to Duke Philip his Father first made his addresse Who bearing an implacable hatred to Lewis of France desired to gaine so potent a neighbour to his party and that he might secure the friendship against all vacillation he by his Embassadors entreated a marriage with the Lady Margaret the Kings sister A motion heard in England with much acceptance and which every circumstance well weigh'd brought both honour and securitie But it was thought by some intimate with the Earle in his most inward counsells that really he never intended this marriage having from his mother neece to John of Oaunt Duke of Lancaster deriv'd an irreconcilable malice against the house of Yorke And that this negotiation aim'd onely to temporize with England in case the Duke of Brittaine and the French Kings brother should desert him and make their peace with Lewis against whom these three were then in confederacie but this I beleeve an overcunning in conjecture since marriage among Princes as it seldome confirmes a sound friendship so doth it never extirpate an ancient hatred the proofe of our and all times shewing how false a love is created by alliance But the thoughts of Princes are so unknowne to Posterity that they are beyond the â—orâ—tiâ—â—e of the present time I will not therefore dispute what the Earles inward designes were but certainely both according to reason of state and the â—vâ—oâ—â— which is the best light Historians can discerne by as it vvas pretended so vvas it intended The marriage of his sister thus far advanc'd he began to advise with Counsell concerning his owne A strong alliance abroad was soone resolved most necessary both for the dignity and safety of his Crowne and among all the Princesses that time gloried in the Lady Bona was thought worthyest his bed In respect of the excellencie of her beauty greatnesse of birth as being daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and the mighty marriage of her other sister with Lewis the Eleventh of France This last consideration being a maine inducement as by which all feare might bee taken away of a tempest from that coast whence Queene Margaret seem'd to prepare a storme To this negotiation the Earle of Warwicke was deputed as the fittest person both for his great faith to the King and authority in the Kingdome Who no sooner arriv'd at the French Court where the young Lady then resided in company of her sister but was withall triumph entertain'd and his motion heard with joy and acceptation The ambition of the French Queene to have her sister married to so great a Prince prevailing against many politique respects which might else have overswayd King Lewis And soone after for an absolute conclusion of all businesses Mounsiur D'ampmartin was design'd Embassador for England These two Kings equally solliciting the perfection of this marriage Edward that hee might without feare of more danger enjoy the glory of a late recover'd Kingdome Lewis that freed from the danger of an English invader he might give a period to his busie projects at home by laying the deuill of civill warre rais'd by a tumultuous Nobility But while policie acted severall parts abroade love on the suddaine chang'd the whole Sceane at home For the Young King after hunting comming to visite the Duches of Bedford at her Mannor of Grafton neere Sâ—ony Stratford was sollicited by a faire petitioner the Duchesses daughter widow of Sir John Gray â—â—â—â—e on King Henries part at the battaile of S â— Albans The King could not but yeeld to any request made by â—â— conquering a beauty and presently himselfe glew as earnest in solliciting her but in a more unlawfull suite But she arm'd her â—oule with a modesty able to breake the hottest battery of lust and though on every side assaulted by the engines of temptation shee repulst her enemie so nobly that he offer'd party upon honorable tearmes For when the King perceiv'd her adorn'd with a chastitie strong enough to resist him who had scarce ever beene but victorious in those attempts he grew enamor'd on the beauty of her minde and resolv'd her vertue was dowre enough to marry her to the highest Throne Reason of state argued sharpely against a marriage so unequall to Majestie by alleaging the perill of irritating so potent a neighbour as King Lewis and so dangerous a subject as Warwick as likewise the inconvenience of raising a widdow to his bed who could bring nothing with her but her poverty and an unprovided issue Who if not advanc'd by him would bee a scorne to his children if advanc'd a ruinous charge to his Exchequer and an envie both to the Princes of his blood and the Nobility of his Kingdome But Love like a cunning Sophister easily refell'd all pollitique arguments and perswaded reason her selfe almost to be of his side For he repeated to the King his owne prerogative which being so large why should he then be denyed the liberty of a free choyce which is allowed the meanest subject Why might not he wooe with his owne eyes and make election where his fancie best delighted As for the Lady her selfe he found her in the treasures of her minde most abundant and in the perfections of her body excellent to please him who and not the state was to marry For her birth she was by the father Noble in descent at home by her mother of the house of Luxenbourge a family with which the greatest Princes of Christendome had neere alliance As for marrying a subject and the widdow of his enemie the later argued more charity and the former could not but tye the affection of his people when they saw their Prince disdain'd not affinity with them For a president to authorize these his intended Nuptialls he had Edward the Blacke Prince his great Vncle great indeede if not the greatest among all the Princes of his name And for the threatned danger from King Lewis or the Earle of Warwicke from France he could never expect how neere so ever the alliance had beene but an unfaithfull amitie and should this his marriage thrust Warwicke upon rebellious attempts the rebell would but fondly runne upon his owne ruine since it could not stand with the Majestie of a King to hold his Crowne by so base a tenure as to have his actions awed by a subject These and such like arguments which love is cunning upon all occasions to enforce prevail'd so far that though the old Duches of Yorke his mother most violently opposed by throwing the highest calumnies upon the Lady Gray and alleaging a precontract with the Lady Lucy yet one morning secretly did he marry her For the disparity of birth or Fortune is no impediment and for the precontract upon examination the Lady Lucy her self acquitted the King only laying to his chaâ—g the guilt of a most winning courtship And though afterward during the usurpation of Richard the third in open Parlament was alleaged against the lawfulnesse of King Edwards marriage strange potions and amorous charmes by which the
of Armes and never so forward to any quarrell as against the French from whom they ever reaped victory and treasure And concerning money the strength of an Army the Exchequer was full enough without any burdensome imposition to beginne the warre It was therefore questionlesse a surfet brought this great Prince so suddainly to his end For who observes well the scope of his pleasure findes it to have beene placed much in wantonnesse and riot the two mightie destroyers of nature And commonly those excesses with which wee solace life we ruine it Hee dyed upon the ninth of April 1483. at his Palace of Westminster and was interred at Windsor Sixtus the fourth being Pope Fredericke the third Emperour Fardinand and Isobella King and Queene of Arragon and Castile Iohn the second King of Portugall Iames the third of Scotland and Lewys the eleventh of France Betweene whom and King Edward as there was much intercourse in businesse so was there great concurrence in fortune Both began and ended their raignes in the same yeares both were held in jealousie by the precedent Kings Edward by King Henry Lewys by his father Charles the seventh both had titles disputable to the Crowne The house of Lancaster usurpiug against Edward the house of England clayming against Lewys Both were perplext with civill warre and both successefull Lewys infested by an insolent Nobilitie Edward by a Saint-like Competitor Lewys victorious by act Edward by courage Both were rebeld against by their owne brothers Lewes by Charles Duke of Berry Edward by George Duke of Clarence And both tooke a severe revenge Lewys freeing himselfe from so bosome an enemie by poysoning Charles Edward by drowning Clarence Both ended this life with apparence of much zeale Edward religiously Lewys something superstiously Both left their sonnes yet children to inherit who dyed issulesse and left the Crowne to their greatest enemies Edward the fift to his Vncle Richard Duke of Glocester Charles the eight to his kinsman Lewys Duke of Orleans But who lookes upon the lives of these two Princes on the other side may as in a table which presents severall faces perceive as great disparitie But I am onely to give you the picture of King Edward without flattery or detraction which is rare in history considering authors fashion for the most part Idaeas in their mindes and according to them not to the truth of action forme a Pince which though happily iâ— winne applause to the writer is a high abuse to the reader BUt this King was if we compare his with the lives of Princes in generall worthy to be â—â—â—berd among the best And whom though not an extraordinary vertue yet a singular fortune made conspicuous He was borne at Roane in Normandy his father at that time Regent in France The â—o satall division betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster with him in a manner having both their birth and growth For as he the faction of his family gatherd strength His education was according to to the best provision for his honour and safetie in armes A strict and religious discipline in all probabilitie likely to have softned him too much to mercy and a love of quiet He had a great extent of wit which certainly bee owed to nature That age bettering men little by learning which howsoever he had wanted leisure to have receiv'd The Trumpet sounding still too loud in his eare to have admitted the sober counsailes of Philosophy And his wit lay not in the slights of cunning and deceit but in a sharpe apprehensition yet not too much whetted by suspition In counsaile he was judicious with little difficultie dispatching much His understanding open to cleare doubts not darke and cloudie and apt to create new His wisedome look'd still directly upon truth which appeares by the manage of his affaires both in peace and warre In neither of which as farre as concernd the pollitique part he committed any maine errour T is true he was over-reacht in peace by King Lewys abused concerning the marriage of his daughter In warre by the Earle of Warwicke when upon confidence of a finall accord he was surpriz'd But both these misfortunes I impute to want of faith in his enemies not of iudgement in him Though to speake impartially his too great presumption on the oath of a dissembling Prince and want of circumspection a reconciliation being but in treatie cannot scape without reprehension His nature certainly was both noble and honest which if rectified by the strait rule of vertue had rendred him sit for example whereas he is onely now for observation For prosperitie raisd him but to a complacencie in his fortune not to a disdaine of others losses or a pride of his owne acquisitions And when he had most securitie in his Kingdome and consequently most allurements to tyrannie then showed he himselfe most familiar and indulgent An admirable temperance in a Prince who so well knew his owne strength and whom the love of riot necessitated to a love of treasure which commonly is supplyed by oppression of the Subject The heavie fine upon Sr. Thomas Cooke and displacing the chiefe justice blemisheth him with violence and a vorice But that severitie and the other when hee began to looke into the Poenall Lawes were but short tempests or rather small overcastings during the glorious calme of his government And what soever injurie the subject endured was not imputed to the King But to Tipâ—oft Earle of Worcester and some under informers Or else to the Queene and her necessitous kindred The world either judiciously or else favourably diverting all envie from his memory Great judgement in leading his armies and courage in fighting personally speakes him both a daring Souldier and an expert Commander And the many battailes hee fought in all which he triumpht delivers him as much to be â—â—mired for his militarie discipline as his happy successe Fortune not deserving to have all his mightie victories ascribed to her gift Valour and good conduct share at the least with her in the fate of warre But as in armes he appeares most glorious to posteritie so likewise most unhappy For all those bloody conquests hee obtaind were against his owne nation And the greatest adversaries he over came neere in consanguinitie to him so that he may more properly be sayd to have let himselfe blood then his enemies or rather for preservation of his owne body to have cut off his principall and most necessary limmes For beside those many Princes of the house of Sommerset Buckingham Excester Oxford Devonshire Northumberland Westmerland Shrewsbury and finally the tree it selfe and the onely branch Henry the sixt and his Sonne Prince Edward He slew even the Earle of Warwicke and the Marquesse Mountague Two brothers who having lost their father in his quarrell hazarded their lives and those mightie possessions and honours which peaceably they might have enjoyed onely to advance his title But this was rather his fate then his fault and into this Sea
