his right Heires but leauing that to the Law to decide so as the Entaile might seeme rather a personall fauour to him and his children then a totall Dis-inherison to the House of Yorke And in this forme was the Law drawne and passed Which Statute hee procured to be confirmed by the Popes Bull the yeare following with mention neuerthelesse by way of Recitall of his other Titles both of Descent and Conquest So as now the wreath of Three was made a wreath of Fiue for to the three first Titles of the two Houses or Lines and Conquest were added two more the Authorities Parliamentarie and Papall The King likewise in the Reuersall of the Attaindors of his Partakers and discharging them of all offences incident to his seruice and succour had his Will and Acts did passe accordingly In the passage whereof exception was taken to diuers Persons in the house of Commons for that they were attainted and therby not legall nor habilitate to serue in Parliament being disabled in the highest degree And that it should bee a great incongruitie to haue them to make Lawes who themselues were not Inlawed The truth was that diuers of those which had in the time of King RICHARD beene strongest and most declared for the Kings Partie were returned Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament whether by care or recommendation from the State or the voluntarie inclination of the People many of which had beene by RICHARD the third attainted by Outlawries or otherwise The King was somewhat troubled with this For though it had a graue and specious Shew yet it reflected vpon his Partie But wisely not shewing himselfe at all moued therewith hee would not vnderstand it but as a Case in Law and wished the Iudges to be aduised therupon who for that purpose were forthwith assembled in the Exchequer-Chamber which is the Councell-Chamber of the Iudges and vpon deliberation they gaue a graue and safe Opinion and Aduice mixed with Law and Conuenience which was that the Knights and Burgesses attainted by the course of Law should forbeare to come into the House till a Law were passed for the reuersall of their Attaindors It was at that time incidently moued amongst the Iudges in their Consultation what should be done for the King himselfe who likewise was attainted But it was with vnanimous consent resolued That the Crowne takes away all defects and stops in bloud and that from the time the King did assume the Crowne the fountaine was cleared and all Attaindors and Corruption of bloud discharged But neuerthelesse for Honours sake it was ordained by Parliament that all Records wherein there was any memorie or mention of the Kings Attaindor should be defaced cancelled and taken off the File But on the part of the Kings Enemies there were by Parliament attainted the late Duke of Glocester calling himselfe RICHARD the Third The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Surrey Viscount LOVEL the Lord FERRERS the Lord ZOVCH RICHARD RATCLIFFE WILLIAM CATESBY and many others of degree and qualitie In which Bills of Attaindors neuerthelesse there were contained many iust and temperate Clauses Sauings and Prouisoes well shewing and fore-tokening the wisdome stay and moderation of the Kings spirit of Gouernment And for the Pardon of the rest that had stood against the King the King vpon a second aduice thought it not fit it should passe by Parliament the better being matter of Grace to impropriate the thankes to himselfe vsing onely the opportunitie of a Parliament time the better to disperse it into the Veines of the Kingdome Therfore during the Parliament hee published his Royall Proclamation offering Pardon and Grace of restitution to all such as had taken Armes or beene participant of any Attempts against him so as they submitted themselues to his mercie by a Day and tooke the Oath of Allegeance and Fidelitie to him Whereupon many came out of Sanctuary and many more came out of Feare no lesse guiltie then those that had taken Sanctuarie As for Money or Treasure the King thought it not seasonable or fit to demand any of his Subiects at this Parliament both because he had receiued satisfaction from them in matters of so great importance and because hee could not remunerate them with any Generall Pardon being preuented therin by the Coronation Pardon passed immediatly before but chiefly for that it was in euery mans eye what great Forfeitures and Confiscations he had at that present to helpe himselfe Wherby those Casualties of the Crowne might in reason spare the Purses of the Subiect especially in a time when he was in peace with all his Neighbours Some few Lawes passed at that Parliament almost for forme sake amongst which there was One to reduce Aliens being made Denizens to pay strangers Customes and another to draw to himselfe the Seisures and Compositions of Italians Goods for not imployment being Points of Profit to his Coffers whereof from the very Beginning he was not forgetfull and had beene more happie at the Latter End if his early prouidence which kept him from all necessitie of exacting vpon his people could likewise haue attemp'red his nature therin He added during Parliament to his former Creations the Innoblement or aduancement in Nobilitie of a few others The Lord CHANDOS of Brittaine was made Earle of Bathe and Sir GILES DAWBENY was made Lord Dawbeny and Sir ROBERT WILLOVGHBY Lord Brooke The King did also with great Noblenesse and Bountie which Vertues at that time had their turnes in his Nature restore EDWARD STAFFORD eldest sonne to HENRY Duke of Buckingham attainted in the time of King RICHARD not onely to his Dignities but to his Fortunes and Possessions which were great to which he was moued also by a kind of gratitude for that the Duke was the man that moued the first Stone against the Tyrannie of King RICHARD and indeed madethe King a bridge to the Crowne vpon his owne Ruines Thus the Parliament brake vp The Parliament being dissolued the King sent forthwith Money to redeeme the Marquesse Dorset and Sir IOHN BOVRCHIER whom hee had left as his Pledges at Paris for Money which hee had borrowed when he made his Expedition for England And thereupon hee tooke a fit occasion to send the Lord Treasurer and Master BRAY whom hee vsed as Councellor to the Lord Maior of London requiring of the Citie a Prest of six thousand Markes But after many Parlees hee could obtaine but two thousand pounds Which neuerthelesse the King tooke in good part as Men vse to doe that practise to borrow Money when they haue no need About this time the King called vnto his Priuie-Councell IOHN MORTON and RICHARD FOX the one Bishop of Elie the other Bishop of Excester vigilant men and secret and such as kept watch with him almost vpon al men else They had beene both versed in his Affaires before hee came to the Crowne and were partakers of his aduerse Fortune This MORTON soone after vpon the death of BOVRCHIER he made
tricked vp a Boy in the likenesse of EDWARDPLANTAGENET and shewed him to the people not sparing to prophane the Ceremony of a Procession the more to countenance the Fable The Generall-Pardon likewise neere the same time came forth and the King therewithall omitted no diligence in giuing straight order for the keeping of the Ports that Fugitiues Male-contents or suspected Persons might not passe ouer into Ireland and Flanders Meane while the Rebels in Ireland had sent priuie Messengers both into England and into Flanders who in both places had wrought effects of no small importance For in England they wonne to their Partie IOHN Earle of Lincolne sonne of IOHN DE LAPOLE Duke of Suffolke and of ELIZABETH King EDWARD the Fourths eldest sister This Earle was a man of great wit and courage and had his thoughts highly raysed by Hopes and Expectations for a time For RICHARD the third had a Resolution out of his hatred to both his Brethren King EDWARD and the Duke of Clarence and their Lines hauing had his hand in both their blouds to disable their Issues vpon false and incompetent pretexts the one of Attaindor the other of Illegitimation and to designe this Gentleman in case himselfe should die without Children for Inheritor of the Crowne Neither was this vnknowne to the King who had secretly an Eye vpon him But the King hauing tasted of the Enuie of the people for his imprisonment of EDWARD PLANTAGENET was doubtfull to heape vp any more distasts of that kind by the imprisonment of DE LAPOLE also the rather thinking it Policie to conserue him as a Corriuall vnto the other The Earle of Lincolne was induced to participate with the Action of Ireland not lightly vpon the strength of the Proceedings there which was but a Bubble but vpon Letters from the Lady MARGARET of Burgundie in whose succours and declaration for the Enterprise there seemed to be a more solid foundation both for Reputation and Forces Neither did the Earle refraine the Businesse for that he knew the pretended PLANTAGENET to be but an Idoll But contrariwise hee was more glad it should be the false PLANTAGENET then the true because the False being sure to fall away of himselfe and the True to be made sure of by the King it might open and paue a faire and prepared way to his owne Title With this Resolution hee sayled secretly into Flanders where was a little before arriued the Lord LOVEL leauing a correspondence here in England with Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON a man of great Power and Dependencies in Lancashire For before this time when the pretended PLANTAGENET was first receiued in Ireland secret Messengers had beene also sent to the Lady MARGARET aduertising her what was passed in Ireland imploring Succoures in an Enterprise as they said so pious and iust and that God had so miraculously prospered the beginning therof and making offer that all things should be guided by her will and direction as the Soueraigne Patronesse and Protectresse of the Enterprise MARGARET was second sister to King EDWARD the Fourth and had beene second Wife to CHARLES surnamed the HARDY Duke of Burgundie by whome hauing no Children of her owne she did with singular care and tendernesse intend the Education of PHILIP and MARGARET Grand-children to her former Husband which wonne her great loue and authority among the Dutch This Princesse hauing the Spirit of a Man and Malice of a woman abounding in Treasure by the greatnesse of her Dower and her prouident Gouernment and being childlesse and without any neerer Care made it her Designe and Enterprise to see the Maiestie Royall of England once againe re-placed in her House and had set vp King HENRY as a Marke at whose ouerthrow all her actions should ayme and shoote insomuch as all the Counsells of his succeeding troubles came chiefly out of that Quiuer And shee bare such a mortall hatred to the House of LANCASTER and personally to the King as she was no wayes mollified by the Coniunction of the Houses in her Neeces marriage but rather hated her Neece as the meanes of the Kings ascent to the Crowne and assurance therein Wherefore with great violence of affection she embraced this Ouerture And vpon Counsaile taken with the Earle of Lincolne and the Lord LOVEL and some other of the Partie it was resolued with all speed the two Lords assisted with a Regiment of two thousand Almaines being choice and Veterane Bands vnder the command of MARTIN SWART a valiant and experimented Captaine should passe ouer into Ireland to the new King Hoping that when the Action should haue the face of a receiued and setled Regalitie with such a second Person as the Earle of Lincolne and the Coniunction and reputation of forraine succours the fame of it would imbolden and prepare all the Partie of the Confederates and Malecontents within the Realme of England to giue them assistance when they should come ouer there And for the Person of the Counterfeit it was agreed that if all things succeeded well he should be put downe and the true PLANTAGENET receiued Wherein neuerthelesse the Earle of Lincolne had his particular hopes After they were come into Ireland and that the Partie tooke courage by seeing themselues together in a Bodie they grew very confident of successe conceiuing and discoursing amongst themselues that they went in vpon farre better Cards to ouerthrow King HENRY then King HENRY had to ouerthrow King RICHARD And that if there were not a Sword drawne against them in Ireland it was a Signe the Swords in England would be soone sheathed or beaten downe And first for a Brauery vpon this accession of power they crowned their new King in the Cathedrall Church of Dublin who formerly had beene but proclaimed onely and then sate in Councell what should further be done At which Councell though it were propounded by some that it were the best way to establish themselues first in Ireland and to make that the Seat of the Warre and to draw King HENRY thither in person by whose absence they thought there would be great alterations and commotions in England yet because the Kingdome there was poore and they should not be able to keepe their Armie together nor pay their Germane Soldiers and for that also the sway of the Irish-men and generally of the Men-of-warre which as in such cases of Popular tumults is vsuall did in effect gouerne their Leaders was eager and in affection to make their fortunes vpon England It was concluded with all possible speed to transport their forces into England The King in the meane time who at the first when he heard what was done in Ireland though it troubled him yet thought hee should bee well enough able to scatter the Irish as a Flight of Birds and rattle away this Swarme of Bees with their King when hee heard afterwards that the Earle of Lincolne was embarqued in the action and that the Lady MARGARET was declared for it he apprehended the danger in a
and Daintiest Monuments of Europe both for the Chappell and for the Sepulchre So that hee dwelleth more richly Dead in the Monument of his Tombe than hee did Aliue in Richmond or any of his Palaces I could wish he did the like in this Monument of his Fame FINIS An Index Alphabeticall directing to the most obserueable passages in the foregoing Historie A AN Accident in it selfe triuiall great in effect pag. 189 Aduice desired from the Parliament 53. 57. 98 A Emulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 61 Affabilitie of the King to the Citie of London 198 Affection of k. Henry to the king of Spaine 105 Affection of the king to his children 241 Aide desired by the Duke of Brittaine 53 Aide sent to Brittaine 62 Aiders of rebels punished 37 Almes deeds of the king 229 Ambassadors to the Pope 38 into Scotland 39 Ambassadours from the French King 41 Ambassadors in danger in France 49 Ambassadors into France 94 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 135 Answer of the Archduke to the kings Ambassadors 129 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 132 Armes of king Henries still victorious 234 Arrows of the Cornishmen the length of them 171 Articles betweene the King and the Archduke 162 Arthur Prince married to the Ladie Katherine 203 Arthur Prince dyes at Ludlow 218 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earle of Surrey 174 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 12 Attaindor and corruption of bloud reacheth not to the Crown 13. 24 Auarice of king Henry 236 Audley Generall of the Cornish rebels 165 B BAnishment of Flemings out of the kingdome 130 Battaile at Bosworth field 1 at Stokefield 35 at S. Albans in Brittain 62 Bannocks bourne in Scotland 70 at Blacke Heath 168 Behauiour of king Henry towards his children 205 Beneuolence to the king for his warres 100 Beneuolence who the first author ibid. Beneuolence abolished by Act of Parliament ibid. Beneuolence reuiued by Act of Parliament 100 A Beneuolence generall to the king 216 Birth of Hen. 8. 95 Bishops why imployed by the king 16 Bloud not vnreuenged 196. 213 Brittain Duchie distressed 62 Three causes of the losse of the Duchie of Brittaine 63 Brittaine vnited to France by marriage 95 Brackenbury refused to murder king Edw. 2. sonnes 123 Broughton Sir Thomas ioyned with the rebels 32 A Bull procured from the Pope by the king for what causes 39 Bulloigne besieged by king Henry 110 C CArdinall Morton dyeth 198 Capel Sir William fined 139. 229 Capp of maintenance from the Pope 178 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 80 Chauncery power and description of that Court. 64 Clifford Sir Robert flyes to Perkin 122 Reuolts to the king 125 Clergie priuiledges abridged 66 Christendome enlarged 106 Columbus Christopher Bartholomeus inuite the king to a discouery of the West Indies 189 Confiscation aymed a by the king 133 Conference betweene king Henry and the king of Castile by casualtie landing at Waymouth 223 Conquest the Title vnpleasing to the people declined by William the Conq. 5. and by the king 7 Conspirators for Perkin 121 Contraction of Prince Hen. and Lady Katherine 207 Conditionell speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 134 Commissioners into Ireland 138 Commissioners about trading 161 Coronation of king Henry 10 Coronation of the Queene 38 Counsell the benefite of good 40 Counsell of what sort the French king vsed 51 Counsell of meane men what and how different from that of Nobles ibidem Lord Cordes enuie to England 79 Cottagers but housed Beggars Counterfeits 74 Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 24 Crowned at Dublin 31 Taken in battell 35 Put into the Kings Kitchin 36 Made the Kings Fawlconer ibid. Duke of Yorke counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earle of Warwick 194 Courage of the English when 62 Court what pleas belong to euerie Court 64 Court of Starre-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 10 Crowne confirmed to king Henry by Parliament 11 Cursing of the kings enemies at Pauls Crosse a custome of those times 125. 213 D DAm a towne in Flanders taken by a slight 103 Lord Dawbeny 170 Deuices at Prince Arthurs marriage 203 Deuice of the King to diuert enuie 111 Decay of trade doth punish merchants 161 Decay of people how it comes to passe 73 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 148 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 136 Dighton a murderer of K. Edw. 2. children 124 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 101 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 211 Displacing of no Councellers nor Seruants in all K. Henries Reigne saue of one 242 Dissimulation of the French King 46. 48. 81 Dissimulation of k. Henrie in pretending warre 99 A Doubt long kept open and diuersly determined according to the diuersitie of the times 206 Dowry of L. Katherine how much 204 Dowrie of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 208 Drapery maintained how 76 Dudley one of the kings horseleeches 209 Duke of Yorke counterfet See Perkin E EArle of Suffolke flyes into Flanders 212. Returnes 225 Earle of Northumberland slaine by the people in collecting the Subsidie somewhat harshly 68 Earle of Warwick executed 195 Earle of Warw. counterfeit 21. 194 Earle of Surrey enters Scotland 174 Edmund a third sonne borne to king Henry but died 191 Edward the fift murthered 149 Enuie towards the king vnquenchable the cause of it 196 Enuie of Lord Cordes to England 79 Enteruiew between the king Arch-Duke with the respectiue carriage of the Arch-Duke to the king 197 Enteruiew betweene the king and the king of Castile 223 Embleme 167 Empson one of the kings horseleeches 209 Errors of the French king in his businesse for the kingdome of Naples 143 Errors of king Henry occasioning his many troubles 264 Escuage seruice 164 Espials in the Rebels campe 33 Espousals of Iames king of Scotland and Lady Margaret 207 Exchanges vnlawfull prohibited 66 Exeter besieged by Perkin 181 The loyaltie of the Towne ibid The Towne rewarded with the kings owne sword 184 Execution of Humphrey Stafford 18 Iohna Chamber and his fellow rebels at Yorke 68 Sir Iames Tyrril murderer of king Edw. 2. sonnes 124 Of diuers others 131 Sir William Stanley 134 For Rebels 138 Perkins companie 141 Audley and Cornish Rebels 171 Another counterfeit Earle of Warw. 194 Perkin Warbeck ibid The Mayor of Corke and his son 195 Earle of Warwick 195 F FAme ill affected 172 Fame entertained by diuers the reasons of it 121 Fame neglected by Empson Dudley 209 Feare not safe to the king 137 Fines 72 Without Fines Statute to sell land 101 Flammock a Lawyer a rebell 164 Flemmings banished 130 Flight of king Henry out of Brittaine into France wherefore 55 Forfeitures and confiscations furnish the kings wants 14. 27 Forfeitures aimed at 75. 133 Forfeitures vpon penall lawes taken by the king which was the blot of his times 139 Fortune various 26. 36 Forwardnesse inconsiderate 170 Foxe made priuie Counsellor 16 Made L. Keeper of the priuie Seal
ibid. His prouidence 173 Free fishing of the Dutch 225 Title to France renewed by the king in Parliament 98 Frion ioynes with Perkin 118 First fruits 16 In forma pauperis a law enacted for it 146 G GAbato Sebastian makes a voyage for discouerie 187 Gordon Lady Katherine wife to Perkin 153 Granado vindicated from the Moores 105 Guard Yeomen first instituted 10 Gifts of the French king to king Hen. Counsellors and Souldiers 111 Gratitude of the Popes Legat to king Henry 70 H HAllowed sword from the Pope 178 Hatred of the people to the king with the maine reason of it 19 Heartie acclamations of the people to the king 7 K. Henry his description 233. c. His pietie 1. 105 Hee hath three titles to the kingdome 3 Heretickes prouided against a rare thing in those times 202 Herne a Counsellor to Perkin 179 Hialas otherwise Elias to England how 174 Holy warre 200 Hopes of gaine by warre 111 Hostages redeemed by the King 15 Houses of husbandry to be maintained to preuent the decay of people 75 Histories defects in them what 76 I IAmes the third king of Scotland his distresse and death 70 Idols vexe God and king H. 185 Iohn Egremond leader of the rebels 68 Inclosures their manifest inconueniencies and how remedied 73 Ingratitude of women punished 146 Innouation desired 20 Incense of the people what 207 Instructions of Lady Margaretto Perkin 115 Intercursus Magnus 162 Intercursus Malus ib 225 Inuectiues of Maximilian against the French king 95 Inuectiues against the king and Counsell 137 Improuidence of k. Henry to preuent his troubles 20. 23 Improuidence of the French 142 Ioynture of La. Katherine how much 204 Ioynture of Lady Margaret in Scotlland how much 208 Ioseph a rebell 164 Ireland fauoureth Yorke Title 23 Ireland receiueth Simon the Priest of Oxford with his counterfeit 23 Irish adhere to Perkin 117 Iubile at Rome 199 Iuno i. e. the Lady Margaret so called by the kings friends 113 K KAtherine Gordon Perkins wife royally entertained by k. Henry 184 Kent loyall to the King 141. 166 The king the publick Steward 60 Kings their miseries 83 King of Rakehels Perkin so called by king Henry 181 The kings skreene who 164 King of France protector of k. Henry in his trouble 54 Kingdome of France restored to its integritie 40 King of France buyes his peace of K. Henry 111 King of Scots enters England 153. Againe 173 Knights of the Bath 132 Knights of Rhodes elect king Henry Protector of the Order 202 L LAncaster Title condemned by Parliament 4 Lancaster house in possession of the Crowne for three descents together 6 Lambert Simnel 20. See Counterfeit Lawes enacted in Parliament 63 Diuers Lawes enacted 215 Law charitable enacted 146 A good Law enacted 145 A Law of a strange nature 144 A Law against carrying away of women by violence the reasons of it 65 Law of Poynings 138 Lawes penall put in execution 139 A Legate from the Pope 70 Preferred to be Bishop in England by king Henry ibid. His gratitude to K. H. 70 Lenitie of the K. abused 179 Letters from the king out of France to the Mayor of London 112 A Libell 94 Libels the causes of them 137 Libels the femals of sedition ibid Libels the authors executed 138 A Loane from the Citie to the king repaid 76 London entred by king Hen. in a close chariot wherefore 8 London in a tumult because of the rebels 169 London purchase confirmation of their liberties 216 M MAle Contents their effects 67 Margaret of Burgundy the fountaine of all the mischiefe to k Henry 29 Shee entertains the rebels 68. 119 Shee a Iuno to the king 113 Shee instructs Perkin 115 Lady Margaret desired in marriage by the Scottish king 191 Manufacture forraine how to bee kept out 60. 215 Marriage of king Henry with Ladie Elizabeth 16 Of the French king with the Duchesse of Brittaine 95 Of Prince Arthur 203 Mart translated to Calice the reasons of it 130 Maintenance prohibited by law 64 Merchants of England receiued at Antwerpe with procession great ioy 162 A memorable Memorandum of the King 212 Military power of the kingdome aduanced how 73 Mills of Empson and Dudley what and the gains they brought in 216 Mitigations 209 Money bastard imployments thereof repressed 59 Money left at the kings death how much 230 Morton made priuie Councellor 16 Made Archbish. of Canterbury ib. His speech to the Parliament 57 Mortons Forke 101 Morton authour of the vnion of the two Roses 199 Moores expelled Granado 106 Murmuring 22 Murmurs of the people against the K. 121 Murther manslaughter a law concerning it in amendment of the common Law 65 Murther of king Edw. 5. 149 Murther of a Commissioner for the Subsidie 165 N NAuigation of the kingdome how aduanced 75 Neighbour ouerpotent dangerous 56 57 Bad Newes the effect thereof in souldiers 109 Nobilitie neglected in counsell the ill effects of it 51 Nobilitie few of them put to death in king Henries time 235 North the kings iourney thither for what reasons 17 O OAth of Allegeance taken 14 Oath enforced vpon Maximilian by his subiects 77 Oath kept ibid. Obedience neglected what followes 70 First occasion of a happy vnion 191 Obsequies for the French King performed in England 192 Obsequies to Tyrants what 2 An ominous answer of the king 208 An ominous prognostick 226 Opinions diuerse what was to be done with Perkin 184 Orator from the Pope met at London bridge by the Mayor 178 Order of the Garter sent to Alphonso 112 Ostentation of Religion by the king of Spaine 105 Ouer merit preiudicial to Sir William Stanley 133 Outlawrics how punished 210 Oxford Earle fined for breach of the law 211 P PAcificator K Henry betweene the French king Duke of Brittaine 50 Pardon proclaimed by the king 14. 18. 25 A Parliament called speedily 11 A Parliament called for two reasons 52 Another 16. 214 Parliaments aduice desired by the K. 53. 57. 98 Passions contrary in K. Henry ioy and sorrow with the reasons of both 58 Peace pretended by the French king 47 Peace to be desired but with two conditions 54 Peace concluded betweene England and France 111 People how brought to decay the redresse of it by the king 73 Pensions giuen by the king of France 111 A Personation somewhat strange 113 A great plague 196 Edw. Plantagenet sonne and heire of George Duke of Clarence 6 Edw. Plantagenet shewed to the people 27 Plantagenets race ended 195 Perkin Warbeck History of him 112 His parentage 114 Godsonne to king Edw. 4. 115 His crafty behauiour 114. 120 Fauoured by the French king 118 By him discarded 119 Fauoured by the Scottish King 47 He yeeldeth and is brought to the Court 186 Set in the stockes 192 Executed at Tiburne 194 A pleasant passage of Prince Arthur 206 Policie to preuent warre 42 A point of policie to defend the Duchie of Brittaine against the French 47. 56 Policie of State 41 Pope sowes seeds
of warre 94 Pope Ambassadour to him 38 Poynings law in Ireland 118 Priest of Oxford Simon 20 Pretence of the French king 45. 46 Prerogatiue how made vse of 235 Price of cloth limitted 75 Prisoners Edw. Plantagenet 6 Prince of Orenge Duke of Orleance 62 Maximilian by his subiects 77 Priuiledges of Clergie abridged 66 Priuiledges of Sanctuary qualified in three points 39 Proclamation of Perkin what effect 160 Protection for being in the kings seruice limited 101 Prouerbe 182 Prouidence for the future 72 Q QVeene Dowager 21. enclosed in the Monastery of Bermondsey 26. Her variety of fortune 26 Queenes Colledge founded in Cambridge 27 Queene Elizabeth crowned after two yeares 38 Queene Elizabeths death 208 R REbellion of Lord Louel and Staffords 17 Rebellion iu Yorkeshire 68 Rebellion how to be preuented 59 Rebellion how frequent in k. Henries time 68 Rebellion of the Cornishmen 163 Rebels but halfe couraged men 171 Religion abused to serue policie 213 Remorse of the king for oppression of his people 229 Restitution to be made by the Kings Will. 231 Returne of the King from France 112 Retribution of k. Henry for treasure receiued of his subiects 71 Reuenge diuine 1 Reuenge of bloud 213 Reward proposed by Perkin 159 Richard the third a Tyrant 1 Richard slaine at Bosworth field ibid. His ignominious buriall 2 Murder of his two Nephews ib. Iealous to maintaine his honour and reputation 3 Hopes to win the people by making lawes ibid. His vertues ouerswayed by his vices 2. yet fauoured in Yorksh. 67 Riches of k. Henry at his death 230 Riches of Sir William Stanley 133 Richmond built vpon what occasion 187 Riot and retainers suppressed by Act of Parliament 216 Rome euer respected by king H. 70 A Rumour false procuring much hatred to the king 19 Rumour false enquired after to be punished 37 Rumour that the D. of York was aliue first of the K. own nourishing 244 S SAnctuary at Colneham could not protect Traytors 18 Sanctuary priuiledges qualified by a Bull from the Pope in three points 39 Saturday obserued and fansied by K. Henry 7. 170 Saying of the king when hee heard of Rebels 69 Scottish men voyded out of England 101 Seruice of escuage 164 Simon the Priest 20 Skreenes to the king who 164 A sleight ingenuous and taking good effect in warre 103 Sluce besieged and taken ibid. Southsayers prediction mistaken 71 Speeches 51. 82. 91 Speech of the king to Parliament 96 Speech of Perkin 148 Speech conditionall doth not qualifie words of Treason 134 Speeches bitter against the king 111 Sparkes of rebellion neglected dangerous 20 Spies from the king 124 Sprites of what kinde vexed k. H. 112 Stanley Sir William Stanley crownes K. Henry in the field 5 Motiues of his falling from the K. 135 Sir Will. Stanley appeached of Treason 132. is confined and examined and confesseth 133. is beheaded 134. Reasons which alienated the kings affections 136 Starre Chamber Court confirmed in certaine cases 63 Starre Chamber Court described what causes belong to it 64 Statute of non claime 72 Steward publick the K. 60 Strength of the Cornishmen 171 Spoyles of Bosworth field 135 Spoyles as water spilt on the ground 176 Subsidie denyed by the inhabitants of Yorkshire and Durham the reason wherefore 67 Subsidies denyed by the Cornishmen 163 Subsidie Commissioner killed 165 Subsidie how much 163 Swart Martin 30 Sweating sicknesse 9 The maner of the cure of it 9 Sweating sicknesse the interpretation the people made of it 36 T ATale pleasant concerning the K. 243 Terror among the kings seruants and subiects 137 Tirrill Sir Iames a murderer of K. Edw. 2. sonnes 123 Tirrill executed 213 Thanks of the king to the Parliament 52 Thanksgiuing to God for the victorie 1. 36. 38. 106 Three Titles to the kingdome meete in king Hen. 3 Title to France stirred 93 By the king himselfe 98 Treasure to bee kept in the kingdome 75 Treasure raised by the King how 37 50. 209 Treasure inordinately affected by the king 211 Treasure how increased 216 Treasure left at the kings death how much 230 Trade the increase therof considered 59 Trade in decay pincheth 161 Traytors taken out of Sanctuary 18 Tower the kings lodging wherefore 132 A Triplicity dangerous 166 Triumph at the marriage of the Ladie Elizab. to k. H. 16 Truce with Scotland 40 Tyrants the obsequies of the people to them 2 V VIctory wisely husbanded by the French 62 Victory at Black Heath 171 Vnion of England and Scotland its first originall 174 Voyage of k. Henry into France 109 Voyage for discouerie 188. 189 Vrswick Ambassador 112 Vsury 66 W WAlsingbam Lady vowed to by k. Henry 32 Wards wronged 210 Warre betweene the French king and the Duke of Brittain 48 Warre the fame thereof aduantagious to king Henry 49. 50 Warre gainfull to the king 163 Warre pretended to get money 99 Warre of Fraunce ended by a peace wherat the souldiers murmur 111 White Rose of England 120. 184 Wilford counterfeit Earle of Warw. 194 A Wifes affection 226 Wooduile voluntarily goes to aide the Duke of Brittaine 49 Wooduile slaine at S. Albans in Brittaine 62 Wolsey employed by the king 227 Women carried away by violence a law enacted against it the reasons 65 Womens ingratitude punished by law 146 Y YEomen of the Guard first instituted 10 Yeomanrie how maintained 73 Yorke house and title fauoured by the people 4. 19 Yorke Title and Line depressed by k. Henry 6. 16 Yorke Title fauoured in Ireland 23 Yorkeshire and Durham deny to pay the Subsidie 67 FINIS The Originall of this Proclamation remaineth with Sir Robert Cotton a worthy Preseruer and Treasurer of rare Antiquities from whose Manuscripts I haue had much light for the furnishing of this Worke.
