of these hurliburlies came ouer Embassadours from the French King who must be answered he grew somewhat perplexed againe till shaking off all the hindrances of his amasement he fell to practise and orderly performances Whereupon he called his Councel together they without any great difficulty determined the busines in this manner To attend vpon the Scots Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey a puissant and politike Captain prisoner at the ouerthrow of King Rich. the 3. and within two yeares set at liberty and after Iohn Lord Dinham made high treasurer of England was appointed to muster the forces of the Countie Palatine of Durham the borders round about so atteÌ„d that seruice To represse the Western Rebels the Lord Dawbney with his whole power prepared for Scotland was recalled to march against theÌ„ wheresoeuer they encamped to look vnto France Calice and Guisnes with the Garisons were much augmented and prouided for To preuent Flaunders the Nauy was prepared the Staples for the Merchants setled To keep Warbeck from comming into England ioining with the Rebels the whole nobility combined themselues especially the earle of Essex Lord Montioy who came of purpose to London to offer their seruice to his Maiesty so all places were looked vntâ— with a vigilant eye manned with strength of soldiers and to answere the Embassadors of Charles the French King he sent honourable persons to receiue them and conueigh them to Douer and there a while to detaine them till some of these tumults and rebellions were extinguished and suppressed which indeed was so wisely and politikely handled that none of the Embassadors were troubled so much as with the rumors of these commotions But see the horror of despight and with what a contracted brow misfortune can looke vpon Kings themselues so that a man may well say to this Rebellion as Ouid did to Cupido in his first booke of Elegies Sunt tibi magna puer nimiumque potentia regna Cur opus affectas ambitiose nouum For as these Rebels and Cornish men departed from Wels they entertained for their chiefe Captaine Iames Twichet Lord Audley whose countenance and authoritie in the Countrie strengthened them much For by this occasion they went without intermission to Salsbury and so to Winchester and from thence into Kent hoping for further and further assistance but they were deceiued in their expectation For the Earle of Kent George Lord Aburgaueâ—y Iohn Brooke Lord Cobham Sir Edward Poinings Sir Richard Guilford Sir Thomas Burchier Sir Iohn Pechy William Scot and many others with a well mustred army were not only ready to defend their Countrie from al mischiefe and destruction but determined to offend them in their facinorous attempts and preiudiciall intrusion which loialtie somewhat rebated the forwardnesse of the Cornish-men and they began to suspect themselues being so farre from their Countrie and remote from any supply Notwithstanding loth to disâ—earten their spirits with any depressing humor they cast away all doubts and presuming on their owne strength and forces as also animated by their leaders and conductors they were now asmuch exasperated against the Kentish-men for deceiuing their assistance as against the King for vsurping their liberty swearing reuenge against both In which â—age and heat of repining they came as farre as Black-Heath within foure mile of London and tooke a field in an arrogant ouer-daring manner on the top of an hill supposing all things consortable to their arrogancy and deceiuable hopes because as yet they passed and repassed without fighting or strong encounters But alas Blanditiae Comites tibi erunt terrórque furorque and they were abused with a vale of ignorance and couering of obstinacy For the King disposed of his affaires with great policie and circumspection not determining to giue them battaile or exagitate them at all till he had them farre from their proper dwellings and flattering friends till they were in despaire of reliefe and wearied with long and tedious iournies till their treasure was spent their vitaile consumed and prouision failing till their company dropped from them like rotten hangings on a moistned wall and their whole designes and expectation quite disanulled and then when he imagined their soules vexed with the terror of a guiltie conscience their fury asswaged with compunction and penitency their spirits daunted with repentance and remorse and all their army affrighted with madnesse and doubtfull extacies would he set vpon them and in some conuenient place circumuent and inuiron them to his owne best aduantage and their irrecouerable damage and destruction As for the Citie of London I cannot but remember and compare it vnto Rome both when Hannibal passed the Alpes to threaten the Monarchy being yet farre off