perfidious man vpon the Earth and that he had made a marriage compounded between an Aduoutry and a Rape which was done he said by the iust iudgement of God to the end that the Nullitie thereof being so appparant to all the World the Race of so vnworthy a person might not reigne in France And forthwith he sent Ambassadors as well to the King of England as to the King of Spaine to incite them to Warre and to treat a League offensiue against France promising to concurre with great Forces of his owne Hereupon the King of England going neuerthelesse his owne way called a Parliament it being the seuenth yeere of his Reigne and the first day of opening thereof sitting vnder his Cloth of Estate spake himselfe vnto his Lords and Commons in this manner MY Lords and you the Commons When I purposed to make a Warre in Britaine by my Lieutenant I made declaration thereof to you by my Chancellor But now that I meane to make a Warre vpon France in Person I will declare it to you my Selfe That Warre was to desend another mans Right but this is to recouer our owne And that ended by Accident but we hope this shall end in Victory The French King troubles the Christian World That which he hath is not his owne and yet he seeketh more He hath inuested himselfe of Britaine Hee maintaineth the Rebels in Flanders and he threatneth Italy For Our Selues he hath proceeded from Dissimulation to Neglect and from Neglect to Contumely He hath assayled our Confederates He denieth our Tribute In a word he seekes Warre So did not his Father but sought Peace at Our Hands and so perhaps will hee when good Counsell or Time shall make him see as much as his Father did Meane while let Us make his Ambition our Aduantage and let vs not stand vpon a few Crownes of Tribute or Acknowledgement but by the fauour of Almighty GOD try Our Right for the Crowne of France it selfe remembring that there hath beene A French King Prisoner in England and a King of England Crowned in France Our Confederates are not diminished Burgundie is in a mightier Hand then euer and neuer more prouoked Britaine cannot helpe vs but it may hurt them New Acquests are more Burthen then Strength The Male-contents of his owne Kingdome haue not beene Base Popular nor Titularie Impostors but of an higher Nature The King of Spaine doubt yee not will ioyne with vs not knowing where the French Kings Ambition will stay Our Holy Father the Pope likes no Tramontanes in Italie But howsoeuer it bee this Matter of Confederates is rather to bee thought on then reckoned on For GOD forbid but England should bee able to get Reason of France without a Second At the Battailes of Cressy Poictiers Agent-Court wee were of our selues France hath much people and few Souldiours They haue no stable Bands of Foot Some good Horse they haue but those are Forces which are least fit for a Defensiue Warre where the Actions are in the Assailants choice It was our Discords onely that lost France and by the Power of GOD it is the good Peace which wee now enioy that will recouer it GOD hath hitherto blessed my Sword I haue in this time that I haue Reigned weeded out my bad Subiects and tryed my good My People and I know one another which breeds Confidence And if there should bee any bad Bloud left in the Kingdome an Honourable Forrain Warre will vent it or purifie it In this great Businesse let me haue your Aduice and Aid If any of you were to make his Sonne Knight you might haue aid of your Tenants by Law This concernes the Knighthood and Spurres of the Kingdome whereof I am Father and bound not only to seeke to maintaine it but to aduance it But for Matter of Treasure let it not be taken from the Poorest Sort but from those to whom the Benefit of the Warre may redound France is no Wildernesse and I that professe Good Husbandrie hope to make the Warre after the Beginnings to pay it selfe Goe together in GODS Name and loose no time for I haue called this Parliament wholly for this Cause THus spake the King But for all this though hee shewed great forwardnesse for a Warre not onely to his Parliament and Court but to his Priuie-Councell likewise except the two Bishops and a few more yet neuerthelesse in his secret intentions hee had no purpose to goe through with any Warre vpon France But the truth was that hee did but traffique with that Warre to make his Returne in money Hee knew well that France was now entire and at vnitie with it selfe and neuer so mightie many yeares before Hee saw by the taste that he had of his Forces sent into Britaine that the French knew well enough how to make warre with the English by not putting things to the hazard of a Battaile but wearing them by long Sieges of Townes and strong fortified Encampings IAMES the Third of Scotland his true friend and Confederate gone and IAMES the Fourth that had succeeded wholly at the deuotion of France and ill affected towards him As