wanting age to take armes and who shortly appeared to threaten no lesse dangerous They desired him as he respected confederacy with England and the common pollicy of Princes not to disobliege the King by comforting his enemies and succouring such who could bring nothing but ruine to their abettors Neither to preferre faith to two miserable exiles before love to a Prince who had both the power and intention to joyne with him in any warre that might tend to the safety or honour of his Dutchy They concluded with an earnest request that he would deliver up into their hands the two fugitives that such order might be taken as was safest for the present state Or if the too scrupulous observance of an oath perplex'd him that at least such care might be had that they might neither attempt confederacy abroad or a power to enable them to returne home The Duke made answer that in point of honour he could not condiscend to the Kings first demand having upon their arrivall there given them his word But for the second part he would beyond the Kings owne desire consult for the safeguard of his Majesty and restraining them from any power to attempt new enterprizes And perhaps as it would preserve his reputation clearer to the World so would it more advance the Kings purpose to let them remaine in Brittaine rather then to have them returned into England Considering at home they had a great kindred and by the slaughter of the rest were growne chiefe of the faction of Lancaster Whereas if they continued with him they should be in a free but a safe custody in a Country where they were so farre from power that they wanted acquaintance And that himselfe would narrowly looke that no discontended persons should resort to them or that they should make their addresses to any other Prince Whereupon he intreated his Majesty to consider him as a Confederate most religious in maintenance of that amity heretofore so happily begun and hitherto so faithfully maintaind With this answer the Embassadors return'd and the Duke made good his promise to the King For presently he remooved all their English servants and set Brittaines to attend them who did rather observe then serve them Men who cunningly markt not onely who made their dependancies upon them of the English or with what people they held intelligence but even their lookes and sent the Coppy of them into England oftentimes with a false interpretation Then that two together might not animate each other and enter into dangerous Councells they were kept divided and all communication either by language or letter absolutely interdicted And that both being in the same sufferance might not conspire to the same escape there was a guard set upon them who narrowly though respectively waâ—châ— them So that we may guesse this great care the King tooke for their restraint to have wrought a strange effect Richmond esteeming himselfe more considerable as he was more suspected and by the feares of the King making valuation of his owne pretences Great thoughts crept into his minde by the circumspection of such great Princes and the vulgar both abroad and at home began to beleive for they alwayes thinke there are strange depths even in the shallowes of Princes actions there was much mistery in Richmond title and danger in his liberty Whereas had he lived unsuspected by the King he had perhaps dyed unobserv'd by the world By this negotiation with Britaine having secured himselfe of these two Earles who might endanger trouble to the kingdome at home he began to looke abroad whether yet hee had never liberty to cast his eye His pleasures or dangers higherto so taking up his time that he had onely serv'd his appetite or safety But now hee had quieted all civill troubles and even rooted up the very feare of warre hereafter He therefore thought it necessary to looke first upon France a nation which had made benefit of our ruine and while we busied our thoughts and courage in destruction of each other recovered so much life they were growne dangerous Of their farther growth the King was fearefull and resolv'd if he could not make them lesse at least to keepe them at a stay Whereupon having intelligence of a marriage in agitation betweene Duke Charles brother to Lewis the Eleventh and then heire apparent to the Crowne and the daughter and sole heire of Charles Duke of Burgundy he endeavoured by all art to breake off the treaty For he considered how formidable the French would grow to our kingdome should the so large territory of the seventeene Provinces with the other dominions of the Duke be added How they would then be enabled to revenge those many injuries the fortune of our victories had done them when we should be left to our owne armes the Burgonian by whose aide we had enterd and conquerd France now prepared to warre upon us How France superiour alwayes to the English in multitude and extent of territory and defective onely in commodious Havens would by this be enlarged with a mighty Sea coast and as good men for Navigation as the world then had By which they would have absolute command at Sea and keepe us within the narrow limits of our Island If they would permit us that These considerations made the King sollicit both the Duke of Brittaine and the Count S. Paul the two earnest meditators for Duke Charles to desist from farther negotiation in the marriage Brittaine he moved to reflect upon his owne danger if Charles should survive King Lewys as by course of yeares it was probable and have so great an Empyre under his command That greater Princes like greater Rivers swallow up the lesse and after a while retaine no memory of them And if he presumed upon the friendship betweene him and Duke Charles and the many courtesies done him it was a trecherous hope that never yet kept faith That Brittaine never enjoyd all the priviledges appertaining to the Dutchy but when France was disabled to infringe them VVith the Count S. Paul he dealt another way by representing to him the neere friendship that ought to be betweene them too in respect of the so neere alliance being Vncle to his Queene By which he intreated him not to urge a businesse so prejudiciall to the safety of the Crowne of England which in a neere degree concern'd his owne blood VVithall he advised him to take care of himselfe and not to exasperate too farre King Lewys to whom the treaty of this marriage was most unpleasing in regard to the safety of his owne estate To foment discord betweene brothers being injurious to religion and unsafe to pollicy For Nature reunites them and throwes both their mallices on him who occasioned the first breach and who for the most part is yeelded up a sacrifice to the reconcilement He concluded with the madnesse of his actions who would provoke the just anger of so subtill and so revengefull a Prince for the fraile amity
of so weake and inconstant a man as his brother Duke Charles who so often had beene entrapt From both these Princes he received such answer as showed they resolved to prosecute their designe but not to have him suspect it Giving faire protestations of their desire to be over-ruled by the Kings direction But neither of them understood the businesse in that dangerous nature as it was conceived in England For though King Lewys had no Sonne at that time yet was there every day expectation he might have the Queen likely to conceive and Lewys in much health and strength of body And indeed soone after a young Dolphin was borne who succeeded in the kingdome Moreover they considerd the malice betweene the brothers growne to that height that all feare of reconciliation was needlesse And that there was no such certaine way to maintaine a generall dissention in France as by enabling Duke Charles with a power to make good the former contestation Nothing likely to incline him to seeke friendship with his brother but being disabled to continue an enemy The King suspecting the reality of their intentions and resolved upon any termes to prevent the marriage had in his determination to have forgot all former discontents justly conceiv'd against King Lewys in abetting the contrary faction of Lancaster and to have enterd into a particular league with him against the Duke of Burgundy But before he would make the overture he tryed by his Embassadors to know the certaine resolution of the Duke himselfe who had in the marriage of his daughter alwayes held his thoughts apart from the world And in truth the end of his intentions was to keep all neighboring Princes in expectatiō but to conclude with none For at the same time when Duke Charles had so many underhand promises with the selfe same hope did hee entertaine Maximilian Sonne to the Emperour Fredericke the third Nicolas Duke of Calabria and Philibert Duke of Savoy His ambition being to create many dependancies upon himselfe and never to marry her to no man unlesse hee should bee forc'd to it by some evill fate in warre and then he doubted not but by her to worke himselfe safe and honorable conditions Much importuned by the English Embassador to give his resolution and not knowing to what danger the Kings suspition might grow or to what new leagues it might incline him he answered him faithfully that he intended no such neare alliance with Duke Charles And that all those apparences of treatie were onely to retaine him in discord with his brother who otherwise might chance to be reconcild and hazard to destroy that faction which the necessitie of his affaires did inforce him to advance Hee desired therefore the King not to listen to every false suggestion but to believe hee would doe nothing in so materiall a point without much advice and care had for satisfaction of so great a confederat and so neare an allye This so absolute resolution of the Duke tooke away the former jealousie which soone after would howsoever of it selfe have vanisht For Duke Charles not without a strong suspition of practise in King Lewys dyed of poyson and so fixt a period to those many civill wars which had distracted the state of France and to all those busie ambitions which had so much disquieted his owne content At home the King was continually stunge by a swarme of Creditors who during his late troubles had supplyed him with treasure and for whom gratitude did obliege him to provide repaiment