Therefore I will say the lesse in this point vnto you because you haue euer beene faithful to my progenitors and willing to be counted a Nation for the defence of vertue and propulsing of iniuries As for the ill successe of Lambert in personating my cozen the Earle of Warwicke and setting a foot that title whereby you may be terrified in heereafter prosecutions Alas I confesse it was for my sake and a meere deuise to sound the foord of the troublesome streames of those times proceedings wherein if my Vncle of Lincolne had any way thriued you must be assured thogh they would not hazzard my person so yong yet it was only to make way to my fortunes For smal recompeÌ„ce should haue stopped his mouth vt maior â—nx extinguit minorem my presence quickly haue turned the streame and with the sonne exhaled the strength of his meâ—eor This tricke my Grand-father put vpon the State when he was Gouernor amongst you by lack Cade of Kent who proclaimed himselfe Mortimer to see how the people affected the Title or could remember the Genealogie in the truth of his precedencie as marrying the daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence third son of our great Edward the third of England and Heroos of his time so that I hope this shall be no barre or interception either to my interest or your good will considering I am now come in person to offer vp my selfe a sacrifice if need be for you all and promise you by the secrets of my birth-right to make you a glorious and free Nation vnder me if I preuaile by your meanes These words were vttered so audaciously and yet with simulatory maiesty that they conceiued euery thing in his be halfe and not once disputed on the craft or cunning conueiance of the businesse but exalted and applauded him with all reuerence and due honor combining themselues with affectionate obedience to his aide and assistance wherein â—hat they might be the better induced iust at the same instant as if honour made hast to welcome him according to our Poet Nunc festmatos nimium sibi sâ—nsit honores and fortune determined to smile on them all Charles the French King in some diâ—pleasure with King Henry of England sent for Perkin out of Ireland with resolution to make him the roiall head of an Army against England which although it much animared the Irish to belieue the former seduction yet it was but a deuise of the French Kings to diâ—ert the warre which the King of England pretended out of France and so to enforce him backe againe to looke home to his owne affaires Howsoeuer this our Counterfet was not a little reuiued with such a message and supposed himselfe exalted to heauen in being thus called to the familiarity and acquaintance of Kings and Princes so that comming into France accordingly he was roially accepted and after a Princely manner entertained hauing a guard assigned him whereof the Lord of Congreshall was gouernour Hither also repaired vnto him especially while he lay in Paris Sir George Neuil the Bastard Sir Iohn Tailer Rowland Robinson and a hundred English Rebels But alas all these were but smoaking illusions For on a soddain Ingemâ—it rector sensitque deorum Esse dolos fata suae contraria menti And when a peace was to be determined and concluded betweene England and France the French King quickly dismissed the yong man and all his associats vnder colour of excuse that he durst no longer protect him against his new confederat and brother of England but some others attending vpon him yeelded a more forcible reason for his departure that he himselfe suspected how King Charles would deliuer him into the hands of the King of England and therefore he beguiled the Lord Congreshall and fled from Paris by night But howsoeuer this may be disputed and whether he departed without the Kings consent or no he was questionlesse deceiued in his expectation and in a manneâ— desperate of successe so that loth to remaine amongst such distrustfull enemies hee quietly returned to his most assured friend the Lady Margaret of Flanders the master builder of this worke The Duches before he came thought euery hower from his departure a whole yeare till his retorne For to heare how he proceeded was a quiet to her thoughts and to know how fortune would deale with him a ioy to her heart but to see him a very rauishment Yet when she vnderstood how he was abiected and repudiated in the French Court it could not choose but be a great agony and amasement vnto her Notwithstanding to preuent all suspition she seemed at his arriuall no lesse reuiued then a mother is glad for the retourne of her long absented sonne or a person condemned for a pardon and restauration to his life and dignity At his first approach she receiued him with large embraces and hanging ouer his neck seeming to shed teares of ioy and comfort for his escape from many dangers and aduentures O dissembling and deceiuable hypocrisie that euer a woman should be the author of such diuellish deuises and hellish proiects and yet ouer-daube her mischieuous imaginations with the sugred showes of loue and regard of pitty toward a Prince in distresse but this made Hippolitus long a goe cry out O Iupiter quodnam adulterinum hominibus malum Mulieres ad solis lucem habit are fecâ—sti c. and this she had learned of her owne Phisitians who in administring of bitter pils had shewed her to roule them ouer in some candide powder and this we haue taught our selues out of Gods one mouth who in seuerall places of Scripture hath puplished wherein a bad woman doth exceed all the creatures of the World After this extacy was past she proceeded with a cunning desire to haue him relate his first miraculous preseruation his after trauails and exploration of Countries his next entertainement in Ireland and France and finally his resolution to goe forward in his noble and necessary intendment for his inheritance and recouery of the Crowne of England wherein he proceeded so effectually and orderly without stammering or stuttering that the whole company verily belieued it and such as were not present the rather induced by the report of others sorrowing for nothing but that they heard him not Vina Voce and endeauouring what they could to present their personall obedience vnto him Whereupon when she perceiued how euery thing consorted to her owne wishes she assigned him a Guard of 50 persons in Murry and Blue and honoured him with a cloth of Estate and denomination of the White Rose and Prince of England From thence forward the Nobilitie of Flaunders and diuers of England with all obsequious diligence attended him and from a reuerent estimation of his auncestors performed all the good offices which belonged to the exornation of his maiestie and extention of their owne loues and dutâ—es so that in a word this Sinons horse entred the broken
of the world and times For the Maiestie of Kings will not be tied vp with the slender bindings of rebellion nor taught any lesson against their wils either of fauouring or disfauouring whom they please As for personall faults Alas Princes Prelates Officers Maiestrates and all sorts of men will runne the race of mortality and if it were possible to remoue offenders at pleasure the persons may be changed but the imperfections continue Let them therefore alone a Gods name for they must stand or fall to the estate of their liues which he hath appointed only this I will be bold to say I would haue no man for any priuate respect runne in the outragious races of sinnes himselfe or defend any wickednesse in others beare with great men in their vices flatter or temporize for profit or preferment yeeld vnto base or degenerating actions either for feare or fauour or in a word doe any thing contrary to Gods word wherein as in a glasse men may perspicuously behold the way of life and death and the infallible positions which in the affirmatiue and negatiue conclude all things either by precept or interdiction Eurip. Orest. Paruis enim res magnas quomodò caperet quis laboribus stultum etiam velle conarihaec quando enim excanduerit populus ad iram prolapsus similis est igni ad extinguendum vehementi si vero pedetentim quis ei concitato quidem cedens obsecundârit tempus cautè obseruans cum autem emiserit flatus forsan exhalauerit THE TRVE AND wonderfull History of PERKIN VVARBECK THE contentions betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster are the subiects of many discourses and therefore I will insist the lesse either vpon Genealogies Titles Vsurpations Warres Factions Encounters Reuenges Battails Slaughters or other accidentall outrages which for 90. yeares filled the wrinckles of the face of our Common-wealth of England with the blood and sweat of tenne Kings and Princes of the race roiall 60 Dukes and Earles 1000 Lords and Knights and 150000 Soldiers and people Only I must make a little commorance and abiding in the wretched and ragged house of enuie and malice gouerned and ouerseene by a woman who was so opposite and aduerse to the Lancastrian family that for all King Henry the seuenth had obtained the Crowne by a strong hand and as we say diuinitùs praemunitus yea debarred all Titles or fuming shadowes of Titles by consummating that mariage with the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter of Edward the fourth she yet contriued all the waies of his ouerthrow and inuit â fortunâ entertained euery occasion which might adde fuell to the fier of her inueterate hate and blood-thirstie humor of reuenge as if she had beene borne like certaine Antipathies in nature which cannot endure any neighbour-hood or commixture such as the Eugh and Palme the Figge and Vine the strings of Wolues and Sheep which makes me remember the story of Eteocles and Pollinices the sonnes of Oedipus whose hate was so great in their liues that after death the bones being burnt togeather the flame of the sacrifice deuided asunder This was Margaret Dutches of Burgundy sister of Edward the fourth and a sworne aduersary to cast the red Rose of England into the black pit of confusion who perceiuing her first hopes frustrated and annihilated concerning the progression of Lamberts enterprises studied night and day vpon further and further instigations yea houered ouer opportunitie like a hawke for her pray to torment and trouble the peace of England embracing euery strange and prestigious illusion and not caring with what pullies of ridiculous and impossible actions her malice and reuenges were woond vp so they might be hurried downe againe vpon the head of the King whom she cursed on her knees and hated euen beyond the tendernesse of her sex many of her owne friends for his sake Therefore to weary his patience a little more she set vp another puppet like the former one Peter Warbeck a Fleming to act a part of wonder on the Stage of dangerous Innouation and take vpon him the Title of Richard the fourth Prince of England and white Rose of the same But before I play the Midwife or if you will Phisitian with her to deliuer her wombe of this monstrous birth of Peter Warbeck whom she taught the cunning and audacious impudency of personating Richard Duke of Yorke murthered with his brother in the Tower by Richard the third some eight yeare before I thinke it not impertinent to our purpose in hand to tell you what this Lambert was and wherein he seemed cosened with the whorish smiles of an adulterate fortune by the only meanes and coadiutement of this Dutches of Burgundy The first and second yeares of Henry the seuenth swelled to so great a height of ioy blessednesse and contentment from the rivulets of King Richards slaughter the corroboration of his estate the amity of the Nobles the mariage with the eldest daughter of Yorke the birth of Prince Arthur the league and amitie of forraine Princes and the applause of all his subiects that the diuine prouidence thought it meet to temper and allay the excesse of the same with some mixtures of feares and displeasure lest mortalitie might presume too farre and man triumph that his owne arme of flesh had contriued his establishment So that the Lord Louel Humphrey and Thomas Stafford with Sir Thomas Broughton and diuers others attempted a dangerous rebellion and drew into the field a great Army against the King whom to preuent the Duke of Bedford with such forces as could be raised on a soddain made hast to an encounter but his fortune was so good that with a successefull Oratory not striking a stroake he preuailed to dissipate those threatning and thickning clouds of disturbance For after he had intimated the hainousnes of their transgression nature of their offences which were capital Treasons with al inferred the Kings great mercy which was willing to pardon their rashnesse and pitiful ouersights so they would desist and retire peaceably into their Countries the whole company surceased and quietly deposed their Armes whereupon the Lord Louel fled and the Staffords tooke Sanctuary in a Village called Culnaham two miles from Abington but because the Iudges of the law alledged that the Townes of refuge among the Iewes were ordained for other purposes and that Ioab was killed holding by the hornes of the Altar and the places of priuiledges in England were neuer meant to suborne Traitors Humphrey Stafford was taken by force from the Towne and sent to the Tower from whence they brought him to Tyborne and there put him to execution His yonger Brother Thomas was notwithstanding remitted as a man whom consanguinitie and brother-hood had rather deceiued then wilfulnesse and malice against the King abused O blessed wisedome that can so temper Iustice with the consideration of mens frailties and other maleuolent circumstances to keep her a while from contracting a brow of reuenge
a spredding tree of royalty and therefore hee requested their loyalty and resolued courages to take his part that the right heire of the crowne might bee restored to England and themselues eternized to heereafter memory for so meritorious a worke Little needed a spur saith our Prouerb to a forward horse all that saw him beleeued it and such as heard onely the report according to the Poet errorem vocis vt omen amo Clapt their hands for ioy that they should bee employed in an enterprize of such wonder and important greatnesse whereupon money horse armour men and all things else were promised which might be aduantagious to such a businesse But alas Ireland was too weake and of themselues they did onely discouer their malice curbed yet with insufficiency giuing the King notice how their wills exceeded their power and that they were ready to entertaine euerie opportunitie to doe any mischeefe Therefore they sent ouer into England acquainting many discontented persons with the businesse but most principally as to the life of their actions they submitted to Margaret Duches of Burgundy sister of King Edward the fourth for her directions This was a woman of a wonderfull composure so adorned with princely qualities and setled in Maiesticall authoritie as you shall heare heereafter that she was admired of all Europe and beloued in her owne countrey Onely as stinking flies lying secretly in boxes of sweet oyntments putrifie the same did an innated malice and virulent hatred to the Lancastrian Family corrupt her other vertues and as it were thrust vp her princely enduments into a meere bog poole of dirt and filthinesse For although shee knew the bloud of Yorke extinguished and that the Earle of Warwicke was in King Henries possession as taken forth together with the Lady Elizabeth now his wife out of the castle of Sherrington in Yorke-shire vnder the custodie of Sr. Robert Willoughby Yet insatiate in her hate and so consequently in her reuenge Nam ingentes parturit ira minas She admitted of euerie motion of disturbance and inuented meanes of her owne to set in combustion the whole sâ—ate of England vnder a hopefull pretence to see the King ouerthrowne and supplanted Thus did she pile vp together the fire of this disturbance and countenanced the matter more with her greatnesse and power then all the other complices besides but if you aske me how she continued in this authority being a widow amongst strangers and enemie to so great a Prince as the King of England I will answer in a word and measure out the cheefe and principall cord that bound her royaltie together Charles Duke of Burgoine hauing married this Lady Margaret daughter to Richard Duke of Yorke and sister to Edward the fourth had yet no issue by her but left one sole daughter behinde him named Mary which hee had by his first wife the daughter of the Duke of Bourbon this was married to Maximilian sonne to Frederick the Emperour by whom he had two Princes Philip and Margaret which children after the death of the Lady Mary their mother this Lady Margaret Duches Dowager so entirely beloued so tenderly brought vp so motherly nourished and so carefully preserued that she was highly reputed of and esteemed for the same To which when she added a politique ordring her affaires both for the maintenance of their honour and administration of Iustice in the Common-wealth so that I may say with the ancient Poet Saepenumero iam per subtiliores sermones iui ad contentiones veni maiores quam conueniat genus foemineum perscrutari c. The whole bodie of the gouerment willingly consented to be apparrelled and adorned after her fashion so that like an absolute Prince indeed she proceeded both in the gouernment for their benefit and the illustration of her owne greatnesse In this Orb of reputation thus moouing herselfe she still shined like a full planet from whose influence could proceede nothing but sweet presages till stepping aside into a contrary motion of despight and rankor against the King as an enemie to knowledge and her owne conscience she countenanced this ridiculous yet vnhappy coniuration which by her meanes grew apace like broad and stinking burs vnprofitable in themselues and spoiling all the grasse about them vntill at last they were by a politique hand of preuention pull'd vp by the roots and cast vnder foot into the dirt For when King Henry was certefied of all these tumults and comminations and knew the deepnesse and fulnesse of the channell in which the tottered barke of this rebellion steered he verily supposed the best point of wisdome was principiâ—s obstare and so attempted with all care and vigilancy to turne the rage of those troubles another way or else to preuent them from flowing ouer the banks of his enclosures and although the collusion fraud of the inuention vexed him more then the matter or substance of such a rebellion yet hee moderated his anger and with Ianus looked both waies smiling with one face at the ridiculousnesse and deceit of the proiect and marking warily with another all the meanes to redact the confused Chaos of this molestation to better order and vniformity desiring onely at Gods hands to preuent effusion of bloud which must needes bee spilt in any settled warre and contracted army Besides in well ordred battells the euent was disputable and many times punishments were ordained as well to reduce good men ad correctionem and amendment as to bring bad men to ruinam and destruction And therfore if it were possible he would rebate the insolency by other meanes and diuert it from handy blowes and bloudy contentions whereupon he called his Councell together at the Charter-house besides his royal mannour of Richmond and there consulted how to pacifie this sudden tumult and conspiracy without any further disturbance or open defiance This motion of the Kings so tempered with grauity mercy and commiseration was so well accepted of the whole company that they presently applauded his high wisdome and religious care and put in practise whatsoeuer seemed conuenient for their intended affaires They first began with a generall pardon published to all offenders that were content to receiue the same and remain obedient to the Maiestie of England For although at this very instant Sr. Th. Broughton who had obscured the Lord Louell a great season from the King was in a manner ready to giue him battell with many friendly coadiutors and a well-settled army yet did the King thinke it policie to desist from a forcible ouerrunning them because as desperate of life or pardon considering their former treasons and abuses they would hardly be reclaimed in their rages but now fight for their liues and liberties Againe in shewing exemplarie Iustice vpon them once subiect to accusation or condemnation he must needes proceed against many yea such whose offences in standing out could admit of no pardon and therefore as I sayd he gently proclaimed the
