Thomas Holland Earle of Kent Henry who dyed young Iohn first Duke of Sommerset who maried Margerite daughter to Sr. Iohn Beauchamp Margerite married to Edward Adham earl of Richmond Henry the 7. who married Elizabeth daughter to Henry the 4. Edmund Duke of Sommerset slaine in the â—…attell at S. Albans who married Elenor daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke Henry Duke of Sommerset beheaded an 1462. Charls Sommerset Earle of Worcester bastard Edmund Duke of Sommerset beheaded Anno 1471. dying without heyrs Iohn slaine at the battell of Teuksbury Thomas Ioane married to Iames the first King of Scotland Margerite married to Thomas Courtney Earle of Devonshire Thomas E. of Devonsh beheaded Henry beheaded Iohn slaine at Teuksbury Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester Cardinall of St. Eusebius and Chancellor of England Thomas Beaufort Earle of Dorset Duke of Exeter and Chancellor of England Ioane Beaufort for whose issue looke the next lease Iane Beaufort married to Ralph Nevill Earle of Westmerland Richard Nevil Earle of Salisbury beheaded who married Elenor daughter to Thomas Montigue Earle of Salisbury William Lord of Faulkenbridge Edward Earle of Abergaveny George Lord Latimer Robert Bishop of Durham Cuthbert Henry Thomas Richard Nevil Earle of Salisbury and Warwicke surnamed The great he married Anne daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke Isabel wife of George Plantagenet Duke of Clarence brother to Edward the fourth drowned in a But of Malmâ—…y Edward Earl of Warwicke last heyre male of the Plantagenet he was beheaded Margerite Countesse of Salisbury wife to Richard Poole beheaded the 13. yeare of Henry the 8. she was mother to Cardinall Poole Anne wife to Edward Prince of Wales son to Henry 6. he was slaine by the Duke of Glocester who after married the said Anne Edward Prince of Wales who died before his Father Iohn Marquis Montigue who maried the daughter of Sr Edward Engelthorpe George Archbishop of York and Chancellour of England George Nevil Duke of Bedford degraded together with his father for not having left sufficient meanes to maintaine their honour Luce first married to Sir Thomas Fitz-Williams then to Sir Anthony Browne by whom William Earle of Southampton St Anthony Browne Iane married to Will. Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundel Thomas Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundel William Earle of Arundel Elenor wife to Thomas Stanley Earle of Darby George Baron Strange Thomas Earle of Darby Edward Lord Mounteagle Iames Bishop of Ely Catherine wife to Iohn Moubray second duke of Norfolke Iohn duke of Norfolk married to Elenor daughter of the Lord Bourchier Iohn duke of Norfolk married to Elizabeth daughter to Geo. Talbot 1. earle of Shrewsb Anne wife to Richard Duke of York second son of Edward the fourth Elenor wife to Henry Pearcy second Earle of Northumberland slaine in the service of Henry 6. in the first battell at Saint Albans Henry the third earle of Northumberland slaine in the like service who married Elenor daughter to Richard Lord Poinings Henry the fourth Earle of Northumberland slaine by the people for leavying a taxe imposed by Henry the seventh and the Parliament he married Maudlin daughter to the earle of Pembrocke Henry the fifth earle of Northumberland William Allen a Bishop Iocelin Elenor married to Edward Stafford duke of Buckingham Anne wife to William Fitz-Allen Earle of Arundel Anne wife to Humfrey Staffoâ—…d first Duke of Buckingham slaine in the first battel at Northhampton Humfrey Earle of Stafford slaine in the first battell of St Albans he married Margerite sister to Edward Beaufort Duke of Sommerset Henry second Duke of Sommerset beheaded by Richard 3. he married Catherine sister to Richard Woodville Earle Rivers Edward Duke of Buckingham Henry of Wiltshire both beheaded by Henry the 8. Iohn Stafford Earle of Wiltshire married to Constance daughter to Sir Henry Greene. Edward Stafford Earle of Wiltshire Catherine wife to George Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury George E. of Shrewsbury married to Anne daughter to the Lord Hastings Francis Earle of Shrewsbury Margerite married to Henry Clifford Earle of Cumberland Sicely of whose issue see the next leafe Sicely married to Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke who waged warre with Henry the 6. as lawfull pretender to the Crowne hee was slaine in the battell of Wakefield King Edward the 4. who married Elizabeth daughter of Richard Woodville Earle Rivers King Edward the 5. Richard duke of York Both slaine in the Toweâ—… by their uncle Richard 3 Elizabeth married to Henry the 7. Arthur prince of Wales Henry the 8. Catherine married to William Courtney earle of Devonshire Henry Earle of Devonshire and Marquis of Exeter beheaded by Henry the 8. Edmund who died in the battell with his Father George Duke of Clarence drowned in a But of Malmsey in the Tower he married Isabel daughter to Richard Nevil Earle of Warwicke Edward Earle of Warwicke beheaded under Henry the 7. Margerite Countesse of Salisbury married to Sr Richard Poole beheaded under Henry the 8. Henry Lord Montigue beheaded under Henry the 8. Reginald Poole Cardinall Vrsula married to Henry Lord Stafford sonne and heyre to Edward last Duke of Buckingham Richard Duke of Glocester by tyrannicall usurpation called afterward Richard the 3. who married Anne daughter to Richard Nevil Earle of Salisbury and Warwicke Edward Prince of Wales who died during his fathers life THE INTRODVCTION MY intention is to write the story of England for as much as concernes the Câ—…vill Wars of that Kingdome from their first rise to their happy period Events which the lesse they be known forth of those Climats the more worthy are they of others knowledge Civill knowledge accounts not him wise who applies himselfe only to what concernes his owne Country but who enlargeth his understanding to the universall knowledge of all Nations Such as are unexperienced and too passionatly gâ—…ven to the love of their owne Country doe vsually misprise forraine occurrences whilst alteration in governments doth vary those vertues in them by which they acquired a name above others The Assyrians Medes and Persians the Macedonians Greeks and Romans doe witnesse this unto us people ought not to boast of what they were but if there be any occasion of ostentation of what they for the present are Barbarisme is not so generall in the now present times as in times past of as many Nations as are there is not any one who at this day can vaunt her selfe to be the law-giver unto others What is wanting in some one is peeced up by the advantages which some others have not This discipline of warre learning the liberall sciences arts mechanicall and civill comportment are so diffused as those who last embraced them are like to cisternes which doe more abound with water then doe the house tops and gutters from which they did at first fall There was a time when the Grecians had presumption enough to repute the Romans barbarous their condition shewes us how much they were deceived The Vandalls Lombards and Gothes were civilized at the cost of the
they should be judged The Lord Cobham and divers others were likewise made prisoners The meane while the King not knowing how his two Uncles would take this businesse furnished himselfe with Souldiers and commanded those of his side to come to the Parliament well attended The two Dukes hearing that their brother was taken and afterwards put to death were much afraid of themselves fearing lest the King being ill counselled might take armes likewise against them Whereupon having assembled together a great many of such as sided with them they came to London where they were affectionately received by the people who wanted onely a head to rise in rebellion But Lancasters ambition being long since blowne over and Yorke the same he ever was all things continued in their former quiet many Lords interposing themselves who perswaded them that the King would doe nothing for the time to come without their knowledge and consent the which he afterwards ill-favouredly performed When the Parliament was assembled the faults of those who were imprisoned were laid open To disguise the mystery commandement was sent to Callais to the Earle Marshall that hee should present the Duke Answere was made that he was dead of a violent feaver And as there was none desirous to sift further into the truth thereof so did they not demurre upon the condemning of him and the confiscation of his goods Arundel Warwick were sentenced to be hanged drawn and quartered as Traytors The formers punishment was remitted to a single beheading in respect to his bloud for he was the sonne of Elenor the daughter of Henry Plantagenet Earle of Lancaster who came from Edmund the second sonne of Henry the third The other his life being pardoned but not his goods was condemned to perpetuall prisonment in the Isle of of Man for confessing himselfe guilty which Arundell would not do he was referred to the Kings mercie The Archbishop of Canterbury accused for having obtained a pardon for his brother the Earle of Arundell a declared Traytor his defence unheard was condemned to a perpetuall banishment his patrimoniall goods confiscated and a new Archbishop obtained from Rome to supply his place in Church who held the place onely till the other was called home no mention was made of the conspiracie at Arundell Castle which is sufficient to make it bee supposed false since that alone had been enough to have condemned him False tales were framed to undoe the Archbishop whilst he might have beene found guilty of treason in the highest degree But the wonder waâ—… how the Duke of Lancaster who was made Lord high Constable for the present occasion had the heart to heare his brother called traytor and in the giving of his sentence to call him so himselfe whilst being formerly himselfe accused of treason by the Irish Fryer he was by Gloster more brotherly dealt withall The which surely happened either for that where private interest doth prevaile honesty and affection must give place or else for that men who are politickly wise had rather trust their honour to the talke of the vulgar than their goods and lives to the refined sense of supreame authority the one more plausible the other more secure The like befell the Earle of Arundell who observing that the Earle Marshall who was his sonne-in-law and the Earle of Kent his nephew assisted as well to the custody of his person as the solicitation of his punishment said unto them That others would hereafter be spectators of their misery as for the present they were of his whilst in reason it should least become them to behold such a spectacle The common people beleeved that hee died a Martyr that the King haunted with evill apparitions wished hee had never seene him and that his head was by miracle rejoyned unto his body the beliefe whereof grew to such a height as that the King caused him ten dayes after to be taken by night out of his grave commanding certaine Lords to goe see the truth of it They found his head as by the headsman parted from his body and caused his head body to be reburied in an unknowne place to the end that the people might commit no more such foolish superstitions The feast of the Nativity caused a prorogation of the Parliament which was adjurned to Shrewsbury where the King created five Dukes He made Darby Duke of Hereford Nottingham Duke of Norfolke Rutland Yorkes eldest sonne Duke of Aumerle and his two brothers Kent and Huntington Dukes of Surrey and of Exeter Margaret the daughter and heire of Thomas late Earle of Norfolke fifth sonne to Edward the first was created for her owne life Dutchesse of Norfolke He made the Earle of Somerset Marquis Dorset the Lord Spencer Earle of Gloster Lord Nevill Earle of Westmerland Lord Scroope Earle of Wiltshire and Lord Thomas Pearcie Earle of Worcester dividing amongst them the goods of Gloster Arundell and Warwicke the more to oblige them unto him The other prisoners were proceeded withall with lesse severity He anulled the Acts of Parliament made the eleventh yeare of his reigne He granted according to custome a generall pardon excepting fiftie to be by him named intending by this meanes to keep them all in their duties for every one was sure if they should fall into his disfavour to be one of the fiftie excepted so as having reduced affaires according to his owne will and rid his hands of those hee stood in feare of hee thought hee might now doe what hee list without feare of checke since there was none of so cleare a conscience who had not cause to feare himselfe The Duke of Hereford who from such actions apprehended danger of publicke hate finding a fit occasion to speak with the Duke of Norfolke told him that hee being a Counsellor and one whom the King did much affie in he was bound in duty to make him see that the small esteeme his Majestie made of the Nobility though lesse of himselfe suffering himselfe to be ruled by people of base condition and no worth might likely one day cause unto him some unlooked for inconveniencie since that the peoples patience was not long to be relied upon especially when it is transformed into desperation and fury Norfolke promised his service therein seeming well pleased with it though indeed hee no wayes liked it For considering that such like offices were unpleasing to the King and that his favour was not to be preserved by giving him good advice but by soothing him hee did in so detestable a manner relate Herefords discourse as causing him to be called for he would have Norfolke to make good to Herefords face what he had behinde his back affirmed of him the which the one affirming and the other denying the lye being given on both sides Hereford threw downe his glove which Norfolke readily tooke up the King appointing them Coventry for the place and Saint Lamberts day for the time of combat The two Champions failed not to appeare at the time
horse and those wearied resolved to set upon him before his bowmen should come up vnto him And to make the Earle the more confident hee sent forth 50. horse as if there had beene no more in the Castle The Earle sent Sir Ralph Standish with 100. horse to encounter them who had hardly begun the skirmish when the rest that were within the Castle sallyed forth slew him and his companions and without any interposition of time set upon the Earle who as hee was manfully fighting was defeated by a Culverin which being shot among the thickest of his men swept away a great many of them and at the second shot broke the Earles legge above his ankle who in a swound fell from his horse and was taken prisoner with Woodville and a hundred other horse Two hundred were slaine the rest saved themselves by flight The Earle was carried to Beauvois where within a few dayes hee died His losse was as much bewayled as his valour had hee lived was full of expectation and hope Hee was the fift Earle of Arundell of the noble house of Fitsallen Six others of the same succeeded him the last of which was Henry who dying without heires male the Earledome and the title fell upon Philip Howard eldest sonne to Thomas Duke of Northfolke and Mary his wife daughter to the said Henry This Thomas was father to the now present Earle of Arundell Earle Marshall of England who married the Lady Alithea daughter to Gilbert Lord Talbot Earle of Shrewesbury lineally descended from Iohnâ—…ord â—…ord Talbot of whom wee have spoken in this our story I was willing to â—…ist upon this particular here which I desire may not bee imputed to me as a superfluous digression but rather to the gratitude which from mee and all Italy is due unto them both Tenne yeares were past since the battaile of Aiencourt where and since when the Duke of Bourbon was prisoner in England when having payed his ransome of 18000. pounds sterlin the very day destinied for his returne hee was seized upon by his last infirmitie which brought him to his grave dying a free man after having lived so long a captive The confederacy friendship and affinitie of the two Couzins Bedford and Burgony were come to the period of their dissolution not so much for the death of the ones wife the others sister as for that the distasts caused by divers passages betweene them had afforded field-roome to such as desired a breach betweene them to whisper such tales in both their eares as being supposed to be spoken in the prejudice of each other could by neither of them be taken in good part but with a great resentment of their honours an Idoll which amongst imaginary deities especially betweene Princes is the most supreame though as too suspitiously false sometimes with much losse too much idolatrised friends enterposed themselves but 't was not sufficient the gangren'd sores of their soules were not to be cured by Lenities A meeting betweene them was treated of out of hopes that by an enterview and speech together they might come to understand one anothers minde better then by reports 't was obtained Saint Omers was named and agreed upon for the place A place which belonging to Philip redounded to his honour since Bedford went to him not he to Bedford Bedford came thither first whilst Philip being in his owne dominion and his owne house should have beene there to have met and welcomed him But hee was so farre from doing this that though he came last he pretended to be the first visited Perhaps a just pretension in a neutrall place hee being the last commer thither For as for other respects which give precedency to Princes there goes not much difficultie to the deciding of the question Bedford had two which argue for his precedency the one casuall and but for a time the other borne with him and whereof hee could not bee bereft His regency of France was that which was casuall and therefore I build not upon it as well for that Philip might have beene regent if hee had so pleased though what might have beene gives place to what is as likewise for that France held it an unjust usurped dignity though hee ought not to esteeme it so who held Henry for King of France for that that was borne with him and whereof hee could not bee bereft Bedford was the Sonne Brother and Uncle of a King And tooke these prerogatives from him superiour without question to any thing that Philip could alledge they were in their genealogies equall For if Iohn King of France were great Grandfather to Philip Edward the third King of England was the like to Bedford and if any difference bee made betweene the Princes of the bloud in France and the Princes of the bloud in England where there is no such title by Law the former being priviledged by the pretended Salique Law the latter not since women doe succeede t is a reason whereof Philip ought make no use since that Law was by him broken and so much the lesse against Bedford as that if Henry should dye without heyres hee was the next presumed heyre to the Crowne In titles they were alike in soveraignty and peculiar power Philip was before him But if soveraignty were ever to precede there are little soveraigne Lords and no Princes who should take place of great Princes who are no soveraigne Lords and power which contributes advantage doth nor contribute degrees of dignity But let all bee granted civility will not permit the affecting of the best place in a mans owne house but rather wils that it bee given alwayes to our equals yea sometimes to our inferiours To end this difference Philip propounded that the businesse might bee discust by third persons which Bedford would not condescend unto so as parting without the sight of one another their friendship was broken and all memorials of their former affinity were cancelled wherein if the English lost all hee got not much for one would thinke that in the fall of this great tree hee should have seized upon one of the greatest boughes for himselfe the which if hee had not formerly done the fault was his since he by their assistance which did divert those who might have troubled him obtained territories else-where to the unjust and violent possession whereof I meane Hannault Holland Zeland and Frisland he had never come their naturall Princes being alive if France had beene at liberty Hee had sundry times given fast signes of this his bad inclination especially when notwithstanding the heate of warre hee was contented that his brother in law the Count de Richmont should receive the sword of Constableship and that Charles de Bourbon the now Duke a great sider with King Charles and an implacable enemy of the English should marry his sister Agnis powerfull meanes for the accommodation which his delayes did not cut off but deferre Hee had thus two strings to his bow Moreover when the councell
