two Sonnes EDWARD and RICHARD Duke of Yorke both very young EDWARD the eldest succeeded their Father in the Crowne by the name of King EDWARD the Fift But RICHARD Duke of Glocester their vnnaturall Vnckle first thirsting after the Kingdome through Ambition and afterwards thirsting for their Bloud out of desire to secure himselfe imployed an Instrument of his confident to him as hee thought to murther them both But this Man that was imployed to execute that execrable Tragedie hauing cruelly slaine King EDWARD the eldest of the two was mooued partly hy Remorse and partly by some other meane to saue RICHARD his Brother making a Report neuerthelesse to the Tyrant that hee had performed his Commandement for both Brethren This Report was accordingly beleeued and published generally So that the World hath beene possessed of an Opinion that they both were barbarously made away though euer Truth hath some sparkes that flye abroade vntill it appeare in due time as this hath had But Almighty GOD that stopped the Mouth of the Lion and saued little JOAS from the Tyrannie of ATHALIAH when shee massacred the Kings Children and did saue ISAACK when the hand was stretched forth to sacrifice him preserued the second Brother For I my selfe that stand heere in your presence am that very RICHARD Duke of Yorke Brother of that infortunate Prince King EDWARD the Fift now the most rightfull suruiuing Heire-Male to that Uictorious and most Noble EDWARD of that Name the Fourth late King of England For the manner of my Escape it is fit it should passe in silence or at least in a more secret Relation for that it may concerne some aliue and the memorie of some that are dead Let it suffice to thinke I had then a Mother liuing a Queene and one that expected dayly such a Commandement from the Tyrant for the murthering of her Children Thus in my tender age escaping by GODS Mercie out of London I was secretly conueyed ouer Sea Where after a time the Partie that had mee in Charge vpon what new Feares change of Minde or Practice GOD knoweth suddenly forsooke mee Whereby I was forced to wander abroade and to seeke meane Conditions for the sustaining of my Life Wherefore distracted betweene seuerall Passions the one of Feare to bee knowne lest the Tyrant should haue a new Attempt vpon mee the other of Griefe and Disdaine to bee vnknowne and to liue in that base and seruile manner that I did I resolued with my selfe to expect the Tyrants Death and then to put my selfe into my Sisters hands who was next Heire to the Crowne But in this Season it happened one HENRIE TIDDER sonne to EDMOND TIDDER Earle of Richmond to come from France and enter into the Realme and by subtile and foule meanes to obtaine the Crowne of the same which to mee rightfully appertained So that it was but a Change from Tyrant to Tyrant This HENRIE my extreame and mortall Enemie so soone as hee had knowledge of my beeing aliue imagined and wrought all the subtill waies and meanes hee could to procure my finall Destruction For my mortall Enemie hath not onely falsly surmised mee to bee a fayned Person giuing mee Nick-names so abusing the World but also to deferre and put mee from entrie into England hath offered large Summes of Money to corrupt the Princes and their Ministers with whom I haue beene retayned and made importune Labours to certaine Seruants about my Person to murther or poyson mee and others to forsake and leaue my Righteous Quarrell and to depart from my Seruice as Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and others So that euery Man of Reason may well perceiue that HENRIE calling himselfe King of England needed not to haue bestowed such great Summes of Treasure nor so to haue busied himselfe with importune and incessant Labour and Industrie to compasse my Death and Ruine if I had beene such a fained Person But the truth of my Cause beeing so manifest moued the most Christian King CHARLES and the Lady Duchesse Dowager of Burgundie my most Deare Aunt not onely to acknowledge the truth thereof but louingly to assist mee But it seemeth that GOD aboue for the good of this whole Island and the knitting of these two Kingdomes of England and Scotland in a strait Concord and Amitie by so great an Obligation had reserued the placing of mee in the Imperiall Throne of England for the Armes and Succours of your Grace Neither is it the first time that a King of Scotland hath supported them that were bereft and spoyled of the Kingdome of England as of late in fresh memorie it was done in the Person of HENRY the Sixth Wherefore for that your Grace hath giuen cleare Signes that you are in no Noble qualitie inferiour to your Royall Ancestours I so distressed a Prince was hereby mooued to come and put my Selfe into your Royall Hands desiring your Assistance to recouer my Kingdome of England promising faithfully to beare my Selfe towards your Grace no otherwise than If I were your owne Naturall Brother and will vpon the Recouerie of mine Inheritance gratefully doe you all the Pleasure that is in my vtmost Power AFter PERKIN had told his Tale King IAMES answered brauely and wisely That whatsoeuer hee were hee should not repent him of putting himselfe into his hands And from that time forth though there wanted not some about him that would haue perswaded him that all was but an Illusion yet notwithstanding either taken by PERKINS amiable and alluring behauiour or inclining to the recommendation of the great Princes abroade or willing to take an occasion of a Warre against King HENRY hee entertained him in all things as became the person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke embraced his Quarrell and the more to put it out of doubt that hee tooke him to bee a great Prince and not a Representation onely hee gaue consent that this Duke should take to wife the Lady KATHERINE GORDON daughter to the Earle Huntley beeing a neare Kinswoman to the King himselfe and a young Uirgin of excellent beautie and vertue Not long after the King of Scots in person with PERKIN in his company entred with a great Armie though it consisted chiefly of Borderers beeing raysed somewhat suddenly into Northumberland And PERKIN for a Perfume before him as hee went caused to be published a Proclamation of this tenor following in the name of RICHARD Duke of Yorke true inheritor of the Crowne of England IT hath pleased GOD Who putteth downe the Mightie from their Seate and exalteth the Humble and suffereth not the Hopes of the Iust to perish in the end to giue Us meanes at the length to shew Our Selues armed vnto Our Leiges and People of England But far bee it from Us to intend their hurt and dammage or to make Warre vpon them otherwise than to deliuer Our Selfe and them from Tyrannie and Oppression For our mortall Enemie HENRY TIDDER a false Vsurper of the Crowne of England which to Vs by Naturall and Lineall Right
appertaineth knowing in his owne Heart Our vndoubted Right Wee being the very RICHARD Duke of Yorke younger Sonne and now suruiuing Heire-male of the Noble and Uictorious EDWARD the Fourth late King of England hath not onely depriued Us of Our Kingdome but likewise by all foule and wicked meanes sought to betray Us and bereaue Us of Our Life Yet if his Tyrannie onely extended it selfe to Our Person although Our Royall Bloud teacheth Us to bee sensible of Iniuries it should bee lesse to Our Griefe But this TIDDER who boasteth himselfe to haue ouerthrown a Tyrant hath euer since his first entrance into his Vsurped Reigne put little in practice but Tyrannie and the feats thereof For King RICHARD our Vnnaturall Uncle although desire of Rule did blinde him yet in his other actions like a true PLANTAGENET was Noble and loued the Honour of the Realme and the Contentment and Comfort of his Nobles and People But this our Mortall Enemie agreeable to the meanesse of his Birth hath troden under foote the honour of this Nation selling our best Confederates for Money and making Merchandize of the Bloud Estates and Fortunes of our Peeres and Subiects by fained Warres and dishonourable Peace onely to enrich his Coffers Nor vnlike hath beene his hatefull Mis-gouernement and euill Deportments at home First hee hath to fortifie his false Quarrell caused diuers Nobles of this our Realme whom hee held Suspect stood in dread of to be cruelly murthred as our Cousin Sir VVILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlain Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir ROBERT RATCLIFFE WILLIAM DAWBENEY HVMPHREY STAFFORD and many others besides such as haue dearely bought their liues with intolerable Ransomes Some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also hee hath long kept and yet keepeth in Prison our right entirely welbeloued Cosen EDWARD Sonne and Heire to our Unckle Duke of Clarence and others with-holding from them their rightfull Inheritance to the intent they should neuer be of might and power to aide and assist vs at our neede after the dutie of their Liegeances Hee also married by Compulsion certaine of our Sisters and also the Sister of our said Cosen the Earle of VVarwicke and diuers other Ladies of the Royall Bloud vnto certaine of his Kinsmen and Friends of simple and low Degree and putting apart all Well-disposed Nobles he hath none in fauour and trust about his Person but Bishop FOX SMITH BRAY LOVEL OLIVER KING DAVID OWEN RISELEY TVRBERVILE TILER CHOLMLEY EMPSON IAMES HOBART IOHN CVT GARTH HENRY WYAT and such other Caitifes and Uillaines of Birth which by subtile inuentions and Pilling of the People haue beene the principall Finders Occasioners and Counsellors of the Mis-rule and Mischiefe now reigning in England Wee remembring these Premisses with the great and execrable Offences daily committed and done by our foresaid great Enemie and his Adherents in breaking the Liberties and Franchises of our Mother the Holy Church vpon pretences of Wicked and Heathenish Policie to the high displeasure of Almightie GOD besides the manifold Treasons abominable Murthers Man-slaughters Robberies Extortions the dayly Pilling of the People by Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences and other vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions with many other haynous Effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realme shall by Gods Grace and the helpe and assistance of the great Lords of our Bloud with the Counsell of other sad Persons see that the Commodities of our Realme bee imployed to the most aduantage of the same the entercouse of Merchandise betwixt Realme and Realme to bee ministred and handled as shall more bee to the Common weale and prosperity of our Subiects and all such Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions as bee aboue rehearsed to bee fore-done and layd apart and neuer from henceforth to bee called vpon but in such cases as our noble Progenitors Kings of England haue of old time bin accustomed to haue the Ayde Succour and helpe of their Subiects and true Liege-men And further wee doe out of our Grace and Clemencie hereby as well publish and promise to all our Subiects Remission and free Pardon of all By-past Offences whatsoeuer against our Person or Estate in adhering to our said Enemie by whom wee know well they haue beene mis-led if they shall within time conuenient submit themselues vnto Us. And for such as shall come with the foremost to assist our Righteous Quarrell wee shall make them so farre partakers of our Princely Fauour and Bountie as shall bee highly for the Comfort of them and theirs both during their Life and after their Death As also wee shall by all meanes which GOD shall put into our hands demeane our selues to giue Royall contentment to all Degrees and Estates of our People maintaining the Liberties of Holy Church in their Entire preseruing the Honours Priuiledges and Preheminences of our Nobles from Contempt or disparagement according to the Dignitie of their Bloud Wee shall also vnyoake our People from all heauie Burthens and Endurances and confirme our Cities Boroughes and Townes in their Charters Freedoms with inlargement where it shal be deserued and in all points giue our Subiects cause to thinke that the blessed and debonaire Gouernment of our Noble Father King EDWARD in his last times is in vs reuiued And for as much as the putting to death or taking aliue of our said Mortall Enemie may bee a meane to stay much effusion of Blood which otherwise may ensue if by Compulsion or faire Promises hee shall draw after him any number of our Subiects to resist vs which wee desire to auoyd though wee bee certainely informed that our said Enemie is purposed and prepared to flye the Land hauing already made ouer great Masses of the Treasure of our Crowne the better to support him in Forraine Parts Wee doe hereby declare That whosoeuer shall take or distresse our said Enemie though the Party bee of neuer so meane a Condition hee shall bee by Us rewarded with a Thousand Pound in Money forthwith to bee laid downe to him and an Hundred Markes by the yeare of Inheritance besides that hee may otherwise merit both toward God and all good People for the destruction of such a Tyrant Lastly wee doe all men to wit and herein wee take also God to witnesse That whereas GOD hath mooued the Heart of our Dearest Cousin the King of Scotland to aide vs in Person in this our righteous Quarrell it is altogether without any Pact or Promise or so much as demaund of any thing that may preiudice our Crowne or Subiects But contrariwise with promise on our said Cousins part that whensoeuer hee shall finde vs in sufficient strength to get the vpper hand of our Enemie which wee hope will bee very suddenly hee will forthwith peaceably returne into his owne Kingdome contenting himselfe onely with the glorie of so Honourable an Enterprise and our true and faithfull Loue and Amitie Which wee shall euer by the Grace of Almightie GOD
