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
grounded were inconsiderate words by which upon report that white Bucke was killd as the King was hunting in his Parke hee wisht the head and hornes and all in the Kings belly whereas indeed he wisht it onely in his belly who counsaild the King to kill it With this accusation were mingled many other of poisoning sorceries and inchantments Crimes which every judicious man easily perceiv'd were onely put in the scale like graines to make his rash language full weight which otherwise would have beene too light to deserve the sentence of death These proceedings Clarence resented as they were intended and expostulated with the King the injustice to his servant and injury to himselfe And according to the custome of expostulations his words were bold and disorderly and having receiv'd an apparent injury built too much on the right of his cause and provoked the King too far into indignation So that soone after hee was committed close prisoner to the Tower where by Act of Parliament attainted he was secretly put to death the manner as it is generally receiv'd was by thrusting his head into a But of Malmesey by which he was stifled In his attainder according to the forme are crimes enough to make his death have apparence of justice the execution of which the King seem'd rather constrain'd to then to have sought For there are reckon'd how the Duk of Clarence to bring the present government into hatred with the people and thereby the present state into trouble had not onely in his speeches frequently laid injustice to the Kings charge in attainting Thomas Burdet falsely convict of many notorious treasons but subornd many of his servants and divers others corrupted with money to divulge the like seditious discourses That he had spread abroad impious rumors that the King dealt by Necromancy and upon offence against such of his subjects whom by order of Law he could not destroy hee was accustomed to take away by poyson That he had not rested there but whereby to advance himselfe to the Kingdome and for ever to disable the King and his posteritie from the Crowne had contrary to truth nature and Religion Viper-like destroying her who gave him life publishâ— that the King was a bastard and no way capable to reigne That to make this his so monstrous ambition more successefull and already to begin his usurpation he had caus'd many of the Kings subjects to bee sworne upon the most blessed Sacrament to bee true to him and his heires without any acceptation of their alleigance After which so solemne oathes hee discovered to them his resolution to right himselfe and his followers who had both suffer'd by the Kings violent wresting away their estates And in particular to revenge himselfe upon the King who as hee most impiously and falsly suggested had by art Magicke order'd to consume him as a Candle consumeth in burning And what most exprest that treason of his designes that he had got out an exemplification under the great Seale of Henry the sixt late King wherein was shewed how by the Parliament it was enacted that if the said Henry and Edward his sonne should dye without issue male the kingdome should descend upon the Duke of Clarence and his heires Whereby clearely appeared his intention immediatly to possesse himselfe of the Crowne with destruction of King Edward and his children by pretention of a generall election of the Commonweale This was the summe of his attainder which wee may well beleeve had not so easily past but by the Kings publike declaring himselfe the secret working of the Duke of Glocester and the passionate urging of the Queenes kindred But this Attainder hath in it one thing most remarkeable that Clarence here falsly was accused by laying bastardie to the King to endeavour possession of the Crowne Which afterward was alledged indeed by Richard Duke of Glocester to the absolute disinherit of the Kings Sonnes Whereby Gods severe judgement manifests how unsafe it is in a Prince by false accusations to condemne an innocent or but to aggravate the fault of one lesse guilty to the end that crueltie may be reported an act of justice The death of this Prince sudden and extraordinary begot every where an extraordinary censure the unnaturall severity taking away all excuse even from their discourse who most fa vour'd the King At home it was generally condemn'd both in regard of the manner it being prodigious to be drowned without water upon dry ground and the quality of the person He being the first brother to a King in this Country that ever was attainted And what increased the murmure a faction appeard at Court triumphing in his ruine all the accusations were strangely wrested and no matter of fact scarce an intention proved against the state Whereupon this punishment was thought to have beene inflicted upon him for no new attempt His first taking part with Warwicke being his onely crime For which warre