of burs and nettles which soughtly handled sting the more violently but hardly crushed together lose their force and energie Of this sort was the Earle of Lincolne sonne to Iohn de la Poole Duke of Suffolke and Elizabeth another sister to Edward the fourth who much maligning the aduancement of this Earle of Richmond farre his inferiour as he supposed tooke hold of this open Rebellion as a meet opportunitie to beate out his own ends on such a pestilent anuile and therefore determined to vphold fortifie support this Irish expedition and take part with his new cozen who as he made him selfe belieue was escaped indeed for all the prety conueiances of the State This Earle of Lincolne besides his blood experience wisedome in great important affaireâ— had a priuacy of humor which many men excepted against as fantasticall and precise For he was so cautelous in his words and singular in his phrases and actions that he would neither sweare nor tell a lie by reason his communication was still seasoned with sauorie Parenthesis and breakings off or if you will Aposâ—opesis As I will not confidently auerre it but it is so and so if men may be credited in their mortalitie The number amounts to so many if men faile not in their computations I dare not iustifie it further then one my credit another with such like Yea in his enterprises he was both curious and Roman like for stricknesse of discipline yet valiant enough To conclude in a word had not the mantle of greatnesse ouer-couered his gesture and actions the same garbe and fashion in an inferior might haue beene thought ridiculous but to our purpose in hanâ— When he apprehended a kind of feare and iealosie in King Henry through this false rumor he determined with the same water that draue the Mil to drowne it and out of this fiction to raise a matter of consequence whereupon he presently repaired to Sir Thomas Broughton and others who like the Theeues of Aegypt lying in the reedes by the Riuer Nilus breaking out vpon any hope of aduantage vpon the silly passengers watched all occasions to be reuenged on the King and yet could render no iust account of their discontentments and after diuers consultations concluded to saile into Flaeunders to his Aunt the Duches being his Mothers owne sister and so without further commorance after the King had dissolued the Parliament at London put the same in practise whither he was well commed with all worthy and kind embraces Not long after Francis Lord Louel repaired vnto him well accompanied where for the time secured and assembling themselues with this Position that omnia efficit consilium quod ferrum hostile efficere potest lest the World should laugh them to scorne for prosecuting idle and vaine attempts they resolue that the Earle of Liucolne and Lord Louel should repaire into Ireland and adde a better countenance to the businesse by their presence in attending and honouring their new King with all gracefull ceremonies and markes of maiestie Then with the power of the Irish-men to bring him into England by which time the Duches forces would be ready to ioine with them Last of all to giue King 〈◊〉 battaile wheresoeuer in which if they preuailed they might at their pleasures depose this counterfeit Lambert and deliuer the true Earle of Warwicke out of prison in all which they proceeded accordingly and with expedition But King Henry supposing he had setled and appeased the minds and vnstable humours of his Nobilitie by the personall presence of Edward Earle of Warwicke began to be lesse moued and disturbed yea as it were secure and carelesse of any further malice and dangerous attempt against his estate and dignitie mistrusting nothing lesse then any man to be so foolish and mad as to belieue that Lambert could be the Earle so that he coniectured nothing but the suppressing of those barbarous Irish and the sedation of that trouble vntill he heard how the Earle of Lincolne was fled out of the Realme vntill he heard how the Lord Louel was confederate with him vntil he heard how diuers were vnited vnto them vntill he heard how the Duches of Burgoine coadiuted the enterprise vntill he heard they had raised a strong party and were resolued to giue him battaile this somewhat moued him and exasperated his displeasure For when he saw no other cataplasme could serue the turne but that he must cauterise the sore and sere and cut away the putrified flesh of this corrupted and rebellious body he determined with strong hand and martiall power to doe the same Whereupon he commanded his Musters to goe forward and appointed the seuerall Captaines a Rendezvous where the whole Armie might meet as occasion and his aduersaries should incite him and lest others might pretend discontentments wants debts deuotion pilgrimages and such like and so goe out of the Realme after the rest he gaue order to all Lieutenants of Shires Sherifes Maiors Bailifes and officers to search and watch the Ports Hauens for the going out and recourse of strangers or passengers vnlicensed and vnlimitited Thus what he could not with the Foxes he was faine to compas with the Lions skin yet knowing that Victoria est tota â—ita in bona consultationâ— he did not cast away the other but when he saw no Councell nor policie could either lâ—niat their obduratnesse nor diuert their inficious intents against him he resolued with an equall strength to remoue the blocks of his peace and quietnesse cast thus in his way by flagitious contumacy and ridiculous innouation But some fires are not so easily quenched as raised or maintained for though all his aduises and good order consorted with successe yet were they not sufficient to stop the mouth or hinder the passage of the present disturbance with deputies or Commissioners therefore he set forward in person supposing they would arriue from Flanders side on some of those Coasts and so came to Saint Edmonds Bury where he was certified that the Lord Thomas Marquesse Dorcet was comming to him to excuse and purge himselfe of those crimes enforced against him or at least such ouersights in which he perfunctorily performed his duty while he was in France To him was sent the Earle of Oxford by way of anticipation to intercept at this time his iourney For the King was too full of troubles and cogitations about the suppressing his enemies and new raised tumults and so could not attend his businesse The Earle had only Commission to conuey him to the Tower which when some of the Councell supposed a hard doome he answered them plainly What need further words If he be my friend as I am confident thereof he will be contented a while to suffer a little reproach and rebuke for my sake yea peraduenture pleasure and contentment If he be otherwise it is a place of security and would I had my aduersaries as safe there as they would me
suspition could not as yet detect any person of name or quality which troubled him so much the more But when hee perceiued indeede that this misty vapour was not quiâ—e vaniâ—hed nor the impression put out of the mad braines of the common people and vnderstood how Sr. Robert Clâ—fford was priuily fled into Flanders he resolued on a conspiracy against him and thought it expedient both for the saueguard of himselfe and his Realme whose reciprocall good or hurt were dependants one vpon another to prouide some remedy for the repressing of this abusing fraud and deceit and suppressing the insolency if it should extend to force and rebellion Wherefore hee disperâ—ed seuerall companies both of horse and foot to defend the sea coasts that no man might passe or repasse vnapprehended who had not license or safe conduct for his iourny busines and affaires Then hee sent downe the Lieutenants and lustices into their seuerall countries to detaine the people in obedience and muster the forces of the same as occasion should serue Which order obserued he vnderhand authorized wise and discreet Espiâ—lls into all the cities of the Low-Countries to discouer of what Prouince progeny parentage and estate this misnamed Richard was descended and propagated promising princely rewards to such persons as could relate the truth and as a man may say enucleate the secret Besides hee wrote louing letters to certaine trusty friends concerning the same who to doe their Prince and Countrey seruice dispersed themselues into seuerall townes and cities both of France and Burgundy where they were certified and assured by the testimony of many honest persons amongst whom some of especiall wit and behauiour repaired to the towne of Tourney that this fained Duke was of meane parentage and truly named Peter Warbeck which was principally confirmed by one Nathaniâ—l Osbeck of his owne kinred who as it should seeme in hope of reward tooke vpon him more then the rest and exprobrated him for so countersetting with this taunt out of the Poet Sed malè dissimulat quis enim celauerit ignem Lumine qui semper proditur ipse suo And alas howeuer he is now transhaped into a princely garb and fashion we of Peter named him Perkin for his effeminatenesse and childisnnesse With this newes and man the inquisitours returned into England and made a true report vnto his Maiesty of all that euer they knew and heard both concerning the assumpted presumption and impudency of the counterfet as also the proceedings and purposes of all the conspiratours which was seconded by the faithful letters of especial persons who had larger commission to make their commorance the longer out of England when the King was thus satisfied and as he supposed to all seeming reasonable vnderstanding had openly and apparantly manifested it heresolued to haue it further published and declared by open proclamations and sound of trumpet both in the Realmes of England and Ireland and in the courts of forraine Princes for which purpose he sent ouer diuers Embassadours to many Countries especially to Philip Arch-Duke of Burgoine and his Councellours as a place which neerest concerned him This Embasie was the charge and commission of Sr. Ed. Poinings a most valiant Gentleman and William Warrham Doctor of the lawes a man of great modesty learning and grauity The generall poynts of their commission had large fields to walke in but the principall matters to be enforced had these limitations FIrst to declare that the young man resident amongst them with the Lady Margaret was descended of a base and obscure parentage hauing falsly and vntruly vsurped the name of Richard Duke of Yorke who long before was murthered in the Tower with his brother the Prince by the commandement of King Richard their vncle as many men liuing can testifie Secondly that from the probability of the matter and enforcement of reason there was no likelihood that King Richard dispossessing the Prince both of his life and Kingdom would leaue the other brother stil to affright him and trouble him in his gouernment Thirdly that Queene Elizabeth their mother was therefore attainted in Parliament for surrendring her daughters into the Tyrants custody and committing them into his hands who she knew had already murthered their brethren Fourthly to desire the Arch-Duke and the principall Lords of his Councell not to giue any credit to such illusions nor suffer themselues to bee any more blinded or seduced with impostures or shadowing appearances of truth Last of all to remember how King Henry had some few yeeres since succoured and releeued Maximilian their principall Lord almost oppressed and ouercome with the forraine hostility of the French King and intestine rebellion of his owne subiects and therefore it must be vnprincely and a poynt of great ingratitude either directly or indirectly to abett or maintaine any traytour or trayterous practises against him or the peace and tranquility of his Kingdome With these instructions the Embassadours failed into Flanders and were gently receiued and honourably welcommed by the Arch-Duke and his Councell as appeared by the solemnity of their audience and quicke dispatch of their businesse wherein Doctor William Warrham in a well penned oration declared the Kings minde as before you heard and by the way touched the malice of Lady Margaret saying with the Poet Tantaenè animis coele stibus irae And vnder a kinde of reprehension rebuked her inficious disposition against a Prince of so great worth and deseruing that neuer wronged her nor entertained a preiudiciall motiue to inflict either her or hers with any malignant iniury wherin she only might be compared to a weak breath which spitting against a forcible winde had it returned bâ—cke againe into her face adding withall somewhat vehemently that in her olde age contrary to the nature of all births shee had brought forth two such detestable monsters that is to say Lambert before disputed vpon and now this Peter that the like was neuer heard of And whereas in the conception of children women were commonly deliuered in eight or nine moneths as nature did require she could not be released in eight or nine yeeres nay the youngest was fifteen yeeres old before her threnes were passed and they iustified to be shewed openly and this was not sufficient neither but they must bee at least extracted of Princes and able to giue Kings battell in the open field whereupon hee might well conclude with that ancient Poet Sedres excellens est contra reptiles bestias Remedia mortalibus deorum prebuisse aliquem Quae viperas ignem superant Sed nullus contra mulierem remedia inuenit adhuc Malam huiusmodi sumus hominibus malum This oration so effectually deliuered and in the publique assembly audaciously maintained did not so much trouble and vex the Duches as affâ—ight and dishearten poore Perkin who in a manner exanimated lest his fraud and pestilentiall enterprizes should not onely bee discouered but discouraged began to be somewhat appaled and by
a fearefull countenance seemed to discountenance both his honor and the action had not the Duches taken the cause in hand with a more vndaunted courage and like a true Virago raised her spirits to a higher pitch of reuenge thus resuscitating her darling and answering the Doctor MY Lords Embassadors of England For the dignity of princelines commandeth no lesse awfull regard of Maiesty combineth me to such obseruation Besides I am no way offended with your persons but your message wherin I know the Oratour hath much transcended his bounds but speaking for his fee and doing another mans errand he is the more pardonable and therefore as neere as I can reâ—ember I will answer succinctly to euery point deliuered First whereas you impeach the miraculous and wonderfull preseruation of this Prince In which yet my credit and knowledge of the truth shall be of sufficiency to answer all other obiections and intercedings I cannot blame you nor him that set you on worke For he well knowes that sonnes â—re to bee preferred before daughters and ashamed of the â—reachery of his ancestours he would put off the blame by a tricke of policy in laying as great faults on the shoulders of his aduersary I meane my brother Richard whose tyranny and obdurate heart hath onely wrought this relenting in me that say do what England can I will be now the Protectrix of this euery way distressed Prince and so to conclude this poynt assure your King Permanet in voto mens mea firma suo Secondly whereas you inferre the improbability and vnlikelihood of sauing the Prince being in a Tyrants custody and determining to murther the King himselfe I answer in a word I am of your minde if euer he had come into his hands But it is well knowne that the Cardinall himselfe was deceiued and the childe conuayed away in despight of the maleuolent practises of so cruell an Homicide Yet say it had not beene so I hope eldest brothers daughters are preferred before a yonger brothers claime and hee had fiue Princesses besides my Nephew Warwicke to wrastle wiâ—hall before he could goe out of the lists with his owne triumphs Therefore it was not the feare of him that did accelerate his murther as you suppose but his resolution to bee King in despight of Heauen and Hell Thirdly concerning the dispossessing of the Queene their mother by your Parliament I am ashamed of your asseueration that euer man and such a man whom as you say the Heauens protected should bee attainted of inhumanity to thinke a woman might not bee affrighted with a Tyrant when hee himselfe ranne into euery corner from his reaches But say there had beene a fault perpetrated through the timidity of her sex and tendernesse of her widdow-hood would any man marry the daughter and hate or distresse the poore mother in whose behalfe I may well say with Ariadne to Theseus Sinon ego causasalutis Noâ— tamen est cur tu fis mihi causa necis And therefore if there were no more then to reuenge her quarrell I will bee an enemy to Lancaster while I liue and am no further mooued with your vnseasonable oratory then afraid of his menaces Fourthly whereas you would insinuate with our Nobles and trusty friends to desist from my allegiance and aâ—â—sting my Nephew in his lawfull claime you thinke belike we are as perfidious as your selues that seeme glad of Treason and turmoiles vpon the very sound of innouation yea the least aduantage or disaduantage will cause you leaue your Prince in the midst of his enemies Fiftly concerning your exprobration of Maximilian for ingratitude and not coadiuting your King in his petty reuenges vpon France First his great dessignes are not to be compared to your triuiall businesse and hauing matters of high consequence else-where he could not leaue them to attend your weaker importunities Secondly he well knew it was but a folly to assist you in any businesse of France for as fasâ— as you got it one way you would loose it another so that you cannot now show any Town or Fort either of King Edwards conquests or Henry the fifts enterprises except Calice which lying so neere you you cannot for shame but defend And thirdly in my conscience he tooke pitty of you knowing you had a warre at home to attend and so were not able to prosecute both encounters at once goe back therefore and tell your politike Prince that whereas words are but womens weapons to his imagination we determine to arme our selues and this Prince by Gods assistance and my power shall bid him base in his owne Kingdome with speare and shield and make an equall combat the decider of both their Titles Last of all concerning your inuectiue against women alas I smile at your schollership and am ashamed at your poore discretion in adapting some poeticall inuention out of fury or despight to your present purposes when both the same man and all others of the same condition are as forward to commend as dispraise vs For to answere your worne out and threed bare Tragedian hearke what our Diuine Petrarch affirmeth Huius mens terrenarâ—m nescia curarum Coelestibus desiderâ—s ardet in cuius aspectu si quid vnquam veri est diuini specâ—â—en decoris effulget cuius mores consummata honestatis exempâ—â—â— sunt cuius nec vox necoculorum vigor mortale aliquid nec incessuâ—â—â—minem represent at With which words she arose and carried away Perkin with such state and maiestie that Sir Edward Poinings though he were euery way inuincible for his courage and a knowne man for wonderfull and seuerall exploits yet seemed amazed at her Heroicall speech and delicat manner of obstinacy Notwithstanding the Embâ—ssadors and Councell of Estate often met and after long debating the matter somewhat to pacifie the King of England for many reciprocall gratuities and benefits receiued they concluded that the Arch-duke should neither aide nor assist Perkin nor his complices in any cause or quarrell whatsoeuer against the maiesty of England Only if the Duches continued in her obduratnesse and would not desist from her feminine rages and terrible prosecutions they were not to oppose against her nor was it in their power to let or withstand it For she was an absolute gouernour in her owne territories and the seignories and lands assigned for her dower were of sufficiency to suffulciat her enterprises without their contradiction or restraint When this answere was giuen they returned againe into England with a true relation of all occurrences as they chanced and circumstances impending whereupon King Henry both politike and charitable for of all other things he desired if it were possible to auoid effusion of blood and hazzardous danger of battaile supposing that was the last remedy of curing diseased Common-wealths as Surgeons doe to festered sores contriued another worke which although it was branded by some with the character of traiterous intelligences yet it serued his turne for