the Order of the Garter to ALPHONSO Duke of Calabria eldest sonne to FERDINANDO King of Naples An honour sought by that Prince to hold him vp in the eyes of the Italians Who expecting the Armes of CHARLES made great account of the Amitie of England for a Bridle to France It was receiued by ALPHONSO with all the Ceremonie and Pomp that could bee deuised as things vse to be carried that are intended for Opinion It was sent by VRSWICK vpon whom the King bestowed this Ambassage to helpe him after many drie Employments AT this time the King began againe to be haunted with Sprites by the Magicke and curious Arts of the Lady MARGARET Who raysed vp the Ghost of RICHARD Duke of Yorke second Sonne to King EDWARD the Fourth to walke and vex the King This was a finer Counterfeit Stone than LAMBERT SYMNELL better done and worne vpon greater hands being graced after with the wearing of a King of France and a King of Scotland not of a Duchesse of Burgundie onely And for SIMNELL there was not much in him more than that hee was a handsome Boy and did not shame his Robes But this Youth of whom wee are now to speake was such a Mercuriall as the like hath seldome beene knowne and could make his owne Part if at any time hee chanced to bee out Wherefore this being one of the strangest Examples of a Personation that euer was in Elder or Later Times it deserueth to bee discouered and related at the full Although the Kings manner of shewing things by Peeces and by Darke Lights hath so muffled it that it hath left it almost as a Mysterie to this day The Lady MARGARET whom the Kings Friends called IVNO because shee was to him as IVNO was to AENEAS stirring both Heauen and Hell to doe him mischiefe for a foundation of her particular Practices against him did continually by all meanes possible nourish maintaine and divulge the flying Opinion That RICHARD Duke of Yorke second Sonne to EDWARD the Fourth was not murthered in the Tower as was giuen out but saued aliue For that those who were imployed in that barbarous Fact hauing destroyed the elder Brother were stricken with remorse and compassion towards the younger and set him priuily at libertie to seeke his Fortune This Lure shee cast abroad thinking that this Fame and Beleefe together with the fresh Example of LAMBERT SIMNELL would draw at one time or other some Birds to strike vpon it Shee vsed likewise a further diligence not committing all to Chance For she had some secret Espials like to the Turks Commissioners for Children of Tribute to looke abroad for handsome and gracefull Youths to make PLANTAGENETS and Dukes of Yorke At the last she did light on one in whom all things met as one would wish to serue her turne for a Counterfeit of RICHARD Duke of York This was PERKIN WARBECK whose Aduentures wee shall now describe For first the yeares agreed well Secondly hee was a Youth of fine fauour and shape But more than that hee had such a craftie and bewitching fashion both to mooue Pitie and to induce Beleefe as was like a kind of Fascination and Inchantment to those that saw him or heard him Thirdly he had beene from his Child-hood such a Wanderer or as the King called him such a Land-loper as it was extreme hard to hunt out his Nest and Parents Neither againe could any man by companie or conuersing with him be able to say or detect well what hee was he did so flit from place to place Lastly there was a Circumstance which is mentioned by one that wrote in the same time that is very likely to haue made somewhat to the matter which is That King EDWARD the Fourth was his God-father Which as it is somewhat suspicious for a wanton Prince to become Gossip in so meane a House and might make a man thinke that hee might indeed haue in him some base Bloud of the House of YORKE so at the least though that were not it might giue the occasion to the Boy in being called King EDWARDS God-sonne or perhaps in sport King EDWARDS Sonne to entertaine such Thoughts into his Head For Tutor hee had none for ought that appeares as LAMBERT SIMNELL had vntill hee came vnto the Lady MARGARET who instructed him Thus therefore it came to passe There was a Townes-man of Tourney that had borne office in that Towne whose name was IOHN OSBECKE a Convert-Iew married to CATHERINE DE FARO whose businesse drew him to liue for a time with his wife at London in King EDWARD the fourths daies During which time hee had a sonne by her and being knowne in Court the King either out of a religious Noblenesse because hee was a Conuert or vpon some priuate acquaintance did him the Honour as to bee Godfather to his child and named him PETER But afterwards proouing a dainty and effeminate Youth hee was commonly called by the Diminutiue of his name PETER-KIN or PERKIN For as for the name of WARBECKE it was giuen him when they did but guesse at it before examinations had been taken But yet hee had been so much talked on by that name as it stucke by him after his true name of OSBECKE was knowne While hee was a young child his Parents returned with him to Tourney Then was hee placed in a house of a kinsman of his called IOHN STENBECK at Antwerpe and so roued vp and down betweene Antwerp and Tourney and other Townes of Flanders for a good time liuing much in English Companie and hauing the English Tongue perfect In which time beeing growne a comely Youth hee was brought by some of the espialls of the Lady MARGARET vnto her Presence Who viewing him well and seeing that hee had a Face and personage that would beare a noble fortune And finding him otherwise of a fine spirit and winning behauiour thought she had now found a curious Peece of Marble to carue out an Image of a Duke of Yorke Shee kept him by her a great while but with extreme secrecy The while shee instructed him by many Cabinet-Conferences First in Princely behauiour and gesture teaching him how hee should keepe State and yet with a modest sense of his misfortunes Then shee informed him of all the circumstances and particulars that concerned the Person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke which hee was to act Describing vnto him the Personages Lineaments and Features of the King and Queen his pretended Parents and of his Brother and Sisters and diuers others that were neerest him in his Childhood together with all passages some secret some common that were fit for a Childs memorie vntill the death of King EDWARD Then she added the particulars of the time from the Kings death vntill hee and his brother were committed to the Tower aswell during the time hee was abroad as while he was in Sanctuarie As for the times while hee was in the Tower and the manner of his Brothers death and his owne
kind of astonishment mixt of Ioy and Wonder at his miraculous deliuerance receiuing him as if hee were risen from Death to Life and inferring that GOD who had in such wonderfull manner preserued him from Death did likewise reserue him for some great and prosperous Fortune As for his dismission out of France they interpreted it not as if hee were detected or neglected for a Counterfeit Deceiuer but contrariwise that it did shew manifestly vnto the World that hee was some Great matter for that it was his abandoning that in effect made the Peace being no more but the sacrificing of a poore distressed Prince vnto the vtilitie and Ambition of two Mightie Monarchs Neither was PERKIN for his part wanting to himselfe either in gracious and princely behauiour or in ready and apposite answers or in contenting and caressing those that did applie themselues vnto him or in prettie scorne and disdaine to those that seemed to doubt of him but in all things did notably acquite himselfe Insomuch as it was generally beleeued aswell amongst great Persons as amongst the Vulgar that he was indeed Duke RICHARD Nay himselfe with long and continuall counterfeiting and with oft telling a Lye was turned by habit almost into the thing heesee med to bee and from a Lyer to a Beleeuer The Duchesse therefore as in a case out of doubt did him all princely honour calling him alwaies by the name of her Nephew and giuing him the Delicate Title of the White-rose of England and appointed him a Guard of thirtie Persons Halberdiers clad in a Party-coloured Liuerie of Murrey and Blue to attend his Person Her Court likewise and generally the Dutch and Strangers in their vsage towards him expressed no lesse respect The Newes hereof came blazing and thundering ouer into England that the Duke of Yorke was sure aliue As for the name of PERKIN WARBECK it was not at that time come to light but all the newes ranne vpon the Duke of Yorke that hee had beene entertayned in Ireland bought and sold in France and was now plainly auowed and in great honour in Flanders These Fames tooke hold of diuers In some vpon discontent in some vpon ambition in some vpon leuitie and desire of change and in some few vpon conscience and beleefe but in most vpon simplicitie and in diuers out of dependance vpon some of the better sort who did in secret fauour and nourish these bruits And it was not long ere these rumours of Noueltie had begotten others of Scandall and Murmur against the King and his gouernment taxing him for a great Taxer of his People and discountenancer of his Nobilitie The losse of Britaine and the Peace with France were not forgotten But chiefly they fell vpon the wrong that hee did his Queene in that hee did not reigne in her Right Wherefore they said that GOD had now brought to light a Masculine-Branch of the House of YORKE that would not bee at his Curtesie howsoeuer hee did depresse his poore Ladie And yet as it fareth in things which are currant with the Multitude and which they affect these Fames grew so generall as the Authors were lost in the generalitie of Speakers They being like running Weedes that haue no certaine root or like Footings vp and downe impossible to be traced But after a while these ill Humours drew to an head and setled secretly in some eminent Persons which were Sir WILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The Lord FITZ-WATER Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir THOMAS THWAITES These entred into a secret Conspiracie to fauour Duke RICHARDS Title Neuerthelesse none engaged their fortunes in this businesse openly but two Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and Master WILLIAM BARLEY who sailed ouer into Flanders sent indeed from the Partie of the Conspiratours here to vnderstand the truth of those things that passed there and not without some helpe of monies from hence Prouisionally to bee deliuered if they found and were satisfied that there was truth in these pretences The person of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD being a Gentleman of Fame and Familie was extremely welcome to the Ladie MARGARET Who after shee had conference with him brought him to the sight of PERKIN with whom hee had often speech and discourse So that in the end wonne either by the Duchesse to affect or by PERKIN to beleeue hee wrote backe into England that he knew the Person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke as well as hee knew his owne and that this Young-man was vndoubtedly hee By this meanes all things grew prepared to Reuolt and Sedition here and the Conspiracie came to haue a Correspondence betweene Flanders and England The King on his part was not asleepe but to Arme or leuie Forces yet he thought would but shew feare and doe