though somewhat against nature he had many examples in France Spaine and other parts of Christendome Whereas for the death of a younger Brother upon bare suspition the King could borrow no precedent neerer then the Turkish governement But Clarence imagined the prerogative of his birth a sufficient defence against danger and omitted to fortefie himselfe with faction which laid him open to every assault of envy And because hee had heretofore beene in opposition against the King the libertie in censuring any defect in government was interpreted a desire to be in armes agen Every word of distaste being held criminall in him for whom the King was alienated by his owne disposition open invectives of the Queenes kindred and secret traines of the Duke of Glocester who now began to looke high over all respects of nature and religion Hee was certainly ambitious beyond proportion which made him so attentive to any new counsailes and of an easie nature which renderd him apt by practise to be wrought to mischiefe He was a good Master but an uncertaine friend which delivers him to us to have beene according to the nature of weake men sooner perswaded by an obsequious flattery then a free advice We cannot judge him of any evill nature onely busie and inconstant thinking it a circumstance of greatnesse to be still in action Hee was too open brested for the Court where suspition lookes thorough a man and discovers his resolutions though in the darke and lockt up in se. crecie But what was his ruine hee was whether the house of Yorke or Lancaster prevailed still second to the Crowne So that his eye by looking too stedfastly on the beautie of it became unlawfully enamord And that being observd by the Kings jealousie hee sufferd as if hee actually had sinned While this mischiefe was secretly in contrivance against Clarence in the Court appeard no face but that of jollity and magnificence For at that time was Edward eldest son to the King during Christmas to mingle the solemnitie with libertie inaugurated Prince of Wales
the third King of England of necessity must have where women are admitted to inherit better claime to the Crowne than Henry the sixt though in the fourth descent from Edward the third by John of Gaunt being but his fourth sonne For however Casuists may dispute or civill Lawyers argue The being removed one degree further can no way prejudice succession Whereby the younger brother may come to bee prefer'd before the elder brothers sonne if by chance the elder dye during his Fathers life An injustice so against reason and custome that whosoever yet attempted it was reputed to violate the lawes of Nature From St. Johns fields the principall of the armie and Common Councell of the Cittie brought newes of this Election to Edward Earle of March remaining at Baynards Castle Who soone as he understood the intention of their addresse with such modestie as some Clergie man may have used at his consecration who by simonaicall practise hath obtaind a Bishoprick refused that a while which most ambitiously he covered But soone the animation of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Earle of Warwicke the Bishops of London and Exeter and divers others of eminence prevail'd and he at their request tooke on him the Royaltie That night he rested the next morning with as much ceremonie and state as the shortnesse and unquietnesse of the time could licence in solemne procession he went to Paules whence after Te Deum sung and oblation made hee rod to Westminster there seated in the most perspicuous place of the great Hall with the Scepter of St. Edward the Confessor in his hand himselfe made declaration of his double title to the Crowne First by descent as heire to the third sonne of Edward the third the Line of whose eldest sonne Edward the blacke Prince extinguisht in the deposition and parâ—icide of Richard the second procured by Henry of Bullingbrooke first King of the house of Lancaster Edward the thirds second sonne dying without issue Secondly by authority of Parlament which upon examination of the Duke of Yorkes title confer'd the possession of the Kingdome immediately on him or his heires when Henry the sixth should make forfeiture of it by death resignation or breach of that Accord sworne there so solemnely by them And that this accord was broken the slaughter of the Duke opprest with unequall numbers on King Henries partie at the battell of Wakefield did sadly manifest Neverthelesse he protested himselfe ready to forgoe the justice of his claime ratherthan to enter upon it without their free vote At which unanimously the Assembly cryed King Edward King Edward Ioyfull that their voyces might confirme him King who had daign'd them so humble a complement as to professe that he would not receive the title without their suffrage The formalitie of this second Election thus past he went in Procession to the Abbie whence after much solemnitie and homage of all