Edward the 5 King of EnglaÌ„d â—â—d France Lord of Ireland THE HISTORIE OF THE PITIFVLL Life and unfortunate Death of Edward the fifth and the then Duke of Yorke his brother With the troublesome and tyrannical government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end Written by the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellor of England LONDON Printed by Thomas Payne for the Company of Stationers and are to be sold by Mich Young at his shop in Bedford-street in Covent-Garden neere the new Exchange 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IOHN LENTHALL Knight Marshall of the Kings-bench SIR IT is not unknowne to the World the great eare earnest sedulitie laudable custome that hath alwaies been observed in all ages for the preservation of antiquities by meanes wherof the acts and occurrences of former times are so clearely demonstrated as if they were manifested to the world by a perfect and lively representation which affordeth in it selfe a double profit doth thereby allure all well-disposed persons to the imitation of those things which are honest and vertuous and to the evitation of such things as are evill and obnoxious letting them therby understand the happie issue and successe of the one and the miserable and wretched end and event of the other for histories are as so many Records and Registers of matters that hath beene already past which being a thing that our humane natures are much inclined unto gives a great pleasure and delight in the reading Especially to those that are well affected to the same The consideration hereof hath moved me to revive that which hath for a long time been raked up in the embers of oblivion For there comming by chance into my hand a booke long since printed the authour whereof was that famous and learned Knight Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellour of England wherein is set forth the short Raigne and unfortunate death of the two young Princes Edward the fith the theÌ„ Duke of York his brother with the troublesome and tyrannicall government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end both which for the matter of the subject the worth of the Authour who lived in those times deserves to bee memorized to succeeding ages which having for many yeares escaped the presse and by that meanes likely to bee utterly lost I have thought it not amisse to put to my helping hand for the restoring of it to the world and because I know you to bee a gentleman that delights your selfe in matters of this nature I am bould to crave your patronage herein and that you would be pleased to shelter it under the wings of your protect on not doubting but by that meanes it will bee as welcome to the world and as wel entertained as it hath formerly beene which being the thing I wish together with your pardon for this my presumption I humbly rest Yours to Command W. S. THE PITTIFVLL LIFE OF KING EDVVARD the Fifth THE Eternall God calling to his Mercy the Noble Prince King Edward the Fourth of that Name Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales began his Reigne the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. and in the 23. yeere of Lewis the eleventh then French King Which young Prince reigned a small space and little season over this Realme either in pleasure or liberty For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester within three months deprived him not onely of his Crowne and Regality but also unnaturally bereft him of his naturall life And for the declaration by what crafty engin he first attempted his ungracious purpose and by what false colourable and untrue allegations he set forth openly his pretensed enterprise and finally by what shamefull cruell and detestable act he performed the same Ye must first consider of whom he and his Brother descended their natures conditions and inclinations and then you shall easily perceive that there could not be a more cruell Tyrant appointed to atchieve a more abominable enterprise Their Father was Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke which began not by warre but by Law to challenge the crown of England putting his claime in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the sixth where either for right or for favour his cause was so set forth and advanced that the Blood of the said King Henry although he had a goodly Son was clearly abjected and the Crowne of the Realme by authority of Parliament entayled to the Duke of Yorke and his Heires after the decease of the said King Henry the Sixth But the Duke not intending so long to tarry but minding under the pretext of dissention growne and risen within the Realm and of Covenants made in the Parliament not kept but broken to prevent the time and to take upon him the Governance in King Henries life was by too much hardinesse slaine at the Battaile of Wakefield leaving behind him three sonnes Edward George and Richard All these three as they were great estates of Birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy of promotions and impatient partners of rule and authority This Edward revenged his Fathers death and deposed King Hâ—nry the Sixth and attained the Crowne and Scepter of the Realme George Duke of Clarence was a goodly and well â—eatured Prince in all things fortunâ—te if either his owne ambition had not for him against his Brother or the envy of his enemies had not set his Brothâ—r against him for were it by the Queene or the Nobles of her Bloud which highly maligned the Kings Kindred as women commonly not of malice but of Nature hate such as their husbands love or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at the least wise heinous Treason was laid to his charge and finally