for the Coniunctions of FERDINANDO of Spaine and MAXIMILIAN hee could make no foundation vpon them For the One had Power and not Will and the Other hath Will and not Power Besides that FERDINANDO had but newly taken breath from the Warre with the Moores and merchanded at this time with France for the restoring of the Counties of Russignon and Perpignian oppignorated to the French Neither was hee out of feare of the Discontents and ill bloud within the Realme which hauing vsed alwaies to represse and appease in person hee was loth they should find him at a distance beyond Sea and engaged in warre Finding therfore the Inconueniences and Difficulties in the prosecution of a Warre hee cast with himselfe how to compasse two things The one how by the declaration and inchoation of a warre to make his Profit The other how to come off from the warre with sauing of his Honour For Profit it was to bee made two wayes vpon his Subiects for the Warre and vpon his Enemies for the Peace like a good Merchant that maketh his gaine both vpon the Commodities Exported and Imported backe againe For the point of Honour wherein hee might suffer for giuing ouer the Warre hee considered well that as hee could not trust vpon the aides of FERDINANDO and MAXIMILIAN for supports of Warre so the impuissance of the one and the double proceeding of the other lay faire for him for occasions to accept of Peace These things hee did wisely fore-see and did as artificially conduct wherby all things fell into his lappe as hee desired For as for the Parliament it presently tooke fire being affectionate of old the Warre of France and desirous afresh to repaire the dishonour they thought the King sustained by the losse of Britaine Therfore they aduised the King with great alacritie to vndertake the Warre 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
to leuie the Subsidie whereof he did not remit a Denier About the same time that the King lost so good a Seruant as the Earle of Northumberland hee lost likewise a faithfull friend and Allie of IAMES the third King of Scotland by a miserable disaster For this vnfortunate Prince after a long smother of discontent and hatred of many of his Nobilitie and People breaking forth at times into seditions and alterations of Court was at last distressed by them hauing taken Armes and surprised the person of Prince IAMES his sonne partly by force partly by threats that they would otherwise deliuer vp the Kingdome to the King of England to shadow their Rebellion and to bee the titular and painted Head of those Armes Whereupon the King finding himselfe too weake sought vnto King HENRY as also vnto the Pope and the King of France to compose those troubles betweene him and his Subiects The Kings accordingly interposed their Mediation in a round and Princely manner Not only by way of request and perswasion but also by way of protestation of menace declaring that they thought it to be the common Cause of all Kings If Subiects should be suffered to giue Lawes vnto their Soueraigne and that they would accordingly resent it and reuenge it But the Rebels that had shaken off the greater Yoke of Obedience had likewise cast away the lesser Tye of Respect And Furie preuailing aboue Feare made answer That there was no talking of Peace except the King would resignehis Crowne Whereupon Treatie of Accord taking no place it came vp to a Battaile at Bannocks Bourne by Striuelin In which Battaile the King transported with wrath and iust indignation inconsideratly fighting and precipitating the charge before his whole numbers came vp to him was notwithstanding the contrarie expresse and straight commandement of the Prince his sonne slaine in the Pursuit being fled to a Mill scituate in the field where the Battaile was fought As for the Popes Ambassie which was sent by ADRIAN DE CASTELLO an Italian Legate and perhaps as those times were might haue preuailed more it came too late for the Ambassie but not for the Ambassador For passing through England and being honourably entertained and dreceiued of King HENRY who euer applied himselfe with much respect to the See of Rome hee fell into great grace with the King and great familiaritie and friendship with MORTON the Chancellor In so much as the King taking a liking to him and finding him to his minde preferred him to the Bishopricke of Hereford and afterwards to that of Bath and Wells and imployed him in many of his affaires of State that had relation to Rome Hee was a man of great learning wisedome and dexteritle in businesse of State and hauing not long after ascended to the degree of Cardinall payd the King large tribute of his gratitude in diligent and iudicious aduertisement of the occurrents of Italie Neuerthelesse in the end of his time hee was partaker of the conspiracie which Cardinall ALPHONSO PETRVCCI and some other Cardinalls had plotted against the life