in the twenty fifth yeare of Lewis the eleventh then being the King of France and the morrow after hee was Proclamed King and with great solemnity rode to Westminster and there 〈◊〉 in the seate Royall and called the Judges of the Realme before him staightly commanding them to execute the Lawes without favour or delay with many good exhortations of the which hee followed not one and then hee departed towards the Abby and at the Church doore hee was met with Procession and there was delivered to him by the Abbot the Scepter of Saint Edward and so went and offered to Saint Edwards shrine while the Monkes sang Te deum with a faint courage and from the Church hee returned to the Palace where he lodged till the Coronation And to bee sure of all enemies as hee thought hee sent for five thousand men out of the North against his Coronation which came up evill apparelled and worse harnessed in rusty harnesse neither defensable nor scoured to the sale which mustered in Finsbury fiâ—ld to the great disdaine of all the lookers on The fourth day of Iuly hee came to the Tower by water with his wife and the fifth day he created Edward his onely begotten sonne a child of tenne yeares old Prince of Wales and Iohn Haward a man of great knowledge and vertue aswell in councell as in battell hee created Duke of Norfolke and sir Thomas Haward his sonne he created Earle of Surry and William Lord Barkeley was then created Earle of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovell was then made Vicount Lovell and the Kings Chamberlaine and Lord Stanley was delivered out of ward for feare of his sonne the Lord Strange which was then in Lancashire gathering men as men said and the said Lord was made Steward of the Kings houshold likewise the Arch-Bishop of Yorke was delivered But Morton Bishop of Ely was deliverd to the Duke of Buckingham to keepe in ward who sent him to his manour of Brecknoke in Wales from whence hee escaped to King Richards confusion The same night the King made seventeene Knights of the Bath The next day he roade through London with great pompe and especially the Duke of Buckingham was richly apparelled and his horse trapped in blew velvet embroidered with the naves of carts burning of gold which trapper was borne by footmen from the ground with such solemne fashion that all men much admired it On the morrow being the sixt day of Iuly the King came towards his Coronation into Westminster Hall where his Chappell all the Prelates mitered received him And so they in order of Procession passed forward After the Procession followed the Earle of Northumberland with a pointlesse sword naked and the Lord Stanley bore the Mace of the Constableship The Earle of Kent bore the second sword on the right hand of the King naked The Lord Lovell bore an other sword on the left hand Then followed the Duke of Suffolke with the Scepter and the Earle of Lincolne with the Ball and Crosse. After them followed the new Earle of Surrey with the sword of Estate in a rich scabbard On the right side of him went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Crowne then followed King Richard in a Circot and robe of purple velvet under a Canopie borne by the barrons of the five Ports going betweene the Bishops of Bathe and Duresme The Duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high Steward of England bare the Kings traine After him followed the Earle of Huntington bearing the Queenes Scepter and the Vicount Lisle bearing the rod with the Dove And the Earle of Wiltshire bare the Queenes Crowne Then followed Queene Anne daughter to Richard Earle of Warwicke in robes like to the King between two Bishops and a canopie over her head borne by the Barons of the Ports On her head a rich Coronall set with stones pearles After her followed the countesse of Richmond heire to the Duke of Somerset which bare up the Queenes traine After followed the Dutches of Suffolke and Norfolke with Countesses Barronesses Ladies and many faire Gentlewomen in this order they passed thorow the palace entred the Abbie at the West end and so came to their seates of estate And after diverse songs solemly sung they both descended to the high Altar and were shifted from their robes and had diverse places open from the middle upward in which places they were annointed Then both the King and the Queene changed them into cloathes of gold and ascended to their seates where the Cardinall of Canterbury and other Bishops Crowned them according to the old custome of the Realme giving him the Scepter in his left hand and the ball with the crosse in the right hand and the Queene had the Scepter in her right hand and the rod with the Dove in the left hand On every side of the King stood a Duke and before him stood the Earle of Surrey with the sword in his hands And on every side of the Queene standing a Bishop and a Lady kneeling The Cardinall sung the Masse and after paxe The King the Queene descended and before the high Altar they were both houseled with one host divided betweene them After Masse finished they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine and there the King left the Crowne of Saint Edward and put on his owne Crowne And so in order as they came they departed to Westminster-hall and so to their chambers for a season during which time the Duke of Norfolke came into the Hall his horse trapped to the ground in cloth of gold as high Marshall and voyded the Hall About foure of the clocke the King and Queene entred into the Hall and the King sate in the middle the Queene on the left hand of the table on every side of her a Countesse holding a cloth of pleasance when shee list to drinke And at the right hand of the King sate the Bishop of Canterbury the Ladies sate all on one side in the middle of the Hall and at the table against theÌ„ sate the Chancellour and all the Lordes At the Table next the cupboord sate the Major of London And at the Table behind the Lords sate the Barons of the Ports And at the other boords sate Noble and Worshipfull personages When all persons were set the Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall the Earle of Surrey Constable for that day the Lord Stanlâ—y Lord Steward sir Willâ—am Hopton Treasurer and sir Thomas Percy Controler came in served the King solemnly with one dish of gold and another of silver And the Queene all in gilt vessels and the Bishops all in silver At the second course came into the Hall sir Robert Democke the Kings champion making a Proclamation that whosoever would say that King Richard was not lawfully King hee would fight with him at the utterance and threw downe his Gauntlet and then all the Hall cryed out King Richard And so hee did in three parts of the Hall and then one brought
other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
her wealth she went begging of many that had begged themselves if shee had not hope them such was her chance Now was it devised by the Protectour and his Councell that the same day that the Lord Chamberlain was headed in the Tower of London and about the same houre should be beheaded at Pomfret the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard the Queenes sonne sir Thomas Vaughan and sir Richard Haute which as you heard were taken at Northampton and Stony stratford by the consent of the Lord Hastings which execution was done by the order and in the presence of sir Richard Ratclif knight whose service the Protectour specially used in the Councell and in the execution of such lawlesse enterprises as a man that had beene long secret with him having experience of the world a notable wit short and rude in speech rough and boysterous of behaviour bold in mischiefe and as farre from pittie as from all feare of God This Knight brought these foure persons to the Scaffold at the day appointed and shewed to all the people that they were Traitours not suffering the Lords to speake and to declare their innocency lest their words might have inclined men to pitty them and to hate the Protectour and his part and so without judgement and processe of the Law caused them to bee beheaded without other earthly guilt but onely they were good men and true to the King too nie to the Queene insomuch that sir Thomas Vaughan going to his death said A mischeife take them that tooke the prophesie that G. should destroy King Edwards children for George Duke of Clarence Lord George which for that suspition is now dead but now remaineth Richard G. Duke of Gloucester which now I see is he that shall and will accomplish the Prophesie and destroy King Edwards children and all their allies and friends as it appeareth by us this day whom I appeale to the high tribunall of God for his wrongfull murther and our true innocency And then Ratclife said you have well appealed lay downe your head yea quoth sir Thomas I dye in right beware you dye not in wrong and so that good Knight was beheaded and the other three and buried naked in the Monasterie at Pomfret When the Lord Hastings and those other Lords and Knights were thus beheaded and rid out of the way then the Protectour caused it to bee proclamed that the Coronation for divers great and urgent causes should bee deferred till the second day of November for then thought he that while men mused what the matter meant and whiles the Lords of the Realme were about him out of their owne strengths and while no man knew what to thinke nor whom to trust or whether they should have time or space to digest the matter and make parts it were best hastily to pursue his purpose and put himselfe in possession of the Crowne before men could have time to devise any waies to resist But now was all the studie how this matter being of it selfe so haynous might be first broken to the people in such wise as it might bee well taken To this councell they tooke divers such as they thought meet to be trusted and likely to be induced to that part and able