were he in fault or were he faultlesse attainted was hee by Parliament and judged to death and thereupon hastily drowned in a But of Malmsey within the Towre of London Whose death King Edward although hee commanded it when he wist it was done pitteously hee bewailed and sorrowfully repented it Richard Duke of Gloucester the third Sonne of which I must most entreat was in wit and courage equâ—ll with the other but in beauty and lineaments of Nature farre underneath both for he was little of stature evill featured of limbes crooke-backed the left shoulder much higher then the right hard favoured of visage such as in estates is called a warlike visage and among common persons a crabbed face He was malicious wrathfull and envious and as it is reported his Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell that shee could not be delivered of him uncut and that hee came into the world the feet forward as men be borne outward and as the fame ran not untoothed whether that men of hatred reported above the truth or that Nature changed his course in his beginning which in his life committed many things unnaturally this I
ancient times past in divers Realmes it hath beene accustomed and this was the first signe and token of his good lucke and felicitie I must put you here in remembrance how that King Richard putting some diffidence in the Lord Stanley which had with him as an hostage the Lord Strange his eldest sonne which Lord Stanley as you have heard before joyned not at the first with his sonne in lawes army for feare that King Richard would have slaine the Lord Strange his heire When King Richard was come to Bosworth he sent a pursevant to the Lord Stanley commanding him to advance forward with his company and to come to his presence which thing if hee refused to doe he swore by Christs passion that hee would strike off his sonnes head before hee dined The Lord Stanley answered the Pursevant that if the King did so hee had more sons alive and to come to him he was not then so determined when King Richard heard this answer hee commanded the Lord Strange incontinent to bee beheaded which was at that very same season when both the armies had â—ight each of the other The Councellors of King Richard pondering the time and the cause knowing also the Lord Strange to be innocent of his fathers offence perswaded the King that it was now time to fight and not time to execution advising him to keepe the Lord Strange as a prisoner till the battell was ended and then at leisure his pleasure might bee accomplished So as God would King Richard infringed his holy oath and the Lord wâ—s â—elivered 〈◊〉 the keepers of the Kings tenâ— to bee kept as a prisoner which when the field was done and their master slaine and proclamation made to know where the child was they submitted themselves as prisoners to the Lord Strange and hee gently received them and brought them to the new proclamed King where of him and of his father hee was received with great joy and gladnesse After this the whole campe removed with bag and baggage and the same night in the evening King Henry with great pompe came to the towne of Leicester Where as well for the refreshing of his people and souldiers as for preparing all things necessary for his journey toward London hee rested and reposed himselfe two dayes In the meane season the dead corps of King Richard was as shamefully carried to the towne of Leicester as hee gorgiously the day before with pompe and pride departed out of the same towne For his body was naked and despoyled to the skin and nothing left about him not so much as a clout to cover his privie members and was trussed behind a pursevant of armes called Blaunche Senglier or white Boare like a hogge or a calfe the head and armes hanging on the one side of the horse and the legges on the other side and all besprinkled with mire and blood was brought to the Gray Fryers Church within the towne and there laid like a miserable spectacle but surely considering his mischievous acts and Facinorous doings men may worthily wonder at such a caitive and in the said Church hee was with no lesse funerall pompe and solemnitie interred then hee would to bee done at the burying of his innocent Nephewes whom hee caused cruelly to bee murthered and unnaturally to be quelled When his death was known few lamented and many rejoyced the proud bragging white Boare which was his badge was violently rased and plucked downe from every signe and place where it might be espied so ill was his life that men wished the memorie of him to bee buried with his carren corpes Hee raigned two yeares two moneths and one day As he was small and little of stature so was he of body greatly deformed the one shoulder higher then the other his face small but his countenance was cruell and such that a man at the first aspect would judge it to savour and smell of malice fraude and deceit when hee stood musing hee would bite and chew beasly his nether lippe as who said that his fierce nature in his cruell body alwaies chafed stirred and was ever unquiet besides that the dagger that hee wore hee would when hee studied with his hand plucke up and downe in the sheath to the midst never drawing it fully out his wit was pregnant quicke and ready wille to â—iegne and apt to dissemble hee had a proud minde and an arrogant stomacke the which accompanied him to his death which hee rather desiring to suffer by dent of sword then being forsaken and destitute of his untrue companions would by coward flight preserve and save his uncertaine life Which by malice sicknesse or condigne punishment â—ight chanâ—e shortly after to come to confusion Thus ended this Prince his mortall life with infamie and dishonour