himselfe and also Marius and Silla couered her fields with armed men and trampled on the bosome of their Countrie with ambitious steps and cruell feet of vsurpation then spake the Poet in this manner Quoties Romam fortuna lacessit Hâ—c iter est bellis gomitu â—ic quisque latenti Non aufuâ—timuisse palam Vox nulla dolori Credita There was chaining the streetes shutting vp the shops making strong the gates doubling the watches hiding their treasure cries feares terrors and euery one more disturbed for the losse of his priuat goods then the encuÌ„brances of the Common-wealth Here was mustering of soldiers watching all day in armor staccadoing the riuer filling the streets with companies of horse and foot cutting down the Bridge locking vp their dores shutting the Gates and what else named before to be put in practise with aduantage of many peeces of ordnance both in Southwarke and the Suburbs and the strength of the Tower which they knew was reserued for the King himselfe Notwithstanding such was the instabilitie of the Citizens being a little disturbed from their quietnesse and rest their dainties and ease their banquetings and meetings their feasts and sumptuousnesse their pastimes and pleasures that they rather complained on the King and his Councell for the first occasion of these tumults then exprobrated the rebell for ingratitude and disobedience But the King without further disputing against their peeuishnesse or laying open the abuses of such refractary people deliuered them of this feare For he presently sent Iohn Earle of Oxford Henry Burchier Earle of Essex Edmond de la Poole Earle of Suffolke Sir Rice ap Thomas Humphrey Stanley and other worthy martiall men with a company of Archers and horsemen to enuiron the Hill where the Rebels were encamped round about Him-selfe with the maine battaile and forces of the Citie much ordnance and great prouision tooke St. Georges field where on a Friday at night he quartred himselfe and on the Saterday very early in the morning he poasted Lord Dawbney to Dertford who by breake of day gat the bridge of the Strand in despight of resisters which manfully defended it a while shooting arrowes a full yard long and demeaning themselues like scholerly and eloquent
of burs and nettles which soughtly handled sting the more violently but hardly crushed together lose their force and energie Of this sort was the Earle of Lincolne sonne to Iohn de la Poole Duke of Suffolke and Elizabeth another sister to Edward the fourth who much maligning the aduancement of this Earle of Richmond farre his inferiour as he supposed tooke hold of this open Rebellion as a meet opportunitie to beate out his own ends on such a pestilent anuile and therefore determined to vphold fortifie support this Irish expedition and take part with his new cozen who as he made him selfe belieue was escaped indeed for all the prety conueiances of the State This Earle of Lincolne besides his blood experience wisedome in great important affaireâ— had a priuacy of humor which many men excepted against as fantasticall and precise For he was so cautelous in his words and singular in his phrases and actions that he would neither sweare nor tell a lie by reason his communication was still seasoned with sauorie Parenthesis and breakings off or if you will Aposâ—opesis As I will not confidently auerre it but it is so and so if men may be credited in their mortalitie The number amounts to so many if men faile not in their computations I dare not iustifie it further then one my credit another with such like Yea in his enterprises he was both curious and Roman like for stricknesse of discipline yet valiant enough To conclude in a word had not the mantle of greatnesse ouer-couered his gesture and actions the same garbe and fashion in an inferior might haue beene thought ridiculous but to our purpose in hanâ— When he apprehended a kind of feare and iealosie in King Henry through this false rumor he determined with the same water that draue the Mil to drowne it and out of this fiction to raise a matter of consequence whereupon he presently repaired to Sir Thomas Broughton and others who like the Theeues of Aegypt lying in the reedes by the Riuer Nilus breaking out vpon any hope of aduantage vpon the silly passengers watched all occasions to be reuenged on the King and yet could render no iust account of their discontentments and after diuers consultations concluded to saile into Flaeunders to his Aunt the Duches being his Mothers owne sister and so without further commorance after the King had dissolued the Parliament at London put the same in practise whither he was well commed with all worthy and kind embraces Not long after Francis Lord Louel repaired vnto him well accompanied where for the time secured and assembling themselues with