to stand them in stead either by power or by policie Among whom they made of Councell Edmond Shaw then Mayor of London which upon trust of his owne advancement where he was of a proud heart highly desirous tooke upon him to frame the Citty to their appetite Of Spirituall men they tooke such as had wit and were in authority amongst the people for opinion of their learning and had no scrupulus conscience Amongst these had they tooke Ralph Shaw clearke brother to the Mayor and Frier Pinkie provinciall of the Augustine Friers both Doctors in Divinity both great Preachers both of more learning then vertue of more fame then learning and yet of more learning then truth For they were before greatly esteemed among the people but after that never none of those two were regarded Shaw made a Sermon in praise of the Protectour before the Coronation and Pynkie made one after the Cornation both so full of tedious flattery that no good mans eares could abide them Pynkie in his Sermon so lost his vocye that hee was faine to leave off and come downe in the midst Doctor Shaw by his Sermon lost his honesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world into the which he durst never after much come abroad but the Frier feared no shame and so it harmed him the lesse Howbeit some doubt and many thinke that Pynkie was not of Councell before the Coronation but after the common manner fell to flattery after namely because his Sermon was not incontinent upon it but at S. Mary Spitle the Easter after But certaine it is that Doctor Shaw was of Councell in the beginning in so much that they determined that hee should first breake the matter in a Sermon at Paules Crosse in which hee should by the authority of his Preaching induce the people to encline to the Protectors ghostly purpose But now was all the labour and study in the device of some convenient pretext for which the people should be content to depose the Prince and accept the Protectour for their King In which deuers things they devised but the cheife thing and the weight of all that invention rested in this that they should alledge bastardy in King Edward himselfe or in his children or both so that he should seeme disabled to inherite the Crowne by the Duke of Yorke and the Prince by him To lay bastardy in King Edward sounded openly to the rebuk of the Protectours owne mother which was mother to them both For in that point could be no other colour but to pretend that his owne mother was an Adultresse but neverthelesse he would that point should bee lesse and more finely and closely handled not even fully plaine and directly but touched upon craftily as though men spared in that point to speake all the truth for feare of his displeasure But that other point concerning the bastardy they devised to surmise in King Edward his Children that hee desired should be openly declared and enforced to the uttermost The colour and pretext whereof cannot be well perceived except wee repeate some things long before done about King Edwards Marriages After King Edward the fourth had deposed King Henry the sixt and was in peaceable possession of the Realme hee determined with himselfe to marry as was requisite both for himselfe and for the Realme he sent the Earle of Warwick and divers other noble men in ambassage to the French King to entreate a marriage betweene the King and Bona sister to the French Queene then being in France In which thing the Earle of Warwick found the parties so toward and willing that hee speedily without any difficultie according to his instructions brought the matter to a good conclusion Now happeneth
my selfe have heard spoken and that upon great presumptions more times then once so againe by my ayde and favour hee of a Protectour was made a King and of a subject made a Governour at which time he promised mee upon his fidelitie laying his hand in mine at Baynards Castle that the two yong Princes should live and that hee would so provide for them and so maintaine them in honorable estate that I and all the Realme ought and should bee content But when he was once Crowned King and in full possession of the whole Realme he cast away his old conditions as the Adder doth his skinne verifying the old proverbe honours change manners as the Parish Priest remembreth not that he was ever Parish Clarke For when I my selfe sued to him for my part of the Earle of Hartfords lands which his brother King Edward wrongfully detyned and withheld from mee and also required to have the office of the high Constable ship of England as divers of my noble ancestors before this time have had and in long discent continued In this my first suite shewing his good minde towards me he did not onely first delay me and afterward deny me but gave me such unkind words with â—uch taunts and retaunts yea in manner checke and check mate to the uttermost proofe of my patience As though I had never furthered him but hindred him as though I had put him downe and not set him up yet al these ingratitudes undeserved unkindnesses I bare closely and suffer patiently and covertly remeÌ„bred outwardly dissembling that I inwardly thought and so with a painted countenance I passed the last summer in his last company not without many faire promises but without any good deedes But when I was credibly informed of the death of the two young innocents his owne naturall Nephewes contrary to his faith and promise to the which God bee my judge I never agreed nor condiscended O Lord how my veines panted how my body trembled and my heart inwardly grudged in so much that I so abhorred the sight and much more the company of him that I could no longer abide in his court except I should bee openly revenged The end whereof was doubtfull and so I fained a cause to depart and with a merry countenance and a dispightful heart I tooke my leave humbly of him hee thinking nothing lesse then that I was displeased and so returned to Brecknocke to you But in the journey as I returned whether it were by the inspiration of the holy Ghost or by Melancolous disposition I had divers and sundry imaginations how to deprive this unnaturall Vncle and bloody butcher from his royall seate and princely dignity First I fantasied that if I list to take upon me the Crowne and imperiall Scepter of the Realme now was the time fit and convenient For now was the way made plaine and the gate opened and occasion given which now neglected should peradventure never take such effect and conclusion For I saw hee was disdained of the Lords temporall execrate and accursed of the Lords spiritual detested of all gentlemen and despised of all the commonaltie So that I saw my chance as perfectly as I saw my owne Image in a glasse that there was no person if I had beene greedy to attempt the enterprise could nor should have won the ring or got the gole before me And on this point I rested in imagination secretly with my selfe two dayes at Teukesbury And from thence sojourning I mused thought it was not best nor convenient to take vpon me as a conquerour for then I knew that all men and especially the nobilitie would with all their power withstand me both for rescuing of possessions and tenours as also for subverting of the whole estate Lawes and Customes of the Realme Such a power hath a conquerour as you know well enough my Lord. But at the last in all this doubtfull case there sprang a new branch out of my head which surely I thought should have brought forth faire flowers but the sunne was so hot that they turned to dry weedes for I suddenly remembred that Lord Edmond Duke of Somerset my Grandfather was with King Henry the sixt in the second and third degrees from Iohn Duke of Lancaster lawfully begotten So that I thought sure my mother being eldest daughter to Duke Edmond that I was next to King Henry the sixt of the house of Lancastâ—r This title pleased well such as I made privie of my counsell but much more it encouraged my foolish desire and elevated my ambitious intent in so much that I clerely judged and in mine own minde was determinately resolved that I was indubitated heire of the house of Lancaster and thereupon concluded to make my first foundation and erect my new building But whether God so ordered or by fortune it so chanced while I was in a mase either to conclude sodainely on this title and to set it open amongst the common people or to keepe it secret a while see the chance as I rode betweene Worcester and Bridgnorth I encountered with the lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond now wife to the Lord Stanley which is the very daughter and sole heyre to Iohn Duke of Somerset my grandfathers elder brother Which was as cleane out of my minde as though I had never never seene her so that shee and her sonne the Earle of Richmond be both bulwarke and portcolice betweene and the gate to enter into the majesty royall and getting of the Crowne And when wee had communed a little concerning her sonne as I shall shew you after and were departed shee to our Lady of Worcester and I toward Shrewsbury I then new changed and in manner amased began to dispute with my selfe litle considering that thus my earnest was turned even to a tittle not woth esteeme Presently I imagined whether I were best to take upon me by the election of the nobilitie and commonaltie which me thought easie to be done the usurper King thus being in hatred and abhorred of this whole Realme or to take it by power which standeth in fortunes chance and difficile to bee atchieved and brought to passe Thus rumbling tossing in the waves of ambiguitie betweene the stone and sacrifice I considered first the office duty and paine of a King which surely thinke that no mortall man can justly and truely observe except hee bee called elected and specially appointed by God as King David and divers others have beene But further I remembred that if I once tooke on mee the Scepter and the governance of the Realme That of two extreame enemies I was daily sure but of one trusty friend which now adayes bee gone a pilgrimage I was neither assured nor credibly ascertained such is the worlds mutation for I manifestly perceived that the daughters of King Edward and their alies and friends which be no small number being both for his sake much beloved and also for the great injurie manifest tyranni done