of Pope LEO. And this offence in it selfe so hainous was yet in him aggrauared by the motiue therof which was not malice or discontent but an aspiring minde to the Papacie And in this height of impietie there wanted not an intermixture of leuitie and follie for that as was generally belieued hee was animated to expect the Papacie by a fatall Mockerie the prediction of a Southsaier which was That one should succeed Pope LEO whose name should bee ADRIAN an aged man of meane birth and of great learning and wisdome By which Character and figure hee tooke himselfe to bee described though it were fulfilled of ADRIAN the Flemming sonne of a Dutch Brewer Cardinall of Tortosa and Preceptor vnto CHARLES the Fift the same that not changing his Christen-name was afterwards called ADRIAN the Sixt. But these things happened in the yeare following which was the fift of this King But in the end of the fourth yeare the King had called againe his Parliament not as it seemeth for any particular occasion of State But the former Parliament being ended somewhat sodainly in regard of the preparation for Britaine the King thought hee had not remunerated his people sufficiently with good Lawes which euermore was his Retribution for Treasure And finding by the Insurrection in the North there was discontentment abroad in respect of the Subsidie hee thought it good to giue his Subiects yet further contentment and comfort in that kind Certainly his times for good Common-wealths Lawes did excell So as he may iustly be celebrated for the best Law giuer to this Nation after King EDWARD the first For his Lawes who so markes them well are deepe and not vulgar not made vpon the Spurre of a particular Occasion for the Present but out of Prouidence of the Future to make the Estate of his People still more and more happie after the manner of the Legislators in ancient and Heroicall Times First therfore he made a Law sutable to his owne Acts and Times For as himselfe had in his Person and Marriage made a finall Concord in the great Suit and Title for the Crowne so by this Law hee setled the like Peace and Quiet in the priuate Possessions of the Subjects Ordaining That Fines thence-forth should bee finall to conclude all Strangers Rights and that vpon Fines leuied and solemnely proclaimed the Subiect should haue his time of Watch for fiue yeares after his Title accrued which if hee fore-passed his Right should be bound for euer after with some exception neuerthelesse of Minors Married-Women and such incompetent Persons This Statute did in effect but restore an ancient Statute of the Realme which was it selfe also made but in affirmance of the Common-Law The alteration had beene by a Statute commonly called the Statute of Non-claime made in the time of EDWARD the Third And surely this Law was a kind of Prognostick of the good Peace which since his time hath for the most part continued in this Kingdome vntill this day For Statutes of Non-Claime are fit for times of Warre when mens heads are troubled that they cannot intend their Estate But Statutes that quiet Possessions are fittest for Times of Peace to extinguish Suits and Contentions which is one of the Banes of Peace Another Statute was made of singular Policie for the Population apparantly and if it bee throughly considered for the Souldiery and Militar Forces of the Realme Inclosures at that time began to be more frequent whereby Arrable Land which could not be manured without people and Families was turned into Pasture which was easily rid by a few Heards men and Tenancies for Yeares Liues and At Will whereupon much of the Yeomanrie liued were turned into Demesnes This bred a decay of People and by consequence a decay of Townes Churches Tithes and the like The King likewise knew full well and in no wise forgot that there ensued with all vpon this a decay
PERKIN and his complices as well through Discouragement as Distrust So that they were now like Sand without Lyme ill bound together especially as many as were English who were at a gaze looking strange one vpon another not knowing who was faithfull to their Side but thinking that the King what with his Baits and what with his Nets would draw them all vnto him that were anything worth And indeede it came to passe that diuers came away by the Thred sometimes one and sometimes another BARLEY that was Ioint-Commissioner with CLIFFORD did hold out one of the longest till PERKIN was farre worne yet made his Peace at the length But the Fall of this Greatman beeing in so high Authoritie and Fauour as was thought with the King and the manner of Carriage of the Businesse as if there had beene secret Inquisition vpon him for a great time before and the Cause for which hee suffered which was little more than for saying in effect That the Title of YORKE was better than the Title of LANCASTER which was the Case almost of euery man at the