more neerely concerne him that nothing could be more acceptable to subjects than to take a wife from amongst them since children must issue from the same blood that for portion he valued it not having more than he knew what to doe withall that for all other inconveniences contentment in a wife with whom one was to live and die did out-weigh them all His mother finding her perswasions to be of no force bethought herselfe of another means which proved alike vaine The King upon promise of marriage had wrought to his desire a Lady of great birth named Elizabeth Lucy She alledged that since before God this Lady was his legitimate wife he could not marry any other An impediment which delayed his satisfaction in the other for the Bishops required proofe thereof But the Lady Lucy examined upon oath in opposition to the instigation of the Dutchesse and her owne honour and interest did depose that the King did never passe unto her any direct promise but that hee had said such things unto her as had shee not thought them thereunto equivalent shee had never condescended to his will Upon this deposition the King did privately marry the other the marriage being afterwards published by her Coronation None were pleased herewithall the Nobility lesse than the Communalty their greatnesse being obscured by the sudden splendor of the Queenes kindred Her father was created Earle Rivers and shortly after made Lord High-constable of England Her brother Anthony was enricht by the marriage of the daughter and heire of the Lord Scales which Title was likewise conferred upon him Her sonne Thomas Gray which she had by her former husband did afterwards marry the daughter of William Bonneville Lord Harrington and was created Marquis Dorser Historians observe many mischiefes that ensued from this marriage besides the death of so many that was caused thereby Edward did thereby lose his Kingdome his children were declared to be bastards and strangled the Queenes house extirpated the Earle of Warwicke and his brother slaine But they name not the death of King Henry and his sonne which had not hapned had not the Earle of Warwicke for this cause taken up Armes King Lewis though thus abused did not suffer himselfe to be transported by passion but making use of his naturall dissembling expected a time for revenge And to pacifie the two sisters hee not long after married Bona to Galiazzo Maria Sforza Duke of Milan sonne to Francis but not with so good successe as Hall reports for her husband being slaine she within a few yeeres became a widdow and by her ill government afforded occasion to his cousin Lodowicke Sforza to take from her the government and the government life and Dukedome from her sonne Iohn Galeazzo The Earle of Warwicke this meane while wounded in his reputation parted from France more sensible thereof than he made shew for he could not though so farre cloake his anger but that Lewis was aware of it Being returned to England he so behaved himselfe with the King as that he seemed not to be at all distasted whilst this present injury did call to mind many other formerly received which would not though have hurried him to his ruine had it not been for this He saw how the King did apprehend his greatnesse and grew jealous thereof that his designe was to suppresse him when himselfe should be better established that he thought not himselfe King whilst men thought him as necessary to the conservation of the State as he was to the obtaining thereof That the services hee had done him were of such a nature as to shunne the tie of obligation ingratefull people doe oft times desire to rid themselves of the obliger That the state of businesse was such as would not suffer him to be debarred the communication thereof though Edward thought hee did thereby communicate unto him his government and made him Colleague of his Kingdome That he had sought after all occasions to bereave him of mens good opinion All which made him believe that he was sent into France to this purpose To this may be added and which boyled in him more than all the rest that Edward would have dishonoured his house by tempting the honesty of I know not whether his daughter or his neece wherein though he did not succeed the offering at it ceaseth not to be mischievous and wicked as a thing whereby he endeavoured to dishonour the family of his kinsman servant and benefactor All these things put together begat in him such an hatred as hee resolved to depose him and re-inthrone Henry as soone as a fit occasion should present it selfe And though hee retired himselfe to Warwicke under a pretence of an indisposition of health yet did the King spie his discontents though not so much as it behoved him to have done for hee thought him not so sufficient to depose him as he was to raise him up and that out of two reasons First that Princes doe seldome mistrust their owne power especially with their subjects secondly for that they doe believe the injuries they do are written in Brasse by those who receive them whilst they who doe them write them in Sand. The Queene was this yeere delivered of a daughter named Elizabeth who put a period to the Civill warres by marrying with Henry the VII Edward did this meane while peaceably possesse his Kingdome his enemies were all or slaine undone or frightned He had none to feare save France and her but a little for Lewis was more inclined to wage warre at home than abroad Hee forbare not though to joyne friendship with Iohn King of Arragon who upon occasion might by way of diversion assist him in Languedocke a good though deceitfull foresight for it often happens that many yeeres are spent in the cultivating of a friendship which proveth faulty in the harvest Yet wisdome it is to manure such as put us not to too great charge for the opinion of having friends weighes with our enemies This friendship occasioned the transportation of a great many sheepe into Spaine whereby England was as much impoverished as Spaine was inriched He likewise for the same respect concluded a Truce with Scotland for 15 yeeres But the friendship of the Duke of Burgundy was that which most availed him and which re-established him in his Kingdome when he had lost it Philip the Duke of Burgundy did yet live and his sonne Count Caralois who by two wives had one onely daughter afterwards the sole heire of all those Territories the Duke was minded to marry him the third time hoping to secure the succession by issue male He bethought himselfe of Margaret sister to Edward a Princesse of great beauty and indued with a spirit not usuall to her sex but her being of the house of Yorke made him stagger in his resolutions For that the Queene of Portugall his wives mother was a daughter of the house of Lancaster by reason whereof her sonne Charles did love that house and
He was so innocent as it never entered into his imagination and that when he heard of it he was so heartily grieved as it was impossible for him any more to looke upon the King abhorring his sight and being resolved never to returne to Court till he had wrought Publique Revenge but that finding it hard to get from him for Tyrants have no more faithfull nor vigilant guardians then their owne Suspitions he at last so farre prevailed as dissembling the True cause and finding excuses to make his journey seeme necessary hee had got leave Richard believing that hee went away very well satisfied whilst in truth he was much discontented That wherewith he entertained his thoughts in this voyage was to finde out a meanes how to depose Richard but a Successour being to be found out he could not light upon any one more lawfull then Himselfe for having made a mentall scrutiny and finding that his Grandfather Edmund Duke of Sommerset was Twice removed from Iohn Duke of Lancaster the Founder of that house and Henry the sixth Thrice it followed that His mother daughter to Edmund being removed as Henry the sixth He her heire should after Henry the sixth be the undoubted Successour the line of Sommerset descending from the said Iohn Duke of Lancaster in like sort the other having onely precedency by Birth-right in Henry the fourth the fifth and sixth so as feeding himselfe with this imagination assisted by Vanity and Ambition he though he might have grounded Richards ruin upon the foundation of his Owne pretence not finding any opposition therein But meeting with the Countesse of Richmond wife to the now Lord Stanley betweene Worcester and Bridgnorth his ill-grounded Fabrick was soon overthrowne For calling to mind that shee was the onely daughter and Heire to Iohn Duke of Sommerset elder brother to his Grandfather Edmund it followed that Her sonne the Earle of Richmond was the true heire and pretender which he had formerly thought Himselfe to be And that believing himselfe to be so he had proceeded even to the point of weighing the Dangers and amusing himselfe about what meanes he were best to make use of whether of his naturall Right or of Election and though the Lawes both of the Kingdome and of Nature appeared sufficient to him for what concerned his Naturall Right yet the Succession having been Interrupted and the house of Yorke in possession he had thought it requisite for him to have the Votes of the Lords and Commons for that the generall lawfull Election would corroborate his particular Right and exclude the Tyrant Touching Dangers he found they would be great in a litigious Kingdome in which let the title be never so apparent some will not be wanting who will oppose it particularly upon the present occasion the house of Yorke reigning Edwards daughters being well Beloved and by reason of their Unkles evill intreatment Pittied by all men so as though they might have a great desire to free themselves of a perverse King yet was it not such as to make them favour Another to their prejudice who were held the true Heires But the seeing of the Countesse having made him aware of the Injustice of his pretences and that if he should continue Obstinate therein dangers were likely to increase if Edwards daughters joyning with the Earle of Richmond He were by their partakers to be set upon on both sides hee had changed his mind Not that the Countesse had spoken to him of it who had no such Thought but that he had observed Here a Neerer Propinquity The discourse she held with him was To conjure him by the Neerenesse of his Blood and by the memory of Humphrey Duke of Buckingham his Grandfather and sworne brother to Iohn Duke of Sommerset her father that he would entreat the King to reassume her sonne the Earle of Richmond into his favour and suffer him to returne to England and that for her part shee would oblige her selfe to make him marry which of Edwards daughters the King would please without Portion or any other thing save onely his re-patriation The which hee promised to doe whereupon they parted she with New Hopes and he with New Thoughts For calling to mind the Earles claime with the same apprehensions which were by Him the Bishop propounded the night before he fell upon a resolution to assist him with all Might and Meanes as true Heire of the house of Lancaster in the defence whereof his Father and Grandfather had beene slaine upon this condition notwithstanding that hee should marry Elizabeth eldest daughter to King Edward for that this marriage joyning together the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke in the two persons who could onely pretend unto the Crowne the Kingdome would be established and all occasion of Warre or Civill Dissension would be taken away for the time to come The which marriage if the Mother and the Sonne of the House of Lancaster would accept of on the one side and the Mother and Daughter of the House of Yorke on the other none would be to be feared but the Boare that wounded all men with his Tuskes and who would doubtlesly be soone destroyed since all men were to joyne in a worke from whence were to issue both Publique and Private ease and quiet It cannot be conceived how overjoy'd the Bishop was to heare this his Conclusion being the same he desired so as praising the Dukes Goodnesse and Wisdome and now longing to see the businesse on foot he asked him with which of the two he intended to treat first who answered with the Countesse of Richmond for that it was necessary first to know the Earle her Sonnes mind Which the Bishop approving of he offered to bring unto him Reynold Bray a Houshold-servant to the Countesse a wise discreet man and who being verst in the negotiation of great businesses would be fittest to be imployed in this The which the Duke approving of hee wrote unto him and sent the Letter by an Expresse wherein he desired him to come to Brecknock for a businesse which concerned the Countesse his Mistresse He forthwith obeyed who 't was sent for him The instructions he received were that considering the Kingdome could not be brought to quiet but by advancing the Earle of Richmond to the Crown by meanes of uniting the two houses of Lancaster and York by marriage that the Countesse of Richmond should treat thereof with Queen Elizabeth and having obtained Her good will and Her eldest Daughters shee should send into Brittany to treat thereof with her Sonne who if He woud promise to marry Her after He should have obtained the Crowne they engaged themselves by joyning the Forces of the Factions to make him King Bray being dispatched away with this Embassie the Bishop took leave likewise of the Duke the Duke was loth to part with him needing his Advice but he resolved howsoever to be gone and whilst the Duke fed him with hopes under pretence of raising men who might secure
