haue fostered it as they did with Garlandes statues trophies and triumphes in which notwithstanding it is but temporary and short but in histories of worth it is onely perpetual This Cicero perceiuing he dealt with Luceius to commit his actions to the monuments of his writings and Plinie the yonger did wish that he might bee mentioned in the histories of Cornelius Tacitus because he did foresee that they should neuer decay But these are such as are not led away with a lust eyther to flatter or to deface whereby the creadite of historie is quite ouerthrowne Yet the endeuour to curry fauour is more easily disliked as bearing with it an open note of seruility and therefore Alexander when he heard Aristobulus read many things that he had written of him farre aboue truth as he was sayling the floud Hidaspis he threw the booke into the Riuer and sayd that hee was almost mooued to send Aristobulus after for his seruile dealing but enuious carping carieth a counterfeite shew of liberty and thereby findeth the better acceptance And since I am entred into this point it may seeme not impertinent to write of the stile of a history what beginning what continuance and what meane is to be vsed in all matter what thinges are to bee suppressed what lightly touched and what to be treated at large how creadit may be won and suspition avoyded what is to bee obserued in the order of times and discription of places and other such circumstances of weight what liberty a writer may vse in framing speeches and in declaring the causes counsailes and euentes of thinges done how farre he must bend himselfe to profit and when and how he may play vpon pleasure but this were too large a field to enter into therefore least I should run into the fault of the Mindians who made their gates wider then their towne I will here close vp onely wishing that all our English histories were drawne out of the drosse of rude and barbarous English that by pleasure in reading them the profit in knowing them myght more easily bee attayned THE FIRST PARTE OF THE LIFE AND RAIGNE OF KING Henry the fourth Extending to the end of the first yeere of his raigne THe noble and victorious Prince king Edward the third had his fortunate gift of a long prosperous raigne ouer this realme of England much strengthned and adorned by natures supply of seuen goodlye sonnes Edward his eldest sonne prince of Wales commonly called the Blacke Prince William of Hatfield Lyonel Duke of Clarence Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Gloucester and William of Windsore These sonnes during the life of their renowmed Father were such ornaments and such stayes to his estate as it seemed no greater could be annexed thereunto For neither armies nor strong holdes are so great defences to a prince as the multitude of children Fortes may decay and forces decrease and both decline and fall away eyther by varietie of fortune or inconstancie of mens desires but a mans owne bloud cleaueth close vnto him not so much in the blisses of prosperitie which are equally imparted to others as in the crosses of calamity which touch none so neere as those that are neerest by nature But in succeeding times they became in their ofspring the seminarie of diuision and discord to the vtter ruine of their families and great wast and weakning of the whole Realme for they that haue equall dignitie of birth and bloud can hardly stoope to termes of soueraigntie but vpon euery offer of occasion wil aspire to indure rather no equall then any superiour and for the most part the hatred of those that are neerest in kinde is most dispitefull deadly if it once breake forth The feare of this humor caused Remulus to embrewe the foundations of the Cittie and Empire of Rome with the bloud of his brother Remus According to which example the tyrants of Turkie those butchers of Sathan doe commonly at this day beginne their raigne with the death and slaughter of all their brethren Prince Edward the thunderbolt of warre in his time dyed during the life of his father And although he was cut off in the middle course and principall strength of his age yet in respect of honour and fame he liued with the longest hauing in all parts fulfilled the measure of true Nobiliâ—e He left behinde him a young some called Richard who after the death of King Edward was Crowned King in his steade and afterward died childe-lesse William of Hatfield king Edwards second sonne dyed also without issue leauing no other memorie of his name but the mention onely Liâ—â—â—ll Duke of Clarence the third sonne of King Edward was a man of comely personage of speach and pace stately in other qualities of a middle temperature neither to bee admired nor contemned as rather voide of ill partes then furnished with good He had issue Philip his only daughter who was ioyned in marriage to Edmunde Mortimer Earle of March Who in the Parliament holden in the eight yeare of the Reigne of King Richard was in the right of his wife declared heire apparant to the Crowne in case the King should