let him enter a place sacred to our most mercifull God untill hee had granted to all there his mercy by a free pardon But this pardon betrayd them for on the Munday after they were taken out of the Church and all beheaded in the Market place at Teuxbury Among whom of principall note were the Duke of Sommerset and the Lord Prior of Saint Johns and many other Knights of great reputation and fortune By which violation of the Sanctuary he made good the opinion which the world before had conceived of him that Religion never could prevaile so farre upon his conscience as to bee any barre eyther to his pleasures or revenge The Queene halfe dead in her Chariot was taken in the battaile and not long after the Prince vvas brought prisoner to the King by Sir Richard Croft Who taking notice of the Proclamation vvhereby the revvard of a hundred pound by the yeare during life was promist to whosoever should yeeld the Princes body dead or alive up to the King with protestation not to offer any violence to his person if alive brought him unhappily to his death Which when the good Knight afterward found he repented what he had done and openly profest his service abused and his faith deluded For King Edward presently upon the delivery of the Prince caused him to be brought into his presence and intertained him with some demonstration of curtesie Mooved perhaps thereunto by the innocency of his youth compassion of his misfortune or the comelinesse of his person the composition of his body being guilty of no fault but a too feminine beauty At first it was supposed the King might have some charitable intention and resolve happily to have setled him in the Dutchy of Lancaster his Fathers inheritance a patrimony too narrow for a King and something too large for a Subject and thereupon to have enterd discourse with him whereby to make experience whether his spirit would stoope to acknowledge a Superiour He therefore question'd him what madde perswasion had made him enter into so rash an enterprise where the very attempt was rebellion being against his Soveraigne and folly being in opposition to a Prince so farre in power above him He expected an humble answer deprecatory for life or soft and gentle according to the complection either of his fortune or his face But he with a resolution bold as his Grandfather Henry the fifth would have replyed with answerd that to recover his Father miserably opprest and the Crowne violently usurped hee had taken armes Neither could he be reputed to make any unjust claime who desired no more then what had beene possest by Henry the sixt the fift and fourth his Father Grand-father and great Grandfather Kings of England And acknowledged by the approbation not of the Kingdome onely but the world and even by the progenitors of King Edward By the spirit of which language when the King perceived how much his life might threaten danger with a looke full of indignation hee turn'd from him thrusting him disdainfully away with his gantlet Which so mighty rage observ'd and his so distemper'd parting out of the roome The Dukes of Clarence and Glocester the Marquesse Dorset and the Lord Hastings seis'd suddenly upon the Prince and with their poniards most barbarously murthered him â— Of whom wee can make little mention his youth having perform'd nothing worth story though it promist much For under the governement of a Mother the worst education for a Sonne he had beene bred up untill this last sceane of life which hee acted alone and bravely so that posterity hath sence of his misfortune yet and applaudes the justice of the Almighty in punishment of his murtherers For all of them came to violent ends Glocester being executioner of the rest and of him the Earle of Richmond the next surviving kinsman of the butcher'd Prince The severity of which example holds a glasse before the eyes of the wicked and showes them how rotten is all that greatnesse which is not raised upon and maintained by vertue and as the conscience is ever after such a crying sinne inwardly tortured upon the racke of feare so seldome doth the body escape outwardly an exemplary death by violence After this generall defeate of the enemy the death of the Prince and all the great partakers with the house of Lancaster and the surprize of the Queene her selfe the King returned toward London This being the onely compleate victory he ever gain'd from which no man of eminency escaped and no man who might pretend to a competition was now preserved except King Henry and he issuelesse and in prison And to make this triumph resemble something of the Roman the King carryed with him his great captive the most afflicted Queene Margaret A woman most unfortunate to her selfe and most ruinous to this kingdome For after her marriage into England Soone finding her husbands weakenesse safe however in being directed and strengthened by sober councell she never left off inventing new machinations till she wrought him into her sole command with the destruction of his neerest friends So that to make the prospect from her greatnesse larger she broke downe and levelld his strong bullwarkes The Duke of Glocester which might perhaps a little checke her ambitious eye but being taken quite away left her open to every tempest Having therefore by fomenting dissention at home lost except onely Callice all our void territories abroad by