this Position that omnia efficit consilium quod ferrum hostile efficere potest lest the World should laugh them to scorne for prosecuting idle and vaine attempts they resolue that the Earle of Liucolne and Lord Louel should repaire into Ireland and adde a better countenance to the businesse by their presence in attending and honouring their new King with all gracefull ceremonies and markes of maiestie Then with the power of the Irish-men to bring him into England by which time the Duches forces would be ready to ioine with them Last of all to giue King 〈◊〉 battaile wheresoeuer in which if they preuailed they might at their pleasures depose this counterfeit Lambert and deliuer the true Earle of Warwicke out of prison in all which they proceeded accordingly and with expedition But King Henry supposing he had setled and appeased the minds and vnstable humours of his Nobilitie by the personall presence of Edward Earle of Warwicke began to be lesse moued and disturbed yea as it were secure and carelesse of any further malice and dangerous attempt against his estate and dignitie mistrusting nothing lesse then any man to be so foolish and mad as to belieue that Lambert could be the Earle so that he coniectured nothing but the suppressing of those barbarous Irish and the sedation of that trouble vntill he heard how the Earle of Lincolne was fled out of the Realme vntill he heard how the Lord Louel was confederate with him vntil he heard how diuers were vnited vnto them vntill he heard how the Duches of Burgoine coadiuted the enterprise vntill he heard they had raised a strong party and were resolued to giue him battaile this somewhat moued him and exasperated his displeasure For when he saw no other cataplasme could serue the turne but that he must cauterise the sore and sere and cut away the putrified flesh of this corrupted and rebellious body he determined with strong hand and martiall power to doe the same Whereupon he commanded his Musters to goe forward and appointed the seuerall Captaines a Rendezvous where the whole Armie might meet as occasion and his aduersaries should incite him and lest others might pretend discontentments wants debts deuotion pilgrimages and such like and so goe out of the Realme after the rest he gaue order to all Lieutenants of Shires Sherifes Maiors Bailifes and officers to search and watch the Ports Hauens for the going out and recourse of strangers or passengers vnlicensed and vnlimitited Thus what he could not with the Foxes he was faine to compas with the Lions skin yet knowing that Victoria est tota â—ita in bona consultationâ— he did not cast away the other but when he saw no Councell nor policie could either lâ—niat their obduratnesse nor diuert their inficious intents against him he resolued with an equall strength to remoue the blocks of his peace and quietnesse cast thus in his way by flagitious contumacy and ridiculous innouation But some fires are not so easily quenched as raised or maintained for though all his aduises and good order consorted with successe yet were they not sufficient to stop the mouth or hinder the passage of the present disturbance with deputies or Commissioners therefore he set forward in person supposing they would arriue from Flanders side on some of those Coasts and so came to Saint Edmonds Bury where he was certified that the Lord Thomas Marquesse Dorcet was comming to him to excuse and purge himselfe of those crimes enforced against him or at least such ouersights in which he perfunctorily performed his duty while he was in France To him was sent the Earle of Oxford by way of anticipation to intercept at this time his iourney For the King was too full of troubles and cogitations about the suppressing his enemies and new raised tumults and so could not attend his businesse The Earle had only Commission to conuey him to the Tower which when some of the Councell supposed a hard doome he answered them plainly What need further words If he be my friend as I am confident thereof he will be contented a while to suffer a little reproach and rebuke for my sake yea peraduenture pleasure and contentment If he be otherwise it is a place of security and would I had my aduersaries as safe there as they would me