He found his Exchequer emptie and a necessitie to desire the Commonaltie to contribute with their purses that many of his best friends might not be ruinated He therefore summond a Parliament to be held at Westminster wherein though the reformation of abuses and enacting Lawes wholsome for the present time was pretended a liberall subsidy was the ayme But in the beginning all those acts which had been heretofore made during the first part of King Edwards government and abrogated by King Henry the last Parliament when for a time he was restored were revived and enacted to continue in full force for ever And whatever other statutes were made by King Henry repealed By vertue of which acts all the Nobilitie who had adherd to the house of Yorke and had beene for that attainted were restored in blood and to their patrimonies and all of the contrary faction found guilty of high treason and their estates confiscated to the King Then for reliefe of the Kings great necessities for all those so mightie fortunes serv'd onely to reward the multitude of his adherents a full subsidy was granted In recompence of which he gave them a generall pardon And indeede by that liberally repaid them For by the late civill warres the laps into treason was so universall that scarce any estate could be safe if licence were given to informers the Cormarants of a Commonweale who swallow much seldome or never grow fat and least of all advance that they most pretend the Kings benefit Some few dayes before the Parliament began Lewys of Bruges a Netherlander Lord of Gruthuse and Prince of Steinhuse came over into England who was receav'd by the King with all the demonstrations of amitie And on the thirteenth of October in the Parliament Chamber created Earle of Winchester receiving with the title the ancient armes of Roger Quincy heretofore Earle of the place with addition of the coate of England in a canton The reason of this so extraordinary favour conferd upon a stranger was the much application of respect hee made to King Edward when by the prevayling fortunes of the Earle of Warwicke he was forc'd to fly for refuge under the protection of the Duke of Burgundy For hee being a noble man of that Country dedicated himselfe totally to comfort the King distracted with his present affliction Soone after him the Parliament being newly ended came Embassadours from the Low-Countries who after the first open audience wherein for the most part passed onely the complement of Princes admitted to the King and some few Lords most intimate to the Kings resolutions spoke to this purpose May it please your M tie VVEe are sent by our great Master the Duke of Burgundie upon an Embassy that may prove strange to the first apprehension and even in it selfe contradictory To congratulate your Majestie the glory of that peace you enjoy and to invite you from it to a new warre But glory is like time everlastingly in motion and when it stops it ends Your Majestie hath by the happy conduct of your power and fortune restored the Kingdome to itselfe That was an act of necessitie For you could not bee your selfe if your great enemies had not beene reduced to nothing Now as great a justice doth invite you and the recovery of a larger Kingdome Which wee know your high spirit cannot refuse to undertake least the world have just reason to suspect you tooke Armes to live not to raigne For if your
the expedition The universall language of the Kingdome being of the warres and all exercises military No person of blood or quality but prepared for the journey except onely those whom infancy or extreame age exempted or the necessary administration of the Common weale And all they who went emulated each other in the glory of their armour the richnesse of their pavilions the bravery of their horses furniture and servants apparell Every man being held so farre to recede from honor as in his preparations he exprest an unwillingnesse to the businesse The army consisted of fifteene hundred men at armes fifteene thousand Archers eight thousand common Souldiers beside three thousand Pioners appointed to guard the ordinance and the carriage Three thousand good souldiers were sent into Brittaine to joyne with his forces and assault France on the other side All things disposed in so full a readinesse the King sent over to the Duke of Burgundy to acquaint him with the state of the army and to know in what forwardnesse businesses were on that side Who returned answers full of confident promises and exhortation to the King to make all possible haste over the Summer comming on a pace which if past further without action would indanger the losse of the whole expedition for that yeare He assertain'd him moreover of certaine Townes under the governement of the Count S. Paul which should be surrendred into the Kings hands for retreat to the English upon any occasion of the badnesse of weather or fortune And indeed how weake soever the Duke knew the condition of his army yet fearefull he was to expresse it least the King should take advantage to give over the undertaking The Kings nature being knowne diseased so much with the love of peace that the Duke was justly suspicious how sound soever it appeared for the present it might upon the least distemper fall into a relapse Vpon these assurances from the Duke the King gave order that all his Forces should repaire to London Whence after some few moneths spent in preparations he marcht toward Dover But before he tooke shipping that the progresse of the Warre might be the more successefull the beginning was made according to the old heroicke straine of bravery For the King sent a Herauld over with a letter of defiance to Lewys of France in which he was required to surrender up to the King of England the Realme of France as due to him by the lawes of inheritance and violently wrested away from Henry the sixth by Charles the seventh and as unjustly possest by Lewys By which voluntary resignation of the Crowne was showed how without effusion of blood the King of England should be inabled to restore the Clergy and Nobility to their ancient greatnesse and priviledges and the Commons to their liberty Of which they had all beene so cruelly deprived by the injurious usurpation and tyrannicall government of Charles and Lewys It shovved likevvise hovv farre the Kingdome of France in generall vvould by this receive benefit considering it would be eased of all those many and unsupportable exactions which by those covetous Princes had beene laid upon it It concluded with a threatning of all the mischiefes accompany warre and an absolute despaire of all future mercy or care to bee had of Lewys his provision if upon so faire an admonissiment and summons given he refused to yeeld the Kingdome This Letter saith Comines an Authour of that time happy in vvriting many cunning particulars of the Princes hee serv'd but rude in the art of History and ever blemishing the glory of our Nation was pen'd so elegantly both for language and matter that hee beleeved it vvas beyond the abilities of an English wit A bold and ridiculous censure For how could he who was borne no Native of France and never had beene instructed in any learning judge of language Or how of the witty contrivance of the Letter since in his owne History which is received by the world with so universall an applause there is an apparent defect in order and method And without vanity our Nation may assume to it selfe the praise considering the narrow limits of the Island to have produced as many Schollers admirable in all degrees of knowledge as any Country on this side the Alpes Neither was that age though according to the necessity of the time more expert in armes then arts without excellent wits famed for literature But this digression the reader must pardon a sence of our Nations honour thrust my pen out of the way if this be from the purpose Whatsoever the Letter was in the composure it was such in the substance that it discomposed King Lewys and troubled all his imaginations Hee read it softly and fearefully which was beneath that part of understanding he was most Master of even pollicy it selfe For it could not but beget strange interpretations in the Court when the message of an enemy delivered publickely by letter should be kept concealed The demand must probably be easily conjectured and this silent way of answering could not but procure suspicion that his resolution might discend to yeeld more then became a Prince But in the manage of this as in all other businesses King Lewys delighted to give order alone and show his authority independant of any Councell without perplexing himselfe at all to satisfie opinion Having read the Letter he withdrew himselfe into a Wardrobe and commanded the Herauld to be brought to his presence To whom hee in answer to the Letter said That he knew the King his Master had not resolved upon this enterprise out of his owne disposition but overcome by the sollicitation of his people and the perswasion of the Duke of Burgundy and the Count S. Paul His people infatuated with a vaine presumption of victory because heretofore the successe of their wars in France had beene fortunate never considering the disparity of the state of things or the uncertainety of events especially where fury and fortune two blind powers beare the wholesway The Duke of Burgundy loving warre for it selfe and having rashly engaged himselfe into many quarrels out of desire to draw the King of England into his dangers or at least at anothers cost to beate the bargaine of peace to a lower rate The reason why he had so laboured King Edward to take armes and revive an absolute title to the kingdome of France being onely for his owne preservation which was threatned by all his injured neighbours or else as it is reported of people diseased of the Plague in envy to the health of other Nations desirous to infect even his neerest allies with the contagion of his quarrell As for the Count S. Paul who had ever subsisted by dissimulation and setting division betweene Princes whereby his assistance either for the prosecution of the warre or conclusion of peace might be required as necessary All his hopes in this quarrell were onely to fish in troubled waters and by an universall combustion to raise
