diminution of Subsidie and Taxes for the more Gentlemen euer the lower bookes of Subsidies In remedying of this inconuenience the Kings Wisdome was admirable and the Parliaments at that time Inclosures they would not forbid for that had beene to forbid the improuement of the Patrimonie of the Kingdome nor Tillage they would not compell for that was to striue with Nature and Vtilitie But they tooke a course to take away depopulating Inclosures and depopulating Pasturage and yet not by that name or by any Imperious expresse Prohibition but by consequence The Ordinance was That all Houses of Husbandry that were vsed with twentie Acres of Ground and vpwards should bee maintained and kept vp for euer together with a competent Proportion of Land to be vsed and occupied with them and in no wise to be seruered from them as by another Statute made afterwards in his Successors time was more fully declared This vpon Forfeiture to be taken not by way of Popular Action but by seizure of the Land it selfe by the King and Lords of the Fee as to halfe the Profits till the Houses and Lands were restored By this meanes the Houses being kept vp did of necessitie inforce a Dweller and the proportion of Land for Occupation being kept vp did of necessitie inforce that Dweller not to be a Begger or Cottager but a man of some substance that might keepe Hiends and Seruants and set the Plough on going This did wonderfully concerne the Might and Manner-hood of the Kingdome to haue Fermes as it were of a Standard sufficient to maintaine an able Body out of Penurie and did in effect amortize a great part of the Lands of the Kingdome vnto the Hold and Occupation of the Yeomanrie or Middle-people of a condition betweene Gentlemen and Cottagers or Peasants Now how much this did aduance the Militar Power of the Kingdome is apparant by the true Principles of Warre and the examples of other Kingdomes For it hath beene held by the generall Opinion of men of best Iudgement in the warres howsoeuer some few haue varied and that it may receiue some distinction of Case that the principall Strength of an Armie consisteth in the Infanterie or Foot And to make good Infanterie it requireth men bred not in a seruile or indigent fashion but in some free and plentifull manner Therefore if a State runne most to Noblemen and Gentlemen and that the Husband-men and Plough-men be but as their Work-folkes and Labourers or else meere Cottagers which are but Housed-Beggers you may haue a good Cauallerie but neuer good stable Bands of Foot like to Coppice-Woods that if you leaue in them Staddles too thicke they will runne to Bushes and Briars and haue little cleane Vnderwood And this is to be seene in France and Italie and lome other Parts abroad where in effect all is Noblesse or Pesantrie I speake of People out of Townes and no middle People and therefore no good Forces of Foot Insomuch as they are inforced to imploy Mercenarie Bands of Switzers and the like for their Battalions of Foot Whereby also it comes to passe that those Nations haue much People and few Souldiors Whereas the King saw that contrariwise it would follow that England though much lesse in Territorie yet should haue infinitly more Souldiours of their natiue Forces then those other Nations haue Thus did the King secretly sow Hidraes teeth wherevpon according to the Poets fiction should rise vp Armed men for the seruice of this Kingdome The King also hauing care to make his Realme potent as well by Sea as by Land for the better maintenance of the Nauie ordained That wines and woads from the parts of Gascoigne and Languedocke should not be brought but in English bottomes Bowing the ancient Policie of this Estate from consideration of Plentie to consideration of Power For that almost all the ancient Statutes incite by all meanes Merchant-Strangers to bring in all sorts of Commodities hauing for end Cheapnesse and not looking to the point of State concerning the Nauall-power The King also made a Statute in that Parliament Monitory and Minatory towards Iustices of Peace that they should duly execute their office inuiting complaints against them first to their Fellow-Iustices then to the Iustices of Assise then to the King or Chancellor and that a Proclamation which hee had published of that Tenor should be read in open Sessions foure times a yeare to keepe them awake Meaning also to haue his lawes executed and therby to reape either Obedience or Forfeitures wherein towards his latter times hee did decline too much to the left hand he did ordaine remedie against the practice that was growne in vse to stop and dampe Informations vpon Penall Lawes by procuring Informations by collusion to be put in by the Confederates of the Delinquents to be faintly prosecuted and let fall at pleasure and pleading them in Barre of the