the murther of the good Duke her Husbands Vncle shee gave liberty to the house of Yorke to make their just claime to the Crowne and in the end to put her out of that governement shee prepoâ—terously managed In her prosperity shee was rather ambitious then wanton though from the last opinion did not absolutely acquit her Which aspersion certainely was cast upon her by reason of her too intimate familiarity with some of the younger and finer Lords For the more discreete and aged either dislikt her projects or were disliked by her as persons too cautious to consult with a giddy woman Her mighty confidence in the Duke of Suffolke who wrought her marryage with England hath left the largest part of that false suspicion upon his name For who are just to her memory cannot but say beside that she was religious shee was even too busie to thinke of Love matters But perhaps the misfortune of her carriage gave some small occasion of the report Her prosperous fortune presents her to us in the worst colours a factious busie and imperious Queene â—er adverse in the best a most industrious woman to recover what her folly had lost an excellent Wife and a most indulgent Mother And had she never appear'd in action but when misfortune had compell'd her to it she had certainely beene numbred among the best examples of her Sex But now the merits of her later part of life by redeeming the errours of the former serve onely to lâ—vell her with the indifferent The time shee continued a prisoner in
be the sole act of the Duke of Glocester Who can believe a man so cunning in declining envie and winning honour to his name would have undertaken such a businesse of his owne councell and executed it with his owne hands Neither did this concerne Glocester so particularly as to engage him alone in the cruelty nor was the King so scrupulous having commanded more unnecessary slaughters and from his youth beene never any stranger to such executions In killing the Prince he had Clarence Dorset and Hastings for his conductors and in the very murther of his Nephews which was the securing his usurpation he trusted Tyrrell So confident had his innated inhumanity made him that he doubted not but others might be faithfull in villany But the death of King Henry was acted in the darke so that it cannot be affirmed who was the executioner onely it is probable it was a resolution of state The care of the Kings safety and the publicke quiet in some sort making it however cruell yet necessary But that the world might not suspect King Henry lived still and thereupon leane to new designes he was no sooner dead but with some show of Funerall Rites his body was brought into Saint Pauls Church where upon Ascention day his face uncovered he was exposed to the curiosity of every eye For the King was resolved rather to endure the scandall of his murther then to hazard the question of his life Which continually gave life to new seditions From Saint Paules next day the corps obscurely without any ceremony in those dayes with much piety observ'd toward the dead was convey'd to the Blackefryers and from thence by boate to Chersye Whence after it had rested some while it was remooved to Windsore and there at length found quiet The King having even after death partaked with the troubles and disgraces of his life The reason of burying him thus in the darke I cannot guesse to be any disrespect to so great a Prince but onely to stop the discourses of the Commons who alwayes pitty them dead to whose deaths their votes concurr'd Vnlesse it be true what is commonly written that the people began to censure hardly of his death because at what time his body lay in Saint Pauls and after in Blackefryers a large quantity of blood issued from his nose A most miraculous way of speaking the barbarisme of his murther and giving Tyrants to understand that the dead dare in their language tell the truth and call even their actions to account For this manner of bleeding was never observed to happen but when against Law Nature had beene opprest with violence and seemed to challenge Iustice. With what aspect he entertained his fate I cannot write But well we may beleeve he could not but smile upon death who by a continuall exercise in vertue from his very Infancy had triumpht over sinne which onely makes death formidable to a Christian. Of his outward actions all good men of that time tooke a reverend notice Especially of his due observation of all the Lawes of the Church his exemplar piety humility beneath the state commonly usurp'd by Princes and a modesty even to admiration But they were the vertues which Crowned the first part of his life past over in a full prosperity and appertaine not to this story His misfortune and death onely fall to this taske And in his misfortune he exprest so singular a fortitude that he was never observ'd dejected upon the report of any sad accident But entertained all afflictions as sent from the Almighty and absolutely resign'd his will to that of heaven How innocently he spent the last ten yeares of his life which was in as much adversity as ever Prince suffer'd his ghostly Father gave a happy testimony Affirming that in all that long tryall of the inward man he never in confession could accuse himselfe of any actuall sinne His imployment was prayer and his recreation onely pious discourses which perswaded man to set