ayre then by the Testimoniall letters of the Count Dunnesse authenticated by his seale both which are very slender reasons The ayre ceaseth not to be tearmed cleare though some little cloud may appeare wherein may be formed the forenamed Crosse and for the testimoniall letters alleaged they might be beleeved had they beene written by some English Generall Factions are like Sexes the one doth not succeed unto the other especially when the one doth disagree within it selfe Hallian one of the same faction not beleeving that the Pucell of Orleans was sent from heaven was therefore reprehended and now not beleeving this Crosse his beleeving in the Crosse of Christ doth not exempt him from being reputed by Dupleix a bad Christian. We have the first and the second causes and ignorant people not able to give a reason for the second have recourse unto the first which is by all men knowne to cover their idiotisme with piety and religion but the learned though alleadge the second causes they omit not the first though they name it not supposing that no existence can be without it God in the creating of nature hath given her her orders to the end that without the name of Miracle though all his workes are wonderfull shee may operate accordingly So as if the earth yeeld not ' its fruites so abundantly one yeare as another and they alleadge for reason thereof the inequalitie of seasons some conjunction of unfortunate Plannets or some such like influence they forbeare notwithstanding to have recourse to God Almightie Knowing for certaine that he is able though contrary to the course of nature absolutely of himselfe to provide therefore noâ—… is there any so ignorant nor wicked body who doth not confesse this but in miracles 't is otherwise the Church must alwayes examine them Hallian denies not miracles nay I doe verily beleeve he beleeves them so much the better in that not admitting of them indifferently upon simple testimony hee according to true Pietie discernes betweene devotion and superstition as good Graine is discerned from Tares but pietie is not there simply required by Dupleix though hee make shew thereof hee useth it for a vehiculum he would make us swallow a falsehood wrapt up in religion with the same end hee had in the Pucells case which was to strengthen Charles his pretences by the meanes of miracle and in this case hee alleadges his testimonies with such seeming sinceritie at the businesse required The Dunnesse letters containe these words that the Crosse appeared in a cloud with a crucifix crowned with an Azure Crowne which afterwards changed to a Flower de Luce according to the relation of more then a thousand that saw this prodigie This was the end of the English government in Guascony which had ' its beginning in the yeare 1155. by the marriage of Ellinor Dutchesse of Aquitany with Henry the second King of England and came to its period after 296. yeares in the yeare 1451. in Henry the sixt his dayes and as William the father of Ellenor forsooke his stake the world and his daughter to undertake a pilgrimage and peacefully ended his life in an Hermitage and was canonized for a Saint So Henry the successour to two Williams the one a Guâ—…scoyne the other a Noâ—…man did not quit it but lost it for having too imperfectly imitated the sanctitie of the one and no whit at all the valour of the other and being opposite in nature to the Conquerour and in pietie not equall to the canonized Saint he came to a violent end with the reputation of being innocent but no Saint The Duke of Yorkes machenations were a chiefe cause of all these losses where withall the people being corrupted nothing was thought of but homebred rancour the praise worthy ambition of publique reputation which so long had warmed every mans heart was extinct the evill satisfaction given by the Queene augmented and Sommerset so much hated as that his house was broken open and ransack't every one detâ—…sted his actions envied his power and lay in Ambush for him as being the obstacle of their worst designes The Duke of Yorke who was in Ireland had notice given him of all these proceedings and because the Kentish sedition had had but an ill successe hee resolved to come for England his chiefe friends and Counsellors were Sir Iohn Mawbery Duke of Norfolke Richard Nevill who was stiled Earle of Salisbury in the behalfe of his wife daughter and heire to the valiant Thomas Montague who was slaine before Orleans Richard Nevill his son who was likewise Earle of Warwick in the right of his wife Thomas Courtney Earle of Devonshire Edward Brooke Barron of Cobham all of them personages not inferior to any for their power followers and valour of these five the first two were drawne to forsake the allegiance they ought to Henry their King and kinsman by reason of their affinitie with the Duke of Yorke the rest were onely moved by Englands ill genius the Earle of Salisbury discended from Iane Beaufort daughter by the third wife to Iohn Duke of Lancaster Henries great grandfather so as being so neare a Kin unto him he had no reason to take part against him but the marriage of the Duke of Yorke with his sister Sicily was the reason why both he and his sonne for sooke their former duty Iohn Duke of Norfolke tooke part with the Earle of Salisbury as being the sonne of one of his daughters but more in the behalfe of his Father who was banished and of his Uncle who was beheaded at Yorke in the time of Henry the fourth I know not what moved Thomas Earle of Deuonshire who married the Daughter of Somerset first to side against him and afterwards to his misfortune to joyne with him the Lord Cobham had no other interest save his owne proper disposition alwayes enclined to actions of the like nature their resolution was for to cloake their first commotions as that they should not seeme to bee against the King but the people should bee prest under pretence of the publique good That the Duke of Somerset should bee their baite who was fit by reason of the bad successe in Normandy to colour the reason of this insurrection and consequently they intended his ruine without the which they could not hope to effect their ends since hee was the onely remaining Buckler for Henries defence and preservation Having taken this resolution hee went to raise people in Wales many flocking unto him from all parts under the plausible pretence of publique good with these hee marched towards London The King at first newes hereof had got together a good army to meete with him but hee shund him hoping to encrease his numbers and like fame to yet by going he would not hazard to trye his passage through London the deniall thereof might lessen his reputation but passing over the Thames at Kingston hee went into Kent and pitched his campea mile from Dartford some ten or
brotherhood and blood which being of no force then would much prevaile when his passion should be over since that hee could not pretend to any honour which would not come short of the condition now he was in the which this resolution once taken he was for ever to lose Great therefore was the Earles folly to ground a businesse of such importance upon two so wavering foundatious as upon his owne brother forced thereunto and his brother whose destruction was desired since hee must needs repent himselfe at last The order they tooke was to retire themselves to Calleis That the Marquesse and Archbishop should under-hand procure some insurrection in the Northerne parts of the Kingdome and so give the occasion of the warre whilst they being on the other side the Sea might not be thought Authors of it Being thus gone to Calleis and having vowed by the holy Sacrament to all things agreed upon betweene them the Duke upon the aforesaid promises and hopes married the Earles daughter The two brothers being gone to Yorke whereof the one was president the other Archbishop failed not to put in execution what was agreed upon There was in that City an Hospitall dedicated to St. Leonard where by an ancient institution the poore were fed and the diseased healed So as there was no owner of ground in all that shire who moved by so good a worke did not in the time of harvest give some proportion of Corne thereunto the which at first was voluntary but in the processe of time custome made it be thought a due debt and Collectors were chosen for the gathering of it in who were opposed by none Now to give a rise to the intended insurrection and make way for their impiety they thought no meanes better to effect it than by the way of piety which when disguised mades things appeare otherwise then they are They made a speech be spred abroad that the Hospitall having sufficient revenues of its owne had no neede of the contribution of Corne since the poore were not the better and that the Provost and Priests grew onely rich thereby so as it was a folly to continue the contribution It was no hard matter to perswade the people hereunto since no argument is of greater force than self-interest This newes passing from one mouth to another the people did not onely deny the wonted contribution but wounded some of the Collectors who were forwardest in the gathering of it in Many being herewithall aggrieved about some 15000 men gathered themselves together and went towards Yorke The Inhabitants of that City were surprised at this newes not knowing whether they should keepe within the Towne and defend their Walles or salley forth and give them battell The Marquesse eased them of this trouble for having made a select choyce of not many but good men hee encountred them and overcame them killing many of them and taking many of them prisoners amongst which Robert Huldurne their leader whose head he caused to be strucke off Some were of opinion that having beene himselfe the cause of this insurrection hee had done this service the better to deceive the King to the end that not being thought confederate with his brother hee might the easilyer worke him mischiefe But this and other accidents that happened make others thinke otherwise for if such had beene his intention he could not have wished for a better occasion for hee might have joyned with those Rebells have ruined the King and advantaged his Brother and hee himselfe being the author thereof as hee was believed to bee either hee ought not to have occasioned it if hee had desired to serve the King or else not have broken it had he desired to assist his Brother I for my part believe that repenting himselfe of the first action hee made amends by the second But if hee were faithfull to his Prince hee was a Traytour to his owne bloud not that loyalty to a Soveraigne ought not to be preferred before all other respects but his brother doing ill he should not have confirmed him therein by treacherously complying with him hee should have disswaded not betrayed him And hee having governed himselfe from the beginning of this enterprise very uncertainely makes mee believe him to be if not treacherous which I am induced not to thinke since hee suffered for it yet irresolute in his undertakings either for the one or the other side The Rebells were not disheartned for all this but growing thereby more incenthey tooke for their Leader the Sonne and Heire of the Lord Fitshue and Henry Nevill Sonne and Heire likewise of the Lord Latimer both of them young men but chosen under the direction of Iohn Conniers one of the most valiant Gentlemen of all those parts for that the one of them was Nephew the other cousin to the Earle of Warwicke They would have gone againe towards Yorke but wanting Artillery they marched towards London with resolution to doe what they were able to make Edward bee deposed as being no lawfull Prince and of prejudice to the Common-wealth Edward was not ignorant of all the Plots but judging that if the Rebells should come neere London it would redound much to his dishonour hee writ to William Herbert Earle of Pembroke willing him to gather together all the Forces he could and not to suffer them passe further on The Earl obeyed not more out of gratitude for the honour hee had received than out of his desire to doe some action of merit and most of all for that hating Warwicke who had hindered his Sonne from marrying with a rich Heire hee coveted revenge so as taking with him his Brother Sir Richard Herbert a very valiant Gentleman and assembled together some six or seven thousand Welchmen well armed hee went to meete them and was met by the way by the L. Humphrey Stafford who led along with him 800 Bowmen But not knowing what way the Rebells tooke hee went sometimes one way sometimes another till being advertised that they came by Northampten hee tooke that way and being desirous to know their Number and their Order Sir Richard Herbert offered to make the discovery Hee together with 2000 good Welch Horse tooke shelter by a Woods side by the which they were to passe They were already past by him when hee desirous to returne with his relation to his brother his men would by all meanes fight with them neither could hee withhold them from furiously assaulting the rereward which marching in good Order as if they had expected to be set upon turned faces about and fighting valiantly slew many of them and tooke many prisoners and made the rest retreate too late sorry that they had not obeyed their Leader The King was not any whit dismayed at this newes but encouraging the Earle commanded him to finde them entertainment till hee should send more Forces to him or come himselfe in person The adversaries though somewhat proud of this good successe did not become more insolent But
with King Iames who did not suffer any one to come into the Castle he made a publike Proclamation to be made in the chief Market place by Garter King at Arms that if he would not make good to Edward what under his hand he was by agreement obliged unto if he did not before September next make satisfaction for the damages and injuries done to England and did not put the Duke of Aubeny in his former condition without the diminishing of his Possessions Authority or Offices he would put his whole Kingdom to fire and sword But the King returning no Answer neither by message nor writing being equally unfit either to give satisfaction or make resistance the Nobles who had encamped themselves at Haddington with a great number of men being abandoned by the King and not willing to abandon themselves and Countrey sent Ambassadours to the Duke of Gloucester offering for what belonged to them to effect the Marriage and requiring the like of him promising that it should not fail on their sides if all the Articles agreed upon were not put in execution and an inviolable Peace for the time to come were not made between the two Kingdoms To the which Gloucester answered that the Match was broken by means contrary to the end for which it was made That he did not know the King his brothers intentions and whether he was not resolved as he had good cause not to think any more of it That his Instructions were To demand restitution of the Moneys the which he did requiring speedy payment for what concerned the Peace That it was not to be had unlesse they would promise to deliver up unto him the Castle of Berwick or unlesse in case they could not do it they would oblige themselves not to assist the besieged nor molest the besiegers till such time as it were either taken or surrendred These Demands seemed very hard to the Scots They answered The cause why the Marriage was not effected was by reason of the young couples yeers not through any default of theirs That the Moneys could not justly be demanded the time of repayment being not yet come That if the security given in for the repayment of them did not suffice they would give in other That Berwick was situated upon the very Bound of Scotland built by the Scots and by just Title always possessed by them nor was their claim thereunto the weaker because the English had made themselves Masters of it since violence doth not prejudice the right of a just ancient natural and primary possession But the Duke of Aubeny put an end to all these differences for Gloucester permitting him to go into the Scotish Camp and the Lords there promising him that if he would submit himself to the King they would procure his pardon and the restitution of all his goods he was declared under the King Lord Lieutenant of the Kingdom and it was resolved though not without much opposition that the Castle of Berwick should be surrendred and a Truce for certain moneths was agreed upon to the end that the Peace might be treated on without disturbance oâ—… hostility so as the Duke of Gloucester having recovered Berwick One and twenty yeers after Henry the sixth had given it to the Scots he retired himself to Newcastle where he expected directions from his brother who having weighed the concernment of this Match the Kings decaying condition the danger he was in of being deposed he being hated and the Duke of Aubeny beloved he demanded his Moneys which were forthwith payed him leaving Scotland to its turmoils the which though the Duke of Aubeny did sincerely endeavour to quiet by remitting the King his brother to the plenary possession of his Kingdom yet could he not reconcile the King unto him For if the remembrance of injuries be never to be forgotten by men of perverse natures good turns are the more easily forgotten ingratitude being an enemy to all Christian and Moral vertues King Iames his minde was so contaminated and depraved as it would not suffer him to think well of his brother though the effects demonstrated the contrary nay he was likely to have made him follow his other brother had he not by his friends been advertised thereof which made him flee into England from whence having delivered up to Edward the Castle of Dunbarre he went to France where running at Tilt with the Duke of Orleans who was afterwards Lewis the twelfth he was unfortunately slain by the splinter of a Lance which wounded him thorow the sight-hole of his Helmet Edward had long suffered Lewis to take his advantage not onely in such parts of the Heir of Burgundy's Countrey as were far distant from him but even in those which were neare to Callice permitting him contrary to all reason of State to make himself master of Bullein and other Forts upon the Sea onely out of the hopes of his Daughters marriage but growing too late suspicious of it he sent the Lord Howard to France to sift out the truth who though he saw the solemne receiving of Margaret Daughter to the late heire of Burgondy and Maximilian of Austria and saw her married to the Dolphin in Amboyse yet when he tooke his leave Lewis according to his wonted dissimulation confirmed unto him his former promises as if a new match contracted with all the Church-Ceremonies and the Bride in the house did not prejudice the former so as being returned to England hee truly related the difference of what his Eyes saw and Lewis told him Lewis had handled this match according to his wonted craft not seeming to be therein obliged to those of Gaunt who had concluded it maugre their Prince the Brides Father and they did it willingly for taking from him the Counties of Artois Burgondy and Carolois the Counties of Macon and Auxorres which they gave in portion to the Dolphin they made him the lesse able to offend them they would likewise if they could have given him Hainault and Namours not considering that these Provinces in the hands of so great a King were like to forme the chaine of their servitude But Fortune favoured them beyond all expectation for this marriage so advantageous for that Kingdome was together with the Bride yet a Virgin not many Yeares after renounced by Charles the eight that he might take to Wife Anne the Daughter and Heire of Francis Duke of Britaigne and thereby to possesse himselfe of that Dukedome and the aforenamed Margaret borne under an unhappy constellation for matter of Husbands was in a very short time Widow to three To Charles who did yet live and to two others who died Iohn Prince of Aragon who lived not many moneths and Philibert the 8th Duke of Savoy who within a few Yeares dyed so as she had no issue by any of them Edward was so sensible of this his great abuse as that he resolved on revenge every one with cheerfulnesse provided for War the Clergy supply'd in monies