the Nobility there present he returned by water to the Bishop of Londons Pallace and was immediately proclaimed King throughout the City by the name of Edward the Fourth The first fortnight of his Raigne was died I will not say stain'd with the blood of Walter Walker a Grocer who keeping shop at the signe of the Crowne in Cheapeside sayd he would make his sonne heire to the Crowne a bold jest broke in an evill time yet doe I not side with them in opinion who taxe the King of severity in this execution unlesse I could cleere this man from being particularly factious for the house of Lancaster or know that these words were uttered in innocent mirth without any scorne to King Edwards Title And however perhaps the extraordinary punishment of such saucie language was not then unnecessary to beget authority and make men cautious to dispute the descent of Princes when the question was so nice and arguments not improbable on either side But here in her very first curtesie Fortune raisd King Edward higher than the endeavours of a long ambition had done his Father For now was he consecrated King in the Imperiall City of this Realme adornd with every circumstance of Soveraigntie and all his enterpises hitherto so flattered with successe that he could promise nothing but prosperity to his hopes Yet was the ground whereon he built uncertaine and his state brought into comparison with his Competitor fraile and obnoxious to ruine For Henry had equall dignity with the advantage of a long Raigne an uninterrupted descent in Majestie for threescore yeares a soveraigntie acknowledg'd abroad by all Christian Princes and obeyd at home by all Engilshmen without dispute a title according to the Law Salique indubitable and which had beene confirmed at the first entry of his Grandfather Henry the fourth into the Kingdome not onely by resignation of Richard the second by generall acknowledgement of all the Nobilitie and by authority of Parliament but even by approbation nay particular negotiation of Edmond Duke of Yorke Edward Duke of Aumerle Richard Earle of Cambridge Grandfather Great Vncle and Great Grandfather to the late anointed King Edward the Fourth Onely a feeble judgement and a long evill fortune rendred Henry the sixt inferiour to counterpoise which Queene Margaret and the Lords of her side were daring and vigilant omitting on stratagem or endeavor that might adde to the honour or safety of their designes Whereupon slie continued still in the North and oblieging that people every day more to her devotion labourd to prepare such an armie as might upon the worst of fortune be able enough for defence And soone she found how much her owne and the authoritie of the great Lords of her side prevail'd having rais'd threescore thousand fighting men and they all resolv'd with expence of their blood to buy backe that Majestie which the house of Lancaster by evill fate had lost An armie if arm'd and order'd well able to oppose the mightiest enemie or undertake the boldest enterprise On sight of which the Queene entertain'd a confidence easily to scatter the Forces of the new Mushrome King who in a night seem'd to have sprung up to Majestie Especially when she understood how with unequall power hee marcht Northward A clime not unlikely to prove as distastrous to him as to his Father For King Edward soone as the voyce of the people had saluted him Prince resolv'd with hazard of his new gain'd Soveraigntie to extirpate his great opposer For while the side of Lancaster was supported with the devotion of so large a portion of the Kingdome as yet adhear'd to Henry he could be King but at the curtesie of his Faction and the body of the Land must of necessitie grow monstrous being charg'd with two heads each of which look'd divers wayes He therefore while his men had yet the memorie of their late good fortune fresh in their courage marcht toward the Queene and chose rather as worthier his spirit to provoke than expect an enemie Of his arrivall at Pomfret Castle when it was understood and that
he assumed in receiving the forementioned sums of money Willing that hee should husband his actions of least worth to the greatest advantage of credit with his people While hee on the contrary in all businesses never heeded what judgement opinion gave and so his ends were effected cared not by what sordid or humble meanes Whereupon presently after the departure of the English notwithstanding the many injuries received from the Duke of Burgundy he came to treatie and suddenly to agreement with him In many points unexpectedly yeelding onely that hee might revenge himselfe upon the Count St. Paul for him hee accounted the Conjurer who by his dissembling charmes had raisd those so many and so tumultuous spirits against the Crowne of France And till hee were destroyed King Lewys conceiv'd it impossible to remaine safe from civill or forraigne warre It was therefore agreed betweene these two Princes