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
But onely out of consideration of the difficultie Since the townes were of strength to make resistance against the most powerfull Army that every Fort would require much time charge in the gayning and if gain'd would prove as costly and difficult to keepe The people though naturally prone to innovasion and upon the slightest grounds ready to rebell yet by no Art to bee so tamed as to indure the yoake of a stranger And if the conquest was still to be made good by Garrisons of English the natives being both unruly and unfaithfull It would draw much blood and treasure from England and returne neither honour nor profit Neverthelesse the King offer'd immediatly to declare himself in common league against the Dutchesse and to leade over an Army royall into her territories promising to share in all future danger if hee might be admitted to share in what was already conquerd But that the French denyed as loath ever to quit possession yet never so peremptorily refused any proposition as to let the English perswaded by despaire to enter into new counsailes even in their denyalls leaving some way open to expectation During this time spun out to the utmost length by these tedious negotiations the French effected their ends and almost undid the afflicted Princesse Who left no way untried that might leade her into a perfect friendship with the English and engage their armes to her defence Among the rest she tryed one which being singular in the event deserves a particular observation Either by her commission â—or premission a motion was made of a marriage betweene her and George Duke of Clarence who had lately buried his Lady By which very overture shee doubted not but the King ambitious of so ample a fortune for his brother would runne into her quarrell But as sometimes Phisicke misapplyed it wrought a contrary effect and with other circumstances procured his ruine For he having by the levitie of his actions weakned his reputation with the world in generall and particularly drawne a hatred from the Queenes kindred upon him the King and the Duke of Glocester likewise having him eyther in contempt or jealousie stood in a manner alone So that the very first whispers of this marriage were heard with emulation by some with scorne by others and with dislike by all Which gave occasion that his destruction was suddenly plotted and almost as suddenly executed For the King although he owed his restitution to the Crowne when he expel'd from England to the Dukes revolt from Warwick yet he remembred more perfectly the unnaturalnesse of his first rebellion And howsoever hee showed outwardly all the arguments of a reconcil'd brother yet certainly the memory of the injury at first remaind deepely imprinted in his minde So that Clarence by his after service never regain'd that place in the Kings heart which his former disloyaltie had forfeited This he perceiv'd and repind against and the King understanding that hee resented the truth hated him yet the more And so farre grew this hatred that no discourse was more harsh to the Kings eare then that of Clarences marriage with the heire of Burgundie By which it was suspected he being inabled with power might hereafter prepare for revenge For according to the disposition of man he saw all his actions in a flattering glasse Looking upon his revolt from his brother as on an errour of seduced youth and on his returne back as on so great a merit that it lay scarce in the Kings power to recompence The King enjoying by it all the greatnesse he possest Richard Duke of Glocester upon whose nature and friendship he built most deceived him most For Glocester who studied nothing but his owne purposes and cared not by what violence all obstacles of nature and friendship were removed so the way were plain'd to his ambition endeavord to adde more poison to their discontent Knowing bad intentions never receive growth but from mischiefe Hee therefore perswaded him to bee sensible of the Kings neglect and boldly to expresse his sufferance A silent patience being in a subiect loyaltie but in a Kings brother cowardize While on the other side he whisper'd the danger of Clarence his spirit apt to receive any discontent and wanting onely power to seeke unlawfull remedies Whatsoever counsaile came from him receiv'd by the King with more attention and beleefe in regard of his great judgement and professions of love to his brothers And indeede Glocester much disdain'd the advancement of Clarence this way not that hee had any particular ground for malice but onely that he hated any man and especially a brother should have the start of him in fortune But the Queene and her kindred shallower in their spleene spoke loud against him while Glocester deepe in mischiefe was not heard to murmur For they suggested continually to the King with what contempt they were intreated by Clarence how all their honours were mentioned as mockeries Aâ— if the King wanted power to conferre his favours according to the discretion of his owne bountie They urged the memory of his rebellion at his first marriage with Warwicks daughter and the much more danger of his intentions in affecting so much greatnesse in