a true value upon heavenly things and throw a just contempt upon the world And to such reputation the sanctity of his life arrived among the common people that after his death they honored him with the devotion due to a Saint And King Henry the seventh who owed most opinion to his holinesse because he had fore-professed he should enjoy that Crowne for which the two houses then so much contested labour'd his Canonization with the Pope But that succeeded not For however the world was assured of his piety there was much question of his governement So that he might be term'd a just man but an unjust King Since his title to the Crowne was unjust for though it came by descent to him yet was it but a continued usurpation His Raigne was guilty I will not say through his demerit but through his evill fortune of much mischiefe and the effusion of a Sea of Christian blood And however in the contemplative part he was religious toward God in the active he was defective to the world So that to have made him worthy that honour Henry the seventh would have provided for him He must either being resolved in conscience his title was just have fully perform'd the office of a King Or knowing it questionable have submitted it to be disputed freely and upon the resolution made resignation of what he unlawfully possest But Iustice which commands any diminution of greatnesse is seldome obeyed by Princes and death onely makes them surrender up what was violently by their Progenitors usurpd and unjustly by themselves continued for till death ambition betrayes the conscience and feare of being lesse makes it not dare to see the truth which perswades to restitution King Henry thus taken away the forces under Fauconbridges command which before had the specious title of a just warre could now pretend to nothing but an unjust sedition And so low they fell both in spirit and reputation that all they intended was but to make show of warre whereby the easier to worke their peace No man of name or power who before secretly had favoured them but openly professing against the enterprize In Sandwitch nine hundred of them remained till they certainely understood the Kings approach with a mighty power then they sent forth Sir George Brooke to acquaint his Majesty with their desire to returne to his obedience if they might by his pardon be secured of their lives and liberties They protested it was no feare or present necessity induced them to this submission having confederates enough abroad to releeve them upon extremity and for the present victuals for six moneths and munition to oppose any assault If this offer might be accepted they would give up with themselves the Towne and Castle together with all the shipping in the Harbour If not necessity would force them to their owne defence And if they must dye they would sell their lives at so deere a rate that the King might repent his purchase Considering he had kill'd so many
the direction of their Generall Both Armies therefore had equall justice which made them with equall fiercenesse begin and continue the fight Six houres the victory was doubtfull advantages and disadvantages indifferent on both sides â—ill at length errour brought disorder to Warwicks Army and that a finall overthrow For the Earle of Oxford giving his men a star with streames for his device begot in the Army a mistake that they were part of the enemy whose badge was the Sunne and which mistake might easily happen by the thicke mist that morning wherefore being in the right wing and pressing forward they were thought King Edwards men flying which made their owne maine battaile fall fiercely on them in the backe Whereupon Oxford suspecting treason in Warwicke whose haughtie and reserved wayes were ever lyable to suspition fled away with eight hundred men and King Edward with certaine fresh troopes of Rutters for some such purpose reserv'd perceiving disorder in the enemy violently assaulted them and soone forc'd them to shrinke backe Warwicke opposed against their feare both with language and example but when nothing could prevaile hee rusht into the thickest of the enemies hoping either his whole Army would bravely follow or otherwise by death to prevent the misery of seeâ—ng himselfe overthrowne Mountague perceiving how farre into danger his brother was engaged ran violently after to his rescue and both presently opprest with number fell and with them the spirit of the Army In their deaths they both cleard those calumnies with which they were blemisht Warwicke of having still a swift horse in readines by flight to escape from any apparent danger in battaile Mountague of holding intelligence with King Edward or betraying at Pomfret the quarrell of his great brother For it is to be rejected as a fable forged by malice that history which reports the Marquesse having put on King Edwards livery slaine by one of Warwicks men and the Earle labouring to escape at a Woods side where was no passage kild and spoild to the naked skin by two of King Edwards souldiers Yet both of them in their deaths partaking with the common condition of men the poore being ever esteemed as vicious the overthrowne as cowards By which judgement wee impiously subject the Almighty disposer of humane bussinesse to our depraved affections as if felicity or in felicity were the touchstone by which we might discerne the