hesitation or varying with those ciuill Protestations that were fit stand to that that he had said offering to iustifie it vpon his soule and life he caused him to be remoued And after he had not a litle bemoaned himself vnto his Councel there present gaue order that Sir WILLIAM STANLEY should be restrained in his own Chamber where he lay before in the Square Tower And the next day he was examined by the Lords Vpō his Examination he denied little of that wherewith he was charged nor endeauoured much to excuse or extenuate his fault So that not very wisely thinking to make his Offence lesse by Confession hee made it enough for Condemnation It was conceiued that he trusted much to his former merits and the interest that his brother had in the king But those helpes were ouer weighed by diuers things that made against him were predominant in the Kings nature and minde First an Ouer-merit for conuenient Merit vnto which reward may easily reach doth best with kings next the sense of his Power for the King thought that he that could set him vp was the more dāgerous to pul him down Thirdly the glimmering of a Confiscation for he was the richest subiect for value in the kingdome There being found in his Castle of Holt forty thousand Marks in ready mony and plate besides Iewels Houshold-stuffe Stockes vpon his grounds other Personall Estate exceeding great And for his Reuenue in Land and Fee it was three thousand pounds a yeere of old Rent a great matter in those times Lastly the Nature of the Time for if the King had been out of feare of his own Estate it was not vnlike he would haue spared his life But the Cloud of so great a Rebellion hanging ouer his head made him worke sure Wherefore after some six weekes distance of time which the King did honorably interpose both to giue space to his Brothers Intercession to shew to the World that he had a conflict with himself what he should do he was arraigned of High-Treason and condemned and presently after beheaded Yet is it to this day left but in dark memorie both what the Case of this Noble Person was for which he suffred and what likewise was the ground cause of his defection the alienation of his heart from the King His Case was said to be this That in discourse between Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and him he had said That if he were sure that that young man were King EDWARDS Sonne hee would neuer beare Armes against him This Case seemes somwhat an hard Case both in respect of the Conditionall and in respect of the other words But for the Conditional it seemes the Iudges of that time who were learned men the three chief of them of the Priuy Councel thought it was a dangerous thing to admit Ifs and And 's to qualifie words of Treason wherby euery man might expresse his malice and blanch his danger And it was like to the Case in the following times of ELIZABETH BARTON the Holy-maid of Kent who had said That if king HENRY the eighth did not take KATHERINE his Wife againe he should be depriued of his Crown and dye the death of a Dogge And infinite Cases may be put of like nature Which it seemeth the graue Iudges taking into Consideration would not admit of treasons vpō condition And as for the Positiue words That he would not bear arms against King EDWARDS Son though the words seeme calme yet it was a plain direct Ouer-ruling of the Kings Title either by the Line of LANCASTER or by Act of Parliament Which no doubt pierced the King more than if STANLEY had charged his Lance vpon him in the fielde For if STANLEY would hold that opinion that a son of King EDWARD had still the better right he being so principall a Person of authoritie and fauor about the King it was to teach all England to say as much And therfore as those times were that speech touched the Quicke But some Writers doe put this out of doubt for they say That STANLEY did expresly promise to aide PERKIN sent him some helpe of Treasure Now for the Motiue of his falling off from the King It is true that at Bosworth Field the King was beset and in a manner inclosed round about by the Troupes of King RICHARD in manifest danger of his life when this STANLEY was sent by his brother with three thousand men to his Rescue which he performed so that king RICHARD was slaine vpon the Place So as the condition of Mortal men is not capable of a greater benefit than the king receiued by the hands of STANLEY being like the benefit of CHRIST at once to Saue and Crowne For which seruice the King gaue him great gifts made him his Counsellor Chamberlain and somwhat cōtrary to his nature had winked at the great spoiles of Bosworth Field which came almost wholly to this mans hands to his infinite enriching Yet neuerthelesse blown vp with the conceit of his Merit he did not think he had receiued good Measure frō the King at least not Pressing-downe and runningouer as he expected And his ambition was so exorbitant and vnbounded as he became Sutour to the King for the Earledome of Chester Which euer beeing a kinde of Appennage to the Principalitie of Wales and vsing to goe to the Kings Sonne his suit did not only end in a Deniall but in a Distaste The King perceiuing thereby that his Desires were intemperate and his Cogitations vaste and irregular and that his former Benefits were but cheape and lightly regarded by him Wherefore the King began not to brook him wel And as a litle Leauen of new Distaste doth commonly sowre the whole Lumpe of former Merits the Kings Wit began now to suggest vnto his Passion that STANLEY at Bosworth Field though he came time enough to saue his life yet hee stayed long enough to endanger it But yet hauing no matter against him he continued him in his Places vntill this his Fall After him was made Lord Chamberlaine GILES Lord Dawbeny a man of great sufficiencie and valour the more because he was gentle and moderate There was a common Opinion That Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who now was become the State-Informer was from the beginning an Emissary and Spie of the Kings and that hee fled ouer into Flanders with his consent and priuitie But this is not probable both because hee neuer recouered that Degree of Grace which he had with the king before his going ouer and chiefly for that the Discouerie which hee had made touching the Lord Chamberlaine which was his great Seruice grew not from any thing he learn'd abroade for that hee knew it well before he went These Executions and especially that of the Lord Chamberlaines which was the chiefe strength of the Partie and by meanes of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who was the most inward man of Trust amongst them did extremely quaile the Designe of
although the French seemed to speake reason yet Arguments are euer with multitudes too weake for Suspitions Wherefore they did aduise the King roundly to embrace the Britons quarrell and to send them speedy aides and with much alacritie and forwardnesse granted to the King a great rate of Subsidie in contemplation of these aides But the King both to keepe a decencie towards the French King to whom he profest himselfe to be obliged and indeed desirous rather to shew Warre then to make it sent new solemne Ambassadors to intimate vnto him the Decree of his Estates and to iterate his motion that the French would desist from Hostilitie or if Warre must follow to desire him to take it in good part if at the motion of his people who were sensible of the cause of the Britons as their ancient Friends and Confederates hee did send them succours with protestation neuerthelesse that to saue all Treaties and Lawes of Friendship hee had limited his Force to proceed in aide of the Britons but in no wise to warre vpon the French otherwise then as they maintained the possession of Britaine But before this formall Ambassage arriued the Partie of the Duke had receiued a great blow and grew to manifest declination For neere the Towne of Saint Alban in Britaine a Battaile had beene giuen where the Britons were ouerthrowne and the Duke of Orleance and the Prince of Orange taken Prisoners there being slaine on the Britons part six thousand Men and amongst them the Lord WOODVILE and almost all his Souldiers valiantly fighting And of the French part one thousand two hundred with their Leader IAMES GALEOT a great Commander When the newes of this Battaile came ouer into England it was time for the King who now had no subrerfuge to continue further Treatie and saw before his Eyes that Britaine went so speedily for lost contrarie to his hopes knowing also that with his People and Forreiners both he sustained no small Enuie and disreputation for his former delayes to dispatch with all possible speed his succours into Britaine which hee did vnder the conduct of ROBERT Lord BROOKE to the number of eight thousand choise Men and well armed who hauing a faire wind in few houres landed in Britaine and ioyned themselues forthwith to those Briton-Forces that remained after the Defeat and marched straight on to find the Enemie and incamped fast by them The French wisely husbanding the possession of a Victorie and well acquainted with the courage of the English especially when they are fresh kept themselues within their Trenches being strongly lodged and resolued not to giue battaile But meane while to harrasse and wearie the English they did vpon all aduantages set vpon them with their Light-Horse wherein neuerthelesse they receiued commonly losse especially by meanes of the English-Archers But vpon these atchieuements FRANCIS Duke of Britaine deceased an accident that the King might easily haue foreseene and ought to haue reckoned vpon and prouided for but that the Point of Reputation when newes first came of the Battaile lost that somewhat must bee done did ouerbeare the Reason of Warre After the Dukes decease the principall persons of Britaine partly bought partly through faction put all things into confusion so as the English not finding Head or Bodie with whom to ioyne their Forces and being in iealousie of Friends as well as in danger of Enemies and the Winter begun returned home fiue moneths after their landing So the Battaile of Saint Alban the death of the Duke and the retire of the English succours were after some time the causes of the losse of that Duchie which action some accounted as a blemish of the Kings Iudgement but most but as the misfortune of his times But howsoeuer the temporarie Fruit of the Parliament in their aid and aduice giuen for Britaine tooke not nor prospered not yet the lasting Fruit of Parliament which is good and wholsome Lawes did prosper and doth yet continue to this day For according to the Lord Chancellours admonition there were that Parliament diuers excellent Lawes ordained concerning the Points which the King recommended First the authoritie of the Star-chamber which before subsisted by the ancient Common-Lawes of the Realme was confirmed in certaine Cases by Act of Parliament This Court is one of the sagest and noblest Institutions of this Kingdome For in the distribution of Courts of Ordinarie Iustice besides the High-Court of Parliament in which distribution the Kings-Bench holdeth the Pleas of the Crowne the Common-Place Pleas Ciuill the Exchequer Pleas concerning the Kings Reuenue and the Chancery the Pretorian power for mitigating the Rigour of Law in case of extremitie by the conscience of a good man there was neuerthelesse alwaies reserued a high and preheminent power to the Kings Counsell in Causes that might in example or consequence concerne the state of the Common-wealth which if they were Criminall the Counsell vsed to sit in the Chamber called the Star-Chamber if Ciuill in the White-Chamber or White-hall And as the Chancery had the Pretorian power for Equitie so the Star-chamber had the Censorian power for Offences vnder the degree of Capitall This Court of Star-chamber is compounded of good Elements for it consisteth of foure kindes of Persons Councellors Peeres Prelates and Chief-Iudges It discerneth also principally of foure kinds of Causes Forces Frauds Crimes various of Stellionate and the Inchoations or middle acts towards Crimes Capitall or hainous not actually committed or perpetrated But that which was principally aimed at by this Act was Force and the two chiefe Supports of Force Combination of multitudes and Maintenance or Headship of great Persons From the generall peace of the Countrie the Kings care went on to the peace of the Kings House and the securitie of his great Officers and Counsellors But this Law was somwhat of a strange composition and temper That if any of the Kings seruants vnder the degree of a Lord doe conspire the death of any of the Kings Counsell or Lord of the Realme it is made Capitall This Law was thought to bee procured by the Lord Chancellor who being a sterne and haughtie man and finding he had some mortall Enemies in Court prouided for his owne safetie drowning the enuie of it in a generall Law by communicating the priuiledge with all other Councellors and Peeres and yet not daring to extend it further then to the Kings seruants in Check-rowle lest it should haue beene too harsh to the Gentlemen and other Commons of the Kingdome who might haue thought their ancient Libertie and the clemencie of the Lawes of England inuaded If the will in any case of Felonie should be made the deed And yet the reason which the Act yeeldeth that is to say That hee that conspireth the death of Councellors may be thought indirectly and by a meane to conspire the death of the King himselfe is indifferent to all Subiects as well as to Seruants in Court But it seemeth this sufficed to serue the Lord