least in Opinion was matter of great Terrour amongst all the Kings Seruants and Subiects Insomuch as no man almost thought himselfe secure and men durst scarce commune or talke one with another but there was a generall Diffidence euery where Which neuerthelesse made the King rather more Absolute than more Safe For Bleeding Inwards and shut Vapours strangle soonest and oppresse most Hereupon presently came forth Swarmes and Volies of Libels which are the Gusts of Libertie of Speech restrayned and the Females of Sedition contayning bitter Inuectiues and Slanders against the King and some of the Councell For the contriuing and dispersing whereof after great Diligence of Inquirie fiue meane Persons were caught and executed Meane while the King did not neglect Ireland being the Soyle where the Mushromes and Upstart-Weedes that spring vp in a Night did chiefly prosper Hee sent therefore from hence for the better settling of his affaires there Commissioners of both Robes The Prior of Lanthony to bee his Chancellour in that Kingdome and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS with a Power of Men and a Marshall Commission together with a Ciuill Power of his Lieutenant with a Clause That the Earle of Kildare then Deputie should obey him But the Wilde-Irish who were the principall Offenders fledde into the Woods and Bogges after their manner and those that knew themselues guilty in the Pale fledde to them So that Sir EDWARD POYNINGS was enforced to make a Wilde-Chase vpon the Wilde-Irish Where in respect of the Mountaines and Fastnesses hee did little good Which eyther out of a suspicious Melancholy vpon his bad Successe or the better to saue his seruice from Disgrace hee would needes impute vnto the Comfort that the Rebels should receiue vnder-hand from the Earle of Kildare euery light suspicion growing vpon the Earle in respect of the KILDARE that was in the Action of LAMBERT SIMNELL and slaine at Stoke-field Wherefore hee caused the Earle to bee apprehended and sent into England where vpon Examination hee cleared himselfe so well as he was re-placed in his Gouernment But POYNINGS the better to make compensation of the Meagernesse of his Seruice in the Warres by Acts of Peace called a Parliament where was made that memorable Act which at this day is called POYNINGS Law whereby all the Statutes of England were made to bee of force in Ireland For before they were not neither are any now in force in Ireland which were made in England since that time which was the tenth yeare of the King About this time beganne to be discouered in the King that Disposition which afterward nourished and whet-on by bad Counsellers and Ministers proued the Blot of his times which was the course he tooke to crush Treasure out of his Subiects Purses by forfeitures vpon Penall-Lawes At this men did startle the more at this time because it appeared plainely to bee in the King's Nature and not out of his Necessitie hee beeing now in Float for Treasure For that he had newly receiued the Peace-money from France the Beneuolence-money from his Subiects and great Casualties vpon the Confiscations of the Lord Chamberlaine and diuers others The first-noted Case of this kinde was that of Sir WILLIAM CAPEL Alderman of London Who vpon sundry Penall-Lawes was condemned in the summe of seuen and twenty hundred pounds and compounded with the King for sixteene hundred And yet after EMPSON would haue cut another Chop out of him if the King had not dyed in the Instant The Summer following the King to comfort his Mother whom he did alwaies tenderly loue and reuere and to make Demonstration to the World that the proceedings against Sir WILLIAM STANLEY which was imposed vpon him by necessitie of State had not in any degree diminished the affection he bare to THOMAS his brother went in Progresse to Latham to make merry with his Mother and the Earle and lay there diuers dayes During this Progresse PERKIN WARBECKE finding that time and Temporizing which whilest his practices were couert and wrought well in England made for him did now when they were discouered and defeated rather make against him for that when matters once goe downe the Hill they stay not without a new force resolued to trie his aduenture in some exploit vpon England hoping still vpon the affections of the Common-People towards the House of YORKE Which Body of Common-People hee thought was not to bee practised vpon as Persons of Qualitie are But that the only practice vpon their affections was To set vp a Standard in the fielde The Place where hee should make his Attempt hee chose to be the Coast of Kent The King by this time was growne to sueh an height of Reputation for cunning and Policie that euery Accident and Euent that went well was laid and imputed to his foresight as if hee had set it before As in this Particular of PERKINS Designe vpon Kent For the world