THE HISTORIE Of the REIGNE of KING HENRY THE SEVENTH Written by the Right Hon FRANCIS LO Virulam Viscount S. ALBAN Whereunto is now added a very vsefull and necessary TABLE London printed by I. H. and R. Y. and are to be sold by Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith At the Signe of the Golden Lyon in Pauls-Church-yard 1629. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earle of Chester c. It may Please Your Highnesse In part of my acknowledgment to Your Highnesse I haue endeuoured to doe Honour to the Memory of the last King of ENGLAND that was Ancestour to the King your Father and Your selfe and was that King to whom both Unions may in a sort referre That of the Roses beeing in him Consummate and that of the Kingdomes by him begunne Besides his Times deserue it For hee was a Wise Man and an Excellent King and yet the Times were rough and full of Mutations and rare Accidents And it is with Times as it is with Wayes Some are more Vp-hill and Downe-hill and some are more Flat and Plaine and the One is better for the Liuer and the Other for the Writer I haue not flattered him but took him to life as well as I could sitting so farre off and hauing no better light It is true Your Highnesse hath a Liuing Patterne Incomparable of the King your Father But it is not amisse for You also to see one of these Ancient Peeces GOD preserue Your Highnesse Your Highnesses most humble and deuoted Seruant Francis St. Alban THE HISTORIE OF THE REIGNE OF King HENRY the Seuenth AFter that RICHARD the third of that name King in fact onely but Tyrant both in Title and Regiment and so commonly termed and reputed in all times since was by the Diuine Reuenge fauouring the designe of an Exilde man ouerthrowne and slaine at Bosworth-field There succeeded in the Kingdome the Earle of Richmond thence-forth stiled HENRY the Seuenth The King immediately after the Victorie as one that had beene bred vnder a deuout Mother and was in his nature a great Obseruer of religious formes caused Te Deum Laudamus to be solemnely sung in the presence of the whole Armie vpon the place and was himselfe with generall applause and great Cries of Ioy in a kind of Militar Election or Recognition saluted King Meane-while the body of RICHARD after many indignities and reproches the Dirigies and Obsequies of the common people towards Tyrants was obscurely buried For though the King of his noblenesse gaue charge vnto the Friers of Leicester to see an honourable interrment to be giuen to it yet the Religious People themselues being not free from the humors of the Vulgar neglected it wherein neuerthelesse they did not then incurre any mans blame or censure No man thinking any ignominie or contumely vnworthy of him that had beene the Executioner of King HENRY the Sixth that innocent Prince with his owne hands the Contriuer of the death of the Duke of Clarence his Brother the Murderer of his two Nephewes one of them his lawfull King in the Present and the other in the Future fayling of him and vehemently suspected to haue beene the Impoisoner of his wife thereby to make vacant his Bed for a Marriage within the Degrees forbidden And although he were a Prince in Militar vertue approued iealous of the honour of the English Nation and likewise a good Law-maker for the ease and solace of the common people yet his Cruelties and Parricides in the opinion of all men weighed downe his Vertues and merits and in the opinion of wise men euen those Vertues themselues were conceiued to bee rather fained and Affected things to serue his Ambition then true Qualities ingenerate in his Iudgement or Nature And therfore it was noted by men of great vnderstanding who seeing his after Acts looked backe vpon his former Proceedings that euen in the time of King EDWARD his Brother he was not without secret Traines and Mines to turne Enuie and Hatred vpon his Brothers Gouernement as hauing an Expectation and a kind of Diuination that the King by reason of his many disorders could not be of long life but was like to leaue his Sonnes of tender yeares and then hee knew well how easie a step it was from the place of a Protector and first Prince of the Bloud to the Crowne And that out of this deepe root of Ambition it sprang that aswell at the Treatie of peace that pussed betweene EDWARD the Fourth and LEWIS the Eleuenth of France concluded by Enteruiew of both Kings at Piqueny as vpon all other Occasions RICHARD then Duke of Glocester stood euer vpon the side of Honour raising his owne Reputation to the disaduantage of the King his Brother and drawing the eyes of all especially of the Nobles and Souldiours vpon himselfe as if the King by his voluptuous life and meane marriage were become effeminate and lesse sensible of honour and Reason of State then was fit for a King Andras for the Politique and wholesome Lawes which were enacted in his time they were interpreted to be but the Brocage of an Vsurper therby to wooe and winne the hearts of the people as being conscious to himselfe that the true obligations of Soueraigntie in him failed and were wanting But King HENRY in the very entrance of his Reigne and the instant of time when the Kingdome was cast into his Armes met with a Point of great difficultie and knotty to solue able to trouble and confound the wisest King in the newnesse of his Estate and so much the more because it could not endure a Deliberation but must be at once deliberated and determined There were fallen to his lot and concurrent in his person three seuerall Titles to the Imperiall Crowne The first the title of the Lady Elizabeth with whom by precedent Pact with the Partie that brought him in he was to marry The second the ancient and long disputed Title both by Plea and Armes of the House of Lancaster to which he was Inheritour in his owne Person The third the Title of the Sword or Conquest for that he came in by victorie of Battaile and that the King in possession was slaine in the field The first of these was fairest and most like to giue contentment to the people who by two and twentie yeares Reigne of King EDWARD the Fourth had beene fully made capable of the clearnesse of the Title of the White-Rose or House of Yorke and by the milde and plausible Reigue of the same king toward his Latter time were become affectionate to that Line But then it lay plaine before his Eyes that if he relied vpon that Title he could be but a King at Curtesie and haue rather a Matrimoniall then a Regall power the right remaining in his Queene vpon whose decease either with Issue or without Issue he was to giue place and bee remoued And though he should obtaine by Parliament to bee continued
true Degree as it was and saw plainly that his Kingdome must againe be put to the Stake and that he must fight for it And first he did conceiue before he vnderstood of the Earle of Lincolnes sayling into Ireland out of Flanders that he should be assailed both vpon the East-parts of the Kingdome of England by some impression from Flanders and vpon the North-west out of Ireland And therefore hauing ordered Musters to be made in both Parts and hauing prouisionally designed two Generals IASPER Earle of Bedford and IOHN Earle of Oxford meaning himselfe also to goe in person where the Affaires should most require it and neuerthelesse not expecting any actuall Inuasion at that time the Winter being farre on he tooke his iourney himselfe towards Suffolke and Northfolke for the confirming of those parts And being come to S. Edmonds-bury hee vnderstood that THOMAS Marquesse Dorset who had beene one of the Pledges in France was hasting towards him to purge himselfe of some Accusations which had beene made against him But the King though hee kept an Eare for him yet was the time so doubtfull that hee sent the Earle of Oxford to meet him and forth with to carry him to the Tower with a faire Message neuerthelesse that hee should beare that disgrace with patience for that the King meant not his hurt but onely to preserue him from doing hurt either to the Kings seruice or to himselfe and that the King should alwayes be able when hee had cleared himselfe to make him reparation From S. Edmonds-bury he went to Norwich where he kept his Christmas And from thence he went in a manner of Pilgrimage to Walsingham where hee visited our Ladies Church famous for miracles and made his Prayers and Vowes for helpe and deliuerance And from thence he returned by Cambridge to London Not long after the Rebels with their King vnder the Leading of the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare the Lord LOVEL and Colonell SWART landed at Fouldrey in Lancashire whither there repaired to them Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON with some small companie of English The King by that time knowing now the Storme would not diuide but fall in one place had leuied Forces in good number And in person taking with him his two designed Generals the Duke of Bedford and the Earle of Oxford was come on his way towards them as farre as Couentry whence he sent forth a troupe of Light-Horsemen for discouerie and to intercept some straglers of the Enemies by whom he might the better vnderstand the particulars of their Progresse and purposes which was accordingly done though the King otherwise was not without intelligence from Espials in the Campe. The Rebels tooke their way towards Yorke without spoyling the Countrie or any act of Hostilitie the better to put themselues into fauour of the people and to personate their King who no doubt out of a princely feeling was sparing and compassionate towards his Subiects But their Snow-ball did not gather as it went For the people came not in to them Neither did any rise or declare themselues in other parts of the Kingdome for them which was caused partly by the good taste that the King had giuen his People of his Gouernement ioyned with the reputation of his Felicitie and partly for that it was an odious thing to the people of England to haue a King brought in to them vpon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch of which their Armie was in substance compounded Neither was it a thing done with any great iudgement on the Party of the Rebels for them to take their way towards Yorke Considering that howsoeuer those parts had formerly beene a Nurserie of their friends yet it was there where the Lord LOVEL had so lately disbanded and where the Kings presence had a little before qualified discontents The Earle of Lincolne deceiued of his hopes of the Countries concourse vnto him in which case he would haue temporized and seeing the businesse past Retract resolued to make on where the King was and to giue him battaile and therupon marched towards Newarke thinking to haue surprized the Towne But the King was somewhat before this time come to Nottingham where he called a Councell of Warre at which was consulted whether it were best to protract time or speedily to set vpon the Rebels In which Councell the King himselfe whose continuall vigilancie did sucke in sometimes causelesse suspitions which few else knew inclined to the accelerating a Battaile But this was presently put out of doubt by the great aides that came in to him in the instant of this Consultation partly vpon Missiues and partly Voluntaries from many parts of the Kingdome The principall persons that came then to the Kings aide were the Earle of Shrewesburie and the Lord STRANGE of the Nobilitie and of Knights and Gentlemen to the number of at least threescore and tenne persons with their Companies making in the whole at the least six thousand fighting men besides the Forces that were with the King before Wherupon the King finding his Armie so brauely re-enforced and a great alacritie in all his men to fight was confirmed in his former resolution and marched speedily so as hee put himselfe betweene the Enemies Campe and Newarke being loth their Armie should get the commoditie of that Towne The Earle nothing dismayed came forwards that day vnto a little Village called Stoke and there encamped that night vpon the Brow or hanging of a hill The King the next day presented him Battaile vpon the Plaine the fields there being open and champion The Earle couragiously came downe and ioyned Battaile with him Concerning which Battaile the relations that are left vnto vs are so naked and negligent though it be an action of so recent memorie as they rather declare the Successe of the day then the Manner of the fight They say that the King diuided his Armie into three Battailes whereof the vant-guard onely well strengthened with wings came to fight That the Fight was fierce and obstinate and lasted three houres before the victorie inclined either way saue that Iudgement might be made by that the Kings Vant-guard of it selfe maintained fight against the whole Power of the Enemies the other two Battailes remaining out of action what the successe was like to bee in the end That MARTIN SWART with his Germanes performed brauely and so did those few English that were on that side neither did the Irish faile in courage or fiercenesse but being almost naked men only armed with Darts and Skeines it was rather an Execution then a fight vpon them insomuch as the furious slaughter of them was a great discouragement and appalement to the rest That there died vpon the place all the Chiefetaines That is the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare FRANCIS Lord LOVEL MARTIN SWART and Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON all making good the fight without any ground giuen Onely of the Lord LOVEL there went a report that he fled and swam ouer Trent on
the King might appoint him Keepers to looke to him in Sanctuarie The King also for the better securing of his estate against mutinous and malecontented Subiects wherof He saw the Realme was full who might haue their refuge into Scotland which was not vnder Key as the Ports were For that cause rather then for any doubt of Hostilitie from those parts before his comming to London when he was at Newcastle had sent a solemne Ambassage vnto IAMES the third King of Scotland to treate and conclude a peace with him The Ambassadors were RICHARD FOXE Bishop of Excester and Sir RICHARD EDGCOMBE Comptroller of the Kings House who were honourably receiued and entertained there But the King of Scotland labouring of the same disease that King HENRY did though more mortall as afterwards appeared that is Discontented Subiects apt to rise and raise Tumuh although in his owne affection hee did much desire to make a Peace with the King Yet finding his Nobles auerse and not daring to displease them concluded onely a Truce for seuen yeeres giuing neuerthelesse promise in priuate that it should bee renewed from time to time during the two Kings liues HItherto the King had beene exercised in setling his affaires at home But about this time brake forth an occasion that drew him to looke abroad and to hearken to forraine businesse CHARLES the eight the French King by the vertue and good fortune of his two immediate Predecessors CHARLES the seuenth his Grand-father and LEWES the eleuenth his Father receiued the Kingdome of France in more flourishing and spread Estate than it had beene of many yeares before being redintegrate in those principall Members which anciently had beene portions of the Crowne of France and were after disseuered so as they remained onely in Homage and not in Soueraigntie being gouerned by absolute Princes of their owne Angeou Normandy Prouence and Burgundie There remained only Brittaine to be revnited and so the Monarchie of France to be reduced to the ancient Termes and Bounds King CHARLES was not a little inflamed with an ambition to repurchase and reannex that Duchie Which his ambition was a wise and well weighed Ambition not like vnto the ambitions of his succeeding enterprizes of Italie For at that time being newly come to the Crowne he was somewhat guided by his Fathers Counsels Counsels not Counsellors for his Father was his owne Counsell and had few able men about him And that King be knew well had euer distasted the designes of Italie and in particular had an eye vpon Brittaine There were many circumstances that did feed the ambition of CHARLES with pregnant and apparant hopes of Successe The Duke of Britaine old and entred into a Lethargie and serued with Mercenarie Counsellors father of two only daughters the one sickly and not like to continue King CHARLES himselfe in the flower of his age and the Subiects of France at that time well trayned for Warre both for Leaders and Souldiers men of seruice being not yet worne out since the warres of LEWIS against Burgundie Hee found himselfe also in peace with all his Neighbour-Princes As for those that might oppose to his enterprise MAXIMILIAN King of Romans his Riuall in the same desires as well for the Duchy as the Daughter feeble in meanes and King HENRY of England aswell somwhat obnoxious to him for his fauours and benefits as busied in his particular noubles at home There was also a faire and specious occasion offered him to hide his ambition and to iustifie his warring vpon Britaine for that the Duke had receiued and succoured LEWIS Duke of Orleance and other of the French Nobilitie which had taken Armes against their King Wherfore King CHARLES being resolued vpon that Warre knew well he could not receiue any opposition so potent as if King HENRY should either vpon Policie of State in preuenting the growing greatnesse of France or vpon gratitude vnto the Duke of Britaine for his former fauours in the time of his distresse espouse that quarrell and declare himselfe in aide of the Duke Therfore hee no sooner heard that King HENRY was setled by his victorie but forth with he sent Ambassadours vnto him to pray his assistance or at the least that hee would stand neutrall Which Ambassadours found the King at Leicester and deliuered their Ambassage to this effect They first imparted vnto the King the successe that their Master had had a little before against MAXIMILIAN in recouerie of certaine Townes from him which was done in a kind of priuacie and inwardnesse towards the King as if the French-king did not esteeme him for an outward or formall Confederate but as one that had part in his affections and fortunes and with whom he tooke pleasure to communicate his businesse After this Complement and some gratulation for the Kings victorie they fell to their errand declaring to the King that their Master was enforced to enter into a iust and necessarie Warre with the Duke of Britaine for that hee had receiued and succoured those that were Traitors and Declared Enemies vnto his Person and State That they were no meane distressed and calamitous Persons that fled to him for refuge but of so great qualitie as it was apparant that they came not thither to protect their owne fortune but to infest and inuade his the Head of them being the Duke of Orleance the first Prince of the bloud and the second Person of France That therfore rightly to vnderstand it it was rather on their Masters part a Defensiue Warre then an Offensiue as that that could not bee omitted or forborne if he tendred the conseruation of his owne Estate and that it was not the first Blow that made the Warre inuasiue for that no wise Prince would stay for but the first Prouocation or at least the first Preparation Nay that this Warre was rather a Suppression of Rebels then a Warre with a iust Enemie where the case is That his Subiects Traitors are receiued by the Duke of Britaine his Homager That King HENRY knew well what went vpon it in example if Neighbour-Princes should patronize and comfort Rebels against the Law of Nations and of Leagues Neuerthelesse that their Master was not ignorant that the King had beene beholding to the Duke of Britaine in his aduersitie as on the other side they knew he would not forget also the readinesse of their King in ayding him when the Duke of Britaine or his mercenary Councellors failed him and would haue betrayed him And that there was a great difference betweene the courtesies receiued from their Master and the Duke of Britaine for that the Dukes might haue ends of vtilitie and Bargaine whereas their Masters could not haue proceeded but out of entire Affection For that if it had beene measured by a politicke line it had beene better for his affaires that a Tyrant should haue reigned in England troubled and hated then such a Prince whose vertues could not saile to make him great and potent whensoeuer he
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
escape shee knew they were things that a verie few could controll And therfore she taught him onely to tell a smooth and likely Tale of those matters warning him not to vary from it It was agreed likewise betweene them what account he should giue of his Peregrination abroad intermixing many things which were true and such as they knew others could testifie for the credit of the rest but still making them to hang together with the Part hee was to play Shee taught him likewise how to auoid sundry captious and tempting questions which were like to bee asked of him But in this shee found him of himselfe so nimble and shifting as shee trusted much to his owne wit and readinesse and therefore laboured the lesse in it Lastly shee raysed his thoughts with some present rewards and further promises setting before him chiefly the glorie and fortune of a Crowne if things went well and a sure refuge to her Court if the worst should fall After such time as shee thought hee was perfect in his Lesson shee began to cast with herselfe from what coast this Blazing-starre should first appeare and at what time it must bee vpon the Horizon of Ireland for there had the like Meteor strong influence before The time of the Apparition to bee when the King should bee engaged into a Warre with France But well she knew that whatsoeuer should come from her would bee held suspected And therfore if hee should goe out of Flanders immediately into Ireland shee might bee thought to haue some hand in it And besides the time was not yet ripe for that the two Kings were then vpon tearmes of Peace Therefore shee wheel'd about and to put all suspicion a far off and loth to keepe him any longer by her for that shee knew Secrets are not long liued shee sent him vnknowne into Portugall with the Lady BRAMPTON an English Ladie that embarqued for Portugall at that time with some Priuado of her owne to haue an eye vpon him and there hee was to remaine and to expect her further directions In the meane time shee omitted not to prepare things for his better welcome and accepting not onely in the Kingdome of Ireland but in the Court of France Hee continued in Portugall about a yeare and by that time the King of England called his Parliament as hath beene said and declared open Warre against France Now did the Signe reigne and the Constellation was come vnder which PERKIN should appeare And therefore hee was straight sent vnto by the Duchesse to goe for Ireland according to the first designement In Ireland hee did arriue at the Towne of Corke When hee was thither come his owne Tale was when hee made his Confession afterwards That the Irish-men finding him in some good Clothes came flocking about him and bare him downe that he was the Duke of Clarence that had beene there before And after that hee was RICHARD the Thirds base sonne And lastly that he was RICHARD Duke of Yorke second sonne to EDWARD the Fourth But that hee for his part renounced all these things and offered to sweare vpon the holy Euangelists that hee was no such man till at last thy forced it vpon him and bade him feare nothing and so forth But the truth is that immediately vpon his comming into Ireland hee tooke vpon him the said Person of the Duke of York and drew vnto him Complices and Partakers by all the meanes hee could deuise Insomuch as hee wrote his Letters vnto the Earles of Desmond and Kildare to come in to his Aide and bee of his Partie the Originalls of which Letters are yet extant Somewhat before this time the Duchesse had also gayned vnto her a neare seruant of King HENRY's owne one STEPHEN FRION his Secretarie for the French Tongue an actiue man but turbulent and discontented This FRION had fled ouer to CHARLES the French King and put himselfe into his seruice at such time as hee began to bee in open enmitie with the King Now King CHARLES when he vnderstood of the Person and Attempts of PERKIN readie of himselfe to embrace all aduantages against the King of England instigated by FRION and formerly prepared by the Ladie MARGARET forthwith dispatched one LVCAS and this FRION in the nature of Ambassadors to PERKIN to aduertise him of the Kings good inclination to him and that hee was resolued to aide him to recouer his right against King HENRY an Vsurper of England and an Enemie of France and wished him to come ouer vnto him at Paris PERKIN thought himselfe in heauen now that hee was inuited by so great a King in so honourable a manner And imparting vnto his Friends in Ireland for their incouragement how Fortune called him and what great hopes hee had sayled presently into France When hee was come to the Court of France the King receiued him with great honour saluted and stiled him by the name of the Duke of Yorke lodged him and accommodated him in great State And the better to giue him the representation and the countenance of a Prince assigned him a Guard for his Person whereof the Lord CONGRESALL was Captaine The Courtiers likewise though it bee ill mocking with the French applyed themselues to their Kings Bent seeing there was reason of State for it At the same time there repaired vnto PERKIN diuers Englishmen of Qualitie Sir GEORGE NEVILE Sir IOHN TAYLOR and about one hundred more and amongst the rest this STEPHEN FRION of whom wee spake who followed his fortune both then and for a long time after and was indeed his principall Counsellor and Instrument in all his Proceedings But all this on the French Kings part was but a Tricke the better to bow King HENRY to Peace And therefore vpon the first Graine of Incense that was sacrificed vpon the Altar of Peace at Bulloigne PERKIN was smoked away Yet would not the French King deliuer him vp to King HENRY as hee was laboured to doe for his Honors sake but warned him away and dismissed him And PERKIN on his part was as readie to bee gone doubting hee might bee caught vp vnder hand Hee therefore tooke his way into Flanders vnto the Duchesse of Burgundie pretending that hauing beene variously tossed by Fortune hee directed his course thither as to a safe Harbour No wayes taking knowledge that he had euer beene there before but as if that had beene his first addresse The Duchesse on the other part made it as new and strange to see him pretending at the first that she was taught and made wise by the example of LAMBERT SIMNELL how shee did admit of any Counterfeit Stuffe though euen in that she said she was not fully satisfied Shee pretended at the first and that was euer in the presence of others to pose him and sift him thereby to trie whether hee were indeed the very Duke of Yorke or no. But seeming to receiue full satisfaction by his answers shee then fained her selfe to be transported with a
much there remayneth in Memorie that it was halfe a yeares time betweene the Creation of HENRY Prince of Wales and Prince ARTHVRS death which was construed to bee for to expect a full time whereby it might appeare whether the Ladie KATHERINE were with Child by Prince ARTHVR or no. Againe the Ladie her selfe procured a Bull for the better Corroboration of the Marriage with a Clause of vel forsan cognitam which was not in the first Bull. There was giuen in Euidence also when the cause of the Diuorce was handled a pleasant passage which was That in a Morning Prince ARTHVR vpon his vp-rising from Bed with her called for drinke which hee was not accustomed to doe and finding the Gentleman of his Chamber that brought him the drinke to smile at it and to note it hee said merrily to him That hee had been in the middest of Spaine which was an hot Region and his Iourney had made him drie and that if the other had beene in so hot a Clime hee would haue been drier than hee Besides the Prince was vpon the point of Sixteene yeares of Age when hee died and forward and able in Bodie The Februarie following HENRY Duke of Yorke was created Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and Flint For the Dukedome of Cornewall deuolued to him by Statute The King also beeing fast handed and loath to part with a second Dowrie but chiefly being affectionate both by his Nature and out of Politicke Considerations to continue the Alliance with Spaine preuailed with the Prince though not without some Reluctation such as could bee in those yeares for hee was not twelue yeares of Age to bee contracted with the Princesse KATHERINE The secret Prouidence of GOD ordaining that Marriage to bee the Occasion of great Euents and Changes The same yeare were the Espousals of IAMES King of Scotland with the Ladie MARGARET the Kings eldest Daughter which was done by Proxie and published at PAVLES Crosse the fiue and twentieth of Ianuarie and Te Deum solemnly sung But certaine it is that the Ioy of the Citie thereupon shewed by Ringing of Bells and Bon-fires and such other Incence of the People was more than could be expected in a Case of so great and fresh Enmitie betweene the Nations especially in London which was farre enough off from feeling any of the former calamities of the Warre And therefore might bee truely attributed to a Secret Instinct and Inspiring which many times runneth not onely in the Hearts of Princes but in the Pulse and Veines of People touching the happinesse thereby to ensue in time to come This Marriage was in August following consummate at Edenborough The King bringing his Daughter as farre as Colli-Weston on the way and then consigning her to the Attendance of the Earle of Northumberland who with a great Troupe of Lords and Ladies of Honour brought her into Scotland to the King her Husband This Marriage had beene in Treatie by the space of almost three yeares from the time that the King of Scotland did first open his mind to Bishop FOX The Summe giuen in Marriage by the King was ten Thousand pounds And the Iointure and Aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two Thousand pounds a yeare after King IAMES his Death and one Thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies Allowance or Maintenance This to be set forth in Lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue During the Treatie it is reported that the King remitted the matter to his Counsell And that some of the Table in the Freedome of Counsellors the King beeing present did put the Case that if GOD should take the Kings two Sonnes without Issue that then the Kingdome of England would fall to the King of Scotland which might preiudice the Monarchie of England Whereunto the King himselfe replied That if that should bee Scotland would bee but an Accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the Greater would draw the lesse And that it was a safer Vnion for England than that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the Question The same yeare was fatall as well for Deaths as Marriages and that with equall temper For the Ioyes and Feasts of the two Marriages were compensed with the Mournings and Funerals of Prince ARTHVR of whom wee haue spoken and of Queene ELIZABETH who died in Child-bed in the Tower and the Child liued not long after There dyed also that yeare Sir REGINOLD BRAY who was noted to haue had with the King the greatest Freedome of any Counsellor but it was but a Freedome the better to set off Flatterie Yet hee bare more than his iust part of Enuie for the Exactions At this time the Kings Estate was verie prosperous Secured by the Amitie of Scotland strengthened by that of Spaine cherished by that of Burgundie all Domesticke Troubles quenched and all Noyse of Warre like a Thunder afarre off going vpon Italie Wherefore Nature which many times is happily contayned and refrained by some Bands of Fortune beganne to take place in the King carrying as with a strong Tide his affections and Thoughts vnto the gathering and heaping vp of Treasure And as Kings doe more easily find Instruments for their Will and Humour than for their Seruice and Honour Hee had gotten for his purpose or beyond his purpose two Instruments EMPSON and DVDLEY whom the people esteemed as his Horse-Leeches and Shearers bold men and carelesse of Fame and that tooke Toll of their Masters Grist DVDLEY was of a good Family Eloquent and one that could put Hatefull Businesse into good Language But EMPSON that was the Sonne of a Sieue-maker triumphed alwayes vpon the Deede done putting off all other respects whatsoeuer These two Persons beeing Lawyers in Science and Priuie Councellors in Authoritie as the Corruption of the best things is the worst turned Law and Iustice into Worme-wood and Rapine For first their manner was to cause diuers Subiects to bee indicted of sundrie Crimes and so farre forth to proceed in forme of Law But when the Bils were found then presently to commit them And neuerthelesse not to produce them to any reasonable time to their Answer but to suffer them to languish long in Prison and by sundrie artificiall Deuices and Terrours to extort from them great Fines and Ransomes which they termed Compositions and Mitigations Neither did they towards the end obserue so much as the Halfe-face of Iustice in proceeding by Indictment but sent forth their Precepts to attache men and conuent them before themselues and some others at their priuate Houses in a Court of Commission and there vsed to shuffle vp a Summarie Proceeding by Examination without Tryall of Iurie assuming to themselues there to deale both in Pleas of the Crowne and Controuersies Ciuill Then did they also vse to enthrall and charge the Subiects Lands with Tenures in Capite by finding False Offices and thereby to worke vpon them for Ward-ships Liueries Primier