Informations which were prosecuted with effect He made also Lawes for the correction of the Mint and counterfaiting of forreine Coyne currant And that no payment in Gold should bee made to any Merchant-stranger the better to keepe Treasure within the Realme for that Gold was the mettall that lay in leastroome He made also Statutes for the maintenance of Draperie and the keeping of Wools within the Realme and not only so but for stinting and limiting the prices of Cloth one for the Finer and another for the Courser sort Which I note both because it was a rare thing to set prices by Statute especially vpon our Home-Commodities and because of the wise Modele of this Act not prescribing Prices but stinting them not to exceed a rate that the Clothier might drape accordingly as he might affoord Diuers other good Statutes were made that Parliament but these were the principall And here I doe desire those into whose hands this worke shall fall that they do take in good part my long insisting vpon the Lawes that were made in this Kings reigne Whereof I haue these reasons Both because it was the preheminent vertue and merit of this King to whose memorie I doe honour and because it hath some correspondence to my Person but chiefly because in my iudgement it is some defect euen in the best writers of Historie that they doe not often enough summarily deliuer and set downe the most memorable Lawes that passed in the times whereof they write being indeed the principall Acts of Peace For though they may bee had in Originall Bookes of Law themselues yet that informeth not the iudgement of Kings and Councellors and Persons of Estate so well as to see them described and entred in the Table and Pourtrait of the Times About the same time the King had a Loane from the Citie of Foure thousand pounds which was double to that they lent before and was duely and orderly payd back at the day as the former likewise had beene The King euer choosing rather to borrow too soone then to pay too late and so
either part But for the Contract made by MAXIMILIAN with the Lady her selfe they were harder driuen hauing nothing to alledge but that it was done without the consent of her Soueraigne Lord King CHARLES whose Ward and Client shee was and Hee to her in place of a Father and therfore it was void and of no force for want of such Consent Which defect they sayd though it would not euacuate a Marriage after Cohabitation and Actuall Cosummation yet it was enough to make void a Contract For as for the pretended Consummation they made sport with it and said That it was an argument that MAXIMILIAN was a Widdower and a cold Wooer that could content himselfe to be a Bridgrome by Deputie and would not make a little Iourney to put all out of question So that the young Lady wrought vpon by these Reasons finely instilled by such as the French King who spared for no Rewards or Promises had made on his side and allured likewise by the present Glory and Greatnesse of King CHARLES being also a young King and a Batchelor and loth to make her Countrey the Seat of a long and miserable Warre secretly yeelded to accept of King CHARLES But during this secret Treatie with the Ladie the better to saue it from Blasts of Opposition and Interruption King CHARLES resorting to his wonted Arts and thinking to carry the Marriage as hee had carried the Warres by entertaining the King of England in vaine beliefe sent a solemne Ambassage by FRANCIS Lord of Luximburge CHARLES MARIGNIAN and ROBERT GAGVIEN Generall of the Order of the Bonnes Hommes of the Trinitie to treat a Peace and League with the King accoupling it with an Article in the nature of a Request that the French King might with the Kings good will according vnto his right of Seigniorie and Tutelage dispose of the Marriage of the young Duchesse of Britaine as hee should thinke good offering by a Iudiciall proceeding to make void the Marriage of MAXIMILIAN by Proxie Also all this while the better to amuse the world hee did continue in his Court and custodie the Daughter of MAXIMILIAN who formerly had beene sent vnto him to bee bred and educated in France not dismissing or renvoying her but contrariwise professing and giuing out strongly that hee meant to proceed with that Match And that for the Duchesse of Britaine hee desired onely to preserue his right of Seigniory and to giue her in Marriage to some such Allye as might depend vpon him When the three Commissioners came to the Court of England they deliuered their Ambassage vnto the King who remitted them to his Councell where some dayes after they had Audience and made their Proposition by the Prior of the Trinitie who though hee were third in place yet was held the best Speaker of them to this effect MY Lords the King our Master the greatest and mightiest King that raigned in France since