die without children but not many yeares after hee dyed leauing issue by the said Philip Roger Mortimer Earle of March This Roger was slaine in the rude and tumultuous warres of Ireland and had issue Edmund Anne and Elienor Edmund and Elienor dyed without issue Anne was married to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of Lâ—ngley Duke of Yorke the fift sonne of King Edward Of these two came Richard 〈◊〉 Duke of Yorke who by the right â—â—uolued to him from his mother made open claime to the Crowne of England which was then possessed by the family of Lancaster first by law in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeare of the Raigne of King Henrie the sixt where either by right or by fauour his cause had such furtherance that after King Henrie should die the Crowne was entayled to him and to the heires of his bloud for euer But the Duke impatient to linger in hope chose rather to endure any daunger then such delay Whereupon he entred into armes soone after against King Henrie in the fielde But being carried further by courage then by force hee coulde beare through hee was slaine at the battaile of Wakefield and left his title to Edward his eldest sonne who with inuincible persistance did prosecute the enterprise and after great varietie of fortune at the last atchieued it Iohn of Gaunâ— Duke of Lancaster the fourth Sonne of King Edward the third was a man of high and hardie spirite but his fortune was many times not answerable either to his force or to his forecast He had two sonnes Henrie Earle of Derby of whome I purpose chiefly to treate and Iohn Earle of Somerset This Iohn was Father to Iohn Duke of Somerset who had issue Margaret Countesse of Richmond mother
he neuer forced to preuent his only remedy was pacience a cold comfort his only reuenge was complaint a weake weapon betweene which two his bitternesse did in this manner breake from him And doe these also said he forsake me doth their faith my fortune end together wel if I had forsaken them in time I had not beene forsaken of others who once loued me better and now are able to harme me more But now I see the blindnesse of my iudgement I plainely see that there is no friendship in flatterie nor treacherie in plaine truth and I would I had as much time to reforme this errour as I am like to haue to repent it but they would not suffer me to be wise when I might and now they haue made me wretched they runne from me they could bee the causes but they will not be companions of my miseries such attendants are Crowes to a carcasse which flocke together not to defend but to deuour it and no sooner haue they layd the bones bare but straight-wayes they are gone Thus the King hauing lost both the feare and loue of his subiects disturbed and distracted in thoughts without comfort councell or courage remained still in Wales as a stranger at home as an exile in his owne kingdome not daring to goe to London nor any man desirous to come to him shifting still from place to place and as it fals out at men distressed amazed fearing all things but most disliking the present The Duke continually pursued him with a mightie armie but the Kings companie was too small to doe any thing by force yet too great to remaine in secrete neither were they in any sort assured vnto him but such as shame and reuerence retained a while bands of small countenance with men fearefull of danger carelesse of credite At the length he came to the Castle of Conweye and there being vtterly destitute both of helpe and hope he stoode deuided in mind what way to bend his course all his followers weare more ready to impugne the opinions of other thē to giue direction themselues as seeing better what to shunne then what to follow and as it alwaies chanceth in desperate causes that way was commonly preferred wherof the opportunitie was already past Some aduised him that it was thē time to think rather of sauing his life then recouering his estate You see said they how greatly how wholly your subiects are set against you it is but in vaine to looke for a suddaine change or without a chaunge to hope that your purposes may preuaile giue place for a time to the currant of this furie let it haue the full sway and when it is at the highest pitch it will turne againe and then you shall haue the tide as strong on your side as it is now against you This motiō or rather commotion of the people is violent and against nature therefore as a stone forced vpward is most stronge at the beginning and the further it passeth the more it weakneth vntil at last it returne to the naturall course againe Therefore giue a little space for the bad to draw backe for the good to put forward treasons preuaile on the suddaine but good counsailes gather forces by leasure You haue example in your noble progenitor King Henry the third against whome the Lords set vp Lewes the French kings sonne conditions were concluded and faith was made that he should be their King but this purpose lasted not the pulling on for before they had possessed