other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
with the last nights cheere in so few houres so great a change marvellously misliked it Howbeit sith hee could not get away hee determined not to keepe himselfe close lest hee should seeme to hide himselfe for some secret feare of his owne fault whereof he saw no such cause in himselfe wherefore on the surety of his owne conscience hee determined to goe to them and to inquire what this matter might meane Whom as soone as they saw they began to quarrell with him affirming that he pretended to set distance betweene the King and them to bring them to confusion which should not lye in his power and when he began as he was an eloquent and well-spoken man in goodly wise to excuse himselfe they would not heare his answer but tooke him by force and put him in ward And then they mounted on horsebacke and came in haste to Stony Stratford where the King was going to horsebacke because hee would leave the lodging for them for it was too straight for both the companies And when they came to his presence they alighted and their company about them and on their knees saluted him and hee them gently received nothing earthly knowing nor mistrusting as yet The Duke of Buckingham said aloud On afore Gentlemen and Yeomen keepe your roomes and therewith in the Kings presence they picked a quarrell to the Lord Richard Grey the Queenes sonne and Brother to the Lord Marquesse and halfe Brother to the King saying that hee and the Marquesse his Brother and the Lord Rivers his Uncle had compassed to rule the King and the Realme and set variance betweene the estates and to subdue and destroy the Noble Bloud of the Realme And toward the accomplishment of the same they said the Lord Marquesse had entred into the Tower of London and thence had taken out treasure and sent men to the Sea which things these Dukes knew well were done for a good purpose and as very necessary appointed by the whole Counsell at London but somewhat they must say Unto the which words the king answered what my Brother Marquesse hath done I cannot say but in good faith I dare well answer for my Uncle Rivers and my Brother here that they bee innocent of such matters Yea my Liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they have kept the dealing of these matters farre from the knowledge of your good Grace And forth-with they arrested the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte knights in the Kings presence and brought the King and all backe to Northampton where they tooke farther counsell in their affaires And there they sent from the King whom it pleased them and set about him such servants as better pleased them then him At which dealing he wept and was not content but it booted not And at dinner the Duke of Gloucester sent a dish from his owne Table to the Lord Rivers praying him to be of good cheere and all should be well hee thanked him and prayed the Messenger to beare it to his Nephew the Lord Richard with like words whom he knew to have need of comfort as one to whom such adversity was strange but hee himselfe had beene alwayes enured therewith and therefore could beare it the better But for all this message the Duke of Gloucester sent the Lord Rivers the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte into the North parts into divers prisons but at last all came to Pomfret where they all foure were beheaded without judgement In this manner as you have heard the Duke of Gloucester tooke on him the Governance of the young King whom with much reverence hee conveighed towards London These tydings came hastily to the Queene before midnight by a very sore report that the King her sonne was taken and that her Brother and her other son and other her friends were arrested and sent no man knew whither With this heavie tidings the Queene bewailed her childs ruine her friends mischance and her owne misfortune cursing the time that ever she was perswaded to leave the gathering of people to bring up the King with a great power but that was passed and therefore now she tooke her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter and went out of the Palace of Westminster into the Sanctuary and there lodged in the Abbots place and shee and all her children and company were registred for Sanctuary persons The same night there came to Doctor Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelour a messenger from the Lord Chamberlaine to Yorke place beside Westminster the Messenger was brought to the Bishops Bed side and declared to him that the Dukes were gone back with the young King to Northampton and declared further that the Lord Hastings his master sent him word that hee should feare nothing for all should be well Well quoth the Archbishop be it as well as it will it will never be so well as wee have seene it and then the messenger departed Whereupon the Bishop called up all his servants and tooke with him the great Seale and came before day to the Queen about whom hee found much heavinesse rumble haste businesse conveyance and carriage of her stuffe into Sanctuary every man was busie to carry beare and convey stuffe chests and fardels no man was unoccupied and some carried more then they were commanded to another place The Queene sat alone below on the Rushes all desolate and dismaid whom the Archbishop comforted in the best manner that he could shewing her that the matter was nothing so sore as she took it for and that hee was put in good hope and out feare by the message sent to him from the Lord Hastings A woe worth him quoth the Queene for it is hee that goeth about to destroy me and my bloud Madame quoth he be of good comfort and I assure you if they crowne any other King then your sonne whom they now have we shall on the morrow crowne his Brother whom you have here with you And here is the Great Seale which in likewise as your Noble Husband delivered it to mee so I deliver it to you to the use of your Son therewith delivered her the Great Seale and departed home in the dawning of the day And when hee opened his windowes and looked on the Thames hee might see the River full of Boats of the Duke of Gloucester his servants watching that no person should goe to Sanctuary nor none should passe unsearched Then was there great rumour and commotion in the Citie and in other places the people diversly divined upon this dealing And divers Lords Knights and Gentlemen either for favour of the Queene or for feare of themselves assembled companies and went stocking together in harnesse And many also for that they recounted this demanour attempted not so specially against other Lords as against the King himselfe in disturbance of his Coronation therefore they assembled by and by together to commune of this matter
Edward the 5 King of EnglaÌ„d â—â—d France Lord of Ireland THE HISTORIE OF THE PITIFVLL Life and unfortunate Death of Edward the fifth and the then Duke of Yorke his brother With the troublesome and tyrannical government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end Written by the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellor of England LONDON Printed by Thomas Payne for the Company of Stationers and are to be sold by Mich Young at his shop in Bedford-street in Covent-Garden neere the new Exchange 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IOHN LENTHALL Knight Marshall of the Kings-bench SIR IT is not unknowne to the World the great eare earnest sedulitie laudable custome that hath alwaies been observed in all ages for the preservation of antiquities by meanes wherof the acts and occurrences of former times are so clearely demonstrated as if they were manifested to the world by a perfect and lively representation which affordeth in it selfe a double profit doth thereby allure all well-disposed persons to the imitation of those things which are honest and vertuous and to the evitation of such things as are evill and obnoxious letting them therby understand the happie issue and successe of the one and the miserable and wretched end and event of the other for histories are as so many Records and Registers of matters that hath beene already past which being a thing that our humane natures are much inclined unto gives a great pleasure and delight in the reading Especially to those that are well affected to the same The consideration hereof hath moved me to revive that which hath for a long time been raked up in the embers of oblivion For there comming by chance into my hand a booke long since printed the authour whereof was that famous and learned Knight Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellour of England wherein is set forth the short Raigne and unfortunate death of the two young Princes Edward the fith the theÌ„ Duke of York his brother with the troublesome and tyrannicall government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end both which for the matter of the subject the worth of the Authour who lived in those times deserves to bee memorized to succeeding ages which having for many yeares escaped the presse and by that meanes likely to bee utterly lost I have thought it not amisse to put to my helping hand for the restoring of it to the world and because I know you to bee a gentleman that delights your selfe in matters of this nature I am bould to crave your patronage herein and that you would be pleased to shelter it under the wings of your protect on not doubting but by that meanes it will bee as welcome to the world and as wel entertained as it hath formerly beene which being the thing I wish together with your pardon for this my presumption I humbly rest Yours to Command W. S. THE PITTIFVLL LIFE OF KING EDVVARD the Fifth THE Eternall God calling to his Mercy the Noble Prince King Edward the Fourth of that Name Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales began his Reigne the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. and in the 23. yeere of Lewis the eleventh then French King Which young Prince reigned a small space and little season over this Realme either in pleasure or liberty For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester within three months deprived him not onely of his Crowne and Regality but also unnaturally bereft him of his naturall life And for the declaration by what crafty engin he first attempted his ungracious purpose and by what false colourable and untrue allegations he set forth openly his pretensed enterprise and finally by what shamefull cruell and detestable act he performed the same Ye must first consider of whom he and his Brother descended their natures conditions and inclinations and then you shall easily perceive that there could not be a more cruell Tyrant appointed to atchieve a more abominable enterprise Their Father was Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke which began not by warre but by Law to challenge the crown of England putting his claime in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the sixth where either for right or for favour his cause was so set forth and advanced that the Blood of the said King Henry although he had a goodly Son was clearly abjected and the Crowne of the Realme by authority of Parliament entayled to the Duke of Yorke and his Heires after the decease of the said King Henry the Sixth But the Duke not intending so long to tarry but minding under the pretext of dissention growne and risen within the Realm and of Covenants made in the Parliament not kept but broken to prevent the time and to take upon him the Governance in King Henries life was by too much hardinesse slaine at the Battaile of Wakefield leaving behind him three sonnes Edward George and Richard All these three as they were great estates of Birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy of promotions and impatient partners of rule and authority This Edward revenged his Fathers death and deposed King Hâ—nry the Sixth and attained the Crowne and Scepter of the Realme George Duke of Clarence was a goodly and well â—eatured Prince in all things fortunâ—te if either his owne ambition had not for him against his Brother or the envy of his enemies had not set his Brothâ—r against him for were it by the Queene or the Nobles of her Bloud which highly maligned the Kings Kindred as women commonly not of malice but of Nature hate such as their husbands love or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at the least wise heinous Treason was laid to his charge and finally were he in fault or were he faultlesse attainted was hee by Parliament and judged to death and thereupon hastily drowned in a But of Malmsey within the Towre of London Whose death King Edward although hee commanded it when he wist it was done pitteously hee bewailed and sorrowfully repented it Richard Duke of Gloucester the third Sonne of which I must most entreat was in wit and courage equâ—ll with the other but in beauty and lineaments of Nature farre underneath both for he was little of stature evill featured of limbes crooke-backed the left shoulder much higher then the right hard favoured of visage such as in estates is called a warlike visage and among common persons a crabbed face He was malicious wrathfull and envious and as it is reported his Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell that shee could not be delivered of him uncut and that hee came into the world the feet forward as men be borne outward and as the fame ran not untoothed whether that men of hatred reported above the truth or that Nature changed his course in his beginning which in his life committed many things unnaturally this I