Seisines and Alienations being the fruites of those Tenures refusing vpon diuers Pretexts and Delayes to admit men to trauerse those False Offices according to the Law Nay the Kings Wards after they had accomplished their full Age could not bee suffered to haue Liuerie of their Lands without paying excessiue Fines farre exceeding all reasonable Rates They did also vexe men with Informations of Intrusion vpon scarce colourable Titles VVhen men were Out-lawed in Personall Actions they would not permit them to purchase their Charters of Pardon except they paid great and intolerable summes standing vpon the strict Point of Law which vpon Out-lawries giueth Forfeiture of Goods Nay contrarie to all Law and Colour they maintained the King ought to haue the halfe of mens Lands and Rents during the space of full two yeares for a Paine in Case of Out-lawrie They would also ruffle with Iurors and inforce them to finde as they would direct and if they did not Conuent them Imprison them and Fine them These and many other Courses fitter to be buried than repeated they had of Preying vpon the People both like Tame Hawkes for their Master and like Wild Hawkes for themselues in so much as they grew to great Riches and Substance But their principall working was vpon Penall Lawes wherein they spared none great nor small nor considered whether the Law were possible or impossible in Vse or Obsolete But raked ouer all old and new Statutes though many of them were made with intention rather of Terrour than of Rigour hauing euer a Rabble of Promoters Questmongers and leading Iurors at their Command so as they could haue any thing found either for Fact or Valuation There remayneth to this Day a Report that the King was on a time entertained by the Earle of Oxford that was his principall Seruant both for Warre and Peace nobly and sumptuously at his Castle at Henningham And at the Kings going away the Earles Seruants stood in a seemely manner in their Liuerie Coats with Cognisances ranged on both sides and made the King a Lane The King called the Earle to him and said My Lord I have heard much of your Hospitalitie but I see it is greater than the speech These handsome Gentlemen and Teomen which I see on both sides of me are sure your Meniall Seruants The Earle smiled and said It may please your Grace that were not for mine ease They are most of them my Retainers that are come to doe me seruice at such a time as this and chiefly to see your Grace The King started a little and said By my faith my Lord I thanke you for my good Cheare but I may not endure to haue my Lawes broken in my sight My Atturney must speake with you And it is part of the Report that the Earle compounded for no lesse than fifteene thousand Markes And to shew further the kings extreme Diligence I doe remember to haue seene long since a Booke of Accompt of EMPSONS that had the kings hand almost to euery Leafe by way of Signing and was in some places Postilled in the Margent with the Kings hand likewise where was this Remembrance Item receiued of such a one fiue Markes for the Pardon to be procured and if the Pardon doe not passe the Monie to bee repaied Except the Partie bee some other-wayes satisfied And ouer against this Memorandum of the Kings owne hand Otherwise satisfied Which I doe the rather mention because it shewes in the king a Nearenesse but yet with a kind of Iustnesse So these little Sands and Graines of Gold and Siluer as it seemeth helped not a little to make vp the great Heape and Banke But meanewhile to keepe the king awake the Earle of Suffolke hauing beene too gay at Prince ARTHVRS Marriage and sunke himselfe deepe in Debt had yet once more a mind to bee a Knight-Errant and to seeke Aduentures in Forraine parts And taking his Brother with him fled againe into Flanders That no doubt which gaue him Confidence was the great Murmur of the People against the Kings Gouernement And beeing a Man of a light and rash Spirit he thought euerie Vapour would bee a Tempest Neither wanted hee some Partie within the Kingdome For the Murmur of People awakes the Discontents of Nobles and againe that calleth vp commonly some Head of Sedition The King resorting to his wonted and tried Arts caused Sir ROBERT CVRSON Captaine of the Castle at Hammes beeing at that time beyond Sea and therefore lesse likely to bee wrought vpon by the king to flie from his Charge and to faine himselfe a seruant of the Earles This Knight hauing insinuated himselfe into the Secrets of the Earle and finding by him vpon whom chiefly hee had either Hope or Hold aduertised the King thereof in great secrecie But neuerthelesse maintained his owne Credit and inward trust with the Earle Vpon whose Aduertisements the King attached WILLIAM COVRTNEY Earle of Deuonshire his Brother-in-Law married to the Ladie KATHERINE daughter to King EDVVARD the Fourth WILLIAM DE-LA-POLE Brother to the Earle of Suffolke Sir IAMES TIRREL and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and some other meaner Persons and committed them to Custodie GEORGE Lord ABERGAVENNIE and Sir THOMAS GREENE were at the same time apprehended but as vpon lesse Suspition so in a freer Restraint and were soone after deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire being interessed in the bloud of Yorke that was rather Feared than Nocent yet as One that might bee the Obiect of others Plots and Designes remained Prisoner in the Tower during the Kings life WILLIAAM DE-LA-POLE was also long restrained though not so straitly But for Sir IAMES TIRREL against whom the Bloud of rhe Innocent Princes EDVVARD the Fifth and his Brother did still crie from vnder the Altar and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and the other meaner ones they were attainted and executed The two Knights beheaded Neuerthelesse to confirme the Credit of CVRSON who belike had not yet done all his Feates of Actiuitie there was published at PAVLES Crosse about the time of the said Executions the Popes Bull of Excommunication and Curse against the Earle of Suffolke and Sir ROBERT CVRSON some others by name and likewise in generall against all the Abettors of the said Earle Wherein it must be confessed that Heauen was made too much to bow to Earth and Religion to Policie But soone after CVRSON when hee saw time returned into England and withall into wonted Fauour with the King but worse Fame with the People Vpon whose returne the Earle was much dismayed and seeing himselfe destitute of hopes the Ladie MARGARET also by tract of Time and bad Successe being now become coole in those Attempts after some wandering in France and Germanie and certaine little Proiects no better than Squibbs of an Exiled man being tired out retired againe into the Protection of the Arch-Duke PHILIP in Flanders who by the death of ISABELLA was at that time King of Castile in the right of IOAN his Wife This yeare beeing the Nineteenth of
not beene vsed as it seemes to Sea all wearied and extreame sicke would needes land ro refresh his Spirits though it was against the Opinion of his Councell doubting it might breed Delay his Occasions requiring Celeritie The Rumour of the Arriuall of a puissant Nauie vpon the Coast made the Countrie Arme. And Sir THOMAS TRENCHARD with Forces suddenly raised not knowing what the matter might bee came to Waymouth Where vnderstanding the Accident hee did in all Humblenesse and Humanitie inuite the King and Queene to his House and forthwith dispatched Posts to the Court. Soone after came Sir IOHN CAROE likewise with a great troupe of Men well armed vsing the like Humblenesse and Respect towards the king when hee knew the Case King PHILIP doubting that they being but Subiects durst not let him passe away againe without the Kings Notice and Leaue yeelded to their Entreatieâ— to staie till they heard from the Court The king as soone as hee heard the Newes commanded presently the Earle of Arundell to goe to visite the king of Castile and let him vnderstand That as hee was verie sorrie for his Mishap so hee was glad that hee had escaped the Danger of the Seas and likewise of the Occasion himselfe had to doe him Honour and desiring him to thinke himselfe as in his owne Land and that the king made all hast possible to come and imbrace him The Earle came to him in great Magnificence with a braue Troupe of three hundred Horse and for more State came by Torch-Light After hee had done the Kings Message King PHILIP seeing how the world went the sooner to get away went vpon speed to the King at Windsore and his Queene followed by easie iourneys The two kings at their meeting vsed all the Caresses and louing Demonstrations that were possible And the king of Castile said pleasantly to the King That hee was now punished for that he would not come within his walled Towne of Calice when they met last But the king answered That walles and Seas were nothing where Hearts were open and that hee was here no otherwise but to bee serued After a Day or two's refreshing the kings entred into speech of renewing the Treatie The King saying That though King PHILIPS Person were the same yet his Fortunes and State were raised In which Case a Renouation of Treatie was vsed amongst Princes But while these things were in handling the king choosing a fit time and drawing the king of Castile into a Roome where they two onely were priuate and laying his hand ciuilly vpon his arme and changing his Countenance a little from a Countenance of Intertainment said to him Sir you haue beene saued vpon my Coast I hope you will not suffer mee to wracke vpon yours The King of Castile asked him What hee meant by that speech I meane it saith the King by that same Harebraine wilde Fellow my subiect the Earle of Suffolke who is protected in your Countrie and begins to play the Foole when all others are wearie of it The King of Castile answered I had thought Sir your Felicitie had beene aboue those thoughts But if it trouble you I will banish him The King replied Those Hornets were best in their Nest and worst then when they did stie abroad that his desire was to haue him deliuered to him The King of Castile here with a little confused and in a studie said That can I not doe with my honour and lesse with yours for you will bee thought to haue vsed mee as a Prisoner The King presently said Then the matter is at an end For I will take that dishonour vpon me and so your honour is saued The King of Castile who had the king in great Estimation and besides remembred where hee was and knew not what vse hee might haue of the kings Amitie for that himselfe was new in his Estate of Spaine and vnsetled both with his Father-in-Law and with his People composing his Countenance said Sir you giue Law to mee but so will I to you You shall haue him but vpon your honour you shall not take his life The king embracing him said Agreed Saith the king of Castile Neither shall it dislike you if I send to him in such a fashion as hee may partly come with his owne good will The king said It was well thought of and if it pleased him hee would ioyne with him in sending to the Earle a Message to that purpose They both sent seuerally and meane while they continued Feasting and Pastimes The King beeing on his part willing to haue the Earle sure before the king of Castile went and the king of Castile beeing as willing to seeme to bee inforced The King also with many wise and excellent Perswasions did aduise the king of Castile to bee ruled by the Councell of his Father-in-Law FERDINANDO a Prince so prudent so experienced so fortunate The King of Castile who was in no verie good termes with his said Father-in-Law answered That if his Father-in-Law would suffer him to gouerne his Kingdomes hee should gouerne him There were immediatly Messengers sent from both Kings to recall the Earle of Suffolke Who vpon gentle wordes vsed to him was soone charmed and willing enough to returne assured of his Life and hoping of his Libertie Hee was brought through Flanders to Calice and thence landed at Douer and with sufficient Guard deliuered and receiued at the Tower of London Meane while King HENRY to draw out the time continued his Feastings and Entertainments and after hee had receiued the king of Castile into the Fraternitie of the Garter and for a Reciprocall had his Sonne the Prince admitted to the Order of the Golden-Fleece hee accompainied King PHILIP and his Queene to the Citie of London where they were entertayned with the greatest Magnificence and Triumph that could bee vpon no greater warning And as soone as the Earle of Suffolke had beene conueyed to the Tower which was the serious part the Iollities had an end and the Kings tooke leaue Neuerthelesse during their beeing heere they in Substance concluded that Treatie which the Flemings terme Intercursus malus and beares Date at Windsore for that there bee some things in it more to the Aduantage of the English than of them especially for that the Free-fishing of the Dutch vpon the Coasts and Seas of England granted in the Treatie of Undecimo was not by this Treatie confirmed All Articles that confirme former Treaties beeing precisely and warily limitted and confirmed to matter of Commerce onely and not otherwise It was obserued that the great Tempest which draue PHILIP into England blew downe the Golden Eagle from the Spire of PAVLES and in the fall it fell vpon a Signe of the Blacke Eagle which was in PAVLES Church-Yard in the place where the Schoole-House now standeth and battered it and brake it downe Which was a strange stooping of a Hawke vpon a Fowle This the People interpreted to bee an Ominous Prognosticke vpon the Imperiall House
the Causes of his troublesome Raigne for that his Nobles though they were Loyall and Obedient yet did not Co-operate with him but let euery man goe his owne Way Hee was not affraid of an Able Man as LEWIS the Eleuenth was But contrariwise hee was serued by the Ablest Men that were to bee found vvithout which his Affaires could not haue prospered as they did For VVare BEDFORD OXFORD SVRREY DAWBENEY BROOKE POYNINGS For other Affaires MORTON FOXE BRAY the Prior of Lanthony WARHAM VRSVVICKE HVSSEY FROWICKE and others Neyther did hee care how Cunning they were that hee did imploy For hee thought himselfe to haue the Master-Reach And as hee chose well so hee held them vp well For it is a strange thing that though hee were a Darke Prince and infinitely Suspicious and his Times full of Secret Conspiracies and Troubles yet in Twentie foure yeares Raigne hee neuer put downe or discomposed Counsellor or neare Seruant saue onely STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine As for the Disposition of his Subiects in Generall towards him it stood thus with him That of the Three Affections which naturally tye the hearts of the Subiects to their Soueraignes Loue Feare and Reuerence hee had the last in height the second in good measure and so little of the first as he was beholding to the other Two Hee was a Prince Sad Serious and full of Thoughts and secret Obseruations and full of Notes and Memorialls of his owne hand especially touching Persons As whom to Employ whom to Reward whom to Enquire of whom to Beware of what were the Dependencies what were the Factions and the like keeping as it were a Iournall of his Thoughts There is to this day a merrie Tale That his Monkey set on as it was thought by one of his Chamber tore his Principall Note-Booke all to pieces when by chance it lay forth Whereat the Court which liked not those Pensiue Accompts was almost tickled with sport Hee was indeed full of Apprehensions and Suspitions But as he did easily take them so hee did easily checke them and master them whereby they were not dangerous but troubled himselfe more than others It is true his Thoughts were so many as they could not well alwayes stand together but that which did good one way did hurt another Neither did bee at some times waigh them aright in their proportions Certainely that Rumour which did him so much mischiefe That the Duke of Yorke should be saued and aliue was at the first of his owne nourishing because hee would haue more Reason not to raigne in the Right of his Wife Hee was Affable and both Well and Faire-spoken and would vse strange Sweetnesse and Blandishments of Words where bee desired to effector perswade any thing that he tooke to heart He was rather Studious than Learned reading most Bookes that were of any worth in the French-tongue Yet he vnderstood the Latine as appeareth in that Cardinall 〈◊〉 and others who could very well haue written French did vse to write to him in Latine For his Pleasures there is no Newes of them And yet by his Instructions to MARSIN and STIâ—â— touching the Queene of Naples it seemeth hee could Interrogate vvell touching Beauâ—â—â—â— Hee did by Pleasures as great Princes doe by Banquets come and looke 〈◊〉 vpon them and turne away For neuer Prince was more wholly giuen to his Affaires 〈◊〉 them more of himselfe In so much as in Triumphs of Iusts and Tourneyes and Balles and Masques which they then called Disguises hee was rather a Princely and Gentle Spectator than seemed much to bee delighted No doubt in him as in all men and most of all in Kings his Fortune wrought vpon his Nature and his Nature vpon his Fortune Hee attained to the Crowne not onely from a priuate Fortune which might indow him with Moderation but also from the Fortune of an Exiled Man which had quickned in him all Seedes of Obseruation and Industrie And his Times being rather Prosperous than Calme had raysed his Confidence by Successe but almost marred his Nature by Troubles His Wisedome by often euading from Perils was turned rather into a Dexteritie to deliuer himselfe from Dangers when they pressed him than into a Prouidence to preuent and remoue them a farre off And euen in Nature the Sight of his Minde was like some Sights of Eyes rather strong at hand than to carrie a farre off For his VVitt increased vpon the Occasion and so much the more if the Occasion were sharpened by Danger Againe whether it were the shortnesse of his Foresight or the strength of his VVill or the dazeling of his Suspitions or what it was Certaine it is that the perpetuall Troubles of his Fortunes there being no more matter out of which they grew could not haue beene without some great Defects and maine Errours in his Nature Customes and Proceedings which hee had enough to doe to saue and helpe with a thousand little Industries and VVatches But those doe best appeare in the Storie it selfe Yet take him with all his Defects if a Man should compare him with the Kings his Concurrents in France and Spaine he shall finde him more Politique than LEWIS the Twelfth of France and more Entire and Syncere than FERDINANDO of Spaine But if you shall change LEVVIS the Twelfth for LEVVIS the Eleuenth who liued a little before then the Consort is more perfect For that LEVVIS the Eleuenth FERDINANDO and HENRY may be esteemed for the Tres Magi of Kings of those Ages To conclude If this King did no greater Matters it was long of himselfe for what he minded he compassed Hee was a Comoly Personage a little aboue Iust Stature well and straight limmed but flander His Countenance was Reuerend and a little like a Church-man And as it was not strange or darke so neyther was it Winning or Pleasing but as the Face of one well disposed But it was to the Disaduantage of the Painter for it was best when he spake His VVorth may beare a Tale or two that may put vpon him somewhat that may seeme Diuine When the Ladie MARGARET his Mother had diuerse great Sutors for Marriage shee dreamed one Night That one in the likenesse of a Bishop in Pontificall habit did tender her EDMVND Earle of Richmond the Kings Father for her Husband Neyther had she euer any Child but the King though shee had three Husbands One day when King HENRY the Sixth whose Innocencie gaue him Holines was washing his hands at a great Feast and cast his Eye vpon King HENRY then a young Youth he said This is the Lad that shall possesse quietly that that wee now striue for But that that was truely Diuine in him was that hee had the Fortune of a True Christian as well as of a Great King in liuing Exercised and dying Repentant So as hee had an happie Warrefare in both Conflicts both of Sinne and the Crosse. Hee was borne at Pembrooke Castle and lyeth buried at VVestminster in one of the Statelyest
yet hee knew there was a very great difference betweene a King that holdeth his Crowne by a cicuill act of Estates and one that holdeth it originally by the Law of Nature and descent of Bloud Neither wanted there euen at that time secret Rumors and whisperings which afterwards gathered strength and turned to great troubles that the two young Sonnes of King EDWARD the Fourth or one of them which were said to be destroyed in the Tower were not indeed murthered but conueyed secretly away and were yet liuing which if it had beene true had preuented the Title of the Lady ELIZABETH On the other side if he stood vpon his owne Title of the House of Lancaster inherent in his Person hee knew it was a Title condemned by Parliament and generally preiudged in the common opinion of the Realme and that it tended directly to the disinherison of the Line of Yorke held then the indubiate Heires of the crowne So that if he should haue no Issue by the Lady ELIZABETH which should bee Descendents of the Double-Line when the ancient flames of Discord and intestine Warres vpon the Competition of both Houses would againe returne and reuiue As for Conquest notwithstanding Sir WILLIAM STANLEY after some acclamations of the Souldiers in the Field had put a Crowne of ornament which RICHARD wore in the Battaile and was found amongst the Spoiles vpon King HENRIES head as if there were his chiefe Title yet he remembred well vpon what Conditions and Agreements hee was brought in and that to claime as Conquerour was to put as well his owne Partie as the rest into Terror and Feare as that which gaue him power of disanulling of Lawes and disposing of Mens Fortunes and Estates and the like points of absolute power being in themselues so harsh and odious as that WILLIAM himselfe commonly called the Conquerour howsoeuer he vsed and exercised the power of a Conquerour to reward his Normans yet he sorbare to vse that Claime in the beginning but mixed it with a Titularie pretence grounded vpon the Will and designation of EDWARD the Confessor But the King out of the greatnesse of his owne minde presently cast the Die and the inconueniences appearing vnto him on all parts and knowing there could not be any Interreigne or suspension of Title and preferring his affection to his owne Line and Bloud and liking that Title best which made him independent and being in his Nature and constitution of minde not very apprehensiue or forecasting of future Euents a-farre off but an Intertainer of Fortune by the Day resolued to rest vpon the Title of Lancaster as the Maine and to vse the other two that of Marriage and that of Battaile but as Supporters the one to appease secret Discontents and the other to beat downe open murmur and dispute not forgetting that the same Title of Lancaster had formerly maintained a possession of three Descents in the Crowne and might haue proued a Perpetuitie had it not ended in the weaknesse and inabilitie of the last Prince Whereupon the King presently that very day being the two and twentieth of August assumed the Stile of King in his owne name without mention of the Lady ELIZABETH at all or any relation therunto In which course hee euer after persisted which did spin him a threed of many seditions and troubles The King full of these thoughts before his departure from Leicester dispatched Sir ROBERT WILLOVGHBY to the Castle of Sheriffe-Hutton in Yorkeshire where were kept in safe custodie by King RICHARDS commandement both the Lady ELIZABETH daughter of king EDWARD and EDWARD PLANTAGENET Sonne and Heire to GEORGE Duke of Clarence This EDWARD was by the Kings warrant deliuered from the Constable of the Castle to the hand of Sir ROBERT WILLOVGHBY and by him with all safetie and diligence conueyed to the Tower of London where he was shut vp Close-prisoner Which Act of the Kings being an Act meerely of Policie and power proceeded not so much from any apprehension he had of Doctor Shawes tale at Pauls Crosse for the bastarding of EDWARD the fourths Issues in which case this young Gentleman was to succeed for that Fable was euer exploded but vpon a serled disposition to depresse all Eminent persons of the Line of Yorke Wherin still the King out of strength of Will or weaknesse of Iudgement did vse to shew a little more of the Partie then of the King For the Lady ELIZABETH shee receiued also a direction to repaire with all conuenient speed to London and there to remaine with the Queene Dowager her Mother which accordingly she soone after did accompanied with many Noble-men and Ladies of Honour In the meane season the King set forwards by easie iourneys to the Citie of London receiuing the Acclamations and Applauses of the People as he went which indeed were true and vnfained as might well appeare in the very Demonstrations and Fulnesse of the Crie For they thought generally that hee was a Prince as ordayned and sent downe from Heauen to vnite and put to an end the long dissentions of the two Houses which although they had had in the times of HENRY the Fourth HENRY the Fifth and a part of HENRY the Sixth on the one side and the times of EDWARD the Fourth on the other Lucide-interuals and happy Pauses yet they did euer hang ouer the Kingdome readie to breake forth into new Perturbations and Calamities And as his victorie gaue him the Knee so his purpose of marriage with the Lady ELIZABETH gaue him the Heart so that both Knee and Heart did truely bow before him Hee on the other side with great wisedome not ignorant of the affections and feares of the people to disperse the conceit and terrour of a Conquest had giuen order that there should be nothing in his iourney like vnto a warlike March or manner but rather like vnto the Progresse of a King in full peace and assurance Hee entred the Citie vpon a Saturday as hee had also obtained the Victorie vpon a Saturday which day of the Weeke first vpon an Obseruation and after vpon Memorie and Fancie hee accounted and chose as a day prosperous vnto him The Major and Companies of the Citie receiued him at Shore-ditch whence with great and Honorable attendance and troups of Noble-men and Persons of Qualitie hee entred the Citie himselfe not being on Horse-backe or in any open Chaire or Throne but in a close Chariot as one that hauing beene somtimes an Enemie to the whole State and a Proscribed person chose rather to keepe State and strike a Reuerence into the people then to fawne vpon them He went first into Saint Paules Church where not meaning that the people should forget too soone that hee came in by Battaile hee made Offertorie of his Standards and had Orizons and Te Deum againe sung and went to his Lodging prepared in the Bishop of Londons Palace where he stayed for a time During his abode there he assembled his Counsell and other
