dethrone him But being of an open and frank soul he quickly discovered his pain to him that was the cause of it My Lord Suffolk said he drawing him aside one evening in the Kingâ— Anti-Chamber you love the Queen and the Queen does not hate you but I would desire your love might not cost me a Crown Suffolk amazed at this discourse however dissembled his surprise He asked with a great deal of respect what the matter was and by questions wide of the purpose endeavoured to hide the emotions of his heart But the Prince who desired to sift him by his discourse resolved not to ramble and returning to his design Yes my Lord Duke of Suffolk replyed he you love the Queen and the Queen loves you and though I be no enemy to Ladies and their Gallants yet certainly I shall be one to the Queen and you if your Gallantry take the liberty that I suspect Wherefore continued he oblige me not to become so The King cannot live long and when the Queen is a Widow I promise not to oppose your desires So smart an expression such peremptory words and the discomposed air that the Duke of Valois spoke them in permitted not Suffolk longer to dissemble the Queens Honour which he saw so openly struck at but obliged him to take measures by himself So that to do the best that possibly he could in the secret disturbance he found himself in he began immediately to complain of those who raised so injurious reports of the best and most discreet Princess in the world He would not say that he spake only so to her disadvantage because he found that her virtue disappointed the hopes which he might have conceived against it That would have shewed him to have been more acquainted than he ought to have been with the affairs of her whom he intended to justifie To praise her he thought was enough by affirming still that she was not well known and that he having the honour to have served her from the Cradle had known worthy persons in England over-shoot themselves as well as some in France mistake the meaning of her condescending behaviour And finding himself afterward sufficiently re-assured to venture on a piece of railery upon the account that the Duke himself raised his honour by his fear of losing a Crown he concluded that for the future he should take care not to give him any Umbrage and that for that effect and to give him full satjsfaction he would take the first occasion to pray the King his Master to recal him To this the Duke of Valois a Prince of a close disposition and sometimes a little too credulous adswered That he desired not so much but that his jealousie was pardonable that he was handsom that he had already occasioned some discourse at London and that he would take it very ill if he made it worse at Paris that he had reason to suspect after the freedom that he had used with him that he would urge matters too far but that to repeat what he had already said he gave him his promise not to cross his happiness when the fit time was come Suffolk that he might not put a new edg on the jealousie of the Duke of Valois let him speak as much as he thought fit without seeming concerned at what he said He made it his business rather to undeceive him by an indifferency which in so delicate a juncture himself ought to observe as well as he and if he affected it not so well as he desired at least he had that influence upon him as to make him sometimes doubt of what he had believed before But though he left him sufficiently satisfied yet he found no reason to be so himself for the reputation of the Queen was so dear to him that he would have rather banished himself from her Presence than have occasioned the least stain to her honour Insomuch that having no body but her to complain to of the discourse of the Duke of Valois and having measures to take in regard thereof which he judged convenient to agree upon with her he rendred her an account of all exact enough to create her much affliction notwithstanding of his care to soften what was hard and injurious in the terms But that which touched her nearest was the resolution that he had taken of returning to England that he might prevent the detraction which he saw ready to break out Her Glory was not so dear to her as the Presence of Suffolk and relying on the great stock of her virtue she cared not much to lose a little of its Odour provided she might retain him But being interrupted before they could conclude any thing and separated with great impatience to meet again the means of that became daily so difficult that they found themselves in a short time reduced to great perplexities Though the Queen entertained a grudg against the Duke of Valois yet she thought less of doing him any ill office with the King than to secure her self from the Spies that he employed about her She seemed even afraid to provoke him so circumspect did Love make her that she might enjoy the Presence of her dear Suffolk and as she went to bed every night much dejected in the apprehension that she should hear of his departure so there was easily to be observed in her some little glimpse of joy when she saw him again next morning To that continual tossing