the veines of both people and so many blessings of peace like to enrich both Kingdomes His congratulation was intermingled with prophesie of future happinesse which would grow stronger by the age of time touching in that upon the marriage of the Dolphin with the Lady Elizabeth of England But the good Bishop of Lincolne for in him was then the office of Chancellor in this showed himselfe a better Orator then Prophet Himselfe living afterward to disprove his owne divination After the Oration ended and the two Kings sworne to the forementioned peace King Lewys something wantonly as who knew how to tune his language best to King Edwards eare invited him to take a journey as farre as Paris where if any of the beauties should make him trespasse upon his chastitie the Cardinall of Burbon a gentle Ghostly father should easily afford him absolution The King in the pleasure of his looke approved the faceciousnesse of the discourse and found no great difficultie in himselfe to admit the offâ—r But King Lewys who never used mirth but as a preparative for something serious having wrought himselfe into the Kings good liking and as he thought facilitated him to grant any request urged that the Duke of Brittaine might not remaine in the protection of the English But that he might be left to his owne defence against the just anger of the French whom hee had so often provoked by open confederacies and secret practises To which the King answered resolutely that hee never would forsake the care of a confederate who had maintaind his faith so constantly And afterward importuned by some great Lords imployd to that negotiation by Lewys hee not onely shewed an apparent distaste to the motion but openly profest that rather then the Duke should be endangerd in his safetie he would forget all other amities and passe the Seas himselfe to his reliefe Which shewed a noble disposition in the King and an advisd judgement For the Duke had beene ever friendly to him in the worst of fortune and in his better a most faithfull neighbour and in this enterprize on France had used no dissimulation nor in the least carriage of businesse betraid that faith at first he promist In the protection therefore of him against the French the King shewed the gratitude of his memory as likewise a polliticke caution that the Crowne of France might not grow too potent by warring with a weaker Prince whose ruine could not but give to it a dangerous addition But this discourse touching the Duke was in private betweene the Kings for Lewys to show the authoritie he had over his greatest Lords had commanded them to retire when hee enterd into this speech And in treating this businesse which so nearely concern'd the pollicie of his intentions he shewed a great art not urging the King so farre as that the deniall might come off with a distaste But smoothly he gave it over when hee perceiv'd him not easily to be remov'd although with some inward difficultie to finde his affection so constant to the Duke of whom hee had resolv'd to make a spoile and to lay the first stone of his mightie building in his destruction Hee presently therefore diverted his discourse againe to ceremony and after some short intercourse of courtship they both at the same minute parted from the grate and tooke horse publickly giving very liberall commendations of each other And how ever enterviewes are generally esteem'd unsafe for Princes in regard the advantage falling of necessitie on the one part throwes a contempt upon the other yet this was both in probabilitie before and after in the successe most fortunate For both Princes though of different complexions had equall preheminences and by severall wayes came to stand upon even ground King Edward had the advantage in youth personage and behaviour which win suddenly upon estimation Lewys in the cunning of wit and authority of his carriage which although slowlier sinke deeper in opinion Edward had a daring courage ever seconded by a propitious fortune Lewys a circumspect judgement which orderd businesses so sure that he left scarce any thing to fortune Edward by his Sword had brought himselfe to the present greatnesse of his state Lewys by his pollicie had setled himselfe in his fathers conquests And indeed so apparent was the equalitie of these Princes that they both dispaired to gaine any thing by opposition which made Lewys at any rate desirous to buy King Edwards returne and Edward willing no more to traffique with Lewys from whom nothing was to be got in the way of bargaine What soever the one did by valour the other likely to undoe by cunning This peace by all conjecture was likely to suffer in opinion at home where by comparing the fortune of the present with that of former expeditions expectation promist it selfe nothing lesse then the entire recovery of France To prevent which the King had happily perhaps judiciously as who foresaw that the successe might end an accord brought over with him many from London for their wealth of most reputation in the Citie These men whom plentie endeard to the love of life soone as hee had resolved to decline the present watre hee causd to be assaulted every houre with new feares Representing to their affrighted minds the horror of a battell the many difficulties of a siege and the certaintie of a timelesse death if not by the Cannon or the Sword yet by the inconveniences of lodging and the weather which the winter comming on was likely to be most tempestious And if beyond hope death were escaped how cruell might bee an imprisonment and how deepe the ransome Then hee gave order that the Enemie should bee reported of farre more danger then indeede hee was and every night false alarums to bee given And for distrust already held of Burgundie and S. Paul hee let it bee augmented in the Army causing rumors to be spread abroad that there was treason in them from the beginning of this enterprise and that now they were prepard to unite their forces with the French to the utter destruction of the English By which frights hee so moulded them to his desires that they writ backe to their friends the impossibilitie of any successe in the present businesse and the great judgement and fortune of the King if he could conclude a peace with advantage of honour The example of this pollicie King Edward bequeath'd to Henry the seventh who left none of his predecessors arts unpractisd that might advance eyther his profit or reputation And so farre this desire of peace and delight in it spread it selfe that when upon the day of the enterview by accident a white pigeon lighted upon the Kings pavilion and there pruned it selfe after a shower of raine the Sunne shining comfortably the Souldiers cryed out it was the Holy Ghost who descended in that forme to show how gratefull the present accord was to heaven Which interpretation pleasd exceedingly the present humour of the King
large territories in France hee certainly from his heart desired And when he invited King Edward into France to that purpose and there fail'd him of his promist succours it proceeded doubtlesse not from any underhand practise or remissenesse in the undertaking but onely by the misfortune of his Armie somewhat broken not long before at the siege of Nuze He was therefore a friend to us if an ambitious man be sayd a friend to any or rather so great an enemy to Lewys of France that he loved us onely in opposition and desired our prosperitie because it could not grow without ruine to the French How just a governor hee was in peace appertaines little to our knowledge and the world had little leasure to consider hee was so everlastingly in Armes In which as hee shewed great courage and judgement so likewise did hee commit much injustice And who will examine what licence warre gives to injury and how it imposeth almost necessitie of doing wrong may in some sort excuse him But his being ever in quarrells into which hee enter'd and continued as his passion not his reason directed him presents his spirit daring but turbulent and his valour rash and inconsiderate and takes away all pardon from his so many errors The two great blemishes upon his memory are his crueltie at Granson in Lorrain where in cold blood hee caused all the inhabitants to be kil'd the towne being yeelded to his discretion And his perfidiousnesse to the Count Saint Paul whom notwithstanding a safe conduct hee delivered up to execution into the hands of King Lewys The good men who ascribe punishment to the justice of heaven observe that after these two crimes his fortune left him and with dishonour death overtooke him when he least expected it Having at that time in his imaginations so many and so vaste designes that scarce the age and fortune of man had length and power enough to accomplish them all The death of this Prince having begot so much businesse in his life diversly affected all the neighbour countries Generally according to the custome in private families every state entertain'd it with such a passion as the advantage or disadvantage appear'd by it to themselves Some few out of love to his person hope of marriage with his daughter or compassion of humane accidents griev'd at the report But most exprest their sorrow for the libertie King Lewys had attain'd by it no man living now of power and will to oppose him should hee attempt injury and offer violence to his weaker neighbours For King Edward was so infatuated by his Arts that hee never startled at this great accident nor looked how nearely it might concerne his owne safetie So that notwithstanding hee were daily certified of new undertakings by King Lewys he rested quiet and gave free reines to his injurious ambition Who soone as he understood of the death of Duke Charles and perceived how open his countries lay to an invader Pretended the Dutchy of Burgundy for want of heires male devolved backe to the Crowne of France and by the armes of the Duke of Lorrain without further dispute tooke it in In the meane time himselfe seizing upon all Picardie which for many yeares had remain'd in possession of Dukes Philip and Charles And that he might have yet more occasion of quarrell with an unsetled Lady unable to withstand his opposition he summond the Princesse Mary Dutches of Burgundy to come in person into France to doe homage for the Countie of Flanders and her other estates held in chiefe of that Crowne But she knowing how unsafe it was to yeeld her person up to a Prince who made his advantage of every opportunitie delaid the homage and stood upon her guard as strongly as in so disorder'd a Countrey was possible For though shee were Lady of many opulent and mightie Provinces able if not to offend yet to defend themselves against the world yet were the people stubborne and prone to rebellion and who by the weakenesse of some of their Princes heretofore had purchast to themselfe too large immunities And indeed scarce any towne but had or pretended to have such prerogatives as debased all authoritie of government Which upon every change in state they revived and endeavor'd if possible to redeeme themselves from subjection And this hope more then ever now possest them considering the unexperience both of the youth and sex of her that ruled so that by apparence of their churlish carriage to the Dutchesse and small preparations against King Lewys who every day surpriz'd some place or other they rather desir'd to be exposed a prey to an insolent and cruell enemy then indure the milde government of their lawfull Princesse Shee therefore sent Embassadours to implore ayd of King Edward and declare to him the urgencie of her present necessities Who showed that their Princesse the greatest inheretrix of the world borne to a large and rich territory was at the present in a condition beneath the poorest subject that enjoyd but libertie Being detain'd captive by the hands which made restraint farre more unsupportable of her owne insolent rebells Her delivery concern'd the King of England in generall as a Prince and in particular as a neighbour and an alley Her tumultuous subjects who had dared to attempt and act this treason tooke courage from the French Kings declared enmitie An injurious proceeding in a Prince against a neighbour which justly provokes all Christendome to unite in her defence and punish so barbarous a proceeding in him That the ancient league observ'd with so much Religion betweene England and the Low Countries particularly did require his Majesties present ayd and a consideration of what might happen perhaps in his owne posteritie in the same nature did invite him to doe favours as his might challenge to receive them hereafter That even in the pollitique discretion of government it was conceiv'd that nearely it concernd the state of England to provide against so dangerous an addition of dominion to the French Considering King Lewys had already most injuriously wrested away not onely Peronne Mountdidier Tournay and all the rest of Picardie sold heretofore to Duke Phillip But seizd even upon Burgundy the inheritance of their Princess And what expresseth the inhumanitie of the tyrants and the hated malice of his intentions sommons her at this present to do homage personally for Flanders and her other territories Which sommons if shee obeyes she certainly betrayes her selfe into an everlasting captivitie or to a necessitie to surrender a large part of her inheritance for redemption And if shee refuseth shee indangers her whole estate to the surprize of a mercilesse enemy who never wanted the pretence of justice to justifie spoile and rapine They farther urged how their Princesse was not onely in her person restrain'd by her owne subjects but had not so much as apparence of any army in the field to oppose the invader The Souldier being absolutely destroyd in the former unfortunate