true value of the inward man King Edward soone as he saw the discomfiture of the enemy and certainly understood the death of the two brothers that himselfe might bee the first reporter of his owne fortune with King Henry in his company poasted up to London He came into Saint Pauls Church at even Song and there offered up his owne banner and the standard of the Earle of Warwicke the trophies of his morning service where waited on him an universall acclamation the flattering shadow which never forsakes victory To the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of Glocester was left the care to quarter the Souldiers whose enquiry soone found that on both sides that day were slaine foure thousand six hundred and odâ—e On the Kings side of eminency onely the Lords Burcher and Barnes hee sonne and heire to the Earle of Essex this to the Lord Say On the other side were kild the Earle of Warwicke and the Marquesse Mountague attended with three and twenty Knights The Duke of Exeter who by his many wounds was reported dead recoverd life but was never more seene in action his body after some length of time being cast upon the shore of Kent as if he had perisht by shipwracke the manner of his after life and death left uncertaine in story To this violent end came the Earle of Warwick the greatest and busiest subject our later age hath brought forth And indeed how was it possible such a stormie life could expect a calmer death In his Spirit birth marriage and revenue he was mighty which raised his thoughts above proportion For all these benefits of nature and fortune serv'd him onely as instruments to execute his rage into which every small displeasure taken or mistaken from his Prince threw him head-long His bounty extended it selfe most in hospitality which was dangerous to the guest for his meate was infected with the poyson of Faction The open ayme of all his actions was at the Publicke good which made his power still recover strength though so often weakend by evill Fortune but his secret intention was to advance his owne greatnesse which he resolv'd to purchase though with sale of the publicke safety He was questionlesse valiant for a coward durst not have thought those dangers into which he entred upon the slightest quarrels His soule was never quiet distasted still with the present and his pride like a foolish builder so delighted to pull downe and set up that at length part of the â—rame himselfe had raised fell upon him and crusht him to death He was a passionate extoller of continencie in a Prince which proceeded rather from spleene than zeale because in that he tacitely made the King contemptible for his volupâ—uous life Being bred up from a child in Armes the worst schoole to learne Religion in hee had certainely no tender sence of justice and his varying so in approving contrary titles shewed either a strange levity in judgement or else that ambition not conscience ruled his actions The pretences of his revolt from King Edward were neither to the world politicke nor to himselfe honest For what greater hopes could he conceive by restoring a family himselfe had ruind since injuries make so deepe an impression that no after curtesie can take it away Or how could any violence offer'd to his Daughters honour by the King for that was then by him pretended licence him to war since no injustice in a Soveraigne can authorize the subject to Rebellion But who will give a true account of his latter attempts must looke backe upon his first familiarity with Lewis the eleventh For never had France such a Merchant to vent discord in forraigne Kingdomes and buy up the faith of all the greatest Officers to neighboring Princes But when by the most powerfull engins of pollicie and warre he had screwed up his intentions to the highest by making himselfe King in Authority though not in title the Crown being entailed upon the two Princes who had married his Daughters Almighty God in one overthrow ruin'd him and permitted his Sonnes in Law with their wives not long after to end by strange deathes none of them answering his hope but the younger Daughter and that preposterously to his designe For she indeede by marrying Richard Duke of Glocester the butcher of her husband Prince Edward became Queene to an Vsurper and soone after by poyson as it was justly suspected made resignation of her Crown His Grand-children by Clarence who arriv'd to any age dyed by the Axe upon a Scaffold and all that greatnesse he so violently labor'd to confirme in
title to the Crowne of England be just as man did alwayes allow in judgement and Almightie God hath approved in the successe The same title is good to the Crowne of France Both having beene united into one ever since the usurpation of Philip de Valois The peoples affection to Princes of their owne nation enacted an injurious Law that authoriz'd injustice and confirm'd the Soveraigntie in the heires Male The Female were excluded as if the distinction of kind could make a difference in right and the being borne a woman were to bee borne illigitimate for the Law Salique in a manner bastardizeth the whole Sex Your great Ancestor Edward the third whose name and magnanimity you inherit with his Sword abrogated this Law And call'd the Lawmakers to a severe acacount at Crecie and Poitiers where more veines of France were opened and more blood issued then