not beene vsed as it seemes to Sea all wearied and extreame sicke would needes land ro refresh his Spirits though it was against the Opinion of his Councell doubting it might breed Delay his Occasions requiring Celeritie The Rumour of the Arriuall of a puissant Nauie vpon the Coast made the Countrie Arme. And Sir THOMAS TRENCHARD with Forces suddenly raised not knowing what the matter might bee came to Waymouth Where vnderstanding the Accident hee did in all Humblenesse and Humanitie inuite the King and Queene to his House and forthwith dispatched Posts to the Court. Soone after came Sir IOHN CAROE likewise with a great troupe of Men well armed vsing the like Humblenesse and Respect towards the king when hee knew the Case King PHILIP doubting that they being but Subiects durst not let him passe away againe without the Kings Notice and Leaue yeelded to their Entreatieâ— to staie till they heard from the Court The king as soone as hee heard the Newes commanded presently the Earle of Arundell to goe to visite the king of Castile and let him vnderstand That as hee was verie sorrie for his Mishap so hee was glad that hee had escaped the Danger of the Seas and likewise of the Occasion himselfe had to doe him Honour and desiring him to thinke himselfe as in his owne Land and that the king made all hast possible to come and imbrace him The Earle came to him in great Magnificence with a braue Troupe of three hundred Horse and for more State came by Torch-Light After hee had done the Kings Message King PHILIP seeing how the world went the sooner to get away went vpon speed to the King at Windsore and his Queene followed by easie iourneys The two kings at their meeting vsed all the Caresses and louing Demonstrations that were possible And the king of Castile said pleasantly to the King That hee was now punished for that he would not come within his walled Towne of Calice when they met last But the king answered That walles and Seas were nothing where Hearts were open and that hee was here no otherwise but to bee serued After a Day or two's refreshing the kings entred into speech of renewing the Treatie The King saying That though King PHILIPS Person were the same yet his Fortunes and State were raised In which Case a Renouation of Treatie was vsed amongst Princes But while these things were in handling the king choosing a fit time and drawing the king of Castile into a Roome where they two onely were priuate and laying his hand ciuilly vpon his arme and changing his Countenance a little from a Countenance of Intertainment said to him Sir you haue beene saued vpon my Coast I hope you will not suffer mee to wracke vpon yours The King of Castile asked him What hee meant by that speech I meane it saith the King by that same Harebraine wilde Fellow my subiect the Earle of Suffolke who is protected in your Countrie and begins to play the Foole when all others are wearie of it The King of Castile answered I had thought Sir your Felicitie had beene aboue those thoughts But if it trouble you I will banish him The King replied Those Hornets were best in their Nest and worst then when they did stie abroad that his desire was to haue him deliuered to him The King of Castile here with a little confused and in a studie said That can I not doe with my honour and lesse with yours for you will bee thought to haue vsed mee as a Prisoner The King presently said Then the matter is at an end For I will take that dishonour vpon me and so your honour is saued The King of Castile who had the king in great Estimation and besides remembred where hee was and knew not what vse hee might haue of the kings Amitie for that himselfe was new in his Estate of Spaine and vnsetled both with his Father-in-Law and with his People composing his Countenance said Sir you giue Law to mee but so will I to you You shall haue him but vpon your honour you shall not take his life The king embracing him said Agreed Saith the king of Castile Neither shall it dislike you if I send to him in such a fashion as hee may partly come with his owne good will The king said It was well thought of and if it pleased him hee would ioyne with him in sending to the Earle a Message to that purpose They both sent seuerally and meane while they continued Feasting and Pastimes The King beeing on his part willing to haue the Earle sure before the king of Castile went and the king of Castile beeing as willing to seeme to bee inforced The King also with many wise and excellent Perswasions did aduise the king of Castile to bee ruled by the Councell of his Father-in-Law FERDINANDO a Prince so prudent so experienced so fortunate The King of Castile who was in no verie good termes with his said Father-in-Law answered That if his Father-in-Law would suffer him to gouerne his Kingdomes hee should gouerne him There were immediatly Messengers sent from both Kings to recall the Earle of Suffolke Who vpon gentle wordes vsed to him was soone charmed and willing enough to returne assured of his Life and hoping of his Libertie Hee was brought through Flanders to Calice and thence landed at Douer and with sufficient Guard deliuered and receiued at the Tower of London Meane while King HENRY to draw out the time continued his Feastings and Entertainments and after hee had receiued the king of Castile into the Fraternitie of the Garter and for a Reciprocall had his Sonne the Prince admitted to the Order of the Golden-Fleece hee accompainied King PHILIP and his Queene to the Citie of London where they were entertayned with the greatest Magnificence and Triumph that could bee vpon no greater warning And as soone as the Earle of Suffolke had beene conueyed to the Tower which was the serious part the Iollities had an end and the Kings tooke leaue Neuerthelesse during their beeing heere they in Substance concluded that Treatie which the Flemings terme Intercursus malus and beares Date at Windsore for that there bee some things in it more to the Aduantage of the English than of them especially for that the Free-fishing of the Dutch vpon the Coasts and Seas of England granted in the Treatie of Undecimo was not by this Treatie confirmed All Articles that confirme former Treaties beeing precisely and warily limitted and confirmed to matter of Commerce onely and not otherwise It was obserued that the great Tempest which draue PHILIP into England blew downe the Golden Eagle from the Spire of PAVLES and in the fall it fell vpon a Signe of the Blacke Eagle which was in PAVLES Church-Yard in the place where the Schoole-House now standeth and battered it and brake it downe Which was a strange stooping of a Hawke vpon a Fowle This the People interpreted to bee an Ominous Prognosticke vpon the Imperiall House
principall persons in presence of whom he did renew againe his promise to marrie with the Lady ELIZABETH This hee did the rather because hauing at his comming out of Britaine giuen artificially for seruing of his owne turne some hopes in cale he obtained the Kingdome to marrie ANNE Inheritresse to the Duchie of Britaine whom CHARLES the Eight of France soone after married It bred some doubt and suspicion amongst diuers that he was not sincere or at least not fixed in going on with the match of England so much desired which Conceit also though it were but Talke and Discourse did much afflict the poore Lady ELIZABETH her selfe But howsoeuer he both truly intended it and desired also it should be so beleeued the better to extinguish Enuie and Contradiction to his other purposes yet was he resolued in himselfe not to proceed to the Consummation thereof till his Coronation and a Parliament were past The one least a ioynt Coronation of himselfe and his Queene might giue any countenance of participation of Title The other least in the intayling of the Crowne to himselfe which he hoped to obtaine by Parliament the Votes of the Parliament might any wayes reflect vpon her About this time in Autumne towards the end of September there began and reigned in the Citie and other parts of the Kingdome a Disease then new which of the Accidents and manner thereof they called the Sweating Sicknesse This Disease had a swift course both in the Sicke-Body and in the Time and Period of the lasting therof for they that were taken with it vpon foure and twentie houres escaping were thought almost assured And as to the Time of the malice and reigne of the Disease ere it ceased It began about the one and twentieth of September and cleared vp before the end of October insomuch as it was no hinderance to the Kings Coronation which was the last of October nor which was more to the holding of the Parliament which began but seuen dayes after It was a Pestilent-Feuer but as it seemeth not seated in the Veynes or Humors for that there followed no Carbuncle no purple or liuide Spots or the like the Masse of the Bodie being not tainted onely a maligne Vapour flew to the Heart and seased the vitall Spirits which stirred Nature to striue to send it forth by an extreme sweat And it appeared by experience that this Disease was rather a Surprise of Nature than obstinate to remedies if it were in time looked vnto For if the Patient were kept in an equall temper both for Clothes Fire and Drinke moderately warme with temperate Cordials wherby Natures worke were neither irritated by Heat nor turned backe by Cold hee commonly recouered But infinite Persons died sodainly of it before the manner of the Cure and attendance was knowne It was conceiued not to bee an Epidemicke Disease but to proceed from a malignitie in the constitution of the Aire gathered by the predispositions of Seasons and the speedie cessation declared as much On SIMON and IVDES Euen the King dined with THOMAS BOVRCHIER Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Cardinall and from Lambeth went by Land ouer the Bridge to the Tower where the morrow after hee made twelue Knights-Bannerets But for Creations hee dispensed them with a sparing hand For notwithstanding a Field so lately fought and a Coronation so neere at hand hee onely created three IASPER Earle of Pembroke the Kings Vncle was created Duke of Bedford THOMAS the Lord STANLEY the Kings Father-in-law Earle of Darbie and EDWARD COVRTNEY Earle of Deuon though the King had then neuerthelesse a purpose in himselfe to make more in time of Parliament bearing a wise and decent respect to distribute his Creations some to honour his Coronation and some his Parliament The Coronation followed two dayes after vpon the thirtieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1485. At which time INNOCENT the Eight was Pope of Rome FREDERICKE the Third Emperour of Almaine and MAXIMILIAN his sonne newly chosen King of the Romans CHARLES the Eight King of France FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spain and IAMES the Third King of Scotland with all which Kings and States the King was at that time in good peace and amitie At which day also as if the Crowne vpon his head had put perils into his thoughts he did institute for the better securitie of his person a Band of fiftie Archers vnder a Captaine to attend him by the name of Yeomen-of-his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of Dignitie after the imitation of that hee had knowne abroad then any matter of Diffidence appropriate to his owne Case hee made it to be vnderstood for an Ordinance not temporarie but to hold in succession for euer after The seuenth of Nouember the King held his Parliament at Westminster which hee had summoned immediately after his comming to London His Ends in calling a Parliament and that so speedily were chiefly three First to procure the Crowne to bee entayled vpon himselfe Next to haue the Attaindors of all of his Partie which were in no small number reuersed and all Acts of hostilitie by them done in his quarrell remitted and discharged and on the other side to attaine by Parliament the Heads and Principals of his Enemies The Third to calme and quiet the feares of the rest of that Partie by a Generall-Pardon not being ignorant in how great danger a King stands from his Subiects when most of his Subiects are conscious in themselues that they stand in his danger Vnto these three speciall Motiues of a Parliament was added that hee as a prudent and moderate Prince made this iudgement that it was fit for him to hasten to let his people see that hee meant to gouerne by Law howsoeuer hee came in by the Sword and fit also to reclaime them to know him for their King whom they had so lately talked of as an Enemie or Banished-man For that which concerned the Entayling of the Crowne more then that he was true to his owne Will that hee would not endure any mention of the Lady ELIZABETH no not in the nature of Speciall-Intaile he carried it otherwise with great wisdome and measure For he did not presse to haue the Act penned by way of Declaration or Recognition of right as on the other side he auoyded to haue it by new Law or Ordinance but chose rather a kind of middle-way by way of Establishment and that vnder couert and indifferent words That the inheritance of the Crowne should rest remaine and abide in the King c. which words might equally be applied That the Crowne should continue to him but whether as hauing former right to it which was doubtfull or hauing it then in Fact and possession which no man denied was left faire to interpretation eyther way And againe for the limitation of the Entaile he did not presse it to goe further then to himselfe and to the Heires of his body not speaking of
these Mists but contrariwise hee had a fashion rather to create Doubts then Assurance Thus was Fuell prepared for the Sparke the Sparke that afterwards kindled such a fire and combustion was at the first contemptible There was a subtill Priest called RICHARD SIMON that liued in Oxford and had to his Pupill a Bakers sonne named LAMBERT SIMNELL of the age of some fifteene yeares a comely Youth and weli fauoured not without some extraordinarie dignitie and grace of aspect It came into this Priests fancie hearing what men talked and in hope to raise himselfe to some great Bishopricke to cause this Lad to counterseit and personate the second sonne of EDWARD the Fourth supposed to be murdered and afterward for he changed his intention in the manage the Lord EDWARD PLANTAGENET then prisoner in the Tower and accordingly to frame him and instruct him in the Part hee was to play This is that which as was touched before seemeth scarcely credible Not that a False person should be assumed to gaine a Kingdome for it hath beene seene in ancient and late times nor that it should come into the mind of such an abiect Fellow to enterprise so great a matter for high Conceits doe sometimes come streaming into the Imaginations of base persons especially when they are drunke with Newes and talke of the people But heere is that which hath no apparance That this Priest being vtterly vnacquainted with the true Person according to whose patterne hee should shape his Counterfeit should thinke it possible for him to instruct his Player either in gesture and fashions or in recounting past matters of his life and education or in fit answers to questions or the like any wayes to come neare the resemblance of him whom hee was to represent For this Lad was not to personate one that had beene long before taken out of his Cradle or conueighed away in his infancie knowne to few but a Youth that till the age almost of ten yeares had beene brought vp in a Court where infinite eyes had beene vpon him For King EDWARD touched with remorse of his brother the Duke of Clarences death would not indeed restore his sonne of whom wee speake to bee Duke of Clarence but yet created him Earle of Warwicke reuiuing his honour on the mothers side and vsed him honourably during his time though RICHARD the Third afterwards confined him So that it cannot bee but that some great Person that knew particularly and familiarly EDWARD PLANTAGENET had a hand in the businesse from whom the Priest might take his ayme That which is most probable out of the precedent and subsequent Acts is that it was the Queene Dowager from whom this action had the principall source and motion For certaine it is shee was a busie negotiating woman and in her withdrawing Chamber had the fortunate Conspiracie for the King against King RICHARD the Third beene hatched which the King knew and remembred perhaps but too well and was at this time extremely discontent with the King thinking her daughter as the King handled the matter not aduanced but depressed and none could hold the Booke so well to prompt and instruct this Stage-Play as she could Neuerthelesse it was not her meaning nor no more was it the meaning of any of the better and sager sort that fauoured this Enterprise and knew the Secret that this disguised Idoll should possesse the Crowne but at his perill to make way to the Ouerthrow of the King and that done they had their seuerall Hopes and Waies That which doth chiefly fortifie this Coniecture is that as soone as the matter brake forth in any strength it was one of the Kings first Acts to cloister the