this Idoll too much worship Neuerthelesse the Ports hee did shut vp or at least kept a Watch on them that none should passe to or fro that was suspected But for the rest hee choose to worke by Countermine His purposes were two the one to lay open the Abuse The other to breake the knot of the Conspirators To detect the Abuse there were but two wayes The first to make it manifest to the world that the Duke of Yorke was indeed murthered The other to prooue that were he dead or aliue yet PERKIN was a Counterfeit For the first thus it stood There were but foure Persons that could speake vpon knowledge to the murther of the Duke of Yorke Sir IAMES TIRREL the employed-man from King RICHARD IOHN DIGHTON and MILES FORREST his seruants the two Butchers or Tormentors and the Priest of the Tower that buried them Of which foure MILES FOREST and the Priest were dead and there remained aliue onely Sir IAMES TIRREL and IOHN DIGHTON These two the King caused to bee committed to the Tower and examined touching the manner of the death of the two innocent Princes They agreed both in a Tale as the King gaue out to this effect That King RICHARD hauing directed his warrant for the putting of them to death to BRACKENBVRIE the Lieutenant of the Tower was by him refused Whereupon the King directed his Warrant to Sir IAMES TIRREL to receiue the keyes of the Tower from the Lieutenant for the space of a night for the Kings speciall seruice That Sir IAMES TIRREL accordingly repaired to the Tower by night attended by his two Seruants afore-named whom hee had chosen for that purpose That himselfe stood at the staire-foot and sent these two Villaines to execute the murther That they smothered them in their bed that done called vp their Master to see their naked dead bodies which they had laid forth That they were buried vnder the Staires and some stones cast vpon them That when the report was made to King RICHARD that his will was done hee gaue Sir IAMES TIRREL great thankes but tooke exception to the place of their buriall being too base for them that were Kings children Whereupon another night by the Kings warrant renued their
Friar condemned to perpetuall Imprisonment This also hapning so opportunely to represent the danger to the Kings Estate from the Earle of Warwicke and thereby to colour the Kings seueritie that followed together with the madnesse of the Friar so vainely and desperately to divulge a Treason before it had gotten any manner of strength and the sauing of the Friars life which neuerthelesse was indeed but the priuiledge of his Order and the Pitie in the Common People which if it runne in a strong Streame doth euer cast vp Scandal and Enuie made it generally rather talked than belieued that all was but the Kings deuice But howsoeuer it were hereupon PERKIN that had offended against Grace now the third time was at the last proceeded with and by Commissioners of Oyer and Determiner arraigned at Westminster vpon diuers Treasons committed and perpetrated after his comming on land within this Kingdome for so the Iudges aduised for that he was a Forreiner and condemned and a few dayes after executed at Tiburne Where hee did againe openly read his Comfession and take it vpon his Death to bee true This was the end of this little Cockatrice of a King that was able to destroy those that did not espie him first It was one of the longest Playes of that kind that hath beene in memorie and might perhaps haue had another end if hee had not met with a King both wise stout and fortunate As for PERKINS three Councellors they had registred themselues Sanctuarie-men when their Master did And whether vpon pardon obtained or continuance within the Priuiledge they came not to bee proceeded with There was executed with PERKIN the Maior of Corke and his Sonne who had beene principall Abettors of his Treasons And soone after were likewise condemned eight other Persons about the Tower-Conspiracie whereof foure were the Lieutenants men But of those Eight but two were executed And immediatly after was arraigned before the Earle of Oxford then for the time High-Steward of England the poore Prince the Earle of Warwicke not for the Attempt to escape simply for that was not acted And besides the Imprisonment not beeing for Treason the Escape by Law could not bee Treason But for conspiring with PERKIN to raise sedition and to destroy the King And the Earle confessing the Inditement had Iudgement and was shortly after beheaded on Tower-hill This was also the end not onely of this Noble and Commiserable Person EDVVARD the Earle of Warwicke eldest Sonne to the Duke of Clarence but likewise of the Line-Male of the PLANTAGENETS which had flourished in great Royaltie and Renowne from the time of the famous King of England King HENRIE the Second Howbeit it was a Race often dipped in their owne Bloud It hath remained since onely transplanted into other Names as well of the Imperiall Line as of other Noble Houses But it was neither guilt of Crime nor reason of State that could quench the Enuie that was vpon the King for this Execution So that hee thought good to export it out of the Land and to lay it vpon his new Allie FERDINANDO King of Spaine For these two Kings vnderstanding one another at halfe a word so it was that there were Letters shewed out of Spaine whereby in the passages concerning the Treatie of the Marriage FERDINANDO had written to the King in plaine termes that hee saw no assurance of his Succession as long as the Earle of Warwicke liued and that hee was loth to send his Daughter to Troubles and Dangers But hereby as the king did in some part remoue the Enuie from himselfe so hee did not obserue that hee did withall bring a kind of Malediction and Infausting vpon the Marriage as an ill Prognosticke Which in euent so farre proued true as both Prince ARTHVR enioyed a verie small time after the Marriage and the Ladie KATHERINE her selfe a sad and a religious woman long after when King HENRIE the Eight his resolution of a Diuorce from her was first made knowne to her vsed some words That shee had not offended but it was a Iudgment of GOD for that her former Marriage was made in bloud meaning that of the Erale of Warwicke This fifteenth yeare of the king there was a great Plague both in London and in diuers parts of the Kingdome Wherefore the king after often change of Places whether to auoide the danger of the Sickenesse or to giue occasion of an Enteruiew with the Arch-Duke or both sayled ouer with his Queene to Calice Vpon his comming thither the Arch-Duke sent an honourable Ambassage vnto him aswell to welcome him into those parts as to let him know that if it pleased him hee would come and doe him reuerence But it was said withall That the King might bee pleased to appoint some place that were out of any Walled Towne or Fortresse for that hee had denied the same vpon like occasion to the French king And though hee said he made a great difference betweene the two kings yet hee would bee loth to giue a President that might make it after to bee expected at his hands by another whom hee trusted lesse The king accepted of the Courtesie and admitted of his Excuse and appointed the place to be at Saint PETERS Church without Calice But withall hee did visit the Arch-Duke with Ambassadors sent from himselfe which were the Lord Saint IOHN and the Secretarie vnto whom the Arch-Duke did the honour as going to Masse at Saint Omers to set the Lord Saint IOHN on his right hand and the Secretarie on his left and so to ride betweene them to Church The day appointed for the Enteruiew the king went on Horse backe some distance from Saint PETERS Church to receiue the Arch-Duke And vpon their approaching the Arch-Duke made hast to light and offered to hold the kings Stirrope at his alighting which the king would not permit but descending from Horse backe they embraced with great affection and withdrawing into the Church to a place prepared they had long Conference not onely vpon the Confirmation of former Treaties and the freeing of Commerce but vpon Crosse Marriages to bee had betweene the Duke of Yorke the Kings second Sonne and the Arch-Dukes Daughter And againe betweene CHARLES the Arch-Dukes Sonne and Heire and MARIE the Kings second Daughter But these Blossoms of vnripe Marriages were but friendly wishes the Aires of louing Entertainement though one of them came afterwards to Conclusion in Treatie though not in Effect But during the time that the two Princes conuersed and communed together in the Suburbs of Calice the Demonstrations on both sides were passing heartie and affectionate especially on the part of the Arch-Duke Who besides that hee was a Prince of an excellent good nature beeing conscious to himselfe how driely the King had beene vsed by his Councell in the matter of PERKIN did striue by all meanes to recouer it in the Kings Affection And hauing also his eares continually beaten with the Councels of his Father and
THE HISTORIE Of the REIGNE of KING HENRY THE SEVENTH Written by the Right Hon FRANCIS LO Virulam Viscount S. ALBAN Whereunto is now added a very vsefull and necessary TABLE London printed by I. H. and R. Y. and are to be sold by Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith At the Signe of the Golden Lyon in Pauls-Church-yard 1629. TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND MOST EXCELLENT PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall Earle of Chester c. It may Please Your Highnesse In part of my acknowledgment to Your Highnesse I haue endeuoured to doe Honour to the Memory of the last King of ENGLAND that was Ancestour to the King your Father and Your selfe and was that King to whom both Unions may in a sort referre That of the Roses beeing in him Consummate and that of the Kingdomes by him begunne Besides his Times deserue it For hee was a Wise Man and an Excellent King and yet the Times were rough and full of Mutations and rare Accidents And it is with Times as it is with Wayes Some are more Vp-hill and Downe-hill and some are more Flat and Plaine and the One is better for the Liuer and the Other for the Writer I haue not flattered him but took him to life as well as I could sitting so farre off and hauing no better light It is true Your Highnesse hath a Liuing Patterne Incomparable of the King your Father But it is not amisse for You also to see one of these Ancient Peeces GOD preserue Your Highnesse Your Highnesses most humble and deuoted Seruant Francis St. Alban THE HISTORIE OF THE REIGNE OF King HENRY the Seuenth AFter that RICHARD the third of that name King in fact onely but Tyrant both in Title and Regiment and so commonly termed and reputed in all times since was by the Diuine Reuenge fauouring the designe of an Exilde man ouerthrowne and slaine at Bosworth-field There succeeded in the Kingdome the Earle of Richmond thence-forth stiled HENRY the Seuenth The King immediately after the Victorie as one that had beene bred vnder a deuout Mother and was in his nature a great Obseruer of religious formes caused Te Deum Laudamus to be solemnely sung in the presence of the whole Armie vpon the place and was himselfe with generall applause and great Cries of Ioy in a kind of Militar Election or Recognition saluted King Meane-while the body of RICHARD after many indignities and reproches the Dirigies and Obsequies of the common people towards Tyrants was obscurely buried For though the King of his noblenesse gaue charge vnto the Friers of Leicester to see an honourable interrment to be giuen to it yet the Religious People themselues being not free from the humors of the Vulgar neglected it wherein neuerthelesse they did not then incurre any mans blame or censure No man thinking any ignominie or contumely vnworthy of him that had beene the Executioner of King HENRY the Sixth that innocent Prince with his owne hands the Contriuer of the death of the Duke of Clarence his Brother the Murderer of his two Nephewes one of them his lawfull King in the Present and the other in the Future fayling of him and vehemently suspected to haue beene the Impoisoner of his wife thereby to make vacant his Bed for a Marriage within the Degrees forbidden And although he were a Prince in Militar vertue approued iealous of the honour of the English Nation and likewise a good Law-maker for the ease and solace of the common people yet his Cruelties and Parricides in the opinion of all men weighed downe his Vertues and merits and in the opinion of wise men euen those Vertues themselues were conceiued to bee rather fained and Affected things to serue his Ambition then true Qualities ingenerate in his Iudgement or Nature And therfore