answerable to his Covetousnesse in emptying the purse of one of the Noblest and Best deserving subjects he had We related a little before how the Earl of Suffolke returned to England where he tarried all this time the King treating him Well and he not having any occasion of Discontent but were it his own Mis-fortune which would be his Overthrow or the Expences he had been at at Prince Arthurs marriage which had dipt him deep in Debt or the Hatred he bare unto the King which could not suffer him to see him reign in Peace he fled away into Flanders with his brother Richard to the Peoples great Discontent who thought that certainly some great Disorder must ensue thereupon many of the Nobility being ill affected and which already began to propose New hopes unto themselves and to plot Insurrections The King being accustomed to such like passions and seeming as if he minded it not wrote to Sir Robert Curson Captain of Hammes Castle that feigning to Rebell he should passe over into Flanders to the Earl of Suffolke Hee forsaking his Command seemed to steale away he went unto the Earl who with much joy welcom'd him discovering unto him all his Designs and who they were that sided with him in England Curson advertised the King hereof who imprisoned them putting the Chiefest of them in the Tower amongst which William Courtney Eldest Sonne to the Earl of Devonshire who having married Katharine Daughter to Edward the fourth was become his Brother in Law William de la Poole brother to the Earl of Suffolke the Lord George Abergavenny Sir Iames Tirrell Sir Iohn Windham and Sir Thomas Green The issue was William Courtney was detained Prisoner during the Kings Life not for that he was Guilty but for that having Relation to the house of Yorke he might serve as an Instrument if there should be any designe of Troubling the State William de la Poole was likewise kept Prisoner though not so strictly Abergavenny and Greene were set at Liberty Tirrell and Windham were Beheaded the rest of inferior quality were Hang'd This was that Tirrell who had his hand in the Death of the two Princes that were smother'd in the Tower by commission from Richard the Third He came to too good an end Fire and Torture was not sufficient for him but he died not for That 't was for this Last fault that he suffer'd death The Earl was grieved at the punishments his Complices under went and at the Imprisonment of his Friends and Kindred who were faln into this captivity not for any Fault of His or of Themselves but meerly out of Suspition for otherwise they should have walked the Same way as did the Rest. The King that Cursen might be the better beleeved and that he might the better pursue His Directions made him together with the Earl and Others to be proclamed Traytor at Pauls Crosse but he having no more to doe in Flanders returned almost presently into England where he was well liked of by the King but not by the People Such offices though of Trust for what concerns the King are in respect of Others Detestable His departure much abated the Earles courage who now saw he was Betrayed he therefore endeavour'd to procure helpe from Forraign Princes he went into Germany from thence into France but his Labours proving Vain he return'd to Flanders under the protection of the Arch-duke Philip which was the Last of his Misfortunes Many Laws were made in the Parliament which was this yeer called and an Entire Subsidy was given unto the King who had no Need of it he being Rich Frugall without War having no cause to Demand it nor to have it Granted him Not herewithall contented he required a General Benevolence which brought in Much money unto him as did also the Alteration of the Mint for certain coyns the Citie payed him 5000. Marks for the Con firmation of their Liberties and Ferdinand paid him Last payment of the Portion so as all other Casualties too long to number up being comprehended his Extraordinaries did much surmount his Ordinary Revenue wherewithall his Coffers being fill'd he might have been contented whilest his subjects who wisht him of Another humour could not alter the Constitution of his Nature He was much troubled at the Death of Isabell Queen of Castile which hapned in the moneth of November the year Before by reason of the Resemblance that was in the Government of their kingdoms between Ferdinand and Him both of them reigning in the right of their Wives And though he never admitted of his Wives Right having obtain'd the kingdom under the title of the house of Lancaster having won it by the Sword and having it Confirm'd unto him by Act of Parliament yet he could not but feare that Ferdinands yeelding up the Crowne to his Daugh ter might by way of Example prejudice Him and make for his Sonne Prince Henry the case was the same and the formerly alleadged reasons were of no weight in comparison of Naturall Extraction which is to be preferred before all other claimes Isabell left the Administration of the Kingdom to Ferdinand during his life though Iane were the immediat Heire which distasted the Arch-duke Philip for being become King of Castile in right of his Wife he thought hee was injur'd as being reputed unfit to governe without his Father in Laws Assistance and Superintendencie hee pretended the Mother could not dispose thereof to the Prejudice of the Daughter that the Authority of Predeces sors ended with their Deaths else seldome or very Late would their Heirs come to Reigne that the Reverence and Respect to Parents did not amongst Private men bereave their Children of enjoying their Private Inheritances much lesse ought it to doe so with Kings for what concernes Kingdomes that the government of Wives and all that belonged unto Them belonged to their Husbands when they were of Yeers as Hee was the interest of Children that are Heirs belonging to their Fathers who are neerer in degree unto them then are their Grand-fathers He tooke offence at his being Forbidden to come into Spaine without his Wife as knowing the cause thereof for he kept her from the sight of All men the more to conceale her Infirmity which was a spice of Lunacy so as it was beleeved he would not Bring her along with him lest her weaknesse being made Knowne might not give force to the Will wherefore he resolved to carry her thither the sooner pretending to take Possession of what Nature and the Lawes had given him for having married upon hopes of that Kingdome it would be imputed to Rechlesnesse in him if it now being Falne to him he should not obtain it But Ferdinand having call'd together the States of Castile and caused the Will to be read Ioane was sworn Queen and Heire to her Mother Philip was sworne King as her Husband and Ferdinando as Administrator The Queens disabilities sufficiently appearing they intreated Ferdinand that Hee would
But since we are taught to know no more then is behoovefull and that with sobriety and according to the gift we are endowed with all I see not that we are necessitated to busie our selves therin unlesse there be a lawfull vocation whilst we ought to content our selves with the knowledge of God by the generall way of the worlds harmony and order and by the particular way of faith The true cause then Sir which hath moved me to this undertaking is the having considered that the end of civil life being to live well and happily and that there is no happinesse without knowledge nor knowledge without science since those of contemplation doe not it must be the morall sciences which doe produce it the which appeareth manifest unto me for that nature hath imprinted in us the principalls thereof to make it the more easie unto us to the end that without contemplation or learning the learned and unlearned may be equally capable therof agevolated by their object the which is either familiar in us as are affections or hath dependency upon us as have actions As soone as we are borne by the traditions of our parents and such as have the care of our bringing us up we learne to love vertue and hate vice being become men to governe our family growne more mature to rule the weale publique and if we meet not with so much of facility in the last as in the other two it happeneth for that morall and Oeconomicall vertues are but the Columnes whereas the practice of States the knowledge of Princes and how to manage people are the true structure of this edifice upon the modell though of past events For as wits though never so excellent expresse no other conceits then what have formerly been expressed sine they cannot exceed the bounds wherewith knowledge in generall is limited so adventures though casuall happen not but by way of Analogy to what hath already happened depending upon the constant causes of former orders the which though diverse in time are notwithstanding at all times like unto themselves if not equall So as since we are wanting in the practice of present affaires the knowledge of what is past is necessary the which not being to be had but by history it followeth that history be the safest way to this happinesse worthy to be with all diligence frequented not by me alone but by the very best This Sir is the occasion of my present labours which I consecrate unto your Majesty not so much for that they appertaine unto you containing the Acts of your most glorious predecessours as that your Majesty possessing all such discipline as does become a great King will together with the worke accept the devoted good will of the workeman who boasts himselfe of nothing more then of the honour he hath to be Your Majesties most hmble and faithfull servant Giovanni Francisco Biondi THE GENEALOGY OF EDWARD THE THIRD Who had Five Daughters and seven Sons 1. IZabella who married Ingheran Lord of Cousi by whom shee had two daughters 1. Mary married to Henry of Bar. 2. Philippa married to Robert Vere Duke of Ireland afterwards repudiated 2. Ioane married to Alfonso 11. King of Castile and Leon. 3. Blanch who dyed young 4. Mary married to Iohn Montford Duke of Britany 5. Margaret married to Iohn Hastings Earle of Pembroke who dyed without issue 1. Edward Prince of Wales who married Ioane daughter of Edmund Earle of Kent brother by the fathers side to Edward the second by whom he had Richard the second who succeeded his Grandfather in the Kingdome and dyed a violent death without issue 2. William of Staifield 3. Lionel Duke of Clarence 4. Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster 5. Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke 6. William of Windsor 7. Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester The two Williams both dyed young without issue The Genealogies of the foure other are hereafter set downe The Genealogy of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Sonne of Edward the third Lionel duke of Clarence married Elizab daughter of Will. Burgh earle of Vister by whoÌ„ he had Philippa who married Edmund Mortimer Earle of March and had by him Roger Earle of March. declared by Richard the second successour to the Kingdome the yeare 1387 who married Elizabeth sister to Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey and had issues Edmund Earle of March who died in Ireland without issue the third yeare of Henry 6. Roger who died young Anne who married Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edward Duke of Yorke she afterwards laid pretence unto the crown Eleanor who dyed without issue Edmund Iohn beheaded in the third yeare of Henry the sixt Elizabeth married to the Lord Pearcy surnamed Hotspurre Henry the second Earle of Northumberland who was staine in the first battell at St Albans who by Eleanor daughter of Ralph Nevil first Duke of Westmerland had Henry the third Earle of Northumberland who was slain siding with Henry the sixt against Edward the fourth Philippa who had three husbands but no issue The Genealogy of Iohn Duke of Lancaster fourth son of Edward the third from whom came 4. Kings viz. Henry the 4. 5. 6. 7. Of 3. wives he had 8. children what Sonnes what Daughters By Blanch daughter to Henry Duke of Lancaster grandchild to Henry Earle of Lancaster great grandchild to Edmund second sonne to Henry the 3. Henry the 4. married to Mary daughter to Humfrey of Bohun Earle of Hertfora Essex and Nottingham Constable of England by whom he had Henry the 5. marriea to Catherine of France by whom he had Henry the 6. who married Margerit daughter to Regnald Duke of Aâ—…ou King of Siâ—…ily from whom came Edward Prince of Wales slaine by Edward the 4. who all died without issue Thomas duke of Clarence Iohn â—uke of Bedford Humfrey duke of Gloster Blanch married to the Elector Palatine Philippa married to the King of Denmarke Philippa married to Iohn King of Portugal from whom came the successors of that Crowne Elizabeth married to Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter beheaded at Chester Richard Holland who dyed young Iohn Duke of Exeter who had two wives viz. Anne daughter of the Earle of Stafford by whom Henry Holland Duke of Exeter dis-inheâ—…ited by Act of Parliament the first yeare of Edward the fourth and found â—…ad the thirteenth yeare betweene Dover and Caleis Anne daughter to Ioh. Montacute earl of Salisbury by whom Anne married to Thomas Nevil brother to the second Earle of Westmerland Ralph Nevil 3. Earle of Westmerland Edward who died without issue By Constance daughter to Peter King of Castile Catherine married to Henry son and heyre to Iohn King of Castile and Leon from whom descended the heires of those Kingdomes By Catherine Roët daughter to a King of Armes by whom hee had before he married her and who were after made legitimate by the Popes authority and Act of Parliament Iohn Beaufort Marquis of Sommerset and Dorset who married Margerit daughter to
at liberty they contented themselves with such sufficient security as he gave them Thirteen men were afterwards chosen who under the King should take upon them the government of the Kingdome of the which number were the two Uncles of Yorke and Gloster and the Earle of Arundell An Oligarchy at all times dangerous in a Monarchicall government and which first instituted in the reigne of Richard was afterwards as harmfull repealed But examples are not sufficient to ground Lawes upon when the injustice of the Prince is such as it receiveth Lawes from the subject when their injustice springs from their weaknesse and when their weaknesse proves the nerves of strength and veines of justice to the people whether being arrived commanding they are blind in doing of offence whilst being commanded they were Arguseyd in receiving offences every man cries out Liberty a pleasing thing and according to nature but to bring others into servitude is a vice in nature more in reason The tyranny of the Decemviri in Rome was more insupportable then that of Tarquin and the short government of these thirteen more inexorable then all Richards reigne so as if wee consider things aright we shall finde that evils have almost alwayes had just beginnings but contrary proceedings and ends hatred envie and revenge unmasking those vices which covered by the deceitfull cloake of Common-good were beleeved to be vertues The last businesse and the onely one which gave satisfaction to the King was the assigning over to the Duke of Ireland the thirty thousand markes paid in by the Admirall Clisson for the ransome of Iohn of Brettony Count of Pointivers his sonne-in-law This Iohn together with his brother Guy was taken prisoner by Iohn Shandois in the battell of Antroy the yeare 1364. The French seconding Charles of Bloys father to the two young brethren who died in that battell and the English Iohn Montford both of them pretenders to the Dukedome of Bretanny they gave unto him this money in colour that he should goe into Ireland to take possession of such lands as the King had there given him but in effect to separate him from him barring him of all delay they prefixt unto him Easter for his departure from England This was the price at which they thought to have purchased his absence but neither did he see Ireland nor was the King likely to lose his company if Fortune did not deprive him of it This Parliament ended with the giving of one Subsidy which was alotted to Richard Earle of Arundell to be spent at sea where having done considerable actions accompanied with the Earle of Nottingham he gave to the Duke and others further occasion of hatred whereby to suppresse those vertues which in well-governed Common-wealths use to be rewarded so to incite others to the service of their Countrey by the bait of emulation and honour a dismall signe of corruption the bringer in of vice and forerunner of ruine The Parliament was no sooner ended but the King returned to London retooke the Earle of Suffolke to his former favour who as one condemned ought not to have been permitted to have seene the King nor have come where he was he anuld all that was decreed against him conniving onely at this that the office of Chancellor should remaine in the Bishop of Ely upon whom it was conferred And to the end that matters of scandall might never be wanting to the favorites and that their insolencies might witnesse to the world the supreame power they had over him he suffered the Duke of Ireland to do one act of scandall the which distasted all men The Duke amongst the chiefest of his honours married Phillep the daughter of Ingram Guisnes Lord of Consi and Isabel daughter of Edward the third cosen to the King a great and noble Lady by her owne deserts as well as birth not moved thereunto by any inciting cause but his owne pleasure he resolved to repudiate her that hee might marry one Ancerona a Bohemian a Carpenters daughter who came into England in the Queens service It is to be beleeved that he had not taken her had not Richard adhered to him and the dispensation of