which never preferred fame or honesty before ambition tyranny and mischiefe And if hee had continued still Protectour and suffered his Nephewes to have lived and raigned no doubt but the Realme had prospered and hee much praysed and beloved as hee is now abhorred and vilipended but to God which knew his interior cogitations at the hower of his death I commit the punishment of his offences committed in his life FINIS This Kings time with some part of King Richard the third as shall appeare by a note made at that place was written by Sir Thomas Moore Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke The 3. sonnes of Richard Duke of Yorke described George Duke of Clarence drowned in a But of Maâ—msey The Description of Richard the 3. King Henry the 6. slaine in the Tower by Richard the 3. An Exhortation of King Edward the 4. on his death bed Edmund Shaw Maior of London Of Sanctuaries The discription of Shores wife The discription of King Edwards three Concubines The destruction of King Edwards Children King Edwards Children murthered
leave to Gods Judgement Hee was no evill Captaine in warre as to the which his disposition was more inclined then to peace Sundry Victories he had and some Overthrowes but never for default of his owne person either for lacke of hardinesse or politicke order Free hee was of his exspences and somewhat above his power liberall with large gifts he gat him unstedfast friendship for which cause he was faine to borrow pill and extort in other places which gat him stedfast hatred Hee was close and secret a deep dissembler lowly of countenance arrogant of heart outwardly familiar where he inwardly hated not letting to kisse whom he thought to kill spitefull and cruell not alway for ill will but oftner for ambition and to serve his purpose friend and foe were all indifferent where his advantage grew hee spared no mans death whose life withstood his purpose He slew in the Tower King Henry the Sixth saying Now is there no Heire male of King Edward the third but we of the House of Yorke which murder was done without King Edward his assent which would have appointed that butcherly office to some other rather then to his owne Brother Some Wise men also thinke that his drift lacked not in helping forth his owne Brother of Clarence to his death which thing in all appearance he resisted although hee inwardly minded it And the cause thereof was as men noting his doings and proceedings did marke because that he long in King Edwards time thought to obtaine the Crown in case that the King his Brother whose life he looked that ill dyet would soone shorten should happen to decease as he did indeed his children being young And then if the Duke of Clarence had lived his pretensed purpose had been farre hindered For if the Duke of Clarence had kept himselfe true to his Nephew the young King every one of these casts had bin a Trumpe in the Duke of Gloucesters way but when he was sure that his Brother of Clarence wat dead then hee knew that hee might worke without that danger But of these points there is no certainety and whosoever divineth or conjectureth may as well shoot too farre as too short but this conjecture afterward tooke place as few doe as you shall perceive hereafter But before I declare to you how this Richard Duke of Gloucâ—ster began his mischievous imagined and pretended enterprise as apparently shall be opened I must a little put you in remembrance of a loving and charitable act no lesse profitable then pleasing to the whole Commonalty if it had bin so inwardly thought as it was outwardly dissembled which King Edward did lying on his death bed not long before he dyed For in his life although that the division amongst his friends somewhat grieved and vexed him yet in his health he lesse regarded and tooke heed to it by reason that he thought that he was able in all things to rule both parties were they never so obstinate But in his last sicknesse which continued longer then false and fantasticall tales have untruly and falsely surmised as I my selfe that wrote this Pamphlet truely knew when hee perceived his naturall strength was gone and hoped little of recovery by the arts of all his Physicians which he perceived onely to prolong his life Then he began to consider the youth of his Children howbeit hee nothing lesse mistrusted then that that hapned yet he wisely foreseeing and considering that many harmes might ensue by the debate of his Nobles while the youth of his children should lack discretion and good counsell of their friends for hee knew well that every part would worke for their owne commodity and rather by pleasant advice to win themselves favour then by profitable advertisement to doe the Children good wherefore lying on his death bed at Westminster hee called to him such Lords as then were about him whom hee knew to be at variance especially the Lord Marquesse Dorset son to the Queen and the Lord Hastings against whom the Queene especially grudged for the favour that the King bare him and also she thought him familiar with the King in wanton company her Kin bare him envy aswell for that the King made him Captaine of Calice which office the Lord Rivers Brother to the Queene claimed of the King by his former promise as of divers other gifts which hee received that they looked for And when these Lords with divers other of both parties were come unto the Kings presence he caused himselfe to be raised up with pillowes and as I can guesse said thus or much like in sentence to them My Lords my deare kinsmen and allies in what plight I now lye you see and I perfitly feele by the which I look the lesse while to live with you therefore the more deeply I am moved to care in what case I leave