principall persons in presence of whom he did renew againe his promise to marrie with the Lady ELIZABETH This hee did the rather because hauing at his comming out of Britaine giuen artificially for seruing of his owne turne some hopes in cale he obtained the Kingdome to marrie ANNE Inheritresse to the Duchie of Britaine whom CHARLES the Eight of France soone after married It bred some doubt and suspicion amongst diuers that he was not sincere or at least not fixed in going on with the match of England so much desired which Conceit also though it were but Talke and Discourse did much afflict the poore Lady ELIZABETH her selfe But howsoeuer he both truly intended it and desired also it should be so beleeued the better to extinguish Enuie and Contradiction to his other purposes yet was he resolued in himselfe not to proceed to the Consummation thereof till his Coronation and a Parliament were past The one least a ioynt Coronation of himselfe and his Queene might giue any countenance of participation of Title The other least in the intayling of the Crowne to himselfe which he hoped to obtaine by Parliament the Votes of the Parliament might any wayes reflect vpon her About this time in Autumne towards the end of September there began and reigned in the Citie and other parts of the Kingdome a Disease then new which of the Accidents and manner thereof they called the Sweating Sicknesse This Disease had a swift course both in the Sicke-Body and in the Time and Period of the lasting therof for they that were taken with it vpon foure and twentie houres escaping were thought almost assured And as to the Time of the malice and reigne of the Disease ere it ceased It began about the one and twentieth of September and cleared vp before the end of October insomuch as it was no hinderance to the Kings Coronation which was the last of October nor which was more to the holding of the Parliament which began but seuen dayes after It was a Pestilent-Feuer but as it seemeth not seated in the Veynes or Humors for that there followed no Carbuncle no purple or liuide Spots or the like the Masse of the Bodie being not tainted onely a maligne Vapour flew to the Heart and seased the vitall Spirits which stirred Nature to striue to send it forth by an extreme sweat And it appeared by experience that this Disease was rather a Surprise of Nature than obstinate to remedies if it were in time looked vnto For if the Patient were kept in an equall temper both for Clothes Fire and Drinke moderately warme with temperate Cordials wherby Natures worke were neither irritated by Heat nor turned backe by Cold hee commonly recouered But infinite Persons died sodainly of it before the manner of the Cure and attendance was knowne It was conceiued not to bee an Epidemicke Disease but to proceed from a malignitie in the constitution of the Aire gathered by the predispositions of Seasons and the speedie cessation declared as much On SIMON and IVDES Euen the King dined with THOMAS BOVRCHIER Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Cardinall and from Lambeth went by Land ouer the Bridge to the Tower where the morrow after hee made twelue Knights-Bannerets But for Creations hee dispensed them with a sparing hand For notwithstanding a Field so lately fought and a Coronation so neere at hand hee onely created three IASPER Earle of Pembroke the Kings Vncle was created Duke of Bedford THOMAS the Lord STANLEY the Kings Father-in-law Earle of Darbie and EDWARD COVRTNEY Earle of Deuon though the King had then neuerthelesse a purpose in himselfe to make more in time of Parliament bearing a wise and decent respect to distribute his Creations some to honour his Coronation and some his Parliament The Coronation followed two dayes after vpon the thirtieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1485. At which time INNOCENT the Eight was Pope of Rome FREDERICKE the Third Emperour of Almaine and MAXIMILIAN his sonne newly chosen King of the Romans CHARLES the Eight King of France FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spain and IAMES the Third King of Scotland with all which Kings and States the King was at that time in good peace and amitie At which day also as if the Crowne vpon his head had put perils into his thoughts he did institute for the better securitie of his person a Band of fiftie Archers vnder a Captaine to attend him by the name of Yeomen-of-his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of Dignitie after the imitation of that hee had knowne abroad then any matter of Diffidence appropriate to his owne Case hee made it to be vnderstood for an Ordinance not temporarie but to hold in succession for euer after The seuenth of Nouember the King held his Parliament at Westminster which hee had summoned immediately after his comming to London His Ends in calling a Parliament and that so speedily were chiefly three First to procure the Crowne to bee entayled vpon himselfe Next to haue the Attaindors of all of his Partie which were in no small number reuersed and all Acts of hostilitie by them done in his quarrell remitted and discharged and on the other side to attaine by Parliament the Heads and Principals of his Enemies The Third to calme and quiet the feares of the rest of that Partie by a Generall-Pardon not being ignorant in how great danger a King stands from his Subiects when most of his Subiects are conscious in themselues that they stand in his danger Vnto these three speciall Motiues of a Parliament was added that hee as a prudent and moderate Prince made this iudgement that it was fit for him to hasten to let his people see that hee meant to gouerne by Law howsoeuer hee came in by the Sword and fit also to reclaime them to know him for their King whom they had so lately talked of as an Enemie or Banished-man For that which concerned the Entayling of the Crowne more then that he was true to his owne Will that hee would not endure any mention of the Lady ELIZABETH no not in the nature of Speciall-Intaile he carried it otherwise with great wisdome and measure For he did not presse to haue the Act penned by way of Declaration or Recognition of right as on the other side he auoyded to haue it by new Law or Ordinance but chose rather a kind of middle-way by way of Establishment and that vnder couert and indifferent words That the inheritance of the Crowne should rest remaine and abide in the King c. which words might equally be applied That the Crowne should continue to him but whether as hauing former right to it which was doubtfull or hauing it then in Fact and possession which no man denied was left faire to interpretation eyther way And againe for the limitation of the Entaile he did not presse it to goe further then to himselfe and to the Heires of his body not speaking of
Archbishop of Canterbury And for FOX hee made him Lord Keeper of his Priuie-Seale and afterwards aduanced him by Degrees from Excester to Bathe and Wells thence to Durham and last to Winchester For although the King loued to imploy and aduance Bishops because hauing rich Bishopricks they carried their Reward vpon themselues yet he did vse to raise them by steps that hee might not lose the profit of the First-fruits which by that course of Gradation was multiplied At last vpon the eighteenth of Ianuarie was solemnized the so long expected and so much desired Marriage betweene the King the Lady ELIZABETH Which Day of Marriage was celebrated with greater Triumph and Demonstrations especially on the peoples part of Ioy and Gladnesse than the dayes eyther of his Entrie or Coronation which the King rather noted than liked And it is true that all his life time while the Lady ELIZABETH liued with him for she died before him hee shewed himselfe no very indulgent Husband towards her though shee was beautifull gentle and fruitfull But his auersion towards the House of YORKE was so predominant in him as it found place not only in his Warres and Counsells but in his Chamber and Bed Towards the middle of the Spring the King full of confidence and assurance as a Prince that had beene victorious in Battaile and had preuailed with his Parliament in all that hee desired and had the Ring of Acclamations fresh in his eares thought the rest of his Raigne should bee but Play and the enioying of a Kingdome Yet as a wise and watchfull King hee would not neglect any thing for his safetie thinking neuerthelesse to performe all things now rather as an Exercise then as a Labour So hee being truly informed that the Northerne parts were not onely affectionate to the House of YORKE but particularly had beene deuoted to King RICHARD the third thought it would bee a Summer well spent to visit those Parts and by his presence and application of himselfe to reclaime and rectifie those humors But the King in his accompt of Peace and Calmes did much ouer-cast his Fortunes which proued for many yeares together full of Broken Seas Tides and Tempests For he was no sooner come to Lincolne where he kept his Easter but he receiued newes that the Lord LOVEL HVMPHREY STAFFORD and THOMAS STAFFORD who had formerly taken Sanctuarie at Colchester were departed out of Sanctuarie but to what place no man could tell Which aduertisement the King despised and continued his Iourney to Yorke At Yorke there came fresh and more certaine aduertisement that the Lord LOVEL was at band with a great power of men and that the STAFFORDS were in Armes in Worcestershire and had made their approaches to the Citie of Worcester to assaile it The King as a Prince of great and profound iudgement was not much moued with it for that hee thought it was but a Ragge or Remnant of Bosworth-Field and had nothing in it of the maine Partie of the house of YORKE But hee was more doubtfull of the raysing of Forces to resist the Rebels then of the Resistance it selfe for that hee was in a Core of People whose affections he suspected But the Action enduring no delay hee did speedily leuie and send against the Lord LOVEL to the number of three thousand men ill armed but well assured being taken some few out of his owne Traine and the rest out of the Tenants and Followers of such as were safe to bee trusted vnder the Conduct of the Duke of Bedford And as his manner was to send his Pardons rather before the Sword then after hee gaue Commission to the Duke to proclaime pardon to all that would come in Which the Duke vpon his approach to the Lord LOVELS Campe did performe And it fell out as the King expected the Heralds were the Great-Ordnance For the Lord LOVEL vpon Proclamation of pardon mistrusting his men fled into Lancashire and lurking for a time with Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON after sailed ouer into Flanders to the Ladie MARGARET And his men forsaken of their Captaine did presently submit themselues to the Duke The STAFFORDS likewise and their Forces hearing what had happened to the Lord LOVEL in whose successe their chiefe trust was despaired and dispersed The two Brothers taking Sanctuarie at Colnham a Village neare Abington which Place vpon view of their Priuiledge in the Kings Bench being iudged no sufficient Sanctuarie for Traitors HVMPHREY was executed at Tiburne and THOMAS as being led by his elder brother was pardoned So this Rebellion proued but a Blast and the King hauing by this Iourney purged a little the Dregs and Leauen of the Northerne People that were before in no good affection towards him returned to London In September following the Queene was deliuered of her first sonne whom the King in honour of the Brittish-Race of which himselfe was named ARTHVH according to the Name of that ancient worthie King of the Britaines in whose Acts there is truth enough to make him Famous besides that which is Fabulous The Childe was strong and able though hee was borne in the eight Moneth which the Physicians doe preiudge THere followed this yeare being the Second of the Kings Reigne a strange Accident of State whereof the Relations which wee haue are so naked as they leaue it scarce credible not for the nature of it for it hath fallen out oft but for the manner and circumstance of it especially in the beginnings Therfore wee shall make our Iudgement vpon the things themselues as they giue light one to another and as wee can digge Truth out of the Mine The King was greene in his estate and contrarie to his owne opinion and desert both was not without much hatred throughout the Realme The root of all was the discountenancing of the House of YORKE which the generall Bodie of the Realme still affected This did alienate the hearts of the Subiects from him daily more and more especially when they saw that after his Marriage and after a Sonne borne the King did neuerthelesse not so much as proceed to the Coronation of the Queene not vouchsafing her the honour of a Matrimoniall Crowne for the Coronation of her was not till almost two yeares after when Danger had taught him what to doe But much more when it was spread abroad whether by Errour or the cunning of Male-Contents that the King had a purpose to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET closely in the Tower Whose case was so neerly paralleld with that of EDWARD the Fourths Children in respect of the Bloud like Age and the very place of the Tower as it did refresh and reflect vpon the King a most odious resemblance as if hee would bee another King RICHARD And all this time it was still whispered euery where that at least one of the Children of EDWARD the Fourth was liuing Which Bruit was cunningly fomented by such as desired Innouation Neither was the Kings nature and customes greatly fit to disperse
these Mists but contrariwise hee had a fashion rather to create Doubts then Assurance Thus was Fuell prepared for the Sparke the Sparke that afterwards kindled such a fire and combustion was at the first contemptible There was a subtill Priest called RICHARD SIMON that liued in Oxford and had to his Pupill a Bakers sonne named LAMBERT SIMNELL of the age of some fifteene yeares a comely Youth and weli fauoured not without some extraordinarie dignitie and grace of aspect It came into this Priests fancie hearing what men talked and in hope to raise himselfe to some great Bishopricke to cause this Lad to counterseit and personate the second sonne of EDWARD the Fourth supposed to be murdered and afterward for he changed his intention in the manage the Lord EDWARD PLANTAGENET then prisoner in the Tower and accordingly to frame him and instruct him in the Part hee was to play This is that which as was touched before seemeth scarcely credible Not that a False person should be assumed to gaine a Kingdome for it hath beene seene in ancient and late times nor that it should come into the mind of such an abiect Fellow to enterprise so great a matter for high Conceits doe sometimes come streaming into the Imaginations of base persons especially when they are drunke with Newes and talke of the people But heere is that which hath no apparance That this Priest being vtterly vnacquainted with the true Person according to whose patterne hee should shape his Counterfeit should thinke it possible for him to instruct his Player either in gesture and fashions or in recounting past matters of his life and education or in fit answers to questions or the like any wayes to come neare the resemblance of him whom hee was to represent For this Lad was not to personate one that had beene long before taken out of his Cradle or conueighed away in his infancie knowne to few but a Youth that till the age almost of ten yeares had beene brought vp in a Court where infinite eyes had beene vpon him For King EDWARD touched with remorse of his brother the Duke of Clarences death would not indeed restore his sonne of whom wee speake to bee Duke of Clarence but yet created him Earle of Warwicke reuiuing his honour on the mothers side and vsed him honourably during his time though RICHARD the Third afterwards confined him So that it cannot bee but that some great Person that knew particularly and familiarly EDWARD PLANTAGENET had a hand in the businesse from whom the Priest might take his ayme That which is most probable out of the precedent and subsequent Acts is that it was the Queene Dowager from whom this action had the principall source and motion For certaine it is shee was a busie negotiating woman and in her withdrawing Chamber had the fortunate Conspiracie for the King against King RICHARD the Third beene hatched which the King knew and remembred perhaps but too well and was at this time extremely discontent with the King thinking her daughter as the King handled the matter not aduanced but depressed and none could hold the Booke so well to prompt and instruct this Stage-Play as she could Neuerthelesse it was not her meaning nor no more was it the meaning of any of the better and sager sort that fauoured this Enterprise and knew the Secret that this disguised Idoll should possesse the Crowne but at his perill to make way to the Ouerthrow of the King and that done they had their seuerall Hopes and Waies That which doth chiefly fortifie this Coniecture is that as soone as the matter brake forth in any strength it was one of the Kings first Acts to cloister the Queene Dowager in the Nunnery of Bermondsey and to take away all her lands and estate and this by close Councell without any legall proceeding vpon farre-fetcht Pretences That shee had deliuered her two daughters out of Sanctuarie to King RICHARD contrarie to promise Which Proceeding being euen at that time taxed for rigorous and vndue both in matter and maner makes it very probable there was some greater matter against her which the King vpon reason of Policie and to auoid enuy would not publish It is likewise no small argument that there was some secret in it and some suppressing of Examinations for that the Priest SIMON himselfe after hee was taken was neuer brought to execution no not so much as to publike Triall as many Clergie-men were vpon lesse Treasons but was only shut vp close in a Dungeon Adde to this that the after Earle of Lincolne a principall Person of the House of YORKE was slaine in Stoke-field the King opened himselfe to some of his Councell that he was sorie for the Earles death because by him hee said hee might haue knowne the bottome of his danger But to returne to the Narration it selfe SIMON did first instruct his Scholler for the part of RICHARD Duke of Yorke second sonne to King EDWARD the Fourth and this was at such time as it was voiced that the King purposed to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET prisoner in the Tower whereat there was great murmur But hearing soone after a generall bruit that PLANTAGENET had escaped out of the Tower and thereby finding him so much beloued amongst the people and such reioycing at his Escape the cunning Priest changed his Copie and chose now PLANTAGENET to bee the Subiect his Pupill should personate because hee was more in the present speech and votes of the people and it pieced better and followed more close and handsomley vpon the bruit of PLANTAGENETS escape But yet doubting that there would bee too neare looking and too much Perspectiue into his Disguise if hee should shew it here in England hee thought good after the manner of Scenes in Stage-Playes and Maskes to shew it a farre of and therfore sailed with his Scholler into Ireland where the Affection to the House of YORKE was most in height The King had beene a little improuident in the matters of Ireland and had not remoued Officers and Councellors and put in their places or at least intermingled persons of whom hee stood assured as he should haue done since hee knew the strong Bent of that Countrey towards the House of YORKE and that it was a ticklish and vnsetled State more easie to receiue distempers and mutations then England was But trusting to the reputation of his Victories and Successes in England hee thought hee should haue time enough to extend his Cares afterwards to that second Kingdome Wherefore through this neglect vpon the comming of SIMON with his pretended PLANTAGENET into Ireland all things were prepared for Reuolt and Sedition almost as if they had beene set and plotted before hand SIMONS first addresse was to the Lord THOMAS FITZ-GERARD Earle of Kildare and Deputie of Ireland before whose Eyes hee did cast such a Mist by his owne insinuation and by the carriage of his Youth that expressed a naturall Princely behauiour as ioyned perhaps
memorie and all things were directed by the Duke of Orleance who gaue audience to the Chaplaine VRSWICK and vpon his Ambassage deliuered made answer in somewhat high termes That the Duke of Britaine hauing beene an Host and a kind of Parent or Foster-father to the King in his tendernesse of age and weaknesse of fortune did looke for at this time from King HENRY the renowned King of England rather braue Troupes for his Succours then a vaine Treatie of Peace And if the King could forget the good Offices of the Duke done vnto him aforetime yet he knew well he would in his wisdome consider of the future how much it imported his owne safetie and reputation both in forraine parts and with his owne people not to suffer Britaine the old Confederates of England to be swallowed vp by France and so many good Ports and strong Townes vpon the Coast be in the command of so potent a Neighbour-King and so ancient an Enemie And therefore humbly desired the King to thinke of this businesse as his owne and therewith brake off and denied any further conference for Treatie VRSWICK returned first to the French King and related to him what had passed Who finding things to sort to his desire tooke hold of them and said That the Ambassadour might perceiue now that which he for his part partly imagined before That considering in what hands the Duke of Britaine was there would be no Peace but by a mixt Treatie of force and perswasion And therfore he would goe on with the one and desired the King not to desist from the other But for his owne part he did faithfully promise to bee still in the Kings power to rule him in the matter of Peace This was accordingly represented vnto the King by VRSWICK at his returne and in such a fashion as if the Treatie were in no sort desperate but rather stayed for a better houre till the Hammer had wrought and beat the Partie of Britaine more pliant Whereupon there passed continually Packets and Dispatches betweene the two Kings from the One out of desire and from the other out of dissimulation about the negotiation of Peace The French King meane while inuaded Britaine with great forces and distressed the Citie of Nantes with a strait siege and as one who though hee had no great Iudgement yet had that that hee could dissemble home the more he did vrge the prosecution of the Warre the more he did at the same time vrge the solicitation of the Peace Insomuch as during the siege of Nantes after many Letters and particular messages the better to maintaine his dissimulation and to refresh the Treatie he sent BERNARD DAVBIGNEY a person of good qualitie to the King earnestly to desire him to make an end of the businesse howsoeuer The King was no lesse readie to reuiue and quicken the Treatie And therupon sent three Commissioners the Abbot of Abington Sir RICHARD TVNSTAL and CHAPLEINE VRSWICK formerly imployed to doe their vtmost endeuours to manage the Treatie roundly and strongly About this time the Lord WOODVILE Vncle to the Queene a valiant gentleman desirous of honor sued to the King that he might raise some Power of Voluntaries vnder-hand and without licence or pasport wherein the King might any wayes appeare goe to the aide of the Duke of Britaine The King denied his request or at least seemed so to doe and layed strait commandement vpon him that hee should not stirre for that the King thought his honour would suffer therein during a Treatie to better a Partie Neuerthelesse this Lord either being vnruly or out of conceipt that the King would not inwardly dislike that which he would not openly auow sailed secretly ouer into the Isle of Wight whereof hee was Gouernour and leuied a faire Troupe of foure hundred men and with them passed ouer into Brittaine and ioyned himselfe with the Dukes Forces The Newes whereof when it came to the French Court put diuers Young Bloods into such a furie as the English Ambassadors were not without perill to bee outraged But the French King both to preserue the Priuiledge of Ambassadors and being conscious to himselfe that in the businesse of Peace hee himselfe was the greater dissembler of the two forbade all iniuries of fact or word against their persons or Followers And presently came an Agent from the King to purge himselfe touching the Lord WOODVILES going ouer vsing for a principall argument to demonstrate that it was without his priuitie for that the Troupes were so small as neither had the Face of a succour by authoritie nor could much aduance the Brittaine affaires To which message although the French King gaue no full credit yet he made faire weather with the King and seemed satisfied Soone after the English Ambassadors returned hauing two of them beene likewise with the Duke of Britaine and found things in no other termes then they were before Vpon their returne they informed the King of the state of the affaires and how farre the French King was from any true meaning of Peace and therefore he was now to aduise of some other course Neither was the King himselfe lead all this while with credulity meerely as was generally supposed But his Error was not so much facility of beleefe as an ill measuring of the forces of the other Partie For as was partly touched before the King had cast the businesse thus with himselfe He tooke it for granted in his owne iudgement that the Warre of Britaine in respect of the strength of the Townes and of the Partie could not speedily come to a Period For he conceiued that the Counsels of a Warre that was vndertaken by the French King then childlesse against an Heire-apparant of France would be very faint and slow And besides that it was not possible but that the state of France should be imbroiled with some troubles and alterations in fauour of the Duke of Orleance Hee conceiued likewise that MAXIMILIAN King of the Romans was a Prince warlike and potent who he made account would giue succours to the Britaine 's roundly So then iudging it would be a worke of Time hee laide his plot how hee might best make vse of that Time for his owne affaires Wherein first hee thought to make his vantage vpon his Parliament knowing that they being affectionate vnto the quarrell of Britaine would giue treasure largely Which treasure as a noise of Warre might draw forth so a peace succeeding might cofer vp And because hee knew his people were hot vpon the businesse hee chose rather to seeme to bee deceiued and lulled asleepe by the French then to be backward in himselfe considering his Subiects were not so fully capable of the reasons of State which made him hold backe Wherefore to all these purposes hee saw no other expedient then to set and keepe on foot a continuall Treatie of Peace laying it downe and taking it vp againe as the occurrence required Besides he had in consideration the point
to leuie the Subsidie whereof he did not remit a Denier About the same time that the King lost so good a Seruant as the Earle of Northumberland hee lost likewise a faithfull friend and Allie of IAMES the third King of Scotland by a miserable disaster For this vnfortunate Prince after a long smother of discontent and hatred of many of his Nobilitie and People breaking forth at times into seditions and alterations of Court was at last distressed by them hauing taken Armes and surprised the person of Prince IAMES his sonne partly by force partly by threats that they would otherwise deliuer vp the Kingdome to the King of England to shadow their Rebellion and to bee the titular and painted Head of those Armes Whereupon the King finding himselfe too weake sought vnto King HENRY as also vnto the Pope and the King of France to compose those troubles betweene him and his Subiects The Kings accordingly interposed their Mediation in a round and Princely manner Not only by way of request and perswasion but also by way of protestation of menace declaring that they thought it to be the common Cause of all Kings If Subiects should be suffered to giue Lawes vnto their Soueraigne and that they would accordingly resent it and reuenge it But the Rebels that had shaken off the greater Yoke of Obedience had likewise cast away the lesser Tye of Respect And Furie preuailing aboue Feare made answer That there was no talking of Peace except the King would resignehis Crowne Whereupon Treatie of Accord taking no place it came vp to a Battaile at Bannocks Bourne by Striuelin In which Battaile the King transported with wrath and iust indignation inconsideratly fighting and precipitating the charge before his whole numbers came vp to him was notwithstanding the contrarie expresse and straight commandement of the Prince his sonne slaine in the Pursuit being fled to a Mill scituate in the field where the Battaile was fought As for the Popes Ambassie which was sent by ADRIAN DE CASTELLO an Italian Legate and perhaps as those times were might haue preuailed more it came too late for the Ambassie but not for the Ambassador For passing through England and being honourably entertained and dreceiued of King HENRY who euer applied himselfe with much respect to the See of Rome hee fell into great grace with the King and great familiaritie and friendship with MORTON the Chancellor In so much as the King taking a liking to him and finding him to his minde preferred him to the Bishopricke of Hereford and afterwards to that of Bath and Wells and imployed him in many of his affaires of State that had relation to Rome Hee was a man of great learning wisedome and dexteritle in businesse of State and hauing not long after ascended to the degree of Cardinall payd the King large tribute of his gratitude in diligent and iudicious aduertisement of the occurrents of Italie Neuerthelesse in the end of his time hee was partaker of the conspiracie which Cardinall ALPHONSO PETRVCCI and some other Cardinalls had plotted against the life of Pope LEO. And this offence in it selfe so hainous was yet in him aggrauared by the motiue therof which was not malice or discontent but an aspiring minde to the Papacie And in this height of impietie there wanted not an intermixture of leuitie and follie for that as was generally belieued hee was animated to expect the Papacie by a fatall Mockerie the prediction of a Southsaier which was That one should succeed Pope LEO whose name should bee ADRIAN an aged man of meane birth and of great learning and wisdome By which Character and figure hee tooke himselfe to bee described though it were fulfilled of ADRIAN the Flemming sonne of a Dutch Brewer Cardinall of Tortosa and Preceptor vnto CHARLES the Fift the same that not changing his Christen-name was afterwards called ADRIAN the Sixt. But these things happened in the yeare following which was the fift of this King But in the end of the fourth yeare the King had called againe his Parliament not as it seemeth for any particular occasion of State But the former Parliament being ended somewhat sodainly in regard of the preparation for Britaine the King thought hee had not remunerated his people sufficiently with good Lawes which euermore was his Retribution for Treasure And finding by the Insurrection in the North there was discontentment abroad in respect of the Subsidie hee thought it good to giue his Subiects yet further contentment and comfort in that kind Certainly his times for good Common-wealths Lawes did excell So as he may iustly be celebrated for the best Law giuer to this Nation after King EDWARD the first For his Lawes who so markes them well are deepe and not vulgar not made vpon the Spurre of a particular Occasion for the Present but out of Prouidence of the Future to make the Estate of his People still more and more happie after the manner of the Legislators in ancient and Heroicall Times First therfore he made a Law sutable to his owne Acts and Times For as himselfe had in his Person and Marriage made a finall Concord in the great Suit and Title for the Crowne so by this Law hee setled the like Peace and Quiet in the priuate Possessions of the Subjects Ordaining That Fines thence-forth should bee finall to conclude all Strangers Rights and that vpon Fines leuied and solemnely proclaimed the Subiect should haue his time of Watch for fiue yeares after his Title accrued which if hee fore-passed his Right should be bound for euer after with some exception neuerthelesse of Minors Married-Women and such incompetent Persons This Statute did in effect but restore an ancient Statute of the Realme which was it selfe also made but in affirmance of the Common-Law The alteration had beene by a Statute commonly called the Statute of Non-claime made in the time of EDWARD the Third And surely this Law was a kind of Prognostick of the good Peace which since his time hath for the most part continued in this Kingdome vntill this day For Statutes of Non-Claime are fit for times of Warre when mens heads are troubled that they cannot intend their Estate But Statutes that quiet Possessions are fittest for Times of Peace to extinguish Suits and Contentions which is one of the Banes of Peace Another Statute was made of singular Policie for the Population apparantly and if it bee throughly considered for the Souldiery and Militar Forces of the Realme Inclosures at that time began to be more frequent whereby Arrable Land which could not be manured without people and Families was turned into Pasture which was easily rid by a few Heards men and Tenancies for Yeares Liues and At Will whereupon much of the Yeomanrie liued were turned into Demesnes This bred a decay of People and by consequence a decay of Townes Churches Tithes and the like The King likewise knew full well and in no wise forgot that there ensued with all vpon this a decay