either our owne fault or faint feeble heart and therefore goe to thy Maister and commend me to him and tell him I pray him to bee merry and have no feare for I assure him I am assured of the man he wotteth of as I am sure of mine owne hand God send grace quoth the messenger and so departed Certaine it is also that in riding towards the Tower the same morning in which he was beheaded his horse that hee accustomed to ride on stumbled twice or thrice almost to the falling which thing although it happeneth to them daily to whom no mischance is towards yet hath it beene as an old evill token observed as a going toward mischiefe Now this that followeth was no warning but an envious scorne the same morning before he was up from his bed where Shores wife lay with him all night there came to him sir Thomas Haward son to the Lord Haward which Lord was once of the priviest of the Lord Protectours counsell and doing as it were of curtesie to accompany him to the councell but of truth sent by the Lord Protectour to hast him thitherward This sir Thomas while the Lord Hastings stayed a while commoning with a Priest whoÌ„ he met in Towerstreete brake the Lords tale saying to him merrily what my Lord I pray you come on wherefore talke you so long with that Priest you have no neede of a Priest yet and laughed upon him as though he would say you shall have neede of one soone But little thought the other what hee meant but before night these words were well remembred by them that heard them so the true Lord Hastings little mistrusted and was never merier nor thought his life in more suretie in all his dayes which thing is often a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe mee then the vaine surety of mans minde so neere his death for upon the very Towerwharfe so neere the place where his head was off so soone after as a man might cast a ball a Pursievant of his owne called Hastings met with him and of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance another time in which it happened them to meete before together in the place at which time the Lord Hastings had been accused to King Edward by the Lord Rivers the Queenes brother insomuch that he was for a while which lasted not long highly in the Kings indignation as hee now met the same Pursevant in the same place the jeoperdie so well passed it gave him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom he had talked in the same place of that matter and therefore he said Ah Hastings art thou remembred when I met thee here once with a heavie heart Yea my Lord quoth he that I remember well and thankes bee to God they got no good nor you harme thereby thou wouldest say so quoth hee if thou knewest so much as I do which few know yet and more shall shortly that meant he that the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan should that day be beheaded at Pomfret as they were indeed which act he knew well should be done but thought not that the Axe hung so neere his owne head In faith man quoth hee I was never so sory nor never stood in so great danger of my life as I did when thou and I met here and loe the world is turned now now stand mine enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I never in my life merrier nor never in so great surety I pray God it prove so quoth Hastings prove quoth he doubtest thou that nay nay I warrant thee and so in manner displeased hee entred into the Tower where he was not long alive as you have heard O Lord God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in most surety and when he reckoned himselfe most sure hee lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honourable man a good Knight and gentle of great authority with his Prince of living somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemy and sure and secret to his friend easie to beguile as hee that of good heart and courage foâ—â—saw no perils a loving man and passing well beloved very faithfull and trusty enough buâ— trusting too much was his destruction as you may perceive Now flew the fame of thiâ— Lords death through the City and farther about like a winâ— in every mans eare but thâ— Protector immediately afteâ— dinner intending to set some colour upon the matter sent in all the haste for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower and at their comming himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in old ill-favoured Briganders such as no man would thinke that they would have vouchsafed to have put on their backes except some sodaine necessity had constrained them Then the Lord Protector shewed them that the Lord Hastings and other of his conspiracie had contrived to have suddenly destroyed him and the Duke of Buckingham there the same day in Councel and what they intended farther was yet not well known of which their treason hee had never knowledge before ten of the clock the same forenoone which sodaine feare drave them to put on such harnesse as came next to their hands for their defence and so God holpe them that the mischiefe turned upon them that would have done it and thus he required them to report Every man answered faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which of truth no man beleeved Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples mindes hee sent immediately after dinner an Herald of Armes with a Proclamation through the Cirie of London which was proclaimed in the Kings Name that the Lord Hastings with divers other of his trayterous purpose had before conspired the same day to have slaine the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham fitting in Councell and after to have taken upon them the rule of the King and the Realme at their pleasure and thereby to pill and spoile whom they list uncontrouled and much matter was devised in the same Proclamation to the slander of the Lord Hastings as that he was an evill Councellor to the Kings Father entising him to many things highly redounding to the diminishing of his honour and to the universall hurt of his Realme by his evill company and sinister procuring and ungracious example aswell in many other things as in vitious living and inordinate abusing of his body both with many other and especially with Shores wife which was one of his secret Councell in this heinous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night passed next before his death so that it was the lesse marvell if ungracious living brought him to an unhappy end which he was now put to by the command of the Kings Highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Councell both for his demerits being so openly taken in
her wealth she went begging of many that had begged themselves if shee had not hope them such was her chance Now was it devised by the Protectour and his Councell that the same day that the Lord Chamberlain was headed in the Tower of London and about the same houre should be beheaded at Pomfret the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard the Queenes sonne sir Thomas Vaughan and sir Richard Haute which as you heard were taken at Northampton and Stony stratford by the consent of the Lord Hastings which execution was done by the order and in the presence of sir Richard Ratclif knight whose service the Protectour specially used in the Councell and in the execution of such lawlesse enterprises as a man that had beene long secret with him having experience of the world a notable wit short and rude in speech rough and boysterous of behaviour bold in mischiefe and as farre from pittie as from all feare of God This Knight brought these foure persons to the Scaffold at the day appointed and shewed to all the people that they were Traitours not suffering the Lords to speake and to declare their innocency lest their words might have inclined men to pitty them and to hate the Protectour and his part and so without judgement and processe of the Law caused them to bee beheaded without other earthly guilt but onely they were good men and true to the King too nie to the Queene insomuch that sir Thomas Vaughan going to his death said A mischeife take them that tooke the prophesie that G. should destroy King Edwards children for George Duke of Clarence Lord George which for that suspition is now dead but now remaineth Richard G. Duke of Gloucester which now I see is he that shall and will accomplish the Prophesie and destroy King Edwards children and all their allies and friends as it appeareth by us this day whom I appeale to the high tribunall of God for his wrongfull murther and our true innocency And then Ratclife said you have well appealed lay downe your head yea quoth sir Thomas I dye in right beware you dye not in wrong and so that good Knight was beheaded and the other three and buried naked in the Monasterie at Pomfret When the Lord Hastings and those other Lords and Knights were thus beheaded and rid out of the way then the Protectour caused it to bee proclamed that the Coronation for divers great and urgent causes should bee deferred till the second day of November for then thought he that while men mused what the matter meant and whiles the Lords of the Realme were about him out of their owne strengths and while no man knew what to thinke nor whom to trust or whether they should have time or space to digest the matter and make parts it were best hastily to pursue his purpose and put himselfe in possession of the Crowne before men could have time to devise any waies to resist But now was all the studie how this matter being of it selfe so haynous might be first broken to the people in such wise as it might bee well taken To this councell they tooke divers such as they thought meet to be trusted and likely to be induced to that part and able to stand them in stead either by power or by policie Among whom they made of Councell Edmond Shaw then Mayor of London which upon trust of his owne advancement where he was of a proud heart highly desirous tooke upon him to frame the Citty to their appetite Of Spirituall men they tooke such as had wit and were in authority amongst the people for opinion of their learning and had no scrupulus conscience Amongst these had they