him of the kingdom they ioyned togither in armes against him were as fierce to driue him out of the realme as they had beene found to draw him in The like alteration may you likewise not onely hope but assuredly expect for the mindes of men are constant in nothing but inconstancie and perseuer onely in chaunge in dislike of things present they desire new wherwith they rest not long contented but are many times glutted euen with the first sight And indeed how can they long endure the raigne of him who attaining the kingdome onely by their fauour and might shall holde the same in a manner at their courtesie and will for euerie vnpleasant commaund shall be deemed ingratitude euerie suit reiected shal charge him with vnkindnesse Yea if honor be not offered they will be discontented and vppon any occasion of displeasure thinke thēselues as able to displace him as they were to set him vp therefore you may for a time returne againe into Ireland or else passe the seas to your Father in lawe the king of Fraunce you may assure your selfe of his assistance to set vpon your side and recouer your losses Times haue their turnes and fortune her course too and fro like the sea magnanimitie is shewen by enduring not relinquishing when she doth crosse onely loose no point of courage and keepe your person at large reseruing your selfe to that good hope which neuer dieth whilst life endure Others who were enemies to all counsaile whereof themselues were not authors perswaded the King that the nobilitie and commons of the realme had attempted so farre that they would rather dye then desist not so much for hatred to you as for feare to themselues hauing so deadly increased your displeasure against them For it is a hard matter to forgiue and impossible to forget those iniuries and indignities which they haue offered And to omit what some princes haue done what all will promise to doe they will soone find fresh and bleeding examples what you are like to doe The Duke of Gloucester and the Earles of Arundell and of Warwicke did rise in armes against you not to remoue you from your crowne but to remoue certaine persons frō your companie an action more displeasing then preiudiciall vnto you at the last a friendship was made and charters of free pardon graunted vnto them but what followed was euer the breach perfectly made vp did displeasure dye or was it only dissembled ah it grieueth vs to thinke how the present want of their liues hath fully reuenged their deathes for if they had liued their countenance and authority woulde easily haue staied these stirs and the manner of their deaths doth strike an obstinate persistance into all your enemies As for refuge to forren Princes you shall surely receiue of them entertainment and allowance and yet may growe burdensome and at last perhaps faile but it is very hard to draw any Prince into so dangerous a quarrell and more harde by that meanes to preuaile or if you should it is to bee feared that the victorers will hold to themselues the benefit of their conquest and not yeeld it ouer vnto you Few countries but haue bin vnder pretence of ayde by forrenners subdued and this was the only cause which first drew the Saxons into this land who so assisted the Britaines against their enemies that themselues could not be resisted from possessing they◠kingdome Yet we doe not altogither
any should imagine that they meant of good Princes onely they speake generally of all and further to take away all doubt they make expresse mention of the euill For the power and authoritie of wicked princes is the ordinance of god and therfore Christ told Pilate that the power which he had was giuen him from aboue and the Prophet Esay calleth Cyrus being a prophane and heaâ—â—en Prince the Lords anoynted For God stirreth vp the spirit euen of wicked Princes to doe his will and as Iehoshaphat sayd to his rulers they execute not the iudgement of man but of the Lord in regard whereof Dauid calleth them Gods because they haue their rule and authority immedyatly from God which if they abuse they are not to bee adiudged by theyr subiects for no power within theyr dominionis superior to theirs but God reserueth them to the sorest tryall Horribly and sodainly saith the Wiseman will the Lord appeare vnto them and a hard iudgement shall they haue The law of God commaundeth that the Childe should be put to death for any contumely done vnto the parents but what if the Father be a robber if a murtherer if for all excesse of villanyes odious and execrable both to God and man surely he deserueth the highest degree of punishment and yet must not the Sonne lift vp his hand against him for no offence is so great as to be punished by parricide but our country is dearer vnto vs then our parentes and the Prince is pater patriae the Father of our Country and therefore more sacred and deere vnto vs then our parentes by nature and must not be violated how imperious how impious soeuer hee bee doth he commaund or demaund our persons or our purses we must not shunne for the