you for such as I leave you such are my children like to finde you which if they should finde at variance as God forbid they themselves might hap to fall at warre ere their discretion would serve to set you at peace You see their youth of which I reckon the onely surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not all you to love them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse might hap to suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authority and slippery youth underpropped with elder counsell which they can never have except you give it nor you give it except you agree for where each laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred each impugneth others counsell there must needes be a long tract ere any good conclusion can issue And further while each partie laboureth to be chiefe flatterer adulation shall then have more place then plaine and faithfull advice of which must needes ensue the evill bringing up of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to mischiefe and riot and draw downe this Noble Realme to ruine But if grace turne him to wisedome which God send him then they which by evill meanes pleased him best shall after fall farthest out of favour so that at the length evill drifts drive to naught and good plaine wayes prosper and flourish Great variance hath beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Sometime a thing right well intended and misconstrued hath beene turned to the worse or a small displeasure done to you either by your owne affection or by instigation of evill tongues hath beene sorely aggravated But this I know wel you had never so great cause of hatred as you have of love because wee be all men and that we be all Christian men This I will leave to Preachers to tell you and yet I know not whether any Preachers words ought more to move you then I that am going by and by to the place that they alpreach of But this shall I desire of you to remember that the one part of you being of my bloud the
other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
and the blood from the earth cryeth to Almighty God for vengeance If the common people cryed out I assure you the friends of the Queene and her children made no lesse exclamation and complaint with loud voyce lamentably crying and saying alas what will â—e doe to others that thus shamefully murdereth his owne bloud without cause or desert whom will hee save when hee slayeth the poore Lambes committed to him in trust now wee see and behold that the most cruell tyranny hath invaded the Common-wealth now wee see that in him is neither hope of Justice nor trust of Mercy but abundance of cruelty and thirst of innocent bloud But when this newes was first brought to the infortunate mother of the dead children yet being in Sanctuary no doubt but it strake to her heart like the sharpe dart of death for when shee was first informed of the murther of her two Sonnes shee was suddenly amazed with the greatnesse of the cruelty that for feare she sounded and fell downe to the ground and there lay in a great agony like to a dead corps And after that shee came to her memory and was revived againe shee wept and sobbed and with pittifull scrieches shee replenished the whole Mansion her brest shee strooke her faire haire shee tore and pulled in pieces and being overcome with sorrow and pensivenesse rather desired death then life calling by name divers times her sweet Babes accounting her selfe more then mad that she deluded by wile and fraudulent promises delivered her younger sonne out of the Sanctuary to his enemy to be put to death thinking that next the oath made to God broken and the duty of allegeance toward her children violated she of all creatures in that point was most seduced and deceived After long lamentation when shee saw no hope of revenging otherwise she kneeled downe and cryed on God to take vengeance for the deceitfull perjury as who said shee nothing mistrusted but once hee would remember it What is hee living that if hee remember and behold these two noble infants without deserving so shamefully murthered that will not abhorre the fact yea and be moved and tormented with pitty and mercy And yet the world is so fraile and our nature so blinde that few be stirred with such examples obliviously forgetting and little considering that oftentimes for the offences by the Parents perpetrate and committed that sinne is punished in their line and posterity This chance might so happeÌ„ to these innocent children because King Edward their Father and Parent offended in staining his conscience hee made his solemne oath before the Gate of the City of Yorke as you have heard before and promised and sware one thing by his word thinking cleane contrary in his heart as after did appeare And afterward by the death of the Duke of Clarence his brother hee incurred of likelihood the great displeasure toward God After this murther thus perpetrated and that hee had visited his Towne of Gloucester which hee for his old Dignity both loved and with ample liberties and priviledges endowed and decorated he tooke his journy toward the County of Yorke where the people abusing his lawfull favour as hee both favoured and trusted them in his heart had of late presumed to attempt divers routs and riots contray to his lawes and infringing of his peace and upon hope of his maintenance were so elated that no Lord were he never of so great power could either pacifie or rule them till the King himselfelfe came personally thither to set a concord and an unity in that Country and to bridle and rule the rude rusticall and blustering bold people of that region and so he by long journeying came to the Citie of Yorke where the