preserve the English in amitie was to keepe them at home Whereupon he frequently entertaind the King with Embassies full of curtesie such as might appeare rather the arguments of a sincere friendship then the forc'd expressions of ceremonie And ever communicated with him his private counsailes requiring his faithfull advice when indeed hee reserv'd his resolutions of any high nature wholly to himselfe all in the conduction of affaires though hee would listen to the opinion of King Edward he still obeyed his owne But this with his other Arts continued his reputation good with the English and purchast that quiet he suspected might by our armes be interrupted And what renderd his securitie the more troubles began betweene us and Scotland which wee may well beleeve hee underhand increast The occasion of them was the evill inclination and ungovernd spirit of James the third who disdaining to listen to the temperate counsailes of sober men obeyed onely his owne judgement which passion threw headlong into rash attempts The freedome of advice by the Lords of that countrey used toward their Princes renderd the speaker hatefull and frequently was rewarded with imprisonment or exile if not with death Among the multitude of them disfavour'd by him Alexander Duke of Albanie the King of Scotlands brother banisht into France resented the injury and endeavor'd revenge So that as hee past through England towards his exile being admitted to the King by all arguments he incenc'd him to a warre Which could not but prove most successefull the hatred of the Commons consider'd against so violent an oppressor And he protested that he knew the King falne into so low esteeme even with those he cherisht and into such hatred with all mankind that if assaulted by the English he would be constrain'd by submission of his Crowne to intreate for safetie This importunitie of the Duke of Albanie soone prevail'd with the King who by many injuries had beene exasperated and had onely waited opportunitie to warre upon Scotland For the boders on the English side had beene often infested and upon complaint no redresse nor reparation of damage Moreover the King having heretofore condiscended upon a motion from King James that his second daughter the Lady Cicilie should marry James Prince of Scotland and upon the agreement paid in a large part of the portion had receiv'd no satisfaction to his expectation The Articles of marriage neither being performed nor yet the money lent upon the bonds of the Provost and Merchants of Edenborough according to covenants repayd Hee was therefore the sooner wonne to undertake the businesse which he committed to the order of the Duke of Glocester who now had no competitor in greatnesse both of judgement and power No Prince of the house of Yorke remaining but such whom the want of yeares or love of ease indisposed to action For the King willing to decline labour waved the expedition and Glocester ambitious to gaine opinion especially with the Souldier most forwardly undertooke it The King desired to live to the best advantage of his pleasure Glocester of his honour And indeed Glocester began now like a cunning Phisition to examine the state of the Kings body which though he found strong and healthfull and by the ordinary reckoning of men likely to continue many yeares yet withall he observed evill symptomes of death in him being overgrowne with fat and both in his diet and lust subject to disorder Disorder a greater enemie to mankind and which hath destroyd more then age the sword or pestilence This Glocester perceiv'd and hence drew poyson which sweld his ambition higher He therefore with much alacritie prepared for the warre and with the title of Lievetenant Generall soone after set forward toward Scotland The Armie consisted of two and twentie thousand five hundred all commanded by men of great authority or experience Of the nobilitie in his retinue went Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Lord Stanley Lord Steward of the Kings house the Lords Levell Graistock Fitzhugh Nevill and Scroope of Bolton Of Knights Sir Edward Woodvile brother to the Queene Sir William Par Sir John Elrington Treasurer of the Kings house Sir James Harrington Sir John Middleton Sir John Dichfield and others The particular names of whom I mention onely to show how great a shadow Glocester began to cast toward the Sunset both of the Kings glory and life The Vantguard was led by the Earle of Northumberland the Rereward by the Lord Stanley the Maine battell by the Duke himselfe In whose company was the Duke of Albany Glocester willing perhaps to have him still in sight least if apart with sale of the Army he might purchase his owne peace Their first attempt was upon Barwicke surrendred heretofore by Queene Margaret to gaine a sanctuary for King Henry when expelled England into which partly by terrour of their Forces partly by the suddennesse of their approach they enterd without opposition The towne was soone at their discretion but the Castle the strongest Fort then in the North by the Earle Bothwell was made good against all battery Glocester foreseeing by the strength both of the place and the Commanders resolution that this siege would spend much time committed the charge to the Lord Stanley Sir John Elrington and Sir William Par with foure thousand Souldiers while he with the body of the Army marcht higher into Scotland perswaded as indeed it happend that they might force the King of Scotland either to an inglorious flight or else for safety to locke himselfe up in some strong hold By which they might so imprison him that his release should not bee without a full discharge for all injuries both against England and the Duke of Albany And according to expectation it happend the King upon the first rumour of an enemy inclosing himselfe in the Castle of Edenborough For in his governement having not studyed the safety of his people which is the supreame Law given to Kings he found himselfe now forsaken by them So farre that in opposition to the English against whom the Scots ever shewed a faire resolution no Army now tooke the field the Countrey lying open to the mercy of the invader Glocester therefore burning many townes by the way to strike a terror in the inhabitants marcht directly to Edenborough into which hee entred receiving such presents as the Citizens offerd to him for at the intreatie of the Duke of Albanie he spared the towne from spoile His entry was onely a spectacle of glory the people applauding the mercy of an enemy who presented them with a triumph not a battaile and welcom'd him as a Prince who tooke armes not for pecy or malice but for the safetie of a neighbouring kingdome disorderd and laid waste more by the licence of a tyrant in peace then it could have beene by the hand of war The Lords of Scotland considering the danger of their state and desirous to prevent ruin sent from Hadington to the Duke of Glocester to intreate
somewhat cleare Either conscience reforming him or by continuall sacietie growne to a loathing of it for the abstinence could not be imputed to age hee at his death not exceeding two and fortie But what endeard him so much to the affection of the people and especially to the Citizens of London was his being rich by his tribute from France and therefore not likely to lye heavy on them as likewise the so famed bountie of his hospitalitie Two thousand persons being daily served in his Court at Eltham where most solemnly hee celebrated the feast of the Nativitie And to recompence the great love which in both fortunes the Londoners had showed him to his last houre he used towards them a particular kindnesse Even so much that he invited the Lord Major and Aldermen and some of the principall Citizens to the Forrest of Waltham to give them a friendly not a pompous entertainement Where in a pleasant Lodge they were feasted the King himselfe seeing their dinner served in and by thus stooping downe to a loving familiarity sunke deepe into their hearts ordinary slight curtesies ordered thus to the best advantage taking more often even with sound judgements then churlish benefits And that the sex he alwayes affected might not bee unremembred he caused great plentie of Venison to bee sent to the Lady Majoresse and the Aldermens wives Thus was the outward face of the Court full of the beautie of delight and Majestie while the inward was all rotten with discord and envie For the Queene by how much shee considerd her selfe more unworthy the fortune shee enjoyed by so much she endeavord in the exterior height of carriage to raise her selfe foolishly imagining pride could set off the humilitie of her birth Shee was likewise according to the nature of women factious as if her greatnesse could not appeare cleare enough without opposition And they she opposed were the chiefest both in blood and power the weaker shee disdayning to wrastle with and they fearefull to contest with her But what subjected her to an universall malice was the rapine the necessary provision of her kindred engaged her to For they being many and great in title could not bee supplyed according to their ambition but by so common an injury as made her name odious through the kingdome Moreover the Lords of her blood by reason of their nearenesse to the Kings children being insolent and in regard of their youth indiscreet frequently ran into those errours which betraid them to the publicke scorne or hatred Against the Queene for through her kindred they aym'd at her opposed the Duke of Glocester the Duke of Buckingham the Lord Hastings and others of the most ancient nobilitie And to render odious her and hers Glocester laid the death of the Duke of Clarence which fratricide himselfe most barbarously contrived altogether upon their envie pretending a more then ordinary causion for his owne safetie least his person might by the same practise be brought in danger By which calumnie he both cleared his owne reputation and clouded the fame of a faction hee endeavord so much to ruine But this side had much the start in opinion and pollicie over the other who were young and unexperienc'd and president of whose Councell was a woman To compose these quarrells begot the King much trouble neither could he without extreame anxietie heare the continual complaints of persons so considerable both in power in the kingdome and kindred to his children not knowing to how dangerous a height this discord in time might grow But to increase his discontent everyday his jealousie increast concerning King Lewys his faith who now began to unmaske his intention and show how much hee had deluded the English For having ever since Maximilians marriage with Mary Dutchesse of Burgundie beene upon unkinde termes with him sometimes at open warre other times in an unfaithfull truce hee was now growing to an absolute peace And the conditions were whisper'd contrary to the treatie Piquignie which made the King suspicious they two might enter into some league prejudicall to the honour of the English For Maximilian having kept Lewys all the life time of his Lady from any further incroach upon her territory and by his fortune won into opinion with the French grew to bee must desired in the nearest friendship by them And he having buried his Dutchesse who owed her death to her modestie in respect that having broke her Thigh by a fall from a Horse she denied to expose it to the sight of Chirurgeons was willing to stand upon good termes with France Knowing how slender and how unfaithfull an obedience those Countries would yeeld to a Prince who was to rule by curtesie since to their naturall Lords they had ever shewed themselves insolent and rebellious These considerations prepared both sides to peace the conclusion of it to beget a more perfect amitie was that the Lady Margaret a child of two yeares old daughter â—o Maximilian and the Dutchesse of Burgundie should be affianced to the Dolphin then upon the age of twelve So that King Lewys in the marriage of his sonne was ever most disproportionable the daughter of England as much too old as this Lady too young but indeed his end was the same with Charles Duke of Burgundy and many other worldly fathers to match his sonne for the best advantage of his profit and convenience To confirme the uncertaine rumours of this perjurie in King Lewys the Lord Howard return'd out of France and made relation how hee saw the Lady Margaret brought with all pompe and ceremony to Ambois and there married to Charles the Dolphin And to heape yet more injuries not long after the tribute hitherto so carefully payd was denied The French now disclosing the innated malice they bore the English and with how little scruple they could dispence with the most solemne oath when no apparent danger threatned the crime For though the Dolphin when hee had attaind to the age of consent might have broke off this marriage and it could have beene onely term'd an act of discourtesie yet King Lewys who had sworne to this Article with so much ceremony cannot bee excused from a most foule impietie But what reason of state prevaild with him who heretofore awed by his feares had condescended in a manner to compound for his kingdome thus now to slight the English is not delivered in history And it may appeare difficult considering King Edward was now if possibly more absolute in his command at home his people better disciplin'd and no apparence of an enemy from abroad Adde to that his Coffers full increast every yeare by the tribute from France and his reputation high by the victory lately purchast against the Scots A nation though inferior to the French in the riches and extent of territory yet in martiall courage equall and in warring with whom we have found more sweat and danger It is therefore hard to know the cause of King Lewys his