it was noted by men of great vnderstanding who seeing his after Acts looked backe vpon his former Proceedings that euen in the time of King EDWARD his Brother he was not without secret Traines and Mines to turne Enuie and Hatred vpon his Brothers Gouernement as hauing an Expectation and a kind of Diuination that the King by reason of his many disorders could not be of long life but was like to leaue his Sonnes of tender yeares and then hee knew well how easie a step it was from the place of a Protector and first Prince of the Bloud to the Crowne And that out of this deepe root of Ambition it sprang that aswell at the Treatie of peace that pussed betweene EDWARD the Fourth and LEWIS the Eleuenth of France concluded by Enteruiew of both Kings at Piqueny as vpon all other Occasions RICHARD then Duke of Glocester stood euer vpon the side of Honour raising his owne Reputation to the disaduantage of the King his Brother and drawing the eyes of all especially of the Nobles and Souldiours vpon himselfe as if the King by his voluptuous life and meane marriage were become effeminate and lesse sensible of honour and Reason of State then was fit for a King Andras for the Politique and wholesome Lawes which were enacted in his time they were interpreted to be but the Brocage of an Vsurper therby to wooe and winne the hearts of the people as being conscious to himselfe that the true obligations of Soueraigntie in him failed and were wanting But King HENRY in the very entrance of his Reigne and the instant of time when the Kingdome was cast into his Armes met with a Point of great difficultie and knotty to solue able to trouble and confound the wisest King in the newnesse of his Estate and so much the more because it could not endure a Deliberation but must be at once deliberated and determined There were fallen to his lot and concurrent in his person three seuerall Titles to the Imperiall Crowne The first the title of the Lady Elizabeth with whom by precedent Pact with the Partie that brought him in he was to marry The second the ancient and long disputed Title both by Plea and Armes of the House of Lancaster to which he was Inheritour in his owne Person The third the Title of the Sword or Conquest for that he came in by victorie of Battaile and that the King in possession was slaine in the field The first of these was fairest and most like to giue contentment to the people who by two and twentie yeares Reigne of King EDWARD the Fourth had beene fully made capable of the clearnesse of the Title of the White-Rose or House of Yorke and by the milde and plausible Reigue of the same king toward his Latter time were become affectionate to that Line But then it lay plaine before his Eyes that if he relied vpon that Title he could be but a King at Curtesie and haue rather a Matrimoniall then a Regall power the right remaining in his Queene vpon whose decease either with Issue or without Issue he was to giue place and bee remoued And though he should obtaine by Parliament to bee continued
these Mists but contrariwise hee had a fashion rather to create Doubts then Assurance Thus was Fuell prepared for the Sparke the Sparke that afterwards kindled such a fire and combustion was at the first contemptible There was a subtill Priest called RICHARD SIMON that liued in Oxford and had to his Pupill a Bakers sonne named LAMBERT SIMNELL of the age of some fifteene yeares a comely Youth and weli fauoured not without some extraordinarie dignitie and grace of aspect It came into this Priests fancie hearing what men talked and in hope to raise himselfe to some great Bishopricke to cause this Lad to counterseit and personate the second sonne of EDWARD the Fourth supposed to be murdered and afterward for he changed his intention in the manage the Lord EDWARD PLANTAGENET then prisoner in the Tower and accordingly to frame him and instruct him in the Part hee was to play This is that which as was touched before seemeth scarcely credible Not that a False person should be assumed to gaine a Kingdome for it hath beene seene in ancient and late times nor that it should come into the mind of such an abiect Fellow to enterprise so great a matter for high Conceits doe sometimes come streaming into the Imaginations of base persons especially when they are drunke with Newes and talke of the people But heere is that which hath no apparance That this Priest being vtterly vnacquainted with the true Person according to whose patterne hee should shape his Counterfeit should thinke it possible for him to instruct his Player either in gesture and fashions or in recounting past matters of his life and education or in fit answers to questions or the like any wayes to come neare the resemblance of him whom hee was to represent For this Lad was not to personate one that had beene long before taken out of his Cradle or conueighed away in his infancie knowne to few but a Youth that till the age almost of ten yeares had beene brought vp in a Court where infinite eyes had beene vpon him For King EDWARD touched with remorse of his brother the Duke of Clarences death would not indeed restore his sonne of whom wee speake to bee Duke of Clarence but yet created him Earle of Warwicke reuiuing his honour on the mothers side and vsed him honourably during his time though RICHARD the Third afterwards confined him So that it cannot bee but that some great Person that knew particularly and familiarly EDWARD PLANTAGENET had a hand in the businesse from whom the Priest might take his ayme That which is most probable out of the precedent and subsequent Acts is that it was the Queene Dowager from whom this action had the principall source and motion For certaine it is shee was a busie negotiating woman and in her withdrawing Chamber had the fortunate Conspiracie for the King against King RICHARD the Third beene hatched which the King knew and remembred perhaps but too well and was at this time extremely discontent with the King thinking her daughter as the King handled the matter not aduanced but depressed and none could hold the Booke so well to prompt and instruct this Stage-Play as she could Neuerthelesse it was not her meaning nor no more was it the meaning of any of the better and sager sort that fauoured this Enterprise and knew the Secret that this disguised Idoll should possesse the Crowne but at his perill to make way to the Ouerthrow of the King and that done they had their seuerall Hopes and Waies That which doth chiefly fortifie this Coniecture is that as soone as the matter brake forth in any strength it was one of the Kings first Acts to cloister the Queene Dowager in the Nunnery of Bermondsey and to take away all her lands and estate and this by close Councell without any legall proceeding vpon farre-fetcht Pretences That shee had deliuered her two daughters out of Sanctuarie to King RICHARD contrarie to promise Which Proceeding being euen at that time taxed for rigorous and vndue both in matter and maner makes it very probable there was some greater matter against her which the King vpon reason of Policie and to auoid enuy would not publish It is likewise no small argument that there was some secret in it and some suppressing of Examinations for that the Priest SIMON himselfe after hee was taken was neuer brought to execution no not so much as to publike Triall as many Clergie-men were vpon lesse Treasons but was only shut vp close in a Dungeon Adde to this that the after Earle of Lincolne a principall Person of the House of YORKE was slaine in Stoke-field the King opened himselfe to some of his Councell that he was sorie for the Earles death because by him hee said hee might haue knowne the bottome of his danger But to returne to the Narration it selfe SIMON did first instruct his Scholler for the part of RICHARD Duke of Yorke second sonne to King EDWARD the Fourth and this was at such time as it was voiced that the King purposed to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET prisoner in the Tower whereat there was great murmur But hearing soone after a generall bruit that PLANTAGENET had escaped out of the Tower and thereby finding him so much beloued amongst the people and such reioycing at his Escape the cunning Priest changed his Copie and chose now PLANTAGENET to bee the Subiect his Pupill should personate because hee was more in the present speech and votes of the people and it pieced better and followed more close and handsomley vpon the bruit of PLANTAGENETS escape But yet doubting that there would bee too neare looking and too much Perspectiue into his Disguise if hee should shew it here in England hee thought good after the manner of Scenes in Stage-Playes and Maskes to shew it a farre of and therfore sailed with his Scholler into Ireland where the Affection to the House of YORKE was most in height The King had beene a little improuident in the matters of Ireland and had not remoued Officers and Councellors and put in their places or at least intermingled persons of whom hee stood assured as he should haue done since hee knew the strong Bent of that Countrey towards the House of YORKE and that it was a ticklish and vnsetled State more easie to receiue distempers and mutations then England was But trusting to the reputation of his Victories and Successes in England hee thought hee should haue time enough to extend his Cares afterwards to that second Kingdome Wherefore through this neglect vpon the comming of SIMON with his pretended PLANTAGENET into Ireland all things were prepared for Reuolt and Sedition almost as if they had beene set and plotted before hand SIMONS first addresse was to the Lord THOMAS FITZ-GERARD Earle of Kildare and Deputie of Ireland before whose Eyes hee did cast such a Mist by his owne insinuation and by the carriage of his Youth that expressed a naturall Princely behauiour as ioyned perhaps
true Degree as it was and saw plainly that his Kingdome must againe be put to the Stake and that he must fight for it And first he did conceiue before he vnderstood of the Earle of Lincolnes sayling into Ireland out of Flanders that he should be assailed both vpon the East-parts of the Kingdome of England by some impression from Flanders and vpon the North-west out of Ireland And therefore hauing ordered Musters to be made in both Parts and hauing prouisionally designed two Generals IASPER Earle of Bedford and IOHN Earle of Oxford meaning himselfe also to goe in person where the Affaires should most require it and neuerthelesse not expecting any actuall Inuasion at that time the Winter being farre on he tooke his iourney himselfe towards Suffolke and Northfolke for the confirming of those parts And being come to S. Edmonds-bury hee vnderstood that THOMAS Marquesse Dorset who had beene one of the Pledges in France was hasting towards him to purge himselfe of some Accusations which had beene made against him But the King though hee kept an Eare for him yet was the time so doubtfull that hee sent the Earle of Oxford to meet him and forth with to carry him to the Tower with a faire Message neuerthelesse that hee should beare that disgrace with patience for that the King meant not his hurt but onely to preserue him from doing hurt either to the Kings seruice or to himselfe and that the King should alwayes be able when hee had cleared himselfe to make him reparation From S. Edmonds-bury he went to Norwich where he kept his Christmas And from thence he went in a manner of Pilgrimage to Walsingham where hee visited our Ladies Church famous for miracles and made his Prayers and Vowes for helpe and deliuerance And from thence he returned by Cambridge to London Not long after the Rebels with their King vnder the Leading of the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare the Lord LOVEL and Colonell SWART landed at Fouldrey in Lancashire whither there repaired to them Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON with some small companie of English The King by that time knowing now the Storme would not diuide but fall in one place had leuied Forces in good number And in person taking with him his two designed Generals the Duke of Bedford and the Earle of Oxford was come on his way towards them as farre as Couentry whence he sent forth a troupe of Light-Horsemen for discouerie and to intercept some straglers of the Enemies by whom he might the better vnderstand the particulars of their Progresse and purposes which was accordingly done though the King otherwise was not without intelligence from Espials in the Campe. The Rebels tooke their way towards Yorke without spoyling the Countrie or any act of Hostilitie the better to