the second And so farre by aggravations of every slight errour wrought that the King was willing to have his brother suffer but onely wanted some offence capitall enough to make his death appeare an act of necessitie and iustice not of plot and malice It is generally receiv'd among the vulgar and wants not the approbation of some Cronicles that the chiefe ground of the Kings assent to his death was the misinterpretation of a prophesie Which foretold that one the first letter of whose name was G. should usurpe the Kingdome and dispossesse King Edwards Children Of which there is much of probabilitie however by his other actions I should not judge the King easie to beleeve in such vanities For credulitie in that nature falls for the most part upon weake minds as those of women and children or upon the timerous whose apprehensions are softned to receive every slight impression or upon the over-zealous whom an evill regulated pietie bends to superstition And with these three the King had no participation in honour Yet this serv'd for the present and carried with him a strong accusation against the Duke for this prophesie was alledged to be spoken by some of his servants who by Negromancy had understood this from the Devill Which with other circumstances serv'd to hasten the King in this foule mischiefe The Duke was in Ireland the Countrey that gave him birth during the time of these contrivances nothing suspecting any designe against himselfe Vpon his returne to the Court hee understood that Thomas Burdet of Arrow in the Countie of Warwicke Esquire who ever was dependant upon him and ranne his fortune had beene in his absence apprehended indighted arraign'd and executed all in the compasse of two dayes The crime upon which his accusation was principally
THE HISTORIE OF EDWARD THE FOVRTH KING OF ENGLAND BY WM. HABINGTON Esquire LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes for William Cooke and are to be sold at his shop neere Furnivals-Inne Gate in Holburne 1640. TO THE KINGS MOST SACRED MAIESTIE Sir AN Humbler Dedication would seeme to lessen the memory of that great Prince whose History I here lay downe at your feete Your Majestie is heire to those Crowns his happy courage regain'd from the long and violent possession of a most Potent Family What can then by any Title appertaine to him but must be injustice to offer to another His life presents your eye with rugged times yet smooth'd by a prevailing Fortune and a just cause Faction begot many tempests but Soveraigntie found a happie calme in the destruction since no gentler way had authoritie of mighty opposers When we your subjects looke backe upon that age how ought we to congratulate the present Wherein free even from the noyse of warre we have hitherto by the excellent Wisedome of your Majesties government lived safe and envied The Almighty grant all your people knowledge of their owne felicity and their mindes so disposed that their blessings may feele no interruption May your Majestie long continue in peace the comfort and honour of these times and the best example for the future But if you shall be forc't to draw your sword may your enemies submit and tastpart of your mercy if not perish in your Victories This is the prayer of your Majesties Most Humble most Loyall and most Obedient Subject WM. HABINGTON THE HISTORIE OF EDWARD THE FOVRTH KING OF ENGLAND RICHARD Duke of Yorke overthrowne by his owne rashnesse and the happie conduct of Queene Margaret at the battaile of Wakefield left the justice of his Title with a more prosperous fortune to his Sonne Edward His head during life busied with expectations of Soveraigntie after death was mockt with a paper Crowne and fixt on a pole was set on the walls of Yorke For the Queene to make his pretentions to the Kingdome the common scorne forgot that compassion she owed humaine calamitie and in a phantasticke cruelty exposed it thus to the barbarous mirth of the be holders With him dyed his younger sonne Edmond Earle of Rutland then but twelve yeares old comming too soone with his tutor to the schoolâ— of Warre and learning at first the sharpest lesson from the Lord Clifford who most inhumanely â—tab'd him prostrate at his feete intreating but for life In the very Haven after a long and tempestuous voyage thus perisht the Duke of Yorke as if it had beene in the fate of al the Richards who were either in fact oâ— title Kings of England to end by violent deathes Richard the first and second preceding him His sonne Richard the Tyrant and Richard Duke of Yorke his Nephew following him in the like disaster though severall wayes and upon different quarrels This great overthrow was suddenly rumor'd through the whole Kingdome and stretched up to the highest to advance the reputation of the Queenes felicitie And soone it arrived at Glocester where Edward Earle of March lay with some small forces expecting directions from his Father By whose death perceiving himselfe in so foule weather to sit alone at the helme he began more warily to steere his course and considering how dangerous leasure is to increase the apprehension of misfortune removed to Shrewesbury By the way his armie swel'd up to three and twenty thousand fighting men