proceedings in this injurious way if we looke on our selves onely as at home But if wee consider the state of businesses abroad wee may easily discerne his pollicie For now had the French Arts or the change of time quite dissolved all our confederacies and left us to maintaine with our owne armes our owne quarrell Saint Paul was annihilated in whose death expired all the discontents of the factious Nobilitie in France The Duke of Brittaine by an extreame melancholly which scarce was reputed lesse then madnesse was become unfit for government much lesse for any great attempt And being overcharged by the practises and armes of the French in a manner made resignation of his Dutchy to the disposition of some officers easie to be corrupted And Burgundie which in the victories of Henry the fift had so much advanced the English enterprises was by the last league with Maximilian wholly at the devotion of the French So that all they who heretofore had brought us over were now either reduc'd to bee unprofitable for our ayde or else become enemies should wee renew our ancient quarrell Moreover the long ease the King of England had lived in and the pleasures with which hee appeard altogether fascinated render'd him to the world nothing formidable And King Lewys having with so little difficultie hitherto deluded him and retain'd him in a kinde of servile amitie while hee threw injuries thicke upon him was now heightend to a presumption that the English would either connive at this affront or that by some new cunning they might bee appeasd were the indignitie never so much resented And if the worst should happen the French nothing feared the enmitie Considering that King Edward alone would bee unable to prevaile against them seconded by the forces of Maximilian whom his daughter now interessed in the warre These considerations of securitie to doe wrong according to the nature of wicked Princes made King Lewys so boldly attempt it And what was strange in a man so cunning hee left himselfe no excuse for the fact eyther in the way of honour or conscience And scarce in humane pollicie Vnlesse his expectation reacht beyond common reason in thought that Prince Phillip Sonne to Maximilian and the Dutchesse for shee was mother onely to a sonne and a daughter might chance to die and thus by the Lady Margaret all those large countries devolve into the power of France But how slight soever King Lewys his opinion was of the English this breach of faith was no sooner related to King Edward but hee resolved severely to take revenge And calling together all the Counsell and Nobilitie who for the suddennesse could be convoked hee to this purpose made a remonstrance of his wrongs and intentions how to right himselfe My Lords THe injuries I have receiv'd are divulged every where and the eye of the world is fixt upon mee to observe with what countenance I suffer And I must confesse they are of so strange a nature that I remaine rather amazed then enraged Had I dealt with any Prince not civilized by Lawes or inured to commerce I had yet the Religion of so many oathes and the reason of every pollitique circumstance so cleare that I could no way have suspected this foule and foolish breach of faith But in a Christian King and who pretends to be most Christian I have met with so horrid a perjurie and so disgracefull to our Nation that as all mankind must abhorre him as barbarous so in my owne particular I must neglect the principall office of a Prince if I omit to Chastise him Most of you my Lords are witnesses to the solemnitie of his vowes when humbly hee declined ruine to his Kingdome and I to avoide so great a massacre as the warre would have endangerd condescended to end all controversies by accord My clemency is now become my scorne and I reape indignities where I sowed favours For this ungratefull man Prince I must not tearme him who hath by perjury forfeited that sacred title in contempt of all Law both humane and divine denies not onely the marriage of the Dolphin to our daughter which would have proved so great an honour to his blood and securitie to his Kingdome but even the annuall tribute of fiftie thousand Crownes A slender rent for so large a countrey as by our permission hee hath hitherto enjoyed This contumelie I am resolved to punish and I cannot doubt successe Almightie God strengthen still his arme who undertakes a warre for justice In our expeditions heretofore against the French what prosperitie waited upon the English Armes is to the world divulged and yet ambition then appeard the chiefe Counsellor to warre Now beside all that right which led over Edward the third our glorious Ancestor and Henry the fift our Predecessor we seeme to have a deputieship from Heaven to execute the office of the supreame Iudge in chastising the impious When we were last in France an innate feare in this false man forc'd him downe to a sordid purchase of security How low will a wicked conscience which even makes the valiant cowardly to tremble bend him now Now when an implacable resolution for revenge sets a farre sharper edge upon our Swords Now when he hath no hypocrisie left undiscovered nor subterfuge for his former perjurie nor Art to gaine beleefe to new dissimulation Now vvhen our eares shall be deafe to all submission and when our conscience is so well resolved for the necessitie of this war that mercy will be thought a vicious lenitie and the most savage crueltie but an act of justice I neede not repeate how much age hath infirmed him And indeed I thinke it was his dotage committed this so foolish crime nor yet how hated he is renderd abroad by his unfaithfull dealing at home by his severe government The Commonalty sunke downe by his heavie impositions the Nobilitie by his proud neglect exasprated to desire any innovation But we want not advantage in the justice of our cause and valour of our people wee have enough It is confest our confederacies are quite dissolved And I rejoyce in that alone wee shall undertake this great businesse For experience in our last attempt showed that Princes of severall nations however they pretend the same have still severall aimes And oftentimes a confederate is a greater enemy to the prosperitie of a warre then the enemy himselfe Envie begetting more difficultie in a Campe than any opposition from the adverse Armie Our Brother of Bungurdy and Vncle of Saint Paul are both dead How little their amitie advanced us nay how a just jealousie of their secret practises hinder'd our designe then on France you all may well remember And how in our returne toward England wee had more feare to have beene assaulted by their trayterous weapons then by any armes from the enemy But wee will spare their memory they labor'd their owne safetie not our glory This I am secure that as by death they are render'd unprofitable
to us so likewise not dangerous And as for Brittaine if his weakenesse disable him to our ayde I am confident it will continue him a neutrall Neither is it to be forgot how securely now we may leave England rather then heretofore Considering our so entire friendship with the Scots whose hostilitie was alwayes sharpe upon us at home when wee attempted victorie abroad But I detaine you by my speech too longe from action I see the clouds of due revenge gatherd in your brow and the lightning of furie break from your eyes Which abodes thunder against our enemy Let us therefore loose no time but suddenly and severely scourge this perjured coward to a too late repentance and regaine honour to our Nation and his Kingdome to our Crovvne The Lords resented the affront with an indignation high as the Kings and desired that instant preparations might be made for the warre But above all the Duke of Glocester appeard zealous in the quarrell expressing aloud his desire that all his estate might be spent and all his veines emptied in revenge of this injury All the Court was presently for the designe and the whole Kingdom with a fierce appetite desired to arme So that no language was heard but martiall and all the gallantry in new armour or other conveniences for service The King most passionatly pursued his determination and that very spring resolved to begin the warre But he was diverted on the sudden from calling King Lewys to a reckoning for this crime and summond by death to give a strict account of all his owne Death arrested him and in the respect of not many houres instracted him in more then all the oratory from pulpits had done for fortie yeares For soone as he found himselfe mortally sicke he began to consider the vanitie of all his victories which with the expence of so much blood he had purchac'd and to the heart repented his too hard bargaine He looked backe upon the beautie of his sensuall pleasures and now discernd it was onely faire in the outside inwardly rotten and deform'd He cast up the accounts of his tribute both at home and abroad and all those treasures gather'd either by proscription of his enemies or exacting from his subjects and found himselfe a banckerout For till now hee wanted leasure to search into that which most concernd him and delighted too much in the pompe pleasure of the Inne where he was not to stay forgot he had a journey and unawares was overtaken by night an endlesse night which no day succeedes Perceiving his doome inevitable and no hope of the least reprive he began to order businesse as fully as the shortnesse of the time would licence The great affaire of his soule indeede the onely that is necessary he committed to the mercy of his redeemer and by the Sacraments then in use with the Church in England and a reall contrition hee labord a full expiation of the crimes and errours of his life And as his death is described to us by an excellent author who lived neere his time Almightie God seemes to have strucke water even from the Rocke as by Moses Wand hee did for the Israelites in touching this Prince to the heart and forcing a most religious penetence from a soule obdurate in sinne as wee may conjecture by his life The revenge of the injury hee receiv'd from King Lewys he refer'd to the judgement of heaven whose worke it is to punish perjury And Lewys suffered for it according to his demerit for that sonne in marrying whom hee so busied his imaginations and slighted all faith and religion lived but a short space and died