Citizens received him with great pompe and triumph according to the qualities of their education and quantity of their substance and ability and made divers dayes playes and Pageants in token of joy and solace Wherefore King Richard magnified and applauded of the North Nation and also to shew himself apparantly before them in habit royall with Scepter in hand and Diadem on his head made Proclamation that all persons should resort to Yorke on the day of the Ascention of our Lord where all men should both behold and see him his Queene and Prince in their high estates and degrees and also for their good wills should have received many thankes large benefits magnificent rewards At the day appointed the whole clergie assembled in Copes richly vested and so with a reverent ceremonie went about the citie in procession after whom folowed the King with his Crowne and Scepter apparelled in his Circot robe royall accoÌ„panied with no smal number of the nobilitie of his Realme after whom marched in order Queene Anne his wife crowned leading in her left hand Prince Edward her son having on his head a demy crown appointed for the degree of a Prince The King was had in that triumph in such honour and the common people of the North so rejoyced that they extolled and praysed him farre above the Starres After this solemne feast and glorious pompe he kept great counsellers there as well for the ordering of the countrey in time as for the brideling and punishing of such as there had misgoverned themselves and further of the gentlemen of that countrey he augmented the number of his domestical Ministers and servants in the which persons he put his whole trust and affiance When all things were thus discreetly ordered hee returned by Notingham and after came to London whom more for dread then for love the Citezens received in great companies Thus King Richard by a new invented crueltie late practised tyranny obtained and grew to high praise and honour and then by the admiration and judgment of the common multitude he was most esteemed to bee exalted into Heaven when hee covertly had intelligence that hee was like to loose his estate and could by no meanes have long continuance in his usurped power for assuredly after the death of King Edwards children when any blustering winde perrilous thunder or terrible tempest chanced or were apparently like to happen Sodainely the people having in their fresh memorie the facinorous act of their King and Prince would openly cry and make vociferation that God did take vengance and punish the poore Englishmen for the crime and offence of their ungratious King whom they blamed accursed and wished to have extreame tortures Although King Richard heard often of these slaunderous words malicious sayings and knew well by what persons they were spoken yet he durst not with strong hand bee on the first inventors revenged knowing that some time it is no wisedome to refuse or disdaine them that tell a ruler his dutie or declare to him his misbehaviour towards the common wealth or counsell him to amend and change his ill life After this great felicity he fell againe into a great feare and pensivenesse of minde and because he could by no meanes either correct
win favour Hee was first upon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and neither left it nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queene and the Prince And while King Edward had King Henry in prison hee never returned but to the field at Barnet after which field lost and utterly subdued and all par-takings extinguished King Edward for his fast faith wisedome was not onely content to receive him but also wooed him to come and had him from thenceforth both in secret trust and speciall favour whom he never deceived For hee being after King Edwards death first taken by the tyrant for his truth to the King found the meanes to set the Duke in his toppe and joyned gentlemen together in aide of the Earle of Richmond which after was named King Henry the sevenâ—h First devising the marriage betweene the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth by the which his faithfull and true service declared to both his masters at once was an infinite benift to the Realme by the conjunction of the bloods of Lancaster and Yorke whose funerall titles had long unquieted the Realme This man afterwards escaped from the Duke and fled the Realme and never returned and went to Rome never minded to meddle with the world till King Henry the seventh sent for him and after made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England and after was made Cardinall and lived well to all mens judgements and died well But to returne to the former purpose he by the long and often alternate proofe as well of prosperity as adverse fortune had gotten by great experience the very mother and mistris of wisedome and deepe insight in politike and worldly drifts wherby perceiving now the Duke to commune with him fed him with faire words and many prayses and perceiving by the griefe of their communications the Dukes pride now and then to balke out a little brayd of envie towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the waies to pricke him forward taking alwaies the occasion of his comming and also keeping himself close within his bands that he rather seemed to follow him then to leade him For when the Duke began first to praise and boast the King to shew how much profit the Realme should take by his reigne Bishop Morton answered surely my Lord folly it were for mee to lie for I am sure if I would sweare the contrary ye would not once beleeve mee but if the world would have begunne as I would have wished that King Henries sonne had had the Crowne and not King