put themselues into fauour of the people and to personate their King who no doubt out of a princely feeling was sparing and compassionate towards his Subiects But their Snow-ball did not gather as it went For the people came not in to them Neither did any rise or declare themselues in other parts of the Kingdome for them which was caused partly by the good taste that the King had giuen his People of his Gouernement ioyned with the reputation of his Felicitie and partly for that it was an odious thing to the people of England to haue a King brought in to them vpon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch of which their Armie was in substance compounded Neither was it a thing done with any great iudgement on the Party of the Rebels for them to take their way towards Yorke Considering that howsoeuer those parts had formerly beene a Nurserie of their friends yet it was there where the Lord LOVEL had so lately disbanded and where the Kings presence had a little before qualified discontents The Earle of Lincolne deceiued of his hopes of the Countries concourse vnto him in which case he would haue temporized and seeing the businesse past Retract resolued to make on where the King was and to giue him battaile and therupon marched towards Newarke thinking to haue surprized the Towne But the King was somewhat before this time come to Nottingham where he called a Councell of Warre at which was consulted whether it were best to protract time or speedily to set vpon the Rebels In which Councell the King himselfe whose continuall vigilancie did sucke in sometimes causelesse suspitions which few else knew inclined to the accelerating a Battaile But this was presently put out of doubt by the great aides that came in to him in the instant of this Consultation partly vpon Missiues and partly Voluntaries from many parts of the Kingdome The principall persons that came then to the Kings aide were the Earle of Shrewesburie and the Lord STRANGE of the Nobilitie and of Knights and Gentlemen to the number of at least threescore and tenne persons with their Companies making in the whole at the least six thousand fighting men besides the Forces that were with the King before Wherupon the King finding his Armie so brauely re-enforced and a great alacritie in all his men to fight was confirmed in his former resolution and marched speedily so as hee put himselfe betweene the Enemies Campe and Newarke being loth their Armie should get the commoditie of that Towne The Earle nothing dismayed came forwards that day vnto a little Village called Stoke and there encamped that night vpon the Brow or hanging of a hill The King the next day presented him Battaile vpon the Plaine the fields there being open and champion The Earle couragiously came downe and ioyned Battaile with him Concerning which Battaile the relations that are left vnto vs are so naked and negligent though it be an action of so recent memorie as they rather declare the Successe of the day then the Manner of the fight They say that the King diuided his Armie into three Battailes whereof the vant-guard onely well strengthened with wings came to fight That the Fight was fierce and obstinate and lasted three houres before the victorie inclined either way saue that Iudgement might be made by that the Kings Vant-guard of it selfe maintained fight against the whole Power of the Enemies the other two Battailes remaining out of action what the successe was like to bee in the end That MARTIN SWART with his Germanes performed brauely and so did those few English that were on that side neither did the Irish faile in courage or fiercenesse but being almost naked men only armed with Darts and Skeines it was rather an Execution then a fight vpon them insomuch as the furious slaughter of them was a great discouragement and appalement to the rest That there died vpon the place all the Chiefetaines That is the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare FRANCIS Lord LOVEL MARTIN SWART and Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON all making good the fight without any ground giuen Onely of the Lord LOVEL there went a report that he fled and swam ouer Trent on
the King might appoint him Keepers to looke to him in Sanctuarie The King also for the better securing of his estate against mutinous and malecontented Subiects wherof He saw the Realme was full who might haue their refuge into Scotland which was not vnder Key as the Ports were For that cause rather then for any doubt of Hostilitie from those parts before his comming to London when he was at Newcastle had sent a solemne Ambassage vnto IAMES the third King of Scotland to treate and conclude a peace with him The Ambassadors were RICHARD FOXE Bishop of Excester and Sir RICHARD EDGCOMBE Comptroller of the Kings House who were honourably receiued and entertained there But the King of Scotland labouring of the same disease that King HENRY did though more mortall as afterwards appeared that is Discontented Subiects apt to rise and raise Tumuh although in his owne affection hee did much desire to make a Peace with the King Yet finding his Nobles auerse and not daring to displease them concluded onely a Truce for seuen yeeres giuing neuerthelesse promise in priuate that it should bee renewed from time to time during the two Kings liues HItherto the King had beene exercised in setling his affaires at home But about this time brake forth an occasion that drew him to looke abroad and to hearken to forraine businesse CHARLES the eight the French King by the vertue and good fortune of his two immediate Predecessors CHARLES the seuenth his Grand-father and LEWES the eleuenth his Father receiued the Kingdome of France in more flourishing and spread Estate than it had beene of many yeares before being redintegrate in those principall Members which anciently had beene portions of the Crowne of France and were after disseuered so as they remained onely in Homage and not in Soueraigntie being gouerned by absolute Princes of their owne Angeou Normandy Prouence and Burgundie There remained only Brittaine to be revnited and so the Monarchie of France to be reduced to the ancient Termes and Bounds King CHARLES was not a little inflamed with an ambition to repurchase and reannex that Duchie Which his ambition was a wise and well weighed Ambition not like vnto the ambitions of his succeeding enterprizes of Italie For at that time being newly come to the Crowne he was somewhat guided by his Fathers Counsels Counsels not Counsellors for his Father was his owne Counsell and had few able men about him And that King be knew well had euer distasted the designes of Italie and in particular had an eye vpon Brittaine There were many circumstances that did feed the ambition of CHARLES with pregnant and apparant hopes of Successe The Duke of Britaine old and entred into a Lethargie and serued with Mercenarie Counsellors father of two only daughters the one sickly and not like to continue King CHARLES himselfe in the flower of his age and the Subiects of France at that time well trayned for Warre both for Leaders and Souldiers men of seruice being not yet worne out since the warres of LEWIS against Burgundie Hee found himselfe also in peace with all his Neighbour-Princes As for those that might oppose to his enterprise MAXIMILIAN King of Romans his Riuall in the same desires as well for the Duchy as the Daughter feeble in meanes and King HENRY of England aswell somwhat obnoxious to him for his fauours and benefits as busied in his particular noubles at home There was also a faire and specious occasion offered him to hide his ambition and to iustifie his warring vpon Britaine for that the Duke had receiued and succoured LEWIS Duke of Orleance and other of the French Nobilitie which had taken Armes against their King Wherfore King CHARLES being resolued vpon that Warre knew well he could not receiue any opposition so potent as if King HENRY should either vpon Policie of State in preuenting the growing greatnesse of France or vpon gratitude vnto the Duke of Britaine for his former fauours in the time of his distresse espouse that quarrell and declare himselfe in aide of the Duke Therfore hee no sooner heard that King HENRY was setled by his victorie but forth with he sent Ambassadours vnto him to pray his assistance or at the least that hee would stand neutrall Which Ambassadours found the King at Leicester and deliuered their Ambassage to this effect They first imparted vnto the King the successe that their Master had had a little before against MAXIMILIAN in recouerie of certaine Townes from him which was done in a kind of priuacie and inwardnesse towards the King as if the French-king did not esteeme him for an outward or formall Confederate but as one that had part in his affections and fortunes and with whom he tooke pleasure to communicate his businesse After this Complement and some gratulation for the Kings victorie they fell to their errand declaring to the King that their Master was enforced to enter into a iust and necessarie Warre with the Duke of Britaine for that hee had receiued and succoured those that were Traitors and Declared Enemies vnto his Person and State That they were no meane distressed and calamitous Persons that fled to him for refuge but of so great qualitie as it was apparant that they came not thither to protect their owne fortune but to infest and inuade his the Head of them being the Duke of Orleance the first Prince of the bloud and the second Person of France That therfore rightly to vnderstand it it was rather on their Masters part a Defensiue Warre then an Offensiue as that that could not bee omitted or forborne if he tendred the conseruation of his owne Estate and that it was not the first Blow that made the Warre inuasiue for that no wise Prince would stay for but the first Prouocation or at least the first Preparation Nay that this Warre was rather a Suppression of Rebels then a Warre with a iust Enemie where the case is That his Subiects Traitors are receiued by the Duke of Britaine his Homager That King HENRY knew well what went vpon it in example if Neighbour-Princes should patronize and comfort Rebels against the Law of Nations and of Leagues Neuerthelesse that their Master was not ignorant that the King had beene beholding to the Duke of Britaine in his aduersitie as on the other side they knew he would not forget also the readinesse of their King in ayding him when the Duke of Britaine or his mercenary Councellors failed him and would haue betrayed him And that there was a great difference betweene the courtesies receiued from their Master and the Duke of Britaine for that the Dukes might haue ends of vtilitie and Bargaine whereas their Masters could not haue proceeded but out of entire Affection For that if it had beene measured by a politicke line it had beene better for his affaires that a Tyrant should haue reigned in England troubled and hated then such a Prince whose vertues could not saile to make him great and potent whensoeuer he