were joyned likewise other agitations that encreased her pain Then it was that she rendered full justice to the merit of Suffolk the Quality of Queen of France had not at all changed her She continually lamented that she was not his Wife and all the advantages of her Crown all the complaisance of a Husband that adored her being unable to comfort her for the loss of a man who deserved so much to be loved did not sweeten the bitterness that was mingled with the affectionate compassion she had for him Suffolk on his part as much ashamed as afflicted at the disquiet which he occasioned to the Queen upbraided himself always with weakness for having followed her into France He wondered at himself how he could have remained there after her marriage and with indignation putting the question to himself every minute what it was that he could expect at her Court but dishonour by his Presence he would have willingly given his life for the reparation which he thought he owed her But whilst in this manner they afflicted each other without being able to speak together but by their eyes nor to complain but by some Pillets which they entrusted to the faithful Kiffen their enemies not satisfied to hold them thus on the Rack thought to add terrour to it that they might oblige them to perform by fear what they perceived them not disposed to do by reason Besides the Duke of Longueville there were also the Seigneurs of Montmorency Chatillon and Chalbot who being jealous of the advantages
to which he â—â—posed himself by discovering that secret began to gain ground upon him He made appear to him that he must either have been a fool or weary of life to have invented such a fable and more fully to convince him he recounted to him the whole story of the marriage of the Earl of Warwick his Father and that Anne Hemlock his real Mother dying in Child-bed of him the Lady Brandon substituted him in place of one of her Children which just then died having been born but a few days before him He put him in mind of what he had been told heretofore of the repugnance that the Lady made whom he believed to be his Mother when she was invited to be Nurse to the King And then perceiving him to be a little moved he had no great difficulty to convince him that he was the secret cause of that unwillingness which was so variously discoursed of amongst people and adding to this several other passages of his education which being all of the same strain and character gave evidence enough that there had always been some mystery in his fortune he past them but slightly over that at the same time he might insinuate that if he loved his life it behoved him not to remember them He only hinted to him that the secret of his birth should encourage him to resist his Rivals who believed themselves better descended than he and that if he could keep the secret as well as the Prince his Father had done who had seen him a hundred times out of his prison-Windows and who went to death accompanied with Frier Patrick without speaking a word of it heaven possibly had designed him for great matters That after all he was the only remaining bud of the White Rose whereof Merlin spake in his Prophesie and that his Mothers name so plainly expressed by the word Hemlock made it past all doubt seeing that in effect the Blood of York was fallen into that of Hemlock by his Birth But that these following words of the Astrologer Yet too much zeal doth oft annoy For an inn'cent maid shall it destroy put him in great perplexity That though the punishment of Simonel and death of Peter Warbeck who gave themselves out for Princes of the House of York were instances terrible enough to hinder him from bragging of his extraction yet as it was his opinion that he should continue his love to the Princess so that passion made him very apprehensive That he imagined already that he would discover to her all that had been told him and that though she might still love him yet it might too really happen that she should become the innocent maid that might destroy him if he concealed not from her as well as from every body else that important secret Hastings thus ending his discourse fell on his knees to Brandon that he might once in his life render him the respect which the interest of his safety suffered him not to pay in any other place and that he might beseech him never to entertain thoughts that any such honours were due to him But what difficulty soever this new Prince of York had at first to believe it yet he found at length all things that had been told him so well circumstantiated and so conform to the inclinations of his heart that he had no more power to doubt of the truth of what was told him He promised to be cautious and to conceal his birth and the Lord Hastings who was still his great Uncle by the Mother-side died shortly after either of old age or for fear lest the secret which he had revealed should be discovered In the mean time Brandon whom we must for some time still name so found his Courage by little and little raised by the knowledg of what he was He thereby grew more brisk and agreeable with the