winges of horsemen coasting and ranging on every side And keeping this array he with great pompe entred the towne of Leiceste after the sunne set The Earle of Richmond raised his campe and departed from Lichfield to the towne of Tomworth thereto neere adjoyning and in the mid way passing there saluted him Sir Walter Hungerford and sir Thomas Burchier Kinghts and divers other which yeelded and submitted themselves to his pleasure For they being advertised that King Richard had them in suspition and jelousie a little beyond Stony stratford left forsooke privily their Captaine Robert Brakenbury and by nocturnall wandering and in manner by unknowne pathes and uncertaine waies searching at the last came to the Earle Henry Diverse other noble personages which inwardly hated King Richard worse then a toade or a serpent likewise to him resorted with their power and strength There happened in this progression to the Earle of Richmond a strange chance worthy to be noted for albeit he was a man of hautie and valiant courage and that his army encreased and daily more and more he waxed puisaunt and stronger yet hee was not a little afraid because he in no wise could bee assured of his father in law Thomas Lord Stanley which for feare of the destruction of the Lord Strange his sonne as you have heard as yet enclined to neither partie For if hee had gone to the Earle and that notified to King Richard his sonne had shortly beene executed Wherefore sith the Earles feare sprang not of nothing he accompanied with twenty light horsemen lingered in his journey as a man disconsolate musing and imagining what was best to bee done And the more to aggravate his melancholy pensivenesse it was shewed him that King Richard was at hand with a strong power and a populous army While he thus pensive dragged behind his hoast the whole army came before the town of Tomwoorth when he for the deepe darkenesse could not perceive the steppes of them that passed on before and had wandered hither and thither seeking after his company and yet not once hearing any noyse or whispering of them hee diverted to a little village being about three miles from his army taking great thought and much fearing lest hee should be espied and so trapped by K. Richards scoutwatch There hee tarried all night not once adventuring to aske or demand a question of any creature he being no more amased with the jeopardy and perill that was passed then with this present chaunce sore feared it should bee a prognostication or prodigiall signe of some unfortunate plague afterward to succeede As he was not merry being absent from his company likewise his army much marvelled and no lesse mourned for his sodaine and in tempestious absence The next morning early in the dawning of the day hee returned and by the conduct of good fortune espied and came to his army excusing himselfe not to have gone out of his way by ignorance but for a policie devised for the nonce he went from his campe to receive some glad message from certaine of his privie friends secret alies This excuse made hee privilie departed againe from his hoast to the towne of Aderstone where the Lord Stanley and sir William his brother with their bands were abiding There the Earle came first to his fatherinlaw in a little close where hee saluted him and sir William his brother and after diverse congratulations many friendly embracings each rejoyced of the state of the other and suddenly were surprised with great joy comfort and hope of great fortunate successe in all their affaires and doings Afterward they consulted together how to give battaile to K. Richard if hee would abide whom they knew not to be far off with an huge army In the evening of the same day sir Iohn Savage sir Brian Sanford sir Simon Digby and many other leaving King Richard turned came to the part of the Earle of Richmond with an elect company of men Which refusall of King Richards part by men of such experience did augment and increase both the good hope and the puissance of the Earle of Richmond In the meane season King Richard which was appointed now to finish his last labour by the very divine justice and providence of God which called him to condigne punishment for his scelerate merits and mischievous deserts marched to a place meete for two battailes to encounter by a village called Bosworth not farre from Leicester and there hee pitched his field refreshed his souldiers and tooke his rest The fame went that hee had that same night a dreadfull and terrible dreame for it seemed to him being asleepe that hee saw divers images like terrible devills which pulled and haled him not suffering him to take any quiet or rest The which strange vision not so suddenly strake his heart with a sudden feare but it stuffed his head and troubled his minde with many dreadfull and busie Imaginations For incontinent after his heart being almost damped hee prognosticated before the doubtfull chance of the battaile to come not using the alacritie and mirth of minde and of countenance as he was accustomed to doe before hee came towards the battell And lest that it might bee suspected that hee was abashed for feare of his enemies and for that cause hee looked so pittifully hee recited and declared to his familiar friends in the morning his wonderfull vision and terrible dreame But I thinke this was no dreame but a punction and pricke of his sinfull conscience for the conscience is so much more charged and aggravate as the offence is greater and more haynous in degree which prick of conscience although it strike not alwaies yet at the last day of extreame life it is wonte to shew and represent to us our faults and offences and the paines and punishments which hang over our heads for the same to the intent that at the instant we for our deserts being penitent and repentant may bee compelled to lament and bewaile our sinnes like forsakers of this world jocund to depart out of this miserable life Now to returne againe to our purpose the next day after K. Richard being furnished with men and all abiliments of wa◠bringing all his men out of their campe into the plaine ordered his foreward in a marvellous length in which hee appointed both horsemen and footmen to the intent to imprint in the hearts of them that looked a farre off a sodaine terrour and deadly feare for the great multitude of the armed souldiers and in the fore front hee placed the archers like a strong fortified trench or bulwarke over this battaile was captaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke with whom was Thomas Earle of Surrey his sonne After this long vangard followed King Richard himselfe with a strong company of chosen and approved men of warre having horsemen for winges on both the sides of his battell After that the Earle of Richmond was departed from the communicatiō of his friends as you
leave to Gods Judgement Hee was no evill Captaine in warre as to the which his disposition was more inclined then to peace Sundry Victories he had and some Overthrowes but never for default of his owne person either for lacke of hardinesse or politicke order Free hee was of his exspences and somewhat above his power liberall with large gifts he gat him unstedfast friendship for which cause he was faine to borrow pill and extort in other places which gat him stedfast hatred Hee was close and secret a deep dissembler lowly of countenance arrogant of heart outwardly familiar where he inwardly hated not letting to kisse whom he thought to kill spitefull and cruell not alway for ill will but oftner for ambition and to serve his purpose friend and foe were all indifferent where his advantage grew hee spared no mans death whose life withstood his purpose He slew in the Tower King Henry the Sixth saying Now is there no Heire male of King Edward the third but we of the House of Yorke which murder was done without King Edward his assent which would have appointed that butcherly office to some other rather then to his owne Brother Some Wise men also thinke that his drift lacked not in helping forth his owne Brother of Clarence to his death which thing in all appearance he resisted although hee inwardly minded it And the cause thereof was as men noting his doings and proceedings did marke because that he long in King Edwards time thought to obtaine the Crown in case that the King his Brother whose life he looked that ill dyet would soone shorten should happen to decease as he did indeed his children being young And then if the Duke of Clarence had lived his pretensed purpose had been farre hindered For if the Duke of Clarence had kept himselfe true to his Nephew the young King every one of these casts had bin a Trumpe in the Duke of Gloucesters way but when he was sure that his Brother of Clarence wat dead then hee knew that hee might worke without that danger But of these points there is no certainety and whosoever divineth or conjectureth may as well shoot too farre as too short but this conjecture afterward tooke place as few doe as you shall perceive hereafter But before I declare to you how this Richard Duke of Gloucâ—ster began his mischievous imagined and pretended enterprise as apparently shall be opened I must a little put you in remembrance of a loving and charitable act no lesse profitable then pleasing to the whole Commonalty if it had bin so inwardly thought as it was outwardly dissembled which King Edward did lying on his death bed not long before he dyed For in his life although that the division amongst