any time records Considering the small numbers of the English In the later of the two battels John Sonne to Philip of Ualois laboring to make good the pretentions of his Father was taken prisoner and so continued lesse then a free Subject by endeavouring unjustly to be a Soveraigne The little handfull of men with which the English then opposed the vast armies of the French not onely showing the high advantage the Nation hath in courage But the miraculous justice of the Almighty who delights to make the destruction of Vsurpers his owne Worke and not to permit man by his power to rivall heaven in the punishment Your Majesty needes not History to perswade you to the quarrell or example to assure you of the successe The justice of the claime will easily prevaile with you to draw againe your sword which hath beene hitherto almost still unsheathed in vindication of your right And that with so much prosperity that they who admire your valour and direction applaud your fortune But if the nature of man delighted in the felicities of peace should advise your Majesty to satisfie your mind with the triumph of those victories you have already purchast Yet neither a just revenge nor discreet pollicy will admit it For how can England remaine safe from future injuries and acquit her selfe in honour against those who have heretofore affronted her if France where all the late combustions were first conceived remaine unpunished The huge body of the civill Warre lies now a dead trunke wounded to death by your arme but yet Lewys of France the head of that monster though contrary to the ordinary course of Nature retaines still a life and quickens mischiefe hourely against this Kingdome least otherwise his owne be not secure And should your Majesty out of desire to avoid the further effusion of Christian blood permit him to continue in the unjust possession of a Kingdome he would interpret his safety and your mercy to be either a blind ignorance or a degenerate feare And from your lenity draw the boldnesse to prepare new troubles against your quiet And if it be not an over much care in a confederate and an allye to make so narrow a scrutinie into your Majesties affaires Our Master beleeves that this warre will not be unnecessary for the present state of England In regard this way those many evill humours gathered in the body of the Kingdome by the late disorders will be easily purged away or at least diverted Seeing experience teacheth us how impossible it is for a Nation nurst in civill war suddenly to embrace a peace and endure a severe government And should the discontented not vent themselves thus abroad how dangerous it might make the disease at home is easie to be conjectured But all this showes only the justice and necessity of your warre Preparations great enough to oppose a King of France yet we have not toucht upon And that indeed is it our Master gave us in our instructions most to acquaint your Majesty withall As by which it will be most apparent how without any reflection upon his owne occasions he invites you to this undertaking For his Highnesse understands how farre this overture lyes open to a false interpretation considering his enmity with King Lewys did not the circumstance of the businesse show how your Majesty is rather desired to a triumph then a battle Never had France so many enemies so powerfully united and never so few friends if shee may be said to have any For except onely the poore Duke of Lorraine who happily may be a burthen never an aide to any Prince wee can hardly reckon a confederate For so trecherous have beene all King Lewys his arts so dissembling his nature that the world hath concluded it much safer to be at enmity with him then upon the fairest termes His friendship having ruined some his armes never any man In confederacy with our Master and in absolute resolution to invade France are the Duke of Brittaine and the Count Saint Paul Brittaine able of his owne Subjects to bring a powerfull army into the field Saint Paul by his kindred and intelligence to cause a generall revolt of all the nobility from the King And indeed such hath beene the carryage of that polliticke Prince for that epethite his poore shifts have got him that a continuall contempt hath beene throwne by him upon the great Lords and a most neere familiarity enter'd into with the basest people His barber being more acquainted with the affaires of state then the whole body of his Councell This preposterous course of favor hath made the greatest states of the Kingdome scorne their present King and reflect upon your Majesty whose comportment in warre and peace hath beene such as justly makes your triumph in the generall affections of your many friends and utter destruction of your enemies If it may therfore please your Majesty to admit of that greatnesse your high descent hath title to and your Predecessors ' have had possession of The armes of these great Princes are prepared to serve you Our Master first honoured your Majesty as a potent neighbour great in your selfe as in dominion Then by marryage he grew into the neerest degree of correspondence the title of Brothers a ceremony used betweene Princes being of due in alliance between you two Lastly he had the happinesse which Potentates seldome have though with some trouble to your Majesty to enjoy entire familiarity By which those other respects common among persons of like quality and which are often but weake tyes of amity converted into a perfect friendship So that this desire his Highnesse hath to advance your Majesties glory and command proceeds onely from love to the posterity of your person and iust claime With How powerfull forces he will concurre to this great action hath beene of purpose omitted Because the world hath had sufficient testimony how able his Highnesse hath beene to oppose if not oppresse King Lewys without borrowing aid from a confederate He therefore intreates to know your Majesties resolution whether you will passe over and personally make your