Princess more courteous and majestick with others and by the prudent management of the estate left him by Hastings became so considerable that the King himself took pleasure to see him imploy new measures one day to deserve all that he wished him the enjoyment of On the other hand his Rivals being returned from the Pyrenean hills where the designs of the King of Spain who had fallen upon Navar hindered them from atchieving any great exploits found him again of an humour less disposed to yield to them than formerly Sommerset after his return from Scotland could not regain that height upon him which he always pretended to before and Bourchier cured of his wound durst never on that account express to him the least discontent They all appeared to have submitted themselves to their fortunes and whilst Howard and Talbot the one made Admiral and the other Master of the Horse stifled their love by the satisfaction of their ambition Gray and the rest found it impossible for them to delight their eyes but by living in good correspondence with Brandon Their care therefore was only to out-do him in greatness of services and obsequiousness towards the Princess he was the man that was most assiduous that way who gave demonstration of greatest complaisance and there happened some days when it seemed that that Conduct might prove successful they obtained thereby at least more access to her and although through the favours which she was pleased sometimes to show them they perceived too well that they had no share in her affection yet at what rate soever they resolved to persist in rendering her their Services So true it is that with small pains and little care a lovely person is able to produce great effects in the minds of those who are captivated with its beauty Insomuch that all these Rivals began to live together with less contention and contributing severally to the publick pomp whilst the preparations for a War with France were vigorously carried on there was nothing to be seen at London but Plays Horse-races Balls and Dancing where the Ladys in rich dresses setting off the beauty which might procure them praise and esteem obliged likewise their Lovers to imploy their greatest advantages On these occasions the lovely Brandon gained signal honour and whether it was for his good meen or his dexterity in all the exercises of body there was no Gentleman in the Kingdom that seemed not his inferiour So that amongst so many competitors who contended with him for the favour of the Princess there was not any so fortunate as to gain the least of it to his prejudice and though Edward Strafford the young Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Kildare Son to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland both of them lovely and handsom Gentlemen had newly declared themselves his Rivals yet it was without either jealousie or disquiet to him Mary of Lancaster adored by all had no passion for any but him But amidst the pleasures by which the Court of England the most gallant and pompous of that age prepared so sumptuously for the War of France the death
of thirty thousand foot and six thousand horse with the greatest Artillery that had been seen for a hundred years he promised himself no favourable success in his War-like preparations The Emperour followed by four thousand Peistres and between five and six thousand Burgundian Faintassins had already begun the Fight in Picardy so that it was not difficult to the English to perfect it Brandon and Talbot who led the Vanguard under the Conduct of Colonel Windham whom the King had given them to moderate a little the heat of their Courage acted at first all that two young men who sought nothing but honour were capable to perform and chiefly Brandon by his love animated to glory and rendering all things easiy to his guide made the prudence of that ancient Warriour so yield to his good fortune that having perswaded him to advance as far as the City of Therowenne they invested it Francis de Deligny Seneschal of Rowergue and Anthony de Crequy Pontdormy Commanded in that place with a Garrison of two thousand Lanskenets and five hundred Lancers and being both vigorous and stout Commanders they made several salleys upon their enemies It was only the wilfulness of Brandon that kept the Town blocked up whither the King of England immediately hastening with long marches and being as yet of no great experience ran great Riske in the plain of Tournehan where he had with him but ten thousand foot The Chevalier Bayard was already Master of one of the twelve Culverines which he carried with him and the English were put into great terrour but the too great prudence of the Marquess de Pienne marred all the advantage which the French might have made of that occasion Brandon who marched to meet the King his Master had time to joyn his Army and to change the face of affairs and that Prince well instructed by the engagement how useful that favorite was to him found hardly any other way to acknowledg his Valour but by praying him to husband it better The esteem that he conceived of him became equal to his former