Orators pleading for the time in a bad cause with good words and handling an ill matter too-too well From thence he went couragiously against the whole company and what with the former Earles assaulting them on the one side and his owne charges on the other side as knowing how the Kings businesse stood to make an end of the warre the battaile began apace and not a man but prepared himselfe to fight it out till at last the Lord Dawbney engaged himselfe so farre that he was taken prisoner but whether for feare or through his owne wit and pollicie they quickly released him and he as quickly dispatched the matter and made an end of the warre For he put them all to flight so that a man may well say vnto them Via nulla saâ—utis Non fuga non virtus vix spes quoque mortis honestae and I may truely report of the contrary neuer was a battaile so well fought and so quickly determined For before the King was ready to goe to dinner there were slaine two thousand Rebels and many more taken prisoners the rest hardly escaped home who for all their defeature and vncomfortable newes to the people were rather accelerated to reuenge their companions wrongs then exanimated from further attempts or seemed grieued at the King and Countries molestation shewing sad lookes but stomachous hearts and so remained intoxicated in their braines and ready vpon euery occasion to a new rebellion as you shall heare hereafter When this battaile was ended and so delicately contriued for the King lost not aboue foure hundred men some imputed it to the Kings policy who appointing the same on Monday by way of anticipation fell vpon them on Saterday and so taking them somewhat vnprouided had the fortune to preuaile and thriue in his aduantage Such as were taken and apprehended had their pardon except the principall and fire-brands of the mischiefe For the Lord Audeley was drawne from Newgate to the Tower-Hill in a Coat of his owne armes painted vpon paper reuersed and all to torne and there beheaded the 28. of Iune Thomas Flamoch and Michael Ioseph were executed after the order of Traitors and their quarters sent into Cornwall for the terrifying of the people some were dispatched at sundry Townes as they deserued amongst whom the Smith and diuers others of his immodest friends had no excuse to make for this rebellion but whether they preuailed or no they were sure to be registred to eternity for daring to doe somewhat in behalfe of their Countries liberty and bidding battaile to Kings and Princes at their Pallace Gates and before the Citie Wals euen London it selfe that great Citie the Chamber for their treasury and strength of their roialtie which makes me remember a saying of Lucan Sed me velsola tueri Fama potest rerum toto quas gessimus orbe Et nomen quod mundus amat And in another place Quid plura feram tum nomina tanto Inuenies operi vel famam consule mundi and this was the end of the twelfth yeare In this time you must know that the King of Scots lay not idle but meerely vpon supposition of what would follow prepareth himselfe nor was so ill befriended but he had secret intelligences of all King Henries purposes and intendments whereupon he enlarged his Army barracadoed his passages entrenched and fortified the holds kept good Watch and Ward and stood on the pinacles of a high presumption to encounter with the proudest forces of England yea to giue defiance if need were to the King himselfe Notwithstanding he now lay a while only at defence watching with what warde the English would breake vpon him and wondring at my Lord Dawbneis retraction and why he came not forward as his espials had aduertised but when he vnderstood of the Westerne rebellion he then coniectured the truth and a while reposed himselfe till a Messenger of these Westerne men came vnto Perkin and profered their obedience and endeuours if he would come and ioine his Army with theirs and so as their Prince and Captaine reuenge there wrongs this was motioned to King Ieames who for all he confessed that if they would ioine with the Cornish men there might be a gate open indeed to preuaile and walke in the fields of Victorie yet he would by no meanes aduenture his people so farre and confessed plainly he wanted ships for transporting so great an Army into those parts Only because he would be doing to please the supposed Prince he meant to take this opportunitie of the King of Englands disturbance and once againe aduenture into his territories and so with a sufficient preparation he attempted the Castle of Norrham standing vpon the Riuer of Twede deuiding Scotland and England But Richard Fox Bishop of Durham a man of great learning courage experience and fidelitie suspecting as much had well stored and fortified the same and was in it with such power munition and prouision as he was able to raise sending the King word of the siedge and inuiting the Earle of Surrey to come to his reskue with all expedition The Earle was mustering of men in Yorke-shire when this newes extended it selfe and like a worthy seruitor hastned his iourney the rather and so with twelue Earles and Barons of the North Countrie one hundred Knights and Gentlemen of name and twentie thousand Soldiers well ordered and armed he came to raise the siedge in which this braue Prelate was so engaged Besides he furnished a hansome Nauy at Sea whereof the Lord Brooke was Admirall to giue their attendance whatsoeuer should chance But when the King of Scots and his counterfet Duke of Yorke had full and certaine notice of the Earle of Surreis approach and that the Lord Dawbenies army was also integrat and vnbroken yea ready to march forward as a second to the former they thought it better to retire with securitie then to tarry the aduenture with certeinty of losse if not hazzard both of life and honour and so by a voluntary consent they raised their campe and returned vnder colour of commiseration of the people whom they knew in the best war must be subiected to slaughter or captiuitie and to this purpose they could yield a reason out of our Poet to certain spirits that wondred at their affrightings and drawings back seeing no perill apparant nor hearing of any stedfast reports concerning a more forcible enemie and so calling for a book reading to them this leâ—â—on of satisfaction Potuit tibi Vulnere nullo Stare labor belli potuit fine caede subactum Captiuumque ducem violatae tradere paci Quiâ— furor â— Coeci scelerum Ciuilia bella Gesturimetuunt ne non cum sanguine vincant This answere of the Kings did rather harme then good to poore Perkin For they perceiued the King was weary of this warre and loth to take his part any longer and so they rested a while displeasingly pleased But the truth was the
Earle of Surrey was so enraged at the bragging and ouer-daring Prince that he followed him at the heeles and in reuenge of many mischiefes perpetrated by him in such audacious manner he entred Scotland defaced the Castle of Cundrestins deuasted the Tower Hedonhaâ—â— vndermined the Tower of Edington ouerthrew the Pile of Fulden and sent Norey King of Armes to the Captaine of Haiton Castle the strongest fortification betweene Barwick and Edinborough to deliuer the same which he absolutely denied vntill the worthy Generall set himselfe downe before it made his approches and cast vp a strong rampart or battery for the expugnation preuailing so farre that at last it was surrendred their liues onely saued who were no soooner departed according to the conditions but our Generall quite ouerthrew and demolished the same The King of Scots was within a mile of the siedge and yet durst not reskue the same only by way of ostentation he sent Marchemount and another Herrald to the Earle of Surrey with a kind of defiance and challenge either to encounter with him Army to Army or body to body conditionally that if the victory fall to his maiesty the Earle should deliuer and surrender for his ransome the Townâ— of Barwicke with the fish-garthes of the same if the Earle againe were Victor the King would pay 1000. pound sterling for his redemption The noble Generall welcommed these Herralds and like a couragious yet vnderstanding Captaine quickly answered all the points of their commission First he was ready to abide the battaile in the plaine field and would if he pleased for the same purpose lay open the trenches and make the passages so easie that victory should haue comfort of comming amongst them Secondly he thought himselfe much honoured that so noble a Prince and great a King would vouchsafe to descend to so low a dregree of contention as a priuate duello with him for which he would not onely repute him heroike and magnanimous but setting his loyalty to his Prince aside performe all good offices which belonged to the sweet contract of a perpetuall amity if it were possible betweene them Thirdly for the towne of Barwicke it was none of his but the King his masters which hee would not so much as coniâ—cture vpon without his consent and aduice as he himselfe might well iudge in the affaires of Princes what was to bee done Fourthly hee thought his owne life worth all the townes of the world and so would gladly hazard himselfe yea was proud as hee said before that so great a Maiesty would parallel him in such a kinde onely he desired pardon for a little vaine-glory that if hee conquered the King hee would release him freely if the King vanquished him hee would either yeeld him his life or pay such a tribute and competency as is befitting the state and degree of an Earle to all which he was the rather induced because he was confident that Causa iubet melior superos sperare secundos But it should seeme these affronts were meere flourishes For neither battell nor combat nor any enterprize worth the recording was put in practise although the English forces had layen long in the Countrey to the same purpose wherupon the Lord Generall loth to spend his time so inconsiderately and somewhat wearied with the distemperature of the Climate and vnseasonablenesse of 〈◊〉 weather the Countrey affoording nothing but mists and foggs at this time of the yeere raised his camp and retired to Barwicke But when the truth was further enlarged the King commauded him so to doe by his letters of priuate intelligence For now came a time in which the windowes of heauen seemed to open and the God of mercy thought to recompence his patience and goodnesse with a quiet end of his troubles and happy successe in his enterprizes which fell out vpon this occasion Ferdinando King of Spaine and Elizabeth his wife hauing a purpose to marry their daughter Lady Katherine to Arthur Prince of Wales and very loth that any content on betweene the King of Scots whom he much fauoured and the King of England whom he highly respected should be as it were a wall of partition betweene their proiected amity and royall affinity especially that either probability of an interest or counterfet deuice of the issue-male from the house of Yorke should cast any blockes or hinderances in the way of these pretences he most prouidently sent one Peter Hialos a man of great learning experience and prudency as an Embassadour to Iames King of Scots by way of mediation to contract a league of peace and absolute amity betweene the King of England and him who proceeded with such faire conditions and preuailed so well in his proposed message that hee perceiued a glimmering sun-shine of this peace a farre off but that there were certaine thickning clowds of mischeefe and disturbance which by some effectuall heat from the King of Englands breath must bee remooued and dissipated and therefore hee wrote to King Henry that if it would please him to send some worthy man to be his associate in this enterprize he perswaded himselfe that an honest oratory would quickly conclude the profitable articles of amity For the Poet had assured him and hee found by some experience that Addidit inualidae rebus facundia causae And for an entrance into 〈◊〉 same he assured the King that there was gâ—â—at likelihood to lay downe the bloudy colours of defiance and flourish the pleasant ensignes of tranquility For the King of Scots had already protested hee was onely emulous of King Henries vertues and not maligned or despighted his person and for Perkins title he made it a matter of conscience and charity For he knewe him the right heire if he were the right creature and the Cleargy warranted the actions as meritorious The better sort disclaimed all tyrannous prosecutions For except their obedience to the King they spent and consumed their estates and onely returned with teares and lamentations for the loâ—se of 〈◊〉 friends The inferiour sort imputed all to the superiour commands and as for the formidable effects and bloudy issue of warre it was only the chance and fortune of encounters the action of fury and the vengeance or curse appropriate to dissentions according to that worthy author of excellent sentences and proprositions Sed mentibus vnum Hoc solamen erat quod votiturba nefandi Conscia quae patrum iâ—gulos quae pector a fratrum Sperabat gaudet monstris mentisque tumustu Atque omen scelerum subitos putat esse furores Whereupon King Henry boasting of the character of Prince of peace so that he might not be branded with ignominy of basenesse pusillanimity and dishonour quickly consented to such agreement and for the same purpose sent Richard Fox Bishop of Durrham who stilllay in the baÌ„ttered Castle of Norrham as his cheefe Commissioner who accordingly associated himselfe with Peter Hialos at the towne of Iedworth in Scotland whither the
THE TRVE AND WONDERFVLL HISTORY OF Perkin Warbeck PROCLAIMING himselfe RICHARD the fourth Eurip. Iphig in Tauris Nullus sibi similis in periculis homo quoties ad audaciam ex metu venerit LONDON Printed by E. G. for NATHANIEL BVTTER and are to bee sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Pyde-Bull 1618. Historia est Testis temporum Lux veritatis Vita memoriae Magistra vitae Nuntia vetustatis Cicero de Orat. Lib. 2. Historia nihil aliud est nisi annalium confectio cuius rei memoriaeque publicae retinendae causa ab initio res omnes singulorum annorum mandabat literis Pontifex maximus efferebatque in album proponebat tabulam domi c. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable THOMAS Earle of Arundel primer Earle of England and one of his Maiesties most honourable Councell c. RIGHT HONOVRABLE SVch as my poore selfe that am only a looker on of your vertues as a Passenger in a streete beholding the Frontispice of some delicate Edifice but debarred the entrance and search into the inward roomes must be contented or if you please indebted to the opinion and report of others which I haue found so ample and enlarged concerning your great Honour and greater worthinesse that I will forbeare any further insinuation least I step into a kind of flattery a vice incident to most men refused of none yet in all fortunes to be disclaimed of a Gentleman only I must adde this that I am proud of mine owne assurance that you are borne to adorne our Country and illustrate our Court wherein your industrie loyaltie and immaculate truth shall make your vertues compleat and triumphant Therefore great Lord haue I chosen out this History meerely for the strangenesse and charactred you the Patron of my endeauours for the obseruations that the remarkeable passages heerein proposed of which euen Scotland had a part may serue for all persons in such dignity and eminent places both for precept and caution For Precept to florish in their owne honours and moue in their owne orbes sticking close to the glory of their Countrie and clinging to the sides of Maiesty that the King may aske what shall be done to the man whom he would honour and the Common-wealth follow them with Panegyricall applauses who preserue her peace from the rauishing and deforming of strangers be the hopes to the contrary neuer so probable or inductiue For Caution not once to put any confidence in deceiuers nor belieue the Diuell himselfe though he promise to giue the Kingdomes of the World which are none of his yet I confesse him Prince of the same that is of the abuses and impieties therein both raging and raigning and the rather because the end hath euer beene perdition of body soule honour estates and posteritie nor can the pleading of simplicitie in the seduction or ignorance in the credulity serue the turne For though Princes maâ—y times haue beene drawne to pardon the offences of Subiects and refractary delinquents wallowing or rather sunk ouer head eares in the mierie bogs of such conuulsions yet are they not alwaies to be presumed vpon nor will the Common-wealth endure the indignitie or giue way to any person whatsoeuer in vilipending the gouernment I humbly therefore request your Honour to reade ouer this true and strange Story and take in worth my good meaning which presenteth the same vnto you I protest without any other motiue then to see you florish as a supportation of our Common-wealth and iewel of our kingdome As for the faults and my presumption I expect that that vertue and goodnesse which must make you famous in this world and happy in the world to come will extend but her owne properties to my pardon and admission knowing that if I haue done ill wisdome is not bought in the market and yet God bids vs come without money if well it is in your honourable fauour and noble acceptation Your Honours humble obserâ—ant THOMAS GAINSâ—ORDE Lucan lib. 8. DEstruit ingentes aâ—imos vita superstes Imperio nisi summa dies cum fine bonum Affuit celeri praeuertit tristia letho Dedecori est fortuna prior quisquam ne secundis Tradere se fatis audet nisi morte parata A PREFACE Nec adulatori Neque detractori TO speake of the commendation of history is not my meaning nor of the necessity my purpose For besides the definition and explanation of Tully himselfe you haue at least forty seuerall bookes which begin as I do with a preface as a preparatiue to the Reader to take their books within their gentle embraces meerely vpon the commendation of history I leaue all vnnamed except Sr. Henry Sauill for Tacitus Sr. Walter Raleigh for his history of the world Dr. Haward for the three Norman Kings and Henry the fourth In whose writings let vs write what we can as much is written as either delight profit or priuate respect can extend vnto so that I say I desist from that generall insinuation concerning the credit or particular satisfaction of history and come to more familiar opening the carpet of the businesse proposed Onely this I will adde that I had rather read one true story handsomly set vpon the frame of Precept and Caution then a thousand fictions diuerting my imaginary conceits to thinke vpon and as wee say spend themselues on impossibilities and corrupt my meditation with vaine foolish beastly and triuiall deuises which are the more ridiculous because there is substance and matter enough in verity to set on worke any humour and inuention whatsoeuer satisfie apprehensions euen in their wanton and exoticke wandrings For in this house of repast which my Iuy-bush inuites you to wouldst thou be made partaker of the attributes appropriate to the Diuine Maiesty Heere are manifested his prouidence wisdome mightinesse power iustice mercy preuention loue goodnesse maiesty c Wouldst thou be made acquainted with the secrets of Religion heere are demonstrated the vanities of ceremonies the necessity of adoration the encumbrances of superstition the simplicity of times the darknesse of Popery the feare of excommunication the reuerence of Priest-hood and the folly of deuises Wouldst thou know the policies of gouernment and dignity of a King heere you shall see what the desire of soueraignty can doe the iealousie of a Princes estate the reuenge of wrongs the feare of troubles and innouation the inconstancy of the people the danger of factions und the senerall passages of a prosperous or declining estate Wouldst thou bee quickned with the remembrance of pleasure heere are particulars of delight courtings of Ladies amorous encounters triumphant shewes deceitfull vanities and some idle relations Wouldst thou see vertue mounted on a pinnacle of her palace heere are wisdome grauity constancy magnanimity endurances of misfortune and moderation of power and greatnesse Wouldst thou behold vice in her deformity heere are enuy hatred malice pride ambition desire of reuenge rebellion contumacy stubbornnesse and