large territories in France hee certainly from his heart desired And when he invited King Edward into France to that purpose and there fail'd him of his promist succours it proceeded doubtlesse not from any underhand practise or remissenesse in the undertaking but onely by the misfortune of his Armie somewhat broken not long before at the siege of Nuze He was therefore a friend to us if an ambitious man be sayd a friend to any or rather so great an enemy to Lewys of France that he loved us onely in opposition and desired our prosperitie because it could not grow without ruine to the French How just a governor hee was in peace appertaines little to our knowledge and the world had little leasure to consider hee was so everlastingly in Armes In which as hee shewed great courage and judgement so likewise did hee commit much injustice And who will examine what licence warre gives to injury and how it imposeth almost necessitie of doing wrong may in some sort excuse him But his being ever in quarrells into which hee enter'd and continued as his passion not his reason directed him presents his spirit daring but turbulent and his valour rash and inconsiderate and takes away all pardon from his so many errors The two great blemishes upon his memory are his crueltie at Granson in Lorrain where in cold blood hee caused all the inhabitants to be kil'd the towne being yeelded to his discretion And his perfidiousnesse to the Count Saint Paul whom notwithstanding a safe conduct hee delivered up to execution into the hands of King Lewys The good men who ascribe punishment to the justice of heaven observe that after these two crimes his fortune left him and with dishonour death overtooke him when he least expected it Having at that time in his imaginations so many and so vaste designes that scarce the age and fortune of man had length and power enough to accomplish them all The death of this Prince having begot so much businesse in his life diversly affected all the neighbour countries Generally according to the custome in private families every state entertain'd it with such a passion as the advantage or disadvantage appear'd by it to themselves Some few out of love to his person hope of marriage with his daughter or compassion of humane accidents griev'd at the report But most exprest their sorrow for the libertie King Lewys had attain'd by it no man living now of power and will to oppose him should hee attempt injury and offer violence to his weaker neighbours For King Edward was so infatuated by his Arts that hee never startled at this great accident nor looked how nearely it might concerne his owne safetie So that notwithstanding hee were daily certified of new undertakings by King Lewys he rested quiet and gave free reines to his injurious ambition Who soone as he understood of the death of Duke Charles and perceived how open his countries lay to an invader Pretended the Dutchy of Burgundy for want of heires male devolved backe to the Crowne of France and by the armes of the Duke of Lorrain without further dispute tooke it in In the meane time himselfe seizing upon all Picardie which for many yeares had remain'd in possession of Dukes Philip and Charles And that he might have yet more occasion of quarrell with an unsetled Lady unable to withstand his opposition he summond the Princesse Mary Dutches of Burgundy to come in person into France to doe homage for the Countie of Flanders and her other estates held in chiefe of that Crowne But she knowing how unsafe it was to yeeld her person up to a Prince who made his advantage of every opportunitie delaid the homage and stood upon her guard as strongly as in so disorder'd a Countrey was possible For though shee were Lady of many opulent and mightie Provinces able if not to offend yet to defend themselves against the world yet were the people stubborne and prone to rebellion and who by the weakenesse of some of their Princes heretofore had purchast to themselfe too large immunities And indeed scarce any towne but had or pretended to have such prerogatives as debased all authoritie of government Which upon every change in state they revived and endeavor'd if possible to redeeme themselves from subjection And this hope more then ever now possest them considering the unexperience both of the youth and sex of her that ruled so that by apparence of their churlish carriage to the Dutchesse and small preparations against King Lewys who every day surpriz'd some place or other they rather desir'd to be exposed a prey to an insolent and cruell enemy then indure the milde government of their lawfull Princesse Shee therefore sent Embassadours to implore ayd of King Edward and declare to him the urgencie of