tooke Ralph Shaw clearke brother to the Mayor and Frier Pinkie provinciall of the Augustine Friers both Doctors in Divinity both great Preachers both of more learning then vertue of more fame then learning and yet of more learning then truth For they were before greatly esteemed among the people but after that never none of those two were regarded Shaw made a Sermon in praise of the Protectour before the Coronation and Pynkie made one after the Cornation both so full of tedious flattery that no good mans eares could abide them Pynkie in his Sermon so lost his vocye that hee was faine to leave off and come downe in the midst Doctor Shaw by his Sermon lost his honesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world into the which he durst never after much come abroad but the Frier feared no shame and so it harmed him the lesse Howbeit some doubt and many thinke that Pynkie was not of Councell before the Coronation but after the common manner fell to flattery after namely because his Sermon was not incontinent upon it but at S. Mary Spitle the Easter after But certaine it is that Doctor Shaw was of Councell in the beginning in so much that they determined that hee should first breake the matter in a Sermon at Paules Crosse in which hee should by the authority of his Preaching induce the people to encline to the Protectors ghostly purpose But now was all the labour and study in the device of some convenient pretext for which the people should be content to depose the Prince and accept the Protectour for their King In which deuers things they devised but the cheife thing and the weight of all that invention rested in this that they should alledge bastardy in King Edward himselfe or in his children or both so that he should seeme disabled to inherite the Crowne by the Duke of Yorke and the Prince by him To lay bastardy in King Edward sounded openly to the rebuk of the Protectours owne mother which was mother to them both For in that point could be no other colour but to pretend that his owne mother was an Adultresse but neverthelesse he would that point should bee lesse and more finely and closely handled not even fully plaine and directly but touched upon craftily as though men spared in that point to speake all the truth for feare of his displeasure But that other point concerning the bastardy they devised to surmise in King Edward his Children that hee desired should be openly declared and enforced to the uttermost The colour and pretext whereof cannot be well perceived except wee repeate some things long before done about King Edwards Marriages After King Edward the fourth had deposed King Henry the sixt and was in peaceable possession of the Realme hee determined with himselfe to marry as was requisite both for himselfe and for the Realme he sent the Earle of Warwick and divers other noble men in ambassage to the French King to entreate a marriage betweene the King and Bona sister to the French Queene then being in France In which thing the Earle of Warwick found the parties so toward and willing that hee speedily without any difficultie according to his instructions brought the matter to a good conclusion Now happeneth
as they had beene turned into stones for wonder of this shamefull Sermon after which once ended the Preacher gat him home and never after durst looke out for shame but kept him out of sight as an owle and when hee asked any of his old friends what the people talked of him although that his owne conscience will shew him that they talked no good yet when the other answered him that there was in every mans mouth of him much shame spoken it so strooke him to the heart that in few dayes after hee withered away Then on the Tuesday after next following this Sermon being the seventeenth day of Iune there came to Guild Hall London the Duke of Buckingham and divers Lords and Knights more then happily knew the message that they brought And at the East end of the Hall where the Hoystings be kept the Duke and the Major and the other Lords sate downe and the Aldermen also all the commons of the Citty being assembled and standing before them After silence commanded upon a great paine in the Protectours name The Duke stood up and as hee was well learned and of nature marvelously well spoken he said to the people with a cleare and a loud voyce Friends for the the zeale and hearty favour that we bare you we bee come to breake off a matter right great and weightie and no lesse weightie then pleasing to God and profitable to the Realme nor to no part of the Realme more profitable then to you the Citizens of this noble Citie For why the thing that you have long lacked and as we well know sore longed for that you would have gone farre to fetch that thing we be come hither to bring you without your labour paine cost adventure or danger What thing is that Certainely the surety of your owne bodies the quiet of your wives and daughters and the safegard of your wives and daughters and the safegard of your goods Of all which things in times past you stood in doubt For who was hee of you all that could reckon himselfe Lord of his owne goods amongst so many gynnes and trappes as were set for them among so much pilling and polling among so many taxes and talliages of the which there was never end and often times no neede or if any were it grew rather of riot or of unreasonable wast then any necessary honorable chaâ—ge so that there was daily plucked and pilled from good and honest men great substance of goods to bee lashed out among unthrifts so farre forth that fifteenes sufficed not nor any usuall termes of knowne taxes but under an easie name of benevolence and good will the commissioners tooke so much of every man as no man would with his good will have given As though the name of benevolence had signified that every man should pay not what he of himselfe of his good will list to grant but what the King of his good will list to take who never asked little but every thing was haunsed above the measure amercements turned into fines fines into treason where I thinke that no man looketh that wee shall remember you of examples by name as though Burdet were forgotten which was for a word spoken in haste cruelly beheaded This Burdet was a Merchant dwelling in Cheapeside at the signe of the Crowne which now is the signe of the Flower-de-luce over against Soper-lane This man merily in the ruffling time of King Edward the fourths raigne said to his owne sonne that hee would make him inheritor of the Crowne meaning his owne house but these words King Edward made to be misconstrued and interpreted that Burdet meant the Crowne of the Realme wherfore within lesse space then foure houres he was apprehended judged drawne and quartered in Cheapeside by the misconstruing of the lawes of the Realme for the Princes pleasure with no lesse honour to Markam chiefe Justice then which lost his office rathen then hee would assent to that judgement What neede I to speake of sir Thomas Cooke Alderman and Mayor of this noble Cittie who is of you either for negligence that wotteth not or so forgetfull that hee remembreth not or so hard-hearted that he pittieth not that worshipfull mans losse what speake I of losse his wonderfull spoyle and undeserved destruction onely because it happened him to favour them whom the Prince favored not We need not rehearse of these any more by name sith I doubt not that here be many present that either in themselves or their nigh friends aswell their goods as their persons were greatly endangered either by fained quarrells or small matters aggravated with hainous names and also there was no crime so great of which there could lacke a pretext For sith the King preventing the time of his inheritance attained the Crowne by battell it sufficed in a rich man for a pretext of treason to have beene of kinred or aliance neere of familiaritie or longer of acquaintance with any of those that were at any time the Kings enemies which was at one time or another more then halfe the Realm Thus were neither your goods nor lands in surety and yet they brought your bodies in jeopardie besides the common adventure of open warre which albeit that it is ever the will and occasion of much mischiefe yet it is never so mischievous as where any people fall in division 〈◊〉 distance among theâ—selves and in no Realme earthly so deadly and so pesâ—ilent as when it happeneth amongst us And among us never contiued so long dissention nor so many battels in any season nor so cruell nor so deadly fought as were in the Kings daies that is dead In whose time and by whose occasion what about the getting of the Garland keeping it leesing and winning it againe it hath cost more English blood then hath the twice winning of France In which inward war amongst our selves hath beene so great effusion of the ancient noble blood of this Realme that scarcely the halfe remaineth to the great enfeebling of this noble land besides many a good towne ransaked and spoyled by them that have been going to the field or returning from thence and peace after not much surer then warre So that no time was there in the which rich men for their money and great men for their lands or some other for some feare or for some displeasure were out of perill For whom trusted hee that mistrusted his owne brother Whom spared hee that killed his owne Brother Could not such manner of folke that he most favoured doe somewhat wee shall for his honour spare to speake howbeit this you know well all that whoso was best bare ever the least rule and more suite in his dayes was to Shores wife a vile and abominable strumpet then to all the Lords in England except unto those that made her their Protector which simple woman was yet well named and honest till the King for his wanton lust and sinfull affection bereft her of her Husband a right
glad to live under his obeisance as the people of this realme under his Whē the Protector had heard the Proposition he looked very strangely there at and made answere that albeit he knew partly the things by them alleged to bee true yet such entire love he bare to King Edward and his children much more regarded his honour in other Realmes about then the crowne of any one of which hee was never desirous for in all other nations where the truth were not well knowne it should peradventure bee thought that it were his owne ambitious mind and device to depose the Prince and to take the Crowne himselfe with which infamy hee would in no wise have his honour stayned for any crowne in which he ever had perceived much more labour and paine then pleasure to him that so would use it as hee that would not and were not worthy to have it Notwithstanding hee not onely pardoned them of the motion that they made him but also thanked them for the love and harty favour they bare him praying them for his sake to beare the same to the Prince under whom he was and would bee content to live and with his labour and counsaile as far as it should like the King to use it he would do his uttermost devoir to set the Realme in good estate which was already in the little time of his Protectorship praysed be God well begun in that the malice of such as were before the occasion of the contrary and of new intended to bee were now partly by good policy partly more by Gods providence then mans provision repressed and put under Vpon this answer given the Duke of Buckingham by the Protectors licence a little rounded as well with other noble men about him as with the Major and Recorder of London And after that upon like pardon desired and obtained he shewed alowd unto the Protector for a finall conclusion that the Realme was determined that King Edwards line should no longer reigne over them both that they had so far gone that it was now no suretie to retreate as for that they thought it the best way for the whole Realme although they had not