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
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
France And although the Parliament consisted of the First and Second Nobilitie together with principall Citizens and Townesmen yet worthily and iustly respecting more the People whose deputies they were then their owne priuate Persons and finding by the Lord Chancellours speech the Kings inclination that way they consented that Commissioners should goe forth for the gathering and leuying of a Beneuolence from the more able sort This Tax called Beneuolence was deuised by EDWARD the Fourth for which hee sustained much Enuie It was abolished by RICHARD the Third by Act of Parliament to ingratiate himselfe with the people and it was now reuiued by the King but with consent of Parliament for so it was not in the time of King EDWARD the Fourth But by this way hee raised exceeding great summes Insomuch as the Citie of London in those dayes contributed nine thousand pounds and better and that chiefly leuied vpon the wealthier sort There is a Tradition of a Dilemma that Bishop MORTON the Chancellour vsed to raise vp the Beneuolence to higher Rates and some called it his Forke and some his Crotch. For hee had couched an Article in the Instructions to the Commissioners who were to leuie the Beneuolence That if they met with any that were sparing they should tell them That they must needs haue because they laid vp and if they were spenders they must needs haue because it was seene in their Port and manner of liuing So neither kinde came amisse This Parliament was meerly a Parliament of Warre for it was in Substance but a declaration of Warre against France and Scotland with some Statutes conducing thereunto As the seuere punishing of Mortpayes and keeping backe of Souldiours wages in Captaines The like seueritie for the departure of Souldiours without licence Strengthening of the Common-Law in fauour of Protections for those that were in the Kings seruice And the setting the gate open and wide for men to sell or Morgage their lands without Fines for Alienation to furnish themselues with money for the Warre And lastly the voiding of all Scottishmen out of England There was also a Statute for the dispersing of the Standard of the Exchequer throughout England therby to size Weights and Measures and two or three more of lesse importance After the Parliament was broken vp which lasted not long the King went on with his Preparations for the Warre of France yet neglected not in the meane time the affaires of MAXIMILIAN for the quieting of Flanders and restoring him to his authoritie amongst his Subiects For at that time the Lord of Rauenstein being not onely a Subiect rebelled but a Seruant reuolted and so much the more malicious and violent by the aide of Bruges and Gaunt had taken the Towne and both the Castles of Sluice as wee said before And hauing by the commoditie of the Hauen gotten together certaine Ships and Barkes fell to a kind of Pyraticall Trade robbing and spoyling and taking Prisoners the Ships and Vessels of all Nations that passed alongst that Coast towards the Mart of Antwerpe or into any part of Brabant Zeland or Freezland being euer well victualled from Picardie besides the commoditie of Victuals from Sluice and the Countrey adjacent and the auailes of his owne Prizes The French assisted him still vnder-hand and hee likewise as all men doe that haue beene of both sides thought himselfe not safe except hee depended vpon a third Person There was a small Towne some two miles from Bruges towards the Sea called Dam which was a Fort and Approch to Bruges and had a relation also to Sluice This Towne the King of the Romans had attempted often not for any worth of the Towne in it selfe but because it might choake Bruges and cut it off from the Sea and euer failed But therewith the Duke of Saxonie came downe into Flanders taking vpon him the Person of an Vmpire to compose things betweene MAXIMILIAN and his Subiects but being indeed fast and assured to MAXIMILIAN Vpon this Pretext of Neutralitie and Treatie hee repaired to Bruges desiring of the States of Bruges to enter peaceably into their Towne with a Retinue of some number of men of Armes fit for his Estate being somewhat the more as hee said the better to guard him in a Countrey that was vp in Armes and bearing them in hand that hee was to communicate with them of diuers matters of great importance for their good Which hauing obtained of them hee sent his Carriages and Harbingers before him to prouide his Lodging So that his Men of Warre entred the Citie in good Array but in peaceable manner and he followed They that went before enquired still for Innes and Lodgings as if they would haue rested there all Night and so went on till they came to the Gate that leadeth directly towards Dam and they of Bruges only gazed vpon them and gaue them passage The Captaines and inhabitants of Dam also suspected no harme from any that passed through Bruges and discouering Forces a farre off supposed they had beene some Succours that were come from their Friends knowing some Dangers towards them And so perceiuing nothing but well till it was too late suflered them to enter their Towne By which kinde of Sleight rather then Stratageme the Towne of Dam was taken and the Town of Bruges shrewdly blockt vp wherby they tooke great discouragement The Duke of Saxonie hauing wonne the Towne of Dam sent immediatly to the King to let him know that it was Sluice chiefely and the Lord RAVENSTEIN that kept the Rebellion of Flanders in life And that if it pleased the King to besiege it by Sea he also would besiege it by Land and so cut out the Core of those Warres The King willing to vphold the Authoritie of MAXIMILIAN the better to hold France in awe and being likewise sued vnto by his Merchants for that the Seas were much infested by the Barkes of the Lord RAVENSTEIN sent straightwayes Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a valiant man and of good seruice with twelue Ships well furnished with Souldiers and Artillerie to cleare the Seas and to besiege Sluice on that part The Englishmen did not only coupe vp the Lord RAVENSTEIN that hee stirred not and likewise hold in strait Siege the Maritime part of the Towne but also assailed one of the Castles and renewed the assault so for twentie dayes space issuing still out of their Ships at the Ebbe as they made great slaughter of them of the Castle who continually fought with them to repulse them though of the English part also were slaine a brother of the Earle of Oxfords and some fiftie more But the Siege still continuing more and more strait and both the Castles which were the principall strength of the Towne being distressed the one by the Duke of Saxonie and the other by the English and a Bridge of boats which the Lord RAVENSTEIN had made betweene both Castles whereby Succours and Releefe might passe from the one to the other being on a night
set on fire by the English hco despairing to hold the Towne yeelded at the last the Castles to the English and the Towne to the Duke of Saxonie by composition Which done the Duke of Saxonie and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS treated with them of Bruges to submit themselues to MAXIMILIAN their Lord which after some time they did paying in some good part the Charge of the Warre whereby the Almaines and forraigne Succours were dismissed The example of Bruges other of the Reuolted Townes followed so that MAXIMILIAN grew to be out of danger but as his manner was to handle matters neuer out of necessitie And Sir EDWARD POYNINGS after he had continued at Sluice some good while till all things were setled returned vnto the King being then before Bulleigne Somewhat about this time came Letters from FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queene of Spaino signifying the finall conquest of Granada from the Moores which action in it selfe so worthie King FERDINANDO whose manner was neuer to lose any vertue for the shewing had expressed and displayed in his letters at large with all the particularities and religious Punctoes and Ceremonies that were obserued in the reception of that Citie and Kingdome Shewing amongst other things That the King would not by any meanes in person enter the Citie vntill hee had first aloofe seene the Crosse set vp vpon the greater Tower of Granada whereby it became Christian ground That likewise before hee would enter he did Homage to God aboue pronouncing by an Herauld from the Height of that Tower that hee did acknowledge to haue recouered that Kingdome by the helpe of GOD Almightie and the glorious Virgin and the vertuous Apostle Saint IAMES and the holy Father INNOCENT the Eight together with the aides and seruices of his Prelates Nobles and Commons That yet he stirred not from his Campe till hee had seene a little Armie of Martyrs to the number of seuen hundred and more Christians that had liued in bonds and seruitude as Slaues to the Moores passe before his Eyes singing a Psalme for their redemption and that he had giuen Tribute vnto GOD by Almes and releefe extended to them all for his admission into the Citie These things were in the Letters with many more Ceremonies of a kind of Holy Ostentation The King euer willing to put himselfe into the Consort or Quire of all religious Actions and naturally affecting much the King of Spaine as farre as one King can affect another partly for his vertues and partly for a counterpoise to France vpon the receipt of these Letters sent all his Nobles and Prelates that were about the Court together with the Maior and Aldermen of London in great solemnitie to the Church of Pauls there to heare a Declaration from the Lord Chancellor now Cardinall When they were assembled the Cardinall standing vpon the vppermost step or Halfe-pase before the Quire and all the Nobles Prelates and Gouernours of the Citie at the foot of the Staires made a Speech to them letting them know that they were assembled in that Consecrate place to sing vnto God a New-song For that said he these many yeares the Christians haue not gayned new ground or Territorie vpon the Infidels nor enlarged and set further the Bounds of the Christian-world But this is now done by the prowesse and deuotion of FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spaine Who haue to their immortall Honour recouered the great and rich Kingdome of Granada and the populous and mightie Citie of the same name from the Moores hauing beene in possession thereof by the space of seuen hundred yeares and more For which this Assembly and all Christians are to render laud and thankes vnto God and to celebrate this noble Act of the King of Spaine who in this is not only Victorious but Apostolicall in the gaining of new Prouinces to the Christian Faith And the rather for that this Victorie and Conquest is obtained without much effusion of bloud Whereby it is to bee hoped that there shall bee gained not only new Territorie but infinite soules to the Church of Christ whom the Almightie as it seemes would haue liue to bee conuerted Herewithall hee did relate some of the most memorable Particulars of the Warre and Victorie And after his Speech ended the whole assemblie went solemnely in Procession and Te Deum was sung Immediately after the Solemnitie the King kept his May Day at his Palace of Sheine now Richmond Where to warme the blood of his Nobilitie and Gallants against the warre hee kept great Triumphs of Iusting and Tourney during all that Moneth In which space it so fell our that Sir IAMES PARKER and HVGH VAVGHAH one of the Kings Gentlemen-Vshers hauing had a Controuersie touching certaine Armes that the King at Armes had giuen VAVGHAN were appointed to runne some Courses one against an other And by accident of a faultie Helmet that PARKER had on he was stricken into the mouth at the first course so that his tongue was borne vnto the hinder part of his head in such sort that hee died presently vpon the Place Which because of the Controuersie precedent and the Death that followed was accounted amongst the Vulgar as a Combate or Tryall of Right The King towards the end of this Summer hauing put his Forces where with hee meant to inuade France in readinesse but so as they were not yet met or mustered together sent VRSWICK now made his Almoner and Sir IOHN RISLEY to MAXIMILIAN to let him know that hee was in Armes ready to passe the Seas into France and did but expect to heare from him when and where he did appoint to ioyne with him according to his promise made vnto him by COVNTEBALT his Ambassador The English Ambassadors hauing repaired to MAXIMILIAN did finde his power and promise at a very great distance hee being vtterly vnprouided of Men Money and Armes for any such enterprize For MAXIMILIAN hauing neither Wing to flie on for that his Patrimony of Austria was not in his hands his Father beeing then liuing And on the other side his Matrimonial Territories of Flanders being partly in Dowre to his Mother-in-law and partly not seruiceable in respect of the late Rebellions was thereby destitute of meanes to enter into Warre The Ambassadors saw this well but wisely thought fit to aduertise the King thereof rather than to returne themselues till the Kings further pleasure were knowne The rather for that MAXIMILIAN himselfe spake as great as euer hee did before and entertained them with dilatory Answers so as the formall part of their Ambassage might well warrant and require their further stay The King hereupon who doubted as much before and saw through his businesse from the beginning wrote backe to the Ambassadors commending their discretion in not returning and willing them to keepe the State wherein they found MAXIMILIAN as a Secret till they heard further from him And meane while went on with his Voyage Royall for France suppressing for a time this
Aduertisement touching MAXIMILIAN'S pouertie and disabilitie By this time was drawne together a great and puissant Armie into the Citie of London In which were THOMAS Marquesse Dorset THOMAS Earle of Arundell THOMAS Earle of Derby GEORGE Earle of Shrewsbury EDMOND Earle of Suffolke EDWARD Earle of Deuonshire GEORGE Earle of Kent the Earle of Essex THOMAS Earle of Ormond with a great number of Barons Knights and Principall Gentlemen and amongst them RICHARD THOMAS much noted for the braue Troupes that hee brought out of Wales The Armie rising in the whole to the number of fiue and twenty thousand Foot and sixteene hundred Horse Ouer which the King constant in his accustomed trust and imployment made IASPER Duke of Bedford and IOHN Earle of Oxford Generals vnder his owne Person The ninth of September in the eighth yeere of his Reigne he departed from Greenwich towards the Sea all men wondring that hee tooke that Season beeing so neare winter to begin the Warre and some thereupon gathering it was a Signe that the Warre would not beelong Neuerthelesse the King gaue out the contrarie thus That he intending not to make a Summer businesse of it but a resolute Warre without terme prefixed vntill bee recouered France it skilled not much when bee began it especially hauing Calice at his backe where he might winter if the reason of the Warre so required The sixt of October hee imbarqued at Sandwich and the same day tooke land at Calice which was the Rendezvous where all his Forces were assigned to meet But in this his Iourney towards the Sea side wherein for the cause that we shall now speake of he houered so much the longer hee had receiued Letters from the Lord CORDES who the hotter he was against the English in time of Warre had the more credit in a Negociation of Peace and besides was held a man open and of good faith In which Letters there was made an Ouerture of Peace from the French King with such Conditions as were somewhat to the Kings Taste but this was carried at the first with wonderfull secrecie The King was no sooner come to Calice but the calme windes of Peace began to blow For first the English Ambassadors returned out of Flanders from MAXIMILIAN and certified the King that he was not to hope for any aide from MAXIMILIAN for that he was altogether improuided His will was good but he lacked mony And this was made knowne and spread through the Army And although the English were therewithall nothing dismaied and that it bee the manner of Souldiers vpon bad newes to speake the more brauely yet neuerthelesse it was a kind of Preparatiue to a Peace Instantly in the neck of this as the King had laid it came newes that FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spaine had concluded a Peace with King CHARLES and that CHARLES had restored vnto them the Counties of Russignon and Perpignian which formerly were Morgaged by IOHN King of Arragon FERDINANDOES Father vnto France for three hundred thousand Crownes which debt was also vpon this Peace by CHARLES clearely released This came also handsomely to put on the Peace both because so potent a Confederate was fallen off and because it was a faire example of a Peace bought so as the King should not bee the sole Merchant in this Peace Vpon these Aires of Peace the King was content that the Bishop of Excester and the Lord DAVBIGNEY Gouernour of Calice should giue a meeting vnto the Lord CORDES for the Treatie of a Peace But himselfe neuerthelesse and his Armie the fifteenth of October remooued from Calice and in foure dayes march sate him downe before Bulloigne During this Siege of Bulloigne which continued neare a Moneth there passed no memorable Action noâ— Accident of Warre onely Sir IOHN SAVAGE a valiant Captaine was slaine riding about the Walls of the Towne to take a View The Towne was both well fortified and well manned yet it was distressed and ready for an Assault Which if it had beene giuen as was thought would haue cost much Bloud but yet the Towne would haue beene carried in the end Meane while a Peace was concluded by the Commissioners to continue for both the Kings Liues Where there was no Article of importance being in effect rather a Bargaine than a Treatie For all things remayned as they were saue that there should bee payed to the King seuen hundred fortie fiue thousand Duckats in present for his Charges in that Iourney and fiue and twentie thousand Crownes yearely for his Charges sustained in the Aides of the Britons For wich Annuall though he had MAXIMILIAN bound before for those Charges yet hee counted the alteration of the Hand as much as the principall Debt And besides it was left somewhat indefinitely when it should determine or expire which made the English esteeme it as a Tribute carried vnder faire Tearmes And the truth is it was paid both to the King and to his Sonne King HENRY the Eight longer than it could continue vpon any computation of Charges There were also assigned by the French King vnto al the King 's principal Counsellors great Pensions besides rich Gifts for the present Which whether the King did permit to saue his owne Purse from Rewards or to communicate the Enuie of a Businesse that was displeasing to his People was diuersly interpreted For certainly the King had no great fancie to owne this Peace And therefore a little before it was concluded he had vnder-hand procured some of his best Captaines and Men of Warre to aduise him to a Peace vnder their Hands in an earnest manner in the Nature of a Supplication But the truth is this Peace was welcome to both Kings To CHARLES for that it assured vnto him the possession of Britaine and freed the enterprise of Naples To HENRY for that it filled his Coffers and that hee foresaw at that time a storme of inward troubles comming vpon him which presently after brake forth But it gaue no lesse discontent to the Nobilitie and principall persons of the Armie who had many of them sold or engaged their estates vpon the hopes of the Warre They stucke not to say That the King cared not to plume his Nobilitie and People to feather himselfe And some made themselues merrie with that the King had said in Parliament That after the Warre was once begun he doubted not but to make it pay it selfe saying hee had kept promise Hauing risen from Bulloigne hee went to Calice where hee stayed some time From whence also hee wrote Letters which was a Courtesie that hee sometimes vsed to the Maior of London and Aldermen his brethren halfe bragging what great summes hee had obtayned for the Peace knowing well that full Cofers of the King is euer good Newes to London And better Newes it would haue beene if their Beneuolence had beene but a Loane And vpon the seuenteenth of December following hee returned to Westminster where he kept his Christmasse Soone after the Kings returne he sent
kind of astonishment mixt of Ioy and Wonder at his miraculous deliuerance receiuing him as if hee were risen from Death to Life and inferring that GOD who had in such wonderfull manner preserued him from Death did likewise reserue him for some great and prosperous Fortune As for his dismission out of France they interpreted it not as if hee were detected or neglected for a Counterfeit Deceiuer but contrariwise that it did shew manifestly vnto the World that hee was some Great matter for that it was his abandoning that in effect made the Peace being no more but the sacrificing of a poore distressed Prince vnto the vtilitie and Ambition of two Mightie Monarchs Neither was PERKIN for his part wanting to himselfe either in gracious and princely behauiour or in ready and apposite answers or in contenting and caressing those that did applie themselues vnto him or in prettie scorne and disdaine to those that seemed to doubt of him but in all things did notably acquite himselfe Insomuch as it was generally beleeued aswell amongst great Persons as amongst the Vulgar that he was indeed Duke RICHARD Nay himselfe with long and continuall counterfeiting and with oft telling a Lye was turned by habit almost into the thing heesee med to bee and from a Lyer to a Beleeuer The Duchesse therefore as in a case out of doubt did him all princely honour calling him alwaies by the name of her Nephew and giuing him the Delicate Title of the White-rose of England and appointed him a Guard of thirtie Persons Halberdiers clad in a Party-coloured Liuerie of Murrey and Blue to attend his Person Her Court likewise and generally the Dutch and Strangers in their vsage towards him expressed no lesse respect The Newes hereof came blazing and thundering ouer into England that the Duke of Yorke was sure aliue As for the name of PERKIN WARBECK it was not at that time come to light but all the newes ranne vpon the Duke of Yorke that hee had beene entertayned in Ireland bought and sold in France and was now plainly auowed and in great honour in Flanders These Fames tooke hold of diuers In some vpon discontent in some vpon ambition in some vpon leuitie and desire of change and in some few vpon conscience and beleefe but in most vpon simplicitie and in diuers out of dependance vpon some of the better sort who did in secret fauour and nourish these bruits And it was not long ere these rumours of Noueltie had begotten others of Scandall and Murmur against the King and his gouernment taxing him for a great Taxer of his People and discountenancer of his Nobilitie The losse of Britaine and the Peace with France were not forgotten But chiefly they fell vpon the wrong that hee did his Queene in that hee did not reigne in her Right Wherefore they said that GOD had now brought to light a Masculine-Branch of the House of YORKE that would not bee at his Curtesie howsoeuer hee did depresse his poore Ladie And yet as it fareth in things which are currant with the Multitude and which they affect these Fames grew so generall as the Authors were lost in the generalitie of Speakers They being like running Weedes that haue no certaine root or like Footings vp and downe impossible to be traced But after a while these ill Humours drew to an head and setled secretly in some eminent Persons which were Sir WILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The Lord FITZ-WATER Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir THOMAS THWAITES These entred into a secret Conspiracie to fauour Duke RICHARDS Title Neuerthelesse none engaged their fortunes in this businesse openly but two Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and Master WILLIAM BARLEY who sailed ouer into Flanders sent indeed from the Partie of the Conspiratours here to vnderstand the truth of those things that passed there and not without some helpe of monies from hence Prouisionally to bee deliuered if they found and were satisfied that there was truth in these pretences The person of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD being a Gentleman of Fame and Familie was extremely welcome to the Ladie MARGARET Who after shee had conference with him brought him to the sight of PERKIN with whom hee had often speech and discourse So that in the end wonne either by the Duchesse to affect or by PERKIN to beleeue hee wrote backe into England that he knew the Person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke as well as hee knew his owne and that this Young-man was vndoubtedly hee By this meanes all things grew prepared to Reuolt and Sedition here and the Conspiracie came to haue a Correspondence betweene Flanders and England The King on his part was not asleepe but to Arme or leuie Forces yet he thought would but shew feare and doe this Idoll too much worship Neuerthelesse the Ports hee did shut vp or at least kept a Watch on them that none should passe to or fro that was suspected But for the rest hee choose to worke by Countermine His purposes were two the one to lay open the Abuse The other to breake the knot of the Conspirators To detect the Abuse there were but two wayes The first to make it manifest to the world that the Duke of Yorke was indeed murthered The other to prooue that were he dead or aliue yet PERKIN was a Counterfeit For the first thus it stood There were but foure Persons that could speake vpon knowledge to the murther of the Duke of Yorke Sir IAMES TIRREL the employed-man from King RICHARD IOHN DIGHTON and MILES FORREST his seruants the two Butchers or Tormentors and the Priest of the Tower that buried them Of which foure MILES FOREST and the Priest were dead and there remained aliue onely Sir IAMES TIRREL and IOHN DIGHTON These two the King caused to bee committed to the Tower and examined touching the manner of the death of the two innocent Princes They agreed both in a Tale as the King gaue out to this effect That King RICHARD hauing directed his warrant for the putting of them to death to BRACKENBVRIE the Lieutenant of the Tower was by him refused Whereupon the King directed his Warrant to Sir IAMES TIRREL to receiue the keyes of the Tower from the Lieutenant for the space of a night for the Kings speciall seruice That Sir IAMES TIRREL accordingly repaired to the Tower by night attended by his two Seruants afore-named whom hee had chosen for that purpose That himselfe stood at the staire-foot and sent these two Villaines to execute the murther That they smothered them in their bed that done called vp their Master to see their naked dead bodies which they had laid forth That they were buried vnder the Staires and some stones cast vpon them That when the report was made to King RICHARD that his will was done hee gaue Sir IAMES TIRREL great thankes but tooke exception to the place of their buriall being too base for them that were Kings children Whereupon another night by the Kings warrant renued their