his friends somewhat grieved and vexed him yet in his health he lesse regarded and tooke heed to it by reason that he thought that he was able in all things to rule both parties were they never so obstinate But in his last sicknesse which continued longer then false and fantasticall tales have untruly and falsely surmised as I my selfe that wrote this Pamphlet truely knew when hee perceived his naturall strength was gone and hoped little of recovery by the arts of all his Physicians which he perceived onely to prolong his life Then he began to consider the youth of his Children howbeit hee nothing lesse mistrusted then that that hapned yet he wisely foreseeing and considering that many harmes might ensue by the debate of his Nobles while the youth of his children should lack discretion and good counsell of their friends for hee knew well that every part would worke for their owne commodity and rather by pleasant advice to win themselves favour then by profitable advertisement to doe the Children good wherefore lying on his death bed at Westminster hee called to him such Lords as then were about him whom hee knew to be at variance especially the Lord Marquesse Dorset son to the Queen and the Lord Hastings against whom the Queene especially grudged for the favour that the King bare him and also she thought him familiar with the King in wanton company her Kin bare him envy aswell for that the King made him Captaine of Calice which office the Lord Rivers Brother to the Queene claimed of the King by his former promise as of divers other gifts which hee received that they looked for And when these Lords with divers other of both parties were come unto the Kings presence he caused himselfe to be raised up with pillowes and as I can guesse said thus or much like in sentence to them My Lords my deare kinsmen and allies in what plight I now lye you see and I perfitly feele by the which I look the lesse while to live with you therefore the more deeply I am moved to care in what case I leave you for such as I leave you such are my children like to finde you which if they should finde at variance as God forbid they themselves might hap to fall at warre ere their discretion would serve to set you at peace You see their youth of which I reckon the onely surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not all you to love them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse might hap to suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authority and slippery youth underpropped with elder counsell which they can never have except you give it nor you give it except you agree for where each laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred each impugneth others counsell there must needes be a long tract ere any good conclusion can issue And further while each partie laboureth to be chiefe flatterer adulation shall then have more place then plaine and faithfull advice of which must needes ensue the evill bringing up of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to mischiefe and riot and draw downe this Noble Realme to ruine But if grace turne him to wisedome which God send him then they which by evill meanes pleased him best shall after fall farthest out of favour so that at the length evill drifts drive to naught and good plaine wayes prosper and flourish Great variance hath beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Sometime a thing right well intended and misconstrued hath beene turned to the worse or a small displeasure done to you either by your owne affection or by instigation of evill tongues hath beene sorely aggravated But this I know wel you had never so great cause of hatred as you have of love because wee be all men and that we be all Christian men This I will leave to Preachers to tell you and yet I know not whether any Preachers words ought more to move you then I that am going by and by to the place that they alpreach of But this shall I desire of you to remember that the one part of you being of my bloud the
with the last nights cheere in so few houres so great a change marvellously misliked it Howbeit sith hee could not get away hee determined not to keepe himselfe close lest hee should seeme to hide himselfe for some secret feare of his owne fault whereof he saw no such cause in himselfe wherefore on the surety of his owne conscience hee determined to goe to them and to inquire what this matter might meane Whom as soone as they saw they began to quarrell with him affirming that he pretended to set distance betweene the King and them to bring them to confusion which should not lye in his power and when he began as he was an eloquent and well-spoken man in goodly wise to excuse himselfe they would not heare his answer but tooke him by force and put him in ward And then they mounted on horsebacke and came in haste to Stony Stratford where the King was going to horsebacke because hee would leave the lodging for them for it was too straight for both the companies And when they came to his presence they alighted and their company about them and on their knees saluted him and hee them gently received nothing earthly knowing nor mistrusting as yet The Duke of Buckingham said aloud On afore Gentlemen and Yeomen keepe your roomes and therewith in the Kings presence they picked a quarrell to the Lord Richard Grey the Queenes sonne and Brother to the Lord Marquesse and halfe Brother to the King saying that hee and the Marquesse his Brother and the Lord Rivers his Uncle had compassed to rule the King and the Realme and set variance betweene the estates and to subdue and destroy the Noble Bloud of the Realme And toward the accomplishment of the same they said the Lord Marquesse had entred into the Tower of London and thence had taken out treasure and sent men to the Sea which things these Dukes knew well were done for a good purpose and as very necessary appointed by the whole Counsell at London but somewhat they must say Unto the which words the king answered what my Brother Marquesse hath done I cannot say but in good faith I dare well answer for my Uncle Rivers and my Brother here that they bee innocent of such matters Yea my Liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they have kept the dealing of these matters farre from the knowledge of your good Grace And forth-with they arrested the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte knights in the Kings presence and brought the King and all backe to Northampton where they tooke farther counsell in their affaires And there they sent from the King whom it pleased them and set about him such servants as better pleased them then him At which dealing he wept and was not content but it booted not And at dinner the Duke of Gloucester sent a dish from his owne Table to the Lord Rivers praying him to be of good cheere and all should be well hee thanked him and prayed the Messenger to beare it to his Nephew the Lord Richard with like words whom he knew to have need of comfort as one to whom such adversity was strange but hee himselfe had beene alwayes enured therewith and therefore could beare it the better But for all this message the Duke of Gloucester sent the Lord Rivers the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte into the North parts into divers prisons but at last all came to Pomfret where they all foure were beheaded without judgement In this manner as you have heard the Duke of Gloucester tooke on him the Governance of the young King whom with much reverence hee conveighed towards London These tydings came hastily to the Queene before midnight by a very sore report that the King her sonne was taken and that her Brother and her other son and other her friends were arrested and sent no man knew whither With this heavie tidings the Queene bewailed her childs ruine her friends mischance and her owne misfortune cursing the time that ever she was perswaded to leave the gathering of people to bring up the King with a great power but that was passed and therefore now she tooke her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter and went out of the Palace of Westminster into the Sanctuary and there lodged in the Abbots place and shee and all her children and company were registred for Sanctuary persons The same night there came to Doctor Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelour a messenger from the Lord Chamberlaine to Yorke place beside Westminster the Messenger was brought to the Bishops Bed side and declared to him that the Dukes were gone back with the young King to Northampton and declared further that the Lord Hastings his master sent him word that hee should feare nothing for all should be well Well quoth the Archbishop be it as well as it will it will never be so well as wee have seene it and then the messenger departed Whereupon the Bishop called up all his servants and tooke with him the great Seale and came before day to the Queen about whom hee found much heavinesse rumble haste businesse conveyance and carriage of her stuffe into Sanctuary every man was busie to carry beare and convey stuffe chests and fardels no man was unoccupied and some carried more then they were commanded to another place The Queene sat alone below on the Rushes all desolate and dismaid whom the Archbishop comforted in the best manner that he could shewing her that the matter was nothing so sore as she took it for and that hee was put in good hope and out feare by the message sent to him from the Lord Hastings A woe worth him quoth the Queene for it is hee that goeth about to destroy me and my bloud Madame quoth he be of good comfort and I assure you if they crowne any other King then your sonne whom they now have we shall on the morrow crowne his Brother whom you have here with you And here is the Great Seale which in likewise as your Noble Husband delivered it to mee so I deliver it to you to the use of your Son therewith delivered her the Great Seale and departed home in the dawning of the day And when hee opened his windowes and looked on the Thames hee might see the River full of Boats of the Duke of Gloucester his servants watching that no person should goe to Sanctuary nor none should passe unsearched Then was there great rumour and commotion in the Citie and in other places the people diversly divined upon this dealing And divers Lords Knights and Gentlemen either for favour of the Queene or for feare of themselves assembled companies and went stocking together in harnesse And many also for that they recounted this demanour attempted not so specially against other Lords as against the King himselfe in disturbance of his Coronation therefore they assembled by and by together to commune of this matter