yet begun it Wherefore if it would like his Grace to take the Crowne upon him they would humbly beseech him thereunto and if he would give them a resolute answer to the contrary which they would be loth to heare then must they seek and should not faile to find some other noble man that would These words much moved the Protector which as every man of small intelligence may judge would never have enclined thereto but when he saw there was no other way but that he must take it or else hee and his both to goe from it hee said to Lords and Commons sith it is we perceive well that all the Realme is so set whereof we be very sorry that they will not suffer in any wise King Edward his line to governe them whom no man earthly can governe against their wills And we also perceive that there is no man to whom the Crown can by so just title appertaine as to our selfe as very right heire lawfully begotten of the body of our most dread and deare Father Richard late Duke of Yorke to which title is now joyned your election the nobles and commons of the Realme which wee of all titles possibly take for most effectuall wee bee content and agree favorably to encline to your petition and request and according to the same here we take upon us the Royall estate of preheminence and Kingdome of the two Noble Realmes England and France the one from this day forward by us and our heires to rule governe and defend the other by God his grace and your good helpe to get againe subdue and establish for ever in due obedience unto this realme of England the advancement whereof we never aske of God longer to live then we intend to procure and set forth With this there was a great cry and shout crying King Richard and so the Lords went up to the King and so hee was after that day so called But the people departed talking diversly of the matter every man as his fantacie gave him but much they marvelled of this manner of delaying that the matter was on both parts made so strange as though never the one part had communed with the other part thereof before when they knew that there was no man so dull that heard them but he perceived well enough that all the matter was made betweene them Howebeit some excused that againe saying all things must bee done in good order and men must sometimes for the manner sake not bee knowne what they know For at the consecration of a Bishop every man perceiveth by payment of his Bulles that hee intendeth to bee one yet when hee is twice asked whether he will bee a Bishop he must twice say nay and at the third time take it upon him as compelled thereto by his owne will And in a stage play the people know right well that hee that playeth the Soldan is perhaps a cobler yet if one of his acquaintance perhaps of little nurture should call him by his name while hee standeth in his Majesty one of his tormentors might fortune to breake his head for marring the play And so they said these matters bee Kings games as it were stage-playes and for the most part played upon scaffolds in which poore men bee but lookers on and they that bee wise will meddle no further for they that step up with them when they cannot play their parts they disorder the play and doe themselves no good FINIS Richard the 3◠King of Englād and France Lord of Ireland THE TRAGICALL HISTORIE OF THE LIFE AND REIGNE OF RICHARD THE THIRD Written by the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancellor of England LONDON Printed by T. Paine and M. Simmons 1641. THE TRAGICALL HISTORIE OF KING RICHARD THE THIRD I Am loth to remember but more I abhor to write the misery of this unfortunate King which by fraud entred by tyranny proceeded and by sodaine death ended his unfortunate life But if I should not declare the flagicious facts of the evill Kings aswell as I have done the notable acts of vertuous Kings I should neither animate nor encourage rulers of Realmes Countries and Seigniories to follow the steps of their profitable Progenitors for to attaine to the type of honour and worldly fame neither yet advertise Kings being prone to vice wickednesse to avoide and expell all sinne and mischiefe for dread of obloquie and worldly shame for contrary set to contrary is more apparent as white joyned to blacke maketh the fayrer shew Wherefore I will proceede in his acts after my accustomed usage Richard the third of that name usurped the Crowne of England and openly tooke upon him to bee King the ninth day of Iune in the yeare of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourescore and three and
in the twenty fifth yeare of Lewis the eleventh then being the King of France and the morrow after hee was Proclamed King and with great solemnity rode to Westminster and there 〈◊〉 in the seate Royall and called the Judges of the Realme before him staightly commanding them to execute the Lawes without favour or delay with many good exhortations of the which hee followed not one and then hee departed towards the Abby and at the Church doore hee was met with Procession and there was delivered to him by the Abbot the Scepter of Saint Edward and so went and offered to Saint Edwards shrine while the Monkes sang Te deum with a faint courage and from the Church hee returned to the Palace where he lodged till the Coronation And to bee sure of all enemies as hee thought hee sent for five thousand men out of the North against his Coronation which came up evill apparelled and worse harnessed in rusty harnesse neither defensable nor scoured to the sale which mustered in Finsbury fiâ—ld to the great disdaine of all the lookers on The fourth day of Iuly hee came to the Tower by water with his wife and the fifth day he created Edward his onely begotten sonne a child of tenne yeares old Prince of Wales and Iohn Haward a man of great knowledge and vertue aswell in councell as in battell hee created Duke of Norfolke and sir Thomas Haward his sonne he created Earle of Surry and William Lord Barkeley was then created Earle of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovell was then made Vicount Lovell and the Kings Chamberlaine and Lord Stanley was delivered out of ward for feare of his sonne the Lord Strange which was then in Lancashire gathering men as men said and the said Lord was made Steward of the Kings houshold likewise the Arch-Bishop of Yorke was delivered But Morton Bishop of Ely was deliverd to the Duke of Buckingham to keepe in ward who sent him to his manour of Brecknoke in Wales from whence hee escaped to King Richards confusion The same night the King made seventeene Knights of the Bath The next day he roade through London with great pompe and especially the Duke of Buckingham was richly apparelled and his horse trapped in blew velvet embroidered with the naves of carts burning of gold which trapper was borne by footmen from the ground with such solemne fashion that all men much admired it On the morrow being the sixt day of Iuly the King came towards his Coronation into Westminster Hall where his Chappell all the Prelates mitered received him And so they in order of Procession passed forward After the Procession followed the Earle of Northumberland with a pointlesse sword naked and the Lord Stanley bore the Mace of the Constableship The Earle of Kent bore the second sword on the right hand of the King naked The Lord Lovell bore an other sword on the left hand Then followed the Duke of Suffolke with the Scepter and the Earle of Lincolne with the Ball and Crosse. After them followed the new Earle of Surrey with the sword of Estate in a rich scabbard On the right side of him went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Crowne then followed King Richard in a Circot and robe of purple velvet under a Canopie borne by the barrons of the five Ports going betweene the Bishops of Bathe and Duresme The Duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high Steward of England bare the Kings traine After him followed the Earle of Huntington bearing the Queenes Scepter and the Vicount Lisle bearing the rod with the Dove And the Earle of Wiltshire bare the Queenes Crowne Then followed Queene Anne daughter to Richard Earle of Warwicke in robes like to the King between two Bishops and a canopie over her head borne by the Barons of the Ports On her head a rich Coronall set with stones pearles After her followed the countesse of Richmond heire to the Duke of Somerset which bare up the Queenes traine After followed the Dutches of Suffolke and Norfolke with Countesses Barronesses Ladies and many faire Gentlewomen in this order they passed thorow the palace entred the Abbie at the West end and so came to their seates of estate And after diverse songs solemly sung they both descended to the high Altar and were shifted from their robes and had diverse places open from the middle upward in which places they were annointed Then both the King and the Queene changed them into cloathes of gold and ascended to their seates where the Cardinall of Canterbury and other Bishops Crowned them according to the old custome of the Realme giving him the Scepter in his left hand and the ball with the crosse in the right hand and the Queene had the Scepter in her right hand and the rod with the Dove in the left hand On every side of the King stood a Duke and before him stood the Earle of Surrey with the sword in his hands And on every side of the Queene standing a Bishop and a Lady kneeling The Cardinall sung the Masse and after paxe The King the Queene descended and before the high Altar they were both houseled with one host divided betweene them After Masse finished they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine and there the King left the Crowne of Saint Edward and put on his owne Crowne And so in order as they came they departed to Westminster-hall and so to their chambers for a season during which time the Duke of Norfolke came into the Hall his horse trapped to the ground in cloth of gold as high Marshall and voyded the Hall About foure of the clocke the King and Queene entred into the Hall and the King sate in the middle the Queene on the left hand of the table on every side of her a Countesse holding a cloth of pleasance when shee list to drinke And at the right hand of the King sate the Bishop of Canterbury the Ladies sate all on one side in the middle of the Hall and at the table against theÌ„ sate the Chancellour and all the Lordes At the Table next the cupboord sate the Major of London And at the Table behind the Lords sate the Barons of the Ports And at the other boords sate Noble and Worshipfull personages When all persons were set the Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall the Earle of Surrey Constable for that day the Lord Stanlâ—y Lord Steward sir Willâ—am Hopton Treasurer and sir Thomas Percy Controler came in served the King solemnly with one dish of gold and another of silver And the Queene all in gilt vessels and the Bishops all in silver At the second course came into the Hall sir Robert Democke the Kings champion making a Proclamation that whosoever would say that King Richard was not lawfully King hee would fight with him at the utterance and threw downe his Gauntlet and then all the Hall cryed out King Richard And so hee did in three parts of the Hall and then one brought