bodies were remoued by the Priest of the Tower and buried by him in some place which by meanes of the Priests death soone after could not be knowne Thus much was then deliuered abroad to be the effect of those Examinations But the King neuerthelesse made no vse of them in any of his Declarations whereby as it seemes those Examinations left the businesse somewhat perplexed And a for Sir IAMES TIRREL hee was soone after beheaded in the Tower-yard for other matters of Treason But IOHN DIGHTON who it seemeth spake best for the King was forthwith set at libertie and was the principall meanes of diuulging this Tradition Therefore this kind of Proofe being left so naked the King vsed the more diligence in the latter for the tracing of PERKIN To this purpose hee sent abroad into seuerall parts and especially into Flanders diuers secret and nimble Scouts and Spies some faining themselues to flie ouer vnto PERKIN and to adhere vnto him and some vnder other pretences to learne search and discouer all the circumstances and particulars of PERKINS Parents Birth Person Trauailes vp and downe and in briefe to haue a Iournall as it were of his life and doings Hee furnished these his imployed-men liberally with Money to draw on and reward Intelligences giuing them also in charge to aduertise continually what they found and neuerthelesse still to goe on And euer as one Aduertisement and Discouerie called vp another hee employed other new Men where the Businesse did require it Others hee employed in a more speciall nature and trust to be his Pioners in the maine Counter-mine These were directed to insinuate themselues into the familiaritie and confidence of the principall Persons of the Partie in Flanders and so to learne what Associates they had and Correspondents either heere in England or abroad and how farre euery one ingaged and what new ones they meant afterwards to trie or board And as this for the Persons so for the Actions themselues to discouer to the Bottome as they could the vtmost of PERKINS and the Conspiratours their Intentions Hopes and Practices These latter Best-be-trust-Spies had some of them further instructions to practise and draw off the best Friends and Seruants of PERKIN by making remonstrance to them how weakly his Enterprize and Hopes were built and with how prudent and potent a King they had to deale and to reconcile them to the King with promise of Pardon and good Conditions of Reward And aboue the rest to assayle sappe and worke into the constancie of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and to winne him if they could being the man that knew most of their secrets and who being wonne away would most appall and discourage the rest and in a manner breake the Knot There is a strange Tradition That the King being lost in a Wood of Suspicions and not knowing whom to trust had both intelligence with the Confessors and Chaplaines of diuers great men and for the better Credit of his Espialls abroad with the contrarie side did vse to haue them cursed at PAVLS by Name amongst the Bead-roll of the Kings Enemies according to the Custome of those Times These Espials plyed their Charge so roundly as the King had an Anatomie of PERKIN aliue and waslikewise well informed of the particular correspondent Conspiratours in England and many other Mysteries were reuealed and Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD in especiall wonne to bee assured to the King and industrious and officious for his seruice The King therfore receiuing a rich Returne of his diligence and great satisfaction touching a number of Particulars first diuulged and spred abroad the Imposture and iuggling of PERKINS Person and Trauailes with the Circumstances therof throughout the Realme Not by Proclamation because things were yet in Examination and so might receiue the more or the lesse but by Court-fames which commonly print better than printed Proclamations Then thought hee it also time to send an Ambassage vnto Archduke PHILIP into Flanders for the abandoning and dismissing of PERKIN Heerein hee employed Sir EDWARD POYNINGS and Sir WILLIAM WARHAM Doctor of the Canon Law The Archduke was then young and gouerned by his Councell before whom the Ambassadours had audience and Doctor WARHAM spake in this manner MY Lords the King our Master is very sorie that England and your Countrey here of Flanders hauing beene counted as Man and Wife for so long time now this Countrey of all others should be the Stage where a base Counterfeit should play the part of a King of England not onely to his Graces disquiet and dishonour but to the scorne and reproach of all Soueraigne Princes To counterfeit the dead Image of a King in his Coyne is an high Offence by all Lawes But to counterfeit the liuing Image of a King in his Person exceedeth all Falsifications except it should bee that of a MAHOMET or an Anti-Christ that counterfeit Diuine Honour The King hath too great an Opinion of this sage Counsell to thinke that any of you is caught with this Fable though way may be giuen by you to the passion of some the thing in it selfe is so improbable To set Testimonies aside of the Death of Duke RICHARD which the King hath vpon Record plaine and infallible because they may bee thought to bee in the Kings owne Power let the thing testifie for it selfe Sense and Reason no Power can command Is it possible trow you that King RICHARD should damne his soule and foule his Name with so abominable a Murther and yet not mend his Case Or doe you thinke that Men of Bloud that were his Instruments did turne to Pitty in the middest of their Execution Whereas in cruell and sauage Beasts and Men also the first Draught of Bloud doth yet make them more fierce and enraged Doe you not know that the Bloudie Executioners of Tyrants doe goe to such Errands with an Halter about their necke So that if they performe not they are sure to die for it And doe you thinke that these men would hazard their owne liues for sparing anothers Admit they should haue saued him What should they haue done with him Turne him into London Streets that the Watch-men or any Passenger that should light vpon him might carry him before a Iustice and so all come to light Or should they haue kept him by them secretly That surely would haue required a great deale of Care Charge and continuall Feares But my Lords I labour too much in a cleare Businesse The King is so wise and hath so good Friends abroad as now hee knoweth Duke PERKIN from his Cradle And because hee is a great Prince if you haue any good Poet here hee can helpe him with Notes to write his Life and to parallel him with LAMBERT SIMNELL now the Kings Faulconer And therefore to speake plainely to your Lordships it is the strangest thing in the World that the Lady MARGARET excuse vs if wee name her whose Malice to the King is both causelesse and endlesse should now when she is
old at the time when other Women giue ouer Child-bearing bring forth two such Monsters being not the Births of nine or tenne Moneths but of many yeares And whereas other naturall Mothers bring forth Children weake and not able to helpe themselues she bringeth forth tall Striplings able soone after their comming into the World to bid Battaile to mightie Kings My Lords wee stay vnwillingly vpon this Part. Wee would to GOD that Lady would once taste the Joyes which GOD Almightie doth serue up vnto her in beholding her Neece to Reigne in such Honour and with so much Royall Issue which shee might bee pleased to accompt as her owne The Kings Request vnto the Archduke and your Lordships might bee That according to the Example of King CHARLES who hath already discarded him you would banish this vnworthy Fellow out of your Dominions But because the King may iustly expect more from an ancient Confederate than from a new reconciled Enemie hee maketh his Request vnto you to deliuer him vp into his hands Pirates and Impostures of this sort beeing fit to bee accounted the Common Enemies of Mankinde and no wayes to bee protected by the Law of Nations After some time of Deliberation the Ambassadours receiued this short Answer THat the Archduke for the loue of King HENRY would in no sort aide or assist the pretended Duke but in all things conserue the Amitie hee had with the King But for the Duchesse Dowager shee was absolute in the Lands of her Dowrie and that hee could not let her to dispose of her owne THe King vpon the returne of the Ambassadours was nothing satisfied with this Answer For well he knew that a Patrimoniall Dowrie carried no part of Soueraignty or Command of Forces Besides the Ambassadors told him plainly that they saw the Duchesse had a great Party in the Arch-Dukes Counsell that howsoeuer it was carried in a course of conniuence yet the Arch-Duke vnder hand gaue aid and furtherance to PERKIN Wherefore partly out of Courage and partly out of Policie the King forthwith banished all Flemmings as wel their Persons as their Wares out of his Kingdom Commanding his Subiects likewise and by name his Merchants-Aduenturers which had a Resiance in Antwerpe to return translating the Mart which commonly followed the English Cloth vnto Calice embarred also all further trade for the future This the King did being sensible in point of honour not to suffer a Pretender to the Crowne of England to affront him so neare at hand and he to keep termes of friendship with the Countrie where he did set vp But he had also a further reach for that hee knew well that the Subiects of Flanders drew so great commoditie from the trade of England as by this Embargo they would soon waxe weary of PERKIN and that the Tumults of Flanders had bin so late fresh as it was no time for the Prince to displease the People Neuerthelesse for formes sake by way of requitall the Arch-Duke did likewise banish the English out of Flanders which in effect was done to his hand The King being well aduertised that PERKIN did more trust vpon Friends and Partakers within the Realme than vpon forraine Armes thought it behooued him to apply the Remedy where the Disease lay to proceed with seueritie against some of the principall Conspirators here within the Realme Thereby to purge the ill Humours in England to coole the Hopes in Flanders Wherefore hee caused to bee apprehended almost at an instant IOHN RATCLIFFE Lord Fitz-water Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD Sir THOMAS THWAITES WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY ROBERT RATCLIFFE THOMAS CHRESSENOR THOMAS ASTWOOD All these were arraigned conuicted and condemned for High-Treason in adhering and promising aide to PERKIN Of these the Lord FITZWATER was conueighed to Calice and there kept in hold and in hope of life vntill soone after eyther impatient or betrayed he dealt with his Keeper to haue escaped thereupon was beheaded But Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD ROBERT RATCLIFFE and WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY were beheaded immediately after their Condemnation The rest were pardoned together with many others Clerkes and Laikes amongst which were two Dominican Friars and WILLIAM WORSELEY Deane of Paules which latter sort passed Examination but came not to publike triall The Lord Chamberlaine at that time was not touched whether it were that the King would not stir too many humours at once but after the maner of good Physitians purge the head last or that CLIFFORD from whom most of these Discoueries came reserued that Piece for his own cōming ouer signifying only to the King in the meane time that he doubted there were some greater ones in the businesse whereof he would giue the King further accompt when he came to his presence Vpon Al-hallowes-day-euen being now the tenth yeare of the Kings Reigne the Kings second Sonne HENRY was created Duke of Yorke as well the Duke as diuers others Noblemen Knights-Batchlours Gentlemen of Quality were made knights of the Bath according to the Ceremony Vpon the morrow after Twelfth-Day the King remoued from Westminster where he had kept his Christmas to the Tower of London This he did as soon as he had aduertisement that Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD in whose Bosom or Budget most of PERKINS secrets were layed vp was come into England And the place of the Tower was chosen to that end that if CLIFFORD should accuse any of the Great-ones they might without suspition or noise or sending abroad of Warrants be presently attached the Court Prison being within the cincture of one Wal. After a day or two the king drew vnto him a selected Councel admitted CLIFFORD to his presence who first fell downe at his feet and in all humble manner craued the Kings Pardon which the King then granted though hee were indeed secretly assured of his life before Then commanded to tell his knowledge he did amongst many others of himself not interrogated appeach Sir WILLIAM STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The King seemed to be much amazed at the naming of this Lord as if he had heard the Newes of some strange and fearfull Prodigie To heare a Man that had done him seruice of so high a nature as to saue his life set the Crown vpon his head a Man that enioied by his fauor aduancement so great a fortune both in Honour Riches a Man that was tied vnto him in so near a Band of alliance his Brother hauing married the Kings Mother and lastly a Man to whom he had cōmitted the trust of his Person in making him his Chamberlain That this Man no waies disgraced no waies discontent no waies put in feare should be false vnto him CLIFFORD was required to say ouer again againe the Particulars of his accusatiō being warned that in a matter so vnlikely that concerned so great a Seruant of the Kings he should not in any wise go too far But the king finding that he did sadly constantly without
hesitation or varying with those ciuill Protestations that were fit stand to that that he had said offering to iustifie it vpon his soule and life he caused him to be remoued And after he had not a litle bemoaned himself vnto his Councel there present gaue order that Sir WILLIAM STANLEY should be restrained in his own Chamber where he lay before in the Square Tower And the next day he was examined by the Lords Vpō his Examination he denied little of that wherewith he was charged nor endeauoured much to excuse or extenuate his fault So that not very wisely thinking to make his Offence lesse by Confession hee made it enough for Condemnation It was conceiued that he trusted much to his former merits and the interest that his brother had in the king But those helpes were ouer weighed by diuers things that made against him were predominant in the Kings nature and minde First an Ouer-merit for conuenient Merit vnto which reward may easily reach doth best with kings next the sense of his Power for the King thought that he that could set him vp was the more dāgerous to pul him down Thirdly the glimmering of a Confiscation for he was the richest subiect for value in the kingdome There being found in his Castle of Holt forty thousand Marks in ready mony and plate besides Iewels Houshold-stuffe Stockes vpon his grounds other Personall Estate exceeding great And for his Reuenue in Land and Fee it was three thousand pounds a yeere of old Rent a great matter in those times Lastly the Nature of the Time for if the King had been out of feare of his own Estate it was not vnlike he would haue spared his life But the Cloud of so great a Rebellion hanging ouer his head made him worke sure Wherefore after some six weekes distance of time which the King did honorably interpose both to giue space to his Brothers Intercession to shew to the World that he had a conflict with himself what he should do he was arraigned of High-Treason and condemned and presently after beheaded Yet is it to this day left but in dark memorie both what the Case of this Noble Person was for which he suffred and what likewise was the ground cause of his defection the alienation of his heart from the King His Case was said to be this That in discourse between Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and him he had said That if he were sure that that young man were King EDWARDS Sonne hee would neuer beare Armes against him This Case seemes somwhat an hard Case both in respect of the Conditionall and in respect of the other words But for the Conditional it seemes the Iudges of that time who were learned men the three chief of them of the Priuy Councel thought it was a dangerous thing to admit Ifs and And 's to qualifie words of Treason wherby euery man might expresse his malice and blanch his danger And it was like to the Case in the following times of ELIZABETH BARTON the Holy-maid of Kent who had said That if king HENRY the eighth did not take KATHERINE his Wife againe he should be depriued of his Crown and dye the death of a Dogge And infinite Cases may be put of like nature Which it seemeth the graue Iudges taking into Consideration would not admit of treasons vpō condition And as for the Positiue words That he would not bear arms against King EDWARDS Son though the words seeme calme yet it was a plain direct Ouer-ruling of the Kings Title either by the Line of LANCASTER or by Act of Parliament Which no doubt pierced the King more than if STANLEY had charged his Lance vpon him in the fielde For if STANLEY would hold that opinion that a son of King EDWARD had still the better right he being so principall a Person of authoritie and fauor about the King it was to teach all England to say as much And therfore as those times were that speech touched the Quicke But some Writers doe put this out of doubt for they say That STANLEY did expresly promise to aide PERKIN sent him some helpe of Treasure Now for the Motiue of his falling off from the King It is true that at Bosworth Field the King was beset and in a manner inclosed round about by the Troupes of King RICHARD in manifest danger of his life when this STANLEY was sent by his brother with three thousand men to his Rescue which he performed so that king RICHARD was slaine vpon the Place So as the condition of Mortal men is not capable of a greater benefit than the king receiued by the hands of STANLEY being like the benefit of CHRIST at once to Saue and Crowne For which seruice the King gaue him great gifts made him his Counsellor Chamberlain and somwhat cōtrary to his nature had winked at the great spoiles of Bosworth Field which came almost wholly to this mans hands to his infinite enriching Yet neuerthelesse blown vp with the conceit of his Merit he did not think he had receiued good Measure frō the King at least not Pressing-downe and runningouer as he expected And his ambition was so exorbitant and vnbounded as he became Sutour to the King for the Earledome of Chester Which euer beeing a kinde of Appennage to the Principalitie of Wales and vsing to goe to the Kings Sonne his suit did not only end in a Deniall but in a Distaste The King perceiuing thereby that his Desires were intemperate and his Cogitations vaste and irregular and that his former Benefits were but cheape and lightly regarded by him Wherefore the King began not to brook him wel And as a litle Leauen of new Distaste doth commonly sowre the whole Lumpe of former Merits the Kings Wit began now to suggest vnto his Passion that STANLEY at Bosworth Field though he came time enough to saue his life yet hee stayed long enough to endanger it But yet hauing no matter against him he continued him in his Places vntill this his Fall After him was made Lord Chamberlaine GILES Lord Dawbeny a man of great sufficiencie and valour the more because he was gentle and moderate There was a common Opinion That Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who now was become the State-Informer was from the beginning an Emissary and Spie of the Kings and that hee fled ouer into Flanders with his consent and priuitie But this is not probable both because hee neuer recouered that Degree of Grace which he had with the king before his going ouer and chiefly for that the Discouerie which hee had made touching the Lord Chamberlaine which was his great Seruice grew not from any thing he learn'd abroade for that hee knew it well before he went These Executions and especially that of the Lord Chamberlaines which was the chiefe strength of the Partie and by meanes of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who was the most inward man of Trust amongst them did extremely quaile the Designe of
PERKIN and his complices as well through Discouragement as Distrust So that they were now like Sand without Lyme ill bound together especially as many as were English who were at a gaze looking strange one vpon another not knowing who was faithfull to their Side but thinking that the King what with his Baits and what with his Nets would draw them all vnto him that were anything worth And indeede it came to passe that diuers came away by the Thred sometimes one and sometimes another BARLEY that was Ioint-Commissioner with CLIFFORD did hold out one of the longest till PERKIN was farre worne yet made his Peace at the length But the Fall of this Greatman beeing in so high Authoritie and Fauour as was thought with the King and the manner of Carriage of the Businesse as if there had beene secret Inquisition vpon him for a great time before and the Cause for which hee suffered which was little more than for saying in effect That the Title of YORKE was better than the Title of LANCASTER which was the Case almost of euery man at the least in Opinion was matter of great Terrour amongst all the Kings Seruants and Subiects Insomuch as no man almost thought himselfe secure and men durst scarce commune or talke one with another but there was a generall Diffidence euery where Which neuerthelesse made the King rather more Absolute than more Safe For Bleeding Inwards and shut Vapours strangle soonest and oppresse most Hereupon presently came forth Swarmes and Volies of Libels which are the Gusts of Libertie of Speech restrayned and the Females of Sedition contayning bitter Inuectiues and Slanders against the King and some of the Councell For the contriuing and dispersing whereof after great Diligence of Inquirie fiue meane Persons were caught and executed Meane while the King did not neglect Ireland being the Soyle where the Mushromes and Upstart-Weedes that spring vp in a Night did chiefly prosper Hee sent therefore from hence for the better settling of his affaires there Commissioners of both Robes The Prior of Lanthony to bee his Chancellour in that Kingdome and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS with a Power of Men and a Marshall Commission together with a Ciuill Power of his Lieutenant with a Clause That the Earle of Kildare then Deputie should obey him But the Wilde-Irish who were the principall Offenders fledde into the Woods and Bogges after their manner and those that knew themselues guilty in the Pale fledde to them So that Sir EDWARD POYNINGS was enforced to make a Wilde-Chase vpon the Wilde-Irish Where in respect of the Mountaines and Fastnesses hee did little good Which eyther out of a suspicious Melancholy vpon his bad Successe or the better to saue his seruice from Disgrace hee would needes impute vnto the Comfort that the Rebels should receiue vnder-hand from the Earle of Kildare euery light suspicion growing vpon the Earle in respect of the KILDARE that was in the Action of LAMBERT SIMNELL and slaine at Stoke-field Wherefore hee caused the Earle to bee apprehended and sent into England where vpon Examination hee cleared himselfe so well as he was re-placed in his Gouernment But POYNINGS the better to make compensation of the Meagernesse of his Seruice in the Warres by Acts of Peace called a Parliament where was made that memorable Act which at this day is called POYNINGS Law whereby all the Statutes of England were made to bee of force in Ireland For before they were not neither are any now in force in Ireland which were made in England since that time which was the tenth yeare of the King About this time beganne to be discouered in the King that Disposition which afterward nourished and whet-on by bad Counsellers and Ministers proued the Blot of his times which was the course he tooke to crush Treasure out of his Subiects Purses by forfeitures vpon Penall-Lawes At this men did startle the more at this time because it appeared plainely to bee in the King's Nature and not out of his Necessitie hee beeing now in Float for Treasure For that he had newly receiued the Peace-money from France the Beneuolence-money from his Subiects and great Casualties vpon the Confiscations of the Lord Chamberlaine and diuers others The first-noted Case of this kinde was that of Sir WILLIAM CAPEL Alderman of London Who vpon sundry Penall-Lawes was condemned in the summe of seuen and twenty hundred pounds and compounded with the King for sixteene hundred And yet after EMPSON would haue cut another Chop out of him if the King had not dyed in the Instant The Summer following the King to comfort his Mother whom he did alwaies tenderly loue and reuere and to make Demonstration to the World that the proceedings against Sir WILLIAM STANLEY which was imposed vpon him by necessitie of State had not in any degree diminished the affection he bare to THOMAS his brother went in Progresse to Latham to make merry with his Mother and the Earle and lay there diuers dayes During this Progresse PERKIN WARBECKE finding that time and Temporizing which whilest his practices were couert and wrought well in England made for him did now when they were discouered and defeated rather make against him for that when matters once goe downe the Hill they stay not without a new force resolued to trie his aduenture in some exploit vpon England hoping still vpon the affections of the Common-People towards the House of YORKE Which Body of Common-People hee thought was not to bee practised vpon as Persons of Qualitie are But that the only practice vpon their affections was To set vp a Standard in the fielde The Place where hee should make his Attempt hee chose to be the Coast of Kent The King by this time was growne to sueh an height of Reputation for cunning and Policie that euery Accident and Euent that went well was laid and imputed to his foresight as if hee had set it before As in this Particular of PERKINS Designe vpon Kent For the world would not beleeue afterwards but the King hauing secret Intelligence of PERKINS intention for Kent the better to draw it on went of purpose into the North a farre off laying an open side vnto PERKIN to make him come to the Close and so to trip vp his heeles hauing made sure in Kent before hand But so it was that PERKIN had gathered together a Power of all Nations neither in number nor in the hardinesse and courage of the Persons contemptible but in their nature and fortunes to bee feared as well of Friends as Enemies being Bankrupts and many of them Felons and such as liued by Rapine These hee put to Sea and arriued vpon the Coast of Sandwich and Deale in Kent about Iuly There he cast Anchor and to prooue the affections of the People sent some of his men to land making great boast of the Power that was to follow The Kentish-men perceiuing that PERKIN was not followed by any English of name or accompt and that his forces
consisted but of strangers borne and most of them base People and Free-booters fitter to spoile a Coast than to recouer a Kingdome resorting vnto the principall Gentlemen of the Countrie professed their loyaltie to the King and desired to bee directed and commanded for the best of the Kings seruice The Gentlemen entring into Consultation directed some forces in good number to shew themselues vpon the Coast and some of them to make signes to entice PERKINS Souldiers to land as if they would ioyne with them and some others to appeare from some other Places and to make semblance as if they fledde from them the better to encourage them to land But PERKIN who by playing the Prince or else taught by Secretarie FRION had learned thus much That People vnder Command doe vse to consult and after to march in order and Rebells contrariwise runne vpon an Head together in confusion considering the delay of time and obseruing their orderly and not tumultuary Arming doubted the worst And therefore the wily Youth would not set one foote out of his Ship till hee might see things were sure Wherefore the Kings Forces perceiuing that they could draw on no more than those that were formerly landed set vpon them and cut them in pieces ere they could fly backe to their ships In which Skirmish besides those that fledde and were slaine there were taken about an hundred and fifty persons Which for that the King thought that to punish a few for example was Gentlemans-play but for Rascall-People they were to bee cut off euery man especially in the beginning of an Enterprize and likewise for that hee saw that PERKINS Forces would now consist chiefly of such Rabble and scumme of desperate People hee therefore hanged them all for the greater terrour They were brought to London all rayl'd in Ropes like a Teame of Horses in a Cart and were executed some of them at London and Wapping and the rest at diuers places vpon the Sea-Coast of Kent Sussex and Norfolke for Sea-markes or Light-houses to teach PERKINS People to auoyd the Coast. The King being aduertised of the landing of the Rebels thought to leaue his Progresse But being certified the next day that they were partly defeated and partly fled hee continued his Progresse and sent Sir RICHARD GVILFORD into Kent in message Who calling the Countrie together did much commend from the King their fidelitie manhood and well handling of that seruice and gaue them all thankes and in priuate promised Reward to some particulars Vpon the sixteenth of Nouember this beeing the eleuenth yeare of the King was holden the Serieants-Feast at Elie-Place there being nine Serieants of that Call The King to honour the Feast was present with his Queene at the Dinner being a Prince that was euer ready to grace and countenance the Professors of the Law hauing a little of that That as he gouerned his Subiects by his Lawes so he gouerned his Lawes by his Lawyers This yeare also the King entred into League with the Italian Potentates for the defence of Italie against France For King CHARLES had conquered the Realme of Naples and lost it againe in a kinde of Felicitie of a Dreame Hee passed the whole length of Italie without resistance so that it was true which Pope ALEXANDER was wont to say That the Frenchmen came into Italie with Chalke in their hands to marke up their lodgings rather than with swords to fight Hee likewise entred and wonne in effect the whole Kingdome of Naples it selfe without striking stroke But presently thereupon he did commit and multiply so many Errours as was too great a taske for the best fortune to ouercome Hee gaue no contentment to the Barons of Naples of the Faction of the Angeouines but scattered his rewards according to the mercenarie appetites of some about him He put all Italie vpon their Guard by the seizing and holding of Ostia and the protecting of the Libertie of Pisa which made all men suspect that his purposes looked further than his title of Naples He fell too soone at difference with LVDOVICO SFORTIA who was the Man that carried the Keyes which brought him in and shut him out Hee neglected to extinguish some reliques of the Warre And lastly in regard of his easie passage through Italie without resistance hee entred into an ouermuch despising of the Armes of the Italians Whereby he left the Realme of Naples at his departure so much the lesse prouided So that not long after his returne the whole Kingdome reuolted to FERDINANDO the younger and the French were quite driuen out Neuerthelesse CHARLES did make both great threats and great preparations to re-enter Italie once againe Wherfore at the instance of diuers of the States of Italie and especially of Pope ALEXANDER there was a League concluded betweene the said Pope MAXIMILIAN King of Romanes HENRY King of England FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queen of Spaine for so they are constantly placed in the originall Treaty throughout AVGVSTISSIMO BARBADICO Duke of Venice and LVDOVICO SFORTIA Duke of Millan for the common defence of their estates Wherein though FERDINANDO of Naples was not named as principall yet no doubt the Kingdome of Naples was tacitly included as a Fee of the Church There dyed also this yeare CECILE Duchesse of Yorke mother to King EDWARD the Fourth at her Castle of Barkhamsted beeing of extreame yeares and who had liued to see three Princes of her bodie crowned and foure murthered Shee was buried at Foderingham by her husband This yeare also the King called his Parliament where many Lawes were made of a more priuate and vulgar nature than ought to detaine the Reader of an Historie And it may bee iustly suspected by the proceedings following that as the King did excell in good Common-wealth Lawes so neuerthelesse hee had in secret a designe to make vse of them as well for collecting of Treasure as for correcting of Manners and so meaning thereby to harrow his People did accumulate them the rather The principall Law that was made this Parliament was a Law of a strange nature rather Iust than Legall and more magnanimous than prouident This Law did ordaine That no person that did assist in Armes or otherwise the King for the time beeing should after bee impeached therefore or attainted either by the course of the Law or by Act of Parliament But if any such Act of Attainder did happen to bee made it should bee voyde and of none effect For that it was agreeable to reason of Estate that the Subiect should not enquire of the iustnesse of the Kings Title or Quarrell and it was agreeable to good Conscience that whatsoeuer the fortune of the Warre were the Subiect should not suffer for his Obedience The spirit of this Law was wonderfull Pious and Noble beeing like in matter of Warre vnto the spirit of DAVID in matter of Plague who said If I haue sinned strike mee but what haue these sheepe done Neither wanted this Law parts of prudent