affection and during that War wherein all that belonged to him behaved themselves well he was almost never heard to speak but of Brandon It is no less true that he daily deserved new praises and that the siege of Therowenne being formed there was no corner where he did not show himself a terrour to the enemies It is not my design to give a particular account of all his actions nor to relate the secret sentiments of his heart no more than the Letters which he wrote to the English Princess and those he received from her Such particularities would lead me too far besides there is nothing more easie than to imagine that being separated from one another they failed not in the duties which a mutual tenderness prescribes to true lovers In effect absence served only to make them know one another they felt by experience the effects of all sorts of longings impatiences and fears and as the Princess Mary heard not without trembling of the dangers to which she knew he exposed himself only that he might merit her in the same manner he never ran any risk but that he had the Image of that beautiful Princess before his eyes It was to no purpose for his friends who saw him so resolute to tell him that he tempted his fortune too often to have it always favourable It was Brandon's design either to prevent by a glorious death all the evils that he thought himself threatned by or to raise himself to so great a reputation amongst men that he might have no more cause of fear from them and that thirst after glory which Henry the Eighth understood very well to be the effect of his love was oftener than once the subject of their entertainments But what moderation soever the King advised him to use that way though he told him every day that he did precipitate himself without any reason into dangers for a blessing which was already wholly his own yet he remitted nothing of that Warlike heat but endeavoured if it may be so said to make his King and the Kingdom of England obliged to him for every thing And in that he succeeded so well that having gained as many Victories as he fought Battels there was not so much as one even to his most jealous Rivals who acknowledged not that as they could not any more contend with him in any thing so nothing likewise ought to be denied him but the bravest of all his actions and which in the decision of that War cost him so dear in the sequel was the taking of the Marquess of Rotelin who began then to be called Duke of Longueville The design of the French was to re-victual Therowenne and though the Emperour and King of England streightly pressed the place yet Teligny and Crequy promised themselves in time to make them consume their Forces before it provided they could have Ammunition and Victuals whereof they began to be in want put into the place The King of France upon the word of these two Valiant men Commanded the Marquess de Pienne to omit nothing that could be done for that end and he wrote to him daily from Amiens where he lay a-bed of the Gout to that purpose In so much that what difficulty soever there might be in the enterprise Pienne resolved to undertake it The Orders were given to bold Fonterailles Captain of the Albanians who being loaded with Powder and Provisions slipt quietly by as far as the Town-ditch But as till then the design had been very well carried on so the imprudence of the Volunteers who would not joyn with the Troops which La Palisse commanded to make good Fonterailles's retreat was the cause that it took no effect Most part of them entered the Town to visit their friends Others scorched with heat alighted from their great horses and to refresh themselves mounted their ambling Nags and almost all of them having drunk and made merry came in disorder some in a huddle together and the rest in file one after another to view the English Camp Brandon being informed how matters went and withal vexed at the victualling of the Town which the King his Master thinking the occasion might prove too hot for him would not suffer him to oppose came to ask leave to charge those at least who had done it in their retreat He moved the King a little at first by representing to him how easie a matter it was to cut them all to pieces or at least to take them Prisoners by the foolish confidence they were in and speaking to that not only as an able Captain for Conduct but likewise as a resolute Soldier for execution there being no time to be lost the King at last consented to it So that whilst there were some detachments making against the parties of Fonterailles and la Palisse to beat back the one and break the other Brandon with Colonel Davers marching