her present necessities Who showed that their Princesse the greatest inheretrix of the world borne to a large and rich territory was at the present in a condition beneath the poorest subject that enjoyd but libertie Being detain'd captive by the hands which made restraint farre more unsupportable of her owne insolent rebells Her delivery concern'd the King of England in generall as a Prince and in particular as a neighbour and an alley Her tumultuous subjects who had dared to attempt and act this treason tooke courage from the French Kings declared enmitie An injurious proceeding in a Prince against a neighbour which justly provokes all Christendome to unite in her defence and punish so barbarous a proceeding in him That the ancient league observ'd with so much Religion betweene England and the Low Countries particularly did require his Majesties present ayd and a consideration of what might happen perhaps in his owne posteritie in the same nature did invite him to doe favours as his might challenge to receive them hereafter That even in the pollitique discretion of government it was conceiv'd that nearely it concernd the state of England to provide against so dangerous an addition of dominion to the French Considering King Lewys had already most injuriously wrested away not onely Peronne Mountdidier Tournay and all the rest of Picardie sold heretofore to Duke Phillip But seizd even upon Burgundy the inheritance of their Princess And what expresseth the inhumanitie of the tyrants and the hated malice of his intentions sommons her at this present to do homage personally for Flanders and her other territories Which sommons if shee obeyes she certainly betrayes her selfe into an everlasting captivitie or to a necessitie to surrender a large part of her inheritance for redemption And if shee refuseth shee indangers her whole estate to the surprize of a mercilesse enemy who never wanted the pretence of justice to justifie spoile and rapine They farther urged how their Princesse was not onely in her person restrain'd by her owne subjects but had not so much as apparence of any army in the field to oppose the invader The Souldier being absolutely destroyd in the former unfortunate
of blood hee saild not voluntarily but violently driven by the tempests of his fortune And for the crueltie laid to him in the death of the Duke of Clarence he was certainly wrought to it by practise and the mis-information of an envious faction in Court The horrour of which fratricide possest him to the last houre of his life frequently complaining against the unhappy severitie of his justice and against the hard nature of his Councellors who would not interpose one word to him for mercy whereby so blacke a deede might have beene prevented But howsoever wee may wash away much of this blood from his memory yet there continue many foule staines upon it since publique mischiefes seldome happen but that the Prince though not actually nocent as in some degree guiltie As these so many confusions at home were the misfortune of his time so was abroad that so scandalous losse of the Easterne Empire to the Turke For though King Edward were not the occasion of so great ruine to the Christian Commonwealth and that this happened before hee attained the soveraigntie his father being head of the faction yet the civill warres of England raisd upon the quarrell which he was soone after to maintaine and the universall division among Princes of the West gave courage to the Infidells and denyed succours to the miserable Emperour opprest by an over potent enemy Whereby a Citie was prophaned in which the Christian faith had flourisht without interruption for a thousand yeares But as the Sea is sayd to gaine in another if it looseth in this place So about this time religion by the singular pietie and valour of Ferdinand and Isabella wonne ground upon the Moores in Spaine whence not long after they were totally and I hope for ever expeld But when the Warre licenc'd the King to attend his government we finde the administration of Lawes just and equall and many new statutes enacted wholesome against diseases crept into the State So that he appeard dilligent both to heale up any wound the tumults of his raigne had given the commonwealth and provident for the health of future ages And certainly no Prince could husband the benefits of peace better for the outward magnificence For his glory was much in hospitalitie and a pompous celebration of the principall feasts of our redemption In which way of bravery setling much of his happinesse hee had beene doubtlesse the most fortunate of any King of the Norman line had hee not faild in expectation of his daughters marriage His buildings were few but sumptuous for that time or more properly but reparations Which are yet to bee seene at the Tower of London his house of Eltham the Castles of Nottingham and Dover But above all at Windsor where he built the new Chappell finisht after by Sr. Riginald Bray Knight of the Order and indowed the Colledge with mightie revenues which hee gave not but transferd thither taking from Kings Colledge in Cambridge and Eaton Colledge a thousand pound by the yeare to inrich this at Windsor But our buildings like our children are obnoxious to death and time scornes their folly who place a perpetuitie in either And indeed the safer kinde of fate happened