Edward then would I have beene his true and faithfull subject but after that God had ordained him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was never so mad with a dead man to strive against the quicke so was I ever to King Edward a faithfull and true chaplin and glad would have beene that his children should have succeeded him howbeit if the secret judgement of God have otherwise provided I purpose not to spurne against the prick nor labour to set up that God pulleth downe And as for the late protector and now King and with that word hee left saving that he said that he had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his booke and beades and no further Then longed the Duke sore to heare what hee would have said because hee ended with the King and there so sodainely stopped and exhorted him familiarly betweene them both to be bold and to say whatsoever hee thought whereof he faithfully promised there should never come hurt and peradventure more good then hee would thinke And that hee himselfe intended to use his faithfull secret advice and counsaile which he said was the onely cause for the which hee procured of the King to have him in his custody where he might reckon himselfe at home or else hee had beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not have found like favour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said in good faith my Lord I love not much to talke of Pâ—inces as of a thing not all out of perill although the word bee without fault but yet it must be as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesops talke that when the Lyon had proclamed that on paine of death there should no horned beasts come into the wood one beast that had a bunch of flesh growing out of his head fled a great pace the foxe that saw him flie with all the hast asked him whither he fled In faith quoth he I neither know nor care so I were once hence because of the proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the foxe the Lyon never meant it by thee for that which thou hast is no horne in thy head No marry quoth hee I know that well enough but if hee say it is a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Bore shall picke any matter at any thing here spoken for it shall never come neere their eares In good faith sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken as well as before God I meant it could deserve but thankes and yet taken as I thinke it would might happen to turne mee to little good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke much more to know what it was Whereupon the Bishop said In good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith hee is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the wealth of this realme wherof his grace hath now the governance and whereof I my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise yet might it have pleased God for the better store to have given him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of the Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your grace and there left off againe The Duke somewhat marvelling at his sodaine pauses as though they were but parentheses with a high countenance said my Lord I evidently perceive and no lesse note your often breathing and sudden stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your words neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might perceive and have knowledge what your inward intent is now toward the King or what affectioÌ„ you beare toward me For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to us both for the which I my selfe knowledge and recognise to have none nor looke for no praise of any creature for the same maketh me not a little to muse thinking that you have some other privie Imagination by love or by grudge ingraved and
nor nothing he enterprised nor tooke in hand by the which he should be driven thereunto For his tribute out of France he had a little before recovered and obtained And the yeere before he dyed hee recovered againe the Towne of Barwicke against the King of Scots And albeit that all the time of his reigne he was so benigne courteous and familiar that no part of his vertues was esteemed more than those high humilities Yet that condition in the end of his last dayes decayed not in the which many Princes by a long continued Soveraignty decline to a proud port and behaviour from their conditions accustomed at their beginning Yet lowlinesse and gentlenesse so farre forth in him increased that the Summer before he dyed hee being at Havering at the Bower sent for the Maior of London thither onely to hunt and make pastime where hee made them not so hearty but so familiar and friendly cheere and sent also to their Wives such plenty of Venison that no one thing in many dayes before gat him either more hearts or more hearty favour amongst the common people which oftentimes more esteeme and take for great kindnesse a little courtesie then a great profit or benefit And so this Noble Prince deceased as you have heard in that time his life was most desired and when his people most desired to keepe him Which love of his people and their entire affection toward him had beene to his Noble Children having in themselves also as many gifts of Nature as many Princely vertues as much good towardnesse as their age could receive a marvellous fortresse and a sure armour if the division and dissention of their friends had not unarmed them and left them destitute and the execrable desire of Soveraignty provoked him to their destruction which if either kind or kindnesse had holden place must needes have beene their defence For Richard Gloucester by nature their Uncle by Office their Protectour to their