honest man and substantiall amongst you And in that point which in good faith I am sory to speake of saving that it is vaine to keepe in Counsell that thing that all men knowe the Kings greedy appetite was insatiable and every where over all the Realme intolerable For no woman was there any where young or old poor or rich whom he set his eye upon whom hee any thing liked either for person or beauty speech pace or countenance but without any feare of God or respect of his Honour murmure or grudging of the world hee would importunately pursue his appetite and have her to the great destruction of many a good woman and great dolour to their husbands and friends which being honest people of themselves so much regarded the cleannesse of their houses the chastity of their wives and children that they had rather lose all that they had besides then to have such a villany done to them And albeit that with this and other importable dealing the Realme was in every place annoyed yet specially you the Citizens of this Nobility as for that amongst you is most plenty of such things as minister matter to such injuries as for that you were neerest hand sith that neere here about was his most common abiding And yet be yee a people whom he had as singular a cause well and truly to intreat as any part of his Realme not onely for that the Prince by this Noble Citie as of his speciall Chamber and renouned Citie of this Realme receiveth much honourable fame amongst all other Nations but also for that you not without your great cost and sundry favours and dangers in all his warres bare ever your especiall favour to his part which your kinde mindes borne to the house of Yorke sith hee hath nothing worthily requirid you there is of the house now which by Gods grace shall make you full recompence which thing to shew you is the whole summe and effect of our arrand It shall not neede I hope to rehearse unto you againe that you have already heard of him that can better tell it and of whom I am sure ye will better beleeve it and reason it is that it should bee so I am not so proud to looke therefore that you should receive my words of so great authority as the Preachers of the word of God namely a man so cunning and so wise that no man knoweth better what hee should doe and say and thereto so good and vertuous that he would not say the thing which hee ought not to say in the pulpit namely into the which no honest man commeth to lie which honorable preacher ye well remember substantially declared to you at Paules Crosse on Sunday last past the right and title of the most excellent Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester now Protector of this his Realme which he hath unto the Crowne of the Kingdome of the same For that worshipfull man made it perfectly and groundedly open unto you The children of King Edward the fourth were never lawfully begotten for as much as the King leaving his very wife Dame Elizabeth Lucy was never lawfully married to the Queene their mother whose blood saving hee set his voluptuous pleasure before his honour was full unmeetly to bee matched with his the mingling of which two bloods together hath beene the effusion of a great part of the noble blood of this Realme whereby it may well be seene that marriage was not well made of which there is so much mischiefe growne For lacke of which lawfull copulation and also of other things which the said worshipfull Doctor rather signified then fully explained and which thing shall not be spoken for me as the thing that every man forbeareth to say that hee knoweth in avoiding the displeasure that my noble Lord Protector bearing as nature requireth a filiall reverence to the Dutches his Mother For these causes before remembred I say that for lacke of issue lawfully comming of the late noble Prince Richard Duke of Yorke to whose Royall blood the Crownes of England and of France are by the high authority of a parliament entailed the right and title of the same is by just course of inheritance according to the common law of this land devolved and come unto the most excellent Prince the Lord Protector as to the very lawfull begotten sonne of the fore-remembred noble Duke of Yorke Which thing well considered and the knightly prowesse with many vertues which in his noble person singularly doe abound The Nobles and Commons of this Realme and specially of the North parts not willing any bastard blood to have the rule of the land nor theabuses in the same before used and exercised any longer to continue have fully condescended and utterly determined to make humble petition unto the puisant Prince the Lord Protector that it may like his grace at our humble request to take upon him the guiding government of this Realme to the wealth and increase of the same according to his very right and just title which thing I know well hee will bee loth to take upon him as he whose wisedome well perceiveth the labour and study both of mind and body that shall come therewith to him whosoever shall occupy that rome I dare say he will if he take it for I warrant you that that roome is no childes office and that the great wise man well perceived when he said Vae regno cujus Rex puer est woe to that Realme whose King is a child wherefore so much the more cause have we to thanke God that this noble personage which is so righteously entituled thereto is of so solid age and thereto of so great wisedome joyned with so great experience which albeit he will bee loth as I have said to take upon him yet shall hee to our petition in that behalfe the more graciously inclin if ye the worshipfull Citizens of this Cittie being the cheife cittie of the Realme joyne with us the nobles in our said request which for your owne weale we doubt not but that ye will And yet neverthelesse wee pray yoâ— so to doe whereby ye shall doe great profit to all this his Realme Beside that in choosing them so good a King it shall bee to your selfe a speciall commoditie to whom his Majestie shall ever after beare so much the more tender favour in how much hee shall perceive you the more prone and benevolently minded towards his election wherein deare friends what minde ye have we require you plainely to shew us When the Duke had said and looked that the people whom he hoped that the Mayor had framed before should after this flattering proposition made have cried King Richard King Richard all was still and mute and not one word answered unto wherewith the Duke was marvellously abashed and taking the Major neere to him with other that were about him privie to the matter said unto them softly What meaneth this that the people be so still
him a cup of wine coverd and when hee had dranke he cast out the wine and departed with the cup. After that the Heralds cried a largesse thrice in the Hall and so went up to their stage At the end of dinner the Major of London served the King and Queene with sweete wine and had of each of them a cup of gold with a cover of gold And by that time that all was done it was darkenight and so the King returned to his chamber and every man to his lodging When this feast was thus finished the King sent home all the Lords into their countries that would depart except the Lord Stanley whom hee retained till hee heard what his sonne the Lord Strange went about And to such as went home hee gave straight charge and commandement to see their Countries well ordered that no wrong nor extortion should bee done to his subjects And thus hee taught others to execute justice and equitie the contrary wherof he daily exercised hee also with great rewards given to the Northerne men which hee sent for to his Coronation sent them home to their Countrey with great thankes Whereof divers of them as they all bee of nature very greedy of authoritie and especially when they thinke to have any comfort or favour tooke on them so highly and wrought such Masteries that the King was faine to ride thither in his first yeare and to put some in execution and stay the Country or else no small mischiefe had ensued Incontinent after this he sent a solemne Embassage to Lewis the French King to conclude a league and amitie with him trusting also to obtaine the tribute which King Edward his brother had before out of France but the French King so abhorred him and his crueltie that he would neither see nor heare his Embassadors and so in vaine they returned Now after this triumphant Coronation there fell mischiefs thicke and thicke and as the thing evill gotten is never well kept so through all the time of his usurped reigne never ceased there cruell murther death and slaughter till his own destruction ended it But as hee finished with the best death and most fitting that is to say his owne so beganne he with the most pitteous and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent Nephewes the young King and his tender brother whose death and finall fortune hath neverthelesse so farre come in question that some remained long in doubt whether they were in his dayes destroyed or no. Not for that that Parkin Warbeck by many folkes