to them by the new usurper much lamented and pittied would never cease to barke if they cannot bite at the one side of me Likewise my cousin the Earle of Richmond his aides kinsfolke which be not of little power will surely attempt like a fierce grayhound either to bite or to pierce mee on the other side So that my life and rule should ever hang by a haire never in quiet but ever in doubt of death or deposition And if the said two linages of Yorke and Lancaster which so long have strived for the imperiall Diadem should joyne in one against mee then were I surely mated and the game gotten Wherefore I have clearely determined and with my selfe concluded utterly to relinquish all such fantasticall imaginations concerning the obtaining of the Crowne But all such plagues calamities and troubles which I feared and suspected might have chanced on me if I had taken the rule and regiment of this reale I shall with a reredemaine so make them rebound to our common enemie that calleth himselfe King that the best stopper that hee hath at tenice shall not well stop without a fault for as I told you before the Countesse of Richmond in my returne from the new named King meeting mee in the high way prayed me first for kindred sake secondly for the love I bare to my grandfather Duke Humphrey which was sworne brother to her father to move the King to bee good to her sonne Henry Earle of Richmond and to licence him with his favour to returne againe into England and if it were his pleasure so to doe shee promised that the Earle her sonne should marry one of King Edwards daughters at the appointment of the King without any thing to be taken or demanded for the said espousals but onely the Kings favour which request I soone overpassed and gave her faire words and so departed But after in my lodging when I called to memorie with a deliberate studie and did circumspctly ponder them I fully adjudged that the holy Ghost caused her to move a thing the end whereof she could not consider both for the security of the Realme as also for the preferment of her child and the destruction and finall confusion of the common enemy King Richard Which thing shee neither then thought I am sure as I by her words could make conjecture nor I my selfe cast not her desire to be so profitable to the Realme as I now doe perceive but such a Lord is God that with a little sparkle he kindleth a great fire and so finally to declare to you the very conclusion to the which I am both bent and set my mind is and my power and purpose shall helpe that the Earle of Richmond very heire of the house of Lancaster in the quarrell of the which linage both my father and grandfather lost their lives in battell shall take to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to K. Edward by the which marriage both the houses of Yorke and Lancaster may bee obtained and united in one to the cleare stablishment of the title to the Crowne of this noble Realme To the which conclusion if the mothers of both parties and especially the Earle himselfe and the Lady will agree I doubt not but the braging Bore which with his tuskes raseth every mans skinne shall not only be brought to confusion as he hath deserved but that this Empire shal ever be certain of an undubitate heire and then shall all civill and intestine war cease which hath so long continued to the parting of many mens Crownes this Realme shall bee reduced againe to quietnesse renoune and glory This invention of the Duke many men thought after that it was more imagined for the inward hatred that he beare to King Richard then for any favour that hee bare to the Earle of Richmond But of such doubtfull matters it is not best to judge for erring to farre from the minde and entent of the actour But whatsoever he intended this device once opened to King Richard was the very occasion that hee was rounded shorter by the whole head without attainder or judgement When the Duke had said the Bishop which ever favored the house of Lancaster was wonderous joyfull and much rejoyced to heare this device for now came the winde about even as hee would have it for all his imagination tended to this effect to have King Richard subdued and to have the lines of K. Edward and King Henry the sixt againe raised and advanced But Lord how hee rejoyced to thinke how that by this marriage the linages of Yorke and Lancaster should bee conjoyned in one to the very stead fastnesse of the publique wealth of this Realme And lest the Dukes courage should swage or his minde should againe alter as it did often before as you may easily perceive by his owne tale Hee thought to set up all the sailes hee had to the intent that the ship of his pretended purpose might come shortly to some sure port And said to the Duke my Lord sith by Gods high provision your incomparable wisedome and policie this noble conjunction was first moved now it is convenient yea and necessary to consider what personages and friends we shall first make privie of this high device and politicke conclusion By my truth quoth the Duke wee will begin with my Lady of Richmond the Earles mother which knoweth where he is either in captivitie or at large in Brytaine For I heard say that the Duke of Britaine restored him to liberty immediately after the death of King Edward by whose meanes hee was restrayned Sith you will begin that way said the Bishop I have an old friend with the Countesse a man sober secret and well witted called Reignold Bray whose prudent policie I have knowne to have compassed things of great importance for whom I shall secretly send if it bee your pleasure I doubt not he wil gladly come and with a good will So with a little diligence the Bishop wrote a letter to Reighnold Bray requiting him to come to Brecknock with speede for great and urgent causes touching his Mistresse and no other thing was declared in the letter So the messenger rode into Lancashire where Bray was with the Countesse and Lord Thomas Stanley her husband delivered the letter which when hee had read hee tooke it as a signe or presage of some good fortune to come and so with the messenger hee came to the Castle of Brecknocke where the Duke and the Bishop declared what thing was devised both to set the Realme in a quiet steadfastnesse and also for the high preferment of the Earle of Richmonds sonne to his Lady and Mistrisse Willing her first to compasse how to obtaine the good wil of Queene Elizabeth and also of her eldest daughter bearing the same name and after secretly to send to her son into Britaine to declare what high honour was prepared for him if he would sweare to marry the Lady Elizabeth assoone
pleasant meanes to perswade and exhort the Duke to come to the Court But the Duke as wilie as the King mistrusting the faire flattering words and the gay promises to him so suddenly without any cause offered knowing the craftie castes of K. Richards bow which in divers affaires before times hee had seene practised required the King to pardon him excusing himselfe that hee was so diseased in his stomacke that hee could scarce take any refection or rest King Richard not being content with this excuse would in no wise admit the same but incontinent directed to the Duke other letters of a more rougher and hautie sort not without minatorie termes and checking words commanding him all excuses set apart to repaire without any delay to his royall presence The Duke made to the messenger a determinate answer that he would not come to his mortall enemie whom hee neither loved nor favored and immediately prepared open warre against him and perswaded all his complices and partakers that every man should in his quarter with all diligence raise up the people and make a commotion And by this meanes almost in one moment Thomas Marques Dorcet came out of Sanctuary where hee since the beginning of Richards dayes had continued whose life by the onely helpe of sir Thomas Lovel Esquier was preserved from all danger and perill in this troublous world gathered together a great band of men in Yorkeshire Sir Edward Courtney and Peter his brother Bishop of Exeter raised another army in Devonshire and Cornewall In Kent Richard Gilford and other Gentlemen collected a great company of Souldiers and openly began Warre But King Richard which in the meane time had gotten together a great strength and puissaunce thinking it not most for his part beneficiall to disperse and divide his Armie into small branches and particularly to persecute any one of the conjuration by himselfe determined all other being set aside with his whole puissaunce to set on the chiefe head which was the Duke of Buckingham And so removing from London hee tooke his journey toward Salsbury to the intent that in his journey hee might set on the Dukes armie if he might know him in any place encamped or in order of Battaile arayed The King was scarse two dayes journey from Salisbury when the Duke of Buckingham accompanied with a great power of wilde Welshmen whom he being a man of that courage and sharpe speech in manner against their willes had rather thereto enforced compelled by Lordly and straite commandement then by liberall wages and gentle reteynour which thing was the very occasion why they left him desolate and cowardly forsooke him The Duke with all his power marched through the forrest of Deanâ— intending to have passed the river Severne at Gloucester and there to have joyned in army with the Courtneys and other Westerne men of his confederacy and affinity which if hee had done no doubt but K. Richard had beene in great jeopardy either of privation of his Realme or losse of his life or both But see the chance before he could attaine to Severne side by force of continuall raine and moysture the river rose so high that it overflowed all the countrey adjoyning insomuch that men were drowned in their beds houses with the extreme violence were overturned children were carried about the fields swimming in cradles beastes were drowned on hills which rage of water lasted continually tenne dayes insomuch that in the countrey adjoyning they call it to this day the great water or the Duke of Buckinghams great water By this inundation the passages were so closed that the Duke could not come over Severne to his complices nor they to him during the which time the Welshmen lingering idely without money victuals or wages sodainly scaled and departed and for all the Dukes faire promises menaces and enforcements they would in no wise either goe further or abide The Duke thus abandoned and left almost alone was of necessity compelled to fly and in his flight was with this sodaine misfortune marvelously disdained and being unprovided what counsell hee should take and what way he should follow like a man in despaire not knowing what to doe of very trust and confidence conveyed himself into the house of Humfrey Banister his servant besides Shrewesbury whom hee had tenderly brought up and whom he above all men loved favoured and trusted now not doubting but that in his extreme necessity hee should finde him faithfull secret and trusty intending there covertly to lurk till either he might raise againe a new army or else shortly to saile into Britaine to the Earle of Richmond But when it was knowne to his adherents which were ready to give battaile that his hoste was scaled and had left him almost alone and was fled and could not bee found they were sodainely amased and stricken with a sodain feare that every man like persons desperate shifted for himselfe and fled some went to Sanctuary and to solitarie places some fled by sea whereof the most part within a few dayes after arrived safely in the Dutchy of Britany Among which number were these persons Peter Courtney Bishop of Exeter and Sir Edmond Courtney his brother by King Henry the sevâ—nth after created Earle of Dâ—â—onshire Thomas Marquâ—s Dorcet Iohn Lord Welles Sir Iohn Burchier Sir Edmond Woodvile a valiant man in Armes brother to Queene Elizabeth Sir Rrbert Willoughby Sir Gyles Dabeney Sir Thomas Arundell Sir Iohn Cheney and his two brethren Sir William Barkeley Sir William Brandon and Thomas his brother Sir Richard Edgcombe all these for the most part being Knights and Iohn Halwell Edward Powninges a politike captaine At this very season Iohn Morton Bishop of Ely and Christopher Vrswicke Priest and another company of noble men sojourned in Flanders and by letters and messengers procured many enemies against King Richard Which using a vigilant eye and a quicke remembrance being newly come to Salisbury having perfect notice knowledge how the Duke was fled his complices intended to passe out of the Realme First he sent men of warre to all the next ports and passages to keepe straightly the sea coast so that no person should passe outward nor take land in the Realme without their assent and knowledge Secondly he made Proclamation that what person could shew and reveale where the Duke of Buckingham was should be highly rewarded if he were a bondman hee should be infranchised and set at libertie if he were of free bloud hee should have a generall pardon bee remunerate with a thousand poundes Furthermore because he understood by Thomas Hutton which as you have heard was newly returned out of Britaine that Francis Duke of Britaine not onely refused to keepe the Earle of Richmond as a prisoner at his contemplation and for his sake but also was ready to aide and succour the said Earle with men money and all things necessarie for his transporting into England Wherefore hee rigged and sent out shippes of warre well furnished