Vrban the sixth had not been obtained without the Regall countenance there being no lawfull cause for the putting her away although it was the easilier gotten for that the Dutches Phillep being a Frenchwoman adhered to the schisme of Clement of Avignion So that it is no wonder if the King were not generally beloved of his people since that to second the Dukes unlawfull humours hee put no valuation upon himselfe The Duke of Gloster was herewithall soundly netled neither did he cloake his anger though to declare himselfe therein was not agreeable to the rules of wisedome for an open enemy puts himselfe to too much disadvantage Easter the prefixed time for the journey into Ireland was come and gone the world was to be satisfied He delayed the time under the colour of making preparations but not able to put it off any longer he departed and together with him the King who went as hee gave out to accompany him to the Sea side Being come to Bristow they did not put to Sea but leaving it on the left hand passed forward into Wales as if the people had forgotten the journey to Ireland Trickes and devices the more scandalous and unseasonable for that they argued some strange alteration The authoritie of the governours troubled his quiet and the advantage that they had got upon Regall authority threatned his ruine they coveted to secure themselves from them for neither did the Duke intend to goe into Ireland nor the King to part with him nor the Archbishop of York to stand the shock of universall hatred nor the Earle of Suffolk to return to the censure of the Parliament nor Trisillian nor Bambre to give an account of their past actions Whereupon finding themselves in great danger they agreed that it was impossible for them to subsist without ridding them out of the way who were onely able to undoe them A wicked resolution but now necessary since they were come to that passe as nothing but extreams could worke their safety The difficulty of the businesse lay in the making away of Gloster Arundell Warwicke Nottingham and Darby eldest sonne to the Duke of Lancaster who hitherto hath not been named though the first subject of our Story They had likewise proscribed many others with whom they might not have done amisse to have temporized but all delayes were to them dangerous and treacheries framed formerly against Gloster made it impossible for them to compasse their ends by the same meanes The law was thought the safest way and the more masked the safer Many there were who had followed the King not so much out of respect and to claw the favourite as for that the aire of London under the blast of the thirteene not tempered by the propitious breath of Regality was thought pestilentiall They all seemed to make
prisoners which had not happened had they not beleeved to have so well deserved at his hands as that they might make him doe what they listed a presumption which hath and will deceive many for Princes will not be thought capable of such obligation as that they must acknowledge their being from another and much lesse to have their subjects their benefactors the very thought thereof hath beene and ever will be with them mortall Here all King Henries adverse fortune had a period and in this calme he likewise calmed all home suspitions and jealousies having in the short time he afterwards lived some small forraine armies not to weary him but to keep him in breath he had as wise Princes ought his eyes every where he tooke order for the very least affaires for negligence in a new and not beloved Prince is no lesse the mother of contempt then is diligence the mother of reverence and respect many ships appertaining to particular men were come upon the coast of the Kingdome upon this occasion of warre to lie in waite for pillage which hindred the Merchants ships from traffiquing abroad he gave order for a sufficient fleet commanded by Edmond Holland Earle of Kent formerly created Admirall who having scoured the coasts of England and France and met with no enemy he understood they had retired themselves into Britany whither he steered his course he assaulted Briache a place upon the sea side The inhabitants did couragiously defend the place wounded many of the English in particular the Admirall himselfe with a stone in the head of the which he died five daies after a fatall blow to him and unfortunate to them for the assaliants growing more obstinate through this losse tooke the Towne by force burnt all the houses and put all to the sword that they found in posture of defence This Earle was brother to Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey who in the conspiracy at Oxford was slaine by the Townesmen of Chester he was in such favour with the King as besides the restoring of him to his bloud inheritance and honour he with much labour and expence procured him to marry with Lucia Visconte This Lady was the tenth daughter of Barnaby Visconte Lord not onely of Millaine but almost of all Lumbardy the other nine were matched to great Princes as to Leopald Duke of Austria the two Dukes of Bavaria and to the King of Ciprus so as if the King had not extraordinarily favoured him it was not a match befitting his fortune she brought him 100000. Crownes in gold an unusuall portion in those dayes and to the last of so many daughters Corâ—…us calls him Earle of Kent and sonne to Henry the fourth beleeving that any inferior quality was unfit to match with so great a Princesse she being now a widow and without children the King purposed to marry her to Marquis Dorset his brother but she not liking thereof he being a man in yeares and of no pleasing aspect did secretly marry herselfe with hazard of losing for ever all shee had to Henry Mortimer to whom she bore three daughters which being all honorably married left a noble and continued succession The affaires in France this mean while the which hereafter must be interlaced with this our story were come to the period of ruine so to bring England to the period of greatnesse which had not happened for whatsoever worth or fortune had not the way beene chalked out unto them by the enmity between the house of Burgundy and Orleance Let me bee permitted to make a large relation thereof since they were the rice of all the disorders that succeeded betwixt these two warlike Nations we have heard how the Duke of Burgundy having the second time resolved upon the enterprise of Callis was commanded to the contrary that thinking that this affront proceeded from the ill will that Orleans bore him hee was mightily incensed this anger afterwards increasing and not able to suffer him his superior nor the other him his equall he resolved to bereave him of his life with this resolution he went to Paris where he got together eighteene men the very scum of all the rascality of France making one Rolletto Antoneville a Norman their chiefe who having by the favour of the late Duke of Burgundy father to this present Duke obtained an office of great moment had it tane from him by the Duke of Orleans so as the obligation he had to the one and the losse he received by the other made him more covet this murther then did Burgundy the Queene had bought a house without the gate Barbet for her recreation where shee was at this time brought to bed the child being dead so as she keeping her bed they were sure Orleans would not faile to visite her they tooke a house neere the said gate for that he returning by night as of necessity he must doe by reason of the shortnesse of the dayes the season being November they might have opportunity to doe that wicked action the Duke went to make this visit and they fearing lest in his returne he might come some other way sent unto him a footman of the Kings one of their number to will him from the King to come presently to him for that he had a businesse to confer with him in which concerned them both The Duke who knew the messenger took leave of the Queene and got on horsebacke waited upon onely by five footmen with torches by two gentlemen which rid before him both of one horse and by a Dutchman who being come out of pagery and not having whereon to ride followed him on foot the assassinates stood waiting for him in a corner as the torch light appeared they came forth upon him and at the first stroke strucke off one of his hands he cried out I am Orleans t' is Orleans that we would have replied they wherwithall loading him with wounds he fell from his horse with his head so cloven as that his braines fell out upon the stones the faithfull Dutchman desirous to be his shield threw himselfe before him and was soone slaine the horse which was gone before did so start when hee came neer these men as that huffing and pricking up his eares he runne so hard away as the two men could not in a long time take him up having stayed him and returning backe to meet their Master they might see the Dukes horse with no body on his backe which they led backe by the bridle thinking that the Duke lighting upon such like accident as they had done might be fallen but being come unto the place and by the murtherers threatned to be served with the same sauce they run to the Queens house crying out murther murther the murtherers this meane while having set the house on fire wherein they lay to the end that their neighbours fright might make their escape more secure got to the Pallace of Artois a house of the Duke of Burgundies This newes being knowne
dead were left for food to the fowles of the aire for no man offered to bury them they being by Pope Vrbans Bull excommunicated The Duke now thinking he had no more enemies to molest him and that consequently he stood in no more need of the English he discharged them to the much amazement of King Henry who beleeved him to be a man of greater judgement then this action shewed him to be for he ought to have detained them had it onely been to have obliged Henry unto him and to have diverted him from joining with his enemies as he afterwards did which he had not done had he not beene free of him The Orleanists had lost many strengths so as being reduced to extremities not able to subsist of themselves they threw themselves into the protection of the King of England who willingly embraced their offers which very advantagious to him the articles of what they offered and of his protection were these The Dukes of Berry Orleans and Burbon the Counts of Alanson and Arminiacke the Lord Albret and their adherents did offer for ever hereafter to expose their persons goods and forces to the service of their King of England of his heires and successors in all his just clames as oft as they should berequired by those words his just claimes they intended his claime unto the Dutchie of Guenne and the appertenances thereof and that the said Dutchy did by right of inheritance and naturall succession belong unto him declaring that they did not staine their loyalty by assisting of him in that affaire They offered their sonnes and daughters nephewes and neeces parents allies and subjects to bee married according to the good will and pleasure of the forenamed King They offered their Cities Castles and Treasures and all their goods in the aide of him his heires and successors in his pretentions and claimes their loyalty alwaies preserved as was afterwards declared in letters written and signed apart They offered to serve him with all their friends kindred and adherents in his pretentions unto and in the restitution of the said Dutchy of Guenne They did acknowledge that the said Dutchy did belong unto the King of England and that he ought to enjoy it with the same prerogatives as any of his predecessors had done They acknowledge that as many Cities Castles and Strengths as they were masters of in the said Dutchy they held them all of the King of England as being the true Duke of Guienne offering to doe him homage in most obsequious manner They promised to give and surrender up into the hands of the King of England as much as in them lay all the Cities and Castles which belonged to the Crowne to the number of twenty as in other letters drawn to this purpose was declared For the other Cities and Forts which were not in their hands they promised to buy them out at their owne proper cost and charges and to assist the King of England and his heires with a sufficient number of men It was declared to be the King of Englands pleasure as in other letters signed apart that the Duke of Berry his loyall Uncle subject and vassall the Duke of Orleans his subject and vassall and Count Arminiacke should hold of him in fee and homage the underwritten Townes and Lordships The Duke of Berry the County of Poictou during his life The Duke of Orleans the County of Angolesme during his life and Perigord for ever Count Arminiacke the foure Castles named in the aforesaid letters upon condition and security therein declared That moreover the King of England and Duke of Guienne should succour and defend them all against all as their true Soveraigne Lord and in particular that he should helpe them to get due justice done upon the Duke of Burgundy That he should not make any confederacy or accord with the Duke of Burgundy his sonnes brothers kindred and confederates without the consent of the said Lords That he should assist them as his vassalls in any just quarrells especially in receiving satisfaction for the losse and injuries received by the Duke of Burgundy and his confederates That for the present hee should send 8000. men to assist them against the said Duke who did all he could to incite the King of France and his forces against them These Articles were signed with a caution that they were to pay the souldiers which the King should send the which being taken into pay he gave the charge of them to Thomas his second sonne who was formerly created Duke together with his other two sonnes and his brother the Earle of Dorset Thomas was made Duke of Clarence Iohn of Bedford Humfrey of Gloster and Dorset of Exceter He gave likewise order to those who governed under him in Picardy to wage warre there the which they did Whereupon the King of France who was then at Sens ready to passe into the Dutchy of Berry with an army gave order to the Count Saint Paul to make thitherward with as many people as he could get the which he did not more out of obedience then out of the mortall hatred he bore to Henry but little good came hereof fortune being alwaies averse unto him in those expeditions At his first arrivall the English retired to Bullin The Count resolved to set upon Guines and to free himselfe from further troubles the Towne was onely strong by reason of the Castle It s greatest strength was the Palissadoe and the ditch he hoped to take it by keeping it from being relieved from Caleis He planted himselfe by night betweene the two Forts with 600. horse giving an assault upon breake of day the battell was very sharpe neither side failing in their duties but their forces not sufficing the assaliants thought to helpe themselves by fire in one instant 40. houses were seene to blaze The defendants set upon both by sword and fire got into the Castle from whence they powred downe darts and stones so as the winning of the Towne not sufficient to compleat the victory and the Castle not being to be wonne by assault they retired many of them being hurt but few slaine as saith Monstrelet The King in this interim was gone from Sens and having taken some Townes which lay in his way went to encampe himselfe under Burges where the confederates were In his campe of all sorts and for all services were 100000. horse The Duke of Berry the more to incommodate the assaliants had caused all houses and Churches which were neere the wall to be beaten down and if some few remained unpulled downe they were not priviledged for the insolences of souldiers servants and freebooters is not to be termed military but rather voide of humanity and religion a lamentable thing to any one who is not blinded with passion as was the Duke of Burgony The Dolphin duly considered all these discords it greeved him that a City of such consequence the Metropolitan of two Provinces Auvergne and Berry should bee ruinated