same which was much auailable to his purpose For euen those which fauoured the Lord Louell most began to stagger in their resolutions when they perceiued the Kings benignitie and knew with what lenitie and commiseration he was willing to proceede Secondly they thought it necessary and pertinent to their peace to shew the sonne of Clarence personally abroad in the Citie and other publike places whereby the rumor might be dashed out of countenance and the purblinde eies of false opinion extinguished For such an impression this â—ictiue relation of his escape had made that though they beheld him present yet durst some of them sweare it was but a deuise of the Kings whereby you may obserue the danger and inconueniences of idle reports which if they be not strangled in the cradle with Hercules Serpents and smothered betimes ere they come to stronger groth and life will viper like after they haue receiued warmth in ones bosome fly in his face Nay such is the nature of deuices in a tottering Common-wealth that prohibitions to restraine them augment them the more and they who would haue spoken nothing but truth left to their owne liberty being prohibiâ—ed diuulge more then they meant Thirdly It was determined that Queene Elizabeth wife to Edward the fourth should loose her lands and be deposed from all manner of sway in the gouernment because she had voluntarily submitted her selfe and daughters to the hands of King Richard whereby all former contractâ— and pretences of establishment might haue beene frustrated through the inconstancie of a woman or as the State pretended a priuate ambition or couetousnesse to set any loome on worke to weaue the web of her owne pleasure and contentment which although was a heinous crime and very dangerous to the present Kings peace and tranquillitie yet questionlesse the doome and iudgement seemed ouer rigorous Durus fuit hic sermo and if euer 〈◊〉 ius proued summa iniuria it was verified in this verdict For questionlesse they forgot the turbulency of those times the rage of the tyrant the fearefulnesse of many accidents the seducingâ— of a King and the flattering promises of a whole Common-wealth wherein stronger iudgements might haue falled then a womans But it should seeme that God hath a speciall hand in the punishment of sinnes and disposing of Kingdomes For without controuersie if she consented to the murthering of King Richards wife for her owne ease and emolument if she seemed an aduersary to the good pretended to England by vniting the â—amilies or if she proiected her owne aduancement in the present glory of the Kingdome forgetting the losse of her husband the murther of her kindred the slaughter of her children the odiousnesse of the incest and the curse of Heauen vpon crying sins God would neuer suffer such horrible faults vnreuenged but as you heare inflicted her wauering and inconsiderate timerousnesse with this punishment For she was presently confined to the Abbey of Barmondsey in Southwarke and there deceased after she had liued a while in some calamitous distresse and excruciation both of soule and body such are all humane instabilities wordly chances and the condition of Princes themselues Otherwise she that being a poore widow had resisted the Kings importunity by her chast and modest behauiour attracted his good will to marry her she that had founded a Colledge in Cambridge bearing her name at this hower of Queenes Colledge for the propagation of learning and education of Children and Students she that had loued her husband and the glory of England endeauouring all things to the augmentation of the honor of them both she that seemed proud in workes of charity and to help forward the petitions of honest complainants and distressed suiters she that kneeled on her knees for Clarences liberty and importuned the King to remember his brother by the example of Richard the first who remitted his brother Iohn a farre greater delinquent had neuer fallen so low into the dangerous pit of a sonne in lawes displeasure and seene her selfe generally maligned through the kingdome or else as I said the reuealed things belong to vs the secret to God who questionlesse blew the coales of this displeasure to purge the contagion and infection of hiâ— heart which was only knowne to himselfe Fourthly because they knew that reward and hope of gaine might doe much with corrupted persons and irresolute men as all Rebels were they proclaimed a gratuity of aâ—housand pounds sterling to any one which would present the State with the body of this counterfeit Lambert to which they were the rather induced because not long before the Tyrant Richard the third had preuailed with the like against the Duke of Buckingham whom his owne seruant Banister betraied in hope of recompence from the State which is also a custome in Italy where the heads of the Banditi are vallued at so many checkinos or peeces of gold and so the Zaffi or other desperate Ruffiani obtaine many preies and booties Last of all it was concluded to haue forces in readinesse and an Army prepared whatsoeuer should chance with all prouision and furniture belonging to the setting forth of the same and honour of such a Kingdome that neither security or presumption one way of their owne greatnesse and establishment might make them too confident of themselues nor vilipending and slight regard of the contrary another way too negligent against their enemies When all things were thus befitted to the disposing and ordering their affaires On a Sunday ensuing Edward the yong Earle of Warwick was brought froÌ„ the Tower through the publike streetes of London to the Cathedrall Church of Pauls where he remained all Procession time and high Masse hauing open conference with many of the Nobilitie especially such whom the King suspected might haue been induced to the commotion vpon the full assurance of his escape But if he had asked them why he was imprisoned or what transgression the King could impute vnto him to detaine him in dures in that manner and after put him to death being an infant innocent without law or reason I meruaill what they would haue answered or how the Councell themselues would haue satisfied a iudicious questioner in that kinde yet by this occasion the imaginations of diuers were setled and the better sort belieued that these Irish newes were simulatory and represented Ixions boasting that he had laien with Iuno when it was but a cloude as by the monstrous birth of the Centaures did appeare But it was not so with all For as it often happens in the stopping of a violent inundation of water that it causeth it the more to rage and make a terrible noice whereas running in a deep channell it would goe quietly away So fell it out in the suppressing of these rumors and mens hatred and malice many were the more exasperated and by this gentle and saire course to reduce them thought all but trickes of policie to deceiue them proouing like certaine kinds
way which he looked not for To goe forward hee was yet too weake the King being so strong and enabled which irresolution made the Poet cry out Non satis est muris latebras quaesisse pauori And againe facilis sed vertere mentes Terror erat dubiamque fidem fortuna ferebat At last remembring that audaces fortunâ— iuuat and the aduentures of warre are not alwaies bound to numbers and multitude For King Henry himselfe had not two yeeres before with a small power vanquished King Richard and his mightie armie he absolutely determined to trie the fortune of a battell and encounter with his aduersaries who not onely expected the like as being in the same forwardnesse and resolution but determined to rouâ—e them in despight of anie protraction in what den or place soeuer they meant to obscure themselues whereupon he marched from Yorke to Newarck vpon Trent presuming the King to bee two or three daies iourney from him and so he was sure not to lose by the bargaine But before hee came thither King Henry was in his bosome as vnderstanding his egresse regresse and progresses which he vndertooke and when he came there was ready to flie in his face For hee settled himselfe the night before the battell approaching within three miles of the contrary The valiant and ouer-hardy Earle of Lincolne nothing terrified at the matter but rather duro adâ—isit gaudia vâ—ltu And came forward apace yet not in anie ouer-daring manner but vnstartled in his resolutions retained his accustomed grauity and verie neere the Kings armie at a village called Stoke quartred his forces and tooke vp the field with resolution the next day to call Fortune to the deciding of the controuersie The King likewise prepared himselfe and only acquainting the companie with matters of necessity in an equall and plaine field diuided the troops and darraigned the battalions To tell you of any signes wonders prodegies prophesies dreames deuises forewarnings or portentous accidents making sometimes a cause either good or bad would spend time to lose time and procure small thankes in the paines For the superstitious and ignorant would bee angrie at the opposition and repugnancy and the truely religious offended at the vanity and superfluity as abhorring the participation of diuine power to Men Deuills or Angells To enlarge my discourse concerning militarie proceedings of entrenchings fortifications encounters diuisions of squadrons ordring the companies setting forward the forces would preuent me from a fitter and more opportune occasion heereafter To discourse of the Captaines the Souldiers encouragements the Earle of Lincolnes orations the Kings forcible and gracious speech the intimation of the imposture and discouery of the treasons at large were to prolong the history without further profit then a poore inuention which would questionlesse extenuate the worthinesse of the businesse therefore I desist from all extraneall and superfluous discourses and apply my selfe to a more succinct enarration of the matter When the field was fully and orderly agreed vpon the precize Earle as if hee would amate the King with a kinde of precedency set forth the Vauâ—tguard of his armie and with a manly courage onely animated the Souldiers that day to remember his honour the Kings safety and their owne liues and liberties and so gaue a signe to the battell whereat the Irish began their accustomed cry or if you will Lullal lullo which neither affrighted nor troubled the English on the contrary side but ministred occasion rather to laugh at The Germanes perceiuing the skirmishes and violent meetings of these warlike bodies contrary to their vsuall keeping of their stands and close fights set vpon the Kings Vauntguard and as they were approoued and expert men in many encounters so did they for the time in all things as well as strength and policy could execute equalling and answering the English man to man or battell to battell and for the Generalls had the Earle of Lincolne beene as nimble and deliuer as he was vigilant valiant and wary he might well haue paralleld the best of his aduersaries But to decipher and truely to speake of Martin Swart I shall much disable his worthinesse and merit For he was heroike in spirit strong in heart and of great ability in body expert experienced and failing in nothing but his fortune Eor when the Irish being most of them as I sayd vnarmed were put by their light manner of skirmishing a farre off and charged with strong horses on the Flancks and as strong bodies of pikes in the Front to which you may adde the cunning of the Kings artillery and violence of the arrowes which fell downe like haile vpon these poore and naked soules they knew no way of resisting or retiring but were subiect to a terrible encounter and slaughter And although they held out a while as long as an equall met man-hood protracted the victory yet were they so pressed and oppressed that they quickly yeelded and shrunke vnder the stroakes of a mightier arme Againe the Kings Foreward being full of companie and well furnished continually supplied with Wings and Archers wonderfully encouraged with the high deseruing of the Commanders at last brake the bodie of the Almaines and scattered their company with a lamentable discomfiture yet I must needes say they were first more terrified to see the Irish killed so confusedly then exanimated with their owne disasters What should I report it is with staggering troops and dispersed companies as with a man falling downe a paire of staires who neuer leaues tumbling till he come to the bottome so these yeelded to the fortune of a defeat without recouery and onely met honor in the way to a glorious death Therfore I will stand the lesse on descriptions For neuer was a victorie so soon gotten nor a busines more quickly ended many being slain many taken prisoners many hurt and few or none escaped the cheefest reason because the Lord Louell the Earle of Lincolne other Commanders desperate of mercy or reconciliation wondring at the valiant Germans man-hood and exploits ioyned with him in a new aduenture cried alowd We will die with thee noble hart for thou art worthy to liue with Kings die with Princes yea to be buried in the fields of euerlasting renowne so they were as good as their words For after men and manhood had acted their parts on this bloâ—dy stage of fury and slaughter they were all found dead in the field that is to say the Lord Martin Swart or if you will Sward the Earle of Lincolne the Lord Geraldiâ—e the Lord Louell Sr. Th Broughton with the most part of the Commanders and fiue thousand Souldiers The report was that the Lord Louell tooke his horse and would haue fled ouer Trent but not able to recouer the highnesse oâ— the bancks he was drowned in the riuer some also maintaine that the King out of the generosity of his spirit commanded that none should kill or hurt the
Earle of Lincolne that being brought vnto him hee might discouer the secrets of this mischeefe and the viperous brood of false-hearted subiects but the souldiers would not permit it lest the sauing of his life might by such detection endanger diuers others as good as himselfe and so killed him by way of anticipation After this victory the King would needes solemnize a thanksgiuing to God in the open field as well to aâ—cyd ingratitude as to giue good example and when it was vrged he might better defer it till he came to some religious place or house of deuotion he more religious assured them that God was euery where and neither the place nor the manner graced the sacrifice and the intentiuenesse of the heart and true meaning of the soule which he had learned of the Poet and so alledged these verses out of Lucan Estque Deisedes vbiterra pontus aer Et coelum virtus superos quid quaerimus vltra Iupiter est quodcunque vides quodcunque moueris This the Bishops present durst neither deny nor would willingly approoue for feare of any diminution in their settled ceremonies and glorious Cathedralls but at this time the Kings ardency preuailed and he kneeled downe on the bare ground in the open fields and rendred thankes and praises to God Afterward hee gaue order for the funeralls of the dead shedding teares himselfe in commiseration of so many worthy men slaine for such an vniustifiable businesse the people yet vnmooued and the souldiers not so much as daunted though they saw the bleeding carkasses and wounded bodies according to the saying Exemploque carens nulli cognitus aeuo Luctus erat mortem populos deflere potentis Then he proceeded to the casting vp a new accounts of mercy and forgiuenesse proclaiming pardon to all that would penitently admit of the same and to his eternall fame not onely gaue Lambert and the Priest their liues but commanded that no man should abuse them with contumely and reproach as perceiuing the one for his yeeres vncapable of the apprehension of treason or flagicious circumstances concerning the same the other for his orders profession to be a priuiledged person yet most heroikly and wisely he told him that he which rolleth a stone vp a hill may peraduenture haue it fall vpon his own head and he that looketh too high in a dangerous entrenched ground may fall into the ditch Notwithstanding for his pennance he was committed to perpetuall imprisonment but Lambert admitted into the palace and from place to place came at last to bee one of his Maiesties Faulkoners Last of all he looked ioyfully on his owne company and in remuneration of their loyalty and noble seruices spred the mantle of honour ouer diuers and imparted seuerall rewards to the rest according to their places of eminency This battell was fought on a Saturday the sixteenth of Iune 1489. and in the end of the second yeere of Henry the seuenth And thus was all this high enterprize of Lady Margaret represented to a ball blown out of a box of sope and water which when it comes to a swelling fulnesse at last hursts in peeces of it selfe of which when she was aduertized and had cause sufficient of exclamation and repining against her misfortune and disastrous preuention of her malice yet was she so farre from relaxation or pacifying her hate that it rather exasperated the same and made her more forward to contriue more â—ellish proiects as we shall see by and by so that I may well exclaime Orabiosamulier Quà m sit manisesta phrenesis Yea she set vp such a loome out of her pestilent inuention that a man would thinke it impossible for a woman to contriue or prosecute but that the old Poet hath so long agoe told vs Praeterea nos sumus mulieres Ad bona quidem ineptissimae Malorum vero omnium effectrices sapientissâ—mae Yet for the time she deplored the miscarrying of the matter but was not ashamed to confesse that she cared not by what meanes King Henry might be debased After this great mischeefe like a peece of Ordnance ouercharged was thus broken in the fulnesse and that with little trouble tumult and expences compared to many other warres The King as you heard returned thankes to the Decider of all controuersies and presently sent word to London of his prosperity and aduenture seeming sorry for nothing but the death of the Earle of Lincolne assuring the Duke of Bedford and Earle of Shrewsbury that he delighted in his humours and had a determination to haue saued his life adding yet this by the way that hee was amazed at nothing more then the audaciousnes of the man that durst so meanly accompanied set vpon such a great puissâ—nt an army Therfore it must needs be that he presumed on further suppliment or some breakings out amongst themselues But seeing it hath pleased God that we haue not onely escaped this threatning storme of commotion and disturbance but also choaked with the dust of their owne dissention the interiour diuisions and conspiracies of the Kingdome Let vs my Lords I pray you be somewhat considerate touching tumultuous and discontented persons that they may be orderly satisfied in their honest demands and discreâ—tly preuented from vnlawfull â—onuenticles or associated asâ—emblies of vnquiemesse and murmuring against our gouernment vnder colour of hunting faires markets horâ—â—-races weddings and such like Let vs also haue a care of our ports harbours and hauens to preuent wanderers and trauellers who from the excuses of deuotion to visit Rome and curiosity to explore forren countries doe many time deceiue our trust with indirect and preposterous businesse In this triumphant prosperity he returned to London and was as well welcommed to the people as contented in himselfe and so ran forward in the race of all mundane felicitie and maiesticall happinesse But neither his owne wisdome the vigilancy of the Officers the fidelity of his Nobles the policy of his Councellours the loyalty of his subiects nor the whole regard of the Common wealth could turne the frame of heauen about nor preuent his destiny concerning following mischeefes Nam fato prudentia minor That is to say could put a scarlet cloth ouer the sting of that serpent Enuy to pull it out of the heart no not out of the mouth no not out of the hands of the Duches of Burgundy but she must be tampering with the edge tooles of diuellish despight and beating on the annile of malicious calumniation or if you will conspiracy hoping at one time or other to hammer out such a worke of disturbance that neither the King should be able to quench the flames nor the Subiect daring to disable the enterprize Whereupon to preuent all claimes exceptions and meanes of distrust Some foure yeeres after she set vp another I doll of defiance personating Richard Plantaginet second sonne to King Edward the fourth and Duke of Yorke supposed to be murthered with his
wals of Troy and feined inuention shadowed with the pretence of verity and truth preuailed with their credulitie that they adhibited the more faith and indubitate trust vnto it supposing verily he had been preserued by the wil and prouidence of God and so committed to the trust and custody of some faithfull friend either by King Edward or his mother when she was in Sanctuary relying also on this impossibility that any Tyrant would so rebell against God as infring the orders of holy Church and take him perforce from thence as yet the story manifesteth was to be done euen by the Cardinall himselfe By this time the same of this iuggled miracle was not only blowne ouer Flanders and the Territories adiacent but so rumored in England by reason the present gouernment suppressed all publique reports libels and writings that in the very whispering Nam fraudibus euentum deder at fortuna It was more forcible then if it had been published by lâ—cence and authority Thus haue I seene a fire smoothered and enclosed in some secret place neâ—er to bee quiet till it were vented out and when it came to eruption made the more forcible and outragious noyse For it was heere receiued as an infallible truth and not onely beleeued of the better sort but entertained of the common people who being more liberall of audacious behauiour and lesse fearefull to offend God began to confirme it with oathes as a matter of truth which others but barely affirmed as a report of vncertainty Thus began trouble vpon trouble and as the Spring putteth forth the buds and blossomes like the messenger of Summer and pleasant times to ensue So did this fantasticall fable thus diuulged prognosticate following calamity â—nd consequent desolation For after it was knowne with what honour he had beene entertained in Flanders and reuerenced in other places of Europe there began sedition on euery side in England and no man was sure of his friend the times grew to such distraction Some that were fled to Sanctuaries for great and hainous offences perpetrated discharged themselues and went beyond the seas vnto him Some that had confined themselues to priuiledged places for debts and accounts began to shew themselues vnder his support and combination then being safest when the State is vnsafest Some euen of the better sort through rashnesse and â—emerity because they would bee counted factious and stirring drew apace vnto him Some out of the nature of inconstancy or rather impression of melancholy neuer to be remooued from the opinion they haue once entertained beleeued verily that this Perkin was the indubitate sonne of Edward the fourth Some through simplicity and easinesse of apprehension without examining the probability and likelihood of the matter yeelded to any thing which was told them Some temporizers to curry fauor in the change of Princes perswaded and solicited other to their opinions that so bringing many coadiutors they might not onely be reputed of strength and reputation in their countries but the better welcommed and entertained with the preuailer Some through indignation and enuy murmuring at their slender aduancement or grudging they were not more condignely rewarded for their former paines and aduentures in his Maiesties businesse resorted to this new Prince in hope of better acceptation And some ouerwearied with eâ—se and placability of idlenesse greeuing to see the world stand at a stay with desire of change ran headlong into this fury madnesseâ— and seditious conspiracy O tempora ô mores ô flagitiosa voluntas But for all this rumour of this twice borne Duke Richard of Yorke and that England was diuided and drawne into parts taking and seuerall factions so that the minds of men were vexed either with the hope of gaine or preferment or feare of losse and confusion Yet was the King and his Councell not much disturbed or affrighted more then their maruell and modest anger at so many persons seeming in their right wits to be seduced either in the contriuing such a manifest and notorious lie or assenting and preparing themselues to countenance the same without feare of God or men not once forecasting the dangerous penalty of treasons contempts conspiracies and practises against their naturall Prince and so sufficient a Gouernour For it was not onely a pernicious fable and fiction strange and maruellous but prodigious and vnnaturall to resussitate a maâ— from the dead and with impudent asseueration to set it forth and palliate it with the vesture and garment of a professed verity But in such cases be Kings ueuer so wise nor matters so triuiall and vnlikely there is no sitting still nor giuing way to the businesse especially there is no rebating an enemy with proclamations writings and prohibitions who commeth forward with the clamors of war well settled prepâ—ration of offence Therfore his Maiesty thought it the best course to looke about him and both by force and policy to preuent the mischeefe impending and threatned For hee perceiued how already the fire of rebellion had taken hold of some of the principall houses of England whom hee knew had vnderhand already sent messengers vnto Lady Margaret to vnderstand when Richard Duke of Yorke would come conueniently into England that they might be ready to help and succour him euen at his first arriuall This businesse encreased to a fulnesse and ripenesse about the eighth yeere of his Maiesties raigne insomuch that the confederates by common assent agreement posted ouer Sr. Robert Clifford Knight and William Barley into Flanders to be the better assured of all particulars who were not only gladly accepted and louingly welcommed of the Duches with full intimation of the truth and wonderfull deliuery of strangenesse of the story Nec grauide lachrymas continuere genae But brought to the sight and sweet entertainment of Perkin who played the counterfet so exactly that his words resembled for cible incantations according to that of the Poet Vna per at hereos exit voxilla recelsus Vâ—rbaque ad inuâ—tum praefert cogentia numen â— For all men praised his vertues and qualities with a resolued beleeâ—e of his princelinesse and Sr. Robert Clifford swore directly that he was extracted of the bloud royall and the very sonne of King Edward the fourth Whereupon hee wrote letters of confidence credit to his associates in England that as the Queene of Saba told Salomon she did not beleeue the halfe of that which was reported till shee had seene it with her eyes So he could not bee perswaded to so much as rumour had preferred till he had ouerveiwed him in person But when these letters were receiued in England the conspiratours caused them to be openly published and diuulged in many places with full credence that it was true and not fained which was spoken by the Duke of Yorke and therefore they neede not be afraid to be drawne to such a commotion and parts taking all yet was carried so orderly and couertly that the King more then vncertaine