to God requiring of him a safe conduct and licence to passe through his countrey of Normandy into Britaine The yong King having compassion of the misfortune and unfortunate chance of the Earle of Richmond not onely gently granted and assigned to him a pasporte but also literally disbursed and departed to him a convenient some of money for his conduct and expenses necessary in his long journey and passage But the Earle trusting on the French Kings humanity adventured to send his ships home into Britaine and to set forward himselfe by land on his journie making no great haste till his messengers were returned which being with the benefit so comforted and with hope of prosperous successe so encouraged marched towards Britaine with all diligent celeritie intending there to consult further with his lovers and friends of his affaires and enterprises When hee was returned againe into Britaine hee was certified by credible information that the Duke of Buckingham had lost his head and that the Marques Dorset and a great number of noble men of England had a little before enquired and searched for him there and were now returned to Vanues When hee had heard these newes thus reported hee first sorrowed dolorously lamented the first attempt and setting forward of his friends and especially of the Nobility not to have more fortunately succeeded Secondly hee rejoyced on the other part that God had sent him so many valiant and prudent Captaines to bee his companions in his martiall enterprises trusting surely and nothing doubting in his owne opinion but that all his businesse should bee wisely compassed and brought to a good conclusion Wherefore hee determining with all diligence to accelerate and set forward his new begun businesse departed to Renes and sent certaine of his privie servitours to conduct and bring the Marquis and the other Noble men to his presence When they knew that hee was safely returned into Britaine Lord how they rejoyced and applauded for before that time they missed him and knew not in what part of the world to make investigation or search for him For they doubted and no lesse feared lest hee had taken land in England and fallen into the hands of King Richard in whose person they knew wel was neither mercy nor compassion Wherefore in all speedy manner they galloped towards him and him reverently saluted which meeting after great joy and solace and no small thanks and gratifications given and rendered on both parts they consulted and advisedly debated commoned of their great businesse and weightie enterprise in the which season the solene feast of the Nativitie of our Saviour Christ happened on which day all the English Lords went with great solemnity to the chiefe Church of the Cittie and there each gave faith and promise to other The Earle himselfe first tooke a corporall oath and on his honour promising that incontinent after he should be possessed of the Crowne and dignity of the Realme of England hee would bee conjoyned in matrimony with the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth Then all the company sware to him fealtie and did to him homage as though he had beene that time the Crowned King and annointed Prince promising faithfully fiâ—mely assuring that they would not onely lose their worldly substance but also bee deprived of their lives and worldly felicity rather then to suffer King Richard that tyrant longer to rule and â—aigne over them Which solemne oathes made and taken the Earle of Richmond declared and communicated all these doings to Francis Duke of Brittaine desiring and most heartily requiring him to aide him with a great army to conduct him into his Countrey which so sore longed and looked for his returne and to the which he was by the more part of the Nobilitie called and desired which with Gods ayde and the Dukes comfort hee doubted not in short time to obtaine requiring him further to lend to him a convenient some of money affirming that all such somes of money which he had received of his especiall friends were spent and exhausted in the preparation of the last journey made towards England which somes of money after his enterprise once atchived he in the word of a Prince faithfully promised to repay and restore againe The Duke promised him aide and helpe upon confidence wherof he rigged his ships set forth his Navie well decked with ordinance warlikely furnished with all things necessary to the intent to saile forward shortly and to see no convenient time slackly overpassed nor bee pretermitted In the meane season King Richard apprehended in divers parts of the Realme certaine gentlemen of the Earle of Richmonds faction and confederation which either intended to saile into Britaine towards him or else at his landing to assist and aide him Amongst whom sir George Browne sir Roger Clifford and foure others were put to execution at London and sir Thomas Sentliger which had married the Dutches of Exeter the Kings owne sister and Thomas Rame and diverse others were executed at Exeter Besides these persons diverse of his houshold servants whom either hee suspected or doubted were by great crueltie put to shamefull death After this hee called a Parliament in the which he attainted the Earle of Richmond and all other persons which were fled out of the Realme for feare of any other cause as enemies to him their naturall countrey and all their lands goods and possessions were confiscate and seased to the Kings use And yet not content with this prey which no doubt was of no small value and moment hee laid on the peoples neckes a great taxe and tollage and surely necessity to that act in a manner compelled him For what with purging and declaring his innocencie concerning the murther of his Nephewes towards the world what with cost to obtaine the love and favour of the commonaltie which outwardly glosed and openly dissembled with him hee gave prodigally so many and so great rewards that now both hee lacked and scarce knew honestly how to borrow In this troublous season nothing was more marvelled at then that the Lord Stanley had not beene taken and reputed as an enemie to the King considering the working of the Lady Margaret his wife mother to the Earle of Richmond but forasmuch as the enterprise of a woman was of him reputed of no regard or estimation and that the Lord Thomas her husband had purged himselfe sufficiently to be innocent of all doings and attempts by her perpetrated and committed it was given him in charge to keepe her in some secret place at home without having any servant or company so that from thenceforth shee should never send letter nor messenger to her sonne nor any of his friend or confederates by the which the King might bee molested or troubled or any hurt or prejudice might bee attempted against his realme and commonaltie Which commandement was a while put in execution and accomplished according to his dreadfull commandement Yet the wild
worme of vengeance wavering in his head could not bee content with the death of divers gentlemen suspected of treason but also he must extend his bloudy fury against a poore gentleman called Collingborne for making a small Rime of three of his unfortunat Councellers which were the Lord Lovell sir Richard Radcliffe his mischievous minion and sir William Catesbey his secret seducer which meeter was The Rat the Cat and Lovell our dog Rule all England under the hog Meaning by the hog the dreadfull wild Bore which was the Kings cognisaunce but because the first line ended in dog the metrician could not observing the regiments of meeter end the second verse in Bore but called the Bore an hogge This poeticall Schoole-master corrector of breves and longs caused Collingborne to be abbreviated shorter by the head and to be divided into foure quarters King Richard being thus tormented and tossed in his owne conceipt and imagination calling to his remembrance that considerations amities and other honest bonds and pacts made concluded and appointed betweene Princes and politique governours are in the cause efficient especiall introduction that their Realmes and Countries are fortified and munited with a double power that is to say with their owne strength and the ayde of their friends devised with himselfe to practise a league and amitie with the King of Scotts which not long before had made diverse incursions and rodes into the Realme of England where although hee got little yet surely he lost not much and thereupon sued to have a truce or peace concluded which came even as King Richard had wished it Wherefore commissioners were assigned for both parts to meete at Notingham the seventh day next ensuing at which time came thither for the King of England Iohn Bishop of Lincolne Chancellor of England Richard Bishop of Saint Asse Iohn Duke of Norfolke Henry Earle of Northumbâ—rland Thomas Lord Stanley George Stanley Lord Strange Iohn Gray Lord Powes Richard Lord Fitzhngh Iohn Gunthorpe keeper of the Kings Privie Seale Thomas Barow Master of the Roules sir Thomas Bryan chiefe Justice of the Common Place sir Richard Ratcliffe Knight William Catesbey and Richard Salkeld Esquiers And for the King of Scots were deputed Colin Earle of Ergile Lord Campâ—ell Lord Chancellour of Scotland William Bishop of Aberden Robert Lord Lyle Laurence Lord Oliphant Iohn Drummond of Stobhall Archibald Qwitelator Archdeacon of Lawdene and Secretarie to King Iames Lyon K. of Armes Duncane Dundas These Councellers diverse times met and after long debating demanding and denying in the end of September they fully concluded and made a determination the effect whereof followeth in Articles I. First It was appointed and concluded that a perfect Amitie and an Inviolable peace should be had and kept betweene the Realmes of England and Scotland for the space of three yeares to beginne at the Sunne rising the twentie ninth day of September in the yeere of our Lord One thousand foure hundred eighty foure and to continne to the setting of the sunne the twenty ninth day of September in the yeare of Christs incarnation one thousand foure hnndred eightie seven II. Item that during the said yeares none of both the Princes nor their ministers shall make war or invade the Realme or dominion of the other by sea or land or vexe perturbe or molest the subjects or vassalles of either of them nor shall give counsell excite or move any other person to make warre or invasion on the territories of any of the said Princes III. Item that the towne and Castle of Barwicke with all such bounds as were thereto belonging â—hich were in the English mens hands at the deliverance of the same towne by King Henry the sixt to the King of Scotts shall so peaceably remaine in the possession of the King of England dnring the said truce IIII. Item that all other Castles holdes and fortresses shall peaceably