that what places had beene wrested away in the former troubles should be immediatly restored and which of the two could first surprize the Count St. Paul should within eight dayes put him to death or deliver him up to the discretion of the other By which agreement the wretched Lord found how inevitable was his ruine And considering the vanitie of any hope that might perswade to defend himselfe against so potent enemies he enterd into discourse with his owne feares to which he might make his addresses with more probabilitie of safetie And knowing the immoveable resolutions of King Lewys and how impossible it was to deceive a Prince so cunning in the Art he resolv'd to make tryall of the Duke Who disdainefully receiv'd the first offers of his service but in the end overcome by importunitie hee granted him safe conduct Relying on which he poasted to him but soone found his ruine by the want of that faith which himselfe had never observ'd For the Duke notwithstanding the safe conduct gave command hee should be imprison'd and not long after deliver'd him up to the French King Who caus'd processe to bee made against him certaine Letters written to King Edward and by him deliver'd to King Lewys being the chiefe articles of accusation by which hee was condemn'd and for which not long after he lost his head Hee imbraced death with much resolution onely somewhat astonisht to meet it upon a Scaffold the manner not the thing it selfe amazing him But the officiousnesse of the King in delivery of those papers to the condemnation of his wives Vncle and a confederate was certainly trecherous and ignoble and makes his memory sound harsh in the eare of any worthy minde And indeede he was on the sudden become so passionate a debtor on a reconcild enemy and so passionate an enemy of his late friends That when he understood of the treatie of peace at Vervins betweene the French King and the Duke hee sent over Sir Thomas Montgomery with instructions if possible to breake it off Who urged that the Duke should not bee admitted to treate of himselfe but onely as mention'd in the King his Masters peace that if the Duke refused to treate in that manner and the King any way suspected his owne strength his Master would the next Summer crosse the Seas and joyne his forces with him Conditionally that halfe the wages of his Army might bee defraid by the French for whose service the warre was to be undertaken and that he might be allowed fiftie thousand crownes annually in respect his losse would amount to the value by reason the English Woolls at Callice could during that time have no vent into the Netherlands To such an over officious friendship did his new malice to Burgundie and the counsaile of King Lewys his great pensioners incline him that hee voluntarily offer'd without respect of glory or hope of profit to fight like a journeyman for a Prince whose growth in power could not bee but most unsafe even to him and dangerous to his kingdome This embassie King Lewys receiv'd with apparence of much content congratulating the felicitie of his owne arts that had brought the King to so obsequious a respect but he no way desired to see him any more in France especially not to pay for his presence whose absence hee had lately bought so deerely Hee therefore return'd many thankes for the offer'd favour but withall shewed how much too late it came in regard the truce was already concluded betweene him and the Duke from which being now sworne to it he could recede neither in honour nor religion But that the world might understand how scrupulous he had beene in preservation of the King of Englands reputation the present truce varyed not in one point from that sworne at Picguinie except onely that the Duke was admitted to article for himselfe apart which indeed was the maine thing the King endeavoured to have prevented since by articling apart the Duke showed his independance and that the English by their armes had no way advanced his businesse But that this answer might indanger no misinterpretation he liberally presented the Embassador and sent over with him the two hostages the Lord Howard and Sir John Chiney For King Lewys continued still in much caution to offend the King least perhaps he and the Duke of Burgundy though now asunder might like a limbe broken and set againe knit the faster Hee was therefore diligent to increase every day new discontents betweene them and to preserve the English in their amity firme upon any termes knowing the Duke by no pollicy ever to be reduced to a perfect friendship And so farre had his cunning and pensions prevailed that nothing was more in the vote of the English then to preserve King Lewys safe in his estate at home and noble in reputation with us But among all the ties which kept the King surest to him the hope of marrying the Dolphin with his Daughter and this way at least to settle the Crowne of France in his Posterity most prevailed Of the