Queene Dowager in the Nunnery of Bermondsey and to take away all her lands and estate and this by close Councell without any legall proceeding vpon farre-fetcht Pretences That shee had deliuered her two daughters out of Sanctuarie to King RICHARD contrarie to promise Which Proceeding being euen at that time taxed for rigorous and vndue both in matter and maner makes it very probable there was some greater matter against her which the King vpon reason of Policie and to auoid enuy would not publish It is likewise no small argument that there was some secret in it and some suppressing of Examinations for that the Priest SIMON himselfe after hee was taken was neuer brought to execution no not so much as to publike Triall as many Clergie-men were vpon lesse Treasons but was only shut vp close in a Dungeon Adde to this that the after Earle of Lincolne a principall Person of the House of YORKE was slaine in Stoke-field the King opened himselfe to some of his Councell that he was sorie for the Earles death because by him hee said hee might haue knowne the bottome of his danger But to returne to the Narration it selfe SIMON did first instruct his Scholler for the part of RICHARD Duke of Yorke second sonne to King EDWARD the Fourth and this was at such time as it was voiced that the King purposed to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET prisoner in the Tower whereat there was great murmur But hearing soone after a generall bruit that PLANTAGENET had escaped out of the Tower and thereby finding him so much beloued amongst the people and such reioycing at his Escape the cunning Priest changed his Copie and chose now PLANTAGENET to bee the Subiect his Pupill should personate because hee was more in the present speech and votes of the people and it pieced better and followed more close and handsomley vpon the bruit of PLANTAGENETS escape But yet doubting that there would bee too neare looking and too much Perspectiue into his Disguise if hee should shew it here in England hee thought good after the manner of Scenes in Stage-Playes and Maskes to shew it a farre of and therfore sailed with his Scholler into Ireland where the Affection to the House of YORKE was most in height The King had beene a little improuident in the matters of Ireland and had not remoued Officers and Councellors and put in their places or at least intermingled persons of whom hee stood assured as he should haue done since hee knew the strong Bent of that Countrey towards the House of YORKE and that it was a ticklish and vnsetled State more easie to receiue distempers and mutations then England was But trusting to the reputation of his Victories and Successes in England hee thought hee should haue time enough to extend his Cares afterwards to that second Kingdome Wherefore through this neglect vpon the comming of SIMON with his pretended PLANTAGENET into Ireland all things were prepared for Reuolt and Sedition almost as if they had beene set and plotted before hand SIMONS first addresse was to the Lord THOMAS FITZ-GERARD Earle of Kildare and Deputie of Ireland before whose Eyes hee did cast such a Mist by his owne insinuation and by the carriage of his Youth that expressed a naturall Princely behauiour as ioyned perhaps
with some inward Vapours of Ambition and Affection in the Earles owne minde left him fully possessed that it was the true PLANTAGENET The Earle presently communicated the matter with some of the Nobles and others there at the first secretly But finding them of like affection to himselfe hee suffered it of purpose to vent and passe abroad because they thought it not safe to resolue till they had a taste of the Peoples inclination But if the Great ones were in forwardnesse the People were in furie entertayning this Airie bodie or Phantasme with incredible affection partly out of their great deuotion to the House of YORKE partly out of a proud humour in the Nation to giue a King to the Realme of England Neither did the Partie in this heat of affection much trouble themselues with the Attaindor of GEORGE Duke of Clarence hauing newly learned by the Kings example that Attaindors doe not interrupt the conueighing of Title to the Crowne And as for the daughters of King EDWARD the Fourth they thought King RICHARD had said enough for them and tooke them to bee but as of the Kings Partie because they were in his power and at his disposing So that with maruellous consent and applause this Counterfeit PLANTAGENET was brought with great solemnitie to the Castle of Dublin and there saluted serued and honoured as King the Boy becoming it well and doing nothing that did bewray the basenesse of his condition And within a few dayes after hee was proclaimed King in Dublin by the name of King EDWARD the Sixt there beeing not a sword drawne in King HENRY his quarrell The King was much moued with this vnexpected accident when it came to his eares both because it strooke vpon that String which euer he most feared as also because it was stirred in such a Place where hee could not with safetie transferre his owne person to suppresse it For partly through naturall valour and partly through an vniuersall suspition not knowing whom to trust he was euer readie to wait vpon all his atchieuements in person The King therefore first called his Councell together at the Charter-house at Shine Which Councell was held with great secrecie but the open Decrees thereof which presently came abroad were three The first was that the Queene Dowager for that she contrarie to her Pact and Agreement with those that had concluded with her concerning the Mariage of her daughter ELIZABETH with King HENRY had neuerthelesse deliuered her daughters out of Sanctuarie into King RICHARDS hands should be cloistered in the Nunnerie of Bermondsey and forfeit all her lands and goods The next was that EDWARD PLANTAGENET then Close-prisoner in the Tower should be in the most publike and notorious manner that could be deuised shewed vnto the people In part to discharge the King of the Enuie of that opinion and bruit how he had beene put to death priuily in the Tower But chiefly to make the people see the leuitie and imposture of the proceedings of Ireland and that their PLANTAGENET was indeed but a puppit or a Counterfeit The third was that there should be againe proclaimed a Generall-Pardon to all that would reueale their offences and submit themselues by a day And that this Pardon should be conceiued in so ample and liberall a manner as no High-Treason no not against the Kings owne person should be excepted Which though it might seeme strange yet was it not so to a wise King that knew his greatest dangers were not from the least Treasons but from the greatest These resolutions of the King and his Councell were immediatly put in execution And first the Queene Dowager was put into the Monasterie of Bermondsey and all her estate seized into the Kings hands whereat there was much wondering That a weake woman for the yeelding to the menaces and promises of a Tyrant after such a distance of time wherein the King had shewed no displeasure nor alteration but much more after so happie a mariage betweene the King and her Daughter blessed with Issue-male should vpon a sodaine mutabilitie or disclosure of the Kings mind be so seuerely handled This Lady was amongst the examples of great varietie of Fortune Shee had first from a distressed Suitor and desolate Widdow beene taken to the Mariage-Bed of a Batchellour-King the goodliest personage of his time and euen in his reigne she had endured a strange Eclipse by the Kings flight and temporarie depriuing from the Crowne Shee was also very happie in that she had by him faire Issue and continued his Nuptiall loue helping her selfe by some obsequious bearing and dissembling of his pleasures to the very end Shee was much affectionate to her owne Kindred euen vnto Faction which did stirre great Enuie in the Lords of the Kings side who counted her Bloud a disparagement to be mingled with the Kings With which Lords of the Kings bloud ioyned also the Kings Fauorite the Lord HASTINGS who notwithstanding the Kings great affection to him was thought at times through her malice and Splene not to be out of danger of falling After her husbands death she was matter of Tragedie hauing liued to see her Brother beheaded and her two Sonnes deposed from the Crowne Bastarded in their bloud and cruelly murthered All this while neuerthelesse shee inioyed her libertie State and Fortunes But afterwards againe vpon the Rise of the Wheele when she had a King to her Sonne-in-Law and was made Grand mother to a Grand-child of the best Sexe yet was she vpon darke and vnknowne Reasons and no lesse strange Pretences precipitated and banished the World into a Nunnery where it was almost thought dangerous to visit her or see her and where not long after she ended her life but was by the Kings Commandement buried with the King her husband at Windsore Shee was Foundresse of Queenes-College in Cambridge For this Act the King sustained great obloquie which neuerthelesse besides the reason of State was somwhat sweetned to him by a great Confiscation About this time also EDWARD PLANTAGENET was vpon a Sonday brought throughout all the principall Streets of London to be seene of the people And hauing passed the view of the Streets was conducted to PAVLS Church in solemne Procession where great store of people were assembled And it was prouided also in good fashion that diuers of the Nobilitie and others of Qualitie especially of those that the King most suspected and knew the person of PLANTAGENET best had communication with the young Gentleman by the way and entertayned him with speech and discourse which did in effect marre the Pageant in Ireland with the Subiects here atleast with so many as out of error and not out of malice might be mis-led Neuerthelesse in Ireland where it was too late to goe backe it wrought little or no effect But contrarivvise they turned the Imposture vpon the King and gaue out That the King to defeat the true Inheritor and to mocke the World and blinde the eyes of simple man had
import England as well in the increasement of the greatnesse of France by the addition of such a Countrey that stretcheth his Boughes vnto our Seas as in depriuing this Nation and leauing it naked of so firme and assured Confederates as the Britons haue alwayes beene For then it will come to passe that whereas not long since this Realme was mightie vpon the Continent first in Territorie and after in Alliance in respect of Burgundie and Britaine which were Confederates indeed but dependant Confederates now the one being already cast partly into the greatnes of France and partly into that of Austria the other is like wholly to be cast into the greatnesse of France and this Island shall remaine confined in effect within the salt Waters and girt about with the Coast-Countries of two mightie Monarchs For the Example it resteth likewise vpon the same Question vpon the French Kings intent For if Britaine be carried and swallowed vp by France as the world abroad apt to impute and construe the Actions of Princes to Ambition conceiue it will then it is an Example very dangerous and vniuersall that the lesser Neighbour Estate should bee deuoured of the greater For this may bee the case of Scotland towards England of Portugal towards Spaine of the smaller Estates of Italie towards the greater and so of Germanie or as if some of you of the Commons might not liue and dwell safely besides some of these great Lords And the bringing in of this Example will be chiefely laid to the Kings charge as to him that was most interested and most able to forbid it But then on the other side there is so faire a Pretext on the French Kings Part and yet Pretext is neuer wanting to Power in regard the danger imminent to his owne Estate is such as may make this Enterprise seeme rather a Work of Necessitie then of Ambition as doth in reason correct the Danger of the Example For that the Example of that which is done in a mans owne defence cannot be dangerous because it is in anothers power to auoid it But in all this businesse the King remits himselfe to your graue and mature aduice whereupon he purposeth to relye This was the effect of the Lord Chancellors Speech touching the Cause of Britaine For the King had commanded him to carrie it so as to affect the Parliament towards the Businesse but without engaging the King in any expresse declaration The Chancellor went on FOr that which may concerne the Gouernement at home the King hath commanded me to say vnto you That he thinketh there was neuer any King for the small time that hee hath reigned had greater and iuster cause of the two contrarie Passions of Joy and Sorrow then his Grace hath Joy in respect of the rare and visible Fauours of Almightie God in girting the Imperiall Sword vpon his side and assisting the same his Sword against all his Enemies and likewise in blessing him with so many good and louing Seruants and Subiects which haue neuer fayled to giue him faithfull Counsell readie Obedience and couragious Defence Sorrow for that it hath not pleased God to suffer him to sheathe his Sword as hee greatly desired otherwise then for Administration of Justice but that he hath beene forced to draw it so oft to cut off Trayterous and disloyall Subiects whom it seemes God hath left a few amongst many good as the Canaanites among the People of Israel to be thornes in their sides to tempt and trie them though the end hath beene alwayes Gods Name bee blessed therefore that the destruction hath fallen vpon their owne heads Wherefore his Grace saith That hee seeth that it is not the Bloud spilt in the Field that will saue the Bloud in the Citie nor the Marshals Sword that will set this Kingdome in perfect Peace But that the true way is to stop the Seeds of Sedition and Rebellion in their beginnings and for that purpose to deuise confirme and quicken good and holesome Lawes against Riots and vnlawfull Assemblies of People and all Combinations and Confederacies of them by Liueries Tokens and other Badges of factious Dependance that the Peace of the Land may by these Ordinances as by Barres of Iron bee soundly bound in and strengthned and all Force both in Court Countrey and priuate Houses be supprest The care hereof which so much concerneth your selues and which the nature of the Times doth instantly call for his Grace commends to your Wisdomes And because it is the Kings desire that this Peace wherein he hopeth to gouerne and maintaine you doe not beare onely vnto you Leaues for you to sit vnder the shade of them in safetie but also should beare you Fruit of Riches Wealth and Plentie Therfore his Grace prayes you to take into consideration matter of Trade as also the Manufactures of the Kingdome and to represse the bastard and barren Imployment of Moneyes to Usurie and vnlawfull Exchanges that they may be as their naturall vse is turned vpon Commerce and lawfull and Royall Trading And likewise that our People bee set on worke in Arts and Handy-crafts that the Realme may subsist more of it selfe that Idlenesse be auoided and the drayning out of our Treasure for forraine Manufactures stopped But you are not to rest heere onely but to prouide further that whatsoeuer Merchandize shall bee brought in from beyond the Seas may bee imployed vpon the Commodities of this Land wherby the Kingdomes stocke of Treasure may be sure to bee kept from being diminished by any ouer-trading of the Forrainer And lastly because the King is well assured that you would not haue him poore that wishes you rich he doubteth not but that you will haue care as well to maintaine his Reuenues of Customes and all other Natures as also to supply him with your louing Aides if the case shall so require The rather for that you know the King is a good Husband and but a Steward in effect for the Publike and that what comes from you is but as Moisture drawne from the Earth which gathers into a Cloud and fals back vpon the Earth againe And you know well how the Kingdomes about you grow more and more in Greatnesse and the Times are stirring and therefore not fit to finde the King with an emptie Purse More I haue not to say to you and wish that what hath beene said had beene better exprest But that your Wisdomes and good Affections will supply GOD blesse your Doings IT was no hard matter to dispose and affect the Parliament in this businesse aswell in respect of the Emulation betweene the Nations and the Enuie at the late growth of the French Monarchie as in regard of the Danger to suffer the French to make their approaches vpon England by obtaining so goodly a maritime Prouince full of Sea-townes and Hauens that might doe mischiefe to the English either by inuasion or by interruption of Traffique The Parliament was also moued with the point of Oppression for