Father greatly beholden and to them by oath and allegiance bounden all the bonds broken and violated which binde man and man together without any respect of God or the World unnaturally contrived to bereave them not onely of their dignity and pre-eminence but also of their naturall lives and worldly felicity And first to shew you that by conjecture he pretended this thing in his Brothers life yee shall understand for a truth that the same night that King Edward dyed one called Mistelbrooke long ere the day sprung came to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse-street without Cripple Gate of London and when he was with hasty wrapping quickly let in the said Mistelbrooke shewed unto Pottier that King Edward was that night deceased by my truth quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be King and that I warrant thee What cause hee had so to thinke hard it is to say whether hee being his servant knew any such thing pretended or otherwise had any inkling thereof but of all likelihood hee spake it not of nought But now to returne to the true History were it that the Duke of Gloucester had of old sore practised this conclusion or was before-time moved thereunto and put in hope by the tender age of the young Princes his Nephews as opportunity and likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that that he never intended Certaine it is that he being in the North parts for the good governance of the Countrey being advertised of his Brothers death contrived the destruction of his Nephewes with the usurpation of the Royall Dignity and Crowne And forasmuch as he well wist and had holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings Bloud either part envying others authority he now thought as it was indeed a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of his intent and a sure ground and situation of his unnatural building if hee might under the pretence of revenging of old displeasures abuse the ignorance and anger of the one party to the destruction of the other and then to win to his purpose as many as he could and such as could not be won might be lost ere they looked for it But of one thing hee was certaine that if his intent were once perceived hee should have made peace betweene both parties with his owne bloud but all his intent he kept secret till hee knew his friends of the which Henry the Duke of Buckingham was the first that sent to him after his Brothers death a trusty servant of his called Persivall to the City of Yorke where the Duke of Gloucester kept the K. his brothers Funeralls This Persivall came to Iohn Ward a cret Chamberer to the Duke of Gloucester desiring that hee in close and covert manner might speake with the Duke his Master whereupon in the dead of the night the Duke sent for Persivall all other being avoided which shewed to the Duke of Gloucester that the Duke of Buckingham his Master in this new World would take such part as hee would and would farther waite upon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were The Duke sent backe the Messenger with great thankes and divers privie instructions by mouth which Persivall did so much by his travell that he came to the Duke of Buckingham his Master into the Marches of Wales and presently after with new instructions met with the Duke of Gloucester at Notingham which was come out of the North-country with many Knights and Gentlemen to the number of 600. Horse and more in his journey towards London And after secret meeting and communication had betweene him and the Duke of Gloucester hee returned with such speed that hee brought the Duke of Buckingham his Master to meete with the Duke of Gloucester not far from Northampton with three hundred Horses and so they two came together to Northampton where they first began their unhappy enterprise and so the Duke of Buckingham continued stil with the Duke of Gloucester till he was crowned King as yee shall plainely perceive hereafter The young King at the death of his Father kept houshold at Ludlow for his Father had sent him thither for Justice to be done in the Marches of Wales to the end that by the authority of his presence the wilde Welshmen and evill disposed persons should refraine from their accustom'd murthers and outrages The governance of this young Prince was committed to Lord Anthony Woodvile Earle Rivers and Lord Scales Brother to the Queene a wise hardy and honourable personage as valiant of hands as politick in Counsell and with him were associate others of the same party and in effect every one as hee was neere of kin unto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince That drift by the Queene seemed to be devised whereby her bloud might of right in tender youth be so planted in the Princes favour that afterward it should hardly be eradicated out of the same The Duke of
him a cup of wine coverd and when hee had dranke he cast out the wine and departed with the cup. After that the Heralds cried a largesse thrice in the Hall and so went up to their stage At the end of dinner the Major of London served the King and Queene with sweete wine and had of each of them a cup of gold with a cover of gold And by that time that all was done it was darkenight and so the King returned to his chamber and every man to his lodging When this feast was thus finished the King sent home all the Lords into their countries that would depart except the Lord Stanley whom hee retained till hee heard what his sonne the Lord Strange went about And to such as went home hee gave straight charge and commandement to see their Countries well ordered that no wrong nor extortion should bee done to his subjects And thus hee taught others to execute justice and