issulesse Not one branch remaining of that great tree whose roote was in perjurie and dissimulation The protection of the King and Kingdome he left to the Lords nearest in kindred to his children advising them to amitie and concord By which the nation would flourish in greatnesse abroad and safetie at home The young King bee secured from flattery and instructed in the best discipline for government And they themselves live is much honour and felicitie i◠united to advance the Commonwealth and oppose all forraine danger Whereas discord would beget civill warre and that endanger ruine So that this Christian King like Christ himselfe when he departed bequeathd peace to the world And had this doctrine beene as zealously followed as it was uttered the succeeding time had not beene guiltie of so many sad confusions But for the present a perfect reconciliation appear'd both sides lovingly imbracing and protesting all amitie in the future So that with comfort hee forsooke the world and may well be said to have deserved a generall applause in this last sceane of his life Among his words of farewell at his death it is worthy observation that he solemnly protested his repentance for obtaining the Crowne with so much blood as the necessitie of the quarrell spilt Which certainly showes a most singular pietie considering the indubitable justice of his title And withall teacheth Princes a new lesson that the power of sway great men so superstitiously adore is but the Idoll of folly and ambition Whose oracles delude the living but on our death-beds we discerne the truth and hate the irreligion of our former errour Concerning the occasion of his death there is much varietie in opinion for by severall authors it is severally imputed to poison griefe and surfeit They who ascribe it to poyson are the passionate enemies of Richard Duke of Glocesters memory Who permit not nature at that time to have beene obnoxious to decay but make thè death of every Prince an act of violence or practise And in regard this cruell Lord was guiltie of much blood without any other argument condemne him for those crimes from which he was however actually most innocent The French affirme it to have proceeded from griefe conceiv'd upon repudiation of his daughter and detention of the tribute But they looking on our affaires a farre off mistake the shadow for the substance desirous perhaps that King Lewys should kill a King of England by a new weapon And certainly Lewys did perswade himselfe that King Edward was slaine this way and congratulated his wit much in the accident But this carries not the least apparence of probabilitie Great sorrowes kill for the most part suddenly else by a languishing decay of nature whereas King Edward dyed not presently upon the report nor yet drew melancholly from this injurie but a brave anger fierce to seeke revenge Moreover griefe hath the◠bin observed most powerfull over life when the disconsolate hath no eare to which hee may expresse himselfe and no hope left for remedy whereas King Edward breath'd forth passions to his Councell and found in them a simpathy both in the sorrow and the rage And as for revenge certainly the state of England was never better prepar'd to exact it The King being a valiant and fortunate leader the people inured heretofore to the exercise
absolute ruine to his hopes For though here hee heard first the comfort of his being father to a sonne yet was this sonne borne poorely in Sanctuary and christned without the ceremonies belonging to a Prince and if fortune beyond expectation alterd not heire apparent onely to his fathers misery Neither did that wild insurrection of the men of Kent which ensued presently upon his flight effect any thing or so much as openly pretend for King Edward But some disorder'd companies gathering into one hoped to fish faire in the troubled streame of the Kingdome and by the advantage of the present distraction of state to purchase treasure to themselves Whereupon they directed their march if such straglers can bee said to march towards London where by the Earle of Warwick and the Lord Major they were soone supprest and some for the generall terror made examples in their punishment But after this all things tended presently to quiet and King Henry set at libertie went in solemne procession to Pauls Church the Clergy Nobility and Commonalty reacknowledging all obedience to him And as if there were left no memory of King Edward or hope to re-establish his title every man addrest himselfe to King Henry and all his former servants recover'd their lost honours and places But that this might not appeare to be the act of faction but the universall consent of the Kingdome a Parliament was summond wherein nothing was denied which the prevailing partie thought fit to be authoriz'd King Edward therefore and all his adherents were attainted of high treason their lands and goods confiscated He and his posterity for ever disabled to inherit not onely the Crowne but any other hereditary estate His claime to the kingdome rejected as a most unjust pretention and his former government condemn'd as of tirannous usurper And that there might be a great example of their justice John Tiptoft Earle of Worcester Lord high Constable of England having beene apprehended in the Forrest of Waibrige on the top of a high tree which exprest the precipice of his fortune was on the Tower bill beheaded Next they proceeded to intaile the Crowne upon King Henry and his beires males for default of which to George Duke of Clarence and his heires forever By which inâ—â—ile the â—arle of Warwicke showed not onely the extent but the insolency of his greatnesse iâ—â—â— if the title of the kingdome appertained to them who were nearest in alliance to him not next in blood to the Crowne For if the justice of Lancasters claime had the preheminence for wâ—â—t of issue of King Henry why should not the soveâ—â—inty fall to the Duke of Soâ—â—â—inerâ—set Or iâ—â—haâ— line were crooked in respect of baâ—â—idie why not to the house of Portugall without any blemish desâ—ending from John of Gâ—int Or if the house of Yorke bad the better title why was George Duke of Clarence thâ—â— set downe but second in the liâ—â—â—ile Or if the right were in Was wick himselfe for his power order'd and disorder'd all why was the kingdome to descend first of all to the younger daughter But preposterous ambition never knew how to give an account to reason Their were â—he â—â—â—leâ— of Oxford Pâ—â—brooke and mâ—â—y otherâ— restored to their â—states and â—ilâ—s and â—he Duke of Clarence that greater hopes â—â—ight â—â—â— invite him to reâ—â—â—â—st to his brother possest of the Dutchy of Yorke And lastly the government of the King and kingdome â—o â—â—mitted to the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwick so that King Henry in whose best of fortune it was never to possesse more then the name of King seem'd not to be set at libertie but onely to have changed his keeper and get his prison somewhat more enlarged But Queene Margaret and Prince Edward though by the Earle recald found their fate anâ— the winds so adverse that they could not land in England to taste this running banquet to which fortune had invted them And stayd so long by necessity that disâ—â—â—tion instructed them in the end there was no hope of felicitie scarce of safetiâ— in then returne The re-establishment of King Henry in the kingdome by the universall acclamation of the Parliament and the generall silence of â—â—â— other â—â—â—â—ion â— no man so much as mentioâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— of Yorke to â—â—led â—hâ—â— servour of respect with which the Duke of Burgundy had aâ—â—â—â—st imbraced â—â—â—â—g Edward Especially which the tâ—â—ison'd â—â— Mouâ—siâ—ur â—â—itleere was apparens for of â—â—â—iceâ—â—â—â— â—â—â—â— the King and the Duke ever thought themselves secure he having declared himself â—â— for faithfully they rewarded him so liberally But â—ow the â—â—aytor turn'd his iâ—â—â—â—â— outward and with the loudest proclay â—â—â—â—â—â—â— joy for the prosperitie of Warwicke And so farre did vanitie of his former services betray him that he boasted even hiâ— treason for merit And what ev 〈…〉 ageâ— the King sent to him he rejected with sâ—â—â—â—e to â—â—â—â—se 〈…〉 ne â—â—iable affront hee wore enamel'd iâ—â— hisâ— hâ—â— the Beare and raggeâ—â— staffe the Earles â—â—â—â—â—zance The neglect which accompanied his adversitie made the King weaâ—y of any â—uither dependaâ—â—â—eâ— and urge the Duke to have licence for departing For although the Dutchesse neglected no duty of a sister and wooed him most passionately to a longer stay yet so little had his fortune instructed him to patience that neither love nor fright of danger could detaine him longer For the Duke was distemperd with such an ague of discurtesie that those fits which before came but every third or fourth day became now quotidian neither knew the King to how high and dangerous a malice the disease in time might rise His importunitie therefore in the end prevail'd and underhand obtain'd a large supply of money and some men Foure great Shippes of Holland and foureteene of the Easterlings men of warre well arm'd he hired for the transportation of his Forces Which consisted of the English who accompanied him in his flight and had escaped over after him and two thousand Dutch men With the Shippes hee convenanted that they should serve him till fifteene dayes after his landing and to the Dutch Souldiers hee gave such large promises that they vowed their lives to the greatest crueltie of his Fortune At Ravenspur in Yorke-shire he landed where the people naturally devoted to the house of Lancaster showed in the malice of their lookes what evill lucke they wisht him though they wanted courage with their armes to oppose him Which so dismall aspect made him more wary in his march to Yorke fearing it might presage the generall rising of the Countrey But when hee came thither and found the Citizens so well pleas'd with the present state and so in their opinion confirm'd for King Henry hee began to despaire the recovery of the Crowne And in that resolution perceiving them obstinate beyond any hope of remove fashion'd his behaviour to a new art Whereupon since he could not move them to obedience by the authority of his unquestion'd right to the Crowne by