would not beleeue afterwards but the King hauing secret Intelligence of PERKINS intention for Kent the better to draw it on went of purpose into the North a farre off laying an open side vnto PERKIN to make him come to the Close and so to trip vp his heeles hauing made sure in Kent before hand But so it was that PERKIN had gathered together a Power of all Nations neither in number nor in the hardinesse and courage of the Persons contemptible but in their nature and fortunes to bee feared as well of Friends as Enemies being Bankrupts and many of them Felons and such as liued by Rapine These hee put to Sea and arriued vpon the Coast of Sandwich and Deale in Kent about Iuly There he cast Anchor and to prooue the affections of the People sent some of his men to land making great boast of the Power that was to follow The Kentish-men perceiuing that PERKIN was not followed by any English of name or accompt and that his forces
two Sonnes EDWARD and RICHARD Duke of Yorke both very young EDWARD the eldest succeeded their Father in the Crowne by the name of King EDWARD the Fift But RICHARD Duke of Glocester their vnnaturall Vnckle first thirsting after the Kingdome through Ambition and afterwards thirsting for their Bloud out of desire to secure himselfe imployed an Instrument of his confident to him as hee thought to murther them both But this Man that was imployed to execute that execrable Tragedie hauing cruelly slaine King EDWARD the eldest of the two was mooued partly hy Remorse and partly by some other meane to saue RICHARD his Brother making a Report neuerthelesse to the Tyrant that hee had performed his Commandement for both Brethren This Report was accordingly beleeued and published generally So that the World hath beene possessed of an Opinion that they both were barbarously made away though euer Truth hath some sparkes that flye abroade vntill it appeare in due time as this hath had But Almighty GOD that stopped the Mouth of the Lion and saued little JOAS from the Tyrannie of ATHALIAH when shee massacred the Kings Children and did saue ISAACK when the hand was stretched forth to sacrifice him preserued the second Brother For I my selfe that stand heere in your presence am that very RICHARD Duke of Yorke Brother of that infortunate Prince King EDWARD the Fift now the most rightfull suruiuing Heire-Male to that Uictorious and most Noble EDWARD of that Name the Fourth late King of England For the manner of my Escape it is fit it should passe in silence or at least in a more secret Relation for that it may concerne some aliue and the memorie of some that are dead Let it suffice to thinke I had then a Mother liuing a Queene and one that expected dayly such a Commandement from the Tyrant for the murthering of her Children Thus in my tender age escaping by GODS Mercie out of London I was secretly conueyed ouer Sea Where after a time the Partie that had mee in Charge vpon what new Feares change of Minde or Practice GOD knoweth suddenly forsooke mee Whereby I was forced to wander abroade and to seeke meane Conditions for the sustaining of my Life Wherefore distracted betweene seuerall Passions the one of Feare to bee knowne lest the Tyrant should haue a new Attempt vpon mee the other of Griefe and Disdaine to bee vnknowne and to liue in that base and seruile manner that I did I resolued with my selfe to expect the Tyrants Death and then to put my selfe into my Sisters hands who was next Heire to the Crowne But in this Season it happened one HENRIE TIDDER sonne to EDMOND TIDDER Earle of Richmond to come from France and enter into the Realme and by subtile and foule meanes to obtaine the Crowne of the same which to mee rightfully appertained So that it was but a Change from Tyrant to Tyrant This HENRIE my extreame and mortall Enemie so soone as hee had knowledge of my beeing aliue imagined and wrought all the subtill waies and meanes hee could to procure my finall Destruction For my mortall Enemie hath not onely falsly surmised mee to bee a fayned Person giuing mee Nick-names so abusing the World but also to deferre and put mee from entrie into England hath offered large Summes of Money to corrupt the Princes and their Ministers with whom I haue beene retayned and made importune Labours to certaine Seruants about my Person to murther or poyson mee and others to forsake and leaue my Righteous Quarrell and to depart from my Seruice as Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and others So that euery Man of Reason may well perceiue that HENRIE calling himselfe King of England needed not to haue bestowed such great Summes of Treasure nor so to haue busied himselfe with importune and incessant Labour and Industrie to compasse my Death and Ruine if I had beene such a fained Person But the truth of my Cause beeing so manifest moued the most Christian King CHARLES and the Lady Duchesse Dowager of