was come to be Master of his affaires But howsoeuer it stood for the point of obligation which the King might owe to the Duke of Britaine yet their Master was well assured it would not diuert King HENRY of England from doing that that was iust nor euer embarke him in so ill grounded a quarrell Therefore since this Warre which their Master was now to make was but to deliuer himselfe from imminent dangers their King hoped the King would shew the like affection to the conseruation of their Masters estate as their Master had when time was shewed to the Kings acquisition of his Kingdome At the least that according to the inclination which the King had euer professed of peace he would looke on and stand Neutrall for that their Master could not with reason presse him to vndertake part in the Warre being so newly setled and recouered from intestine seditions But touching the Mysterie of reannexing of the Duchy of Britaine to the Crowne of France either by Warre or by marriage with the Daughter of Britaine the Ambassadors bare aloofe from it as from a Rocke knowing that it made most against them And therefore by all meanes declined any mention thereof but contrariwise interlaced in their conference with the King the assured purpose of their Master to match with the Daughter of MAXIMILIAN And entertained the King also with some wandring Discourses of their Kings purpose to recouer by Armes his right to the Kingdome of Naples by an expedition in Person All to remoue the King from all iealousie of any Designe in these hither Parts vpon Britaine otherwise then for quenching of the fire which hee feared might bee kindled in his owne estate The King after aduice taken with his Coùncell made answer to the Ambassadors And first returned their Complement shewing hee was right glad of the French Kings reception of those Townes from MAXIMILIAN Then hee familiarly related some particular passages of his owne aduentures and victorie passed As to the businesse of Britaine the King answered in few words That the French King and the Duke of Britaine were the two persons to whom hee was most obliged of all men and that hee should thinke himselfe very vnhappie if things should goe so betweene them as he should not be able to acquite himselfe in gratitude towards them both and that there was no meanes for him as a Christian King and a Common friend to them to satisfie all obligations both to God and Man but to offer himselfe for a Mediator of an Accord and Peace betweene them by which course he doubted not but their Kings estate and honour both would be preserued with more Safetie and lesse Enuis then by a Warre and that hee would spare no cost or paines no if it were To goe on Pilgrimage for so good an effect And concluded that in this great Affaire which he tooke so much to heart hee would expresse himselfe more fully by an Ambassage which he would speedily dispatch vnto the French King for that purpose And in this sort the French Ambassadors were dismissed The King auoiding to vnderstand any thing touching the re-annexing of Britaine as the Ambassadors had auoided to mention it saue that hee gaue a little touch of it in the word Enuie And so it was that the King was neither so shallow nor so ill aduertised as not to perceiue the intention of the French for the inuesting himselfe of Britaine But first he was vtterly vnwilling howsoeuer hee gaue out to enter into Warre with France A Fame of a Warre he liked well but not an Atchieuement for the one hee thought would make him Richer and the other Poorer and hee was possessed with many secret feares touching his owne people which hee was therfore loth to arme and put weapons into their hands Yet notwithstanding as a prudent and couragious Prince he was not so auerse from a Warre but that he was resolued to choose it rather then to haue Britaine carried by France being so great and opulent a Duchy and situate so opportunely to annoy England either for Coast or Trade But the Kings hopes were that partly by negligence commonly imputed to the French especially in the Court of a young King and partly by the natiue power of Britaine it selfe which was not small but chiefely in respect of the great Partie that the Duke of Orleance had in the Kingdome of France and therby meanes to stirre vp Ciuill troubles to diuert the French-king from the enterprise of Britaine And lastly in regard of the power of MAXIMILIAN who was Corriuall to the French King in that Pursuit the Enterprize would eyther bow to a pace or breake in it selfe In all which the King measured and valued things amisse as afterwards appeared He sent therefore forth with to the French King CHRISTOPHER VRSWICKE his Chaplaine a person by him much trusted and imployed choosing him the rather because he was a Church-man as best sorting with an Ambassie of Pacification and giuing him also a Commission That if the French King consented to treat hee should thence repaire to the Duke of Britaine and ripen the Treatie on both parts VRSWICK made declaration to the French King much to the purpose of the Kings answer to the French Ambassadours here instilling also tenderly some ouerture of receiuing to grace the Duke of Orleance and some taste of Conditions of Accord But the French King on the other side proceeded not sincerely but with a great deale of art and dissimulation in this Treatie hauing for his end to gaine time and so put off the English-Succors vnder hope of Peace till he had got good footing in Britaine by force of Armes Wherefore he answered the Ambassadour That hee would put himselfe into the Kings hands and make him Arbiter of the Peace and willingly consented that the Ambassadour should straight wayes passe into Britaine to signifie this his consent and to know the Dukes minde likewise well fore-seeing that the Duke of Orleance by whom the Duke of Britaine was wholly led taking himselfe to be vpon termes irreconcileable with him would admit of no Treatie of Peace Whereby hee should in one both generally abroad veyle ouer his Ambition and winne the reputation of iust and moderate proceedings and should withall endeare himselfe in the Affections of the King of England as one that had committed all to his Will Nay and which was yet more fine make Faith in him That although he went on with the Warre yet it should be but with his Sword in his hand to bend the stiffenesse of the other party to accept of Peace and so the King should take no vmbrage of his arming and prosecution but the Treatie to be kept on foot to the very last instant till hee were Master of the Field Which grounds being by the French King wisely laid all things fell out as he expected For when the English Ambassadour came to the Court of Britaine the Duke was then scarcely perfect in his
memorie and all things were directed by the Duke of Orleance who gaue audience to the Chaplaine VRSWICK and vpon his Ambassage deliuered made answer in somewhat high termes That the Duke of Britaine hauing beene an Host and a kind of Parent or Foster-father to the King in his tendernesse of age and weaknesse of fortune did looke for at this time from King HENRY the renowned King of England rather braue Troupes for his Succours then a vaine Treatie of Peace And if the King could forget the good Offices of the Duke done vnto him aforetime yet he knew well he would in his wisdome consider of the future how much it imported his owne safetie and reputation both in forraine parts and with his owne people not to suffer Britaine the old Confederates of England to be swallowed vp by France and so many good Ports and strong Townes vpon the Coast be in the command of so potent a Neighbour-King and so ancient an Enemie And therefore humbly desired the King to thinke of this businesse as his owne and therewith brake off and denied any further conference for Treatie VRSWICK returned first to the French King and related to him what had passed Who finding things to sort to his desire tooke hold of them and said That the Ambassadour might perceiue now that which he for his part partly imagined before That considering in what hands the Duke of Britaine was there would be no Peace but by a mixt Treatie of force and perswasion And therfore he would goe on with the one and desired the King not to desist from the other But for his owne part he did faithfully promise to bee still in the Kings power to rule him in the matter of Peace This was accordingly represented vnto the King by VRSWICK at his returne and in such a fashion as if the Treatie were in no sort desperate but rather stayed for a better houre till the Hammer had wrought and beat the Partie of Britaine more pliant Whereupon there passed continually Packets and Dispatches betweene the two Kings from the One out of desire and from the other out of dissimulation about the negotiation of Peace The French King meane while inuaded Britaine with great forces and distressed the Citie of Nantes with a strait siege and as one who though hee had no great Iudgement yet had that that hee could dissemble home the more he did vrge the prosecution of the Warre the more he did at the same time vrge the solicitation of the Peace Insomuch as during the siege of Nantes after many Letters and particular messages the better to maintaine his dissimulation and to refresh the Treatie he sent BERNARD DAVBIGNEY a person of good qualitie to the King earnestly to desire him to make an end of the businesse howsoeuer The King was no lesse readie to reuiue and quicken the Treatie And therupon sent three Commissioners the Abbot of Abington Sir RICHARD TVNSTAL and CHAPLEINE VRSWICK formerly imployed to doe their vtmost endeuours to manage the Treatie roundly and strongly About this time the Lord WOODVILE Vncle to the Queene a valiant gentleman desirous of honor sued to the King that he might raise some Power of Voluntaries vnder-hand and without licence or pasport wherein the King might any wayes appeare goe to the aide of the Duke of Britaine The King denied his request or at least seemed so to doe and layed strait commandement vpon him that hee should not stirre for that the King thought his honour would suffer therein during a Treatie to better a Partie Neuerthelesse this Lord either being vnruly or out of conceipt that the King would not inwardly dislike that which he would not openly auow sailed secretly ouer into the Isle of Wight whereof hee was Gouernour and leuied a faire Troupe of foure hundred men and with them passed ouer into Brittaine and ioyned himselfe with the Dukes Forces The Newes whereof when it came to the French Court put diuers Young Bloods into such a furie as the English Ambassadors were not without perill to bee outraged But the French King both to preserue the Priuiledge of Ambassadors and being conscious to himselfe that in the businesse of Peace hee himselfe was the greater dissembler of the two forbade all iniuries of fact or word against their persons or Followers And presently came an Agent from the King to purge himselfe touching the Lord WOODVILES going ouer vsing for a principall argument to demonstrate that it was without his priuitie for that the Troupes were so small as neither had the Face of a succour by authoritie nor could much aduance the Brittaine affaires To which message although the French King gaue no full credit yet he made faire weather with the King and seemed satisfied Soone after the English Ambassadors returned hauing two of them beene likewise with the Duke of Britaine and found things in no other termes then they were before Vpon their returne they informed the King of the state of the affaires and how farre the French King was from any true meaning of Peace and therefore he was now to aduise of some other course Neither was the King himselfe lead all this while with credulity meerely as was generally supposed But his Error was not so much facility of beleefe as an ill measuring of the forces of the other Partie For as was partly touched before the King had cast the businesse thus with himselfe He tooke it for granted in his owne iudgement that the Warre of Britaine in respect of the strength of the Townes and of the Partie could not speedily come to a Period For he conceiued that the Counsels of a Warre that was vndertaken by the French King then childlesse against an Heire-apparant of France would be very faint and slow And besides that it was not possible but that the state of France should be imbroiled with some troubles and alterations in fauour of the Duke of Orleance Hee conceiued likewise that MAXIMILIAN King of the Romans was a Prince warlike and potent who he made account would giue succours to the Britaine 's roundly So then iudging it would be a worke of Time hee laide his plot how hee might best make vse of that Time for his owne affaires Wherein first hee thought to make his vantage vpon his Parliament knowing that they being affectionate vnto the quarrell of Britaine would giue treasure largely Which treasure as a noise of Warre might draw forth so a peace succeeding might cofer vp And because hee knew his people were hot vpon the businesse hee chose rather to seeme to bee deceiued and lulled asleepe by the French then to be backward in himselfe considering his Subiects were not so fully capable of the reasons of State which made him hold backe Wherefore to all these purposes hee saw no other expedient then to set and keepe on foot a continuall Treatie of Peace laying it downe and taking it vp againe as the occurrence required Besides he had in consideration the point