reality of which article the French permitted not the smallest occasion to be given for suspicion This intention of entering into warre with the Duke of Burgundy being crost the unquiet Nature of some Princes ever affecting to beget trouble to themselves that the King might feele no perfect rest receives the former jealousie concerning the Earle of Richmond But why the reducing him into this powre should so much perplex the state is beyond reach unlesse it were a divination of future accidents which instructed the Kings feares to expect danger from him who neither in the point of justice nor strength was for the present considerable For if we looke upon his faction at home the civill warres had ruin'd them so low that no person of authority had any relation to him except the Lord Stanley who being Father in law to him might perhaps wish his fortunes well but bore a most faithfull mind to the King in whose especiall favour he continued to the last And if we consider him as his neerenesse in blood
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
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
somewhat cleare Either conscience reforming him or by continuall sacietie growne to a loathing of it for the abstinence could not be imputed to age hee at his death not exceeding two and fortie But what endeard him so much to the affection of the people and especially to the Citizens of London was his being rich by his tribute from France and therefore not likely to lye heavy on them as likewise the so famed bountie of his hospitalitie Two thousand persons being daily served in his Court at Eltham where most solemnly hee celebrated the feast of the Nativitie And to recompence the great love which in both fortunes the Londoners had showed him to his last houre he used towards them a particular kindnesse Even so much that he invited the Lord Major and Aldermen and some of the principall Citizens to the Forrest of Waltham to give them a friendly not a pompous entertainement Where in a pleasant Lodge they were feasted the King himselfe seeing their dinner served in and by thus stooping downe to a loving familiarity sunke deepe into their hearts ordinary slight curtesies ordered thus to the best advantage taking more often even with sound judgements then churlish benefits And that the sex he alwayes affected might not bee unremembred he caused great plentie of Venison to bee sent to the Lady Majoresse and the Aldermens wives Thus was the outward face of the Court full of the beautie of delight and Majestie while the inward was all rotten with discord and envie For the Queene by how much shee considerd her selfe more unworthy the fortune shee enjoyed by so much she endeavord in the exterior height of carriage to raise her selfe foolishly imagining pride could set off the humilitie of her birth Shee was likewise according to the nature of women factious as if her greatnesse could not appeare cleare enough without opposition And they she opposed were the chiefest both in blood and power the weaker shee disdayning to wrastle with and they fearefull to contest with her But what subjected her to an universall malice was the rapine the necessary provision of her kindred engaged her to For they being many and great in title could not bee supplyed according to their ambition but by so common an injury as made her name odious through the kingdome Moreover the Lords of her blood by reason of their nearenesse to the Kings children being insolent and in regard of their youth indiscreet frequently ran into those errours which betraid them to the publicke scorne or hatred Against the Queene for through her kindred they aym'd at her opposed the Duke of Glocester the Duke of Buckingham the Lord Hastings and others of the most ancient nobilitie And to render odious her and hers Glocester laid the death of the Duke of Clarence which fratricide himselfe most barbarously contrived altogether upon their envie pretending a more then ordinary causion for his owne safetie least his person might by the same practise be brought in danger By which calumnie he both cleared his owne reputation and clouded the fame of a faction hee endeavord so much to ruine But this side had much the start in opinion and pollicie over the other who were young and unexperienc'd and president of whose Councell was a woman To compose these quarrells begot the King much trouble neither could he without extreame anxietie heare the continual complaints of persons so considerable both in power in the kingdome and kindred to his children not knowing to how dangerous a height this discord in time might grow But to increase his discontent everyday his jealousie increast concerning King Lewys his faith who now began to unmaske his intention and show how much hee had deluded the English For having ever since Maximilians marriage with Mary Dutchesse of Burgundie beene upon unkinde termes with him sometimes at open