Burgundie my most Deare Aunt not onely to acknowledge the truth thereof but louingly to assist mee But it seemeth that GOD aboue for the good of this whole Island and the knitting of these two Kingdomes of England and Scotland in a strait Concord and Amitie by so great an Obligation had reserued the placing of mee in the Imperiall Throne of England for the Armes and Succours of your Grace Neither is it the first time that a King of Scotland hath supported them that were bereft and spoyled of the Kingdome of England as of late in fresh memorie it was done in the Person of HENRY the Sixth Wherefore for that your Grace hath giuen cleare Signes that you are in no Noble qualitie inferiour to your Royall Ancestours I so distressed a Prince was hereby mooued to come and put my Selfe into your Royall Hands desiring your Assistance to recouer my Kingdome of England promising faithfully to beare my Selfe towards your Grace no otherwise than If I were your owne Naturall Brother and will vpon the Recouerie of mine Inheritance gratefully doe you all the Pleasure that is in my vtmost Power AFter PERKIN had told his Tale King IAMES answered brauely and wisely That whatsoeuer hee were hee should not repent him of putting himselfe into his hands And from that time forth though there wanted not some about him that would haue perswaded him that all was but an Illusion yet notwithstanding either taken by PERKINS amiable and alluring behauiour or inclining to the recommendation of the great Princes abroade or willing to take an occasion of a Warre against King HENRY hee entertained him in all things as became the person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke embraced his Quarrell and the more to put it out of doubt that hee tooke him to bee a great Prince and not a Representation onely hee gaue consent that this Duke should take to wife the Lady KATHERINE GORDON daughter to the Earle Huntley beeing a neare Kinswoman to the King himselfe and a young Uirgin of excellent beautie and vertue Not long after the King of Scots in person with PERKIN in his company entred with a great Armie though it consisted chiefly of Borderers beeing raysed somewhat suddenly into Northumberland And PERKIN for a Perfume before him as hee went caused to be published a Proclamation of this tenor following in the name of RICHARD Duke of Yorke true inheritor of the Crowne of England IT hath pleased GOD Who putteth downe the Mightie from their Seate and exalteth the Humble and suffereth not the Hopes of the Iust to perish in the end to giue Us meanes at the length to shew Our Selues armed vnto Our Leiges and People of England But far bee it from Us to intend their hurt and dammage or to make Warre vpon them otherwise than to deliuer Our Selfe and them from Tyrannie and Oppression For our mortall Enemie HENRY TIDDER a false Vsurper of the Crowne of England which to Vs by Naturall and Lineall Right
in Kinde or compound for them as they could After matter of Honour and Liberalitie followed matter of Seueritie and Execution The Lord AVDLEY was led from Newgate to Tower-hill in a Paper Coate painted with his own Armes the Armes reuersed the Coate torne and hee at Tower-hill beheaded FLAMMOCKE and the Black-smith vvere hanged drawn and quartered at Tiburne The Black-smith taking pleasure vpon the Hurdle as it seemeth by vvords that hee vttered to thinke that hee should be famous in aftertimes The King was once in minde to haue sent downe FLAMMOCKE and the Blac-smith to haue beene executed in Corne-wall for the more terrour But beeing aduertised that the Countrey was yet vnquiet and boyling hee thought better not to irritate the People further All the rest were pardoned by Proclamation and to take out their Pardons vnder Seale as many as would So that more than the bloud drawn in the Field the King did satisfie himselfe with the liues of onely three Offenders for the expiation of this great Rebellion It was a strange thing to obserue the varietie and inequalitie of the Kings Executions and Pardons And a man would thinke it at the first a kinde of Lotterie or Chance But looking into it more nearely one shall find there was reason for it much more perhaps than after so long a distance of time wee can now discerne In the Kentish Commotion which was but an landfull of men there were executed to the number of one hundred and fiftie and in this so mighty a Rebellion but three Whether it were that the king put go accompt the men that wereslaine in the Fielde or that hee was not willing to bee seuerein a popular Cause or that the harmelesse behauiour of this People that came from the West of England to the East without mischiefe almost or spoyle of the Countrey did somewhat mollifie him and mooue him to Compassion or lastly that he made a great difference betwoene People that did Rebell vpon Wantonnesse and them that did Rebell vpon Want