the present and so diuers were appointed to discouer the secrets of the contrary by feigned dissimulation Of these were two sorts one to feigne themselues Yorkists and so learne out what they could preiudiciall to King Heâ—ry another to tamper with Sir Robert Clifford and William Burley for their returne to the obedience of the King and concerning the Plot it selfe he reputed it iustifiable as authorised by all Authors ages and Common-wealthes who set downe in their politique discourses that Fraus est concessarepellere fraudem Armaque in armatos sumere iurâ— finunt These cunning enformers so demeaned themselues and imploied theirâ—time with such sedâ—lity and care that they perswaded though with much adoe Sir Robert Clifford to desist from this foolish and dangerous collusion which had neither sure ground nor foundation to stay it selfe vpon but Master Barley could not be diuerted at this instant till within two yeares after almost tired out with expectation after Pâ—ter Warbecks fortunes and successe he returned of himselfe to the King and had pardon both for life and liberty The others likewise proceeded so effectuaily that they had sure notice of especiall persons confederate and adiured to this blinde and foolish proiect of which they presently enformed the King who by that means could not only personally name his home enemies but to preuent the worst did as personally attach the most principall that is to say Sir Iohn Ratcliffe the Lord Fitzwater Sir Simon Mountford Sir Thomas Thwaits William Dawbney Robert Clifford Thomas Cressenor and Thomas Astwood with these were diuers religious persons imprisoned as William Rochford Doctor of Diuiuitie and Thomas Poines both Friers Dominicks Doctor William Sutton William Worsley Deane of Paules Robert Laiborn and Richard Lâ—ssly with diuers others vnapprehended of whom some tooke Sanctuarie and some fled into Flaunders to Perkin But of those whose liberties were constrained Sir Simon Mouâ—â—ford Sir Robert Ratcliffe and William Dawbney were beheaded as powerfull factious and chiefe authors of the conspiracie the rest were pardoned especially the Priests who were in those times for their orders sake sequestred from publique executions what offences soeuer they perpetrated which made them so forward in all facinorous actions and others so superstitious as to beleeue any thing they either proiected or attempted from which hypocriticall and deceiuable manner of life all Poets and Philosophers themselues haue had both generall and particular inuectiues against Priests augures soothsaâ—ers figure casters and religious persons both for their prophane liues and seducing vanities so that Euripides amongst many other places concludes in his Ephigenia Vatiduûm omne genus ambitiosum malum est and all the Kingdomes and times of the World hauâ— smarted through the pride couetousnesse and malicious wickednesse of Priests and Fryars and lastly Iesuites as I said before But to our Story Although the Lord Fâ—â—zwater was pardoned his life for the present yet comming after to Calice he was beheaded for attempting to escape by corrupting his keepers and so to goe to Perkin whereby this strange and intricate worke so busied his Maiesty that he would often compare it to the conquering of Hydra a beast so priuiledged by nature that as one head was struck off seuen others grew in the place For his turmoiles both at home and abroad encreased and he seemed as much tormented with the suspition of bosome friends as affrightings of forraine enemies which so exasperated him that as he supposed to preuent the worst considering Maximilian King of the Romans had ieofaild with him in his wars against France and that Lady Margaret with the Flemings had supported Perkin Warbeck against him he in a kind of reâ—â—nge banished all Low-Countrie men and their commodities out of the Realme with restraining the Merchant from hauing accesse into any of their Cities But alas this was to no purpose and in truth rather a custome of anger then secret of policie as if a man because his finger torments him should cut off his hand to ease himselfe for they did the like by vs whereby the Mart being kept at Calice and no vent else-where for our Marchandize many poore house-keepers complained for want of worke many rich men murmured and were compelled to lessen their families and abate their retinue many Merchants felt the losse and the Trades-man cried out-right because the Esterlings brought all manner of manuall worke ready made into the Land and tooke from them both their labour and customers whereby a riot was made vpon them at the Stilyard and the Maior of London with the principall Officers had much adoe to appease the tumult and this was the ninth yeares disturbance The King thus turmoiled euery way repaired for diuers reasons to the Tower of London whither shortly after came Sir Robert Clifford vnto him partly trusting to the Kings promise partly mistrusting his owne company and Perkins weakenesse But the chiefest polecie of his resiance in the Tower was to secure himselfe and lay hold of all others suspected or accused in this conspiracy who thither resorting to the Councell might with ease and without any tumult be committed to prison as it presently fell out For after the King had admitted Sir Robert and insinuated with him in excellent positions of Diuinity and morality by way of disceptation vrging the loue and fauour of his Prince in his true obedience and reconciliation he not only related the manner of Perkins proceedings but on his knees with teareâ— in his eies discouered the matter to be weake and impossible if it had not factious supportation from some of powerfull houses of England and very neere his Maiesties person whereof though many were punished and the rest dissipated and diuided Yet Sir William Stanley remained vnsuspected and his heart trembled to accuse him But when the King heard Sir William Stanley named he started back amazed and in a manner confounded that Sir Robert was affraid he had done him more harme in the relation then good in the detection At last he burst out what my bosome friend my Councellor my Chamberlaine then I see there is no trust in men nor as the Psalmist saith confidence in Princes For as we shal not want instruments to goe forward with what enterprise we please as Dauid had his Ioab so shall we not lack enemies let them be neuer so carefull and desirous to fauour the least deseruer but I may well now cry out Heu cadit in quâ—nquam tantum scelus and with the kingly Prophet exclaime It was not mine enemies abroad but my companions and such as eate at my table betraied me What Sir William Stanley he hath the gouernment of my Chamber the charge and controlment of all that are next my person the loue and fauour of our Court and the very keyes of our treasurie He made me a conquerour in the field and by his hand I scourged tyrannie out of his Throne therefore it is impossible and I cannot belieue it But
when a second reply brought him to the sight of fairer particulars and that he saw the smoake though it was but a smother came from some fire he quickly recollected his spirits and with these verses of Euripides set himselfe downe at the table of preuention and reposednesse Ex amicis autem alios quidem non certos video amicos Qui vero sunt rectè impotentès sunt vt iuuent Talis res est hominibus ipsa infoelicitas Quā nullus vnquam quicunque vel mediocriter amicus mini Assequatur amicorum examen certissimum The same night vpon better consideration my Lord Chamberlaine was restrained from his liberty within the quadrant Tower and confined to his owne Chamber for a season but when the crime was openly prooued and the Councell had as it were with a charming hand of Hecate turned his inside outward and found all his excuses to consist in distinctions and his reasons of defence manifest astipulations of the matter he grew out of all patience and knew not what to say or to doe For one way like an Noble Prince commiserating his subiects he feared lest his brother Lord Thomas Stanley the life of his first roialty as a man should say take it grieuously Another way he misdoubted lest in remitting the fault some other might abuse his lenity and mercy and be the bolder to runne forward in the dangerous courses of further treasons At last by the aduise of his Councell and generall vouge of the Court seuerity considering the perill of those daies tooke place and mercy was put backe so that after a solemne arraignment he had iudgement to dye and accordingly was brought on the 16. of February to Tower-hill and had his head struck off The principall point of his enditement consisted in this that Sir William Stanley sware and affirmed that he would neuer fight nor beare Armor against the yong man Peter Warbeck if he knew of a truth that he was the indubitate sonne of Edward the fourth whereupon arose a coniecturall proofe that he bare no good will to King Henry Again the principall motiue of his distasting and murmuring at the King was for being denied the Earledome of Chester when his brother Lord Thomas was inuested with the sword of Derby yet the King besides many rewards other great offices made him his chiefe Chamberlaine what should I say it should seem ambition had blinded his eies peruerted his iudgement For he still thought on the benefits which the King receiued from the loue and seruice of his family neuer remembring the compensation and gratuities returned back againe to him selfe supposing that his vessell of oile should still be filled to the brims or else he harped on a Machiuilian position thankfulnesse is a burthen but reuenge is sweete and reckned as gaine But it should seeme that in possessing King Richards treasure at the conquest of Bosworth field which King Henry franckly bestowed vpon him and the command ouer the people in the Country he grew proud and elated and so vilepended the King or from a continual melancholy reuerberating mislike and hate vpon his staggering conceits he more and more ouer burthened his heart with rage and despight which as you haue heard vnpurged vented out those words of disloialtie to the losse of his life or in a word according to that of our old Tragedian Animorum Iupiter vindex est minis superborum the searcher of heart◠was weary of his tumors and ingratitude and so tooke the Kings cause in hand and vpon good inforcement thrust him into the house of destruction Otherwise he could not choose but remember how not twentie yeare before the Law had interpreted the profuse and lauish speeches of a Grocer named Waker dwelling at the signe of the Crowne in Cheapside who bad his sonne learne apace and he would make him heire of the Crowne meaning his house he dwelt in for which he was adiudged to die nor forget the Story of Burdet the Esquier within whose Parke King Edward hunting a white tame Hart was kild by chance which he had brought vp by hand which when Burdet heard of he wished the hornes in his belly that had moued the king to come first thither for which he was drawne hanged and quartered Thus you see there is no iesting with Princes nor distasting them in troublesome times nor presuming in such cases on their clemency For our Ouid tels vs Non ideo debet pelago se credere si qua audet in exiguo ludere cimba lacu After this many rumors and libels yea defamatory speeches both concerning the landing of the new Duke of Yorke proclaimed all ready in Ireland Richard the fourth and the Kings present feare and proceedings were spread abroad which compelled as strange prohibitions yea punishments and reuenges according to the example of that iudgement that hanged Collingbroke for a rime against the vsurper The Rat the Cat and Louel the Dog Rules all England vnder a Hog so that he was farther enforced to haue many politike searches through the whole Realme for such offenders and as many strong Guards and Watches for the defence of the whole Kingdome by which when he perceiued the care vigilancie and good will of the Subiect he entertained a greater fulnesse of contentment and shewed a better alacrity of spirit then his former griefes would remit Then he aduanced Giles Lord Dawbuy a man of wisedome experience and fidelitie to be the Chamberlaine of his house and haue the Guard of his person Afterwards he tooke order with the Citie and Merchants of the same and had thei◠faithfull Oath and protestation to looke to it and all the places of their traffique abroad concerning such things as might be offensiue and preiudiciall to the Kingdome The next thing hee tooke care for was the manning of the Cinqueports and fortifying diuers hauens with a stict commanding the Lieutenants Iustices of each Shire to repaire into their Countries by which good order obserued he grew somewhat secure and bolder to shew himselfe in publique assemblies vndaunted or any way discomfited But this was yet farre from the fulnesse of his establishment as long as Ireland remained corrupted and swelled againe in euery place with the ouerblowen reports and rumours of Perkins royalty to which each trayterous eare lay open and abused heart went quite away with the nouelty Whereupon hee resolued on the necessity of purging and cleansing the same and determined to performe it by new Officers and honest Surueyors So hee sent thither with powerfull authority Henry Deane late Abbot of Langhton to be his Chancellour and Sr. Ed. Poinings with a sufficient preparation to bee Lord Generall of his army These had a large Commission vnder his Deputy the Earle of Kildare to suppresse all innouations and spare no offenders For it was such a time that mercy and fauour would rather embolden men to abuses then lustice offend with extremity Besides the Maiesty of
Kings was not to be controlled either in their fauour or reuenges but they would simply command and haue the subiect honestly to obey with which instructions and the doctrine of Probity out of our ancient author Probi enim viri officium est Iustitiae iâ—seruire Et maleficos punire vbique semper They arriued in Ireland and disposed of themselues accordingly Now because the countrey was already infected with a superstitious credulity of the preseruation of one of the sons of Edward the fourth and that the barbarous Irish once beleeuing a thing would neuer bee diuerted by reason or perswasion they proceeded the more cautelously and circumspectly in their businesse First assembling the Nobility and better sort before the new Chancellour who with all attractiue demeanour and elocution perswaded them not onely to persist in obedience to the King and loyalty to the gouernment but to aide and assist his Maiesties forces vnder Sr. Ed. Poinings with their power strength and ability especially against such rebells as rather through factious malice and wilfull reuolts then blindnesse of errour or folly had adhered vnto Perkin or any of his associates in which they knew there was reason and sufficiency of enforcement For amongst themselues the petty Lords would endure no competition of soueraignty and their Law-Tanist established him that for his heroike actions deserued to bee honoured and by his worthy endeauors obtained the jurisdiction and inheritance So that their owne Priests could tell them Ex paruis magna comparantur and if it were so in petty gouernments what was it in mighty Monarchies and with regardable Kings amongst whom Nulla fides regni socijs omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erat Therefore to auoyde the imputation of treason and the fearefulnesse of reuenge from a Princes incensed indignation hee aduised them to a tenacity and strong continuance in their loyalty To this their answer was as souldiers in a camp after a mutiny sad lookes and small repentance faire words but little performance For they all promised assurance off aith but no man determined the due performance onely the better sort or if you will such as dwelled within the English pale or had beene enobled or enabled by the Prince to liue in richer forme and eminence then others answered directly they would acknowledge no King but Henry nor supreame Lord but such as should be extracted from the vnion of the mariage betweene the two Roses and to this they were the rather emboldned because the Earle of Kildire being Deputy seemed to maintaine their submission and iustifie their intents so that Sr. Ed. Poinings had little to say at that time more then hee hoped in the confidence of their promises and relied on their worthy integrity yet I dare sweare if hee had beene examined on his conscience and brought to the barre of discouery for his thoughts he would haue cried out with the Poet At paucos quibus haec rabies aucthoribus arsit Non Caesar sed Poena tenet c. Whereupon hee prepared all his forces against the wilde Irish to whom as hee was enformed diuers of the rest had fled for succour I could heere enlarge this discourse with a topographicall description of the countrey and conditions of the people because I haue personally ouerlooked their actions and beene a passenger euen from one side of the countrey to the other but the times are full of the experience of many men and diuers explorations haue discouered the vnswept corners of this sauage and superstitious people whom neuer man shall see ciuill or once affecting the handsomnesse and wealth of the other parts of Europe till either it grow more populous or the King be as willing as hee is able to extirpate as it were by the roots the Bards Rimers Harpers and Priests that hang vpon them and sticke close vnto them as some deformed wen in a straight growing tree or if you will venemous cankour which will in time either eat out root and rinde or for the time disfigure and disproportion the proudest comelinesse of the best Cedars in the forrest But to our story Sr. Edward Poinings according to his commission marched into the North But alas hee neither found France to trauell in nor French-men to fight withall Heere were no glorious townes to load the Souldiers home with spoiles nor pleasant vine-yards to refresh them with wine Heere were no plentifull markets to supply the salary of the army if they wanted or stood in neede Heere were no cities of refuge nor places of garrison to retire vnto in the times of danger and extremity of weather Heere were no musters ordered nor Lieutenants of shires to raise new armies heere was no suppliment either of men or prouisions especially of Irish against the Irish nor any one promise kept according to his expectation Heere was in plaine termes boggs and woods to lie in foggs and mists to trouble you grasse and ferne to welcome your horses and corrupt and putrifie your bodies heere was killing of kine and eating fresh beefe to breed diseases heere was oats without bread and fire without wood heere were smoking cabins and nasty holes heere were boggs on the tops of mountaines and few passages but ouer marishes or through strange paces heere was retiring into fastnesse and glins and no fighting but when they pleased themselues heere was ground enough to bury your people in being dead but no place to please them while they were aliue heere you might spend what you brought with you but be assured thâ—re was no hope of releefe here was roome for all your losses but scarse a castle to reserue your spoiles and treasure To conclude heere was all glory vertue buried in obscurity obliuion not so much as a glimmering of hope that how valiantly soeuer a man demeaned himselfe it should be registred and remembred which makes me consider what that worthy Politician writes of the Sweuians and Heluetians in those dayes and apply them to these times and people Heluetij Vsipetesque atque effera corda Sueui Queis vnum praedaestudium ac durare subipsis Corpora fluminibus telque assuscere dextram Non vrbis non cura domus agriuè colendi Venatu ducunt vitam atque è lacte liquente Et quod Marte sibispoliatâ— ex hoste parariâ—t Bella placent fususque hostili è corpore sanguis Whereupon the worthy Generall with his other Captaines began to complaine but knew no way of redresse his men died the Souldiers were slaine the army decayed the Irish insulted the auxiliaries failed and not a man which promised assistance came in to help him so that he was enraged at the perfidiousnesse and compelled to retire to Dublin all exasperated to despight by which hee aimeth at the highest in his displeasure laying the fault and blame of his preposterous proceedings on Gerald Earle of Kildare his Maiesties principall Deputy who remembring his owne greatnesse could not confine it within a little