CHARLES the Great whose Name he beareth hath neuerthelesse thought it no disparagement to his Greatnesse at this time to propound a Peace yea and to pray a Peace with the King of England For which purpose hee hath sent vs his Commissioners instructed and enabled with full and ample power to treat and conclude giuing vs further in charge to open in some other businesse the secrets of his owne intentions These be indeed the precious Loue-tokens betweene great Kings to communicate one with another the true state of their affaires and to passe by nice Points of Honour which ought not to giue Law vnto Affection This I doe assure your Lordships It is not possible for you to imagine the true and cordiall Loue that the King our Master beareth to your Soueraigne except you were neare him as we are He vseth his Name with so great respect he remembreth their first acquaintance at Paris with so great contentment nay hee neuer speakes of him but that presently he falls into discourse of the miseries of great Kings in that they cannot conuerse with their Equalls but with Seruants This affection to your Kings Person and Vertues GOD hath put into the Heart of our Master no doubt for the good of Christendome and for purposes yet vnknowne to vs all For other Root it cannot haue since it was the same to the Earle of Richmond that it is now to the King of England This is therefore the first motiue that makes our King to desire Peace and League with your Soueraigne Good affection and somewhat that hee findes in his owne Heart This affection is also armed with reason of Estate For our King doth in all candour and franknesse of dealing open himselfe vnto you that hauing an honourable yea and a holy Purpose to make a Voyage and Warre in remote Parts he considereth that it will be of no small effect in point of Reputation to his enterprise if it be knowne abroad that hee is in good peace with all his Neighbour Princes and specially with the King of England whom for good causes he esteemeth most But now my Lords giue me leaue to vse a few words to remoue all scruples and misse-vnderstandings betweene your Soueraigne and ours concerning some late Actions which if they be not cleared may perhaps hinder this Peace To the end that for matters past neither King may conceiue vnkindnesse of other nor think the other conceiueth vnkindnesse of him The late Actions are two That of Brittaine and that of Flanders In both which it is true that the Subiects swords of both Kings haue encountred and stricken and the wayes and Inclinations also of the two Kings in respect of their Confederates and Allies haue seuered For that of Brittaine The King your Soueraigne knoweth best what hath passed It was a Warre of necessitie on our Masters part And though the Motiues of it were sharp and piquant as could be yet did he make that Warre rather with an Oliue-branch then a Laurel-Branch in his Hand more desiring Peace then Victorie Besides from time to time he sent as it were Blank-papers to your King to write the conditions of Peace For though both his Honour and Safetie went vpon it yet he thought neither of them too precious to put into the King of Englands hands Neither doth your King on the other side make any vnfriendly interpretation of your Kings sending of succours to the Duke of Brittaine for the King knoweth well that many things must bee done of Kings for satisfaction of their People and it is not hard to discerne what is a Kings owne But this matter of Brittaine is now by the Act of GOD ended and passed and as the King hopeth like the way of a Ship in the Sea without leauing any impression in either of the Kings mindes as hee is sure for his part it hath not done in his For the Action of Flanders As the former of Brittaine was a Warre of necessitie so this was a Warre of Justice which with a good King is of equall necessitie with danger
of Estate for else hee should leaue to bee a King The Subiects of Burgundie are Subiects in Chiefe to the Crown of France and their Duke the Homager and Vassall of France They had wont to bee good Subiects howsoeuer MAXIMILIAN hath of late distempered them They fled to the King for Justice and deliuerance from oppression Justice hee could not denie Purchase hee did not seeke This was good for MAXIMILIAN if he could haue seene it in people mutined to arrect Fury and preuent Despaire My Lords it may bee this I haue said is needlesse saue that the King our Master is tender in any thing that may but glance vpon the friendship of England The amitie betweene the two Kings no doubt stands entire and inuiolate And that their Subiects swords haue clashed it is nothing vnto the publike Peace of the Crownes it being a thing very vsuall in auxiliarie Forces of the best and straitest Confederates to meet and draw bloud in the Field Nay many times