her as long as she lived which was but a small time for what concerned friendship with England his father having chalked out the way unto him from whence had he not swerved he had not died he thought he could not chuse a better way of revenge wherefore he answered the Parisians who after their condoling with him desired his assistance against the English by Embassadors which they of purpose sent that they should not need to trouble themselves therein for he hoped with the Kings good liking to make a peace which should secure them and their friends the which he forthwith did he sent the Bishop of Arras and two more with such officers to King Henry as were very well approved and the Bishop being returned with satisfaction he sent soone after him the Earle of Warwick and Bishop of Rochester with whom the Duke concluded a truce to indure till such time as a peace might finally be concluded by meanes whereof the way was opened for commerce betweene them as if the peace had been already concluded so as the English souldiers as friends and confederates did joyne with those of France and the Duke against the Dolphin assoon as he had accommodated his home businesse having obtained of his subjects all he could desire he came to Trois where he plotted the peace and marriage for King Charles did what hee was perswaded unto and those who did perswade him were the Dukes dependants and such as were upheld by the Duke King Henry being advertised hereof and nothing now remaining to conclude the businesse but the formality of his Embassadours hee sent the Duke of Exceter the Earle of Salsbury the Bishop of Ely the Lord Fitshug Sir Iohn Robsert and Sir Philip Hall with whom the peace and marriage was agreed upon the latter to be celebrated in that very place as soone as the King should come thither As soone as the Embassadours were returned Robsert only tarrying with the bridge the King went from Roan waited on by his brother Clarence and Gloster the Earles of Warwicke Salsbury Huntington Eu Tancherville Longaville and fifteene thousand fighting men making his journey by Pontoise Saint Dennis and Sciarantone where having left some troopes to secure the passage he came to Trois by the way of Provence and was met 2 leagues off by the Duke of Burgony and the Nobility which upon the like occasion were in great number come unto the Court his first meeting with the King and Queen was in Saint Peters Church where he took his Bride by the hand and the marriage was solemnized on Trinity Sunday with the greatest pompe that ever was seen in that Kingdome Hee corrected and altered the Articles as he pleased the which being sworne unto by the King Duke of Burgony Princes and Lords were sent to bee published in both Kingdomes they were thirty three in number the chiefest whereof were That King Charles should enjoy his dignity title and Kingdome as long as he lived That King Henry should bee Regent thereof and afterward Heire That neither he nor the Duke of Burgony should make peace with Charles who tearmed himselfe Dolphin without the consent of the three Estates of both Kingdomes That the peace between France and England should bee perpetuall That these two Kingdomes should never be dismembred one from another but should bee governed by one and the same King but under their severall Lawes Sens and Montreville were the two most important places which the Dolphin did hold in those parts so as the marriage solemnities being over they besieged Sens. This Citie would have held out longer had it had any hopes of succour but having none it surrendered it selfe the twelfe day Such Souldiers as would stay in the Kings service were suffered to depart their lives and goods saved except those who had had a hand in the Dukes death And though many of them did for the present accept of the English Crosse they did afterwards at severall times for sake it betaking themselves to the Dolphins service of the inhabitants the oath of fidelity obedience was onely demanded Montreule held out longer the Castle was fortified provided for a longer siege but though they did valiantly defend themselves the towne was taken within a few dayes thanks to the assailants successfull rashnesse who charged it on sundry sides without directions from the King or Duke When they had taken it pursuing their good fortune and closely following those who fled into the Castle they were the cause why many of them were drowned they tooke twenty prisoners almost all Gentlemen whereupon the King having lodged his people in the towne over-against the Castle-gate did yet more narrowly inclose it bereaving it of all hopes save a rationall capitulation But Monsieur de Guitres resolute in the defence was cause why twelve of the twenty prisoners whom the King had protested he would hang if the Castle did not yeeld were immediately hanged before his face after they had in vaine requested him and had their request seconded by their wives teares and friends intercession His inexorablenesse was the more to be blamed for that after so deplorable an execution he made good the Castle onely eight dayes Hee came forth his life and goods saved as likewise all such as would not remaine in the Kings service those onely excepted as formerly who had had a hand in the death of the Duke Guitres who was accused to bee one of them did defie his accuser a Gentleman of the Dukes but no apparant proofes being found hee was let goe The Duke had sent divers Gentlemen to cause his fathers body to be taken up who finding it buried in so miserable a manner tooke it up and wrapped it in lead and it was sent to Chertosa in Dijoune where he was buried neere unto his father At the same time his people tooke Villenense situate upon the same river putting all the garrisons to the sword The Dolphin on the other side made his progresse for being resolved to out the Prince of Orrenge who fought on Burgonies behalfe from such places as he held in Languedocke hee besieged Saint Esprite and assisted by Avignon and Provence tooke it and drove all the Princes people out of that Countrey The which being done hee returned to Burges his usuall abode that hee might raise what force possibly hee might intending rather the enemies proceeding then to give him battle The Duke of Bedford was come from England before the taking in of Montreule with two thousand Archers and eight hundred horses and was by the King and his brothers received with much joy Thus reinforced he went to besiege Melune The King of France came together with his Queen from Bray where they had tarried during the siege of Montreule to Corbeile Melune was begirt by two Camps with artillery and such engines as were then in use for the taking in of places Messieurs de Barbasan and de Preux commanded seven hundred fightingmen who were within the
of the question should bee expected from Rome where the cause did yet depend but that passing by these particulars as not belonging to him hee would answer onely to that which reflected upon his honour That therefore hee would have him know that in his Proclamations hee had given out nothing of untruth and consequently willed him to recant his assertion which if hee would not doe hee challenged him to single combate either before the Emperour or the Duke of Bedford who being his Brother was not to bee refused for a Iudge Gloster accepted the challenge appointing St. Georges day for the time and the place to bee before the Duke of Bedford if hee would bee the Iudge otherwise before the Emperour Those of Brabant this meane while who with their Auxiliaries made up a body of 40000. men besiedged Brame in Hannault wherein was a Garrison of 200. English after 8. dayes houlding out necessity drew them to capitulate they were suffered to come forth with part of their Baggadge and the City was fined to pay a certaine somme of mony in ransome of their lives and goods but whilst the English were ready to come forth the common People entred tumultuously in at Sundry places putting most of them to the sword and together with them some of the Citizens and not satisfied with bloud they sacked the City and set it on fire reducing it into ashes The commands and intreaties of their leaders were of no availe who had much adoe to save the few English that were left and because the tenet of the challenge was that there should bee a suspension of Armes to shun the effusion of so much bloud the quarrell being to bee ended by the two Princes no other hostility ensued at that time save that Gloster being come to Braine thinking to have come time enough to have succourd it there was much appearance of comming to blowes for those of Brabant apprehending this arrivall put themselves in battell Aray and a battell had certainely ensued had not the greatest number of the common sort runne away leaving their weapons in the highwayes so as the Count Sr. Paul and other commanders were much perplext being exposed to the mercy of the enemie but the Duke finding that Braine was taken and burnt so as there was no remedy and not knowing any thing of the other dis-orders thought no further on it they all retired they to Bruxzels and hee to Mons from whence hee went to England to provide all things requisite for the Duell Hee much against his will left behind him his pretended Wife wonne by the intreaties of her Mother and Subjects all of them swearing the City of Mons in particular wherein shee remained to defend her against whosoever should annoy her the which they did not make good for hee had no sooner turn'd his backe but Hannault being set upon Mons yeelded to Brabant and the Princesse was delivered over into the hands of Philip by whom being sent to Gaunt with appearing respect but in effect a Prisoner shee bethought herselfe how to makean escape by the secreet assistance of her Subjects cloathed in mans apparell shee got to Zealand and having receaved 5000. men from the Duke of Gloster shee entred Holland where being fought withall and beaten shee lost 3000. this meane while the busines being decided in Rome and the first marriage declar'd legitimate the other voyd Gloster did wholly abandon her so as finding herselfe single against so powerfull enemies shee was enforced to give way to fortune and to yeeld Hannault to her Husband from whom shee was for ever separated together with Holland and the rest under the Tittle of Governement shee oblig'd herselfe to Burgony not to marry againe without his consent as long as Brabant lived but being herein as in all other things inconstant and having secreetly marryed the Lieutenant of Zealand a marriage misbecoming her quality shee so highly offended Philip as having detained her Husband to free him shee was enforced to new conditions and about the 36. yeare of her age being deprived of her possessions dyed for meere greefe this was her end Her marriage with Gloster was unluckly to them both shee thereby lost all shee had and hee was thereby the cause not so much of the losse of France to the English as of the increase of the Duke of Burgundyes power in the Low-countries Philip after his Fathers death came to the Government of Burgundy Artois and Flandres few yeares after by the death of two Brothers Iohn and Philip hee came to the Dukedomes of Brabant and Limburgh by the death of Iacholina to the Earledomes of Haunault Holland and Zealand and to the Seigniory of Frisland Hee by Armes wonne the Dukedome of Luxenburg from those who descended from the Emperour Sigismund and purchas'd the Dukedome of Namures so as if hee had continued in his enmity to Charles and friendship with Henry hee was likely to have beene the destruction of the one and the establishment of the other But humaine affections the more subject they are to passion the more prone are they to change they made him friend unto his enemy and a bitter enemy unto his friend Naturall hatred prevailing more then casuall especially when beleeving our selves to bee the benefactors and obligers Wee doe not thinke our selves to bee sufficiently recompenced according to our owne deserts The Duell betweene the two Princes was this meane while by the Duke of Bedford and his councell annulled whilest the Duke of Gloster having receav'd advice of the invalidity of his marriage married Elianor daughter to the Lord Cobham a Lady formerly loved and knowne by him this match caus'd more scandall then did his former and proved much more infortunate to him The defeat of Vernuille with the losse of so many Lords and chiefe Commanders as it had much indangerd Charles so were the difficulties of making new provisals wonderfully great His ruine was certaine and sudden the remedies thereof subject to the length of time the losse of the constable did most of all incommodiate him a new one was of necessity to bee chosen but as there were many that did pretend thereunto so was there none that was fit for the imployment The present occasion required not onely an expert warrier but such a one as should bee of power and should have followers out of France conditions which were not found in any of his subjects and for this reason was the late Earle Bowhan chosen as hee who if need should require was not likely to faile in new forces from Scotland After long consultation hee pitcht upon Count de Richmonde the causes moving him thereunto were that hee had beene brought up in the Wars from his Child-hood and upon all occasions shewed himselfe to bee valiant so as hee was rightly ranked in the number of the chiefe warriers of that age that at all times hee had shewed himselfe to leyne more toward the French then the English that the
rather then to live in the miseries they hitherto had done They cal'd upon Alinighty God the King of Kings to inspire him with his light and to continue unto him in his Regall dignity those praise-worthy parts by meanes whereof he deserved to be King though he were not And that though his right needed not any publique Acts of Parliament he being King and heire unto the Crowne without them yet in regard the people might be ignorant of the cause of the deposing the one and assuming the other for this cause and to remove all doubts that might arise the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons assembled in Parliament had in full Parliament pronounced decreed and declared that Richard the third their Soveraigne Lord was whilest hee should live the undoubted King of England and of all that within or without belonged thereunto and after him his heires That the high and mighty Prince Edward his sonne was his heire apparant and after him those who should discend from him This decree being registred among the Acts of Parliament and approved of by King Richard with order to be held authenticall in all the parts thereof made it be understood that the Kings of England have power to doe what they will when they are either loved for their vertues or feared for their force For what concernes love there is no proof in this present case but of feare sufficient feare being the prinium mobile of this businesse Richard having by the assistance of the Duke of Buckingham and their adherent raised a powerfull faction the lawfull King being a Child and prisoner the Tyrant a man of braines wel-spoken and of reputation in armes not likely to undertake such a businesse unlesse certaine to effect it all men doubting themselves since their forces being cut off and those put to death which might have re-united them they were exposed to the violence of so cruell a man as Richard who had given proofe of his cruelty by his detaining the King by his taking the Duke of York from the Sanctuary by his impudence in declaring them to be Bustards and by his shamelesnesse in publishing his mother to be a whore to boote with the death of so many Peeres This feare was that which gave a maske to the flatteries of Parliament and which furnisht it with some colour of pretence drawne from Doctor Shaw's Sermon and the speeches made by the Duke of 〈◊〉 in the City-Hall Richard being thus confirmed and believing to settle his tyranny by resting it upon un-accustomed circumstances hee went into Westminster-hall sate him downe in the Kings Bench where in doubtfull cases the Kings of England had wont antiently to sit and where hee avowed his accepting of the Crowne the which hee exprest in a formall Oration and in a manner so well composed as those who had not knowne him would have thought England had never beene blest with so good a King and to colour with the shew of clemency his innate cruelty hee caused one Fogge who had taken Sancturary and whom he had alwayes mortally hated to be brought before him hee tooke him by the hand in fight of all the people and made professions of loving him now as much as he had formerly hated Him by which act he made a great impression in the simpler sort but those who were better advised knew that this was but a Bait wherewith to catch better fish In his returne to his Palace Hee courteously saluted such as Hee knew loved Him not thinking by this servile flattery to infatuate their mindes and to establish his government Yet for all this he durst not rely upon his present fortune He ascertained His Coronation by unaccustomed forces causing five thousand men to come from the Northerne parts of the Kingdome in whom hee trusted aswell for that they tooke part with the House of Yorke as likewise that living in remote parts they were not acquainted with his actions as were the Londoners who having him alwayes in their eye abhorred Him These Northern men appeared ill clad and worse arm'd which made them be but laught at for t was thought that if He should have occasion to make use of them they would not serve His turne and that t was neither these forces not yet greater but a meere Fatality which had precipitated England into so dire and miserable a subjection The last act of His possessing the Crowne was His Coronation all things thereunto belonging being ready as prepared for His Nephews Coronation Hee went with his Wife and His Sonne to the Tower where the next day Hee created the Lord Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Thomas Howard Sonne to the same man Hee created Earle of Surrey Hee made William Barckley Earle of Nottingham and the Lord Francis Lovell Viscount and Lord Chamberlaine and Hee made seventeene Knights of the Bath The Archbishop of Yorke the Lord Stanley and the Bishop of Ely had beene prisoners in the Tower ever since the Chamberlaine lost his Head Hee set the first at liberty finding himselfe peaceably possest of the Kingdome otherwise Hee would not have done it for being an honest man hee would never have given his consent to the deposing of the true King Hee freed the second out of feare for His Sonne the Lord Strange was raysing great forces in Lancashire a place wherein Hee had great Power and was mightily followed it behooved him to appease Him but Hee did not set the Bishop of Ely at liberty who was a faithfull servant to King Edward for Hee was certaine Hee would never condescend to his Childrens deprivation nor to the unjust wayes whereby Hee usurped the Kingdome whereof Hee had made tryall in the Councells held in the Tower whilest by oblique meanes He set the businesse on foot The Bishop was of no great birth but having lived a long time in good repute in Oxford hee was taken from thence being but bare Doctor by Henry the sixt and made a Privy-Counsellour Edward knowing his integrity kept him still in that condition and chose Him at His death to be one of his Executors Richard therefore fearing Him would have kept Him still in Prison though Hee set the others at liberty had not the Vniversity of Oxford which Hee did alwayes very much favour interceded for Him so that desirous in part to satisfy the Vniversity Hee was content to take him from the Tower as being too publick a place but that Hee might not have His free liberty Hee committed him to the custody of the Duke of Buckingham who sent Him to a Castle of His in Brecknockshire where they joyntly laid the first ground-worke of Richards ruine Hee together with his Wife was Crowned in great pompe the sixteenth of Iuly his Wife was daughter to the great Earle of Warwicke who had made and unmade the two preceding Kings and Widow to Edward Sonne to Henry the Sixt Prince of Wales to whom she was give in marriage when Edward the Fourths ruine was agreed upon in