two Sonnes EDWARD and RICHARD Duke of Yorke both very young EDWARD the eldest succeeded their Father in the Crowne by the name of King EDWARD the Fift But RICHARD Duke of Glocester their vnnaturall Vnckle first thirsting after the Kingdome through Ambition and afterwards thirsting for their Bloud out of desire to secure himselfe imployed an Instrument of his confident to him as hee thought to murther them both But this Man that was imployed to execute that execrable Tragedie hauing cruelly slaine King EDWARD the eldest of the two was mooued partly hy Remorse and partly by some other meane to saue RICHARD his Brother making a Report neuerthelesse to the Tyrant that hee had performed his Commandement for both Brethren This Report was accordingly beleeued and published generally So that the World hath beene possessed of an Opinion that they both were barbarously made away though euer Truth hath some sparkes that flye abroade vntill it appeare in due time as this hath had But Almighty GOD that stopped the Mouth of the Lion and saued little JOAS from the Tyrannie of ATHALIAH when shee massacred the Kings Children and did saue ISAACK when the hand was stretched forth to sacrifice him preserued the second Brother For I my selfe that stand heere in your presence am that very RICHARD Duke of Yorke Brother of that infortunate Prince King EDWARD the Fift now the most rightfull suruiuing Heire-Male to that Uictorious and most Noble EDWARD of that Name the Fourth late King of England For the manner of my Escape it is fit it should passe in silence or at least in a more secret Relation for that it may concerne some aliue and the memorie of some that are dead Let it suffice to thinke I had then a Mother liuing a Queene and one that expected dayly such a Commandement from the Tyrant for the murthering of her Children Thus in my tender age escaping by GODS Mercie out of London I was secretly conueyed ouer Sea Where after a time the Partie that had mee in Charge vpon what new Feares change of Minde or Practice GOD knoweth suddenly forsooke mee Whereby I was forced to wander abroade and to seeke meane Conditions for the sustaining of my Life Wherefore distracted betweene seuerall Passions the one of Feare to bee knowne lest the Tyrant should haue a new Attempt vpon mee the other of Griefe and Disdaine to bee vnknowne and to liue in that base and seruile manner that I did I resolued with my selfe to expect the Tyrants Death and then to put my selfe into my Sisters hands who was next Heire to the Crowne But in this Season it happened one HENRIE TIDDER sonne to EDMOND TIDDER Earle of Richmond to come from France and enter into the Realme and by subtile and foule meanes to obtaine the Crowne of the same which to mee rightfully appertained So that it was but a Change from Tyrant to Tyrant This HENRIE my extreame and mortall Enemie so soone as hee had knowledge of my beeing aliue imagined and wrought all the subtill waies and meanes hee could to procure my finall Destruction For my mortall Enemie hath not onely falsly surmised mee to bee a fayned Person giuing mee Nick-names so abusing the World but also to deferre and put mee from entrie into England hath offered large Summes of Money to corrupt the Princes and their Ministers with whom I haue beene retayned and made importune Labours to certaine Seruants about my Person to murther or poyson mee and others to forsake and leaue my Righteous Quarrell and to depart from my Seruice as Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and others So that euery Man of Reason may well perceiue that HENRIE calling himselfe King of England needed not to haue bestowed such great Summes of Treasure nor so to haue busied himselfe with importune and incessant Labour and Industrie to compasse my Death and Ruine if I had beene such a fained Person But the truth of my Cause beeing so manifest moued the most Christian King CHARLES and the Lady Duchesse Dowager of Burgundie my most Deare Aunt not onely to acknowledge the truth thereof but louingly to assist mee But it seemeth that GOD aboue for the good of this whole Island and the knitting of these two Kingdomes of England and Scotland in a strait Concord and Amitie by so great an Obligation had reserued the placing of mee in the Imperiall Throne of England for the Armes and Succours of your Grace Neither is it the first time that a King of Scotland hath supported them that were bereft and spoyled of the Kingdome of England as of late in fresh memorie it was done in the Person of HENRY the Sixth Wherefore for that your Grace hath giuen cleare Signes that you are in no Noble qualitie inferiour to your Royall Ancestours I so distressed a Prince was hereby mooued to come and put my Selfe into your Royall Hands desiring your Assistance to recouer my Kingdome of England promising faithfully to beare my Selfe towards your Grace no otherwise than If I were your owne Naturall Brother and will vpon the Recouerie of mine Inheritance gratefully doe you all the Pleasure that is in my vtmost Power AFter PERKIN had told his Tale King IAMES answered brauely and wisely That whatsoeuer hee were hee should not repent him of putting himselfe into his hands And from that time forth though there wanted not some about him that would haue perswaded him that all was but an Illusion yet notwithstanding either taken by PERKINS amiable and alluring behauiour or inclining to the recommendation of the great Princes abroade or willing to take an occasion of a Warre against King HENRY hee entertained him in all things as became the person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke embraced his Quarrell and the more to put it out of doubt that hee tooke him to bee a great Prince and not a Representation onely hee gaue consent that this Duke should take to wife the Lady KATHERINE GORDON daughter to the Earle Huntley beeing a neare Kinswoman to the King himselfe and a young Uirgin of excellent beautie and vertue Not long after the King of Scots in person with PERKIN in his company entred with a great Armie though it consisted chiefly of Borderers beeing raysed somewhat suddenly into Northumberland And PERKIN for a Perfume before him as hee went caused to be published a Proclamation of this tenor following in the name of RICHARD Duke of Yorke true inheritor of the Crowne of England IT hath pleased GOD Who putteth downe the Mightie from their Seate and exalteth the Humble and suffereth not the Hopes of the Iust to perish in the end to giue Us meanes at the length to shew Our Selues armed vnto Our Leiges and People of England But far bee it from Us to intend their hurt and dammage or to make Warre vpon them otherwise than to deliuer Our Selfe and them from Tyrannie and Oppression For our mortall Enemie HENRY TIDDER a false Vsurper of the Crowne of England which to Vs by Naturall and Lineall Right
appertaineth knowing in his owne Heart Our vndoubted Right Wee being the very RICHARD Duke of Yorke younger Sonne and now suruiuing Heire-male of the Noble and Uictorious EDWARD the Fourth late King of England hath not onely depriued Us of Our Kingdome but likewise by all foule and wicked meanes sought to betray Us and bereaue Us of Our Life Yet if his Tyrannie onely extended it selfe to Our Person although Our Royall Bloud teacheth Us to bee sensible of Iniuries it should bee lesse to Our Griefe But this TIDDER who boasteth himselfe to haue ouerthrown a Tyrant hath euer since his first entrance into his Vsurped Reigne put little in practice but Tyrannie and the feats thereof For King RICHARD our Vnnaturall Uncle although desire of Rule did blinde him yet in his other actions like a true PLANTAGENET was Noble and loued the Honour of the Realme and the Contentment and Comfort of his Nobles and People But this our Mortall Enemie agreeable to the meanesse of his Birth hath troden under foote the honour of this Nation selling our best Confederates for Money and making Merchandize of the Bloud Estates and Fortunes of our Peeres and Subiects by fained Warres and dishonourable Peace onely to enrich his Coffers Nor vnlike hath beene his hatefull Mis-gouernement and euill Deportments at home First hee hath to fortifie his false Quarrell caused diuers Nobles of this our Realme whom hee held Suspect stood in dread of to be cruelly murthred as our Cousin Sir VVILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlain Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir ROBERT RATCLIFFE WILLIAM DAWBENEY HVMPHREY STAFFORD and many others besides such as haue dearely bought their liues with intolerable Ransomes Some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also hee hath long kept and yet keepeth in Prison our right entirely welbeloued Cosen EDWARD Sonne and Heire to our Unckle Duke of Clarence and others with-holding from them their rightfull Inheritance to the intent they should neuer be of might and power to aide and assist vs at our neede after the dutie of their Liegeances Hee also married by Compulsion certaine of our Sisters and also the Sister of our said Cosen the Earle of VVarwicke and diuers other Ladies of the Royall Bloud vnto certaine of his Kinsmen and Friends of simple and low Degree and putting apart all Well-disposed Nobles he hath none in fauour and trust about his Person but Bishop FOX SMITH BRAY LOVEL OLIVER KING DAVID OWEN RISELEY TVRBERVILE TILER CHOLMLEY EMPSON IAMES HOBART IOHN CVT GARTH HENRY WYAT and such other Caitifes and Uillaines of Birth which by subtile inuentions and Pilling of the People haue beene the principall Finders Occasioners and Counsellors of the Mis-rule and Mischiefe now reigning in England Wee remembring these Premisses with the great and execrable Offences daily committed and done by our foresaid great Enemie and his Adherents in breaking the Liberties and Franchises of our Mother the Holy Church vpon pretences of Wicked and Heathenish Policie to the high displeasure of Almightie GOD besides the manifold Treasons abominable Murthers Man-slaughters Robberies Extortions the dayly Pilling of the People by Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences and other vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions with many other haynous Effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realme shall by Gods Grace and the helpe and assistance of the great Lords of our Bloud with the Counsell of other sad Persons see that the Commodities of our Realme bee imployed to the most aduantage of the same the entercouse of Merchandise betwixt Realme and Realme to bee ministred and handled as shall more bee to the Common weale and prosperity of our Subiects and all such Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions as bee aboue rehearsed to bee fore-done and layd apart and neuer from henceforth to bee called vpon but in such cases as our noble Progenitors Kings of England haue of old time bin accustomed to haue the Ayde Succour and helpe of their Subiects and true Liege-men And further wee doe out of our Grace and Clemencie hereby as well publish and promise to all our Subiects Remission and free Pardon of all By-past Offences whatsoeuer against our Person or Estate in adhering to our said Enemie by whom wee know well they haue beene mis-led if they shall within time conuenient submit themselues vnto Us. And for such as shall come with the foremost to assist our Righteous Quarrell wee shall make them so farre partakers of our Princely Fauour and Bountie as shall bee highly for the Comfort of them and theirs both during their Life and after their Death As also wee shall by all meanes which GOD shall put into our hands demeane our selues to giue Royall contentment to all Degrees and Estates of our People maintaining the Liberties of Holy Church in their Entire preseruing the Honours Priuiledges and Preheminences of our Nobles from Contempt or disparagement according to the Dignitie of their Bloud Wee shall also vnyoake our People from all heauie Burthens and Endurances and confirme our Cities Boroughes and Townes in their Charters Freedoms with inlargement where it shal be deserued and in all points giue our Subiects cause to thinke that the blessed and debonaire Gouernment of our Noble Father King EDWARD in his last times is in vs reuiued And for as much as the putting to death or taking aliue of our said Mortall Enemie may bee a meane to stay much effusion of Blood which otherwise may ensue if by Compulsion or faire Promises hee shall draw after him any number of our Subiects to resist vs which wee desire to auoyd though wee bee certainely informed that our said Enemie is purposed and prepared to flye the Land hauing already made ouer great Masses of the Treasure of our Crowne the better to support him in Forraine Parts Wee doe hereby declare That whosoeuer shall take or distresse our said Enemie though the Party bee of neuer so meane a Condition hee shall bee by Us rewarded with a Thousand Pound in Money forthwith to bee laid downe to him and an Hundred Markes by the yeare of Inheritance besides that hee may otherwise merit both toward God and all good People for the destruction of such a Tyrant Lastly wee doe all men to wit and herein wee take also God to witnesse That whereas GOD hath mooued the Heart of our Dearest Cousin the King of Scotland to aide vs in Person in this our righteous Quarrell it is altogether without any Pact or Promise or so much as demaund of any thing that may preiudice our Crowne or Subiects But contrariwise with promise on our said Cousins part that whensoeuer hee shall finde vs in sufficient strength to get the vpper hand of our Enemie which wee hope will bee very suddenly hee will forthwith peaceably returne into his owne Kingdome contenting himselfe onely with the glorie of so Honourable an Enterprise and our true and faithfull Loue and Amitie Which wee shall euer by the Grace of Almightie GOD
talking Fellow and no lesse desirous to bee talked of The other was THOMAS FLAMMOCKE a Lawyer who by telling his neighbours commonly vpon any occasion that the Law was on their side had gotten great sway amongst them This Man talked learnedly and as if he could tell how to make a Rebellion and neuer breake the Peace Hee told the People that Subsidies were not to be granted nor leuied in this case that is for Warres of Scotland for that the Law had prouided another course by seruice of Escuage for those Iourneyes much lesse when all was quiet and Warre was made but a Pretence to poll and pill the People And therefore that it was good they should not stand now like Sheepe before the Shearers but put on Harnesse and take Weapons in their hands Yet to doe no creature hurt but goe and deliuer the King a Strong Petition for the laying downe of those grieuous Payments and for the punishment of those that had giuen him that Counsell to make others beware how they did the like in time to come And said for his part hee did not see how they could doe the duetie of true English-men and good Liege-men except they did deliuer the King from such wicked Ones that would destroy both Him and the Countrey Their ayme was at Arch-Bishop MORTON and Sir REGINOLD BRAY who were the Kings Skreens in this Enuy. After that these two FLAMMOCKE and the Blacke-smith had by ioynt and seuerall Pratings found tokens of consent in the Multitude they offered themselues to leade them vntill they should heare of better men to be their Leaders which they said would be ere long Telling them further that they would be but their seruants and first in euery danger but doubted not but to make both the West-end and the East-end of England to meete in so good a Quarrell and that all rightly vnderstood was but for the Kings seruice The People vpon these seditious Instigations did arme most of them with Bowes and Arrowes and Bills and such other Weapons of rude and Countrey People and forthwith vnder the Command of their Leaders which in such cases is euer at pleasure marched out of Corne-wall through Deuonshire vnto Taunton in Somersetshire without any slaughter violence or spoyle of the Countrey At Taunton they killed in furie an officious and eager Commissioner for the Subsidie whom they called The Prouost of Perin Thence they marched to Wells where the Lord AVDLEY with whom their Leaders had before some secret Intelligence a Noble-man of an ancient Family but vnquiet and popular and aspiring to Ruine came-in to them and was by them with great Gladnesse and cries of Ioy accepted as their Generall they beeing now proud that they were ledde by a Noble-man The Lord AVDLEY ledde them on from Wells to Salisbury and from Salisbury to Winchester Thence the foolish people who in effect led their Leaders had a minde to beeled into Kent fansying that the People there would ioyne with them contrary to all reason or iudgement considering the Kentish-men had shewed great Loyaltie and Affection to the King so lately before But the rude People had heard FDAMMOCKE say that Kent was neuer Conquered and that they were the freest People of England And vpon these vaine Noises they looked for great matters at their hands in a cause which they conceited to be for the libertie of the Subiect But when they were come into Kent the Countrey was so well settled both by the Kings late kind vsage towards them and by the credit and power of the Earle of Kent the Lord ABERGAVENNIE and the Lord COBHAM as neither Gentleman nor Yeoman came-in to their aide which did much dampe and dismay many of the simpler sort Insomuch as diuers of them did secretly flie from the Army and went home But the sturdier sort and those that were most engaged stood by it and rather waxed Proud than failed in Hopes and Courage For as it did somewhat appall them that the people came not in to them so it did no lesse encourage them that the Kings Forces had not set vpon them hauing marched from the West vnto the East of England Wherefore they kept on their way and encamped vpon Blacke-heath betweene Greenwich and Eltham threatning either to bid Battell to the King for now the Seas went higher than to MORTON and BRAIE or to take London within his view imagining with themselues there to finde no lesse Feare than Wealth But to returne to the King When first hee heard of this Commotion of the Cornish-men occasioned by the Subsidie he was much troubled therewith Not for it selfe but in regard of the Concurrence of other Dangers that did hang ouer him at that time For hee doubted lest a Warre from Scotland a Rebellion from Corne-wall and the Practices and Conspiracies of PERKIN and his Partakers would come vpon him at once Knowing well that it was a dangerous Triplicitie to a Monarchie to haue the Armes of a Forreiner the Discontents of Subiects and the Title of a Pretender to meete Neuerthelesse the Occasion tooke him in some part well prouided For as soone as the Parliament had broken vp the King had presently raysed a puissant Armie to Warre vpon Scotland And King IAMES of Scotland likewise on his part had made great Preparations eyther for defence or for new assayling of England But as for the Kings Forces they were not onely in preparation but in readinesse presently to set forth vuder the Conduct of DAWBENEY the Lord Chamberlaine But as soone as the King vnderstood of the Rebellion of Cornwall hee stayed those Forces retaining them for his owne seruice and safetie But therewithall hee dispatched the Earle of Surrey into the North for the defence and strength of those Parts in case the Scots should stirre But for the course hee held towards the Rebels it was vtterly differing from his former custome and practice which was euer full of forwardnesse and celeritie to make head against them or to set vpon them as soone as euer they were in Action This hee was wont to doe But now besides that hee was attempered by Yeares and lesse in loue with Dangers by the continued Fruition of a Crowne it was a time when the various appearance to his Thoughts of Perils of seuerall Natures and from diuers Parts did make him iudge it his best and surest way to keepe his Strength together in the Seate and Centre of his Kingdome According to the ancient Indian Embleme in such a swelling Season To hould the hand vpon the middle of the Bladder that no side might rise Besides there was no necessitie put vpon him to alter this Counsell For neither did the Rebels spoyle the Countrey in which case it had beene dishonour to abandon his People Neyther on the other side did their Forces gather or encrease which might hasten him to precipitate and assayle them before they grew too strong And lastly both Reason of Estate and Warre seemed to agree
in Kinde or compound for them as they could After matter of Honour and Liberalitie followed matter of Seueritie and Execution The Lord AVDLEY was led from Newgate to Tower-hill in a Paper Coate painted with his own Armes the Armes reuersed the Coate torne and hee at Tower-hill beheaded FLAMMOCKE and the Black-smith vvere hanged drawn and quartered at Tiburne The Black-smith taking pleasure vpon the Hurdle as it seemeth by vvords that hee vttered to thinke that hee should be famous in aftertimes The King was once in minde to haue sent downe FLAMMOCKE and the Blac-smith to haue beene executed in Corne-wall for the more terrour But beeing aduertised that the Countrey was yet vnquiet and boyling hee thought better not to irritate the People further All the rest were pardoned by Proclamation and to take out their Pardons vnder Seale as many as would So that more than the bloud drawn in the Field the King did satisfie himselfe with the liues of onely three Offenders for the expiation of this great Rebellion It was a strange thing to obserue the varietie and inequalitie of the Kings Executions and Pardons And a man would thinke it at the first a kinde of Lotterie or Chance But looking into it more nearely one shall find there was reason for it much more perhaps than after so long a distance of time wee can now discerne In the Kentish Commotion which was but an landfull of men there were executed to the number of one hundred and fiftie and in this so mighty a Rebellion but three Whether it were that the king put go accompt the men that wereslaine in the Fielde or that hee was not willing to bee seuerein a popular Cause or that the harmelesse behauiour of this People that came from the West of England to the East without mischiefe almost or spoyle of the Countrey did somewhat mollifie him and mooue him to Compassion or lastly that he made a great difference betwoene People that did Rebell vpon Wantonnesse and them that did Rebell vpon Want After the Cornish-men were defeated there came from Calice to the King an honourable Ambassage from the French King which had arriued at Calice a Moneth before and there was stayed in respect of the troubles but honourably entertained and defrayed The King at their first comming sent vnto them prayed them to haue patience till a little Smoake that was raised in his Countrie were ouer which would sonne bee Slighting as his manner was that openly which neuerthelesse he intended seriously This Ambassage concerned no great Affaire but only the Prolongation of Dayes for payment of Monies and some other Particulars of the Frontiers And it was indeed but a wooing Ambassage with good respects to entertaine the King in good affection but nothing was done or handled to the derogation of the Kings late Treatie with the Italians But during the time that the Cornish-men were in their march towards London the King of Scotland wel aduertised of all that passed and knowing himselfe sure of Warre from England whensoeuer those Stirs were appeased neglected not his opportunitie But thinking the King had his hands full entred the Frontiers of England againe with an Armie and besieged the Castle of Norham in Person with part of his Forces sending the rest to Forrage the Countrie But FOX Bishop of Duresme a wise man and one that could see through the Present to the Future doubting as much before had caused his Castle of Norham to bee strongly fortified and furnished with all kinde of Munition And had manned it likewise with a very great number of tall Souldiours more than for the proportion of the Castle reckoning rather vpon a sharpe Assault than a long Siege And for the Countrey likewise hee had caused the People to withdraw their Cattell and Goods into Fast Places that were not of easie approach and sent in Post to the Earle of Surrey who was not farre off in Yorkeshire to come in diligence to the Succour So as the Scottish King both failed of doing good vpon the Castle and his men had but a Catching Haruest of their Spoyles And when hee vnderstood that the Earle of Surrey was comming on with great Forces hee returned backe into Scotland The Earle finding the Castle freed and the enemie retired pursued with all celeritie into Scotland hoping to haue ouer-taken the Scottish King and to haue giuen him Battaile But not attaining him in time sate downe before the Castle of Aton one of the strongest places then esteemed betweene Barwicke and Edenborough which in a small time hee tooke And soone after the Scottish King retyring further into his Countrey and the weather being extraordinarie foule and stormie the Earle returned into England So that the Expeditions on both parts were in effect but a Castle taken and a Castle distressed not answerable to the puissance of the Forces nor to the heat of the Quarrell nor to the greatness of the Expectation Amongst these Troubles both Ciuill and Externall came into England from Spaine PETER HIALAS some call him ELIAS surely hee was the forerunner of the good Hap that we enioy at this day For his Ambassage set the Truce betweene England and Scotland the Truce drew on the Peace the Peace the Marriage and the Marriage the Union of the Kingdomes a Man of great wisedome and as those times were not vnlearned sent from FERDINANDO and IS ABELLA Kings of Spaine vnto the King to treate a Marriage betweene KATHERINE their second daughter and Prince ARTHVR This Treatie was by him set in a very good way and almost brought to perfection But it so fell out by the way that vpon some Conference which hee had with the King touching this businesse the King who had a great dexteritie in getting sodainely into the bosome of Ambassadours of forraine Princes if he liked the men Insomuch as he would many times communicate with them of his owne affaires yea and employ them in his seruice fell into speech and discourse incidently concerning the ending of the Debates and differences with Scotland For the King naturally did not loue the barren Warres with Scotland though he made his profit of the Noise of them And he wanted not in the Councell of Scotland those that would aduise their King to meet him at the halfe way and to giue ouer the War with England pretending to bee good Patriots but indeede fauouring the affaires of the King Onely his heart was too great to beginne with Scotland for the motion of Peace On the other side he had met with an Allie of FERDINANDO of Arragon as fit for his turne as could bee For after that King FERDINANDO had vpon assured Confidence of the Marriage to succeed taken vpon him the person of a Fraternall Allie to the King hee would not let in a Spanish grauitie to counsell the King in his owne affaires And the King on his part not being wanting to himselfe but making vse of euery mans humours made his aduantage of this