there bee Aides of the same Nation on both sides and yet it is not for all that A Kingdome diuided in it selfe It resteth my Lords that Jimpart vnto you a matter that I know your Lordships all will much reioyce to heare as that which importeth the Christian Common-weale more then any Action that hath hapned of long time The King our Master hath a purpose and determination to make Warre vpon the kingdome of Naples being now in the possession of a Bastardslip of Arragon but appertaining vnto his Maiestie by cleare and vndoubted right which if hee should not by iust Armes seeke to recouer hee could neither acquite his Honour nor answer it to his People But his Noble and Christian thoughts rest not here For his Resolution and Hope is to make the Re-conquest of Naples but as a Bridge to transport his Forces into Grecia and not to spare Bloud or Treasure If it were to the impawning of his Crowne and dis-peopling of France till either hee hath ouerthrowne the Empire of the OTTOMANS or taken it in his way to Paradise The King knoweth well that this is a designe that could not arise in the minde of any King that did not stedfastly looke vp vnto GOD whose quarrell this is and from whom commeth both the Will and the Deed. But yet it is agreeable to the Person that hee beareth though vnworthy of the Thrice-Christian King and the eldest Sonne of the Church Whereunto he is also inuited by the Example in more ancient time of King HENRIE the Fourth of England the first Renowned King of the House of LANCASTER Ancestour though not Progenitour to your King who had a purpose towards the end of his time as you know better to make an Expedition into the Holy-Land and by the Example also present before his eyes of that Honourable and Religious Warre which the King of Spaine now maketh and hath almost brought to perfection for the recouerie of the Realme of Granada from the Moores And although this Enterprise may seeme vast and vnmeasured for the King to attempt that by his owne Forces wherein heretofore a Coniunction of most of the Christian Princes hath found worke enough yet his Maiestie wisely considereth that sometimes smaller Forces being vnited vnder one Command are more effectuall in Proofe though not so promising in Opinion and Fame then much greater Forces variously compounded by Associations and Leagues which commonly in a short time after their Beginnings turne to Dissociations Diuisions But my Lords that which is as a Voice from Heauen that called the King to this Enterprise is a Rent at this time in the House of the OTTOMANS I doe not say but there hath beene Brother against Brother in that House before but neuer any that had refuge to the Armes of the Christians as now hath GEMES Brother vnto BAIAZETH that reigneth the fore brauer Man of the two the other being betweene a Monke and a Philosoper and better read in the Alcoran and Auerroes then able to weild the Scepter of so warlike an Empire This therefore is the King our Masters memorable and heroicall Resolution for an Holy Warre And because he carrieth in this the Person of a Christian Souldiour as well as of a Great Temporall Monarch hee beginneth with Humilitie and is content for this cause to begge Peace at the hands of other Christian Kings There remaineth onely rather a Ciuill Request then any essentiall part of our Negotiation which the King maketh to the King your Soueraigne The King as the World knoweth is Lord in Chiefe of the Duchie of Britaine The Marriage of the Heire belongeth to him as Guardian This is a priuate Patrimoniall Right and no Businesse of Estate yet neuerthelesse to runne a faire course with your King whom he desires to make another Himselfe and to bee one and the same thing with him his Request is That with the Kings Fauour and Consent he may dispose of her Marriage as he thinketh good and make void the intruded and pretended Marriage of MAXIMILIAN according to Justice This my Lords is all that I haue to say desiring your pardon for my weakenesse in the deliuerie THus did the French Ambassadors with great shew of their Kings affection and many sugred words seeke to adulce all matters betweene the two Kings hauing two things for their ends The one to keepe the King quiet till the Marriage of Britaine was past and this was but a Summer fruit which they thought was almost ripe and would be soone gathered The other was more lasting and that was to put him into such a temper as he might be no disturbance or impediment to the voyage for Italie The Lords of the Councell were silent and said only That they knew the Ambassadors would looke for no answer till they had reported to the King And so they rose from Councell The King could not well tell what to thinke of the Marriage of Britaine He saw plainly the ambition of the French King was to impatronize himselfe of