and diminution of Subsidie and Taxes for the more Gentlemen euer the lower bookes of Subsidies In remedying of this inconuenience the Kings Wisdome was admirable and the Parliaments at that time Inclosures they would not forbid for that had beene to forbid the improuement of the Patrimonie of the Kingdome nor Tillage they would not compell for that was to striue with Nature and Vtilitie But they tooke a course to take away depopulating Inclosures and depopulating Pasturage and yet not by that name or by any Imperious expresse Prohibition but by consequence The Ordinance was That all Houses of Husbandry that were vsed with twentie Acres of Ground and vpwards should bee maintained and kept vp for euer together with a competent Proportion of Land to be vsed and occupied with them and in no wise to be seruered from them as by another Statute made afterwards in his Successors time was more fully declared This vpon Forfeiture to be taken not by way of Popular Action but by seizure of the Land it selfe by the King and Lords of the Fee as to halfe the Profits till the Houses and Lands were restored By this meanes the Houses being kept vp did of necessitie inforce a Dweller and the proportion of Land for Occupation being kept vp did of necessitie inforce that Dweller not to be a Begger or Cottager but a man of some substance that might keepe Hiends and Seruants and set the Plough on going This did wonderfully concerne the Might and Manner-hood of the Kingdome to haue Fermes as it were of a Standard sufficient to maintaine an able Body out of Penurie and did in effect amortize a great part of the Lands of the Kingdome vnto the Hold and Occupation of the Yeomanrie or Middle-people of a condition betweene Gentlemen and Cottagers or Peasants Now how much this did aduance the Militar Power of the Kingdome is apparant by the true Principles of Warre and the examples of other Kingdomes For it hath beene held by the generall Opinion of men of best Iudgement in the warres howsoeuer some few haue varied and that it may receiue some distinction of Case that the principall Strength of an Armie consisteth in the Infanterie or Foot And to make good Infanterie it requireth men bred not in a seruile or indigent fashion but in some free and plentifull manner Therefore if a State runne most to Noblemen and Gentlemen and that the Husband-men and Plough-men be but as their Work-folkes and Labourers or else meere Cottagers which are but Housed-Beggers you may haue a good Cauallerie but neuer good stable Bands of Foot like to Coppice-Woods that if you leaue in them Staddles too thicke they will runne to Bushes and Briars and haue little cleane Vnderwood And this is to be seene in France and Italie and lome other Parts abroad where in effect all is Noblesse or Pesantrie I speake of People out of Townes and no middle People and therefore no good Forces of Foot Insomuch as they are inforced to imploy Mercenarie Bands of Switzers and the like for their Battalions of Foot Whereby also it comes to passe that those Nations haue much People and few Souldiors Whereas the King saw that contrariwise it would follow that England though much lesse in Territorie yet should haue infinitly more Souldiours of their natiue Forces then those other Nations haue Thus did the King secretly sow Hidraes teeth wherevpon according to the Poets fiction should rise vp Armed men for the seruice of this Kingdome The King also hauing care to make his Realme potent as well by Sea as by Land for the better maintenance of the Nauie ordained That wines and woads from the parts of Gascoigne and Languedocke should not be brought but in English bottomes Bowing the ancient Policie of this Estate from consideration of Plentie to consideration of Power For that almost all the ancient Statutes incite by all meanes Merchant-Strangers to bring in all sorts of Commodities hauing for end Cheapnesse and not looking to the point of State concerning the Nauall-power The King also made a Statute in that Parliament Monitory and Minatory towards Iustices of Peace that they should duly execute their office inuiting complaints against them first to their Fellow-Iustices then to the Iustices of Assise then to the King or Chancellor and that a Proclamation which hee had published of that Tenor should be read in open Sessions foure times a yeare to keepe them awake Meaning also to haue his lawes executed and therby to reape either Obedience or Forfeitures wherein towards his latter times hee did decline too much to the left hand he did ordaine remedie against the practice that was growne in vse to stop and dampe Informations vpon Penall Lawes by procuring Informations by collusion to be put in by the Confederates of the Delinquents to be faintly prosecuted and let fall at pleasure and pleading them in Barre of the Informations which were prosecuted with effect He made also Lawes for the correction of the Mint and counterfaiting of forreine Coyne currant And that no payment in Gold should bee made to any Merchant-stranger the better to keepe Treasure within the Realme for that Gold was the mettall that lay in leastroome He made also Statutes for the maintenance of Draperie and the keeping of Wools within the Realme and not only so but for stinting and limiting the prices of Cloth one for the Finer and another for the Courser sort Which I note both because it was a rare thing to set prices by Statute especially vpon our Home-Commodities and because of the wise Modele of this Act not prescribing Prices but stinting them not to exceed a rate that the Clothier might drape accordingly as he might affoord Diuers other good Statutes were made that Parliament but these were the principall And here I doe desire those into whose hands this worke shall fall that they do take in good part my long insisting vpon the Lawes that were made in this Kings reigne Whereof I haue these reasons Both because it was the preheminent vertue and merit of this King to whose memorie I doe honour and because it hath some correspondence to my Person but chiefly because in my iudgement it is some defect euen in the best writers of Historie that they doe not often enough summarily deliuer and set downe the most memorable Lawes that passed in the times whereof they write being indeed the principall Acts of Peace For though they may bee had in Originall Bookes of Law themselues yet that informeth not the iudgement of Kings and Councellors and Persons of Estate so well as to see them described and entred in the Table and Pourtrait of the Times About the same time the King had a Loane from the Citie of Foure thousand pounds which was double to that they lent before and was duely and orderly payd back at the day as the former likewise had beene The King euer choosing rather to borrow too soone then to pay too late and so
of Estate for else hee should leaue to bee a King The Subiects of Burgundie are Subiects in Chiefe to the Crown of France and their Duke the Homager and Vassall of France They had wont to bee good Subiects howsoeuer MAXIMILIAN hath of late distempered them They fled to the King for Justice and deliuerance from oppression Justice hee could not denie Purchase hee did not seeke This was good for MAXIMILIAN if he could haue seene it in people mutined to arrect Fury and preuent Despaire My Lords it may bee this I haue said is needlesse saue that the King our Master is tender in any thing that may but glance vpon the friendship of England The amitie betweene the two Kings no doubt stands entire and inuiolate And that their Subiects swords haue clashed it is nothing vnto the publike Peace of the Crownes it being a thing very vsuall in auxiliarie Forces of the best and straitest Confederates to meet and draw bloud in the Field Nay many times there bee Aides of the same Nation on both sides and yet it is not for all that A Kingdome diuided in it selfe It resteth my Lords that Jimpart vnto you a matter that I know your Lordships all will much reioyce to heare as that which importeth the Christian Common-weale more then any Action that hath hapned of long time The King our Master hath a purpose and determination to make Warre vpon the kingdome of Naples being now in the possession of a Bastardslip of Arragon but appertaining vnto his Maiestie by cleare and vndoubted right which if hee should not by iust Armes seeke to recouer hee could neither acquite his Honour nor answer it to his People But his Noble and Christian thoughts rest not here For his Resolution and Hope is to make the Re-conquest of Naples but as a Bridge to transport his Forces into Grecia and not to spare Bloud or Treasure If it were to the impawning of his Crowne and dis-peopling of France till either hee hath ouerthrowne the Empire of the OTTOMANS or taken it in his way to Paradise The King knoweth well that this is a designe that could not arise in the minde of any King that did not stedfastly looke vp vnto GOD whose quarrell this is and from whom commeth both the Will and the Deed. But yet it is agreeable to the Person that hee beareth though vnworthy of the Thrice-Christian King and the eldest Sonne of the Church Whereunto he is also inuited by the Example in more ancient time of King HENRIE the Fourth of England the first Renowned King of the House of LANCASTER Ancestour though not Progenitour to your King who had a purpose towards the end of his time as you know better to make an Expedition into the holy-Holy-Land and by the Example also present before his eyes of that Honourable and Religious Warre which the King of Spaine now maketh and hath almost brought to perfection for the recouerie of the Realme of Granada from the Moores And although this Enterprise may seeme vast and vnmeasured for the King to attempt that by his owne Forces wherein heretofore a Coniunction of most of the Christian Princes hath found worke enough yet his Maiestie wisely considereth that sometimes smaller Forces being vnited vnder one Command are more effectuall in Proofe though not so promising in Opinion and Fame then much greater Forces variously compounded by Associations and Leagues which commonly in a short time after their Beginnings turne to Dissociations Diuisions But my Lords that which is as a Voice from Heauen that called the King to this Enterprise is a Rent at this time in the House of the OTTOMANS I doe not say but there hath beene Brother against Brother in that House before but neuer any that had refuge to the Armes of the Christians as now hath GEMES Brother vnto BAIAZETH that reigneth the fore brauer Man of the two the other being betweene a Monke and a Philosoper and better read in the Alcoran and Auerroes then able to weild the Scepter of so warlike an Empire This therefore is the King our Masters memorable and heroicall Resolution for an Holy Warre And because he carrieth in this the Person of a Christian Souldiour as well as of a Great Temporall Monarch hee beginneth with Humilitie and is content for this cause to begge Peace at the hands of other Christian Kings There remaineth onely rather a Ciuill Request then any essentiall part of our Negotiation which the King maketh to the King your Soueraigne The King as the World knoweth is Lord in Chiefe of the Duchie of Britaine The Marriage of the Heire belongeth to him as Guardian This is a priuate Patrimoniall Right and no Businesse of Estate yet neuerthelesse to runne a faire course with your King whom he desires to make another Himselfe and to bee one and the same thing with him his Request is That with the Kings Fauour and Consent he may dispose of her Marriage as he thinketh good and make void the intruded and pretended Marriage of MAXIMILIAN according to Justice This my Lords is all that I haue to say desiring your pardon for my weakenesse in the deliuerie THus did the French Ambassadors with great shew of their Kings affection and many sugred words seeke to adulce all matters betweene the two Kings hauing two things for their ends The one to keepe the King quiet till the Marriage of Britaine was past and this was but a Summer fruit which they thought was almost ripe and would be soone gathered The other was more lasting and that was to put him into such a temper as he might be no disturbance or impediment to the voyage for Italie The Lords of the Councell were silent and said only That they knew the Ambassadors would looke for no answer till they had reported to the King And so they rose from Councell The King could not well tell what to thinke of the Marriage of Britaine He saw plainly the ambition of the French King was to impatronize himselfe of the Duchie but he wondred he would bring into his House a litigious Marriage especially considering who was his Successor But weighing one thing with another he gaue Britaine for lost but resolued to make his profit of this businesse of Britaine as a quarrell for Warre and that of Naples as a Wrench and meane for Peace being well aduertised how strongly the King was bent vpon that Action Hauing therefore conferred diuers times with his Councell and keeping himselfe somewhat close he gaue a direction to the Chancellor for a formall answer to the Ambassadors and that hee did in the presence of his Councell And after calling the Chancellor to him apart bade him speake in such language as was fit for a Treatie that was to end in a Breach and gaue him also a speciall Caueat that he should not vse any words to discourage the voyage of Italie Soone after the Ambassadors were sent for to the Councell and the Lord Chancellor spake to them