to King Edward in both these felicities His posteritie like his edifices lost in other names For his two sonnes before they had survived their father the ceremonious time of mourning were themselves inhumanly murderd and as obscurely buried His eldest daughter the Lady Elizabeth was married to the Earle of Richmond knowne by the name of Henry the seventh Whose heire in a strait line not liable to any doubt or question is his most sacred Majestie now glorious in government of this Realme The younger daughters were bestowed one in a monasterie others upon inferiour Lords Cicily married John Vicount Wells Anne Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Briget was profest Nunne at Dartford Mary was contracted to the King of Denmarke but died before consummation Margaret died an Infant Katherine married William Courtney Earle of Devonshire But of none of these younger Princesses at this day remaines any thing but their memory All dying issulesse but the Lady Katherine whose posteritie faild likewise in the third descent Henry her sonne Marquesse of Exceter suffered by attainder in the raigne of his Cosen German Henry the Eight being not long before designd heire apparent an honour fatall in England and his sonne Edward untimely came to his death at Padua in Italy in the raigne of Queene Mary by whose favour hee had regaind his fathers honours and possessions So that all the cleare streame from the spring of Yorke flowes in the house of Scotland The troubled and impure runnes in many veines of the English Gentry For by the Lady Elizabeth Lucy he had an illigitimate Sonne named Arthur who by his wives right was Vicount Lile and dying without issue Male left to his three daughters and their posteritie some tincture of the blood royall This disease of his blood was the crime which procured both to his government and memory many hard censures For though some excuse his lust as a sinne though blacke to the eye of heaven yet no way generally injurious In regard the incontinency of one man could not be so diffusive as to wrong a multitude Neverthelesse who observes the revolutions of Kingdomes shall finde no one iniquitie in Princes so punisht The dishonour of one Lady abused extending the disgrace of severall families and mightie factions knitting together for revenge In the whole stocke of injuries none being so cruell to humane nature and which with lesse patience can bee dissembled His frequent perjurie a sinne which strikes like a Sword with two edges both against divine and humane faith was the crime which renderd him most odious to the societie of man For impiously hee appeard in this to brave heaven slighting all solemne covenants made with God and foolishly preferring before a holy promise a little profit or the satisfaction of his revenge Which crime however for the present it might stand him in some benefit yet certainly it might have indangerd him to much losse in all after enterprises which depended upon faith The deaths of Wells and Dimock of Fauconbridge of Sommerset Lord Prior of St. Iohns and others were the wounds perjury gave his soule the scarres of which remaine yet foule upon his fame But perhaps hee thought no faith was to be held with an enemy Or promist not with intention of performance An impious equivocation but then in practise with his neighbour Princes both of France and Burgundy So that the custome may in some sort seeme to priviledge the fault In his youth he was so uncircumspect and even when he had the strongest arguments for jealousie so overconfident that it engaged him to extreame difficulties and endangerd absolute ruine But his fortune almost miraculously made up all those breaches which had beene by his carelesnesse and presumption laid open and delighting something wantonly to boast her power and favour to him raisd him then highest when all the world and almost his owne hopes forsooke him For presently upon the slaughter of his father at the battell of Wakefield and the overthrow of his great supporter the Earle of Warwick at that of Saint Alban Shee inthrond him in the Kingdome Making the Queene and all the favourers of Lancaster when doubly victorious retire as overcome and the universall acclamations of the people set the regall Diadem upon his head whose fathers head at that time like a Traytors was fixt upon the Walls of Yorke scornd with a paper Crowne And afterward when from a mightie Prince hee was become a miserable Exile forc'd by the treason of his chiefest Councellors and powers of his greatest enemie to flie into Burgundy where hee likewise met with but a dissembled amitie Shee restored him to what at first shee gave And whereas his Forces were so weake upon his returne into England that despayring more hee humbly onely desired to be invested in his fathers Dutchy and vowed never to attempt the Crowne Shee violently forc'd it on him protesting by the mouthes of the Nobilitie who resorted to him at Nottingham not to afford him safetie if hee refused the soveraingtie By which amorous way of threatning shee in a manner wooed him to accept what hee durst not then hope to recover And had the appetite of glory more prevail'd with him then the sence of pleasure as farre as we may conjecture of his fortune hee might have extended his victories over the world which are now straitned with the narrow limits of our Island FINIS