folly so long space abusing the world was aswell with Princes as with poore people reputed and taken for the yonger of these two But for that also that all things were so covertly demeaned one thing pretended and another meant that there was nothing so plaine and openly proved but that yet for the common custome of close covert dealing men had it ever inwardly suspect as many well counterfet jewels make the true mistrusted Howbeit concerning that opinion men may see the conveiance thereof in the Noble Prince King Henry the seventh in the processe of Parkin But in the meane season for this present matter I shall rehearse to you the dolorous end of these two babes not after every way that I have heard but after that way that I have so heard by such men and such meanes as I thinke it to be hard but it should be true King Richard after his Coronation taking his way to Gloucester to visite in his new honour the towne of which hee bare the name of old devised as hee roade to fulfill that thing which hee before had intended And forasmuch as his minde gave him that his Nephewes living men would not recon that hee could have right to the Realme he thought therefore without delay to rid them as though the killing of his kinsmen might end his cause and make him kindly King Whereupon he sent Iohn Greene whom he specially trusted unto sir Robert Brakenbury Constable of the Tower with a letter and credence also that the same sir Robert in any wise should put the two children to death This Iohn Greene did his errand to Brakenbury kneeling before our Lady in the Tower who plainely answered that hee would never put them to death to dye therefore With the which answer Greene returned recompting the same to King Richard at Warwicke yet on his journey wherewith hee tooke such displeasure and thought that the same night hee said to a secret page of his Ah whom shall a man trust they that I have brought up my selfe they that I thought would have most surely served mee even those faile me and at my commandment will doe nothing for mee Sir quoth the page there lieth one in the palet chamber without that I dare say will doe your Grace pleasure the thing were right hard that he would refuse meaning this by Iames Tirell which was a man of a goodly personage and for the gifts of nature worthy to have served a much better Prince if he had well served God and by grace obtained to have as much truth and good will as hee had strength and wit The man had an high heart and sore longed upward not rising yet so fast as he had hoped being hindered and kept under by sir Richard Ratcliffe and sir William Catesbey which longing for no more partners of the Princes favour namely not for him whose pride they knew would beare no peere kept him by secret drifts out of all secret trust which thing this page had well marked and knew wherefore this occasion offered of very speciall friendship spied his time to set him forward and in such wise to doe him good that all the enemies that he had except the devill could never have done him so much hurt and shame for upon the pages words King Richard arose for this communication had he sitting on a draft a convenient carpet for such a councell and came out into the palet chamber where hee did finde in bed the said Iames Tyrell and sir Thomas Tyrell of person like and brethren of blood but nothing of kinne in conditions Thē said the King merrily what sirs bee you in bed so soone and called up Iames Tyrell and brake to him secretly his minde in this mischievous matter in the which hee found him nothing strange Wherefore on the morrow he sent him to Brakinbury with a letter by the which hee was commanded to deliver to the said Iames all the keyes of the Tower for a night to the end that he might there accomplish the Kings pleasure in such things as hee there had given him in commandement After which letter delivered and the keyes received Iames appointed the next night ensuing to destroy them devising before and preparing the meanes The Prince assoone as the Protector tooke upon him to be King and left the name of Protectour was thereof advertised and shewed that he should not reigne but his Vncle
win favour Hee was first upon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and neither left it nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queene and the Prince And while King Edward had King Henry in prison hee never returned but to the field at Barnet after which field lost and utterly subdued and all par-takings extinguished King Edward for his fast faith wisedome was not onely content to receive him but also wooed him to come and had him from thenceforth both in secret trust and speciall favour whom he never deceived For hee being after King Edwards death first taken by the tyrant for his truth to the King found the meanes to set the Duke in his toppe and joyned gentlemen together in aide of the Earle of Richmond which after was named King Henry the sevenâ—h First devising the marriage betweene the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth by the which his faithfull and true service declared to both his masters at once was an infinite benift to the Realme by the conjunction of the bloods of Lancaster and Yorke whose funerall titles had long unquieted the Realme This man afterwards escaped from the Duke and fled the Realme and never returned and went to Rome never minded to meddle with the world till King Henry the seventh sent for him and after made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England and after was made Cardinall and lived well to all mens judgements and died well But to returne to the former purpose he by the long and often alternate proofe as well of prosperity as adverse fortune had gotten by great experience the very mother and mistris of wisedome and deepe insight in politike and worldly drifts wherby perceiving now the Duke to commune with him fed him with faire words and many prayses and perceiving by the griefe of their communications the Dukes pride now and then to balke out a little brayd of envie towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the waies to pricke him forward taking alwaies the occasion of his comming and also keeping himself close within his bands that he rather seemed to follow him then to leade him For when the Duke began first to praise and boast the King to shew how much profit the Realme should take by his reigne Bishop Morton answered surely my Lord folly it were for mee to lie for I am sure if I would sweare the contrary ye would not once beleeve mee but if the world would have begunne as I would have wished that King Henries sonne had had the Crowne and not King Edward then would I have beene his true and faithfull subject but after that God had ordained him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was never so mad with a dead man to strive against the quicke so was I ever to King Edward a faithfull and true chaplin and glad would have beene that his children should have succeeded him howbeit if the secret judgement of God have otherwise provided I purpose not to spurne against the prick nor labour to set up that God pulleth downe And as for the late protector and now King and with that word hee left saving that he said that he had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his booke and beades and no further Then longed the Duke sore to heare what hee would have said because hee ended with the King and there so sodainely stopped and exhorted him familiarly betweene them both to be bold and to say whatsoever hee thought whereof he faithfully promised there should never come hurt and peradventure more good then hee would thinke And that hee himselfe intended to use his faithfull secret advice and counsaile which he said was the onely cause for the which hee procured of the King to have him in his custody where he might reckon himselfe at home or else hee had beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not have found like favour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said in good faith my Lord I love not much to talke of Pâ—inces as of a thing not all out of perill although the word bee without fault but yet it must be as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesops talke that when the Lyon had proclamed that on paine of death there should no horned beasts come into the wood one beast that had a bunch of flesh growing out of his head fled a great pace the foxe that saw him flie with all the hast asked him whither he fled In faith quoth he I neither know nor care so I were once hence because of the proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the foxe the Lyon never meant it by thee for that which thou hast is no horne in thy head No marry quoth hee I know that well enough but if hee say it is a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Bore shall picke any matter at any thing here spoken for it shall never come neere their eares In good faith sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken as well as before God I meant it could deserve but thankes and yet taken as I thinke it would might happen to turne mee to little good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke much more to know what it was Whereupon the Bishop said In good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith hee is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the wealth of this realme wherof his grace hath now the governance and whereof I my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise yet might it have pleased God for the better store to have given him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of the Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your grace and there left off againe The Duke somewhat marvelling at his sodaine pauses as though they were but parentheses with a high countenance said my Lord I evidently perceive and no lesse note your often breathing and sudden stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your words neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might perceive and have knowledge what your inward intent is now toward the King or what affectioÌ„ you beare toward me For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to us both for the which I my selfe knowledge and recognise to have none nor looke for no praise of any creature for the same maketh me not a little to muse thinking that you have some other privie Imagination by love or by grudge ingraved and