France And although the Parliament consisted of the First and Second Nobilitie together with principall Citizens and Townesmen yet worthily and iustly respecting more the People whose deputies they were then their owne priuate Persons and finding by the Lord Chancellours speech the Kings inclination that way they consented that Commissioners should goe forth for the gathering and leuying of a Beneuolence from the more able sort This Tax called Beneuolence was deuised by EDWARD the Fourth for which hee sustained much Enuie It was abolished by RICHARD the Third by Act of Parliament to ingratiate himselfe with the people and it was now reuiued by the King but with consent of Parliament for so it was not in the time of King EDWARD the Fourth But by this way hee raised exceeding great summes Insomuch as the Citie of London in those dayes contributed nine thousand pounds and better and that chiefly leuied vpon the wealthier sort There is a Tradition of a Dilemma that Bishop MORTON the Chancellour vsed to raise vp the Beneuolence to higher Rates and some called it his Forke and some his Crotch. For hee had couched an Article in the Instructions to the Commissioners who were to leuie the Beneuolence That if they met with any that were sparing they should tell them That they must needs haue because they laid vp and if they were spenders they must needs haue because it was seene in their Port and manner of liuing So neither kinde came amisse This Parliament was meerly a Parliament of Warre for it was in Substance but a declaration of Warre against France and Scotland with some Statutes conducing thereunto As the seuere punishing of Mortpayes and keeping backe of Souldiours wages in Captaines The like seueritie for the departure of Souldiours without licence Strengthening of the Common-Law in fauour of Protections for those that were in the Kings seruice And the setting the gate open and wide for men to sell or Morgage their lands without Fines for Alienation to furnish themselues with money for the Warre And lastly the voiding of all Scottishmen out of England There was also a Statute for the dispersing of the Standard of the Exchequer throughout England therby to size Weights and Measures and two or three more of lesse importance After the Parliament was broken vp which lasted not long the King went on with his Preparations for the Warre of France yet neglected not in the meane time the affaires of MAXIMILIAN for the quieting of Flanders and restoring him to his authoritie amongst his Subiects For at that time the Lord of Rauenstein being not onely a Subiect rebelled but a Seruant reuolted and so much the more malicious and violent by the aide of Bruges and Gaunt had taken the Towne and both the Castles of Sluice as wee said before And hauing by the commoditie of the Hauen gotten together certaine Ships and Barkes fell to a kind of Pyraticall Trade robbing and spoyling and taking Prisoners the Ships and Vessels of all Nations that passed alongst that Coast towards the Mart of Antwerpe or into any part of Brabant Zeland or Freezland being euer well victualled from Picardie besides the commoditie of Victuals from Sluice and the Countrey adjacent and the auailes of his owne Prizes The French assisted him still vnder-hand and hee likewise as all men doe that haue beene of both sides thought himselfe not safe except hee depended vpon a third Person There was a small Towne some two miles from Bruges towards the Sea called Dam which was a Fort and Approch to Bruges and had a relation also to Sluice This Towne the King of the Romans had attempted often not for any worth of the Towne in it selfe but because it might choake Bruges and cut it off from the Sea and euer failed But therewith the Duke of Saxonie came downe into Flanders taking vpon him the Person of an Vmpire to compose things betweene MAXIMILIAN and his Subiects but being indeed fast and assured to MAXIMILIAN Vpon this Pretext of Neutralitie and Treatie hee repaired to Bruges desiring of the States of Bruges to enter peaceably into their Towne with a Retinue of some number of men of Armes fit for his Estate being somewhat the more as hee said the better to guard him in a Countrey that was vp in Armes and bearing them in hand that hee was to communicate with them of diuers matters of great importance for their good Which hauing obtained of them hee sent his Carriages and Harbingers before him to prouide his Lodging So that his Men of Warre entred the Citie in good Array but in peaceable manner and he followed They that went before enquired still for Innes and Lodgings as if they would haue rested there all Night and so went on till they came to the Gate that leadeth directly towards Dam and they of Bruges only gazed vpon them and gaue them passage The Captaines and inhabitants of Dam also suspected no harme from any that passed through Bruges and discouering Forces a farre off supposed they had beene some Succours that were come from their Friends knowing some Dangers towards them And so perceiuing nothing but well till it was too late suflered them to enter their Towne By which kinde of Sleight rather then Stratageme the Towne of Dam was taken and the Town of Bruges shrewdly blockt vp wherby they tooke great discouragement The Duke of Saxonie hauing wonne the Towne of Dam sent immediatly to the King to let him know that it was Sluice chiefely and the Lord RAVENSTEIN that kept the Rebellion of Flanders in life And that if it pleased the King to besiege it by Sea he also would besiege it by Land and so cut out the Core of those Warres The King willing to vphold the Authoritie of MAXIMILIAN the better to hold France in awe and being likewise sued vnto by his Merchants for that the Seas were much infested by the Barkes of the Lord RAVENSTEIN sent straightwayes Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a valiant man and of good seruice with twelue Ships well furnished with Souldiers and Artillerie to cleare the Seas and to besiege Sluice on that part The Englishmen did not only coupe vp the Lord RAVENSTEIN that hee stirred not and likewise hold in strait Siege the Maritime part of the Towne but also assailed one of the Castles and renewed the assault so for twentie dayes space issuing still out of their Ships at the Ebbe as they made great slaughter of them of the Castle who continually fought with them to repulse them though of the English part also were slaine a brother of the Earle of Oxfords and some fiftie more But the Siege still continuing more and more strait and both the Castles which were the principall strength of the Towne being distressed the one by the Duke of Saxonie and the other by the English and a Bridge of boats which the Lord RAVENSTEIN had made betweene both Castles whereby Succours and Releefe might passe from the one to the other being on a night
old at the time when other Women giue ouer Child-bearing bring forth two such Monsters being not the Births of nine or tenne Moneths but of many yeares And whereas other naturall Mothers bring forth Children weake and not able to helpe themselues she bringeth forth tall Striplings able soone after their comming into the World to bid Battaile to mightie Kings My Lords wee stay vnwillingly vpon this Part. Wee would to GOD that Lady would once taste the Joyes which GOD Almightie doth serue up vnto her in beholding her Neece to Reigne in such Honour and with so much Royall Issue which shee might bee pleased to accompt as her owne The Kings Request vnto the Archduke and your Lordships might bee That according to the Example of King CHARLES who hath already discarded him you would banish this vnworthy Fellow out of your Dominions But because the King may iustly expect more from an ancient Confederate than from a new reconciled Enemie hee maketh his Request vnto you to deliuer him vp into his hands Pirates and Impostures of this sort beeing fit to bee accounted the Common Enemies of Mankinde and no wayes to bee protected by the Law of Nations After some time of Deliberation the Ambassadours receiued this short Answer THat the Archduke for the loue of King HENRY would in no sort aide or assist the pretended Duke but in all things conserue the Amitie hee had with the King But for the Duchesse Dowager shee was absolute in the Lands of her Dowrie and that hee could not let her to dispose of her owne THe King vpon the returne of the Ambassadours was nothing satisfied with this Answer For well he knew that a Patrimoniall Dowrie carried no part of Soueraignty or Command of Forces Besides the Ambassadors told him plainly that they saw the Duchesse had a great Party in the Arch-Dukes Counsell that howsoeuer it was carried in a course of conniuence yet the Arch-Duke vnder hand gaue aid and furtherance to PERKIN Wherefore partly out of Courage and partly out of Policie the King forthwith banished all Flemmings as wel their Persons as their Wares out of his Kingdom Commanding his Subiects likewise and by name his Merchants-Aduenturers which had a Resiance in Antwerpe to return translating the Mart which commonly followed the English Cloth vnto Calice embarred also all further trade for the future This the King did being sensible in point of honour not to suffer a Pretender to the Crowne of England to affront him so neare at hand and he to keep termes of friendship with the Countrie where he did set vp But he had also a further reach for that hee knew well that the Subiects of Flanders drew so great commoditie from the trade of England as by this Embargo they would soon waxe weary of PERKIN and that the Tumults of Flanders had bin so late fresh as it was no time for the Prince to displease the People Neuerthelesse for formes sake by way of requitall the Arch-Duke did likewise banish the English out of Flanders which in effect was done to his hand The King being well aduertised that PERKIN did more trust vpon Friends and Partakers within the Realme than vpon forraine Armes thought it behooued him to apply the Remedy where the Disease lay to proceed with seueritie against some of the principall Conspirators here within the Realme Thereby to purge the ill Humours in England to coole the Hopes in Flanders Wherefore hee caused to bee apprehended almost at an instant IOHN RATCLIFFE Lord Fitz-water Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD Sir THOMAS THWAITES WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY ROBERT RATCLIFFE THOMAS CHRESSENOR THOMAS ASTWOOD All these were arraigned conuicted and condemned for High-Treason in adhering and promising aide to PERKIN Of these the Lord FITZWATER was conueighed to Calice and there kept in hold and in hope of life vntill soone after eyther impatient or betrayed he dealt with his Keeper to haue escaped thereupon was beheaded But Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD ROBERT RATCLIFFE and WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY were beheaded immediately after their Condemnation The rest were pardoned together with many others Clerkes and Laikes amongst which were two Dominican Friars and WILLIAM WORSELEY Deane of Paules which latter sort passed Examination but came not to publike triall The Lord Chamberlaine at that time was not touched whether it were that the King would not stir too many humours at once but after the maner of good Physitians purge the head last or that CLIFFORD from whom most of these Discoueries came reserued that Piece for his own cōming ouer signifying only to the King in the meane time that he doubted there were some greater ones in the businesse whereof he would giue the King further accompt when he came to his presence Vpon Al-hallowes-day-euen being now the tenth yeare of the Kings Reigne the Kings second Sonne HENRY was created Duke of Yorke as well the Duke as diuers others Noblemen Knights-Batchlours Gentlemen of Quality were made knights of the Bath according to the Ceremony Vpon the morrow after Twelfth-Day the King remoued from Westminster where he had kept his Christmas to the Tower of London This he did as soon as he had aduertisement that Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD in whose Bosom or Budget most of PERKINS secrets were layed vp was come into England And the place of the Tower was chosen to that end that if CLIFFORD should accuse any of the Great-ones they might without suspition or noise or sending abroad of Warrants be presently attached the Court Prison being within the cincture of one Wal. After a day or two the king drew vnto him a selected Councel admitted CLIFFORD to his presence who first fell downe at his feet and in all humble manner craued the Kings Pardon which the King then granted though hee were indeed secretly assured of his life before Then commanded to tell his knowledge he did amongst many others of himself not interrogated appeach Sir WILLIAM STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The King seemed to be much amazed at the naming of this Lord as if he had heard the Newes of some strange and fearfull Prodigie To heare a Man that had done him seruice of so high a nature as to saue his life set the Crown vpon his head a Man that enioied by his fauor aduancement so great a fortune both in Honour Riches a Man that was tied vnto him in so near a Band of alliance his Brother hauing married the Kings Mother and lastly a Man to whom he had cōmitted the trust of his Person in making him his Chamberlain That this Man no waies disgraced no waies discontent no waies put in feare should be false vnto him CLIFFORD was required to say ouer again againe the Particulars of his accusatiō being warned that in a matter so vnlikely that concerned so great a Seruant of the Kings he should not in any wise go too far But the king finding that he did sadly constantly without
