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
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
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
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