a fearefull countenance seemed to discountenance both his honor and the action had not the Duches taken the cause in hand with a more vndaunted courage and like a true Virago raised her spirits to a higher pitch of reuenge thus resuscitating her darling and answering the Doctor MY Lords Embassadors of England For the dignity of princelines commandeth no lesse awfull regard of Maiesty combineth me to such obseruation Besides I am no way offended with your persons but your message wherin I know the Oratour hath much transcended his bounds but speaking for his fee and doing another mans errand he is the more pardonable and therefore as neere as I can reâ—ember I will answer succinctly to euery point deliuered First whereas you impeach the miraculous and wonderfull preseruation of this Prince In which yet my credit and knowledge of the truth shall be of sufficiency to answer all other obiections and intercedings I cannot blame you nor him that set you on worke For he well knowes that sonnes â—re to bee preferred before daughters and ashamed of the â—reachery of his ancestours he would put off the blame by a tricke of policy in laying as great faults on the shoulders of his aduersary I meane my brother Richard whose tyranny and obdurate heart hath onely wrought this relenting in me that say do what England can I will be now the Protectrix of this euery way distressed Prince and so to conclude this poynt assure your King Permanet in voto mens mea firma suo Secondly whereas you inferre the improbability and vnlikelihood of sauing the Prince being in a Tyrants custody and determining to murther the King himselfe I answer in a word I am of your minde if euer he had come into his hands But it is well knowne that the Cardinall himselfe was deceiued and the childe conuayed away in despight of the maleuolent practises of so cruell an Homicide Yet say it had not beene so I hope eldest brothers daughters are preferred before a yonger brothers claime and hee had fiue Princesses besides my Nephew Warwicke to wrastle wiâ—hall before he could goe out of the lists with his owne triumphs Therefore it was not the feare of him that did accelerate his murther as you suppose but his resolution to bee King in despight of Heauen and Hell Thirdly concerning the dispossessing of the Queene their mother by your Parliament I am ashamed of your asseueration that euer man and such a man whom as you say the Heauens protected should bee attainted of inhumanity to thinke a woman might not bee affrighted with a Tyrant when hee himselfe ranne into euery corner from his reaches But say there had beene a fault perpetrated through the timidity of her sex and tendernesse of her widdow-hood would any man marry the daughter and hate or distresse the poore mother in whose behalfe I may well say with Ariadne to Theseus Sinon ego causasalutis Noâ— tamen est cur tu fis mihi causa necis And therefore if there were no more then to reuenge her quarrell I will bee an enemy to Lancaster while I liue and am no further mooued with your vnseasonable oratory then afraid of his menaces Fourthly whereas you would insinuate with our Nobles and trusty friends to desist from my allegiance and aâ—â—sting my Nephew in his lawfull claime you thinke belike we are as perfidious as your selues that seeme glad of Treason and turmoiles vpon the very sound of innouation yea the least aduantage or disaduantage will cause you leaue your Prince in the midst of his enemies Fiftly concerning your exprobration of Maximilian for ingratitude and not coadiuting your King in his petty reuenges vpon France First his great dessignes are not to be compared to your triuiall businesse and hauing matters of high consequence else-where he could not leaue them to attend your weaker importunities Secondly he well knew it was but a folly to assist you in any businesse of France for as fasâ— as you got it one way you would loose it another so that you cannot now show any Town or Fort either of King Edwards conquests or Henry the fifts enterprises except Calice which lying so neere you you cannot for shame but defend And thirdly in my conscience he tooke pitty of you knowing you had a warre at home to attend and so were not able to prosecute both encounters at once goe back therefore and tell your politike Prince that whereas words are but womens weapons to his imagination we determine to arme our selues and this Prince by Gods assistance and my power shall bid him base in his owne Kingdome with speare and shield and make an equall combat the decider of both their Titles Last of all concerning your inuectiue against women alas I smile at your schollership and am ashamed at your poore discretion in adapting some poeticall inuention out of fury or despight to your present purposes when both the same man and all others of the same condition are as forward to commend as dispraise vs For to answere your worne out and threed bare Tragedian hearke what our Diuine Petrarch affirmeth Huius mens terrenarâ—m nescia curarum Coelestibus desiderâ—s ardet in cuius aspectu si quid vnquam veri est diuini specâ—â—en decoris effulget cuius mores consummata honestatis exempâ—â—â— sunt cuius nec vox necoculorum vigor mortale aliquid nec incessuâ—â—â—minem represent at With which words she arose and carried away Perkin with such state and maiestie that Sir Edward Poinings