weary of the large promises made him by Charles to assist him with Powerfull succours was faine to content himselfe with very small ones in which he likewise found himselfe to be abused Whereupon thinking his men of warre upon the Narrow Seas and the troops of men he had disposed upon the Sea-coasts to be superfluous he recalled his ships and disbanded his men judging that the Nobility which inhabited the maritine parts particularly those of Wales were sufficient to take order that the enemy should not land unfought withalland unbeaten The information which was given to Richard though in effect it was false yet it bare with it so many likelyhoods of Truth as were sufficient to make him believe that the Earle of Richmond abandoned by Charles was not likely to trouble him with any forces he should receive from Him and this was the occasion Charles being in his Fourteenth yeere of age under the government of his Sister Anne wife to Peter of Bourbon Lord of Beau-ieu and according to the Ordinance of Charles the fifth his predecessour free from Guardian-ship the Princes of the Blood did notwithstanding aspire to the Regency under pretence of the weaknesse of his Constitution and of his being ill brought up he having till then been onely brought up in Childish sports not being taught so much as to Read The pretenders hereunto were the Duke of Orleans first Prince of the Blood and Peter of Bourbon in his wifes right she being thereunto named by the late Lewis and great troubles were likely hereupon to have ensued had not the State by committing the Kings person according to his fathers will to his sisters custody determined that the Kingdome should have no Regent but should be governed by the Counsell of State composed of Twelve personages to be chosen for their worth and Quality So as France being in this condition the Earle could not obtaine what was promised him since it was not the King Alone that could effect it and the Twelve though willing to assist him found many Difficulties therein but were especially hindred through feare of a Civill warre within themselves At the same time the Marquesse Dorset attempted to escape away his Mothers advertisements which filled him with high hopes and the rubbes he saw the Earle met withall made him tacke about and side with Richard He went out of Paris secretly by night taking his way for Flanders that from thence hee might passe into England but the Earle being informed thereof and having gotten leave from the King to stop him wheresoever he should be found sent into all parts after him and Humphrey Chenie had the fortune to light upon him who with Perswasions and faire Promises brought him backe otherwise he might have proved very prejudiciall to them for hee knew the very bottome of all their designes But this chance made the Earle very much apprehend that through delay he might either Lose or Ruine his friends he therefore judged it necessary to attempt that with a Few which he could not with Many He borrowed money of the King and many others to whom he left as in pawne Sir Iohn Bourchier and the Marquesse Dorset whom hee did not assie in to have him neere him Thus having assembled together certaine Souldiers hee went to Roan expecting there till the ships came to Harfleur which were to carry him over Here he understood of the death of King Richards wife how he had resolved to marry his neece who by her mother was promised unto Him and that Cecilie the Second daughter was married which was false to one of so base condition as his pedegree was not knowne hereat hee was much troubled as were likewise all the Lords that were with him since the hopes which they had built unto themselves upon the Yorkish faction were vanished by vertue of the aforesaid marriage Consultation was held what was to be done it was judged a rash resolution to undertake so dangerous a businesse with such a Handfull of people The resolutions which they pitcht upon were not to stirre till they should have new advertisements from beyond the Seas and to entice over to their party Sir Walter Herbert a Gentleman of a great family and of a great power in Wales promising that the Earle should marry His sister and to send a Gentleman to the Earle of Northumberland who had married the Other sister to the end that he might negotiate the businesse But nothing ensued hereon for finding the passage shut up the messenger returned not doing any thing But having much about the same time received Letters from Morgan Ridwell a Lawyer and a Confident of his with newes that Sir Rice ap Thomas and Captaine Savage two men of great retinue in Wales would declare themselves for him and that Reynald Bray had in his possession great summes of money to pay the Souldier so as he should doe well to make haste and land in Wales since delay might be prejudiciall to him hee tooke shipping on the fifteenth of August having but a few ships and two thousand Souldiers with him In seven daies space he landed at Milford-haven in Wales from whence passing on to Dale a place wherein all Winter long troopes of Souldiers had beene kept to hinder his landing he went to West-Hereford where he was entertained with all sort of content by the inhabitants Here he understood that Sir Rice ap Thomas and Captaine Savage had declared themselves for Richard which if it had beene true the businesse had beene ended Upon such like occasions diversity of Newes useth to be spread abroad good or bad according as people hope or suspect Those who were with him were much amated at this till they were comforted with a later advertisement Arnold Butler a very valiant Commander and one that in former times had been no great well-wisher to the Earle gave him to understand that those of Pembrokeshire were ready to obey Iasper Earle of Pembroke his unkle and their naturall Lord that therefore he might make use of this advantage the Earle being herewithall encouraged marched on to Cardigan his camp increasing every houre by people which flocked unto him But here he heard newes againe that Sir Walter Herbert he whose sister the Earle had thought to have married was in Caermarthen with intention to oppose him the which did much affright him for hee did thinke to finde him an enemy so as whilst they betake themselves to their Armes with an intention to fight with him the Scouts who were sent before to discover the Countrey returned with newes that there was no enemy to be seen the Countrey being open free and voyd of Opposition This contentment was augmented by the comming of Richard Griffith and Iohn Morgan with a great many fighting men and though Griffith was a confederate of Sir Walter Herberts and of Rice ap Thomas of whose inclinations he was doubtfull yet the Earle forbare not to march on fighting with and beating as many as opposed him
So as the legal Right being in Elizabeth according to Natural Descent and in Him according to Election and it being sufficient according to the laws of Nature and of the Kingdom that the right be in any one of them it matters not in which since either of them having it there is none that suffers wrong thereby 'T is a wonder notwithstanding that it could so much as fall into his imagination to pretend thereunto before this Marriage and that Edward and Richard should without any cause be afraid of him but the reason is because as Head of the Faction he might be troublesom to them For though Henry the Sixth and the Prince his son were extinguished they being the last of the House of Lancaster yet was not that Party or Faction extinguished which could not be revived again save under his conduct who had the neerest Relation thereunto For this it was that the last Duke of Buckingham not calling Henry to minde before his meeting with his mother thought he himself had reason to pretend thereunto In such a case the right lawful title of King imports not so much as the lawful Title to be Head of a Party the first is communicable by Fortune Force or favour of Parliament the other onely by Descent for upon such occasions Law is not sought after but a Pretence To Pretend is that which is desired and which sufficeth And this it was that moved the two Brothers to sollicite to get him into their Tuition from the Duke of Britanny for as for any thing else they had no reason to fear him The Lancastrian Faction had never been likely to have been revived had not Richard been a Tyrant for Edward through his Affability had grounded such an affection of the People towards the House of York as neither would Richard's wickednesse nor Henry's goodnesse have been able to have rooted it out nay Henry would have had none at all to have sided with him though against a man so much abhorred had it not been for his promise to marry Elizabeth the Heir of the House and Kingdom The troubles which afterwards befel him sprung from hence for he always shewed himself but luke-warm in his affections towards his wife and an irreconcileable enemy to her House insomuch as having gotten the Victory and slain his Enemy he grew obstinate in his will not to be King but by his Own Title he deferred his Marriage and Her Coronation till such time as being crowned Himself and established by Parliament he had onely accepted of the Title of Lancaster as the First and Chiefest Fundamental and of the other two Conquest and Marriage but as Accidental or as Adjuncts Nor ought this to be imputed to him as a Fault since it was not caused by any Hatred he bare to the House of York but out of the Love he bare unto Himself and through a cautelous Foresight For a noise being rumour'd that the Duke of York was alive preserved from death by those who had the charge to kill him his claim by his Wife would have failed him if her Brother had been alive who could not have been excluded but by the litigious Title of Lancaster And suppose this News were false there remained yet Other doubts for if she should die without children the bare Title of Marriage would not make good the Crown unto Him which was to fall upon her Sisters And if she should die leaving children by him behinde her the Crown would fall upon Them so as many inconveniences might have happened to him thereby For suppose that his Chrildren and the Parliament should both of them have been contented he should have continued in the Government there is a great Difference betwixt reigning by vertue of Birth and Law whereby he was not obliged to any and the doing of the like by vertue of Another's Consent which obliged him to Every one In the first he was Free and Independent in the second of Courtesie and Dependent To make use of his Title of Conquest was Dangerous and which might alienate even those that sided with him for thereby he had authority to take what he would from whom he would to make what Conditions he pleased to make Laws at his pleasure to disannul Laws already made when he liked and to dispose of men not as a King of Subjects but as a Lord of Slaves And though the Title of Lancaster were condemned by Parliament as Usurped and Unjust and that he himself was called unto the Crown not by vertue of his Own Title but that by marrying with the Princesse Elizabeth the true Queen and Heir to the House of York all those Disputes might be ended yet moved by the abovesaid Considerations and not valuing the inconveniences that might arise he declared himself King by vertue of his Birth not naming the Princesse Elizabeth in any thing as willing to run whatsoever danger rather then to be King by his Wives Courtesie while she should Live by the Good-will of his Children if she should Die and by the Permission of Parliament if he should have no Issue by her He began his Reign the Two and twentieth day of August 1485 at the same time that Richard ended his from whom he did very much differ in Conditions They were both Constant the one in Wickednesse the other in Worth insomuch as had he not had too great a desire to encrease his Treasure he would hardly be out-done by whatsoever praise-deserving Prince he was deservedly praised for his Wisedom and Valour The Lord Chancellor Bacon who hath written his Life calls him England's Solomon not so much in that he brought Peace thereunto as that being Wise like Solomon he was like Him very Grievous and Burdensome to his People never wanting some invention or other to draw Moneys from them The Princesse Elizabeth and Edward Plantaginet Earl of Warwick son to the Duke of Clarence were in Sherifhutton-Castle in York-shire where they were both kept by Richard's command King Henry commanded that the Princesse should be brought up to London to the Queen her Mother whither she went attended on by Lords and Ladies But the Earl of Warwick he gave order that the keeper of the Castle should deliver him unto the custodie of Sir Robert Willoughby to be by him brought prisoner to the Tower for though he were very Young yet was he not a person fit to enjoy his Liberty in such litigious times For if being a Prisoner there wanted not some who feigned themselves to be Him taking his Personage upon them what would have been done had he had his Liberty Henry's resolution therefore in this point did not proceed from a violence of Will or weaknesse of Judgement as is the opinion of some Writers but from exact Wisdom chusing of two evils the Lesser and least Dangerous He went from Leicester towards London without any ostentation of Victory or Conquest his Journey was peaceful all Military insolencies were forbidden and forborn he
marched not like a New King but like one who had been so Long welcom'd wherever he passed with Shouts of Joy His taking up the Olive-branch and laying aside the Palm did enhearten the People who did now promise themselves that quiet which since Henry the Fourth's time till that present they had enjoyed but by Fits being subject to so many Alterations as had not those Evils ensued which did ensue the very Expectation and Apprehension of them was an intermitting Feaver for the space of Fourscore six yeers In like manner made he his entrance into London for though he was met by the Maior Magistrates and Citizens besides the Nobility and Gentlemen which accompanied them notwithstanding dispensing with the Pomp usually observed at the first entrance of Kings into that City he made his entry in a Coach undisplayed to the end it might not be thought that having reinvested himself into his Countrey by the favour of Armes and gotten the Crown by the Kings death he had any intention to Triumph over the People His entry was upon a Saturday the day of his Victory which day he solemnized all his life-time as being always the happiest day to him of all the days of the week He alighted out of his Coach at Pauls Church where he made Te Deum be sung and caused the Colours taken from the Enemy to be there hung up He pretended to no other Trophies neither did he own this as the Effects of his Own Valour or from Fortune but as from God the onely Fortune whereunto Sacrifices ought to be made He lodged in the Bishops Palace which joyns unto the Church as not being far from the Tower from whence he was to come to his Coronation And because it was said he had given his word to marry Anne the daughter and heir to the Duke of Britanny which in respect of the favours he had received from that Duke was believed to be true he in an Assembly of the chiefest Lords of the Kingdom which was called for that purpose did ratific his promise to marry the Princesse Elizabeth by which he stopped the Whispers and Fears that were had of him yet did he defer the Consummating of it without any manner of scandal till being Crowned and in Possession by his Own Title he might avoid being call'd King in the right of his Wife He made his entrance into the Tower on Simon and Iude's eeve and on the Feast-day made Twelve Knights Bannerets He created his Uncle Iasper Earl of Pembroke Duke of Bedford he who having brought him up of a Childe saved him from Edward the Fourth by carrying him into Britanny He created his Father-in-law the Lord Stanley Earl of Darby and Edward Courtney Earl of Devonshire He was Crowned in the Church at Westminster on the Thirtieth day of October with the accustomed Solemnities and joyful Acclamations both of the Nobility and People Cardinal Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury executed that Office He held a Parliament Seven days after wherein he annulled all the Decrees for the Confiscations of the Lives and Livelihood of such as took part with him and made the like Decree against the chiefest of the Other side and to take away all suspition from the rest he granted out a General Pardon which freed such of fear who had cause to fear for his having condemned those whom he would not pardon did secure These and was a sure signe he would pardon the rest so as quitting the Sanctuaries and places where they had hid themselves they swore Fealty to him and did their Homage answerable to the tenure of the Declaration and reentred into their Possessions Afterwards as concerning his Title which was the chiefest Concernment he govern'd himself with such cautelousnesse as that the Princesse Elizabeth not being named therein he would have the Act that was made to contain a Double sense that the inheritance of the Crown should remain in Him and in his Children lawfully to be begotten not declaring whether it were his by Nature or by Conquest it sufficing him that whatsoever interpretation was made of it it must make for his advantage He would not prescribe any Succession in case he and those that should lawfully descend from him should fail because it should not be thought to be done of purpose to exclude the House of York he therefore left the decision thereof to the Laws He in the same Parliament conferr'd more Honours he created Monsieur de Chandos a Gentleman of Britanny who during his being there had been his familiar friend and would needs accompany him in his Expedition for England Earl of Bath he made Sir Giles Aubeny and Sir Robert Willoughby Barons he restored Edward Stafford eldest son to the Duke of Buckingham to his Blood Dignity and Goods and though his Confiscation were great yet his Father having been the First Promoter of his greatnesse and having thereupon lost his Life he restored all unto his Son which won him the reputation of being Grateful And though Kings do seldom call Parliaments without demanding some Aids by Moneys and doing some Acts of Grace unto the People he thought it not fitting to make any such demand at This time as not having any Grace to confer fitting to the time for though the General Pardon was an Act of Grace yet would not he pretend it to be such but rather a Correspondency to the satisfaction they had given him in receiving him to be King by his Own Title Besides he not having War with any one and having many great Confiscations faln unto him the which he so moderated as might become a favourable Confiscator and be expected in a good Government he was willing to spare his Subjects purses And though his intention was to govern in such sort as his People should have no reason to hate Him nor He to fear Them yet knowing he had Enemies he instituted a Guard of Fifty Archers under the Command of a Captain which was a New thing in England where their Kings are onely guarded by the Laws and their Subjects affections So as to take away all Jealousie he declared the Institution to be Perpetual moved thereunto by what he in the time of his Exile had observed others to do and for that the want of a Guard doth misbecome the Majestie of a King and is requisite to be had if not for Necessity for Decency The Parliament being dissolved he forgot not that he had left the Marquesse Dorset and Sir Iohn Bourchier as pledges in France for the Moneys wherewith he payed the Forces he brought with him into England Willing therefore upon this occasion to try the inclination of the Citizens he commanded the Lord Treasurer to desire the Lord Maior of London that the City might lend him Six thousand Marks and after sundry consultations the businesse was decided by the loan of Two thousand pounds sterling the which though it came short of the sum that was desired he took in good part supplying
