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
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
with the ayde and reliefe of his friends intended to passe over the river of Siverne at Shrewesbury so to passe directly to the citie of London requiring them as his especiall trust and confidence was perplanted in the hope of their fidelitie that they would occurre and meete him by the way with all diligent preparation to the intent that hee and they at time propice and place convenient might communicate together the profunditie and deepenesse of all his dubious weighty businesse When the messengers were disparcled with these commandements admonitions hee marched forwards toward Shrewesbury and in his passing there met and saluted him Rice ap Thomas with a goodly band of Welshmen which making an oath promise to the Earle submitted himself wholy to his order and commandement For the Earle of Richmond two dayes before made to him promises that if hee would sweare to take his part and be obedient to him he would make him chiefe governour of Wales which part as he faithfully promised and granted so after that hee had obtained and possessed the Realme and diadem hee liberally performed and accomplished the same In the meane time the messengers that were sent diligently executed the things given to them in charge and laden with rewards of them to whom they were sent returned to him the same day that he entred into Shrewesbury made relation to him that his friends were ready in all points to doe all things for him which either they ought or might doe The Earle Henry brought in good hope with his pleasant message continued foorth his entended journey and came to a little towne called Newport pitching his campe on a little hill adjoyning reposed himselfe there that night In the evening the same day came to him Sir George Talbot with the whole power of the young Earle of Shrewesbury then being inward which were accompted to the number of two thousand men And thus his power increasing he arrived at the towne of Stafford and there pawsed To whom came Sir William Stanley accompanied with a few persons and after that the Earle and hee had communed no long time together he reverted to his souldiers which hee had congregate together to serve the Earle which from thence departed to Lichfield lay without the walles in his campe all the night The next morning hee entred into the towne and was with all honour like a Prince received A day or two before the Lord Stanley having in his band almost five thousand men lodged in the the same towne but hearing that the Earle of Richmond was marched thitherward gave to him place dislodging him and his and repayred to a towne called Adrestone there abiding the comming of the Earle and this wilie Foxe did this act to avoide all suspicion being affraid lest if hee should bee seene openly to be a fautour or ayder to the Earle his son in law before the day of the battell that King Richard which did not utterly put in him diffidence and mistrust would put to some cruell death his sonne and heire apparent George Lord Strange whom King Richard as you have heard before kept with him as a pledge or hostage to the intent that the Lord Stanley his father should attempt nothing prejudiciall to him King Richard at this season keeping his house in the Castle of Nottingham was informed that the Earle of Richmond with such banished men as fled out of England to him were now arrived in Wales and that all things necessary to his enterprise were unprovided unpurveyed and very weake nothing meete to withstand the power of such as the King had appointed to resist him This rumour so inflated his minde that in manner disdaining to heare speake of so poore a company determined at the first to take little or no regard to this so small a sparcle declaring the Earle to bee innocent and unwise because that hee temerariously attempted such a great enterprise with so small thinne a number of warlike persons and therefore hee gave a definitive sentence that when hee came to that point that hee should be compelled to fight against his will he either should be apprehended alive or else by all likelihood hee should of necessitie come to a shamefull confusion and that he trusted to be shortly done by Sir Walter Herbert and Rice ap Thomas which then ruled Wales with equall power and like authoritie But hee revolving and casting in his minde that a small warre begun and winked at and not regarded may turne to a great broyle and tumultuous trouble and that it was prudent policie not to asperne and disdaine the little small power and weakenesse of the enemie be it never so small thought it necessary to provide for after clappes that might happen and chance Wherefore hee sent to Iohn Duke of Norfolke Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Earle of Surrey and to other of his especiall and trusty friends of the nobility which he judged much more to preferre and esteeme his wealth and honour then their owne riches and private commoditie willing them to muster and view all their servants and tenants and to elect and chuse the most couragious and active persons of the whole number and with them to repaire to his presence with all speede and diligence Also he wrote to Robert Brakâ—nbury Lieutenant of the Tower commanding him with his power to come to his army and to bring with him as fellowes in armes Sir Thomas Burchier and sir Walter Hungerford and divers other Knights and Esquiers in whom he had cast no smal suspition While hee was thus ordering his affaires tidings came that the Earle of Richmond was passed Severne come to Shrewesbury without any detriment or encombrance At which message hee was sore moved and broyled with Melancolie and dolour and cryed out asking vengeance of them that contrary to their oathes and promises had fraudulently deceived him For which cause he beganne to have diffidence in others in so much that hee determined himselfe out of hand the same day to occurre and resist his adversaries And in all haste sent out explorators to view and espie what way his enemies kept and passed They diligently doing their dutie shortly after returned declaring to the King that the Earle was encamped at the Towne of Lichfield When he had perfect knowledge where the Earle with his army was sojourning he having continuall repaire of his subjects to him began incontinently without delay to marshall and collocate in order his battailes like a valiant captaine and politique leader and first hee made his battailes to set forward foure foure in a rancke marching toward that way whither his enemies as was to him reported intended to passe In the middle part of the army he appointed the trafficke and carriage appertaining to the armie Then hee environed with his satellites and yeomen of the Crowne with a frowning countenance and truculent aspect mounted on a great white courser followed with his footmen the