though he were euery way inuincible for his courage and a knowne man for wonderfull and seuerall exploits yet seemed amazed at her Heroicall speech and delicat manner of obstinacy Notwithstanding the Embâ—ssadors and Councell of Estate often met and after long debating the matter somewhat to pacifie the King of England for many reciprocall gratuities and benefits receiued they concluded that the Arch-duke should neither aide nor assist Perkin nor his complices in any cause or quarrell whatsoeuer against the maiesty of England Only if the Duches continued in her obduratnesse and would not desist from her feminine rages and terrible prosecutions they were not to oppose against her nor was it in their power to let or withstand it For she was an absolute gouernour in her owne territories and the seignories and lands assigned for her dower were of sufficiency to suffulciat her enterprises without their contradiction or restraint When this answere was giuen they returned againe into England with a true relation of all occurrences as they chanced and circumstances impending whereupon King Henry both politike and charitable for of all other things he desired if it were possible to auoid effusion of blood and hazzardous danger of battaile supposing that was the last remedy of curing diseased Common-wealths as Surgeons doe to festered sores contriued another worke which although it was branded by some with the character of traiterous intelligences yet it serued his turne for
restraint of his liberty and stomaching his former disgraces indignities would endure no longer but studied euery hower how to escape not yet knowing what to do when he did escape to which purpose by faire promises and false perswasions he corrupted his keepers Strangwaies Blewet Astwood and long Roger seruants of Sir Iohn Digby Lieutenant of the Tower to slay their said Master and set both Perkin and the true Earle of Warwicke at large and so to make their fortunes as they could either by domestike or forraine friends to which when the innocent Prince condiscended as glad any way to enioy his libertie and to be freed of his imprisonment for you see birds kept in golden cages beat and flutter vp and downe as scorning their enclosure to get out into their natiue Country the region of the aire mischiefe and misfortune which plaies the tyrant with many men all their liues long neuer affordeth one day or breathing time to giue them a taste of any pleasure or contentment discouered the whole conspiracy to the King and his Councell not leauing out any circumstance which might either exasperate his rage or pull forward death and destruction to the delinquents Whereupon without further disputing the matter Perkin Warbeck Iohn a Water sometimes Maior of Corck and his sonne were the 16. of Nouember arraigned and condemned at Westminster of high Treason and the 23. hanged at Tyburn Perkin mounted on a scaffold reading his confession and contrary to all expectation aâ—king the King and Country forgiuenesse and dying penitently with great remorce of conscience and compunction of spirit Et sic â—inis Priami Not long after Edward Earle of Warwick who had beene the 21. of Nouember arraigned at Westminster before the Earle of Oxford high Constable of England for the present was vpon the 28. 1429. beheaded at the Tower Hill For he quietly confessed the enditement concerning his consent and willingnesse to obtaine his libertie though it were by violating the law in that kinde and breaking of prison whose simplicity I rather lament then condemne the offence For it was a dangerous time for any Plantaginet to liue in and I may well cry out Omne tulit secum Caesaris ira malum But the King was indeed glad of this occasion and fortune gaue vertue the check because as he had imprisoned him without a cause he knew not what to doe with him without a fault yet some report that the principall reason of accelerating his death was a speech of Ferdinando's king of Spaine who should sweare that the mariage betweene Lady Katherine his daughter and Prince Arthur of Wales should neuer be consummated as long as any Earle of Warwick liued For the very name and title was not only formidable to other Nations but superstitions to the wauâ—ring and vnconstant English whereupon the King was the gladder to take hold of this opportunitie where in the conuiction of Law had cast this stumbling-block of treason in his walke and race to a longer life and yet was there nothing done but by orderly proceedings and iustifiable courses more then when the silly Prince submitted to his mercy he thought it the greatest point of mercy to looke to himselfe and so for the benefit of his posteritie and the sedation of all troubles both present and to come struck off his head and with him the head of all diuision and