PERKIN and his complices as well through Discouragement as Distrust So that they were now like Sand without Lyme ill bound together especially as many as were English who were at a gaze looking strange one vpon another not knowing who was faithfull to their Side but thinking that the King what with his Baits and what with his Nets would draw them all vnto him that were anything worth And indeede it came to passe that diuers came away by the Thred sometimes one and sometimes another BARLEY that was Ioint-Commissioner with CLIFFORD did hold out one of the longest till PERKIN was farre worne yet made his Peace at the length But the Fall of this Greatman beeing in so high Authoritie and Fauour as was thought with the King and the manner of Carriage of the Businesse as if there had beene secret Inquisition vpon him for a great time before and the Cause for which hee suffered which was little more than for saying in effect That the Title of YORKE was better than the Title of LANCASTER which was the Case almost of euery man at the least in Opinion was matter of great Terrour amongst all the Kings Seruants and Subiects Insomuch as no man almost thought himselfe secure and men durst scarce commune or talke one with another but there was a generall Diffidence euery where Which neuerthelesse made the King rather more Absolute than more Safe For Bleeding Inwards and shut Vapours strangle soonest and oppresse most Hereupon presently came forth Swarmes and Volies of Libels which are the Gusts of Libertie of Speech restrayned and the Females of Sedition contayning bitter Inuectiues and Slanders against the King and some of the Councell For the contriuing and dispersing whereof after great Diligence of Inquirie fiue meane Persons were caught and executed Meane while the King did not neglect Ireland being the Soyle where the Mushromes and Upstart-Weedes that spring vp in a Night did chiefly prosper Hee sent therefore from hence for the better settling of his affaires there Commissioners of both Robes The Prior of Lanthony to bee his Chancellour in that Kingdome and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS with a Power of Men and a Marshall Commission together with a Ciuill Power of his Lieutenant with a Clause That the Earle of Kildare then Deputie should obey him But the Wilde-Irish who were the principall Offenders fledde into the Woods and Bogges after their manner and those that knew themselues guilty in the Pale fledde to them So that Sir EDWARD POYNINGS was enforced to make a Wilde-Chase vpon the Wilde-Irish Where in respect of the Mountaines and Fastnesses hee did little good Which eyther out of a suspicious Melancholy vpon his bad Successe or the better to saue his seruice from Disgrace hee would needes impute vnto the Comfort that the Rebels should receiue vnder-hand from the Earle of Kildare euery light suspicion growing vpon the Earle in respect of the KILDARE that was in the Action of LAMBERT SIMNELL and slaine at Stoke-field Wherefore hee caused the Earle to bee apprehended and sent into England where vpon Examination hee cleared himselfe so well as he was re-placed in his Gouernment But POYNINGS the better to make compensation of the Meagernesse of his Seruice in the Warres by Acts of Peace called a Parliament where was made that memorable Act which at this day is called POYNINGS Law whereby all the Statutes of England were made to bee of force in Ireland For before they were not neither are any now in force in Ireland which were made in England since that time which was the tenth yeare of the King About this time beganne to be discouered in the King that Disposition which afterward nourished and whet-on by bad Counsellers and Ministers proued the Blot of his times which was the course he tooke to crush Treasure out of his Subiects Purses by forfeitures vpon Penall-Lawes At this men did startle the more at this time because it appeared plainely to bee in the King's Nature and not out of his Necessitie hee beeing now in Float for Treasure For that he had newly receiued the Peace-money from France the Beneuolence-money from his Subiects and great Casualties vpon the Confiscations of the Lord Chamberlaine and diuers others The first-noted Case of this kinde was that of Sir WILLIAM CAPEL Alderman of London Who vpon sundry Penall-Lawes was condemned in the summe of seuen and twenty hundred pounds and compounded with the King for sixteene hundred And yet after EMPSON would haue cut another Chop out of him if the King had not dyed in the Instant The Summer following the King to comfort his Mother whom he did alwaies tenderly loue and reuere and to make Demonstration to the World that the proceedings against Sir WILLIAM STANLEY which was imposed vpon him by necessitie of State had not in any degree diminished the affection he bare to THOMAS his brother went in Progresse to Latham to make merry with his Mother and the Earle and lay there diuers dayes During this Progresse PERKIN WARBECKE finding that time and Temporizing which whilest his practices were couert and wrought well in England made for him did now when they were discouered and defeated rather make against him for that when matters once goe downe the Hill they stay not without a new force resolued to trie his aduenture in some exploit vpon England hoping still vpon the affections of the Common-People towards the House of YORKE Which Body of Common-People hee thought was not to bee practised vpon as Persons of Qualitie are But that the only practice vpon their affections was To set vp a Standard in the fielde The Place where hee should make his Attempt hee chose to be the Coast of Kent The King by this time was growne to sueh an height of Reputation for cunning and Policie that euery Accident and Euent that went well was laid and imputed to his foresight as if hee had set it before As in this Particular of PERKINS Designe vpon Kent For the world would not beleeue afterwards but the King hauing secret Intelligence of PERKINS intention for Kent the better to draw it on went of purpose into the North a farre off laying an open side vnto PERKIN to make him come to the Close and so to trip vp his heeles hauing made sure in Kent before hand But so it was that PERKIN had gathered together a Power of all Nations neither in number nor in the hardinesse and courage of the Persons contemptible but in their nature and fortunes to bee feared as well of Friends as Enemies being Bankrupts and many of them Felons and such as liued by Rapine These hee put to Sea and arriued vpon the Coast of Sandwich and Deale in Kent about Iuly There he cast Anchor and to prooue the affections of the People sent some of his men to land making great boast of the Power that was to follow The Kentish-men perceiuing that PERKIN was not followed by any English of name or accompt and that his forces
and Daintiest Monuments of Europe both for the Chappell and for the Sepulchre So that hee dwelleth more richly Dead in the Monument of his Tombe than hee did Aliue in Richmond or any of his Palaces I could wish he did the like in this Monument of his Fame FINIS An Index Alphabeticall directing to the most obserueable passages in the foregoing Historie A AN Accident in it selfe triuiall great in effect pag. 189 Aduice desired from the Parliament 53. 57. 98 A Emulation of the English to the French with the reasons of it 61 Affabilitie of the King to the Citie of London 198 Affection of k. Henry to the king of Spaine 105 Affection of the king to his children 241 Aide desired by the Duke of Brittaine 53 Aide sent to Brittaine 62 Aiders of rebels punished 37 Almes deeds of the king 229 Ambassadors to the Pope 38 into Scotland 39 Ambassadours from the French King 41 Ambassadors in danger in France 49 Ambassadors into France 94 Ambition exorbitant in Sir William Stanley 135 Answer of the Archduke to the kings Ambassadors 129 Appeach of Sir William Stanley 132 Armes of king Henries still victorious 234 Arrows of the Cornishmen the length of them 171 Articles betweene the King and the Archduke 162 Arthur Prince married to the Ladie Katherine 203 Arthur Prince dyes at Ludlow 218 Aton Castle in Scotland taken by the Earle of Surrey 174 Attainted persons in Parliament excepted against 12 Attaindor and corruption of bloud reacheth not to the Crown 13. 24 Auarice of king Henry 236 Audley Generall of the Cornish rebels 165 B BAnishment of Flemings out of the kingdome 130 Battaile at Bosworth field 1 at Stokefield 35 at S. Albans in Brittain 62 Bannocks bourne in Scotland 70 at Blacke Heath 168 Behauiour of king Henry towards his children 205 Beneuolence to the king for his warres 100 Beneuolence who the first author ibid. Beneuolence abolished by Act of Parliament ibid. Beneuolence reuiued by Act of Parliament 100 A Beneuolence generall to the king 216 Birth of Hen. 8. 95 Bishops why imployed by the king 16 Bloud not vnreuenged 196. 213 Brittain Duchie distressed 62 Three causes of the losse of the Duchie of Brittaine 63 Brittaine vnited to France by marriage 95 Brackenbury refused to murder king Edw. 2. sonnes 123 Broughton Sir Thomas ioyned with the rebels 32 A Bull procured from the Pope by the king for what causes 39 Bulloigne besieged by king Henry 110 C CArdinall Morton dyeth 198 Capel Sir William fined 139. 229 Capp of maintenance from the Pope 178 Ceremony of Marriage new in these parts 80 Chauncery power and description of that Court. 64 Clifford Sir Robert flyes to Perkin 122 Reuolts to the king 125 Clergie priuiledges abridged 66 Christendome enlarged 106 Columbus Christopher Bartholomeus inuite the king to a discouery of the West Indies 189 Confiscation aymed a by the king 133 Conference betweene king Henry and the king of Castile by casualtie landing at Waymouth 223 Conquest the Title vnpleasing to the people declined by William the Conq. 5. and by the king 7 Conspirators for Perkin 121 Contraction of Prince Hen. and Lady Katherine 207 Conditionell speech doth not qualifie words of Treason 134 Commissioners into Ireland 138 Commissioners about trading 161 Coronation of king Henry 10 Coronation of the Queene 38 Counsell the benefite of good 40 Counsell of what sort the French king vsed 51 Counsell of meane men what and how different from that of Nobles ibidem Lord Cordes enuie to England 79 Cottagers but housed Beggars Counterfeits 74 Lambert proclaimed in Ireland 24 Crowned at Dublin 31 Taken in battell 35 Put into the Kings Kitchin 36 Made the Kings Fawlconer ibid. Duke of Yorke counterfeit See Perkin Wilford another counterfeit Earle of Warwick 194 Courage of the English when 62 Court what pleas belong to euerie Court 64 Court of Starre-chamber confirmed ibid. Creations 10 Crowne confirmed to king Henry by Parliament 11 Cursing of the kings enemies at Pauls Crosse a custome of those times 125. 213 D DAm a towne in Flanders taken by a slight 103 Lord Dawbeny 170 Deuices at Prince Arthurs marriage 203 Deuice of the King to diuert enuie 111 Decay of trade doth punish merchants 161 Decay of people how it comes to passe 73 Declaration by Perkin to the Scottish King 148 Desires intemperate of Sir William Stanley 136 Dighton a murderer of K. Edw. 2. children 124 Dilemma a pleasant one of Bishop Morton 101 Diligence of the King to heap Treasures 211 Displacing of no Councellers nor Seruants in all K. Henries Reigne saue of one 242 Dissimulation of the French King 46. 48. 81 Dissimulation of k. Henrie in pretending warre 99 A Doubt long kept open and diuersly determined according to the diuersitie of the times 206 Dowry of L. Katherine how much 204 Dowrie of Lady Margaret into Scotland how much 208 Drapery maintained how 76 Dudley one of the kings horseleeches 209 Duke of Yorke counterfet See Perkin E EArle of Suffolke flyes into Flanders 212. Returnes 225 Earle of Northumberland slaine by the people in collecting the Subsidie somewhat harshly 68 Earle of Warwick executed 195 Earle of Warw. counterfeit 21. 194 Earle of Surrey enters Scotland 174 Edmund a third sonne borne to king Henry but died 191 Edward the fift murthered 149 Enuie towards the king vnquenchable the cause of it 196 Enuie of Lord Cordes to England 79 Enteruiew between the king Arch-Duke with the respectiue carriage of the Arch-Duke to the king 197 Enteruiew betweene the king and the king of Castile 223 Embleme 167 Empson one of the kings horseleeches 209 Errors of the French king in his businesse for the kingdome of Naples 143 Errors of king Henry occasioning his many troubles 264 Escuage seruice 164 Espials in the Rebels campe 33 Espousals of Iames king of Scotland and Lady Margaret 207 Exchanges vnlawfull prohibited 66 Exeter besieged by Perkin 181 The loyaltie of the Towne ibid The Towne rewarded with the kings owne sword 184 Execution of Humphrey Stafford 18 Iohna Chamber and his fellow rebels at Yorke 68 Sir Iames Tyrril murderer of king Edw. 2. sonnes 124 Of diuers others 131 Sir William Stanley 134 For Rebels 138 Perkins companie 141 Audley and Cornish Rebels 171 Another counterfeit Earle of Warw. 194 Perkin Warbeck ibid The Mayor of Corke and his son 195 Earle of Warwick 195 F FAme ill affected 172 Fame entertained by diuers the reasons of it 121 Fame neglected by Empson Dudley 209 Feare not safe to the king 137 Fines 72 Without Fines Statute to sell land 101 Flammock a Lawyer a rebell 164 Flemmings banished 130 Flight of king Henry out of Brittaine into France wherefore 55 Forfeitures and confiscations furnish the kings wants 14. 27 Forfeitures aimed at 75. 133 Forfeitures vpon penall lawes taken by the king which was the blot of his times 139 Fortune various 26. 36 Forwardnesse inconsiderate 170 Foxe made priuie Counsellor 16 Made L. Keeper of the priuie Seal