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
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
Gloucester turned all this to their destruction and upon that ground set the foundation of his unhappy building For whom soever he perceived to be at variance with them or to beare toward himselfe any favour hee brake unto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor yet to bee suffered that the young King their Master and kinsman should be in the hands and custody of his Mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their company and attendance of which every one ought him as faithfull service as they and many of them of farâ— more honourable part of kin then his Mothers side whose bloud quoth the Duke of Gloucester saving the Kings pleasure was farre unmeet to be matched with his which now to be removed from the King and the least Noble to bee left about him is quoth he neither honourable to his Majesty nor to us and also to him lesse surety to have his Nobles and mightiest of his friends from him and to us all no little danger to suffer and especially our ill willers to grow into great authority with the King in youth namely which is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Yee remember that King Edward himselfe albeit he was both of age and discretion yet was he ruled in many things by that faction more then stood ther with his honour or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except onely the immoderate advancement of themselves which whether they thirsted sore after their owne weale or no it were hard I thinke to guesse And if some folkes friendship had not holden better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might peradventure easely have trapped and brought to confusion some of us ere this and why not as easely as they have done others or this as neere of the Bloud Royall but our Lord hath wrought his will and thanked be his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if wee suffer this young King in his enemies hands which without his witting might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our undoing which things God and our good provision forbid of which good provision none of us have any thing the lesse need for the late attonement made in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties hearts or wills nor none of us is so unwise or so much overseene as to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that any onely kindenesse so sodainly contracted in an houre continued scantly yet a fortnight should be deeper set in our stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these perswasions and writings the Duke of Gloucester set on fire them which were easie to kindle and especially two Henry Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings and Lord Chamberlaine both men of honour and of great power the one by long succession from his Ancestors the other by his Offices and the Kings favour These two not bearing each to other so much love as hatred both to the Queenes bloud accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would remove from the King all his Mothers friends under the name of their enemies Whereupon the Duke of Gloucester being advertised that the Lords about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such a number of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the assembling and gathering of people and in manner of open warre wherof the end he knew was doubtfull and in the which the King being on the other side his part should have the name and face of Rebellion He secretly therefore by divers meanes caused the Queene to be peâ—swaded that it was neither need and should also be dangerous for the King to come up so strong for as now every Lord loved other and no other thing studied for but the triumph of his Coronation and honour of the King And if the Lords about the King should assemble in the Kings name much people they should give the Lords betwixt whom and them there had beene some time debate an occasion to feare and suspect lest they should gather this people not for the Kings safe-guard whom no man impugned but for their destruction having more regard to their old variance then to their new atonement for the which cause they on the other part might assemble men also for their defence whose powers shee knew well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall in an uproare and of the mischief that thereof should ensue which was likely to be not a little the most harme was like to fall where she least would and then all the World would put her and her kindred in the blame saying That they had unwisely and untruly broken the amity and peace which the King her Husband had so prudently made between her kindred and his which amity his Kinne had alwayes observed The Queene being thus perswaded sent word to the King and to her Brother that there was no cause nor need to assemble any peope and also the Duke of Gloucester and other Lords of his side wrote unto the King so reverently and to the Queenes friends there so lovingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought the King toward London with a sober company in great haste but not in good speed till hee came to Northampton and from thence hee removed to Stony Stratford On which day the two Dukes and their traine came to Northampton faigning that Stony Stratford could not lodge them all where they found the Earle Rivers intending the next