the Duchie but he wondred he would bring into his House a litigious Marriage especially considering who was his Successor But weighing one thing with another he gaue Britaine for lost but resolued to make his profit of this businesse of Britaine as a quarrell for Warre and that of Naples as a Wrench and meane for Peace being well aduertised how strongly the King was bent vpon that Action Hauing therefore conferred diuers times with his Councell and keeping himselfe somewhat close he gaue a direction to the Chancellor for a formall answer to the Ambassadors and that hee did in the presence of his Councell And after calling the Chancellor to him apart bade him speake in such language as was fit for a Treatie that was to end in a Breach and gaue him also a speciall Caueat that he should not vse any words to discourage the voyage of Italie Soone after the Ambassadors were sent for to the Councell and the Lord Chancellor spake to them
in this sort MY Lords Ambassadours I shall make answer by the Kings Commandement vnto the eloquent Declaration of you my Lord Prior in a briefe and plaine manner The King forgetteth not his former loue and acquaintance with the King your Master But of this there needeth no repetition For if it bee betweene them as it was it is well if there bee any alteration it is not words that will make it vp For the Businesse of Britaine the King findeth it a little strange that the French King maketh mention of it as matter of well deseruing at his hand For that Deseruing was no more but to make him his Instrument to surprize one of his best Confederates And for the Marriage the King would not meddle in it if your Master would marry by the Book and not by the Sword For that of Flanders if the Subiects of Burgundie had appealed to your King as their Chiefe Lord at first by way of Supplication it might haue had a shew of Justice But it was a new forme of Processe for Subiects to imprison their Prince first and to slay his Officers and then to be Complainants The King saith That sure he is when the French King and himselfe sent to the Subiects of Scotland that had taken Armes against their King they both spake in another Stile and did in princely manner signifie their detestation of Popular Attentates vpon the Person or Authoritie of Princes But my Lords Ambassadors the King leaueth these two actions thus That on the one side hee hath not receiued any manner of satisfaction from you concerning them and on the other that he doth not apprehend them so deepely as in respect of them to refuse to treat of Peace if other things may goe hand in hand As for the Warre of Naples and the Designe against the Turke the King hath commanded me expressely to say That hee doth wish with all his heart to his good Brother the French King that his Fortunes may succeede according to his Hopes and honourable intentions And whensoeuer he shall heare that he is prepared for Grecia as your Master is pleased now to say that he beggeth a Peace of the King so the King will then begge of him a part in that Warre But now my Lords Ambassadours I am to propound vnto you somewhat on the Kings part The King your Master hath taught our King what to say and demand You say my Lord Prior that your King is resolued to recouer his right to Naples wrongfully detained from him And that if hee should not thus doe he could not acquite his Honour nor answere it to his People Thinke my Lords that the King our Master saith the same thing ouer againe to you touching Normandie Guien Angeou yea and the Kingdome of France it selfe I cannot expresse it better then in your owne words If therefore the French King shall consent that the King our Masters Title to France at least Tribute for the same be handled in the Treatie the King is content to goe on with the rest otherwise he refuseth to Treat THe Ambassadors being somwhat abashed with this demand answered in some heat That they doubted not but the King their Soueraignes sword would be able to maintaine his Scepter And they assured themselues he neither could nor would yeeld to any diminution of the Crowne of France either in Territory or Regalitie But howsoeuer they were too great matters for them to speake of hauing no Commission It was replied that the King looked for no other answer from them but would forth-with send his own Ambassadors to the French King There was a question also asked at the Table Whether the French King would agree to haue the disposing of the Marriage of Britaine with an exception exclusion that he should not marry her himselfe To which the Ambassadors answered That it was so farre out of their Kings thoughts as they had receiued no Instructions touching the same Thus were the Ambassadors dismissed all saue the Prior and were followed immediatly by THOMAS Earle of Ormond and THOMAS GOLDENSTON