equitie the contrary wherof he daily exercised hee also with great rewards given to the Northerne men which hee sent for to his Coronation sent them home to their Countrey with great thankes Whereof divers of them as they all bee of nature very greedy of authoritie and especially when they thinke to have any comfort or favour tooke on them so highly and wrought such Masteries that the King was faine to ride thither in his first yeare and to put some in execution and stay the Country or else no small mischiefe had ensued Incontinent after this he sent a solemne Embassage to Lewis the French King to conclude a league and amitie with him trusting also to obtaine the tribute which King Edward his brother had before out of France but the French King so abhorred him and his crueltie that he would neither see nor heare his Embassadors and so in vaine they returned Now after this triumphant Coronation there fell mischiefs thicke and thicke and as the thing evill gotten is never well kept so through all the time of his usurped reigne never ceased there cruell murther death and slaughter till his own destruction ended it But as hee finished with the best death and most fitting that is to say his owne so beganne he with the most pitteous and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent Nephewes the young King and his tender brother whose death and finall fortune hath neverthelesse so farre come in question that some remained long in doubt whether they were in his dayes destroyed or no. Not for that that Parkin Warbeck by many folkes folly so long space abusing the world was aswell with Princes as with poore people reputed and taken for the yonger of these two But for that also that all things were so covertly demeaned one thing pretended and another meant that there was nothing so plaine and openly proved but that yet for the common custome of close covert dealing men had it ever inwardly suspect as many well counterfet jewels make the true mistrusted Howbeit concerning that opinion men may see the conveiance thereof in the Noble Prince King Henry the seventh in the processe of Parkin But in the meane season for this present matter I shall rehearse to you the dolorous end of these two babes not after every way that I have heard but after that way that I have so heard by such men and such meanes as I thinke it to be hard but it should be true King Richard after his Coronation taking his way to Gloucester to visite in his new honour the towne of which hee bare the name of old devised as hee roade to fulfill that thing which hee before had intended And forasmuch as his minde gave him that his Nephewes living men would not recon that hee could have right to the Realme he thought therefore without delay to rid them as though the killing of his kinsmen might end his cause and make him kindly King Whereupon he sent Iohn Greene whom he specially trusted unto sir Robert Brakenbury Constable of the Tower with a letter and credence also that the same sir Robert in any wise should put the two children to death This Iohn Greene did his errand to Brakenbury kneeling before our Lady in the Tower who plainely answered that hee would never put them to death to dye therefore With the which answer Greene returned recompting the same to King Richard at Warwicke yet on his journey wherewith hee tooke such displeasure and thought that the same night hee said to a secret page of his Ah whom shall a man trust they that I have brought up my selfe they that I thought would have most surely served mee even those faile me and at my commandment will doe nothing for mee Sir quoth the page there lieth one in the palet chamber without that I dare say will doe your Grace pleasure the thing were right hard that he would refuse meaning this by Iames Tirell which was a man of a goodly personage and for the gifts of nature worthy to have served a much better Prince if he had well served God and by grace obtained to have as much truth and good will as hee had strength and wit The man had an high heart and sore longed upward not rising yet so fast as he had hoped being hindered and kept under by sir Richard Ratcliffe and sir William Catesbey which longing for no more partners of the Princes favour namely not for him whose pride they knew would beare no peere kept him by secret drifts out of all secret trust which thing this page had well marked and knew wherefore this occasion offered of very speciall friendship spied his time to set him forward and in such wise to doe him good that all the enemies that he had except the devill could never have done him so much hurt and shame for upon the pages words King Richard arose for this communication had he sitting on a draft a convenient carpet for such a councell and came out into the palet chamber where hee did finde in bed the said Iames Tyrell and sir Thomas Tyrell of person like and brethren of blood but nothing of kinne in conditions Thē said the King merrily what sirs bee you in bed so soone and called up Iames Tyrell and brake to him secretly his minde in this mischievous matter in the which hee found him nothing strange Wherefore on the morrow he sent him to Brakinbury with a letter by the which hee was commanded to deliver to the said Iames all the keyes of the Tower for a night to the end that he might there accomplish the Kings pleasure in such things as hee there had given him in commandement After which letter delivered and the keyes received Iames appointed the next night ensuing to destroy them devising before and preparing the meanes The Prince assoone as the Protector tooke upon him to be King and left the name of Protectour was thereof advertised and shewed that he should not reigne but his Vncle