consisted but of strangers borne and most of them base People and Free-booters fitter to spoile a Coast than to recouer a Kingdome resorting vnto the principall Gentlemen of the Countrie professed their loyaltie to the King and desired to bee directed and commanded for the best of the Kings seruice The Gentlemen entring into Consultation directed some forces in good number to shew themselues vpon the Coast and some of them to make signes to entice PERKINS Souldiers to land as if they would ioyne with them and some others to appeare from some other Places and to make semblance as if they fledde from them the better to encourage them to land But PERKIN who by playing the Prince or else taught by Secretarie FRION had learned thus much That People vnder Command doe vse to consult and after to march in order and Rebells contrariwise runne vpon an Head together in confusion considering the delay of time and obseruing their orderly and not tumultuary Arming doubted the worst And therefore the wily Youth would not set one foote out of his Ship till hee might see things were sure Wherefore the Kings Forces perceiuing that they could draw on no more than those that were formerly landed set vpon them and cut them in pieces ere they could fly backe to their ships In which Skirmish besides those that fledde and were slaine there were taken about an hundred and fifty persons Which for that the King thought that to punish a few for example was Gentlemans-play but for Rascall-People they were to bee cut off euery man especially in the beginning of an Enterprize and likewise for that hee saw that PERKINS Forces would now consist chiefly of such Rabble and scumme of desperate People hee therefore hanged them all for the greater terrour They were brought to London all rayl'd in Ropes like a Teame of Horses in a Cart and were executed some of them at London and Wapping and the rest at diuers places vpon the Sea-Coast of Kent Sussex and Norfolke for Sea-markes or Light-houses to teach PERKINS People to auoyd the Coast. The King being aduertised of the landing of the Rebels thought to leaue his Progresse But being certified the next day that they were partly defeated and partly fled hee continued his Progresse and sent Sir RICHARD GVILFORD into Kent in message Who calling the Countrie together did much commend from the King their fidelitie manhood and well handling of that seruice and gaue them all thankes and in priuate promised Reward to some particulars Vpon the sixteenth of Nouember this beeing the eleuenth yeare of the King was holden the Serieants-Feast at Elie-Place there being nine Serieants of that Call The King to honour the Feast was present with his Queene at the Dinner being a Prince that was euer ready to grace and countenance the Professors of the Law hauing a little of that That as he gouerned his Subiects by his Lawes so he gouerned his Lawes by his Lawyers This yeare also the King entred into League with the Italian Potentates for the defence of Italie against France For King CHARLES had conquered the Realme of Naples and lost it againe in a kinde of Felicitie of a Dreame Hee passed the whole length of Italie without resistance so that it was true which Pope ALEXANDER was wont to say That the Frenchmen came into Italie with Chalke in their hands to marke up their lodgings rather than with swords to fight Hee likewise entred and wonne in effect the whole Kingdome of Naples it selfe without striking stroke But presently thereupon he did commit and multiply so many Errours as was too great a taske for the best fortune to ouercome Hee gaue no contentment to the Barons of Naples of the Faction of the Angeouines but scattered his rewards according to the mercenarie appetites of some about him He put all Italie vpon their Guard by the seizing and holding of Ostia and the protecting of the Libertie of Pisa which made all men suspect that his purposes looked further than his title of Naples He fell too soone at difference with LVDOVICO SFORTIA who was the Man that carried the Keyes which brought him in and shut him out Hee neglected to extinguish some reliques of the Warre And lastly in regard of his easie passage through Italie without resistance hee entred into an ouermuch despising of the Armes of the Italians Whereby he left the Realme of Naples at his departure so much the lesse prouided So that not long after his returne the whole Kingdome reuolted to FERDINANDO the younger and the French were quite driuen out Neuerthelesse CHARLES did make both great threats and great preparations to re-enter Italie once againe Wherfore at the instance of diuers of the States of Italie and especially of Pope ALEXANDER there was a League concluded betweene the said Pope MAXIMILIAN King of Romanes HENRY King of England FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queen of Spaine for so they are constantly placed in the originall Treaty throughout AVGVSTISSIMO BARBADICO Duke of Venice and LVDOVICO SFORTIA Duke of Millan for the common defence of their estates Wherein though FERDINANDO of Naples was not named as principall yet no doubt the Kingdome of Naples was tacitly included as a Fee of the Church There dyed also this yeare CECILE Duchesse of Yorke mother to King EDWARD the Fourth at her Castle of Barkhamsted beeing of extreame yeares and who had liued to see three Princes of her bodie crowned and foure murthered Shee was buried at Foderingham by her husband This yeare also the King called his Parliament where many Lawes were made of a more priuate and vulgar nature than ought to detaine the Reader of an Historie And it may bee iustly suspected by the proceedings following that as the King did excell in good Common-wealth Lawes so neuerthelesse hee had in secret a designe to make vse of them as well for collecting of Treasure as for correcting of Manners and so meaning thereby to harrow his People did accumulate them the rather The principall Law that was made this Parliament was a Law of a strange nature rather Iust than Legall and more magnanimous than prouident This Law did ordaine That no person that did assist in Armes or otherwise the King for the time beeing should after bee impeached therefore or attainted either by the course of the Law or by Act of Parliament But if any such Act of Attainder did happen to bee made it should bee voyde and of none effect For that it was agreeable to reason of Estate that the Subiect should not enquire of the iustnesse of the Kings Title or Quarrell and it was agreeable to good Conscience that whatsoeuer the fortune of the Warre were the Subiect should not suffer for his Obedience The spirit of this Law was wonderfull Pious and Noble beeing like in matter of Warre vnto the spirit of DAVID in matter of Plague who said If I haue sinned strike mee but what haue these sheepe done Neither wanted this Law parts of prudent
Friar condemned to perpetuall Imprisonment This also hapning so opportunely to represent the danger to the Kings Estate from the Earle of Warwicke and thereby to colour the Kings seueritie that followed together with the madnesse of the Friar so vainely and desperately to divulge a Treason before it had gotten any manner of strength and the sauing of the Friars life which neuerthelesse was indeed but the priuiledge of his Order and the Pitie in the Common People which if it runne in a strong Streame doth euer cast vp Scandal and Enuie made it generally rather talked than belieued that all was but the Kings deuice But howsoeuer it were hereupon PERKIN that had offended against Grace now the third time was at the last proceeded with and by Commissioners of Oyer and Determiner arraigned at Westminster vpon diuers Treasons committed and perpetrated after his comming on land within this Kingdome for so the Iudges aduised for that he was a Forreiner and condemned and a few dayes after executed at Tiburne Where hee did againe openly read his Comfession and take it vpon his Death to bee true This was the end of this little Cockatrice of a King that was able to destroy those that did not espie him first It was one of the longest Playes of that kind that hath beene in memorie and might perhaps haue had another end if hee had not met with a King both wise stout and fortunate As for PERKINS three Councellors they had registred themselues Sanctuarie-men when their Master did And whether vpon pardon obtained or continuance within the Priuiledge they came not to bee proceeded with There was executed with PERKIN the Maior of Corke and his Sonne who had beene principall Abettors of his Treasons And soone after were likewise condemned eight other Persons about the Tower-Conspiracie whereof foure were the Lieutenants men But of those Eight but two were executed And immediatly after was arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then for the time High-Steward of England the poore Prince the Earle of Warwicke not for the Attempt to escape simply for that was not acted And besides the Imprisonment not beeing for Treason the Escape by Law could not bee Treason But for conspiring with PERKIN to raise sedition and to destroy the King And the Earle confessing the Inditement had Iudgement and was shortly after beheaded on Tower-hill This was also the end not onely of this Noble and Commiserable Person EDVVARD the Earle of Warwicke eldest Sonne to the Duke of Clarence but likewise of the Line-Male of the PLANTAGENETS which had flourished in great Royaltie and Renowne from the time of the famous King of England King HENRIE the Second Howbeit it was a Race often dipped in their owne Bloud It hath remained since onely transplanted into other Names as well of the Imperiall Line as of other Noble Houses But it was neither guilt of Crime nor reason of State that could quench the Enuie that was vpon the King for this Execution So that hee thought good to export it out of the Land and to lay it vpon his new Allie FERDINANDO King of Spaine For these two Kings vnderstanding one another at halfe a word so it was that there were Letters shewed out of Spaine whereby in the passages concerning the Treatie of the Marriage FERDINANDO had written to the King in plaine termes that hee saw no assurance of his Succession as long as the Earle of Warwicke liued and that hee was loth to send his Daughter to Troubles and Dangers But hereby as the king did in some part remoue the Enuie from himselfe so hee did not obserue that hee did withall bring a kind of Malediction and Infausting vpon the Marriage as an ill Prognosticke Which in euent so farre proued true as both Prince ARTHVR enioyed a verie small time after the Marriage and the Ladie KATHERINE her selfe a sad and a religious woman long after when King HENRIE the Eight his resolution of a Diuorce from her was first made knowne to her vsed some words That shee had not offended but it was a Iudgment of GOD for that her former Marriage was made in bloud meaning that of the Erale of Warwicke This fifteenth yeare of the king there was a great Plague both in London and in diuers parts of the Kingdome Wherefore the king after often change of Places whether to auoide the danger of the Sickenesse or to giue occasion of an Enteruiew with the Arch-Duke or both sayled ouer with his Queene to Calice Vpon his comming thither the Arch-Duke sent an honourable Ambassage vnto him aswell to welcome him into those parts as to let him know that if it pleased him hee would come and doe him reuerence But it was said withall That the King might bee pleased to appoint some place that were out of any Walled Towne or Fortresse for that hee had denied the same vpon like occasion to the French king And though hee said he made a great difference betweene the two kings yet hee would bee loth to giue a President that might make it after to bee expected at his hands by another whom hee trusted lesse The king accepted of the Courtesie and admitted of his Excuse and appointed the place to be at Saint PETERS Church without Calice But withall hee did visit the Arch-Duke with Ambassadors sent from himselfe which were the Lord Saint IOHN and the Secretarie vnto whom the Arch-Duke did the honour as going to Masse at Saint Omers to set the Lord Saint IOHN on his right hand and the Secretarie on his left and so to ride betweene them to Church The day appointed for the Enteruiew the king went on Horse backe some distance from Saint PETERS Church to receiue the Arch-Duke And vpon their approaching the Arch-Duke made hast to light and offered to hold the kings Stirrope at his alighting which the king would not permit but descending from Horse backe they embraced with great affection and withdrawing into the Church to a place prepared they had long Conference not onely vpon the Confirmation of former Treaties and the freeing of Commerce but vpon Crosse Marriages to bee had betweene the Duke of Yorke the Kings second Sonne and the Arch-Dukes Daughter And againe betweene CHARLES the Arch-Dukes Sonne and Heire and MARIE the Kings second Daughter But these Blossoms of vnripe Marriages were but friendly wishes the Aires of louing Entertainement though one of them came afterwards to Conclusion in Treatie though not in Effect But during the time that the two Princes conuersed and communed together in the Suburbs of Calice the Demonstrations on both sides were passing heartie and affectionate especially on the part of the Arch-Duke Who besides that hee was a Prince of an excellent good nature beeing conscious to himselfe how driely the King had beene vsed by his Councell in the matter of PERKIN did striue by all meanes to recouer it in the Kings Affection And hauing also his eares continually beaten with the Councels of his Father and
Father-in-law who in respect of their iealous hatred against the French King did alwayes aduise the Arch-Duke to anchor himselfe vpon the Amitie of King HENRY of England was glad vpon this occasion to put in vre and practice their precepts calling the King Patron and Father and Protector These very words the King repeates when he certified of the louing behauiour of the Arch-Duke to the Citie and what else hee could deuise to expresse his loue and obseruance to the King There came also to the King the Gouernour of Picardie and the Bailiffe of Amiens sent from Lewis the French King to doe him honour and to giue him knowledge of his victorie and winning of the Duchie of Millan It seemeth the king was well pleased with the honours hee receiued from those parts while hee was at Calice For hee did himselfe certifie all the Newes and Occurrents of them in euerie particular from Calice to the Maior and Aldermen of London which no doubt made no small talke in the Citie For the King though hee could not entertaine the good will of the Citizens as EDVVARD the fourth did yet by affabilitie and other Princely Graces did euer make very much of them and apply himselfe to them This yeare also did IOHN MORTON Arch-Bishop of Canterburie Chancellor of England and Cardinall He was a Wise man and an Eloquent but in his nature harsh and haughtie much accepted by the King but enuied by the Nobilitie and hated of the People Neither was his name left out of PERKINS Proclamation for any good will but they would not bring him in amongst the Kings Casting-Counters because hee had the Image and Superscription vpon him of the Pope in his Honour of Cardinall Hee wanne the King with Secrecie and Diligence but chiefly because hee was his olde Seruant in his lesse Fortunes And also for that in his affections hee was not without an inueterate malice against the House of YORKE vnder whom hee had beene in trouble He was willing also to take Enuie from the King more than the King was willing to put vpon him For the King cared not for Subterfuges but would stand Enuy and appeare in any thing that was to his mind which made Enuie still grow vpon him more vniuersall but lesse daring But in the matter of Exactions time did after shew that the Bishop in feeding the Kings humour did rather temper it He had beene by RICHARD the third committed as in Custody to the Duke of Buckingham whom hee did secretly incite to reuolt from King RICHARD But after the Duke was engaged and thought the Bishop should haue beene his chiefe Pilot in the Tempest the Bishop was gotten into the Cocke-boat and fled ouer beyond Seas But whatsoeuer else was in the Man hee deserueth a most happie Memorie in that hee was the principall Meane of ioyning the two Roses Hee died of great yeares but of strong health and Powers The next yeare which was the Sixteenth yeare of the King and the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred was the yeare of Iubile at Rome But Pope ALEXANDER to saue the Hazzard and Charges of mens Iourneys to Rome thought good to make ouer those Graces by Exchange to such as would pay a conuenient Rate seeing they could not come to fetch them For which purpose was sent into England IASPER PONS a Spaniard the Popes Commissioner better chosen than were the Commissioners of Pope LEO afterwards imployed for Germanie for hee carried the Businesse with great wisedome and semblance of Holinesse In so much as hee leuied great summes of Money within this Land to the Popes vse with little or no Scandall It was thought the King shared in the Money But it appeareth by a Letter which Cardinall ADRIAN the