Prior of Christ-Church in Canterbury who were presently sent ouer into France In the meane space LIONELL Bishop of Concordia was sent as Nuntio from Pope ALEXANDER the sixth to both Kings to mooue a Peace betweene them For Pope ALEXANDER finding himselfe pent and lockt vp by a League and Association of the Principall States of Italie that hee could not make his way for the aduancement of his owne House which he immoderatly thirsted after was desirous to trouble the waters in Italie that hee might fish the better casting the Net not out of Saint PETERS but out of BORGIA'S Barke And doubting lest the feares fom England might stay the French Kings voyage into Italie dispatched this Bishop to compose all matters betweene the two Kings if he could Who first repaired to the French King and finding him well inclined as he conceiued tooke on his Iourney towards England and found the English Ambassadors at Calice on their way towards the French King After some conference with them he was in Honourable manner transported ouer into England where he had audience of the King But notwithstanding hee had a good Ominous name to haue made a Peace nothing followed For in the meane time the purpose of the French King to marry the Duchesse could be no longer dissembled Wherefore the English Ambassadors finding how things went took their leaue and returned And the Prior also was warned from hence to depart out of England Who when he turned his backe more like a Pedant then an Ambassadour dispersed a bitter Libell in Latine Verse against the King vnto which the King though hee had nothing of a Pedant yet was content to cause an answer to bee made in like Verse and that as speaking in his owne Person but in a style of Scorne and Sport About this time also was borne the Kings second Son HENRY who afterward reigned And soone after followed the solemnization of the marriagee between CHARLES and ANNE Duchesse of Britaine with whom he receiued the Duchie of Britaine as her Dowry the Daughter of MAXIMILIAN being a little before sent home Which when it came to the Eares of MAXIMILIAN who would neuer beleeue it till it was done being euer the Principall in deceiuing himselfe though in this the French King did very handsomely second it and tumbling it ouer and ouer in his thoughts that he should at one blowe with such a double scorne be defeated both of the marriage of his daughter and his owne vpon both which hee had fixed high imaginations he lost all patience and casting of the Respects fit to be continued betweene great Kings euen when their bloud is hottest and most risen fell to bitter Inuectiues against the person and Actions of the French King And by how much he was the lesse able to do talking so much the more spake all the Iniuries he could deuise of CHARLES saying That he was the most
KNESVVORTH likewise that had beene lately Maior of London and both his Sheriffes were for Abuses in their Offices questioned and imprisoned and deliuered vpon one Thousand foure hundred pounds payed HAVVIS an Alderman of London was put in Trouble and died with Thought and Anguish before his Businesse came to an end Sir LAVVRENCE AILMER who had likewise beene Maior of London and his two Sheriffes were put to the Fine of one Thousand Pounds And Sir LAVVRENCE for refusing to make payment was committed to Prison where hee stayed till EMPSON himselfe was committed in his place It is no marueile if the Faults were so light and the Rates so heauie that the Kings Treasure of store that hee left at his death most of it in secret places vnder his owne Key and keeping at Richmond amounted as by Tradition it is reported to haue done vnto the Summe of neare Eighteene hundred thousand pounds Sterling a huge Masse of Money euen for these times The last Act of State that concluded this kings Temporall Felicitie was the Conclusion of a Glorious Match betweene his Daughter MARIE and CHARLES Prince of Castile afterwards the great Emperour both beeing of tender yeares Which Treatie was perfected by Bishop FOXE and other his Commissioners at Calice the yeare before the Kings Death In which Alliance it seemeth hee himselfe tooke so high Contentment as in a Letter which hee wrote thereupon to the Citie of London commaunding all possible demonstrations of ioy to bee made for the same hee expresseth himselfe as if hee thought hee had built a Wall of Brasse about his Kingdome When hee had for his Sonnes-in-law a King of Scotland and a Prince of Castile and Burgundie So as now there was nothing to bee added to this great Kings Felicitie beeing at the top of all worldly Blisse in regard of the high Marriages of his Children his great Renowne throughout Europe and his scarce credible Riches and the perpetuall Constancie of his prosperous Successes but an opportune Death to withdraw him from any