circuit of patience but answered this our Captaine somewhat like himselfe that he was as loyall to the King as he as seruiceable as he as louing to his countrey and crowne of England as hee and so defied him to his face which added only fuell to the former fire that the vndaunted Souldier apprehended and attached him of high treason which seemed an vnsufferable peece of businesse and had it not beene within Dublin or some principall place vnder the English command an Herculean and intricate Labour But thus is this great Earle vnder arrest and without any more adoe carried into England to answer the matter But when he came before the King and Councell to bee examined of treason and matters laid to his charge eyther his innocencie was a Perseus shield against this Gorgons head of calumniation or his wit and delicate iudgement brought him out of the labyrinth of those troubles or the times affordâ—d not such seueritie and proceedings or the King had other matters to thinke vpon or indeed it was no pollecie to rub these new soares with rude hands according to the rule Horrent admotas vulnera cruda manus For hee was quietly dismissed thanked rewarded and of Deputie made Lieutenant and so sent backe againe vpon the engaging of his hononr to withstand the landing of Perkin if euer he came into Ireland By this occasion the King was without feare of battaile and determined his progresse about Midsommer to visit his mother lying at Latham in Lancashire still wife to the earle of Derbie But as he was preparing his iourney newes came of Perkins landing in England which a while diuerted him and enforced his retardance from his first determination For in truth when the Duches of Burgundie had notice of all the Kings proceedings both in England and Ireland and that the principall offenders were condemned and executed and confederats dissipated and ouerwatched shee found too late her owne slacknesse and the first misfortune of the King of France his retractions from assisting the Prince For whether I name Peter or Perkin or Warbeck or Prince or Richard Duke of Yorke or Richard the fourth all is one man and all had one end And questionlesse if at his first repairing into Ireland hee had made for England while that rumour had possessed the people and the looking after nouelty busied them with strange and impossible hope while euery one stood amazed to gaze after wonders while the conspiracy was in growth and had diuers factious Nobles to forme it to a larger birth while the souldiers desired to bee doing and men grew weary of ease and quietnesse The businesse might haue plunged the Kingdome and successe tooke a flight with strong wings indeede whereby you may perceiue the sweetnesse and benefit of expedition in all dangerous businesse and resemble vniustifiable actions to theeuish bargaines which either must bee made away in the darke or hastned apace in the proudest market place according to the saying Praceps facit omne timendum Victor in nulla non creditur esse Carina Notwithstanding our great Duches remained vndaunted and in a manner of scorne to depend vpon others promises she aduentured on her owne power and determined to put him vnder the wings of Fortune let her ouershade him as she pleased so gathering his forces together and furnishing her ships with a sufficient company and some valiant Captaines shee sent him to sea and onely prayed to the wrathfull Nemesis as authour of her reuenge for successe and thriuing in so glorious an attempt Heere were of all nations and conditions of men Bankrupts Sanctuary-men Theeues Robbers Vagabonds and diuers others who affecting liberty rapine and spoile desisted from honest labor to be the seruants of dishonest rebellion His fortune as we now prophanely abuse that terme draue him on the coast of Kent before Deale-Castle where being becalmed he cast anchour sending diuers on shore to certifie the Inhabitants of this arriuall preparation purposes and well â— furnished army and to put them in minde of their ancient liberties priuiledges and vndaunted courages which haue giuen battell to Kings and made their owne peace with Conquerors But alas this oratory flew like a shaft without a head and they had learnt other lessons of stability and loyalty as finding the sweetnesse of peace and happinesse of gouernment Notwithwanding they called a Councell and I beleeue if they had beene fully resolued that hee was the true Prince indeed they would haue entertained the motion For some of their fingers itched to be doing but suspicious of his originall and former weaknesse and wisely apprehending how shame and reuenge dogged treason and rebellion at the heeles they concluded to continue firme and faithfull to the State and so with a kinde of policy to allure them to land they sent diuers to Perkin with flattering hopes of their assistance while they were indeede mustering of forces to surprize them as fast as they should land which when Perkin perceiued he imagined that all could not be well or consorting to his expectation For in this point his wit and experience serued him to vnderstand thus much that common people and multitudes stirred to sedition vse no solid councells or settled discourses but come flocking with their fulnesse and forwardnesse to assist their friends and follow their pretences according to Euripides description of a confused company and rebellious army In infinito enim exercitâ— Incoercita turba nauticaque licentia Violentior igne malus vero qui mali nihil agit Whereupon hee durst not land himselfe and was sorry so many of his company were on shore but seeing there was no remedy he sent others if neede were to releue them or bring them backe againe to his ships When the Kentishmen beheld such a rabble of strangers and dissolute persons and wisely foresaw that there was no no man of honor or eminence to giue credit to the attempt they presently coniectured that they came rather to spoile and forage the coasts then to releeue a distressed Prince in his right and so running the right way indeed stood firmly for their Countrey and set vpon them as they were stragling vp and downe in the villages enforcing the better sort and better armed backe againe to their boats and surprizing such as could not maiutaine the quarrell and had presumed too farre from the maine battell of whom they tooke 160. prisoners yea the principall Captaines themselues while they laboured to perswade the retreat and to gather them together after some martiall forme of resistance viz. Moumford Corbet Whight Bets Quintine or Geuge who were all brought to Sr. Iohn Pechy high Sheriffe and so raled in ropes like horses drawing in a cart sent vp to London and there executed in diuers places adioyning to the City whereby Perkin had matter of disconsolation for the time and time enough to saile backe againe into Flanders to entertaine better aduice and more company The King as
relate and therefore I desist to put you now to further wonder and amasement at the same because I haue them as it were registred in a scedule which at your Princely pleasure you may ouer-looke with the Duches and Councels of Burgundies hands to confirme the same so that I confesse when the King of France sent for me out of Ireland I was in a manner secure of my estate and thought vpon no further assurance then his gratious apprehension of my indâ—bitate claime But it should seeme most gratious King that you are reserued for the glory of this businesse and euerlasting memory of so remarkeable an action wherein I submit my selfe ships and people to your guidance and direction Oh doe not then annihilate my confidence nor reiect my demands For next to the high controuler of mens actions I haue put my selfe vnder the shadow of your supportation and altogether rely on the vnity of your willingnesse and power to beare me through the difficulties of this passage When he had made an end and giuen them cause of some amasement at his yeares and tendernesse of experience to deliuer yet his minde so freely and with some illustration of words and readines of gesture the King without any further scruple or diffidence cheered him telling him plainly he would assist him and what-euer he was or intended to be he should not repent him of his comming thither so concluding with a speech of Medeas to Iason Hinc amor hinc timor est ipsum timâ—r auget amorem he gaue order for his entertainment accordingly whereby he had time with his wearied people to repose himselfe and the King occasion to thinke of many matters yet rather for custome then to be diuerted from his resolutions he called his Councell and disputed the matter with them they again as it happened to Rheoboam and shall be withall the Princes in the World grew to contradiction and deuided themseelues some standing for their Countrie some for their priuate affection some to please the Prince and some to enioy a good opinion of polecie and wisedome The grauer sort and of greatest experience disannulled all the former intimation of the Prince with the impossibility of the businesse as if he were but a bare assumer of titles indeed The quieter sort and such as had smarted with the dissentions betweene England and Scotland disclaimed any further warrâ— and were weary with that which had passed The yonger sort apprehended it as a worthy enterprise and though it had but colour of commiseration yet considering he was befriended from the Emperour King of the Romains and the whole state of the Low-Countries it could not choose but help them with many friends There was another sort who confessing the pouerty of their Countrie concluded that by this meanes by forraging spoiling aâ—d getting good booties in England much wealth might inrich them without losse or hindrance of their owne and so cared not how the warre began nor how long it continued The last sort consisted of such who because they would haue their credit enlarged from an opinion of States-men and high reaching capacities argued as we say on both sides pro contra and from a kind of Enthymema raised profit and emolument to the Kingdome out of their sophistry That if the Duke were assisted and preuailed Scotland was sure to confirme their owne conditions If he were countenanced though not preuailing the King of England would accord to any offers or demands rather then King Ieames should take part with his aduersarie and so strange a competitor Whereupon it was resolued that without further diffidence or drawing the Duches of Burgundies businesse in question the King should entertaine the Prince who presently honored him accordingly and caused him to be proclaimed the Duke of Yorke shewing him all the fauours the Countrie could afford and affording him such entertainement as they imagined was both befitting his person and condition He againe as if that spes bona dat vires cheered himselfe and assumed a new kind of behauiour both tempered with grauity and yet commended for cheerefull and well becomming so that by the way of solace and inuitation to pleasure and delight he hauked and hunted yea the Ladies of the Country graced the Court and came with all conueniencie and befitting their estates to the Citie For vnderstanding so great a Prince in possibilitie to be one of the mightiest Kings of Europe not full eighteene yeares of age yong wise and in the compleate strength of beauty was resident amongst them they conceiued matters beyond the Moone and thought themselues happy if he would fancy or fasten vpon any of them What should I say although with the Poet Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides Yet heere was no mistrust nor any way giuen to feare and displeasure but as the time businesse and place afforded shewes masques and sundry deuises inuited him to his contentment and the present ouercomming all pensiuenesse so he courted with some danced with others iested with the rest and was acceptable to all till at last the King giuing way to the motion he fancied the Lady Katherine Gourdon daughter to Alexander Earle of Huntle nigh kinswoman to the Crowne and because she should not thinke him barren of education nor heart bound to his ambitious designes he tooke an opportunitie thus to discouer his loue vnto her and good opinion of her Lady said he and the first of Ladies that euer vsurped my libertie or taught my tongue to pronounce the accent of affection or liking If I proceed not so passionate as your sex expects or you may imagin is the custome of Courtiers I pray you impute it to the multiplicity of my businesse and greatnes of my affaires besides it is not seemly with Princes to betray their high spirits into the hands of deceit and ouerworkiâ—g fancy yea foppishnes either of words or gesture yet concerning your person I can say with Paris to Helena Si tu Venisses pariter certamen in illud in dubium Veneris Palma futura fuit and touching my good will If I liue I will make you as great in the World as my selfe and desire no more but that you keep you within the limits of loue and obedience that our children may be our owne and the Common-wealth reioice they bee not mocked or deceiued with extraâ—eall enheritors What I am you now see and their is no boasting in distresse what I may be I must put it to the triall and submit to the diuine prouidence If you dare now aduenture on the aduersity I sweare to make you partaker of the prosperity yea lay my Crowne at your feet that you shall play with me as Apame did with Darius to command and I obey Take me now then into your embraces and I will adore and reuerence your vertues as you commiserate my misfortunes Oh giue me leaue to say no more lest I be transported to vndecencies be now conformable
and let me be the seruant of your desires and you shall be hereafter the Mistris of my performances If I preuaile let this kisse seale vp the contract and this kisse be a witnesse to the endentures and this kisse because one witnesse is not sufficient consummate the assurance and so with a kind of reuerence and fashionable gesture after he had kist her thrise he tooke her in both his hands crosse-wise gazed vpon her with a kind of putting her from him and pulling her to him and so againe and againe rekissed her and set her in her place with a prety manner of enforcement The yong Lady pleased as well with the complement of his behauiour as the matter in hand which was the hope of one of the greatest Diadems in the World whether as louers who in a simpathy of liking applauding any thing from their amorosos seemed pleased with the very accent of his voice and variety of the Court-ship or vnaccustomed to such wooers she remained glad of the opportunity or taught before-hand what to doe she resolued to cast away all peeuishnesse and nicety or indeed rauished with the thing proposed she was loath to be silent considering she was pleased and could not be displeased considering he had begun so kindely with her and therefore answered him with a prety blushing modesty to this effect My Lord If I should act a true womans part I might play the hypocrite in standing a loofe off from that I most desire and cry out with Ariadne against Theseus Non ego sum titulis surripienda tuis whereupon some resemble vs to lapwings that make a great ciulation farthest from their nests But I meane not to deale so with you but come as neere as I can in my answere to that which consorteth with reason and probabilitie If I were then absolutly at my owne dispoâ—ing I would thanke you more then I doe and thinke you for your gentlenesse and faire demeanour worthy of any creature or thing you could desire As for your disclaiming deceitfull words and flattering Oratory concerning our beautie comelinesse vertues and such like baits to draw vs into the net of selfe-loue and amasement I like it the better and wish that all women were of my minde to marry vpon faire and reasonable conditions and not be hurried away sometimes to their ouerthrowes with the violence of passion and affection which is the best excuse they can make for their folly yea many times simplicity But you see I am the Fathers daughter and the Kings cosin so that I will in no sort preferre my owne will before their directions and disposing of me If then it pleaseth them to hazzard me or as you please to bestow me in this sort I shall be proud to call you mine and glad if you vouchsafe to esteeme me yours Lay then your foundation on them and you shall see the frame of the building erected to your owne liking For belieue it such Wardes as my selfe may well be resembled to delicate plantâ— in rich grounds which either grow too rancke and out of order for want of pruning and looking to or thriue not in their situation for lack of refreshing and manuring all wich is reformed by the discretion of a skilfull gardner and aduised ouerseer Therefore noble Sir repaire I say to the Master of the family leaue is light know their pleasures for your admission into this Nursery and then shall I be glad to be a flower of your owne choise whether it be for profit pleasure or exornation What need more words the mariage was consummated and poore Perkin transported in his owne contemplation for ioy that if he proceeded no further his fortune had conduced him to such a harbour kissing the ground which he trode vpon and swearing the verie place was the seat of his Genius Ipse locus misero ferre volebat opem But when he more and more perceiued that the Scots like a peece of wax were rolled together by his warming hand and fashioned to what forme hee pleased hee then made no question to hammer out his designes on the anuile of preuailing to their euerlasting glory and his establishment yet heerein hee went beyond himselfe and deceiued both them and himselfe by warranting powerfull aydes in his assistancâ— from all the parts of the Realme as soone as he should set footing in England notwithstanding they prepared all things for an inuasion and euery man was ready to please the King and pleasure the Prince yea they were so forward that in hope of gaine spoile victory renowne and reuenge they cared not whether the Dukes title were good or no and so with a well appoynted army and sufficient forces they marched towards the confines and borders of the North. But the King out of discretion loth to make more haste then good speed and vnderstanding policy coniecturing that the English by reason of Perkins being in Scotland might alwaies haue an army in readinesse or raise sudden troops to lie in Ambuscado in the borders by way of preuention sent forth diuers Stradiots and Scowtmasters to discouer the Countrey and the behauiour of the English who returned with full assurance of the coasts cleerenesse and for any thing they saw they might make both incursions and excursions at their pleasure which although in some cases made the King the rather to wonder as if England were secure from any idle proiect or indeede scorned Perkins title and claime yet because it was generally accepted for good newes he would not be a contrary amongst so many but made the more haste and so with fire and sword as if hee did arma virâ—mque canere entred Northumberland proclaiming the title of the Duke of Yorke by the name of Richard the fourth and promising both pardon and preferment to all such as would submit themselues to the yoke of his obedience the deniall whereof was accompanied with such spoile cruelty and insulting that neuer before or since did they euer triumph ouer vs or prooued so tyrannous so that I may well cry out as the Poet doth against Scilla Intrepidus tanti sedit securus ab alto Spectator sceleris miseri tot millia Vulgi Non piguit iussisse mori congesta recepit Omnia Tyrrhenus Sillana cadauera gurges Wherein questionlesse they had gone forward but that they perceiued no ayde or succour to come from any parts of England to restore this titular Duke Besides the souldiers full of spoile and bloud would goe no further till they had sent their presents to their wiues and children or returned themselues to gratifie one another after such a victory but in truth the King resoluing it would bee reuenged determined rather to retire with this assured victory then to tarry the nuncupatiue Dukes vnsure and vncertaine proceedings and so reculed into Scotland againe Some remember that at this time though it was but a very simple policy Perkin vsed a certaine kind of ridiculous mercy