the Duke of Suffolk This bereft him of all comfort for the rest of his days and being unable to abide longer at Court as well because of that loss as of the disorders of his King which encreased with age he choose rather to command the Army against the Rebels in Yorkshire where he fully crowned his Glory He had five Children by the Queen whereof the two Males dyed both in one day of the distemper which is called the English Sweating-sickness and of his three Daughters who were all married to the greatest Lords of the Kingdom the eldest named Frances married to Henry Gray Son to the Marquess of Dorset his intimate friend was the cause of his death She falling sick in one of her Countrey-houses and he loving that dear Daughter the more because she perfectly resembled his deceased Queen used so great diligence to come to her that he thereby dyed Thus the Prophesie of Merlin may be seen fulfilled in his person supposing that he had been the Grand-child of the Duke of Clarence Since that how innocent soever that daughter was of his Death yet the too great zeal that he had for her was that which destroyed him At least to judg by the event the words of that Astrologer seem pretty just The only thing that can make me doubt of it is the little care that I see in him during his life to make known his secret Quality of a Prince of York What tyranny soever may oblige a Prince to conceal himself for a time yet if he have a great and generous soul as Suffolk had it is hard for him to continue always obscure and truely royal blood soon or late becomes conspicuous in Heroes Vnless it may be said of him that the possession of what he loved having fulfilled all his desires he feared either to disturb his own felicity by discovering himself or to wrong his Children who according to the custom of England would have certainly been put to death upon the least suspicion of the truth FINIS Some Books Printed and are to be Sold by W. Cademan at the Popes-head in the New-Exchange PHaramond or the History of France a fam'd Romance in 12 Parts the whole work never before in English written by the Author of Cassandra and Cleopatra Fol. Parthanissa that most fam'd Romance in 6 Parts written by the Right Honourable the Earl of Orrery in Fol. Books 4 to Protestant Religion is a sure Foundation and Principle of a true Christian written by Charles Earl of Derby Historical Relations of the first discovery of the Island of Madera A Warning to the Unruly in two Visitation-Sermons Preached before the Arch-Bishop of York by Seth Bushell D. D. The great Efficacy of the Clergy a Visitation-Sermon by Tho. Duncomb D. D. Mr. Barn's Sermon Preached before the King Mr. Pigol's Sermon Preached before the Judges at Lancaster Books 8 vo Philosophical Essays or the History of Petrificatio by Thomas Sherley Dr. in Physick The History of Scurvey-Grass being an exact and careful description of the Nature and Medicinal vertues of that Plant teaching how to prepare out of it plain and approved Remedies for the Scurvey and most other Diseases as well Galenical as Chymical which are to be had of Scurvey-grass-Ale confirmed by Reason Experience and Authority The Spanish History or a Relation of the Differences that happened in the Court of Spain between Don John of Austria and Cardinal Nitard with other Transactions of that Kingdom together with all the Letters that past between Persons of the highest Quality relating to those affairs PLAYS Rival a Comedy Island-Princes Comedy Flora's Vagaries Comedy Town-shifts a Comedy Citizen turn'd Gentleman Comedy Morning-Ramble Comedy Careless Lovers Comedy Reformation Comedy Mall or Modish Lovers Comedy Rehersal a Comedy Mock-Tempest a Comedy Dumb Lady a Comedy Dutch-Lovers a Comedy Setle against Dryden Herod and Mariamne Love and Revenge Conquest of China Constant Nimph. Pastor Fide Tom Essence a Comedy Wandring Lovers Catalius Conspiracy Tragedy Fatal Jealousie Mackbeth English-Princess Marcelia Spanish-Rogue Piso's Conspiracy Alcibiades Siege of Memphis Cambyâ—â—â— Empress of Morocco
the dispute having taken upon him the part to attack by order of the King that he might the better represent the Siege of Milan which he had in his head the matter was referred to Lot amongst the other Competitours and it fell upon the Count of Guise and the Duke of Suffolk of whom the latter in the sequel amidst the troubles that oppressed him had some particular reasons to be better satisfied than another The new Conquests that the young Queen made so soon as she appeared in France occasioned him quickly new vexations and though in seeing him suffer And she suffering perhaps as much as he a part of his cares were suspended yet that admirable Beauty which had so soveraingly triumphed over the subjects of the King her Brother to his continual disquiet had no less efficacy on those of the King her husband It would be too great an enterprise to speak of all those who were smitten by her Many sighed and few durst complain so loud as they would willingly have done for besides that Kings cannot endure the declared Lovers of their Queens the Duke of Valois who was one of the first was not of an humour to suffer Rivals This young Prince of an heroical stature and of a constitution as amorous as his age and eyes testified him to be returned not from Boulogne in the same tranquillity that he went Mary of England at first sight made a powerful impression on his heart and after he had entertained her some time he was no sooner retired with the Seigneur de Chabot one of his favorites but that repenting his marriage with Claudia of France he