morning to have followed the King and to bee with him early in the morning So that night the Dukes made to the Earl Rivers friendly cheere but as soone as they were departed very familiar with great courtesie in open sight and the Earle Rivers lodged the two Dukes with a few of their privie friends fell to Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night and in the dawning of the day they sent about privily to their servants in their lodgings to haste to horsebacke for their Lords were in manner ready to ride whereupon all their servants were ready ere the Lord Rivers servants were awake Now had the Dukes taken the keyes of the Inne into their possession so that none should issue out without their consent And over this in the high way toward Stony Stratford they set certaine of their folkes that should cause and compell to returne againe all persons that were passing from Northampton to Stony Stratford saying that the Dukes themselves would be the first that should come to the King from Northampton thus they bare folks in hand But when the Earle Rivers understood the Gates closed and the wayes on every side beset neither his servants neither himselfe suffered to goe out perceiving so great a thing without his knowledge not begun for nought comparing this present doing
at London The Archbishop of Yorke fearing that it would be ascribed as it was indeed to over-much lightnesse that he so suddenly had yeelded up the Great Seale to the Queene to whom the custody thereof nothing appertained without especiall commandement of the King secretly sent for the Seale againe and brought it with him after the accustomed manner to meete with the Lords At this meeting the Lord Hastings whose truth toward the King no man doubted noâ— needed to doubt perswaded the Lords to beleeve that the Duke of Gloucester was faithfull and sure towards his Prince and that the Lord Rivers the Lord Richard and other Knights apprehended were for matters attempted by them against the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham put under arrest for their surety and not for the Kings danger and that they were also in safeguard there to remaine till the matter were not by the Dukes onely but also by all the other Lords of the Kings Counsell indifferently examined and by their discretions ordered and either judged or appeased And one thing hee advised them to beware of that they judged not the matter too farre forth ere they knew the truth nor turning their private grudges into the common hurt irriting and provoking men unto anger and disturbing the Kings Coronation toward which the Dukes were comming for that then might peradventure bring the matter so farre out of joynt that it should never bee brought in frame againe which if it should hap as it were likely to come to a field though all parties were in all other things equall yet should the authority bee on that side where the King is himselfe with these perswasions of the Lord Hastings whereof part hee himselfe beleeved and of part hee knew well the contrary these commotions were somewhat appeased But especially because the Dukes of Buckingham and Gloucester were so neere and came on â—o shortly with the King in no other manner nor no other voyce or semblance then to his Coronation causing the â—ame to be blowne about that such persons as were apprehended had contrived the destruction of the Dukes of Gloucester and of Buckingham and other of the Noble Bloud of this Realme to the intent that they alone would rule and governe the King And for the colour thereof such of the Dukes servants as rod with the Carts of their stuffe which was taken among the which stuffe no marvell though some were harnesse which at the breaking up of such an houshold must be brought away or cast away they shewed to the people and as they went said Lo here be the Barrels of harnesse that these Traytors had privily conveyed in their carriages to destroy the Noble Lords withall This divers although it made the matter to wise men more unlikely well perceiving that the intenders of such a purpose would rather have had their harnesse on their backes then to have bound them up in barrels yet much part of the common people were therewith right well satisfied When the King approached neere the City Edmund Shaw Goldsmith then Maior of the City with the Aldermen and Sheriffes in Scarlet and five hundred commoners in murrey received his Grace reverendly at Harnesay Parke and so conveighed him to the City where hee entred the fourth day of May in the first and last yeere of his Reigne and was lodged in the Bishop of Londons Palace but the Duke of Gloucester bare him in open sight so reverently saying to all men as he rode Behold your Prince and Soveraigne Lord and made such semblance of lowlinesse to his Prince that from the great obloquy that hee was in so late before he was suddenly fallen in so great trust that at the Councell next assembled he was made the onely chiefe Ruler and thought most meet to be Protectour of the King and his Realme so that were it destiny or were it folly the Lambe was betaken to the Wolfe to keepe At which counsell the Archbishop of Yorke was sore blamed for delivering the Great Seale to the Queene and the Seale taken from him and delivered to Doctor Iohn Russell Bishop of Lincolne a wise man and a good and of much experience and divers Lords and Knights were appointed to divers roomes the Lord Chamberlaine and some other kept the roomes that they were in before but not many Now were it so that the Protectour which alwayes you must take for the Duke of Gloucester sore thirsted for the atchieving of his pretended enterprise and thought every day a yeere till it were performed yet durst he no farther attempt as long as hee had but halfe his prey in his hand well witting that if hee deposed the one brother all the Realme would fall toth'other if he remained either in Sanctuary or should haply bee shortly conveighed to his Fathers liberty Wherefore incontinent at the next meeting of the Lords in Councell hee propounded to them that it was an heinous thing of the Queene and proceeding of great malice toward the Kings Councellors that she should keepe the