title to the Crowne of England be just as man did alwayes allow in judgement and Almightie God hath approved in the successe The same title is good to the Crowne of France Both having beene united into one ever since the usurpation of Philip de Valois The peoples affection to Princes of their owne nation enacted an injurious Law that authoriz'd injustice and confirm'd the Soveraigntie in the heires Male The Female were excluded as if the distinction of kind could make a difference in right and the being borne a woman were to bee borne illigitimate for the Law Salique in a manner bastardizeth the whole Sex Your great Ancestor Edward the third whose name and magnanimity you inherit with his Sword abrogated this Law And call'd the Lawmakers to a severe acacount at Crecie and Poitiers where more veines of France were opened and more blood issued then any time records Considering the small numbers of the English In the later of the two battels John Sonne to Philip of Ualois laboring to make good the pretentions of his Father was taken prisoner and so continued lesse then a free Subject by endeavouring unjustly to be a Soveraigne The little handfull of men with which the English then opposed the vast armies of the French not onely showing the high advantage the Nation hath in courage But the miraculous justice of the Almighty who delights to make the destruction of Vsurpers his owne Worke and not to permit man by his power to rivall heaven in the punishment Your Majesty needes not History to perswade you to the quarrell or example to assure you of the successe The justice of the claime will easily prevaile with you to draw againe your sword which hath beene hitherto almost still unsheathed in vindication of your right And that with so much prosperity that they who admire your valour and direction applaud your fortune But if the nature of man delighted in the felicities of peace should advise your Majesty to satisfie your mind with the triumph of those victories you have already purchast Yet neither a just revenge nor discreet pollicy will admit it For how can England remaine safe from future injuries and acquit her selfe in honour against those who have heretofore affronted her if France where all the late combustions were first conceived remaine unpunished The huge body of the civill Warre lies now a dead trunke wounded to death by your arme but yet Lewys of France the head of that monster though contrary to the ordinary course of Nature retaines still a life and quickens mischiefe hourely against this Kingdome least otherwise his owne be not secure And should your Majesty out of desire to avoid the further effusion of Christian blood permit him to continue in the unjust possession of a Kingdome he would interpret his safety and your mercy to be either a blind ignorance or a degenerate feare And from your lenity draw the boldnesse to prepare new troubles against your quiet And if it be not an over much care in a confederate and an allye to make so narrow a scrutinie into your Majesties affaires Our Master beleeves that this warre will not be unnecessary for the present state of England In regard this way those many evill humours gathered in the body of the Kingdome by the late disorders will be easily purged away or at least diverted Seeing experience teacheth us how impossible it is for a Nation nurst in civill war suddenly to embrace a peace and endure a severe government And should the discontented not vent themselves thus abroad how dangerous it might make the disease at home is easie to be conjectured But all this showes only the justice and necessity of your warre Preparations great enough to oppose a King of France yet we have not toucht upon And that indeed is it our Master gave us in our instructions most to acquaint your Majesty withall As by which it will be most apparent how without any reflection upon his owne occasions he invites you to this undertaking For his Highnesse understands how farre this overture lyes open to a false interpretation considering his enmity with King Lewys did not the circumstance of the businesse show how your Majesty is rather desired to a triumph then a battle Never had France so many enemies so powerfully united and never so few friends if shee may be said to have any For except onely the poore Duke of Lorraine who happily may be a burthen never an aide to any Prince wee can hardly reckon a confederate For so trecherous have beene all King Lewys his arts so dissembling his nature that the world hath concluded it much safer to be at enmity with him then upon the fairest termes His friendship having ruined some his armes never any man In confederacy with our Master and in absolute resolution to invade France are the Duke of Brittaine and the Count Saint Paul Brittaine able of his owne Subjects to bring a powerfull army into the field Saint Paul by his kindred and intelligence to cause a generall revolt of all the nobility from the King And indeed such hath beene the carryage of that polliticke Prince for that epethite his poore shifts have got him that a continuall contempt hath beene throwne by him upon the great Lords and a most neere familiarity enter'd into with the basest people His barber being more acquainted with the affaires of state then the whole body of his Councell This preposterous course of favor hath made the greatest states of the Kingdome scorne their present King and reflect upon your Majesty whose comportment in warre and peace hath beene such as justly makes your triumph in the generall affections of your many friends and utter destruction of your enemies If it may therfore please your Majesty to admit of that greatnesse your high descent hath title to and your Predecessors ' have had possession of The armes of these great Princes are prepared to serve you Our Master first honoured your Majesty as a potent neighbour great in your selfe as in dominion Then by marryage he grew into the neerest degree of correspondence the title of Brothers a ceremony used betweene Princes being of due in alliance between you two Lastly he had the happinesse which Potentates seldome have though with some trouble to your Majesty to enjoy entire familiarity By which those other respects common among persons of like quality and which are often but weake tyes of amity converted into a perfect friendship So that this desire his Highnesse hath to advance your Majesties glory and command proceeds onely from love to the posterity of your person and iust claime With How powerfull forces he will concurre to this great action hath beene of purpose omitted Because the world hath had sufficient testimony how able his Highnesse hath beene to oppose if not oppresse King Lewys without borrowing aid from a confederate He therefore intreates to know your Majesties resolution whether you will passe over and personally make your
a treatie considering that all our warres in France had rather purchaste fame then treasure to our Kingdome and when our Souldier returnd home their scarres were greater then their spoiles And howsoever we had at staits got possession of the largest territories in France yet still wee retired back againe As if the devine providence had decreed to have our Empire bounded with our Seas Moreover they who affected the happinesse of a Kingdome and loved their owne country desired rather France under a forraigne governour least if in possession of our King England being the lesse both in extent and fertility might be reduc'd to the condition to a Province and live in obedience to a Deputie enriching the greater Kingdome with her tribute Other consirations likewise of the present state of the warres prevail'd to get content for a treatie whereupon with reward the Herauld was dismist a safe conduct granted and the place for the Commissioners appointed in a Village neare Amiens For the King were nominated the Lord Howard Sir Anthony St. Leger and Doctor Morton for the French the bastard of Burbon Admirall of France the Lord Saint Peire and the Bishop of Evereux This at the first meeting brought almost the treaty to a conclusion for on both sides they brought mindes disposed to peace And although the English Commissioners at first demanded the Crowne of France as due to the King by right from which in honour he could not recede and afterward with much apparence of difficultie condescended to be content with Normandy and Guien yet they themselves knew well Princes never use to part with Countries upon treatie before the battaile hath imposed a necessitie to yeeld And indeede the English expected not that Lewys would be frighted out of so important lims of the body of France onely upon the braving of an enemy Soone this first florish of businesses came to more easie termes Edward desired to be gone without losse of honour Lewys to have him gone with as much reputation as he desired Edward had occasion of mony and Lewys was willing to make him a bridge of Gold from Callice to Dâ—ver whereon to carry backe his Army And shortly to both their contents an absolute atonement was made Whereby threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes were to be paid to King Edward before his departure out of France and fifty thousand annually Concerning the annuitie of fiftie thousand Crownes there is much controversie among French and English writers about the name They call it a Pension wea Tribute And certainly the later to speake without partialitie to our selves hath in it much more proprietie of language For a Prince who over-awed by a powerfull Armie mediates by deprecatory massages to divert the battaile and afterward buyes his safetie not onely with a present Summe but an annuall payment cannot have a freer name then tributary And as for pensions they are granted upon petition to the poorer and weaker not upon feare to the mightier But to compare the greater actions of Princes to the customes of Subjects The threescore and fifteene thousand Crownes was the fine King Lewys payd for France and the fiftie thousand annually the rent Onely the farme was too mightie to be set and the tennant too strong and stubborne ever to quit possession to his Landlord Then for establishment of future peace that posteritie might partake in the benefit of this accord it was concluded that the Princesse Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward should marry with Charles the Dolphin Son to Lewys And for her present maintenance five thousand Crownes from France to be payd in the Tower of London and after the expiration of nine yeares shee and the Dolphin to be invested in the Dutchy of Guyen And that on the English side there might bee no fraud upon payment of the first summe the Lord Howard and Sir John Cheinie Master of the Horse were to remaine in hostage untill the Army were return'd into England But that the King might not seeme to forget his confederates the Duke of Burgundie and Britaine were comprehended if they would accept the peace The Count S. Paul was abandon'd in this treatie as an efficiall servant and subject to the Crowne being Constable of France and who by his dissimulation and treason had most offended the nature of our King And usually thus to reconcile great Princes lesser are offered up for sacrifice This peace was generally receiv'd by the Army with applause as by people who began to consider no victory before the battaile certaine and in the battaile much hazard Onely the Duke of Glocester who stood aloofe off on the other side for honour frown'd at this accord and exprest much sorrow as compassionating the glory of his nation blemisht in it Hee repeated his jealousie of the worlds opinion which necessarily must laugh at so chargeable a preparation to attempt nothing And scorne either the wisedome or courage of the English when they shall perceive them in so full numbers and so well arm'd to passe the Sea after a defiance sent and challenge to a Crowne to returne backe without drawing a Sword Moreover to forsake the amitie of so constant friends and in extreame necessitie to betray them beguiled by a common dissembler whose shifts and trickes of state like the slights of hand in juglers are discovered and wondred at by those fooles onely whom hee cozens And what carried with it an apparence of most danger to necessitate the Duke of Burgundie to a peace with King Lewys whereby both may hereafter joyne in a common league against us Who by this one act have forfeited all leagues with our ancient confederates and frighted any other Princes from joyning with us With Glocester agreed many of the Army who were either dependant upon him or who had as unquiet thoughts as hee some likewise who having set up the rest of all their fortunes upon this gaine found themselves undone in their hopes because the Princes had drawne statues But most of a discontented humour that maliciously alwayes interprets the actions of Princes to the worst sence But the Duke of Glocester had a further and a more dangerous aime as who by the dishonour of his brother thought his credit receiv'd increast and by how much the King sunke in opinion he should rise And in regard good and quiet men were delighted in the accord he would be had to the wicked and unquiet and adde a luster to his faction by drawing the nations honour to his part But why this peace should endure so hard a censure both at home and abroad is strange and above all why King Lewys should ascribe any honour to himselfe or thinke the advantage on his side For what ecclipse soever the English glory suffered certainly the French by a most servile way purchast safetie They descending beneath the honour of men by mony to wave a battaile wee being onely faultie in not having perform'd more then men For if we consider our selves subject to