told him that he came from the sight of one who would have been far more acceptable to his heart and that considering the age and infirmity of the King it was cruelty to give him so young and beautiful a wife Acquaintance and conversation smothered not these first Sentiments The tender and passionate air of the young Queen which promised that which she never bestowed daily quickened them and as she thereby diverted her self that she might have occasion by such a confidence to divert the pensive Suffolk so the Duke of Valois mistaken by an outside which deceived all people gave many times the reins to desires that led him farther than was fitting for his repose To this may be added that the Duke of Longueville provoked by the aversion which the Queen expressed to him after the treaty of her marriage instigated that young Prince by the pretended facility of the Conquest The foolish thoughts which he entertained at London turned into despight at Paris where by means of a ransom payable within a certain time he found himself at liberty and whilst his arm which he carried still in a scarf since his fall at Therowenne suffered him not to be of the Carrousel all his thoughts were how to create her trouble So that having procured to be admitted into the confidence of the Duke of Valois as a person who could instruct him better than any other in the ways of satisfying his passion he was the boutefeau that incessantly pushed him forward to the utmost enterprises In fine he inflamed the heart of that Prince who was naturally very susceptible of such flames to that pass that the young Queen could no longer doubt but that he was in love with her and as she was neither fierce nor ungentle so she appeared neither surprised nor offended thereat There was none possibly in all the Court but the King who perceived it not and Madam being already accustomed to palliate the youthful disorders of her husband never spake of it but to enjoyn silence to others But the Protonotary Du prat who governed all the house of Angoulesm was not so easie He was astonished at that which charmed the Duke of Valois his Master and judging as rashly of the virtie of Mary of England as the Duke of Longueville had done he sensibly represented to him that he having the greatest interest in the world not to solicite her to incontinence she had the like not to be chaste so that as if no body but he could have hazarded with the Queen what Du prat feared he himself began likewise to dread it Besides he would not have gone to Boulogne to espouse her for the King his Father-in-law but upon the word of Francieres his chief Physician who had assured him that he would have no Issue by that marriage so that the matter was of highest consequence The passion that LOWIS the Twelfth had always to have a Son would have hindered him from prying into any mystery It is possible he would have been glad to have been deceived as he smiling told the General of Normandy upon the first proposals that were made to him of marrying so young a Princess and besides he had a pretty good opinion of himself still to think that he could not be mistaken that way Moreover considering the zeal that the French have for the blood of their Kings and the joy that they would have to see a Dolphin there were none in France who could not take all that could be said on such an occasion for a meer Calumny Insomuch that these important considerations having slackned the pursuit of the Duke of Valois and being unwilling to lose a Crown for a Song he only retained the delightful notion of a good fortune which he thought very easie to be attained and which was perhaps in the highest degree of impossibility But though he left-off speaking of Love yet he ceased not to be amorous His flame encreased by the desire he had to quench it And he became even so much the more jealous of his desired bless that not daring himself to pretend to it it continually ran in his head that another who might not have the reasons that he had to refuse the same would upon the least attempt be sure to obtain the enjoyment thereof and in this manner the fear of losing a Kingdom fomenting his jealousie whilst during The Carrousel he carefully avoided the occasions which would have at length undeceived him as to his thoughts concerning the Queen he fell so strictly to examine all things that within a few days he discovered the inclinations that she had for the Duke of Suffolk He perceived the distinction that she put betwixt him the Marquess of Dorset and young Gray notwithstanding of the dexterity she had always to joyn these two last in the favours which she showed the other and the troublesom Duke of Longueville joyning to these things what he had heard though but confusedly at London failed not to confirm all his suspicions Thus then you see the Duke of Valois in great perplexity It is not now jealousie that torments him The fear of losing a Crown seems to have destroyed his love and his thoughts tending only to prevent the consequences wherewith Du prat had threatned him the Queen and Suffolk appeared to him every moment as two sprights coming to