After the Cornish-men were defeated there came from Calice to the King an honourable Ambassage from the French King which had arriued at Calice a Moneth before and there was stayed in respect of the troubles but honourably entertained and defrayed The King at their first comming sent vnto them prayed them to haue patience till a little Smoake that was raised in his Countrie were ouer which would sonne bee Slighting as his manner was that openly which neuerthelesse he intended seriously This Ambassage concerned no great Affaire but only the Prolongation of Dayes for payment of Monies and some other Particulars of the Frontiers And it was indeed but a wooing Ambassage with good respects to entertaine the King in good affection but nothing was done or handled to the derogation of the Kings late Treatie with the Italians But during the time that the Cornish-men were in their march towards London the King of Scotland wel aduertised of all that passed and knowing himselfe sure of Warre from England whensoeuer those Stirs were appeased neglected not his opportunitie But thinking the King had his hands full entred the Frontiers of England againe with an Armie and besieged the Castle of Norham in Person with part of his Forces sending the rest to Forrage the Countrie But FOX Bishop of Duresme a wise man and one that could see through the Present to the Future doubting as much before had caused his Castle of Norham to bee strongly fortified and furnished with all kinde of Munition And had manned it likewise with a very great number of tall Souldiours more than for the proportion of the Castle reckoning rather vpon a sharpe Assault than a long Siege And for the Countrey likewise hee had caused the People to withdraw their Cattell and Goods into Fast Places that were not of easie approach and sent in Post to the Earle of Surrey who was not farre off in Yorkeshire to come in diligence to the Succour So as the Scottish King both failed of doing good vpon the Castle and his men had but a Catching Haruest of their Spoyles And when hee vnderstood that the Earle of Surrey was comming on with great Forces hee returned backe into Scotland The Earle finding the Castle freed and the enemie retired pursued with all celeritie into Scotland hoping to haue ouer-taken the Scottish King and to haue giuen him Battaile But not attaining him in time sate downe before the Castle of Aton one of the strongest places then esteemed betweene Barwicke and Edenborough which in a small time hee tooke And soone after the Scottish King retyring further into his Countrey and the weather being extraordinarie foule and stormie the Earle returned into England So that the Expeditions on both parts were in effect but a Castle taken and a Castle distressed not answerable to the puissance of the Forces nor to the heat of the Quarrell nor to the greatness of the Expectation Amongst these Troubles both Ciuill and Externall came into England from Spaine PETER HIALAS some call him ELIAS surely hee was the forerunner of the good Hap that we enioy at this day For his Ambassage set the Truce betweene England and Scotland the Truce drew on the Peace the Peace the Marriage and the Marriage the Union of the Kingdomes a Man of great wisedome and as those times were not vnlearned sent from FERDINANDO and IS ABELLA Kings of Spaine vnto the King to treate a Marriage betweene KATHERINE their second daughter and Prince ARTHVR This Treatie was by him set in a very good way and almost brought to perfection But it so fell out by the way that vpon some Conference which hee had with the King touching this businesse the King who had a great dexteritie in getting sodainely into the bosome of Ambassadours of forraine Princes if he liked the men Insomuch as he would many times communicate with them of his owne affaires yea and employ them in his seruice fell into speech and discourse incidently concerning the ending of the Debates and differences with Scotland For the King naturally did not loue the barren Warres with Scotland though he made his profit of the Noise of them And he wanted not in the Councell of Scotland those that would aduise their King to meet him at the halfe way and to giue ouer the War with England pretending to bee good Patriots but indeede fauouring the affaires of the King Onely his heart was too great to beginne with Scotland for the motion of Peace On the other side he had met with an Allie of FERDINANDO of Arragon as fit for his turne as could bee For after that King FERDINANDO had vpon assured Confidence of the Marriage to succeed taken vpon him the person of a Fraternall Allie to the King hee would not let in a Spanish grauitie to counsell the King in his owne affaires And the King on his part not being wanting to himselfe but making vse of euery mans humours made his aduantage of this
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