remaine in the hands of the possessor and owner without chalenge or demand during the said truce the Castle of Dumbar only excepted which was delivered into the English mens hands by the appointment of the Duke of Albany when he fled into France V. Item If the King of Scotts doe intimate and declare to the King of England within the space of fortie daies next ensuing the date hereof that hee will not suffer the said Castle of Dumbar to be possessed of the English nation above the terme of sixe moneths that then during the said sixe moneths neither the English men in the Garison of Dumbar nor the Scotts dwelling and inhabiting about the limits of the same shall doe any hurt prejudice or dammage to any of the sald parties the said terme contiâ—ning VI. Item If after the said sixe moneths any variance or warre shall arise betweene the said two Princes either for the recovering or defending the said Castle of Dumbarre yet the said truce leagne and amitie for all other rights and possessions shall stand in force and be effectuall and that it shall bee lawfull to each of the said Princes to doe what they shall thinke necessary both for the obtaining and defending the said Castle of Dumbarre any thing contained in the treaty of peace notwithstanding VII Item It is conclvded and appointed between the parties aforesaid that during the said truce none of both the Princes aforesaid shall receiue into his Realme territories or dominions any traitour or rebell of the other Prince nor shall maintaine favour aide or comfort any rebell or traytor which is already fled or shall hereafter fly into either the said Princes dominions nor there suffer him or them to tarry or make their abode VIII Item If any such rebell or traytour shall fortune hereafter to arrive in the Realme or territorie of any of the said Princes that thâ—n the said Prince in whose dominion the said traytour or rebell is so arrived at the instance and request of the other Prince to whom the offence and crime was committed shall bee bound incontinently to deliver the said rebell or traytour to the said demander withont fraud or male engine IX Item That all Scotchmen now inhabiting in England and sworne to the King of England shall and may there inhabite and tarry so that their names within sortie daies after the date of this league bee certified to the King of Scotts or to his Chancellour by the King of England or the warden of the Marches X. Item If during the said amity and peace it shall fortune any of the Wardeines of the said Princes without commandment assent or knowledge of his soveraigne Lord and Master to invade or raise an army in the dominion of the other Prince and there to slay burne or spoyle that then the said Prince to whom the said Wardeine is or shall be subject and vassaile shall within sixe daies next after the fact done and perpetrate declare the said Wardeine a traytour and rebell and thereof shall make certificate to the other Prince to whom the injury was
committed within twelve daies after the said declaration made and denounced XI Item That in every safe conduct to be granted by either of the said Princes this clause to bee added Provided alwaies that the obtainer of this safe conduct be no traytour or rebell XII Item If during this amity and truce any of the subjects of either Prince doe presume or attempt to aide helpe maintaine or serve any other Prince against any of the said contractors Then it shall be lawfull to the Prince and his subjects against whom he shewed himselfe enemy and adversarie to apprehend and attach the said subject going comming or tarrying any act article or clause in this league to the contrary comprehended notwithstanding XIII Item It is agreed apointed and accorded that in this traatie and amitie shall bee comprehended the friends obliged and confederates of both the Princes if they list to enter and accept the league and thereupon to declare their pleasures within sixe moneths next ensuing and specially for the King of Englands part were named for confederates The King of Castile and Lyon the King of Arragon the King of Portugall the Archduke of Austryche and Burgony and the Duke of Britaine On the part of the King of Scotts were named for confederates Charles the French King Iohn King of Denmarke and Norwey and the Duke of Geldres and Brittaine XIIII Item It is agreed and concluded betweene the parties aforesaid that the Lordship of Lorne in the Realme of Scotland nor the Island of Londay lying in the river of Severne in the Realme of England shall not be taken nor comprised within the league but to stand at large as they did before XV. Item That this concord peace and amity should be published proclaymed and divulged the first day of October next ensuing in the most noble and famous cities and townes of both the Realmes and Regions And conservatours were appointed for the sure observation of this league aud amitie on both parts whose names follow For the King of England Iohn Earle of Lincone Henry Earle of Northumberland Ralph Lord Nevell Ralph Lord Greystocke Richard Lord Fitz Hugh Iohn Lord Scrope Thomas Lord Scrope of Massam Sir Christopher Moresby William Clapton Esquier Humfrey Lord Daker Sir Richard Ratcliffe Sir Iohn Conyers Sir Edward Hastings Sir Robert Donstable Sir Hugh Hastings Sir William Evers Sir Iohn Huldeston William Musgrave Esquier Richard Salkeld Esquier For the King of Scotts David Earle of Crafford and Lord Linsey George Earle of Huntlâ—y Lord Gordâ—n and Badzâ—nath Iohn Lord Dornelâ—y Iohn Lord Kynedy Robert Lord Lile Patricke Lord Hales Lawrence Lord Oliphaunt William Lord Borthwike Sir Iohn Rosse of Halkehed Sir Gilbert Iohnson of Elphynstone Sir Iohn Lundy Sir Iames Ogilly of Arly Sir Robert Hamilton of Fingaltâ—n Sir William Balze of Lamington Sir Iohn Kinedy of Blarqhon Sir Iohn Wemes Sir William Rochewen Edward Crochton of Kirke Paty Iohn Dundas Iohn Rosse of Montgrenane these three last were Esquiers XVI Item It is further condesconded and agreed that these commissioners whose names ensue shall meete at Loughmabanstane the eighteenth day of November next ensuing aswell for redresse to bee had of certaine offences done on the Westmarches as also for declaring and publishing of the peace and amitie Commissioners of the English part The Lord Dacre The Lord Fitz Hugh Sir Richard Radcliffe Sir Christopher Moresby Sir Richard Salkeld or three of them Commissioners for the Scottish part The Lord Kenedy The Lord Mountgomory The Lord Lile Iohn Maxwell Stuarde of Annerdâ—le Robert Crechton of Sanquhane or three of them XVII Item The like Commissioners were assigned to meete at Raydon Borne for the East Marches the first day of December and also meete at Haldanstanke the fourth day of the said moneth for the midle Marches Commissioners for the King of England The Earle of Northumberland The Lord Greystorcke The Lord Scrope of Massam Sir William Gastoyn Sir Robert Constable Commissioners for the King of Scotts The Earle of Huntley The Earle of Angus The Earle of Ergile Chancellour of Scotland The Lord Wandale The Lord Seton The Lord Olyphaunt The Lord Stobhill XVIII Item It is agreed that the commessioners aforesaid shall depute and assigne certaine persons to view and declare the bounds and limits appertaining to the Towne of Berwicke according to the true meaning of the league XIX Item It is agreed and appointed that no person of England or Scotland shall during the said truce build eare or sow any lands or ground being within the bounds of the batable ground but to suffer the same to continue in the same condition that it now remaineth When this league and amitie was thus concluded finished and sealed with all due circumstances thereunto required although King Richard judged deemed himselfe somewhat the more strong and quiet by force of this new amitie and concluded confederacie yet to augement more the familiaritie begunne betweene the King of Scots and him and to have a double string for his bow hee entreated a new aliance and marriage to bee concluded betweene the Prince of Rothsay eldest son to the King of Scots and Lady Anne de la Poole daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and Lady Anne sister to King Richard which sister he so much favored that he studying all the waies by the which hee might advance her off-spring and linage did not onely procure and seeke meanes how to make her daughter a Princesse and consequently a Queene but also after the death of his son he proclaimed Iohn Earle of Lincolne his Nephew her son heire apparent to the Crowne of England disinheriting King Edwards daughters whose brethren before you have heard he shamefully killed and murthered The King of Scots having neede of Friends but not so much neede as King Richard which was of necessitie compelled to seeke aiders and to entertaine fautours the one for favouring of flatterers and base borne persons and the other not only for tyranny and unnaturall homicide but also for the usurpation of the Crowne being of all the Realme detested and disdained gladly accepted and joyously consented to King Richards device and conjunction of amitie perfectly remembring that amongst all bonds and obligations of love and amitie that there is neither a surer nor a more perfect locke then the knot of conjunction in the Sacrament of Matrimonie which was in the very beginning of the first age of man ordained and instituted in the holy place of Paradice terrestiall by God himselfe by reason whereof the propagation and succession of the humane nature stablished upon the sure seate of lawfull Matrimonie betweene Princes may nourish peace concord and unity asswage breake the furious rage of truculent Mars and terrible battaile and encrease love favour and familiaritie Wherefore the said Princes sent their Embassadours and Councellors againe to the Towne of Nottingham where the said marriage was by writings and instruments covenanted condiscended and agreed and affiances made and taken by Procters and Deputies on
While the Earle was thus attendant in the French Court Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford which as you have heard before was by King Edward kept in prison within the Castle of Hammes so perswaded Iohn Blunt captaine of the same fortresse and sir Iohn Fortescewe porter of the towne of Caleys that he himselfe was not onely dismissed and set at liberty but they also abandoning and leaving their fruitfull offices condiscended to goe with him into France to the Earle of Richmond and to take his part But Iames Blunt like a wise captaine because he left his wife remaining in the Castle before his departure hee fortified the same both with new inventions and new souldiours When the Earle of Richmond saw the Earle of Oxford hee was ravished with an incredible gladnesse that hee being a man of so high nobilitie of such knowledge and practise in feates of warre and so constant trusty and assured which alwaies had studied for the maintenance preferment of the house of Lancaster was now by Gods provision delivered out of captivitie and imprisonment and in time so necessary and convenient come to his aide succour and advancement in whom more sure then any other he might put his trust and confidence and take lesse paine and travile in his owne person For it was not hid from him that such as had ever taken paines with King Edward before this time came to doe him service either for malice that they bare to K. Richard or else for feare to fall under his truculent rule and tempestuous governement But this man which so often times had personally fought in mortall battell in the quarrell of King Henry the Sixt hee judged by divine power and heavenly inspiration to be delivered out of captivitie and imprisonment for this onely purpose that hee should have a man of his owne faction and schoole to whom he might surely and faithfully communicate and