very patron the only helpe refuge and comfort of the poore amased and desolate commons of this Realme For if you could either devise to set up againe the linage of Lancaster or advance the eldest daughter of King Edward to some high and puissant Prince not onely the new crowned King shall small time enjoy the glory of his dignity but also all civill warre should cease all domesticall discord should sleepe and peace profit and quietnesse should bee set forth and embraced When the Bishoâ— had thus ended his saying the Duke sighâ—d and spake not of a great while which sore abashed the Bishop and made him change colour which thing when the Duke perceived he said be not afraid my Lord all promises shall bee kept to morrow wee will commune more let us goe to supper so that night they communed no more not a little to the inquietation of the Bishop which now was even as desirous to know the Dukes minde and intent as the Duke longed the day before to know his opinion and meaning So the nex day the Duke sent for the Bishop and rehearsed to him in maner for he was both witty and eloquent all the communication had betweene them before and so paused a while and after a little season putting off his bonet hee said O Lord God creator of all things how much is this Realme of England and the people of the same bounden to thy goodnesse for where wee now bee in vexation and trouble with great stormes oppressed sayling and tossing in a desperate ship without good Master or Governour by thy helpe good Lord I trust ere long time past that wee shall provide for such a ruler as shall be both to thy pleasure and also to the security and safeguard of this noble Realme And then he put on his bonet saying to the Bishop my Lord of Ely whose true heart and sincere affection toward me at all times I have evidently perceived and knowne and now most of all our last privie communication and secret devising I must needs in heart think and with mouth confesse and say that you bee a sure friend a trusty counsellor a vigilant foreseer a lover of your countrey a anturall countryman for which kindnesse for my part I most lovingly render to you my harty thanks now with words hereafter trusting to recompence and remunerate you with deedes if life and power shall serve And sith at our last communication you have disclosed and opened the very secrets and privities of your stomacke touching the Duke of Gloucester now usurper of the Crowne and also have a little touched the advancement of the two noble families of Yorke and Lancaster I shall likewise not onely declare and manifest unto you all my open acts attempts and doings but also my privie intents and secret cogitations To the intent that as you have unbuckled your heart of your privie meanings and secret puposes to me so shal all my cloudy working close devices and secret imaginations bee as cleare as the sunne revealed opened and made lightsome to you And to begin I declare that when King Edward was deceased to whom I thought my self little or nothing beholden although wee two had married two sisters because he neither promoted nor preferred mee as I thought I was worthy and had deserved neither favored nor regarded me according to my degree and birth for surely I had by him little authority and lesse rule and in effect nothing at all which caused mee the lesse to favour his children because I found small humanitie or none in their parent I then began to study and with mature deliberation to ponder and consider how and in what manner this Realme should be ruled and governed And first I remembred an old proverbe worthy of memory that often ruineth the Realme where children rule and women governe This old Adage so sunke and setled in my head that I thought it a great errour and extreme mischiefe to the whole Realme either to suffer the young King to rule or the Queene his mother to bee a governour over him considering that her brethren and her first children although they were not extract of high and noble linage tooke more upon them and more exalted themselves by reason of the Queene then did the Kings brethren or any Duke in his Realme Which in conclusion turned to their confusion Then I being perswaded with my self in this point thought it necessarie both for the publique and profitable wealth of this Realme and also for mine owne commodity and emolument to take part with the Duke of Gloucester Whom I asure you I thought to be as cleane without dissimulation as tractable without injury as mercifull without crueltie as now I know him perfectly to bee a dissembler without verity a tyrant without pitty yea and worse then the tyrant Phalaris destitute of all truth clemencie And so by my meanes at the first councell holden at London when hee was most suspected of that thing that after happened as you my Lord know well enough hee was made Protectour and defender both of the King and of the Realme which authority once gotten and the two children partly by policie brought under his governance hee being moved with the gnawing and covetous serpent desired to raigne and never ceased privilie to exhort and require yea and somtimes with minatorie termes to perswade me other Lords aswell spirituall as temporall that hee might take upon him the Crowne till the Prince came to the age of foure and twenty yeares and were able to governe the Realme as a mature and sufficient King Which thing when hee saw me somewhat sticke at both for the strangenesse of the example because no such president had beene seene and also because wee remembred that men once ascended to the highest tipe of honour and authority will not gladly discend againe hee then brought in instruments authentike Doctors Proctors and notaries of the Law with depositions of divers witnesses testifying King Edwards children to be bastards which depositions then I thought to bee as true as now I know them to be fained and â—estified by persons with rewards untruely subordinate When the said depositions were before us read and diligently heard he stood up bareheaded saying Well my Lords even as I and you sage and discreete councellers would that my Nephewes should have no wrong So I pray you to doe mee nothing but right For these witnesses and sayings of famous Doctors being true I am onely the undoubted heire to Lord Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke adjudged to bee the very heire to the Crowne of this Realme by authority of Parliament which things so by learned men to us for a veritie declared caused me and other to take him for our lawfull and undoubted Prince and soveraigne Lord. For well we know that the Duke of Clarence Son by reason of the attainder of his Father was disabled to inherite and also the Duke himselfe was named to be a bastard as I
willing him in any wise to leave the Earle and without delay to repaire into England where for him were provided great honours and honourable promotions ascertaining him further that all offences in both parties were forgotten and forgiven and both he and she highly incorporate in the Kings heart Surely the inconstancie of this woman were much to bee marvelled at if all women had bin found constant but let men speake yet women of the very bond of Nature wil follow their owne kinde After that King Richard had thus with glorious promises and flattering words pleased and appeased the mutable mind of Queene Elizabeth which knew nothing lesse then that he most intended he caused all his brothers daughters to be conveighed into his Palace with solemne receiving as though with his new familiar and loving entertainment they should forget and in their mindes obliterate the old committed injury and late perpetrate tyranny Now nothing was contrarie and opposite to his pernicious purpose but that his Mansion was not void of his wife which thing he in any wise adjudged necessary to be done But there was one thing that so much feared and dragged him from committing this abominable murder because as you have heard before hee began to counterfeit the image of a good and well disposed person and therefore he was afraid lest the sudden and immature death of his wife once openly knowne hee should lose the good and credible opinion which the people had of him without desert conceived and reported But in conclusion evill counsell prevailed in a wit lately minded to mischiefe and turned from all goodnesse So that his ungratious desire overcame his honest feare And first to enter into the gates of his imagined enterprise hee abstayned both from the bed and company of his wife After hee complained to divers Noble men of the Realm of the unfortunate sterilitie and barrennesse oâ— his wife because she brought forth no fruit and generation of her body And in speciall hee accompted to Thomas Rotheram Arch-bishop of Yorke whom lately hee had delivered out of ward and captivity these impediments of his Queene and divers others thinking that hee would reveale and open to her all these things trusting the sequell hereof to take his effect that shee hearing this grudge of her husband and taking therefore an inward thought would not long live in this world Of this the Bishop gathered which well knew the complection and usage of the King that the Queenes dayes were short and that hee declared to certaine of his secret friends And thus he procured