Kings Pensioner wrote to the King from Rome some few yeares after that this was not so For this Cardinall beeing to perswade Pope IVLIVS on the Kings behalfe to expedite the Bull of Dispensation for the Marriage betweene Prince HENRIE and the Ladie KATHERINE finding the Pope difficile in granting thereof doth vse it as a principall Argument concerning the Kings merit towards that Sea that hee had touched none of those Deniers which had beene leuied by PONS in England But that it might the better appeare for the satisfaction of the Common people that this was Consecrate Money the same Nuntio brought vnto the King a Briefe from the Pope wherein the King was exhorted and summoned to come in Person against the Turke For that the Pope out of the care of an Uniuersall Father seeing almost vnder his eyes the Successes and Progresses of that great Enemie of the Faith had had in the Conclane and with the Assistance of the Ambassadours of forraine Princes diuers Consultations about an Holy Warre and a Generall Expedition of Christian Princes against the Turke Wherein it was agreed and thought fit that the Hungarians Polonians and â—â—â—â—nians should make a Warre vpon Thracid The French and Spaniards vpon Grecia and that the Pope willing to sacrifice himselfe in so good a Cause in Person and in Companie of the King of England the Venetians and such other States as were great in maritime Power would saile with a puissant Nauie through the Mediterrane vnto Constantinople And that to this end his Holinesse had sent Nuncio's to all Christian Princes Aswell for a Cessation of all Quarrels and Differences amongst themselues as for speedie Preparations and Contributions of Forces and Treasure for this Sacred Enterprize To this the King who vnderstood well the Court of Rome made an Answer rather Solemne than Serious Signifying THat no Prince on Earth should bee more forward and obedient both by his Person and by all his possible Forces and Fortunes to enter into this sacred VVarre than himselfe But that the distance of Place was such as no Forces that hee should raise for the Seas could be leuied or prepared but with double the charge and double the time at the least that they might be from the other Princes that had their Territories nearer adioyning Besides that neither the manner of his Ships hauing no Gallies nor the Experience of his Pilots and Mariners could bee so apt for those Seas as theirs And therefore that his Holinesse might doe well to mooue one of those other Kings who lay fitter for the purpose to accompany him by Sea Whereby both all things would be sooner put in readinesse and with lesse Charge and the Emulation and Diuision of Command which might growe betweene those Kings of France and Spaine if they should both ioyne in the VVarre by Land vpon Grecia might bee wisely auoyded And that for his part hee would not bee wanting in Aydes and Contribution Yet notwithstanding if both these Kings should refuse rather than his Holinesse should goe alone hee would waite vpon him as soone as hee could bee readie Alwaies prouided that hee might first see all Differences of the Christian Princes amongst themselues fully laide downe and appeased as
much there remayneth in Memorie that it was halfe a yeares time betweene the Creation of HENRY Prince of Wales and Prince ARTHVRS death which was construed to bee for to expect a full time whereby it might appeare whether the Ladie KATHERINE were with Child by Prince ARTHVR or no. Againe the Ladie her selfe procured a Bull for the better Corroboration of the Marriage with a Clause of vel forsan cognitam which was not in the first Bull. There was giuen in Euidence also when the cause of the Diuorce was handled a pleasant passage which was That in a Morning Prince ARTHVR vpon his vp-rising from Bed with her called for drinke which hee was not accustomed to doe and finding the Gentleman of his Chamber that brought him the drinke to smile at it and to note it hee said merrily to him That hee had been in the middest of Spaine which was an hot Region and his Iourney had made him drie and that if the other had beene in so hot a Clime hee would haue been drier than hee Besides the Prince was vpon the point of Sixteene yeares of Age when hee died and forward and able in Bodie The Februarie following HENRY Duke of Yorke was created Prince of Wales and Earle of Chester and Flint For the Dukedome of Cornewall deuolued to him by Statute The King also beeing fast handed and loath to part with a second Dowrie but chiefly being affectionate both by his Nature and out of Politicke Considerations to continue the Alliance with Spaine preuailed with the Prince though not without some Reluctation such as could bee in those yeares for hee was not twelue yeares of Age to bee contracted with the Princesse KATHERINE The secret Prouidence of GOD ordaining that Marriage to bee the Occasion of great Euents and Changes The same yeare were the Espousals of IAMES King of Scotland with the Ladie MARGARET the Kings eldest Daughter which was done by Proxie and published at PAVLES Crosse the fiue and twentieth of Ianuarie and Te Deum solemnly sung But certaine it is that the Ioy of the Citie thereupon shewed by Ringing of Bells and Bon-fires and such other Incence of the People was more than could be expected in a Case of so great and fresh Enmitie betweene the Nations especially in London which was farre enough off from feeling any of the former calamities of the Warre And therefore might bee truely attributed to a Secret Instinct and Inspiring which many times runneth not onely in the Hearts of Princes but in the Pulse and Veines of People touching the happinesse thereby to ensue in time to come This Marriage was in August following consummate at Edenborough The King bringing his Daughter as farre as Colli-Weston on the way and then consigning her to the Attendance of the Earle of Northumberland who with a great Troupe of Lords and Ladies of Honour brought her into Scotland to the King her Husband This Marriage had beene in Treatie by the space of almost three yeares from the time that the King of Scotland did first open his mind to Bishop FOX The Summe giuen in Marriage by the King was ten Thousand pounds And the Iointure and Aduancement assured by the King of Scotland was two Thousand pounds a yeare after King IAMES his Death and one Thousand pounds a yeare in present for the Ladies Allowance or Maintenance This to be set forth in Lands of the best and most certaine Reuenue During the Treatie it is reported that the King remitted the matter to his Counsell And that some of the Table in the Freedome of Counsellors the King beeing present did put the Case that if GOD should take the Kings two Sonnes without Issue that then the Kingdome of England would fall to the King of Scotland which might preiudice the Monarchie of England Whereunto the King himselfe replied That if that should bee Scotland would bee but an Accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the Greater would draw the lesse And that it was a safer Vnion for England than that of France This passed as an Oracle and silenced those that moued the Question The same yeare was fatall as well for Deaths as Marriages and that with equall temper For the Ioyes and Feasts of the two Marriages were compensed with the Mournings and Funerals of Prince ARTHVR of whom wee haue spoken and of Queene ELIZABETH who died in Child-bed in the Tower and the Child liued not long after There dyed also that yeare Sir REGINOLD BRAY who was noted to haue had with the King the greatest Freedome of any Counsellor but it was but a Freedome the better to set off Flatterie Yet hee bare more than his iust part of Enuie for the Exactions At this time the Kings Estate was verie prosperous Secured by the Amitie of Scotland strengthened by that of Spaine cherished by that of Burgundie all Domesticke Troubles quenched and all Noyse of Warre like a Thunder afarre off going vpon Italie Wherefore Nature which many times is happily contayned and refrained by some Bands of Fortune beganne to take place in the King carrying as with a strong Tide his affections and Thoughts vnto the gathering and heaping vp of Treasure And as Kings doe more easily find Instruments for their Will and Humour than for their Seruice and Honour Hee had gotten for his purpose or beyond his purpose two Instruments EMPSON and DVDLEY whom the people esteemed as his Horse-Leeches and Shearers bold men and carelesse of Fame and that tooke Toll of their Masters Grist DVDLEY was of a good Family Eloquent and one that could put Hatefull Businesse into good Language But EMPSON that was the Sonne of a Sieue-maker triumphed alwayes vpon the Deede done putting off all other respects whatsoeuer These two Persons beeing Lawyers in Science and Priuie Councellors in Authoritie as the Corruption of the best things is the worst turned Law and Iustice into Worme-wood and Rapine For first their manner was to cause diuers Subiects to bee indicted of sundrie Crimes and so farre forth to proceed in forme of Law But when the Bils were found then presently to commit them And neuerthelesse not to produce them to any reasonable time to their Answer but to suffer them to languish long in Prison and by sundrie artificiall Deuices and Terrours to extort from them great Fines and Ransomes which they termed Compositions and Mitigations Neither did they towards the end obserue so much as the Halfe-face of Iustice in proceeding by Indictment but sent forth their Precepts to attache men and conuent them before themselues and some others at their priuate Houses in a Court of Commission and there vsed to shuffle vp a Summarie Proceeding by Examination without Tryall of Iurie assuming to themselues there to deale both in Pleas of the Crowne and Controuersies Ciuill Then did they also vse to enthrall and charge the Subiects Lands with Tenures in Capite by finding False Offices and thereby to worke vpon them for Ward-ships Liueries Primier
his Raigne the King called his Parliament Wherein a man may easily guesse how absolute the King tooke himselfe to bee with his Parliament when DVDLEY that was so hatefull was made Speaker of the House of Commons In this Parliament there were not made any Statutes memorable touching publike Gouernement But those that were had still the Stampe of the Kings Wisedome and Policie There was a Statute made for the disanulling of all Patents of Lease or Grant to such as came not vpon lawfull Summons to serue the King in his Warres against the Enemies or Rebels or that should depart without the kings license With an Exception of certaine Persons of the Long-robe Prouiding neuerthelesse That they should haue the kings Wages from their House till their Returne home againe There had beene the like made before for Offices and by thin Statute it was extended to Lands But a man may easily see by many Statutes made in this kings time that the king thought it safest to assist Martiall Law by Law of Parliament Another Statute was made prohibiting the bringing in of Manufactures of Silke wrought by it selfe or mixt with any other Threed But it was not of Stuffes of whole piece for that the Realme had of them no Manufacture in vse at that time but of Knit-Silke or Texture of Silke as Ribbands Laces Caules Points and Girdles c. which the People of England could then well skill to make This Law pointed at a true Principle That where forraine materials are but Superfluities forraine Manufactures should bee prohibited For that will either banish the Superfluitie or gaine the Manufacture There was a Law also of Resumption of Patents of Gaoles and the Reannexing of them to the Sherifwicks Priuiledged Officers beeing no lesse an Interruption of Iustice than priuiledged Places There was likewise a Law to restraine the By-lawes or Ordinances of Corporations which many times were against the Prerogatiue of the King the Common-law of the Realme and the Libertie of the Subiect beeing Fraternities in Euill It was therefore Prouided that they should not bee put in Execution without the Allowance of the Chancellor Treasurer and the two Chiefe-Iustices or three of them or of the two Iustices of Circuit where the Corporation was Another Law was in effect to bring in the Siluer of the Realme to the Mint in making all clipped minished or impayred Coines of Siluer not to bee currant in payments without giuing any Remedie of weight but with an exception onely of a reasonable wearing which was as nothing in respect of the incertaintie and so vpon the matter to set the Mint on worke and to giue way to New Coines of Siluer which should bee then minted There likwise was a long Statute against Vagabonds wherein two things may bee noted The one the Dislike the Parliament had of Gaoling of them as that which was chargeable pesterous and of no open Example The other That in the Statutes of this Kings time for this of the Nineteenth yeare is not the onely Statute of that kind there are euer coupled the punishment of Uagabonds and the Forbidding of Dice and Cards and vnlawfull Games vnto Seruants and meane people and the putting downe and suppressing of Ale-houses as Strings of one Roote together and as if the One were vnprofitable without the Other As for Riot and Retainers there passed scarce any Parliament in this time without a Law against them The King euer hauing an Eye to Might and Multitude There was granted also that Parliamemt a Subsidie both for the Temporaltie and the Clergie And yet neuerthelesse ere the yeare expired there went out Commissions for a generall Beneuolence though there were no Warres no Feares The same yeare the Citty gaue fiue thousand Markes for Confirmation of their Liberties A thing fitter for the Beginnings of Kings Raignes than the latter Ends. Neither was it a small matter that the Mint gained vpon the late Statute by the Recoinage of Groats and Halfe-groats now Twelue-pences and Six-pences As for EMPSON and DVDLEY'S Mills they did grinde more than euer So that it was a strange thing to see what Golden Showres powred downe vpon the Kings Treasurie at once The last paiments of the Marriage-money from Spaine The Subsidie The Beneuolence The Recoinage The Redemption of the Cities Liberties The Casualties And this is the more to bee marueiled at because the King had then no Occasions at all of Warres or Troubles Hee had now but one Sonne and one Daughter vnbestowed Hee was Wise Hee was of an High Mind Hee needed not to make Riches his Glorie Hee did excell in so many things else saue that certainely Auarice doth euer finde in it selfe matter of Ambition Belike hee thought to leaue his Sonne such a Kingdome and such a Masse of Treasure as hee might choose his Greatnesse where hee would This yeare was also kept the Serieants Feast which was the second Call in this Kings Dayes About this time ISABELLA Queene of Castile deceased a right Noble Ladie and an Honour to her Sexe and Times and the Corner-stone of the Greatnesse of Spaine that hath followed This Accident the King tooke not for Newes at large but thought it had a great Relation to his owne Affaires especially in two points The One for Example the Other for Consequence First hee conceiued that the Case of FERDINANDO of Arragon after the death of Queene ISABELLA was his owne Case after the death of his owne Queene and the Case of IOAN the Heire vnto Castile was the Case of his owne Sonne Prince HENRY For if both of the Kings had their Kingdomes in the right of their Wiues they descended to the Heires and did not accrew to the Husbands And although his owne Case had both Steele and Parchment more than the other that is to say a Conquest in the Field and an Act of Parliament yet notwithstanding that Naturall Title of Descent in Bloud did in the imagination euen of a Wise-man breed a Doubt that the other two were not safe nor sufficient Wherefore he was wonderfull diligent to inquire and obserue what became of the King of Arragon in holding and continuing the Kingdome of Castile And whether he did hold it in his owne Right or as Administrator to his Daughter And whether he were like to hold it in Fact or to bee put out by his Sonne-in-Law Secondly hee did reuolue in his minde that the Stateof Christendome might by this late Accident haue a turne For whereas before time Himselfe with the Coniunction of Arragon and Castile which then was one and the Amitie of MAXIMILIAN and PHILIP his Sonne the Arch-Duke was farre too strong a Partie for France hee beganne to feare that now the French King who had great Interest in the Affections of PHILIP the young King of Castile and PHILIP himselfe now king of Castile who was in ill Termes with his Father-in-law about the present Gouernment of Castile And thirdly MAXIMILIAN PHILIPS Father who was euer variable and