which might appeare strange if we weigh the necessary unexperience of his youth being then but eighteene yeares of age and the slender retinue that usually weights on infelicitie But now he was the head of the great body of that faction which his Father at the expence of so long trouble had purchased to his side and them the Queenes nature implacable to mercy made resolute onely to hope for safety by running into the common danger Moreover all the men of power who inhabited betweene Glocester and Shrowsbury had dependancie on him as heire to Mortimer or held in chiefe of his mighty confederate the Earle of Warwicke With this sudden and unexpected accesse of forces he entertain'd a confidence to be able to revenge his fathers injurie and obtaine that greatnesse as yet had beene in vaine attempted Hee therefore lookt about where he might on the best advantage make experience of his fortune Fortune appearing easie to be courted as if enamord on his youth having beene seldome observed but froward to age in any designe that depends chiefely upon courage And occasion was immediately offerd certaine discovery being made of a great power raised by the adverse party with purpose to surprise him in the amazement of the late misfortune The Armie consisted of Welch and Irish according to the severall Nations of the two Commanders Jasper Earle of Pembrooke and Jaems Earle of Ormond Pembrooke halfe brother to Henry the sixt as sonne to Queene Catherin dowager to Henry the fifâ— by Owen Teuther and Ormond a most faithfull servant to the house of Lanchaster by whose gift in England he enjoyed the Earledome of Wiltshire Against these two the Earle of March led backe his Forces and in a large plaine neere Mortimers crosse on Candlemas day in the morning gave them battell Before the fight the Sunne as by many Authors it is averd appeared to the Earle in the resemblance of three Sunnes and suddenly united into one the truth of which I will not dispute But certainely the pretension of such apparitions strangely prevailes with the superstitious multitude and hath beene both the practise and advantage of the most expert Commanders Yet how this omen could bee expounded happie to his de signe I understand not unlesse we seeke the interpretation from the event for that indeed gave him the victory and brought the glory of the two adverse Generalls over to his side so that the three Sunnes which with equall brightnesse appeared in the morning before evening shin'd alone in him For the two Earles and the whole Armie were put to flight with the slaughter of three thousand eight hundred on the place many Welch and some English of name were taken prisoners and afterward at Hereford beheaded among whom an extraordinary fortune hath made Owen Teuther most the discourse of Posterity For the good luck of an amiable person wrought him into the affection and soone after advanced him to the marriage of Catherin daughter of France and Widdow to the most glorious Prince our Nation ever gain'd honour by Yet all that this so envied splendor in a wife got him was to render his life obnoxious to imprisonment and faction and his death more eminention a scaffold This victory raysed Edwards imaginations high so that now he resolved to spend his fortune no longer on small enterprises And least the spirit of his Armie should begin to languish having no enemie neere to finde him in imployment he resolved to search for one about London whether he had
backe His Ambassadors in the Low Countries urged the Duke of Burgâ—ndie to â—â—â— accomplishment of the marriage betweene his sonne the Earle of Charolois and the Lady Margaret the Kings sister And so happie successe had thiâ— nâ—gotiation that though for some yeares it had hung â—n suspence it was now absolutely agreede on and the Bastard of Burgundy sent over with full instructions and power to give the Treaâ—ie a finall conclusion For whatsoever dissimulation the Earle of Charolois used at first he now intâ—â—â—â—â— thâ—s marriage seriously In regard hee found himselfe lye open to the maâ—ice of King Lewis a most dangerous Neighbour who by pollicie or 〈◊〉 had broken all those great confederacies the Earle had before in France Wherefore â—here was now no â—afeâ—y but in arâ—ing himselfe by a â—â—â—â—â—â— amity with the English a Nation forward and fierce to attempt any thing upon the French and in their attempts scarce ever but prosperous Neither was the courage of the Kings youth and his continuall good successe in warre a small inducement considering it gave a certaine hope that he upon any invitation of honour or profit might be perswaded to crosse the Seas undertake the ancient national quarrel And for the danger of any alteration in the government there was then no ground for suspition the King honour'd and loved by his people the adverse faction of no power and the Earle of Warwicke having never yet declared himselfe but most passionately affected to the house of Yorke Wherefore in reason of staâ—e being no impediment the marriage was soone ageeed on and upon the agreement many triumphs glorious but martiall according to the nature of that time so devoted to Armes But to interrupt the jollity of these Triumphs an expresse