And beganne whetting and inciting one another to renew the Commotion Some of the subtilest of them hearing of PERKINS being in Ireland found meanes to send to him to let him know that if hee would come ouer to them they would serue him When PERKIN heard this Newes hee beganne to take heart againe and aduised vpon it with his Councell which were principally three HERNE a Mercer that had fledde for Debt SKELTON a Taylor and ASTLEY a Scriuener for Secretarie FRION was gone These told him that hee was mightily ouerseene both when hee went into Kent and when hee went into Scotland The one being a place so neare London and vnder the Kings Nose and the other a Nation so distasted with the People of England that if they had Ioued him neuer so well yet they would neuer haue taken his part in that Companie But if hee had beene so happie as to haue beene in Cornewall at the first when the People began to take Armes there hee had beene crowned at Westminster before this time For these Kings as hee had now experience vvould sell poore Princes for shooes But hee must relye wholly vpon People and therefore aduised him to sayle ouer with all possible speede into Cornewall Which accordingly hee did hauing in his Companie foure small Barks with some sixe score or seuen score fighting men Hee arriued in September at Whitsand-Bay and forthwith came to Bodmin the Black-smiths Town Where there assembled vnto him to the number of three thousand men of the rude People There he set forth a new Proclamation stroaking the People with faire Promises and humouring them with Inuectiues against the King and his Gouernment And as it fareth with Smoke that neuer loseth it selfe till it bee at the highest hee did now before his end raise his Stile intituling himself no more RICHARD Duke of York but RICHARD the Fourth King of England His Councell aduised him by all meanes to make himselfe Master of some good walled Towne as well to make his Men finde the sweetnesse of rich Spoyles and to allure to him all loose and lost People by like hopes of Bootie as to bee a sure Retrait to his Forces in case they should haue any ill Day or vnluckie Chance in the Field Wherefore they tooke heart to them and went on and besieged the Citie of Excester the principall Towne for Strength and Wealth in those Parts When they were comne before Excester they forbare to vse any Force at the first but made continuall Shouts and Out-cries to terrifie the Inhabitants They did likewise in diuers places call and talke to them from vnder the Walls to ioyne with them and be of their Partie telling them that The King would make them another London if they would bee the first Towne that should acknowledge him But they had not the wit to send to them in any orderly fashion Agents or chosen Men to tempt them and to treat with them The Citizens on their part shewed themselues stout and loyall Subiects Neyther was there so much as any Tumult or Diuision amongst them but all prepared themselues for a valiant Defence and making good the Towne For well they saw that the Rebels were of no such Number or Power that they needed to feare them as yet and well they hoped that before their Numbers encreased the Kings Succours would come-in And howsoeuer they thought it the extreamest of Euils To put themselues at the mercy of those hungry and disorderly People Wherefore setting all things in good order within the Towne they neuerthelesse let-downe with Cords from seuerall parts of the Walls priuily seuerall Messengers that if one came to mischance another might passe-on which should aduertise the King of the State of the Towne and implore his aide PERKIN also doubted that Succours would come ere long and therefore resolued to vse his vtmost Force to assault the Towne And for that purpose hauing mounted Scaling-Ladders in diuers places vpon the Walls made at the same instant an Attempt to force one of the Gates But hauing no Artillery nor Engines and finding that hee could doe no good by ramming with Logges of Timber nor by the vse of Iron Barres and Iron Crowes and such other meanes at hand hee had no way left him but to set one of the Gates on fire which hee did But the Citizens well perceiuing the Danger before the Gate could bee fully consumed blocked vp the Gate and some space about it on the inside with Fagots and other Fuell which they likewise set on fire and so repulsed fire with fire And in the meane time raised vp Rampiers of earth and cast vp deep Trenches to serue in stead of Wall and Gate And for the Escaladaes they had so bad successe as the Rebels were driuen from the Wals with the losse of two hundred men The King when hee heard of PERKINS Siege of Excester made sport with it and said to them that were about him that The King of Rake-hells was landed in the West and that hee hoped now to haue the honour to see him which hee could neuer yet doe And it appeared plainely to those that were about the King that he was indeed much ioied with the newes of PERKINS being in English Ground where hee could haue no retrait by Land thinking now that hee should bee cured of those priuie Stitches which hee had long had about his Heart and had sometimes broken his Sleeps in the middest of all his Felicitie And to set all mens hearts on fire hee did by all possible meanes let it appeare that those who should now doe him seruice to make an end of these troubles should bee no lesse accepted of him than hee that came vpon the Eleuenth Houre and had the whole Wages of the Day Therefore now like the end of a Play a great number came vpon the Stage at once He sent the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord BROOK and Sir RICEAP THOMAS with expedite Forces to speed to Excester to the Rescue of the Towne and to spread the Fame of his owne following in Person with a Royall Army The Earle of Deuonshire and his Son with the CAROES and the FVLFORDES and other principall Persons of Deuonshire vncalled from the Court but hearing that the Kings heart was so much bent vpon this Seruice made haste with Troupes that they had raysed to bee the first that should succour the Citie of Excester and preuent the Kings Succours The Duke of Buckingham likewise with many braue Gentlemen put themselues in Armes not staying eyther the Kings or the Lord Chamberlaines comming on but making a Bodie of Forces of themselues the more to indeare their merit signifying to the King their readinesse and desiring to know his pleasure So that according to the Prouerbe In the comming downe euerie Saint did helpe PERKIN hearing this Thunder of Armes and Preparations against him from so many Parts raised his Siege and marched to Taunton beginning already to squint one eye vpon the
submisse and eloquent Letters wrote back vnto him That though he were in part moued by his Letters yet he should not bee fully satisfied except hee spake with him as well about the compounding of the present differences as about other matters that might concerne the good of both Kingdomes The Bishop aduising first with the king tooke his Iourney for Scotland The meeting was at Melrosse an Abbey of the Cestersians where the king then abode The king first roundly vttered vnto the Bishop his offence conceiued for the insolent Breach of Truce by his men of Norham Castle Whereunto Bishop FOX made such an humble and smooth answer as it was like Oyle into the wound whereby it began to heale And this was done in the presence of the King and his Councell After the King spake with the Bishop apart and opened himselfe vnto him saying That these temporarie Truces and Peaces were soone made and soone broken But that hee desired a straiter Amitie with the King of England discouering his mind that if the King would giue him in Mariage the Ladie MARGARET his eldest Daughter That indeede might bee a Knot indissoluble That hee knew well what Place and Authoritie the Bishop deseruedly had with his Master Therefore if hee would take the businesse to heart and deale in it effectually hee doubted not but it would succeed well The Bishop answered soberly that hee thought himselfe rather happie than worthy to bee an Instrument in such a matter but would doe his best endeauour Wherefore the Bishop returning to the King and giuing account what had passed and finding the King more than well disposed in it gaue the King aduice first to proceed to a Conclusion of Peace and then to goe on with the Treatie of Marriage by degrees Hereupon a Peace was concluded which was published a little before Christmasse in the Fourteenth yeare of the Kings Raigne to continue for both the Kings liues and the ouer-liuer of them and a yeare after In this Peace there was an Article contained that no English-man should enter into Scotland and no Scottish-man into England without Letters Commendatorie from the Kings of eyther Nation This at the first sight might seeme a meanes to continue a strangenesse betweene the Nations but it was done to locke in the Borderers This yeare there was also borne to the King a third Sonne who was christned by the name of EDMVND and shortly after dyed And much about the same time came newes of the death of Charles the French-King For whom there were celebrated Solemne and Princely Obsequies It was not long but PERKIN who was made of Quick-siluer which is hard to hold or imprison began to stirre For deceiuing his Keepers hee tooke him to his heeles and made speede to the Sea-coasts But presently all Corners were laid for him and such diligent pursuit and search made as hee was faine to turne backe and get him to the House of Bethleem called the Priorie of Shyne which had the priuiledge of Sanctuarie and put himselfe into the hands of the Prior of that Monasterie The Prior was thought an Holy Man and much reuerenced in those dayes Hee came to the King and besought the King for PERKINS life only leauing him otherwise to the Kings discretion Many about the King were againe more hot than euer to haue the King to take him forth and hang him But the King that had an high stomacke and could not hato any that hee despised bid Take him forth and set the Knaue in the Sockes And so promising the Prior his life hee caused him to bee brought forth And within two or three daies after vpon a Scaffold set vp in the Palace-Court at Westminster he was fettered and set in the Stockes for the whole day And the next day after the like was done by him at the Crosse in Cheape-side and in both places he read his Confession of which we made mention before and was from Cheap-side conueighed and layed vp in the Tower Notwithstanding all this the King was as was partly touched before growne to be such a Partner with Fortune as no body could tell what Actions the One and what the Other owned For it was beleeued generally that PERKIN was betrayed and that this Escape was not without the Kings priuitie who had him all the time of his Flight in a Line and that the King did this to picke a Quarrell to him to put him to death and to be ridde of him at once But this is not probable For that the same Instruments who obserued him in his Flight might haue kept him from getting into Sanctuary But it was ordained that this Winding-Iuie of a PLANTAGENET should kill the true Tree it selfe For PERKIN after hee had beene a while in the Tower began to insinuate himselfe into the fauour and kindnesse of his Keepers Seruants to the Lieutenant of the Tower Sir IOHN DIGBIE being foure in number STRANGVVAIES BLEVVET ASTVVOOD and LONG-ROGER These Varlets with mountaines of promises hee sought to corrupt to obtaine his Escape But knowing well that his owne Fortunes were made so contemptible as hee could feede no mans Hopes and by Hopes hee must worke for Rewards he had none he had contriued with himselfe a vast and tragicall Plot which was to draw into his Companie EDVVARD PLANTAGENET Earle of Warwicke then Prisoner in the Tower whom the wearie life of a long Imprisonment and the often and renewing Feares of being put to Death had softned to take any impression of Councell for his Libertie This young Prince hee thought these Seruants would looke vpon though not vpon himselfe And therefore after that by some Message by one or two of them hee had tasted of the Earles Consent it was agreed that these foure should murder their Master the Lieutenant secretly in the night and make their best of such Money and portable Goods of his as they should finde readie at hand and get the Keyes of the Tower and presently let forth PERKIN and the Earle But this Conspiracie was reuealed in time before it could bee executed And in this againe the Opinion of the Kings great Wisedome did surcharge him with a sinister Fame that PERKIN was but his Bait to entrap the Earle of Warwicke And in the very Instant while this Conspiracy was in working as if that also had been the Kings industrie it was fatall that there should breake forth a Connuerfeit Earle of Warwicke a Cordwainers Sonne whose name was RALPH WILFORD a young man taught and set on by an Augustine Friar called PATRICKE They both from the parts of Suffolke came forwards into Kent where they did not onely priuily and vnderhand giue out that this WILFORD was the true Earle of Warwicke but also the Friar finding some light Credence in the People tooke the boldnesse in the Pulpit to declare as much and to incite the People to come in to his Aide Whereupon they were both presently apprehended and the young Fellow executed and the
Friar condemned to perpetuall Imprisonment This also hapning so opportunely to represent the danger to the Kings Estate from the Earle of Warwicke and thereby to colour the Kings seueritie that followed together with the madnesse of the Friar so vainely and desperately to divulge a Treason before it had gotten any manner of strength and the sauing of the Friars life which neuerthelesse was indeed but the priuiledge of his Order and the Pitie in the Common People which if it runne in a strong Streame doth euer cast vp Scandal and Enuie made it generally rather talked than belieued that all was but the Kings deuice But howsoeuer it were hereupon PERKIN that had offended against Grace now the third time was at the last proceeded with and by Commissioners of Oyer and Determiner arraigned at Westminster vpon diuers Treasons committed and perpetrated after his comming on land within this Kingdome for so the Iudges aduised for that he was a Forreiner and condemned and a few dayes after executed at Tiburne Where hee did againe openly read his Comfession and take it vpon his Death to bee true This was the end of this little Cockatrice of a King that was able to destroy those that did not espie him first It was one of the longest Playes of that kind that hath beene in memorie and might perhaps haue had another end if hee had not met with a King both wise stout and fortunate As for PERKINS three Councellors they had registred themselues Sanctuarie-men when their Master did And whether vpon pardon obtained or continuance within the Priuiledge they came not to bee proceeded with There was executed with PERKIN the Maior of Corke and his Sonne who had beene principall Abettors of his Treasons And soone after were likewise condemned eight other Persons about the Tower-Conspiracie whereof foure were the Lieutenants men But of those Eight but two were executed And immediatly after was arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then for the time High-Steward of England the poore Prince the Earle of Warwicke not for the Attempt to escape simply for that was not acted And besides the Imprisonment not beeing for Treason the Escape by Law could not bee Treason But for conspiring with PERKIN to raise sedition and to destroy the King And the Earle confessing the Inditement had Iudgement and was shortly after beheaded on Tower-hill This was also the end not onely of this Noble and Commiserable Person EDVVARD the Earle of Warwicke eldest Sonne to the Duke of Clarence but likewise of the Line-Male of the PLANTAGENETS which had flourished in great Royaltie and Renowne from the time of the famous King of England King HENRIE the Second Howbeit it was a Race often dipped in their owne Bloud It hath remained since onely transplanted into other Names as well of the Imperiall Line as of other Noble Houses But it was neither guilt of Crime nor reason of State that could quench the Enuie that was vpon the King for this Execution So that hee thought good to export it out of the Land and to lay it vpon his new Allie FERDINANDO King of Spaine For these two Kings vnderstanding one another at halfe a word so it was that there were Letters shewed out of Spaine whereby in the passages concerning the Treatie of the Marriage FERDINANDO had written to the King in plaine termes that hee saw no assurance of his Succession as long as the Earle of Warwicke liued and that hee was loth to send his Daughter to Troubles and Dangers But hereby as the king did in some part remoue the Enuie from himselfe so hee did not obserue that hee did withall bring a kind of Malediction and Infausting vpon the Marriage as an ill Prognosticke Which in euent so farre proued true as both Prince ARTHVR enioyed a verie small time after the Marriage and the Ladie KATHERINE her selfe a sad and a religious woman long after when King HENRIE the Eight his resolution of a Diuorce from her was first made knowne to her vsed some words That shee had not offended but it was a Iudgment of GOD for that her former Marriage was made in bloud meaning that of the Erale of Warwicke This fifteenth yeare of the king there was a great Plague both in London and in diuers parts of the Kingdome Wherefore the king after often change of Places whether to auoide the danger of the Sickenesse or to giue occasion of an Enteruiew with the Arch-Duke or both sayled ouer with his Queene to Calice Vpon his comming thither the Arch-Duke sent an honourable Ambassage vnto him aswell to welcome him into those parts as to let him know that if it pleased him hee would come and doe him reuerence But it was said withall That the King might bee pleased to appoint some place that were out of any Walled Towne or Fortresse for that hee had denied the same vpon like occasion to the French king And though hee said he made a great difference betweene the two kings yet hee would bee loth to giue a President that might make it after to bee expected at his hands by another whom hee trusted lesse The king accepted of the Courtesie and admitted of his Excuse and appointed the place to be at Saint PETERS Church without Calice But withall hee did visit the Arch-Duke with Ambassadors sent from himselfe which were the Lord Saint IOHN and the Secretarie vnto whom the Arch-Duke did the honour as going to Masse at Saint Omers to set the Lord Saint IOHN on his right hand and the Secretarie on his left and so to ride betweene them to Church The day appointed for the Enteruiew the king went on Horse backe some distance from Saint PETERS Church to receiue the Arch-Duke And vpon their approaching the Arch-Duke made hast to light and offered to hold the kings Stirrope at his alighting which the king would not permit but descending from Horse backe they embraced with great affection and withdrawing into the Church to a place prepared they had long Conference not onely vpon the Confirmation of former Treaties and the freeing of Commerce but vpon Crosse Marriages to bee had betweene the Duke of Yorke the Kings second Sonne and the Arch-Dukes Daughter And againe betweene CHARLES the Arch-Dukes Sonne and Heire and MARIE the Kings second Daughter But these Blossoms of vnripe Marriages were but friendly wishes the Aires of louing Entertainement though one of them came afterwards to Conclusion in Treatie though not in Effect But during the time that the two Princes conuersed and communed together in the Suburbs of Calice the Demonstrations on both sides were passing heartie and affectionate especially on the part of the Arch-Duke Who besides that hee was a Prince of an excellent good nature beeing conscious to himselfe how driely the King had beene vsed by his Councell in the matter of PERKIN did striue by all meanes to recouer it in the Kings Affection And hauing also his eares continually beaten with the Councels of his Father and
for his owne part hee was in none And that hee might haue some good Townes vpon the Coast in Italie put into his hands for the Retrait and safeguard of his Men. With this Answer IASPER PONS returned nothing at all discontented And yet this Declaration of the King as superficiall as it was gaue him that Reputation abroad as hee was not long after elected by the Knights of the Rhodes Protector of their Order All things multiplying to Honour in a Prince that had gotten such high Estimation for his Wisedome and Sufficiencie There were these two last yeares some proceedings against Her etiques which was rare in this Kings Reigne and rather by Penances than by Fire The King had though hee were no good Schooleman the Honour to conuert one of them by Dispute at Canterburie This yeare also though the king were no more haunted with Sprites for that by the Sprinckling partly of Bloud and partly of Water hee had chased them away yet neuerthelesse hee had certaine Apparitions that troubled him still shewing themselues from one Region which was the house of Yorke It came so to passe that the Earle of Suffolke Sonne to ELIZABETH eldest Sister to king EDVVARD the fourth by IOHN Duke of Suffolke her second Husband and Brother to IOHN Earle of Lincolne that was slaine at Stocke-field being of an hastie and Cholericke Disposition had killed a man in his furie whereupon the king gaue him his Pardon But either willing to leaue a Cloud vpon him or the better to make him feele his Grace produced him openly to plead his Pardon This wrought in the Earle as in a haughtie stomacke it vseth to doe for the Ignominie printed deeper than the Grace Wherefore hee beeing discontent fled secretly into Flanders vnto his Aunt the Duchesse of Burgundie The king startled at it But being taught by Troubles to vse fare and timely Remedies wrought so with him by Messages The Ladie MARGARET also growing by often failing in her Alchymie wearie of her Experiments and partly being a little sweetned for that the king had not touched her name in the Confession of PERKIN that hee came ouer againe vpon good termes and was reconciled to the king In the beginning of the next yeare beeing the seuenteenth of the king the Ladie KATHERINE fourth Daughter of FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queene of Spaine arriued in England at Plimouth the second of October and was married to Prince ARTHVR in PAVLES the foureteenth of Nouember following The Prince being then about fifteene yeares of age and the Ladie about eighteene The manner of her receiuing the manner of her Entrie into London and the Celebritie of the Marriage were performed with great and true Magnificence in regard of Cost Shew and Order The chiefe man that tooke the care was Bishop Fox who was not onely a graue Councellor for Warre or Peace but also a good Surueyour of Workes and a good Master of Ceremonies and any thing else that was fit for the Actiue part belonging to the seruice of Court or State of a great King This Marriage was almost seuen yeares in Treatie which was in part caused by the tender yeares of the Marriage-couple especially of the Prince But the true reason was that these two Princes being Princes of great Policie and profound Iudgement stood a great time looking one vpon anothers Fortunes how they would goe knowing well that in the meane time the verie Treatie it selfe gaue abroad in the World a Reputation of a straite Coniunction and Amitie betweene them which serued on both sides to many purposes that their seuerall Affaires required and yet they continued still free But in the end when the Fortunes of both the Princes did grow euerie day more and more prosperous and assured and that looking all about them they saw no better Conditions they shut it vp The Marriage Monie the Princesse brought which was turned ouer to the King by Act of Renunciation was two hundred thousand Ducats Whereof one hundred thousand were payable ten dayes after the Solemnization and the other hundred thousand at two payments Annuall but part of it to bee in Iewels and Plate and a due course set downe to haue them iustly and indifferently prized The Ioynture or Aduancement of the Lady was the third part of the Principality of Wales and of the Dukedome of Cornewall and of the Earledome of Chester to be after set forth in seueraltie And in case shee came to bee Queeene of England her Aduancement was left indefinite but thus That it should bee as great as euer any former Queene of England had In all the Deuises and Conceits of the Triumphs of this Marriage there was a great deale of Astronomie The Ladie beeing resembled to HESPERVS and the Prince to ARCTVRVS and the old King ALPHONSVS that was the greatest Astronomer of Kings and was Ancestor to the Ladie was brought in to bee the Fortune-teller of the Match And whosoeuer had those Toyes in Compiling they were not altogether Pedanticall But you may bee sure that King ARTHVR the Britton and the descent of the Ladie KATHERINE from the House of LANCASTER was in no wise forgotten But as it should seem it is not good to fetch Fortunes from the Starres For this young Prince that drew vpon him at that time not onely the Hopes and Affections of his Countrie but the Eyes and Expectation of Forreiners after a few Moneths in the beginning of Aprill deceased at Ludlow Castle where he was sent to keepe his Resiance and Court as Prince of Wales Of this Prince in respect hee died so young and by reason of his Fathers manner of Education that did cast no great Lustre vpon his Children there is little particular Memorie Onely thus much remaineth that hee was very studious and learned beyond his yeares and beyond the Custome of great Princes There was a Doubt ripped vp in the times following when the Diuorce of King HENRIE the Eighth from the Ladie KATHERINE did so much busie the world whether ARTHVR was bedded with his Ladie or no whereby that matter in fact of Carnall Knowledge might bee made part of the Case And it is true that the Ladie her selfe denied it or atleast her Counsell stood vpon it and would not blaunch that Aduantage although the Plenitude of the Popes power of Dispensing was the maine Question And this Doubt was kept long open in respect of the two Queenes that succeeded MARIE and ELIZABETH whose Legitimations were incompatible one with another though their Succession was settled by Act of Parliament And the times that fauoured Queene MARIES Legitimation would haue it beleeued that there was no Carnall Knowledge betweene ARTHVR and KATHERINE Not that they would seeme to derogate from the Popes absolute power to dispence euen in that Case but onely in point of honour and to make the Case more fauourable and smooth And the Times that fauoured Queene ELIZABETHS Legitimation which were the longer and the latter maintained the contrarie So
which was by Interpretation also fulfilled vpon PHILIP the Emperours Sonne not onely in the Present Disaster of the Tempest but in that that followed For PHILIP arriuing into Spaine and attaining the Possession of the Kingdome of Castile without resistance insomuch as FERDINANDO who had spoke so great before was with difficultie admitted to the speech of his Sonne-in-Law sickned soone after and deceased Yet after such time as there was an Obseruation by the wisest of that Court That if hee had liued his Father would haue gained vpon him in that sort as hee would haue gouerned his Councells and Designes if not his Affections By this all Spaine returned into the power of FERDINANDO in state as it was before the rather in regard of the infirmitie of IOAN his Daughter who louing her Husband by whom shee had many Children dearely well and no lesse beloued of him howsoeuer her Father to make PHILIP ill beloued of the People of Spaine gaue out that PHILIP vsed her not well was vnable in strength of minde to beare the Griefe of his Decease and fell distracted of her Wittes Of which Maladie her Father was thought no wayes to endeuour the Cure the better to hold his Regall Power in Castile So that as the Felicitie of CHARLES the Eighth was said to bee a Dreame so the Aduersitie of FERDINANDO was said likewise to bee a Dreame it passed ouer so soone About this time the King was desirous to bring into the House of LANCASTER Celestiall Honour and became Suitor to Pope IVLIVS to Canonize King HENRY the Sixt for a Saint the rather in respect of that his famous Prediction of the Kings owne Assumption to the Crowne IVLIVS referred the matter as the manner is to certaine Cardinalls to take the verification of his Holy Acts and Miracles But it died vnder the Reference The generall Opinion was that Pope IVLIVS was too deare and that the King would not come to his Rates But it is more probable That that Pope who was extremely iealous of the Dignitie of the Sea of Rome and of the Actes thereof knowing that King HENRY the Sixth was reputed in the world abroad but for a Simple Man was affraide it would but diminish the Estimation of that kinde of Honour if there were not a distance kept betweene Iunocents and Saints The same yeare likewise there proceeded a Treatie of Marriage betweene the King and the Ladie MARGARET Duchesse Dowager of Sauoy onely Daughter to MAXIMILIAN and Sister to the King of Castile a Ladie wise and of great good Fame This Matter had beene in speech betweene the two Kings at their meeting but was soone after resumed and therein was imployed for his first piece the Kings then Chaplaine and after the great Prelate THOMAS WOLSEY It was in the end concluded with great and ample Conditions for the king but with promise De Futuro only It may be the king was the rather induced vnto it for that he heard more and more of the Marriage to goe on betweene his great Friend and Allie FERDINANDO of Arragon and Madame de FOIS whereby that King beganne to piece with the French King from whom hee had beene alwayes before seuered So fatall a thing it is for the greatest and straitest Amities of Kings at one time or other to haue a little of the Wheele Nay thereis a further Tradition in Spaint though not with vs That the King of Arragon after hee knew that the Marriage betweene CHARLES the young Prince of Castile and MARIE the Kings second Daughter went roundly on which though it was first mooued by the King of Arragon yet it was afterwards wholly aduanced and brought to perfection by MAXIMILIAN and the Friends on that side entred into a iealousie that the King did aspire to the Gouernment of Castilia as Administrator during the Minoritie of his Sonne-in-Law as if there should haue beene a Competition of Three for that Gouernment FERDINANDO Grand-father on the Mothers side MAXIMILIAN Grand-father on the Fathers side and King HENRIE Father-in-Law to the young Prince Certainely it is not vnlike but the Kings Gouernment carrying the young Prince with him would haue beene perhaps more welcome to the Spaniards than that of the other Two For the Nobilitie of Castilia that so lately put out the King of Arragon in fauour of King PHILIP and had discouered themselues so farre could not bee but in a secret Distrust and Distaste of that King And as for MAXIMILIAN vpon Twentie respects hee could not haue beene the Man But this purpose of the Kings seemeth to mee considering the Kings safe Courses neuer found to bee enterprizing or aduenturous not greatly probable except hee should haue had a Desire to breathe warmer because hee had ill Lunger This Marriage with MARGARET was protracted from time to time in respect of the Infirmitie of the King who now in the two and Twentieth of his Raigne beganne to bee troubled with the Goute But the Defluxion taking also into his Brest wasted his Lungs so that thrice in a Yeare in a kinde of Returne and especially in the Spring hee had great Fitts and Labours of the Tissicke Neuerthelesse hee continued to intend Businesse with as great diligence as before in his Health Yet so as vpon this warning hee did likewise now more seriously thinke of the World to come and of making himselfe a Saint aswell as King HENRIE the Sixth by Treasure better imployed than to bee giuen to Pope IVLIVS For this Yeare hee gaue greater Almes than accustomed and discharged all Prisoners about the Citie that lay for Fees or Debts vnder fortie shillings Hee did also make haste with Religious Foundations and in the Yeare following which was the Three and Twentieth finished that of the Sauoy And hearing also of the bitter Cryes of his People against the Oppressions of DVDLEY and EMPSON and their Complices partly by Deuout Persons about him and partly by publicke Sermons the Preachers doing their Dutie therein Hee was touched with great Remorse for the same Neuerthelesse EMPSON and DVDLEY though they could not but heare of these Scruples in the Kings Conscience yet as if the Kings Soule and his Money were in seuerall Offices that the One was not to intermeddle with the Other went on with as great rage as euer For the same three and Twentieth Yeare was there a sharpe Prosecution against Sir VVILLIAM CAPEL now the second time and this was for Matters of Misgouernment in his Maioraltie The great Matter beeing that in some Payments hee had taken knowledge of False Moneys and did not his diligence to examine and beate it out who were the Offendours For this and some other things layed to his Charge hee was condemned to pay Two Thousand Pounds and beeing a Man of stomacke and hardened by his former Troubles refused to pay 2 Mite and bee like vsed some vntoward Speeches of the Proceedings for which hee was sent to the Tower and there remayned till the Kings Death