warre other times in an unfaithfull truce hee was now growing to an absolute peace And the conditions were whisper'd contrary to the treatie Piquignie which made the King suspicious they two might enter into some league prejudicall to the honour of the English For Maximilian having kept Lewys all the life time of his Lady from any further incroach upon her territory and by his fortune won into opinion with the French grew to bee must desired in the nearest friendship by them And he having buried his Dutchesse who owed her death to her modestie in respect that having broke her Thigh by a fall from a Horse she denied to expose it to the sight of Chirurgeons was willing to stand upon good termes with France Knowing how slender and how unfaithfull an obedience those Countries would yeeld to a Prince who was to rule by curtesie since to their naturall Lords they had ever shewed themselves insolent and rebellious These considerations prepared both sides to peace the conclusion of it to beget a more perfect amitie was that the Lady Margaret a child of two yeares old daughter â—o Maximilian and the Dutchesse of Burgundie should be affianced to the Dolphin then upon the age of twelve So that King Lewys in the marriage of his sonne was ever most disproportionable the daughter of England as much too old as this Lady too young but indeed his end was the same with Charles Duke of Burgundy and many other worldly fathers to match his sonne for the best advantage of his profit and convenience To confirme the uncertaine rumours of this perjurie in King Lewys the Lord Howard return'd out of France and made relation how hee saw the Lady Margaret brought with all pompe and ceremony to Ambois and there married to Charles the Dolphin And to heape yet more injuries not long after the tribute hitherto so carefully payd was denied The French now disclosing the innated malice they bore the English and with how little scruple they could dispence with the most solemne oath when no apparent danger threatned the crime For though the Dolphin when hee had attaind to the age of consent might have broke off this marriage and it could have beene onely term'd an act of discourtesie yet King Lewys who had sworne to this Article with so much ceremony cannot bee excused from a most foule impietie But what reason of state prevaild with him who heretofore awed by his feares had condescended in a manner to compound for his kingdome thus now to slight the English is not delivered in history And it may appeare difficult considering King Edward was now if possibly more absolute in his command at home his people better disciplin'd and no apparence of an enemy from abroad Adde to that his Coffers full increast every yeare by the tribute from France and his reputation high by the victory lately purchast against the Scots A nation though inferior to the French in the riches and extent of territory yet in martiall courage equall and in warring with whom we have found more sweat and danger It is therefore hard to know the cause of King Lewys his
to us so likewise not dangerous And as for Brittaine if his weakenesse disable him to our ayde I am confident it will continue him a neutrall Neither is it to be forgot how securely now we may leave England rather then heretofore Considering our so entire friendship with the Scots whose hostilitie was alwayes sharpe upon us at home when wee attempted victorie abroad But I detaine you by my speech too longe from action I see the clouds of due revenge gatherd in your brow and the lightning of furie break from your eyes Which abodes thunder against our enemy Let us therefore loose no time but suddenly and severely scourge this perjured coward to a too late repentance and regaine honour to our Nation and his Kingdome to our Crovvne The Lords resented the affront with an indignation high as the Kings and desired that instant preparations might be made for the warre But above all the Duke of Glocester appeard zealous in the quarrell expressing aloud his desire that all his estate might be spent and all his veines emptied in revenge of this injury All the Court was presently for the designe and the whole Kingdom with a fierce appetite desired to arme So that no language was heard but martiall and all the gallantry in new armour or other conveniences for service The King most passionatly pursued his determination and that very spring resolved to begin the warre But he was diverted on the sudden from calling King Lewys to a reckoning for this crime and summond by death to give a strict account of all his owne Death arrested him and in the respect of not many houres instracted him in more then all the oratory from pulpits had done for fortie yeares For soone as he found himselfe mortally sicke he began to consider the vanitie of all his victories which with the expence of so much blood he had purchac'd and to the heart repented his too hard bargaine He looked backe upon