came from the Low-Countries with the newes of the death of Duke Phillip Presently the Bastard returnd and our Councell stood at a gaze being in some suspence what alteration the businesse might receive the Earle now absolute in possession of his Fathers dominions But that scruple was soone taken away by an Ambassador sent to hasten the full performance of the marriage Whereupon the Lady was carried over with all the ceremonies of greatnesse and at Burges married to Duke Charles that Nation which then exceeded all the World in bravery and riot exceeding even it selfe at this tiumph in the wantonnesse of a superfluous pompe In those Countries she lived some while his wife though ever barren with as much love from him as hee could spare from his ambitious warres but she continued long his widdow in much reputation among the Natives and good esteeme with neighboring Princes Two things rendred her much the discourse of those times An extraordinary love and care in the education of the posterity of her husband and an extreame malice against Henry the seventh To supplant whom because there wanted true she countenanc'd the suppositious Princes of the house of Yorke and by continuall practises revenged in part the injury of that disrespect he ever cast upon her family This so potent alliance and his confederacies with forraigne states made King Edward imagine himselfe in great security when indeede hee was most unsafe For during these treaties abroade and triumphes at home the Earle of Warwicke quickned so farre his designes that now there appear'd a dangerous life in them The body of his Faction was grown mighty but monstrous being compacted of severall natures For into conspiracie of this great enterprise he had drawne off the Clergie and the Laity and most of them of affections most opposite The Archbishop of Yorke was the principall mover because he moved upon the soule and made treason an act of Religion The easie multitude who builde their faith upon the man not the Doctrine thinking it meritorious to rebell in regard his function seem'd to give authority to the action With the Archbishop the Marquesse Mountague consented but secretly either cunningly dissembling mischiefe or else wishing well to both sides being in himselfe devided betweene a naturall love to a brother and an alleigance to a Prince or perhaps projecting to make his benefit out of which party soever should prevaile With these agreed many eminent persons of King Edwards Court whom either desire of warre having never lived but in the troubled streame of discord or want of expected recompence renderd discontent All the partakers in the calamity of the house of Lancaster most passionately at first overture embrac'd this motion as men whom desperation had prepar'd fit for the mostruinous attempt And who having found nothing but evill fortune at home and contempt abroad were instructed in a pacience ready with joy to suffer a not inglorious death Among whom Henry Holland Duke of Exceter was a sad example who after his ruine with the fal of Henry the sixth was reduc'd to so miserable a condition that all ragged and bare footed he begg'd for his meate in the Low-Countries the absolute Prince whereof and he married two sisters the daughters of Richard Duke of Yorke With this so unfortunate Lord all the rest who shared with him in misery ranne violently into this warre But the wonder of the world then was at the powerfull sorcerie of those perswasions which bewitcht the Duke of Clarence the Kings brother to this conspiracie but hee was young purblind in foreseeing the event of things Profuse in expence beyond his revenue and almost beyond the Kings power to supply grudging the favours confer'd upon the Queene and her kindred Valuing his birth too high as who forgot the brother of a King is but a subject forward upon any termes to make himselfe greater easily lending eare to dangerous whispers and as rashly giving consent These preparatives made this young Prince fit to take any mischiefe which the Earle of Warwicke ministred most plentifully And first to apply to the narrownesse of his present fortune a humor most troublesome at the instant he gave him in marriage the Lady Isabell his daughter and ooheire to the rich Earledome of Warwicke In hatred against the Queene he concurd and in discontent against the Kings so slender rewards but in promising greatnesse to Clarences ambition he exceeded even proportion though not probability considering the Earles unlimitted power But first to make the friendship strong by a neere alliance they saild over for the consummation of this marriage to Callice of which town the Earle of Warwicke was Captaine and in which the young Lady then remain'd with her mother Soone was this ceremony past and soone did the Earle invite his Sonne-in-Law from the softnesse of the nuptiall dalliance as who had contrived this marriage for businesse not for pleasure and design'd the first issue of their embraces to bee a monster and the most unnaturall one Warre betweene brothers He acquainted therefore his Sonne-in-Law by what line he had sounded the depth of the peoples affection to the present King and what a tempest he was able to raise when ever he should