dissention FINIS True Histories to be preferred before all prophane and deuised relâ—tions The house of Lancaster began the first wrong Rebellion in Ireland naturall Sparâ—ago Sebastian Mortimer Treason did neuer long prosper Margaret Duches of Burgundy chiefest enemy of Henry the seuenth The Lord Louel and Stafford rebell against Henry the seuenth No Saâ—ctâ—ary for Traitors â— new Earle of Warwick The end of diuelish deuices our destruction Lambert Earle of Wâ—rwicke saâ—â—eth into Ireland The Earle of Kildare a sauorer of this counterfet Margaret Duches of Burgundy entertaineth this quarrell Eurip. Mâ—dâ—â— Articles agreed vpon by the Councell to prâ—uent the warre The Earle of Warwicke shewne in publike Iohn de la Pooles sonne Duke of Susâ— folke by a sister of Edward the fourth Now Earle of Lincolne taketh part with Lambert The Earle of Lincolâ—e and Lord Louel goe into Ireland to Lambert The King raiâ—eth an Armie The Lord Marâ— quesse Dorceâ— sent to the Tower Eurip. Bacchâ— Mâ—rtinus Swart Lambert with his Armie commeth into England Lucan lib. 1. The King with his army is ready to the encounter Lucan lib. 2. The Earle of Lincolne commeth forward to Newarck to meet the King Stoke field The armies ioyne The King obtaineth the victory against the Rebells Lucan lib. 9. The Duches of Burgundy is rather enraged then daâ—nâ—ed with the newes Euriâ— Medea The Duches of Burgundy raiseth new troubles Another Richard the fourth Peter Warbâ—ck instructed by the Duches hâ—w to demeane himselfe Perkins Oration to the Irish Lords The French King sendeth for Perkin Lucan Lib. 7. Perkin welcommed to Lady Margaret Eurip. Hippolitus Coronatus England strangely possessed with the humor of Perkin Sr. Robert Clifford sent to Perkin Lucan lib 6. The King prepareth for Peâ—kin Paâ—â—â— Helâ—â—â— Embasie to the Arch-Duke Eurip. Andromache The Duches answer to Doctor Warrham oranâ—tion Oâ—id Epist. Petrâ—rck dâ— contemptu mu ndi dial 3. The Embassador returne into England Quid. de arte amandi lib. 3. Eurip. Iphigenia in aulide A riot 〈◊〉 the Esterlings Sir William Stanley accused Eurip. Herefuâ—â—â—â— Sir William Stanley beheaded Eurip Heraclida Libel â—rs hanged Speciall Commissioners sent into Ireland Lucan lib. 5. The North of Ireland Sueuorum morâ—scu Politianâ— The Earle of Kildare accused by Sr. Edward Poinings The King progresse intercepted vpon report of Perkins lanâ—ding 〈◊〉 lib. 9. Perkin commeth to Kent Eurip. Hecuba Perkins company defeated he driuen backe to seâ— Ouid. 6 6. â—aâ—torum Perkin resolueth for Ireland and so into Scotland Perkins Oration to the King of Scots The King of Scots resolueth to assist Perkin Ouid. Epist. Helena Paridi The King of Scoss prouideth Perkin of a wife The Ladies answer Perkin marieth the Ladie Katherin Gourdon daughter to the Earle Huntley The Scots inuade England in the behalfe of Perkin â—ucan lib. 2. Perkin lamenteth the English slaughters The Kings aâ—â—â—swer Lucan lib. 3. Perkins answer Eurip. Helena They prepare in England against Perkin Arebellionin the west diuerteth the army out of Scotland â—â—mock and Ioseph Captains of the Rebâ—lls Men in authority Eurip. Hâ—raâ—lida The Armies in England raised Lord Audley Captaine of the Rebels Black-Heathâ—ield London Lucan lib. 1. The Rebels â—uercome Lord Audeley executed Lib. 8. Lib. 9. The King of Scots prepareth against England King of Scots besiegeth Norham Castle The Earle of Surrey raiseth the siege Lucan lib. 7. The Earle of Surrey entreth Scotland The King of Scots offreth a priuate combate to the Earle of Surrey The King of Spaine would marry his daughter to Prince Arthur An Embassador to the King of Scots from Spaine Lucan lib. 7. An Embâ—ssador from Englâ—nd to Scotland The King of Scots will not deliuer Perkin Eurip suppliceâ— Perkin discharged out of Scotland Perkin retorneâ—h into Ireland Perkin ecâ—meth into England Perkin besiedgeth Excester Perkin discomfited leaueth Excester and departeth to Taunton The Lord Dawbney generall of the Kings forceâ— The King commeth forward with his Army The Duke of Buckingham Eurip. supplâ—ce◠〈…〉 Perkin desperat of all reliefe taketh Sauctuary Eurip. suppliceâ— The Lord Daubney sent after Perkin The Army of Perkin submitteth to the King without fighting The King râ—turneth to Exâ—ester Perkins Wife taken Eurip. Hecuba Perkin submittet to the King Lady Margaret much troubled with this discomfortable newes Perkin deceiueth his keepers anâ—â— escapeth Perkin commeth to the Prior of Shene Perkin once againe 〈◊〉 but ignominiously vsed 〈◊〉 lib. 5. Perkins confession Lib. 3. de pontâ— Perkin committed to the Tower Li. 4. de 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Perkin corrupting his keepers to escape out of the Tower is takâ—n and hanged at Tiburn The Earle of Warwicke beheaded