a common rumour but hee would not have the authour knowne to bee published and spread abroâ—d among the common people that the Qâ—eene was dead to the intent that shee taking some conceit of this strang fame should fall into some sudden sicknesse or grievous malady and to prove if afterwards shee shâ—â—ld fortune by that or any other waies to lose her life whether the people would impute her death to the thought or sicknes or therof would lay the blame to him When the Queene heard tell that so horrible a rumour of her death was sprung amongst the commonaltie shee sore suspected and judged the world to be almost at an end with her and in that sorrowfull agony shee with lamentable countenance and sorrowfull cheere repaired to the presence of the King her husband demanding of him what it should meane that he had judged her worthy to die The King answered her with faire words and with dissembling blandiments and flattering leasings comforted her bidding her to bee of good comfort for to his knowledge shee should have no other cause But howsoever it fortuned either by inward thought and pensivenesse of heart or by intoxication of poyson which is affirmed to bee most likely within a few dayes after the Queene departed out of this transitorie life was with due solemnitie buried in the church of S. Peter at Westminster This is the same Anne one of the daughters of the Earle of Warwicke which as you have heard before at the request of Lewes the French King was married to Prince Edward son to King Henry the Sixt. The King thus according to his long desire loosed out of the bonds of matrimony beganne to cast a foolish phantasie to Lady Elizabeth his neece making much suite to have her joyned with him in lawfull matrimony But because all men and the maiden her selfe most of all detested and abhorred this unlawfull and in a manner unnaturall copulation hee determined to prolong and dâ—fer the matter till he were in a more quietnesse For all that very season hee was oppressed with great weightie and urgent causes and businesses on every side considering that daily part of the nobilitie sailed into France to the Earle of Richmond other privily favoured and aided certaine of the conjuration so that of his short end few or none were in doubt And the common people for the most part were brought to such desperation that many of them had rather be reputed and taken of him in the number of his enemies then to abide the chance and hazard to have their goods taken as a spoyle of victorie by his enemies Amongst the noble men whom hee most mistrusted these were the principall Thomas Lord Stanley Sir William Stanley his brother Gilbert Talbot and six hundred other of whose purposes although King Richard were ignorant yet he gave neither confidence nor credence to any one of them and least of al to the Lord Stanley because hee was joyned in matrimony with the Lady Margaret mother to the Earle of Richmond as afterward apparently ye may perceive For when the said Lord Stanley would have departed into his Countrey to visite his familie and to recreate and refresh his spirits as he openly said but the truth was to the intent to be in a perfect readinesse to receive the Earle of Richmond at his first arrivall into England the King in no wise would suffer him to depart before he had left as an hostage in the Court George Stanley Lord Strange his first begotten son heire While King Richard was thus troubled and vexed with imaginations of the tumultuous time that was like to come Loe even suddenly hee heard newes that fire was sprung out of the smoake and the warre presently begun and that the Castle of Hammes was delivered into the hands of the Earle of Richmond by the meanes of the Earle of Oxford and that not onely hee but also Iames Blunt Captaine of the Castle were fled into France to aide the Earle Henry Wherefore he thinking it great policie to withstand the first brunt sent the most part of the garison of Calice to recover again by force the castle of Hammes They which were in the Castle perceiving their adversaries to approach prepared munitions and engins for their defence and sent also the Earle of Richmond to advertise him of their sodaine obsession requiring him of hasty ayde speedie succour The Earle slipping
ancient times past in divers Realmes it hath beene accustomed and this was the first signe and token of his good lucke and felicitie I must put you here in remembrance how that King Richard putting some diffidence in the Lord Stanley which had with him as an hostage the Lord Strange his eldest sonne which Lord Stanley as you have heard before joyned not at the first with his sonne in lawes army for feare that King Richard would have slaine the Lord Strange his heire When King Richard was come to Bosworth he sent a pursevant to the Lord Stanley commanding him to advance forward with his company and to come to his presence which thing if hee refused to doe he swore by Christs passion that hee would strike off his sonnes head before hee dined The Lord Stanley answered the Pursevant that if the King did so hee had more sons alive and to come to him he was not then so determined when King Richard heard this answer hee commanded the Lord Strange incontinent to bee beheaded which was at that very same season when both the armies had â—ight each of the other The Councellors of King Richard pondering the time and the cause knowing also the Lord Strange to be innocent of his fathers offence perswaded the King that it was now time to fight and not time to execution advising him to keepe the Lord Strange as a prisoner till the battell was ended and then at leisure his pleasure might bee accomplished So as God would King Richard infringed his holy oath and the Lord wâ—s â—elivered 〈◊〉 the keepers of the Kings tenâ— to bee kept as a prisoner which when the field was done and their master slaine and proclamation made to know where the child was they submitted themselves as prisoners to the Lord Strange and hee gently received them and brought them to the new proclamed King where of him and of his father hee was received with great joy and gladnesse After this the whole campe removed with bag and baggage and the same night in the evening King Henry with great pompe came to the towne of Leicester Where as well for the refreshing of his people and souldiers as for preparing all things necessary for his journey toward London hee rested and reposed himselfe two dayes In the meane season the dead corps of King Richard was as shamefully carried to the towne of Leicester as hee gorgiously the day before with pompe and pride departed out of the same towne For his body was naked and despoyled to the skin and nothing left about him not so much as a clout to cover his privie members and was trussed behind a pursevant of armes called Blaunche Senglier or white Boare like a hogge or a calfe the head and armes hanging on the one side of the horse and the legges on the other side and all besprinkled with mire and blood was brought to the Gray Fryers Church within the towne and there laid like a miserable spectacle but surely considering his mischievous acts and Facinorous doings men may worthily wonder at such a caitive and in the said Church hee was with no lesse funerall pompe and solemnitie interred then hee would to bee done at the burying of his innocent Nephewes whom hee caused cruelly to bee murthered and unnaturally to be quelled When his death was known few lamented and many rejoyced the proud bragging white Boare which was his badge was violently rased and plucked downe from every signe and place where it might be espied so ill was his life that men wished the memorie of him to bee buried with his carren corpes Hee raigned two yeares two moneths and one day As he was small and little of stature so was he of body greatly deformed the one shoulder higher then the other his face small but his countenance was cruell and such that a man at the first aspect would judge it to savour and smell of malice fraude and deceit when hee stood musing hee would bite and chew beasly his nether lippe as who said that his fierce nature in his cruell body alwaies chafed stirred and was ever unquiet besides that the dagger that hee wore hee would when hee studied with his hand plucke up and downe in the sheath to the midst never drawing it fully out his wit was pregnant quicke and ready wille to â—iegne and apt to dissemble hee had a proud minde and an arrogant stomacke the which accompanied him to his death which hee rather desiring to suffer by dent of sword then being forsaken and destitute of his untrue companions would by coward flight preserve and save his uncertaine life Which by malice sicknesse or condigne punishment â—ight chanâ—e shortly after to come to confusion Thus ended this Prince his mortall life with infamie and dishonour which never preferred fame or honesty before ambition tyranny and mischiefe And if hee had continued still Protectour and suffered his Nephewes to have lived and raigned no doubt but the Realme had prospered and hee much praysed and beloved as hee is now abhorred and vilipended but to God which knew his interior cogitations at the hower of his death I commit the punishment of his offences committed in his life FINIS This Kings time with some part of King Richard the third as shall appeare by a note made at that place was written by Sir Thomas Moore Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke The 3. sonnes of Richard Duke of Yorke described George Duke of Clarence drowned in a But of Maâ—msey The Description of Richard the 3. King Henry the 6. slaine in the Tower by Richard the 3. An Exhortation of King Edward the 4. on his death bed Edmund Shaw Maior of London Of Sanctuaries The discription of Shores wife The discription of King Edwards three Concubines The destruction of King Edwards Children King Edwards Children murthered