of these hurliburlies came ouer Embassadours from the French King who must be answered he grew somewhat perplexed againe till shaking off all the hindrances of his amasement he fell to practise and orderly performances Whereupon he called his Councel together they without any great difficulty determined the busines in this manner To attend vpon the Scots Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey a puissant and politike Captain prisoner at the ouerthrow of King Rich. the 3. and within two yeares set at liberty and after Iohn Lord Dinham made high treasurer of England was appointed to muster the forces of the Countie Palatine of Durham the borders round about so atteÌ„d that seruice To represse the Western Rebels the Lord Dawbney with his whole power prepared for Scotland was recalled to march against theÌ„ wheresoeuer they encamped to look vnto France Calice and Guisnes with the Garisons were much augmented and prouided for To preuent Flaunders the Nauy was prepared the Staples for the Merchants setled To keep Warbeck from comming into England ioining with the Rebels the whole nobility combined themselues especially the earle of Essex Lord Montioy who came of purpose to London to offer their seruice to his Maiesty so all places were looked vntâ— with a vigilant eye manned with strength of soldiers and to answere the Embassadors of Charles the French King he sent honourable persons to receiue them and conueigh them to Douer and there a while to detaine them till some of these tumults and rebellions were extinguished and suppressed which indeed was so wisely and politikely handled that none of the Embassadors were troubled so much as with the rumors of these commotions But see the horror of despight and with what a contracted brow misfortune can looke vpon Kings themselues so that a man may well say to this Rebellion as Ouid did to Cupido in his first booke of Elegies Sunt tibi magna puer nimiumque potentia regna Cur opus affectas ambitiose nouum For as these Rebels and Cornish men departed from Wels they entertained for their chiefe Captaine Iames Twichet Lord Audley whose countenance and authoritie in the Countrie strengthened them much For by this occasion they went without intermission to Salsbury and so to Winchester and from thence into Kent hoping for further and further assistance but they were deceiued in their expectation For the Earle of Kent George Lord Aburgaueâ—y Iohn Brooke Lord Cobham Sir Edward Poinings Sir Richard Guilford Sir Thomas Burchier Sir Iohn Pechy William Scot and many others with a well mustred army were not only ready to defend their Countrie from al mischiefe and destruction but determined to offend them in their facinorous attempts and preiudiciall intrusion which loialtie somewhat rebated the forwardnesse of the Cornish-men and they began to suspect themselues being so farre from their Countrie and remote from any supply Notwithstanding loth to disâ—earten their spirits with any depressing humor they cast away all doubts and presuming on their owne strength and forces as also animated by their leaders and conductors they were now asmuch exasperated against the Kentish-men for deceiuing their assistance as against the King for vsurping their liberty swearing reuenge against both In which â—age and heat of repining they came as farre as Black-Heath within foure mile of London and tooke a field in an arrogant ouer-daring manner on the top of an hill supposing all things consortable to their arrogancy and deceiuable hopes because as yet they passed and repassed without fighting or strong encounters But alas Blanditiae Comites tibi erunt terrórque furorque and they were abused with a vale of ignorance and couering of obstinacy For the King disposed of his affaires with great policie and circumspection not determining to giue them battaile or exagitate them at all till he had them farre from their proper dwellings and flattering friends till they were in despaire of reliefe and wearied with long and tedious iournies till their treasure was spent their vitaile consumed and prouision failing till their company dropped from them like rotten hangings on a moistned wall and their whole designes and expectation quite disanulled and then when he imagined their soules vexed with the terror of a guiltie conscience their fury asswaged with compunction and penitency their spirits daunted with repentance and remorse and all their army affrighted with madnesse and doubtfull extacies would he set vpon them and in some conuenient place circumuent and inuiron them to his owne best aduantage and their irrecouerable damage and destruction As for the Citie of London I cannot but remember and compare it vnto Rome both when Hannibal passed the Alpes to threaten the Monarchy being yet farre off himselfe and also Marius and Silla couered her fields with armed men and trampled on the bosome of their Countrie with ambitious steps and cruell feet of vsurpation then spake the Poet in this manner Quoties Romam fortuna lacessit Hâ—c iter est bellis gomitu â—ic quisque latenti Non aufuâ—timuisse palam Vox nulla dolori Credita There was chaining the streetes shutting vp the shops making strong the gates doubling the watches hiding their treasure cries feares terrors and euery one more disturbed for the losse of his priuat goods then the encuÌ„brances of the Common-wealth Here was mustering of soldiers watching all day in armor staccadoing the riuer filling the streets with companies of horse and foot cutting down the Bridge locking vp their dores shutting the Gates and what else named before to be put in practise with aduantage of many peeces of ordnance both in Southwarke and the Suburbs and the strength of the Tower which they knew was reserued for the King himselfe Notwithstanding such was the instabilitie of the Citizens being a little disturbed from their quietnesse and rest their dainties and ease their banquetings and meetings their feasts and sumptuousnesse their pastimes and pleasures that they rather complained on the King and his Councell for the first occasion of these tumults then exprobrated the rebell for ingratitude and disobedience But the King without further disputing against their peeuishnesse or laying open the abuses of such refractary people deliuered them of this feare For he presently sent Iohn Earle of Oxford Henry Burchier Earle of Essex Edmond de la Poole Earle of Suffolke Sir Rice ap Thomas Humphrey Stanley and other worthy martiall men with a company of Archers and horsemen to enuiron the Hill where the Rebels were encamped round about Him-selfe with the maine battaile and forces of the Citie much ordnance and great prouision tooke St. Georges field where on a Friday at night he quartred himselfe and on the Saterday very early in the morning he poasted Lord Dawbney to Dertford who by breake of day gat the bridge of the Strand in despight of resisters which manfully defended it a while shooting arrowes a full yard long and demeaning themselues like scholerly and eloquent
Embassadour from King Iames likewise repaired Heere were many matters disputed vpon many conditions layd open many difficultâ—es raised many greeuances vrged and many conclusions argued but because they failed in the maine poynt nothing was determined For the King of England required Perkin Warbeck to bee deliuered into his hands as the principall fountaine of this venomous streame the cheefe â—ccasion of his vnquietnesse the perturber of his Realme the seducer of his subiects and the author of many rebeilions But the King of Scots like a Prince indeed would not buy his peace with the bloud of Innocents especially a man comming to him for succour shewing all the markes of a distressed and abused Prince allied vnto him by marriage commended by the Emperor assisted by the Duches of Burgundy in himselfe of faire demeanour sweet behauiour and of a most royall and well esteemed spirit Therefore I say he would by no meanes betray him into the hands of his enemies that was so long admitted into the bosome of his friends nor should it bee sayd that in any such degree for any wordly respect whatsoeuer King Iames of Scotland would bee base or perfidious which he had learned from the example and punishment of Prusias King of Bithynia whom the Romans deposed for consenting to betray Hanibal into their hands though they had promised large rewards and threatned seuere vengeance The Commissioners answered directly that they intended not by way of defamation or contumelious discouery of the vanity of the man or impossibility of his businesse to make him odious or corroborate their owne purposes by the destruction of so silly a creature or discrediting so poore a businesse but meerely to shew the truth and vnfold the secrets of the deceit that such a Prince as King Iames might not be colluded with shadowes and apparitions but orderly drawen into this holy and generall league wherein both Emperour France and Spaine desireth a combination of amity with England onely there wanted himselfe to make the number compleat that the horne of Achelous might bee sent from nation to nation from kingdom to kingdom For I can assure you the Marchants of England haue been receiued into Antwerp with generall procession the Emperor is pleased with this combination the King of Spaine pretendeth a marriage the King of France endeauoureth a league and all the Princes of Europe seeke after a true confirmation of quietnesse Therefore once againe be not an enemy to the good of all Christendome nor so aduerse to this holy combination that the world shall rather esteeme you wilfull and preiudicate then wise and considerate Notwithstanding all this forcible and effectuall intimation the King of Scots would not consent to deliuer Perkin vpon any condition but as hee came to him for refuge hee should depart vntouched and not by his occasion bee in worse case then the bruit beasts or vildest condition of men as he had learned long since out of that ancient Tragedian Habet confugium bâ—llua quidem petram Seruiverò ar as deorum ciuit as verò ad ciuitatem Fugit calamitatem passa Rerum enim humanarum Non est quicquam perpetuò beatum Yet with much adoe hee was brought to a truce for certaine yeeres and condescended to this that Perkin should bee no longer succoured harboured or maintained by him or in his territories and dominions with which answer and orderly ratification of the same the Embassadours departed the Armies retired the Souldiers discharged the King of England satisfied the Orators of France who from Doâ—er had audience at London about the same purpose rewarded and of all others the worthy Peter Hialos as principall worke-man in this intricate businesse liberally and bountifully recompenced Only poore Perkin whose glorious meteor began now to bee exhaled seemed disconsolate and examinated at this newes and determination especially when King Iames began to expostulate and reason the matter with him First from a repetition of the benefits and fauours receiued by his Princely liberality and gentlenesse Secondly from his consanguinity in marrying his kinswoman vpon dangerous hopes and triuiall aduentures Thirdly from his many trialls of sundry conflicts in England proouing all his promiseâ—winde and smoke and his best enterprizes triuiall fanaâ—icall Fourthly vpon the now combination of amity with all the Princes of Europe which could not be done without the King of Englands consent and agreement Fiftly vpon the fatherly regard of his Countrey which had neede haue some breathing time of ease and rest and must questionlesse take a loue day of consolation and desisting from turmoiles Last of al from the care of the Religion Mother-Church vnto whose obedience and regard hee was now absolutely sworne Therfore he desired him to take some other course and depart out of his Realme For as hee heard hee was now interessed in the confederacy of the peace of Christendome and vnlesse hee should bee a periured and perfiâ—ious Prince hee could in no sort infringe the conditions nor breake the truce combined by a firme and vnseparable adiuration When Perkin had heard him out although euery word was worse then the croking of some night-rauen or scrich-owle and the amazement for the time might haue much disabled him yet loth to discredit his cause by any demisnesse or pusillanimity and seeing all answers were superfluous and the very messengers of despaire and disconsolation he raised himselfe with some outward cheerefulnesse and as well to auoyd ingratitude toward so great a Benefactour as to countenance himselfe and his businesse he thus casting away all feare and abashing timidity replied Most worthy Prince Mortale est quod quaeris opus mihi fama perennis And therefore God forbid that my commorance in your Court and Kingdome or the weakned cause of my attempts should prooue disaduantagious oâ— ominous vnto you both in regard of the many fauours your Princelinesse hath heaped vpon me vndeserued and mine owne willingnesse not to bee too too troublesome or offensiue vnto so benigne a Maiesty which rather then it should bee hazarded for my sake without a cheerfull and liberall willingnesse the fame and glory of the enterprize shall be sufficient for mee and I will not onely disclaime my right and interest in the Kingdome of England my lawfull inheritance by descent but poure out my selfe and spend my life most profusely for your sake Onely this I must entreat at your hands to giue me leaue to rigg and calcke vp my ships and gather together that dispersed company I haue or such as would willingly and voluntarily attend me Which seeming but reasonable and no way repugning the former agreement with the Embassadours was quickly condescended vnto so with many gifts and royall furniture for his wife and family he tooke his leaue sailed backe the same way he came into Ireland determining as the last anchor-hold of his fortunes either to vnite himselfe with the Cornish-men whom he knew not fully appeased or to retire to
Lady Margaret his most worthy aunt and faithfull coadiutrix He had not beene long in Ireland but his false fortune began once againe to play with him as flattering him with assured confidence and warrantize that the Westerne men would welcome and entertaine him from whom he had this notice that they could not forget their former iniuries and slaughters nor determined a setled and true obedience to the Lancastrian family whereupon because something must be done or else he should be for euer discredited or that God in his Iustice derided all suâ—h enterprises to scorne or else in his mercy would giue King Henry a breathing time to set his other Princely qualities of wisedome magnificence quietnesse religion charitie gouernment and polâ—ecy on worke he sailed out of Ireland with fiue small Ships and two hundred men his wife and attendants his substance and wealth and in a word all that he had But when he was to conferre about his landing and setting forward his designes he had such poore Councellors as a man would smile at for pity rather then laugh at for scorne For his principall friends were now Iohn Heron a mercer and banquerout Iohn of Water sometimes Maior of Cork Richard Sketon a Tailer and Iohn Astley a Scriuener men in generall defame for dishonest actions and in particular reproach for vnderstanding nothing but what consorted to their own wilfulnesse and outragious appetites of whom I may say as Ouid complaines in another case in his Elegies Non bene conducti vendunt periuria testes Non bene sâ—lecti Iudicis arca patet With this crue about the month of September he landed at a place called Bodnam and there so sollicited and excited the multitude and wauâ—ing people that when they heard him proclaimed Richard the fourth as the indubitat sonne of Edward the fourth whom the Duke of Glocester or if you will Richard the Tyrant determined to murther but that he escaped by the prouidence of God they flocked vnto him to the number of 4000. and according to the nature of children running after newfangled toies or painted pictures submitted to his princelines and sware with all allegeance to maintaine his dignity royaltie with which confidence company after they had taken the musters of his Army and concluded to get some strong Townes into their possession that so they might not only augment their forces but still haue places of supportation and refuge to retire vnto they went directly to Excester and besiedged it But because they wanted ordnance to make a battery and other prouision to raise their trenches and approches or indeed if you will were ignorant of martiall discipline and the secrets of a true Soldiers profession they spent the more time against the Gates and endeauoured nothing but a forcible entrance assaulting the same with great peeces of timber like the Roman rammes crowes of yron fire-brands and impetuous violence of great stones cast at therâ— and amongst them But the Citizens manfully defended themselues and held it out to their perpetuall fame letting ouer the walls in secret places diuers in baskets with strong cords to post to the king acquaint him with their distresse In a mean while seeing a fire made vnder their Gates and that the enemies fury encreased they suspected themselues had no other shift but to put force to force with one fire extinguish or if you will deuoure another and so they caused great store of faggots timber combustible to be brought close to the posternes and greater gates where the mischieâ—e began and set the same on fire which encreased with a filthy smoake and smother and at last burst out into a flame and blazes so that neither the enemies could come in nor Citizens goe out but all were compelled to desist from that worke and apply themselues to more new and necessary labours For the Rebels assaulted the most weake and broken places of the Wall and the Citizens ranne to the expulsions and repaired the breaches as fast as they were made besides they had leasure to cast vp great trenches vnder their Gates and by strong barkes rampering the same made them more difficult passages then before The wals were mightely and impetuously assaulted but the worthy Citizens defended them with that courage and countermanding that they slew aboue two hundred Soldiers in that fury and behaued themselues as if they determined to obtaine a perpetuall name of renowne and vnmatchable Trophe of honor so that I may well and briefely say of them Serpens sitis ardor arenae Dulcia virtuti gaudet patientia duris When Perkin and his associats saw so strong and strange opposition they seemed both amased and defatigated at the same whereupon betweene rage and despaire he retired his lowsie and distressed Armie to the next great Towne called Taunton where he mustred them a new but found a great want of his company For many of his desperate followers were slaine and cut off many of the honester and ciuiler sort seeing the Towne of Excester so well maintained and that very few resorted vnto him contrarie to his former flourishes and ostentation fell from him and retired themselues home many wery of the wars and coniecturing an impossibility to remoue a king so firmely established or terrifyed with the punishment impending on Treason and presumptuous rebellion left him to his fortunes and many politikely forecasting for the worst seeing not one of the nobility or better sort to afford a helping hand to the lifting vp of this frame were contented to dispence with former protestations and so prouided for themselues whereby as I said as if the prouerb were verified Non habet euentus sordid a praeda bonos he came short of his reckning and the Items of his accounts went much curtailed of their former length and computation But in truth the posts of the Country brought comfortable tidings of the Kings Army approaching of which the Lord Daubney a fortunate and successefull man in all his enterprizes was Generall yet in the meane while had Lord Edward Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Lord William his son Sir Edmund Carey Sir Thomas Trenchard Sir William Courtney Sir Thomas Fulford Sir Iohn Hatwell Sir Iohn Croker Walter Courtney Peter Egecomb William Sentnaure and diuers others brought forward the forces of the countrey to raise the siege of Exester which not onely animated and encouraged the Citizens but rebated the fury of the contrary and diuerted them from that sore and outragious manner of assaulting the walls where in the last onset the noble Earle with diuers others were hurt with arrowes he wounded in the arme and the rest in seuerall parts of their bodies but very few slaine And so with much adoe this famous and honour-thirsting City with the honest Inhabitants of the same were deliuered and releeued By this time the royall standards of King Henry were aduanced in sight of the City and the dâ—ums beat vp their accustomed