and Daintiest Monuments of Europe both for the Chappell and for the Sepulchre So that hee dwelleth more richly Dead in the Monument of his Tombe than hee did Aliue in Richmond or any of his Palaces I could wish he did the like in this Monument of his Fame FINIS An Index Alphabeticall directing to the most obserueable passages in the foregoing Historie A AN Accident in it selfe triuiall great in effect pag. 189 Aduice desired from the Parliament 53. 57. 98 A Emulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 61 Affabilitie of the King to the Citie of London 198 Affection of k. Henry to the king of Spaine 105 Affection of the king to his children 241 Aide desired by the Duke of Brittaine 53 Aide sent to Brittaine 62 Aiders of rebels punished 37 Almes deeds of the king 229 Ambassadors to the Pope 38 into Scotland 39 Ambassadours from the French King 41 Ambassadors in danger in France 49 Ambassadors into France 94 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 135 Answer of the Archduke to the kings Ambassadors 129 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 132 Armes of king Henries still victorious 234 Arrows of the Cornishmen the length of them 171 Articles betweene the King and the Archduke 162 Arthur Prince married to the Ladie Katherine 203 Arthur Prince dyes at Ludlow 218 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earle of Surrey 174 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 12 Attaindor and corruption of bloud reacheth not to the Crown 13. 24 Auarice of king Henry 236 Audley Generall of the Cornish rebels 165 B BAnishment of Flemings out of the kingdome 130 Battaile at Bosworth field 1 at Stokefield 35 at S. Albans in Brittain 62 Bannocks bourne in Scotland 70 at Blacke Heath 168 Behauiour of king Henry towards his children 205 Beneuolence to the king for his warres 100 Beneuolence who the first author ibid. Beneuolence abolished by Act of Parliament ibid. Beneuolence reuiued by Act of Parliament 100 A Beneuolence generall to the king 216 Birth of Hen. 8. 95 Bishops why imployed by the king 16 Bloud not vnreuenged 196. 213 Brittain Duchie distressed 62 Three causes of the losse of the Duchie of Brittaine 63 Brittaine vnited to France by marriage 95 Brackenbury refused to murder king Edw. 2. sonnes 123 Broughton Sir Thomas ioyned with the rebels 32 A Bull procured from the Pope by the king for what causes 39 Bulloigne besieged by king Henry 110 C CArdinall Morton dyeth 198 Capel Sir William fined 139. 229 Capp of maintenance from the Pope 178 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 80 Chauncery power and description of that Court. 64 Clifford Sir Robert flyes to Perkin 122 Reuolts to the king 125 Clergie priuiledges abridged 66 Christendome enlarged 106 Columbus Christopher Bartholomeus inuite the king to a discouery of the West Indies 189 Confiscation aymed a by the king 133 Conference betweene king Henry and the king of Castile by casualtie landing at Waymouth 223 Conquest the Title vnpleasing to the people declined by William the Conq. 5. and by the king 7 Conspirators for Perkin 121 Contraction of Prince Hen. and Lady Katherine 207 Conditionell speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 134 Commissioners into Ireland 138 Commissioners about trading 161 Coronation of king Henry 10 Coronation of the Queene 38 Counsell the benefite of good 40 Counsell of what sort the French king vsed 51 Counsell of meane men what and how different from that of Nobles ibidem Lord Cordes enuie to England 79 Cottagers but housed Beggars Counterfeits 74 Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 24 Crowned at Dublin 31 Taken in battell 35 Put into the Kings Kitchin 36 Made the Kings Fawlconer ibid. Duke of Yorke counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earle of Warwick 194 Courage of the English when 62 Court what pleas belong to euerie Court 64 Court of Starre-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 10 Crowne confirmed to king Henry by Parliament 11 Cursing of the kings enemies at Pauls Crosse a custome of those times 125. 213 D DAm a towne in Flanders taken by a slight 103 Lord Dawbeny 170 Deuices at Prince Arthurs marriage 203 Deuice of the King to diuert enuie 111 Decay of trade doth punish merchants 161 Decay of people how it comes to passe 73 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 148 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 136 Dighton a murderer of K. Edw. 2. children 124 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 101 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 211 Displacing of no Councellers nor Seruants in all K. Henries Reigne saue of one 242 Dissimulation of the French King 46. 48. 81 Dissimulation of k. Henrie in pretending warre 99 A Doubt long kept open and diuersly determined according to the diuersitie of the times 206 Dowry of L. Katherine how much 204 Dowrie of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 208 Drapery maintained how 76 Dudley one of the kings horseleeches 209 Duke of Yorke counterfet See Perkin E EArle of Suffolke flyes into Flanders 212. Returnes 225 Earle of Northumberland slaine by the people in collecting the Subsidie somewhat harshly 68 Earle of Warwick executed 195 Earle of Warw. counterfeit 21. 194 Earle of Surrey enters Scotland 174 Edmund a third sonne borne to king Henry but died 191 Edward the fift murthered 149 Enuie towards the king vnquenchable the cause of it 196 Enuie of Lord Cordes to England 79 Enteruiew between the king Arch-Duke with the respectiue carriage of the Arch-Duke to the king 197 Enteruiew betweene the king and the king of Castile 223 Embleme 167 Empson one of the kings horseleeches 209 Errors of the French king in his businesse for the kingdome of Naples 143 Errors of king Henry occasioning his many troubles 264 Escuage seruice 164 Espials in the Rebels campe 33 Espousals of Iames king of Scotland and Lady Margaret 207 Exchanges vnlawfull prohibited 66 Exeter besieged by Perkin 181 The loyaltie of the Towne ibid The Towne rewarded with the kings owne sword 184 Execution of Humphrey Stafford 18 Iohna Chamber and his fellow rebels at Yorke 68 Sir Iames Tyrril murderer of king Edw. 2. sonnes 124 Of diuers others 131 Sir William Stanley 134 For Rebels 138 Perkins companie 141 Audley and Cornish Rebels 171 Another counterfeit Earle of Warw. 194 Perkin Warbeck ibid The Mayor of Corke and his son 195 Earle of Warwick 195 F FAme ill affected 172 Fame entertained by diuers the reasons of it 121 Fame neglected by Empson Dudley 209 Feare not safe to the king 137 Fines 72 Without Fines Statute to sell land 101 Flammock a Lawyer a rebell 164 Flemmings banished 130 Flight of king Henry out of Brittaine into France wherefore 55 Forfeitures and confiscations furnish the kings wants 14. 27 Forfeitures aimed at 75. 133 Forfeitures vpon penall lawes taken by the king which was the blot of his times 139 Fortune various 26. 36 Forwardnesse inconsiderate 170 Foxe made priuie Counsellor 16 Made L. Keeper of the priuie Seal
Seisines and Alienations being the fruites of those Tenures refusing vpon diuers Pretexts and Delayes to admit men to trauerse those False Offices according to the Law Nay the Kings Wards after they had accomplished their full Age could not bee suffered to haue Liuerie of their Lands without paying excessiue Fines farre exceeding all reasonable Rates They did also vexe men with Informations of Intrusion vpon scarce colourable Titles VVhen men were Out-lawed in Personall Actions they would not permit them to purchase their Charters of Pardon except they paid great and intolerable summes standing vpon the strict Point of Law which vpon Out-lawries giueth Forfeiture of Goods Nay contrarie to all Law and Colour they maintained the King ought to haue the halfe of mens Lands and Rents during the space of full two yeares for a Paine in Case of Out-lawrie They would also ruffle with Iurors and inforce them to finde as they would direct and if they did not Conuent them Imprison them and Fine them These and many other Courses fitter to be buried than repeated they had of Preying vpon the People both like Tame Hawkes for their Master and like Wild Hawkes for themselues in so much as they grew to great Riches and Substance But their principall working was vpon Penall Lawes wherein they spared none great nor small nor considered whether the Law were possible or impossible in Vse or Obsolete But raked ouer all old and new Statutes though many of them were made with intention rather of Terrour than of Rigour hauing euer a Rabble of Promoters Questmongers and leading Iurors at their Command so as they could haue any thing found either for Fact or Valuation There remayneth to this Day a Report that the King was on a time entertained by the Earle of Oxford that was his principall Seruant both for Warre and Peace nobly and sumptuously at his Castle at Henningham And at the Kings going away the Earles Seruants stood in a seemely manner in their Liuerie Coats with Cognisances ranged on both sides and made the King a Lane The King called the Earle to him and said My Lord I have heard much of your Hospitalitie but I see it is greater than the speech These handsome Gentlemen and Teomen which I see on both sides of me are sure your Meniall Seruants The Earle smiled and said It may please your Grace that were not for mine ease They are most of them my Retainers that are come to doe me seruice at such a time as this and chiefly to see your Grace The King started a little and said By my faith my Lord I thanke you for my good Cheare but I may not endure to haue my Lawes broken in my sight My Atturney must speake with you And it is part of the Report that the Earle compounded for no lesse than fifteene thousand Markes And to shew further the kings extreme Diligence I doe remember to haue seene long since a Booke of Accompt of EMPSONS that had the kings hand almost to euery Leafe by way of Signing and was in some places Postilled in the Margent with the Kings hand likewise where was this Remembrance Item receiued of such a one fiue Markes for the Pardon to be procured and if the Pardon doe not passe the Monie to bee repaied Except the Partie bee some other-wayes satisfied And ouer against this Memorandum of the Kings owne hand Otherwise satisfied Which I doe the rather mention because it shewes in the king a Nearenesse but yet with a kind of Iustnesse So these little Sands and Graines of Gold and Siluer as it seemeth helped not a little to make vp the great Heape and Banke But meanewhile to keepe the king awake the Earle of Suffolke hauing beene too gay at Prince ARTHVRS Marriage and sunke himselfe deepe in Debt had yet once more a mind to bee a Knight-Errant and to seeke Aduentures in Forraine parts And taking his Brother with him fled againe into Flanders That no doubt which gaue him Confidence was the great Murmur of the People against the Kings Gouernement And beeing a Man of a light and rash Spirit he thought euerie Vapour would bee a Tempest Neither wanted hee some Partie within the Kingdome For the Murmur of People awakes the Discontents of Nobles and againe that calleth vp commonly some Head of Sedition The King resorting to his wonted and tried Arts caused Sir ROBERT CVRSON Captaine of the Castle at Hammes beeing at that time beyond Sea and therefore lesse likely to bee wrought vpon by the king to flie from his Charge and to faine himselfe a seruant of the Earles This Knight hauing insinuated himselfe into the Secrets of the Earle and finding by him vpon whom chiefly hee had either Hope or Hold aduertised the King thereof in great secrecie But neuerthelesse maintained his owne Credit and inward trust with the Earle Vpon whose Aduertisements the King attached WILLIAM COVRTNEY Earle of Deuonshire his Brother-in-Law married to the Ladie KATHERINE daughter to King EDVVARD the Fourth WILLIAM DE-LA-POLE Brother to the Earle of Suffolke Sir IAMES TIRREL and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and some other meaner Persons and committed them to Custodie GEORGE Lord ABERGAVENNIE and Sir THOMAS GREENE were at the same time apprehended but as vpon lesse Suspition so in a freer Restraint and were soone after deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire being interessed in the bloud of Yorke that was rather Feared than Nocent yet as One that might bee the Obiect of others Plots and Designes remained Prisoner in the Tower during the Kings life WILLIAAM DE-LA-POLE was also long restrained though not so straitly But for Sir IAMES TIRREL against whom the Bloud of rhe Innocent Princes EDVVARD the Fifth and his Brother did still crie from vnder the Altar and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and the other meaner ones they were attainted and executed The two Knights beheaded Neuerthelesse to confirme the Credit of CVRSON who belike had not yet done all his Feates of Actiuitie there was published at PAVLES Crosse about the time of the said Executions the Popes Bull of Excommunication and Curse against the Earle of Suffolke and Sir ROBERT CVRSON some others by name and likewise in generall against all the Abettors of the said Earle Wherein it must be confessed that Heauen was made too much to bow to Earth and Religion to Policie But soone after CVRSON when hee saw time returned into England and withall into wonted Fauour with the King but worse Fame with the People Vpon whose returne the Earle was much dismayed and seeing himselfe destitute of hopes the Ladie MARGARET also by tract of Time and bad Successe being now become coole in those Attempts after some wandering in France and Germanie and certaine little Proiects no better than Squibbs of an Exiled man being tired out retired againe into the Protection of the Arch-Duke PHILIP in Flanders who by the death of ISABELLA was at that time King of Castile in the right of IOAN his Wife This yeare beeing the Nineteenth of