credite all things as to his owne proper person and therefore being inflamed with an immortall joy for the Earles comming he beganne to have a good hope of the happie successe of all his pretensed enterprises Not long after the French King returned againe to Paris whom the Eale of Richmond followed intending there to solicite his matter to the conclusion Wherupon he besought King Charles to take upon him the whole tuition and defence of him and his cause so that he and his company being by his meanes aided and comforted should confesse and say their wealth victory and advancement to have flowed and budded forth of his bountifulnesse liberality which they would God willing shortly require In the meane season divers Englishmen which either fled out of England for feare or were at Paris to learne and studie good literature and vertuous doctrine came voluntarily and submitted themselves to the Earle of Richmond and vowed and sware to take his part Amonst whom was Richard Foxe a Priest a man of great wit and no lesse learning whom the Earle incontinent received into secret familiaritie and in briefe time erected and advanced him to high dignities and promotions and in conclusion he made him Bishop of Winchester In the mean season King Richard was credibly advertised what promises and oathes the Earle and his confederates had made and sworne together at Renes and how by the Earles meanes al the Englishmen were passed out of Britaine into France Wherefore being sore dismaid and in manner desperate because his crafty mischief tooke no effect in Britaine imagined and devised how to infringe and disturbe the Earles purpose by another meane so that by the marriage of Lady Elizabeth his neece hee should pretend no claime nor title to the Crowne For hee thought if that marriage failed the Earles chiefe combe had beene cleerely cut And because that he being blinded with the ambitious desire of rule before this time in obtaining the kingdome had perpetrate and done many flagitious acts and detestable tyrannies yet according to the old proverbe let him take the bull that stole away the calfe hee thought all facts by him committed in times past to be but of small moment and not to be regarded in comparison of that mischievous imagination which hee now newly beganne and attempted There came into his ungratious minde a thing not only detestable to bee spoken of in the remembrance of man but much more cruell and abominable to be put in execution For when hee revolved in his wavering minde how great a fountaine of mischiefe toward him should spring if the Earle of Richmond should be advanced to the marriage of his neece which thing hee heard say by the rumour of her people that no small number of wise and wittie personages enterprised to compasse and bring to conclusion He clearly determined to reconcile to his favour his Brother wife Queen Elizabeth eithers by faire words or liberall promises firmely beleeving her favour once obtained that shee would not stick to commit and lovingly credit to him the rule and governance both of her and her daughters and so by that meanes the Earle of Richmond of the affinity of his Neece should be utterly defrauded and beguiled And if no ingenuous remedy could be otherwise invented to save the innumerable mischiefes which were even at hand and like to fall if it should happen Queen Anne his wife to depart out of this present world then hee himselfe would rather take to wife his cousin and neece the Lady Elizabeth then for lacke of that affinity the whole Realm should runne to ruine as who said that if hee once fell from his estate and dignity the ruine of the Realme must needs shortly ensue and follow Wherefore he sent to the Queene being in Sanctuary divers and often Messengers which first should excuse and purge him of all things before against her attempted or procured and after should so largely promise promotions innumerable and benefits not onely to her but also to her sonne Lord Thomas Marquesse Dorset that they should bring her if it were possible into some wan hope or as men say into a fooles paradise The Messengers being men both of wit and gravitie so perswaded the Queene with great and pregnant reasons then with faire and large promises that she began somewhat to relent and to give to them no deafe eare insomuch that she faithfully promised to submit and yeeld her self fully and frankly to the Kings will and pleasure And so she putting in oblivion the murther of her innocent children the infamy and dishonour spoken by the King her husband the living in adultry layed to her charge bastarding of her daughters forgetting also the faithfull promise and open oath made to the Countesse of Richmond mother to the Earle Henry blinded by avaritious affection and seduced by flattering words first delivered into King Richards hands her five daughters as Lambes once againe committed to the custody of the ravenous Wolfe After shee sent Letters to the Marquesse her sonne being then at Paris with the Earle of Richmond
not this first begun assault sent the Earle of Oxford with an elected company of Souldiers to raise the siege and rescue the Castle Which at their first arriving pitched their campe not farre from their enemies And while King Richards men gave vigilant eye weighing lest the Earle of Oxford should take any advantage of them that laie on that side of the Castle Thomas Brandon with thirty approved men of warre by a marish which lay on the other side entred into the Castle The souldiers within greatly animâ—â—ed and much comforted by this new succour and aide grieved the enemies by shooting from the walle more then they were accustomed to doe And they of the Castle vexed their enemies on the forepart the Earle of Oxford no lesse molested and unquieted them on the other part which was the occasion that King Richards men offered of their owne meere motion license to all being within the Castle to depart in safetie with bagge and baggage nothing excepted which condition the Earle of Oxford comming onely for that purpose to deliver his loving friends out of all perill danger and chiefely of all his old hostesse Iane Blunt wife to Iames Blunt the Captaine would in no wise repudiate or refuse And so leaving the Castle bare and ungarnished both of vitaile and artillery came safe to the Earle of Richmond sojourning in Paris During this time King Richard was credibly informed of his explorators and espials that the Earle of Richmond was with long suite in the Court of France sore fatigate and wearied and desiring great aide could obtaine small reliefe In so much that all things went so farre backward that such things as were with great diligence and no lesse deliberation purposed and determined to be set forward were now dashed and overthrown to the ground King Richard either being to light of credence or seduced and deluded by his craftie tale-tellers greatly rejoyced as though he had obtained the ooverhand of his enemies with triumph and victorie and thought himselfe never so surely delivered of all feare and dreadfull imaginations so that he needed now no more once for that cause either to wake or breake his golden sleepe Wherefore he called home againe his ships of warre which he had appointed to keepe the narrow seas and dispatched all such souldiers as hee had deputed to keepe certaine garisons and to stoppe certaine passages as you have heard before Yet lest he might for lacke of provision bee suddenly trapped hee straightly charged and gave in commandement to all noble men and in especial such as inhabited neere to the Sea coast and on the frontiers of Wales that according to the usage of the countrey they should keepe diligent watch and strong ward to the intent that his adversaries in no wise should have any place apt or oportune easily to take land without defence or rebutting backe For the custome of the Countreyes adjoyning neere to the Sea is especially in the time of warre on every hill or high place to erect a Beacon with a great lanthorne in the toppe which may be seene and discerned a great space off And when the noyse is once bruted that the enemie approacheth neere the land they suddenly put fire in the lanthornes and make shoutes outrages from towne to towne and from village to village Some runne in post from place to place admonishing the people to bee ready to resist the jeopardy and defend the peril And by this policie the fame is soone blowne to every citie and towne insomuch that as well the citizens as the rurall people be in short space assembled and armed to refell and put backe the new arrived enemies Now to returne to our purpose King Richard thus alleviate of his accustomed pensivenesse began to bee somewhat more merrier and tooke lesse thought and care for outward enemies then hee was wont to doe as who say that hee with politique provisioÌ„ should withstand the destinie which hung over his head and was ordeined in briefe time suddenly to fall Such is the force and puissance of divine justice that every man shall lesse regard lesse provide lesse bee in doubt of all things when hee is most neerest punishment and next to his mischance for his offences and crimes About this season while the Earle of Richmond was desiring aide of the French King certaine noble men were there appointed to rule the Realme of France during the minoritie of King Charles which amongst themselves were not of one opinion Of which dissention Lewes Duke of Orleance was the chiefe stirrer which because he had married Lady Iohanne sister to the French King tooke upon him above other the rule and administratioÌ„ of the whole Realme By reason of which controversie no one man onely was suffered to rule all wherefore the Earle of Richmond was compelled to make suite to every one of the Councell severally one after another requiring and desiring them of aide and reliefe in his weighty businesse and so his cause was prolonged and deferred During which time Thomas Marques Dorset which was as you have heard entised by his mother to returne againe into England partly despairing in the good successe of the Earle of Richmond and partly onerate and vanquished with the faire glosing promises of King Richard secretly in the night season stole out of Paris and with all diligent expediton tooke his journey towards Flanders When relation of his departure was made to the Earle of Richmond and the other Noble men no marvell though they were astonied and greatly amased Yet that notwithstanding they required of the French King that it might bee lawfull for them in his name and by his commandement to take and stay their companion confederate and partaker of all their councell in what place within his Realme territorie wheresoever they could finde him Which petition once obtained they sent out curriers into every part amongst whom Humfrey Cheiny playing the part of a good bloud hound followed the tract of the flyer so even by the sent that hee overtooke and apprehended him not farre from Comprigne and so what with reason and what with faire promises being perswaded hee returned againe to his companions The Earle of Richmâ—nd unburdened of this misadventure lest by procrastination of dayes and prolonging of time hee might lose the great oportunity of things to him offered and ministred also lest hee should further wound or molest the mindes of his faithfull and assured friends which daily did expect and tarry for his comming determined no longer to protract and deferre the time but with all diligence and celerity to attempt his begunne enterprise so obtaining of King Charles a small crew of men and borrowing certaine summes of money of him and of divers other his private friends For the which he left as debtor or more likelyer as a pledge or hostage Lord Thomas Marques Dorset whom he halfe mistrusted and Sir Iohn Burâ—hier hee departed from the French Court and came to the