marches to the ioy and fulnesse of contertment both of the towne and Countrey But when the King was aduâ—rtized of their returning to Taunton he hasted thither But first he welcommed Edward Duke of Buckingham a young noble and well regarded Prince in whose company came along an hundred Knights and Esquires of speciall name and credit in their countries amongst whom Sir Alexander Bainham Sir Mâ—urice Barckley Sir Robert Fame Sir Iohn Gmise Sir Robert Points Sir Henry Vernon Sir Iohn Mortymer Sir Thomas Tremaile Sir Edward Sutton Sir Amias Paulet Sir Iohn Bickwell Sir Iohn Sapcotes Sir Hugh Lutterâ—l and Sir Francis Cheny were principall O what a glorious thing it is to see a Noble man either stand by the chaire of thâ— Prince as a Court starre and Supportation that at last the King may aske what shall be done to the man hee meanes to honor or mooue in his own orb that is the loue and credit of his Country firme to the State and gracefull in all his actions and proceedings still hauing a care to the gouernment of the people and an eye to the dignity of the Common-wealth so shall his fame be extended abroad and his renowne enlarged at home which makes me remember the description of Capaneus in that ancient Euripides who may be a President to all young Noblemen yeal wish with mine heart that such as are not too presumptuous on their owne gifts of nature and education would take the booke in hand and make vse both of precept and example for the illustration of their Honours and administration of their liues the Poet is somewhat large and more pleasant in the Greeke then the Latine He thus beginneth Cappaneus hic est cui facult as viuendi erat abundans Minimè verò diuitijs insolens erat magnitudineÌ„ verò animi Non maiorem habebat quam pauper vir Fugiens splendido victu quicunque intumesceret minis Sufficientia vili pendens Non enim in pastu ventris Virtutem esse mediocria verò sufficere dicebat c. But to our story againe When the King approached the towne of Tawnton whether out of policie not to hazard the whole army at once or out of suspicion of some reuolters in his company or humbly considering there might be a turning of Fortunes wheele as still Rota fortunae in Gyro in the encounters of a battell or harping vpon some stratagem and enterprize as prouidently forecasting both the worst and best which might chance Hee sent before him Robert Lord Brooke the Steward of his house Giles Lord Daubney and Sr. Rice app Thomas to giue the onset and beginne the battell that hee with the rest as a strong Ambuscado and releefe might come to the reskue if they were wearied and deâ—atigated But little needed this policy or procrastination For poore Perkin desperate of his fortunes and quite exanimated to encounter with the Kingsforces in so warlike a manner and fearefull a preparation contrary to all the motiues of a true Roman Honour and without knowledge of his army about midnight accompanied with sixty horse departed in wonderfull celerity to a Sanctuary towne besides Southampton called Beâ—dly where he Iohn Heron Thomas a Water and others registred themselues as persons priuiledged O what a God art thou that canst one way humble settled Princes with the very shadowes of perill and danger making them confesse their frailty and ticklish estate of mortality by the seuerall encumbrances and mischeefes to which they are subiect and another way confound the mightiest proiects and annihilate their enterprizes turning all actions and mountaines of pride sedition conspiracies and ambition to powder and dust and then blowing it away like smoake and vapour and another way protect the right of the innocent and distressed sending remedy and comfort when they least thinke of it or know to helpe and aduance themselues and another way whip with the rods of vengeance the freneticall and vaine multitude who know nothing but rudenesse and clamorous outcries nor practize any thing but vndecencies and outragiousness so that we may well say O Iupiter cur nam miserâ—s sapere dicunt Homines ex te enim pendemus Agimvsque ea qua tu volueris O nihili homines Qui arcum extendentes tanquam vltra articulum Et iure vitque mala patientes multa Amicis non quidem creditis sed ipsis rerum euentibus c. When King Henry knew that Perkin was fled and departed from his camp he sent the Lord Daubney with fiue hundred horse to intercept him but he was lodged before they came although most of his company were surprized and taken who as miserable caitiffs and poore wretched delinquents were presented to his Maiesty But when the residue of this fearefull and staggering army could neither vnderstand what was become of their Generall nor see their accustomed Penons and Ancients nor their quarters so well ordred as was the manner of Souldiers nor their companies so cheerefull and well heartned they knew not what to say or to doe some supposing he was fraudulently slaine some suspecting he was traiterously fled some reporting the manifestation of his deceit some wondering at the strangenesse of his proceedings in that he had so myraculously begun and presumptuously prosecuted such a dangerous worke some exclaiming vpon the simplicity of the matter that built vpon no better grounds then vaine hopes and presumptuous titles some cursing themselues that they had so farre engaged their loialties against their Soueraigne Lord and King some continuing in their rancorous malice sware nothing but reuenge and obstinacy and some neuer to be reclaimed euen when their forces failed cried out to goe forward rayling at the misfortune of their businesse that they must now faile when they were ready to pull downe the Towne wals with their hands Yet when they were assured of his cowardly flight and base pusillanimity the common feare common mischiefe and common danger made them cast away their armour and submit to the King to whom though they came with affrighted countenances and venemous hearts sad lookes and little repentance curses in their soules and promises of faith loyaltie and obedience out of their mouthes yet did the King entertaine them with all cheerefulnesse and acceptable comfort as the greatest benefit which God could at that time bestow vpon him nor disputing of their hypocrisie nor determining by more narrow searches or artificiall incantations to try out the depth and search the bottome of their resolutions Thus as a conquerour without manslaughter and effusion of blood he roade triumphantly into the Citie of Excester and knowing Praemium and Poena to be the mastering curbes of all the things in the World not only praised and applauded the Citizens but opened the Treasure house of reward and honour amongst them giuing some presents aduancing others to the order of knighthood granting many petitions according to the worthy condition of a Prince and the full corroboration
liberty yet did hee set a guard ouer him that hee could neither haue free conference nor doe what he wantonly listed without them By this time you must consider that Lady Margaret in Flanders Duches Dowager of Burgundy was not so ill befriended or negligent in her owne affaires but shee had both intelligence from England and espialls of her owne to acquaint her with all occurrences and aduentures as they chanced But whether it was a newes to her of bitternesse and tormenting despight or no let them iudge that make their stomackes and inward faculties a store-house of rankour and malice and cry out with Seneca Foelix iacet quicunquâ— quos odit Premit yet was she not tormented so much with the losse expences or disaster of the businesse which might be the chance of warre as in that shee could not preuaile in her malignant courses against her enemy the house of Lancaster So that shee bemoaned the lamentable successe of her vnfortunate darling and as many did testifie euen shed teares againe but they were so farre from coâ—punction or penitency that they seemed rather signes of rage frenzy and intollerable madnesse in which shee cried out on nothing but reuenge and repeated an exclamation of Hermiones against Orestes Quae mea Coelestes iniuria fecit iniquos Quodue mihi miserae â—idus obesse querar So that if shee had had power to her implacable hatred K. Henry should haue felt the scourges of her wrathfull hand euen to the lowest deiection and she had questionlesse shewed him a tricke of a womans will or if I might speake without offence wickednesse In this while Perkin hauing two yeeres liberty to ruminate on his businesse and swell vp his vexed soule with vncomfortable commemoration of precedent misfortunes would many times cast out abrupt and vncertaine speeches concerning his distresse and the maleuolent aspect of his fate cursing his miserable life and complaining on his vnprofitable Genius that had stood him in no better steed wishing hee had beene borne to any mechanicall drudgery rather then from the royall bloud of Plantaginet Insomuch that his keepers mistrusted him in these extasies and the King was still troubled that hee could neither make him confesse the truth nor disclaime this high assumption of another dignity and royalty But at last as all such discontentments and eruptions must haue avent and so a determination whether the opprobry of this kinde of imprisonment greeued him or the vnquietnesse of his thoughts vexed him or the basenesse of his submission abused him or the losse of his sweet wife confounded him or the instigations of others disturbed him or indeede because the last act of his Tragedy and Catastrophe was now in hand he not onely studied which way to escape but put the same in practise in despight of his owne knowledge that the King was acquainted with all his discontentments For alas Princes haue long hands and prying lookes to reach into the furthest parts of their Kingdome and search into the secretest closeâ—s of their palaces yea other mens houses and so are made to vnderstand the affaires of the remoâ—est regions But concerning himselfe his vaine suppositions as in his former enterprizes still flattered him that he should once againe finde fuell enough to set another rebellion and commotion on fire and his vexation to bee bereaued of so delicate a creature as his Lady made him desperate of all and set his wits on the â—enter-hookes to put something in practise to his further contentment So that one day reading the story of Mortymers escape out of the Tower by giuing his keepers a sleepy drinke he in such a manner deceiueth his guard and betooke him to a resolution of escaping and flying out of the land wherein hee prooued onely like the silly bird that with striuing in the net entangles herselfe the more or as Deere that are hunted betray themselues to well-sented hounds by their faster running away whereby they make the deeper impression in their steps So fell it out with him Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdim And by seeking after liberty hee brought himselfe to a more straighter and vnkindlier endurance For when hee had gone to the sea-coasts aud heard the exclamations of the people against him saw all places debarred knew great searches made for him vnderstood what an indignation the Countrey had conceiued of his mockeries and illusions and found the whole Kingdome vp in his search and posting after him he was quite exanimated and like a man distracted knew not what to do At last vnstable in his former wilfulnesse he once againe altred his pretended iourney and came to the house of Bethelem called the Priory of Shene beside Richmond in Surrey and committed himselfe to the Prior with a long and secret conference concluding with an impetration of his charity that being a man of God hee would not thinke it strange to see Princes subiect to disasters and fatall conclusions of misfortune For he well knew the story both of the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of Carlile who in despight of King Henries vsurpation who had not only proiected the deliuery of Richard of Burdeaux but opposed the King in his strength of soueraignty against his wilfulnesse to destroy the other deposed and therefore he desired him to obtaine his pardon of the King yeelding forcible intimation for the same purpose The Prior glad to haue interest in such a meritorious worke and proud to bee seruiceable to his Prince and Countrey came with conuenient speed to the Court and acquainted his Maiewy with the accident leauing no circumstance of any validity vnrecounted which ended to the Kings wonderfull content and the whole Courts disdaine and amazement But all times are not alike and Princes in their mercies pardons are not so flexible as presumption buildeth vpon Yet to please the Prior hee gaue him his life which to a generous and free borne spirit was more irksome then death For hee was first taken and brought to Westminster with all scorne and reprâ—ch then set in a paire off stockes with contumelious derision then carried through all the streets of London like a prodigious spectacle then put to the racke which made him not onely confesse his pedigree and originall but write it with his owne hands Last of all mounted on diuers scaffolds he read it in publike and that so disgraciously as in the commemoration was able to torment a looker on so that hee might well crie out Vitamque per omnem Nulla fuit tam moesta dies nam caeter a damna Durataiammente malis firmaque tulerunt In some of your Chronicles you haue this confession at large as in Grafton which to make the story compleat I haue a little contracted and thus expose the same BE it knowen vnto all men that I was borne in the towne of Tourney in Flanders my father Iohn Oâ—beck Controller of the said towne and my mother Katherine Haro
restraint of his liberty and stomaching his former disgraces indignities would endure no longer but studied euery hower how to escape not yet knowing what to do when he did escape to which purpose by faire promises and false perswasions he corrupted his keepers Strangwaies Blewet Astwood and long Roger seruants of Sir Iohn Digby Lieutenant of the Tower to slay their said Master and set both Perkin and the true Earle of Warwicke at large and so to make their fortunes as they could either by domestike or forraine friends to which when the innocent Prince condiscended as glad any way to enioy his libertie and to be freed of his imprisonment for you see birds kept in golden cages beat and flutter vp and downe as scorning their enclosure to get out into their natiue Country the region of the aire mischiefe and misfortune which plaies the tyrant with many men all their liues long neuer affordeth one day or breathing time to giue them a taste of any pleasure or contentment discouered the whole conspiracy to the King and his Councell not leauing out any circumstance which might either exasperate his rage or pull forward death and destruction to the delinquents Whereupon without further disputing the matter Perkin Warbeck Iohn a Water sometimes Maior of Corck and his sonne were the 16. of Nouember arraigned and condemned at Westminster of high Treason and the 23. hanged at Tyburn Perkin mounted on a scaffold reading his confession and contrary to all expectation aâ—king the King and Country forgiuenesse and dying penitently with great remorce of conscience and compunction of spirit Et sic â—inis Priami Not long after Edward Earle of Warwick who had beene the 21. of Nouember arraigned at Westminster before the Earle of Oxford high Constable of England for the present was vpon the 28. 1429. beheaded at the Tower Hill For he quietly confessed the enditement concerning his consent and willingnesse to obtaine his libertie though it were by violating the law in that kinde and breaking of prison whose simplicity I rather lament then condemne the offence For it was a dangerous time for any Plantaginet to liue in and I may well cry out Omne tulit secum Caesaris ira malum But the King was indeed glad of this occasion and fortune gaue vertue the check because as he had imprisoned him without a cause he knew not what to doe with him without a fault yet some report that the principall reason of accelerating his death was a speech of Ferdinando's king of Spaine who should sweare that the mariage betweene Lady Katherine his daughter and Prince Arthur of Wales should neuer be consummated as long as any Earle of Warwick liued For the very name and title was not only formidable to other Nations but superstitions to the wauâ—ring and vnconstant English whereupon the King was the gladder to take hold of this opportunitie where in the conuiction of Law had cast this stumbling-block of treason in his walke and race to a longer life and yet was there nothing done but by orderly proceedings and iustifiable courses more then when the silly Prince submitted to his mercy he thought it the greatest point of mercy to looke to himselfe and so for the benefit of his posteritie and the sedation of all troubles both present and to come struck off his head and with him the head of all diuision and dissention FINIS True Histories to be preferred before all prophane and deuised relâ—tions The house of Lancaster began the first wrong Rebellion in Ireland naturall Sparâ—ago Sebastian Mortimer Treason did neuer long prosper Margaret Duches of Burgundy chiefest enemy of Henry the seuenth The Lord Louel and Stafford rebell against Henry the seuenth No Saâ—ctâ—ary for Traitors â— new Earle of Warwick The end of diuelish deuices our destruction Lambert Earle of Wâ—rwicke saâ—â—eth into Ireland The Earle of Kildare a sauorer of this counterfet Margaret Duches of Burgundy entertaineth this quarrell Eurip. Mâ—dâ—â— Articles agreed vpon by the Councell to prâ—uent the warre The Earle of Warwicke shewne in publike Iohn de la Pooles sonne Duke of Susâ— folke by a sister of Edward the fourth Now Earle of Lincolne taketh part with Lambert The Earle of Lincolâ—e and Lord Louel goe into Ireland to Lambert The King raiâ—eth an Armie The Lord Marâ— quesse Dorceâ— sent to the Tower Eurip. Bacchâ— Mâ—rtinus Swart Lambert with his Armie commeth into England Lucan lib. 1. The King with his army is ready to the encounter Lucan lib. 2. The Earle of Lincolne commeth forward to Newarck to meet the King Stoke field The armies ioyne The King obtaineth the victory against the Rebells Lucan lib. 9. The Duches of Burgundy is rather enraged then daâ—nâ—ed with the newes Euriâ— Medea The Duches of Burgundy raiseth new troubles Another Richard the fourth Peter Warbâ—ck instructed by the Duches hâ—w to demeane himselfe Perkins Oration to the Irish Lords The French King sendeth for Perkin Lucan Lib. 7. Perkin welcommed to Lady Margaret Eurip. Hippolitus Coronatus England strangely possessed with the humor of Perkin Sr. Robert Clifford sent to Perkin Lucan lib 6. The King prepareth for Peâ—kin Paâ—â—â— Helâ—â—â— Embasie to the Arch-Duke Eurip. Andromache The Duches answer to Doctor Warrham oranâ—tion Oâ—id Epist. Petrâ—rck dâ— contemptu mu ndi dial 3. The Embassador returne into England Quid. de arte amandi lib. 3. Eurip. Iphigenia in aulide A riot 〈◊〉 the Esterlings Sir William Stanley accused Eurip. Herefuâ—â—â—â— Sir William Stanley beheaded Eurip Heraclida Libel â—rs hanged Speciall Commissioners sent into Ireland Lucan lib. 5. The North of Ireland Sueuorum morâ—scu Politianâ— The Earle of Kildare accused by Sr. Edward Poinings The King progresse intercepted vpon report of Perkins lanâ—ding 〈◊〉 lib. 9. Perkin commeth to Kent Eurip. Hecuba Perkins company defeated he driuen backe to seâ— Ouid. 6 6. â—aâ—torum Perkin resolueth for Ireland and so into Scotland Perkins Oration to the King of Scots The King of Scots resolueth to assist Perkin Ouid. Epist. Helena Paridi The King of Scoss prouideth Perkin of a wife The Ladies answer Perkin marieth the Ladie Katherin Gourdon daughter to the Earle Huntley The Scots inuade England in the behalfe of Perkin â—ucan lib. 2. Perkin lamenteth the English slaughters The Kings aâ—â—â—swer Lucan lib. 3. Perkins answer Eurip. Helena They prepare in England against Perkin Arebellionin the west diuerteth the army out of Scotland â—â—mock and Ioseph Captains of the Rebâ—lls Men in authority Eurip. Hâ—raâ—lida The Armies in England raised Lord Audley Captaine of the Rebels Black-Heathâ—ield London Lucan lib. 1. The Rebels â—uercome Lord Audeley executed Lib. 8. Lib. 9. The King of Scots prepareth against England King of Scots besiegeth Norham Castle The Earle of Surrey raiseth the siege Lucan lib. 7. The Earle of Surrey entreth Scotland The King of Scots offreth a priuate combate to the Earle of Surrey The King of Spaine would marry his daughter to Prince Arthur An Embassador to the King of Scots from Spaine Lucan lib. 7. An Embâ—ssador from Englâ—nd to Scotland The King of Scots will not deliuer Perkin Eurip suppliceâ— Perkin discharged out of Scotland Perkin retorneâ—h into Ireland Perkin ecâ—meth into England Perkin besiedgeth Excester Perkin discomfited leaueth Excester and departeth to Taunton The Lord Dawbney generall of the Kings forceâ— The King commeth forward with his Army The Duke of Buckingham Eurip. supplâ—ce◠〈…〉 Perkin desperat of all reliefe taketh Sauctuary Eurip. suppliceâ— The Lord Daubney sent after Perkin The Army of Perkin submitteth to the King without fighting The King râ—turneth to Exâ—ester Perkins Wife taken Eurip. Hecuba Perkin submittet to the King Lady Margaret much troubled with this discomfortable newes Perkin deceiueth his keepers anâ—â— escapeth Perkin commeth to the Prior of Shene Perkin once againe 〈◊〉 but ignominiously vsed 〈◊〉 lib. 5. Perkins confession Lib. 3. de pontâ— Perkin committed to the Tower Li. 4. de 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Perkin corrupting his keepers to escape out of the Tower is takâ—n and hanged at Tiburn The Earle of Warwicke beheaded