so fixt upon the Conquest of Italy as he did not care to part with a Certainty for an Uncertainty so as getting Moneys from Him and Benevolences from his Own Kingdom he was likely to be a good Gainer by the bargain Besides his affairs were not so secure at Home as to let him think on Forreign businesse for he had discover'd how the Dutchesse of Burgundy was hatching another Plot to trouble him so as though Profit whereunto he was Naturally enclined had not been concern'd yet was he to have an eye to the Dangers wherewith he was threatened Great store of Moneys coming in by the means of Benevolences for he took a great care none should be exempted that were able to lend he in a small time raised a mighty Army and knowing that Charles had renewed his ancient Confederacy with Iames the Fourth King of Scotland with a reciprocal obligation to be assistant one to another he proclamed War against them Both but not without fear that Maximilian would fail him at his greatest need for though his Weaknesse and Wants were capable of remedy if he should be succour'd against his Subjects which molested him yet his Nature was incapable thereof It was impossible for him to maintain Ten thousand fighting men for Two yeers together upon his Own Purse according to his promise though being Madded as then he was at the Double affront of his Daughter's Repudiation and the Usurpation of his Own Wife he hoped to do Somewhat out of Nothing That which did yet more weaken this Prince was the Rebellion of Philip de Cleves Lord of Ravestein who being upheld by Charles had raised such Combustions in Flanders as having possest himself of Gaunt and Bruges the chief Cities of that Countrey he had forced such as favour'd Maximilian to quit those Towns and reaching further he had made himself master of Sluce and of the Two Castles which were it's Security seizing upon all Ships that went upon the Sea hindering the Commerce of Antwerp Brabant Zealand and Freezland and taking such as came from England and the Northern Countreys to the general prejudice of All Nations Albertus Duke of Saxony Lantsgrave of Misnia governed Flanders at that time under Maximilian it being left unto him by the Emperour his father when he went from thence This man foreseeing he could not force Ravestein unlesse he should get Sluce nor that he could win Sluce without having the Dam by which succour came to it from Bruges he feigned to make for Bruges for matters concerning that Province and not being to take such a journey unlesse well followed and in good Equipage he being the man he was he sent some Troops before which entring peaceably in went to the gate which looks towards Dam as if they would quarter in the Neighbouring Villages and not incommodate the Citie Dam was not above a Flanders-mile from thence the inhabitants whereof thinking these Troops had been sent from Bruges let them in and they making themselves Masters thereof Bruges was in a manner besieged and Sluce deprived of Succour The Duke for all this advantage had no hopes to get Sluce without Forces by Sea he sent news hereof to England whereupon the King who had had many complaints made him by the Merchants of the Insolencies of Ravestein and desired to uphold Maximilian sent unto him Twelve Ships well furnished with Men and Ammunition under the Command of Sir Edward Poynings who having shut up the Haven of Sluce besieged the Town by Sea whilst the Duke did the like by Land and play'd with his Cannon upon the Two Castles wherein the Losse or Preservation of the Town consisted They were valiantly defended for the space of Twenty days the Earl of Oxford's brother was slain in a Sally which they made and longer would they have held out had not the Besiegers in the dark of night burnt the Bridge which Ravestein had built between the Two Castles which not being able to succour one another he was enforced to surrender them and together with them Sluce Bruges being reduced to it's obedience was the occasion of many Other Towns doing the like Henry this mean while past the Summer in Ordering his men that were to go for France and finding himself in a condition to passe over he sent Sir Iohn Risloy and U-sewick to Maximilian to agree upon the place where they were to meet but they found him so Unprovided as having no hope they were ready to return yet they did not so judging it fitter to advertise the King and expect his Commands The King who feared the same praised their discretion and commanded them not to return till they had received new Directions and that they should conceal that Prince's weaknesse for fear of Disheartening his men His Army was compos'd of Twenty thousand Foot and Sixteen hundred Horse the best men flocked thither some to purchase merit and some as thinking it not fitting to stay Behinde when the King went in Person He landed at Callis on the Sixth of October the wiser sort marvelling that he would undertake so difficult a Warre in so unfitting a time for the Fore-runners of Winter began already to be felt but these difficulties served him to make men believe he desired that which indeed he did not to wit That being to begin a tedious Warre the Season was of no importance since he had Callis from whence he might draw out his Army in the Spring without any manner of difficulty and to transport it then from England would be a long businesse and in respect of the Windes uncertain Assoon as he was Landed he sent for his Ambassadours back and Maximilian's weaknesse was publikely made known and that no Other help was to be expected from him then his Good-will wherein he did as much abound as he was defective in any other manner of assistance At the hearing hereof the Souldiers courage was somewhat Cooled though not altogether taken Away it served to dispose them beforehand for Henry's designes to work the same effect there came Letters from Seignieur de Cordes wherein was made an overture for Peace on Charles his behalf which containing in it Reasonable conditions it had been Unreasonable not to listen to it From other parts it was confirm'd that Ferdinand and Isabel were Agreed with him having received from him the County of Rossillion without repaying the Three hundred thousand Crowns for which it was pawn'd to him this made all men see a Necessity of Peace Henry notwithstanding playing his game handsomly deputed the Bishop of Exceter and the Lord d'Aubeny to give Cordes a hearing whilst he without delay on the 19 of October planted his Camp before Boloigne a Town well fortified wherein was a great Garison and good store of Artillery so as it was not to be taken but in a Long processe of time with the losse of many men and much blood He had hardly sate down a Month before it when a Breach being thought
his comming desired him that he would rest himselfe in Sir Thomas Trenchards house till such time as they might advertise the King of his being there to which he gave way being certaine that otherwise they would not have suffered him to depart When Henry heard hereof hee sent the Earle of Arundell by way of complement unto him and to let him know that he Himselfe would presently come and visit him But Philip fearing lest if he should waite his comming his stay would be too long resolved to goe Himselfe to Henry making his Queene come at leisure after him He was met six miles from Windsor by Prince Henry and One mile from thence by the King who received him with all terms of Honour and Friendship He treated with him of the marriage of their Children and of his owne marrying with Margaret the Dowager of Savoy Philips sister he renewed all Confederacies made between them the preceding years which were Then made with him by the name of Arch-duke Philip Duke of Burgundy Now by the name of King of Spaine they had better successe for the English then had the former especially in the Fishing-busines at which the Flemmings were much offended he with much adoe obtained the person of the Earle of Suffolke who lived under the protection of Philip Henry knew so well how to perswade him by passing his Word he would not put him to Death that Philip sent for him into Flanders the one desiring to have him before the other departed and the other not to depart till he were arrived that it might be beleeved he had beene Enforced to deliver him up Assoone as the Earle was come and put in the Tower Philip departed England and was received in Spaine without any manner of Resistance Ferdinand totally quitting the Government to him but he enjoy'd it but for a while for he dyed soone after The Englishmen will have it that his death was Prognosticated by the Fall of a golden Eagle which standing upon the top of Pauls steeple was blowne downe by the same wind which drave him into Waymouth and brake downe a signe in the Church-yard wherein was a blacke Eagle Ferdinand being call'd for and entreated by the Kingdome returned to the Government thereof this Death of her Husband having so opprest the fancie of the Queen his daughter as she was never after good for any thing not without suspition that her Father did not greatly endeavour her Recovery that so he of Himselfe and without Trouble might manage the Scepter of Spaine The Earle of Suffolke being in the Tower Henry was now freed from all manner of Trouble and Molestation so as betaking himselfe to Domesticall affaires he sent Thomas Wolsey he who was Cardinall and of so great Power under Henry the eighth to Maxi milian to treat of the marriage with the fore-named Dowager of Savoy but it tooke no effect by reason of Henrye's indisposition of health which shortly ensued The marriage of Charles King of Spaine with Mary daughter to Henry stirr'd up some jealousies in Ferdinand for though He was the first that had mention'd iâ—… yet his Sonne in Law being Dead and Charles being come to the Crowne he feared he should meet with Two Competitours in the Government with Maximilian as Grand-father and Henry as Father in Law which though neither of them dreamt of yet did He feare it but This match had no better effect then had the Other the tender yeares of the young couple and the alteration of affaires in following times broke it quite off The expectation hereof neverthelesse made Henry live contented the little while he lived for having married One of his daughters to the King of Scotland and the Other to the King of Castile Duke of Burgundy he thought himselfe more safe then if his Kingdome had beene compassed about with a wall of Brasse He the mean while began to draw towards his End the Gout a disease more Troublesome then Mortall was the Fore-runner of a Distillation which falling upon his Lungs brought him into a kind of Consumption which perceiving he began to give himselfe totally to Pious Workes He set all Prisoners at Liberty who were in for Debt of not above Forty shillings hee himselfe paying the Creditours he gave Almes in greater measure then he had done formerly but though hee felt great Remorse at the daily complaints made against Empson and Dudley for their Oppressions yet did hee not seeke to Remedy them His Conscience and his Covetousnesse wrought contrary effects in him many for very slight causes were troubled in their Estates and in their Lives one died in Prison before his cause was heard another being imprisoned for denying to pay what Contrary to the Lawes he was adjudged at was not let out till Henry the eighths time and then Empson was put in his place To make good the usuall custome of promising obedience to New Popes he sent Sir Gilbert Talbot with two other Embassadours to Pope Iulius the second which he had not formerly done though he were created in November 1503. They prest much for the Canonization of Henry the sixth but could not obtaine it for the reason formerly given in the life of Edward the fourth Being dismist by the Pope they carried the Garter and Robes of that Order to Guido Vbaldo Duke of Vrbin whose Father Frederick had likewise had it This Prince sent into England to be installed for him according to the Institutions of that Order the Count Balthasar Castillion he to whom the noblest Courtiers owe so much The finishing of the Hospitall in the Savoy was one of the last of Henries actions he would not alter the name of it this fabrick having beene in former times the habitation of Peter of Savoy Unckle to Eleanor the Wife of Henry the third by whom Peter of Savoy was created Earle of Richmond but he resigned the Earledome when Savoy fell by inheritance to him The Lancastrians lived in this house and King Henry converted it into an Hospitall Besides this he built three Monasteries for the Conventuall Friers of Saint Francis order and three for the Observantines of the same order in divers places When he knew he hee must die he disposed himselfe thereunto Hee had lived almost all his time in Troubles but always with prosperous and happy successe he found the Kingdome involved in Civil wars he left it in a setled Peace his subjects who were impoverisht by the past disorders were notwitstanding his Taxations by reason of his good Government become Rich he did not only free the Crowne out of Debt but left it rich in Treasure his sonne found in Richmond house a Million and eight Hundred Thousand pound sterling so as he was thought the richest Prince in Europe He granted out a Generall Pardon and ordered by his Last Will and Testament that all such monies should bee Repay'd as had unjustly beene levied by his Officers He died at Richmond the twenty second day of Aprill in the year of our Lord 1509 and was buried by his wife in the sumptuous and stately Chapell built by Himselfe in the Abbey Church at Westminster He lived two and Fifty years and Reigned three and Twenty Years and Eight moneths The Children which he left behind him were Henry the Eighth his Heir and successor in the Crown Margaret Queen of Scotland from whom the Kings of Great Britaine doe descend and the Prince and Princesses of the Electorall house Palatine and Mary married to Lewis the twelfth King of France by whom having no issue she after his death married Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke by whom she had Henry Earle of Lincolne and two Daughters Frances and Eleanor The Earle dyed without issue in his Fathers life-time Frances was married to Henry Gray Duke of Suffolk and by him had the Lady Iane Gray who being married to Guilford Dudley sonne to the Duke of Northumberland and constrained to call her selfe Queene was beheaded in Queene Maries time she had by him moreover two Other daughters Katharine and Mary who dyed without issue Eleanor was married to Henry Clifford Earle of Cumberland by whom she had a daughter named Margaret who was married to Henry Stanley Earle of Darby and had by him two sons Ferdinando and William both of them in succession one of the other Earles of Darby Earle William dyed this present yeare 1642. leaving his sonne Iames behind him to inherit his Honours and his Estate The End of the Second and Last volume of the Civil Wars of England betweene the two Houses of Yorke and Lancaster FINIS Richard the 2. 1386. 1387. 1388. 1383. 1390. 1391. 1393. 1394. 1395 1396 1397. Henry the 4. A description of the Isle of Wight 1403 1404 1405 1406 1407 1408 1409 1410 1411 1412 1413 Henry the 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8. 9 10 11 12 13 1416 1417 1418 1420 1421 Henry the 6. Apoc Cap 4o. 1422 1424. 1425. 1426. 1428. 1429. 1432. 1435. Philippopolis Andrenopolis Serviae Bulgaria Vallatchia Di. Bittinia in Thracia Di. Brusia in Andrinopoli Alavenente 3. Mascone Impatronato La Castellania Parteggiati Il trombetta Sangate 1424. 1438. 1442. 1433. 1445. 1446 1447. 1448. 1450. 1452. 1453. 1454. 1455. 1456. 1458. 1459. 1460. 1466. 1470 1472. 1473. 1474. 1475. 1476 1477 1478 1479 1480 1481 1482 1483 1485. 1485 1483 1486 1487 1488 1490 1491 1492 1493 1494 1495 1496 1496 1498. 1499 1501 1503 1504 1505 1506 1507 1508 1509