the beautie of his sensuall pleasures and now discernd it was onely faire in the outside inwardly rotten and deform'd He cast up the accounts of his tribute both at home and abroad and all those treasures gather'd either by proscription of his enemies or exacting from his subjects and found himselfe a banckerout For till now hee wanted leasure to search into that which most concernd him and delighted too much in the pompe pleasure of the Inne where he was not to stay forgot he had a journey and unawares was overtaken by night an endlesse night which no day succeedes Perceiving his doome inevitable and no hope of the least reprive he began to order businesse as fully as the shortnesse of the time would licence The great affaire of his soule indeede the onely that is necessary he committed to the mercy of his redeemer and by the Sacraments then in use with the Church in England and a reall contrition hee labord a full expiation of the crimes and errours of his life And as his death is described to us by an excellent author who lived neere his time Almightie God seemes to have strucke water even from the Rocke as by Moses Wand hee did for the Israelites in touching this Prince to the heart and forcing a most religious penetence from a soule obdurate in sinne as wee may conjecture by his life The revenge of the injury hee receiv'd from King Lewys he refer'd to the judgement of heaven whose worke it is to punish perjury And Lewys suffered for it according to his demerit for that sonne in marrying whom hee so busied his imaginations and slighted all faith and religion lived but a short space and died issulesse Not one branch remaining of that great tree whose roote was in perjurie and dissimulation The protection of the King and Kingdome he left to the Lords nearest in kindred to his children advising them to amitie and concord By which the nation would flourish in greatnesse abroad and safetie at home The young King bee secured from flattery and instructed in the best discipline for government And they themselves live is much honour and felicitie i◠united to advance the Commonwealth and oppose all forraine danger Whereas discord would beget civill warre and that endanger ruine So that this Christian King like Christ himselfe when he departed bequeathd peace to the world And had this doctrine beene as zealously followed as it was uttered the succeeding time had not beene guiltie of so many sad confusions But for the present a perfect reconciliation appear'd both sides lovingly imbracing and protesting all amitie in the future So that with comfort hee forsooke the world and may well be said to have deserved a generall applause in this last sceane of his life Among his words of farewell at his death it is worthy observation that he solemnly protested his repentance for obtaining the Crowne with so much blood as the necessitie of the quarrell spilt Which certainly showes a most singular pietie considering the indubitable justice of his title And withall teacheth Princes a new lesson that the power of sway great men so superstitiously adore is but the Idoll of folly and ambition Whose oracles delude the living but on our death-beds we discerne the truth and hate the irreligion of our former errour Concerning the occasion of his death there is much varietie in opinion for by severall authors it is severally imputed to poison griefe and surfeit They who ascribe it to poyson are the passionate enemies of Richard Duke of Glocesters memory Who permit not nature at that time to have beene obnoxious to decay but make thè death of every Prince an act of violence or practise And in regard this cruell Lord was guiltie of much blood without any other argument condemne him for those crimes from which he was however actually most innocent The French affirme it to have proceeded from griefe conceiv'd upon repudiation of his daughter and detention of the tribute But they looking on our affaires a farre off mistake the shadow for the substance desirous perhaps that King Lewys should kill a King of England by a new weapon And certainly Lewys did perswade himselfe that King Edward was slaine this way and congratulated his wit much in the accident But this carries not the least apparence of probabilitie Great sorrowes kill for the most part suddenly else by a languishing decay of nature whereas King Edward dyed not presently upon the report nor yet drew melancholly from this injurie but a brave anger fierce to seeke revenge Moreover griefe hath the◠bin observed most powerfull over life when the disconsolate hath no eare to which hee may expresse himselfe and no hope left for remedy whereas King Edward breath'd forth passions to his Councell and found in them a simpathy both in the sorrow and the rage And as for revenge certainly the state of England was never better prepar'd to exact it The King being a valiant and fortunate leader the people inured heretofore to the exercise