future blowe of Fortune Which certainely in regard of the great Hatred of his People and the Title of his Sonne being then come to Eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall and that gained vpon the People by his very Aspect and Presence had not beene impossible to haue come vpon him To crowne also the last yeare of his Raigne as well as his first hee did an Act of Pietie rare and worthy to bee taken into Imitation For hee granted forth a Generall Pardon as expecting a second Coronation in a better Kingdome Hee did also declare in his Will that his minde was that Restitution should bee made of those Summes which had beene vniustly taken by his Officers And thus this SALOMON of England for SALOMON also was too heauie vpon his People in Exactions hauing liued two and fiftie yeares and thereof Raigned three and twentie yeares and eight Moneths beeing in perfect Memorie and in a most Blessed Minde in a great Calme of a Consuming Sickenesse passed to a better World the two and twentieth of Aprill 1508. at his Palace of Richmond which himselfe had built THis King to speake of him in Tearmes equall to his Deseruing was one of the best sort of VVonders a Wonder for VVisemen Hee had parts both in his Vertues and his Fortune not so fit for a Common-place as for Obseruation Certainly hee was Religious both in his Affection and Obseruance But as hee could see cleare for those times through Superstition so he would be blinded now and then by Humane Policie Hee aduanced Church-men hee was tender in the Priuiledge of Sanctuaries though they wrought him much mischiefe Hee built and endowed many Religious Foundations besides his Memorable Hospitall of the Sauoy And yet was hee a great Almes-giuer in secret which shewed that his VVorkes in publique were dedicated rather to GODS Glorie than his owne Hee professed alwaies to loue and seeke Peace and it was his vsuall Preface in his Treaties That when CHRIST came into the World Peace was sung and when HEE went out of the World Peace was bequeathed And this Vertue could not proceede out of Feare or Softnesse for he was Valiant and Actiue and therefore no doubt it was truely Christian and Morall Yet hee knew the way to Peace was not to seeme to bee desirous to auoyde Warres Therefore would be make Cffers and Fames of Warres till hee had mended the Conditions of Peace It was also much that one that was so great a Louer of Peace should be so happie in VVarre For his Armes eyther in Forraine or Ciuill VVarres were neuer Infortunate neyther did be know what a Disaster meant The VVarre of his Comming in and the Rebellions of the Earle of Lincolne and the Lord AWDLEY were ended by Victorie The VVarres of France and Scotland by Peaces sought at his hands That of Brittaine by accident of the Dukes death The Insurrection of the Lord LOVEL and that of PERKIN at Excester and in Kent by flight of the Rebells before they came to Blowes So that his Fortune of Armes was still Inuiolate The rather sure for that in the quenching of the Commotions of his Subiects hee euer went in Person Sometimes reseruing himselfe to backe and second his Lieutenants but euer in Action and yet that was not meerely Forwardnesse but partly Distrust of others Hee did much maintaine and countenance his Lawes Which neuerthelesse was no Impediment to him to worke his VVill. For it was so handled that neyther Prerogatiue nor Profit went to Diminution And yet as hee would sometimes straine vp his Lawes to his Prerogatiue so would hee also let downe his Prerogatiue to his Parliament For Minte and Warres and Marshall Discipline things of Absolute Power hee would neuerthelesse bring to Parliament Iustice was well administred in his time saue where the King was Partie Saue also that the Councell-Table intermedled too much with Meum and Tuum For it was a very Court of Iustice during his time especially in the Beginning But in that part both of Iustice and Policie which is the Durable Part and cut as it were in Brasse or Marble which is The making of good Lawes he did excell And with his Iustice hee was also a Mercifull Prince As in whose time there were but three of the Nobilitie that suffered the Earle of Warwicke the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord AWDLEY Though the first two were in stead of Numbers in the Dislike and Obloquie of the People But there were neuer so great Rebellions expiated with so little Bloud drawne by the hand of Iustice as the two Rebellions of Black-heath and Excester As for the Seueritie vsed vpon those which were taken in Kent it was but vpon a Scumme of People His Pardons went euer both before and after his Sword But then hee had withall a strange kinde of Interchanging of large and inexpected Pardons which seuere Executions Which his Wisedome considered could not bee imputed to any