one nor shrinke for the other for as Nehemiah saith Kinges haue dominion ouer the bodyes and ouer the cattle of their subiectes at their pleasure Doth he enioyne those actions which are contrary to the lawes of God we must neyther wholy obey nor violently resist but with a constant courage submit our selues to all manner of punishment and shewe our subiection by enduring and not performing yea the Church hath declared it to bee an heresie to holde that a Prince may be slaine or deposed by his subiectes for any disorder or default eyther in life or else in gouernment there will be faultes so long as there are men and as wee endure with patience a barren yeere if it happen and vnseasonable weather and such other defectes of nature so must wee tollerate the imperfections of rulers and quietlye expecte eyther reformation or else a change But alas good king Richard what such cruelty what such impiety hath he euer committed examine rightly those imputations which are layde against him without any false circumstance of aggrauation and you shall finde nothing obiected eyther of any truth or of great moment It may bee that many errours and ouersightes haue escaped him yet none so grieuous to be termed tyranny as proceeding rather from vnexperienced ignorance or corrupt counsaile then from any naturall and wilfull mallice Oh howe shall the world bee pestered with tirantes if subiectes may rebell vppon euery pretence of tyranny howe many good Princes shall daylye bee suppressed by those by whome they ought to bee supported if they leauy a subsedy or any other texation it shall be claymed oppression if they put any to death for trayterous attemptes against theyr persons it shall be exclaymed cruelty if they doe any thing against the lust and liking of the people it shall bee proclaymed tyrannie But let it be that without authority in vs or desert in him king Richard must be deposed yet what right had the Duke of Lancaster to the Crowne or what reason haue wee without his right to giue it to him if hee make title as heyre vnto king Richard then must he yet stay vntill king Richards death for no man can succeed as heyre to one that liueth But it is well knowne to all men who are not eyther wilfully blinde or grosely ignorant that there are some now aliue lineally descended from Lionell Duke of Clarence whose ofspring was by iudgement of the high Court of Parlament holden the viii yeere of the raigne of King Richard declared next successour to the Crowne in case King Richard should dye without issue Concerning the tytle from Edmund Crouchbacke I will passe it ouer seeing the authors thereof are become ashamed of so absurde abuse both of theyr owne knowledge and our credulity and therefore all the clayme is now made by right of conquest by the cession and graunt of King Richard and by the generall consent of all the people It is a bad wooll that can take no colour but what conquest can a subiecte pretend against his Soueraigne where the warre is insurrection and the victory high and heynous treason as for the resignation which king Richard made being a pent prisoner for the same cause it is an acte exacted by force and therefore of no force and validity to binde him and seeing that by the lawes of this land the king alone cannot alienate the auncient iewels and ornaments pertaining to the Crowne surely hee cannot giue away the Crowne it selfe and therewithall the kingdome Neyther haue we any custome that the people at pleasure should electe theyr king but they are alwayes bound vnto him who by right of bloud is next successour much lesse can they confirme and make good that title which is before by violence vsurped for nothing can then be freely doone when liberty is once restrained by feare So did Scilla by terrour of his legions obtayne the lawe of Velleia to bee made whereby hee was created dictator for fourescore yeeres and by like impression of feare Caesar caused the law Seruia to be promulged by which he was made perpetuall dictator but both these lawes were afterwardes adiudged void As for the deposing of king Edward the 2. is no more to be vrged then the poysoning of King Iohn or the murdering of any other good and lawfull Prince we must liue according to lawes and not to examples and yet the kingdome was not then taken from the lawfull successour But if we looke backe to times lately past we shall finde that these titles were more stronge in King Stephen then they are in the Duke of Lancaster for king Henry the first being at large liberty neyther restrained in body nor constrained in minde had appointed him to succeed as it was vppon good credite certainly affirmed The people assented to this designement and thereupon without feare and without force he was anoynted King and obtained full possession of the realme Yet Henry Sonne of the Earle of Aniowe hauing a neerer right by his mother to the Crowne notwithstanding his father was a stranger himselfe borne beyond the seas raysed such rough warres vppon King Stephen that there was noe end of