of warre 94 Pope Ambassadour to him 38 Poynings law in Ireland 118 Priest of Oxford Simon 20 Pretence of the French king 45. 46 Prerogatiue how made vse of 235 Price of cloth limitted 75 Prisoners Edw. Plantagenet 6 Prince of Orenge Duke of Orleance 62 Maximilian by his subiects 77 Priuiledges of Clergie abridged 66 Priuiledges of Sanctuary qualified in three points 39 Proclamation of Perkin what effect 160 Protection for being in the kings seruice limited 101 Prouerbe 182 Prouidence for the future 72 Q QVeene Dowager 21. enclosed in the Monastery of Bermondsey 26. Her variety of fortune 26 Queenes Colledge founded in Cambridge 27 Queene Elizabeth crowned after two yeares 38 Queene Elizabeths death 208 R REbellion of Lord Louel and Staffords 17 Rebellion iu Yorkeshire 68 Rebellion how to be preuented 59 Rebellion how frequent in k. Henries time 68 Rebellion of the Cornishmen 163 Rebels but halfe couraged men 171 Religion abused to serue policie 213 Remorse of the king for oppression of his people 229 Restitution to be made by the Kings Will. 231 Returne of the King from France 112 Retribution of k. Henry for treasure receiued of his subiects 71 Reuenge diuine 1 Reuenge of bloud 213 Reward proposed by Perkin 159 Richard the third a Tyrant 1 Richard slaine at Bosworth field ibid. His ignominious buriall 2 Murder of his two Nephews ib. Iealous to maintaine his honour and reputation 3 Hopes to win the people by making lawes ibid. His vertues ouerswayed by his vices 2. yet fauoured in Yorksh. 67 Riches of k. Henry at his death 230 Riches of Sir William Stanley 133 Richmond built vpon what occasion 187 Riot and retainers suppressed by Act of Parliament 216 Rome euer respected by king H. 70 A Rumour false procuring much hatred to the king 19 Rumour false enquired after to be punished 37 Rumour that the D. of York was aliue first of the K. own nourishing 244 S SAnctuary at Colneham could not protect Traytors 18 Sanctuary priuiledges qualified by a Bull from the Pope in three points 39 Saturday obserued and fansied by K. Henry 7. 170 Saying of the king when hee heard of Rebels 69 Scottish men voyded out of England 101 Seruice of escuage 164 Simon the Priest 20 Skreenes to the king who 164 A sleight ingenuous and taking good effect in warre 103 Sluce besieged and taken ibid. Southsayers prediction mistaken 71 Speeches 51. 82. 91 Speech of the king to Parliament 96 Speech of Perkin 148 Speech conditionall doth not qualifie words of Treason 134 Speeches bitter against the king 111 Sparkes of rebellion neglected dangerous 20 Spies from the king 124 Sprites of what kinde vexed k. H. 112 Stanley Sir William Stanley crownes K. Henry in the field 5 Motiues of his falling from the K. 135 Sir Will. Stanley appeached of Treason 132. is confined and examined and confesseth 133. is beheaded 134. Reasons which alienated the kings affections 136 Starre Chamber Court confirmed in certaine cases 63 Starre Chamber Court described what causes belong to it 64 Statute of non claime 72 Steward publick the K. 60 Strength of the Cornishmen 171 Spoyles of Bosworth field 135 Spoyles as water spilt on the ground 176 Subsidie denyed by the inhabitants of Yorkshire and Durham the reason wherefore 67 Subsidies denyed by the Cornishmen 163 Subsidie Commissioner killed 165 Subsidie how much 163 Swart Martin 30 Sweating sicknesse 9 The maner of the cure of it 9 Sweating sicknesse the interpretation the people made of it 36 T ATale pleasant concerning the K. 243 Terror among the kings seruants and subiects 137 Tirrill Sir Iames a murderer of K. Edw. 2. sonnes 123 Tirrill executed 213 Thanks of the king to the Parliament 52 Thanksgiuing to God for the victorie 1. 36. 38. 106 Three Titles to the kingdome meete in king Hen. 3 Title to France stirred 93 By the king himselfe 98 Treasure to bee kept in the kingdome 75 Treasure raised by the King how 37 50. 209 Treasure inordinately affected by the king 211 Treasure how increased 216 Treasure left at the kings death how much 230 Trade the increase therof considered 59 Trade in decay pincheth 161 Traytors taken out of Sanctuary 18 Tower the kings lodging wherefore 132 A Triplicity dangerous 166 Triumph at the marriage of the Ladie Elizab. to k. H. 16 Truce with Scotland 40 Tyrants the obsequies of the people to them 2 V VIctory wisely husbanded by the French 62 Victory at Black Heath 171 Vnion of England and Scotland its first originall 174 Voyage of k. Henry into France 109 Voyage for discouerie 188. 189 Vrswick Ambassador 112 Vsury 66 W WAlsingbam Lady vowed to by k. Henry 32 Wards wronged 210 Warre betweene the French king and the Duke of Brittain 48 Warre the fame thereof aduantagious to king Henry 49. 50 Warre gainfull to the king 163 Warre pretended to get money 99 Warre of Fraunce ended by a peace wherat the souldiers murmur 111 White Rose of England 120. 184 Wilford counterfeit Earle of Warw. 194 A Wifes affection 226 Wooduile voluntarily goes to aide the Duke of Brittaine 49 Wooduile slaine at S. Albans in Brittaine 62 Wolsey employed by the king 227 Women carried away by violence a law enacted against it the reasons 65 Womens ingratitude punished by law 146 Y YEomen of the Guard first instituted 10 Yeomanrie how maintained 73 Yorke house and title fauoured by the people 4. 19 Yorke Title and Line depressed by k. Henry 6. 16 Yorke Title fauoured in Ireland 23 Yorkeshire and Durham deny to pay the Subsidie 67 FINIS The Originall of this Proclamation remaineth with Sir Robert Cotton a worthy Preseruer and Treasurer of rare Antiquities from whose Manuscripts I haue had much light for the furnishing of this Worke.
and deepe fore-sight For it did the better take away occasion for the people to busie themselues to prie into the Kings Title for that howsoeuer it fell their safety was alreadie prouided for Besides it could not but greatly draw vnto him the loue and hearts of the people because hee seemed more carefull for them than for himselfe But yet neuerthelesse it did take off from his Partie that great Tie and Spurre of necessity to fight and goe Victors out of the fielde considering their liues and fortunes were put in safety and protected whether they stood to it or ranne away But the force and obligation of this Law was in it selfe Illusorie as to the latter part of it by a precedent Act of Parliament to binde or frustrate a future For a supreme and absolute Power cannot conclude it selfe neither can that which is in nature reuocable bee made fixed no more than if a man should appoint or declare by his Will that if hee made any Latter will it should bee voyde And for the Case of the Act of Parliament there is a notable President of it in King HENRIE the Eight's time Who doubting hee might dye in the minoritie of his Sonne procured an Act to passe That no Statute made during the minoritie of the King should binde him or his Successours except it were confirmed by the King vnder his great Seale at his full age But the first Act that passed in King EDWARD the Sixth his time was an Act of Repeale of that former Act at which time neuerthelesse the King was Minor But things that doe not binde may satisfie for the time There was also made a shoaring or vnderpropping Act for the Beneuolence to make the summes which any person had agreed to pay and neuerthelesse were not brought in to bee leuiable by course of Law Which Act did not only bring in the Areres but did indeed countenance the whole businesse and was pretended to bee made at the desire of those that had beene forward to pay This Parliament also was made that good Law which gaue the Attaint vpon a false Uerdict betweene Partie and Partie which before was a kinde of Euangile irremediable It extends not to causes Capitall as well because they are for the most part at the Kings Suite as because in them if they bee followed in Course of Indictment there passeth a double Iurie the Indictors and the Triers and so not Twelue Men but Foure and twentie But it seemeth that was not the onely reason for this reason holdeth not in the Appeale But the great reason was lest it should tend to the discouragement of Iurors in Cases of Life and Death if they should bee subiect to Suite and Penaltie where the fauour of Life maketh against them It extendeth not also to any Suite where the Demand is vnder the value of fortie pounds for that in such Cases of pettie value it would not quite the Charge to goe about againe There was another Law made against a branch of Ingratitude in Women who hauing beene aduanced by their Husbands or their Husbands Ancestors should alien and thereby seeke to defeate the Heires or those in Remainder of the Lands whereunto they had bin so aduanced The remedie was by giuing power to the next to enter for a forfeiture There was also enacted that Charitable Law for the admission of poore Suiters In Forma Pauperis without Fee to Counsellor Atturney or Clerke whereby poore men became rather able to vexe than vnable to sue There were diuers other good Lawes made that Parliament as we said before but we still obserue our manner in selecting out those that are not of a Vulgar nature The King this while though hee sate in Parliament as in full Peace and seemed to account of the designes of PERKIN who was now returned into Flanders but as a May game yet hauing the composition of a wise King Stout without and apprehensiue within had giuen order for the watching of Beacons vpon the Coasts and erecting more where they stood too thin and had a carefull eye where this wandering Cloude would breake But PERKIN aduised to keepe his fire which hitherto burned as it were vpon greene Wood aliue with continuall blowing Sailed againe into Ireland whence he had formerly departed rather vpon the hopes of France than vpon any vnreadinesse or discouragement hee found in that People But in the space of time betweene the Kings Diligence and POYNINGS Commission had so settled things there as there was nothing left for PERKIN but the blustring affection of wilde and naked people Wherefore hee was aduised by his Councell to seeke aide of the King of Scotland a Prince yong and valourous and in good termes with his Nobles and People and ill affected to King HENRY At this time also both MAXIMILIAN and CHARLES of France began to beare no good will to the King The one beeing displeased with the Kings Prohibition of Commerce with Flanders The Other holding the King for suspect in regard of his late entrie into league with the Italians Wherefore besides the open Aides of the Duchesse of Burgundy which did with Sayles and Oares put on and aduance PERKINS designes there wanted not some secret Tides from MAXIMILIAN and CHARLES which did further his fortunes In so much as they both by their secret Letters and Messages recommended him to the King of Scotland PERKIN therefore comming into Scotland vpon those hopes with a well appointed company was by the King of Scots beeing formerly well prepared honourably welcommed and soone after his arriuall admitted to his Presence in a solemne manner For the King receiued him in State in his Chamber of Presence accompanied with diuers of his Nobles And PERKIN well attended as well with those that the King had sent before him as with his owne Traine entered the roome where the King was and comming neare to the King and bowing a little to embrace him hee retired some paces backe and with a loud voyce that all that were present might heare him made his Declaration in this manner HIgh and Mighty King your Grace and these your Nobles here present may be pleased benignely to bow your Eares to heare the Tragedie of a young Man that by Right ought to hold in his hand the Ball of a Kingdome but by Fortune is made Himselfe a Ball tossed from Miserie to Miserie and from Place to Place You see here before you the Spectacle of a PLANTAGENET who hath beene carried from the Nurserie to the Sanctuarie from the Sanctuarie to the direfull Prison from the Prison to the Hand of the cruell Tormentor and from that Hand to the wide Wildernesse as I may truely call it for so the World hath beene to mee So that hee that is borne to a great Kingdome hath not Ground to set his foote vpon more than this where hee now standeth by your Princely Fauour EDWARD the Fourth late King of England as your Grace cannot but haue heard left