Kings Brother in Sanctuary from him whose speciall pleasure and comfort were to have his Brother with him and that to bee done by her to no other intent but to bring all the Lords in an obloquy and murmure of the people as though they were not to bee trusted with the Kings Brother which Lords were by the whole assent of the Nobles of the Realme appointed as the Kings neere friends to the tuition of his Royall Person the prosperity whereof quoth he standeth not alone in keeping from enemies and evill dyet but partly also in recreation and moderate pleasure which hee cannot take in his tender youth in the company of old and ancient persons but in the familiar conversation of those that be not farre under nor farre above his age and neverthelesse of estate convenient to accompany his Majesty wherefore with whom rather then with his owne Brother and if any man thinke this consideration light I thinke no man so thinketh that loveth the King let him consider that sometime without small things greater cannot stand and verily it redoundeth greatly to the dishonour of the Kings highnesse and of all us that bee about his Grace to have it come in any mans mouth not in this Realme onely but also in other Lands as evill words walke farre that the Kings Brother should bee faine to keepe Sanctuary For every man will judge that no man will so doe for nought and such opinions fastned in mens hearts be hard to bee wrested out and may grow to more griefe then any man here can divine Wherefore mee thinketh it were not the worst to send to the Queene some honorable and trusty personage such as tendreth the Kings weale and the honour of his Counce and is also in credit and favour with her for which considerations none seemeth more meetly to me theÌ„ the reverend Father my Lord Cardinall Archbishop of Canterbury who may in this matter doe most good of all men
one safe and both be sure and nothing to both more perilous then both to be in one place for a wise Merchant never adventureth all his goods in one Ship All this notwithstanding here I deliver him and his Brother in him to keepe to your hands of whom I shall aske them both before God and the world Faithfull you be and that I know well and I know you be wise and of power and strength if you list to keep him for you lacke no helpe of your selves nor need to lacke no helpe in this case and if you cannot else-where then may you leave him here But onely one thing I beseech you for the trust that his Father put you in ever and for the trust I put you in now that as far as you thinke that I feare too much yee bee well ware that you feare not too little And therewithall she said to the Childe Farewell mine owne sweet Sonne God send you good keeping let me once kisse you ere you goe for God knoweth when we shall kisse together againe and therewith she kissed him and blessed him and turned her backe and wept going her way leaving the poore innocent childe weeping as fast as the Mother When the Cardinall and the other Lords had received the young Duke they brought him into the Star-Chamber where the Protector tooke him into his armes and kissed him with these words now welcome my Lord with all my very heart and hee said in that of likelihood even as hee inwardly thought and thereupon forthwith brought him to the King his Brother into the Bishops Palace at Pauls and from thence through the Citie honorably into the Tower out of which after that day they never came abroad When the Protector had both the children in his possession yea and that they were in a sure place he then began to thirst to see the end of his enterprise And to avoid all suspition hee caused all the Lords which hee knew to be faithfull to the King to assemble at Baynards Castle to commune of the order of the Coronation while he and other of his complices and of his affinity at Crosbies Place contrived the contrary and to make the Protectour King to which Councell there were adhibited very few and they very secret Then began here and there some muttering amongst the people as though all things should not long be well though they knew not what they feared nor wherefore were it that before such great things mens hearts of a secret instinct of Nature misgive them as the South wind sometime swelleth of it selfe before a Tempest or were it that some one man haply somewhat perceiving filled many men with suspition though hee shewed few men what he knew howbeit the dealing it selfe made men to muse on the matter though the Councel were close for by little and littâ—e all folke drew from the Tower where the King was and drew to Crosbies Place so that the Protector had all the resort the King was in manner desolate While some made suit unto them that had the doing some of them were by their friends secretly warned that it might haply turn to no good to them to be too much attendant on the King without the Protectors appointment which removed diverse of the kings old servants from him and set new in their places about him Thus many thinges comming together partly by chance and partly by purpose caused at length not common people onely which waver with the wind but wise men also and some Lords to marke the matter and muse therupon insomuch that the Lord Stanley which afterward was Earle of Derby wisely mistrusted it and said to the Lord Hastings that he much misliked these two severall Councels for while we quoth he talke of one matter at the one place little know we whereof they talke in the other peace my Lord quoth the Lord Hastings on my life never doubt you for while one man is there which is never thence neither can there bee any thing once minded that should sound amisse towards me but it should be in my eares as soone as out of their mouths This hee meant by Catesby which was neere of his seeret counsell and whom hee most familiarly used in his weighty matters putting no man in so speciall trust as hee reckoning himselfe to bee beloved of no man more then he knowing well that there was no man so much beholding to him as was this Catesby which was a man well learned in the lawes of this Realme and by the speciall favour of the Lord Hastings in good authority and bore much rule in the countries of Leicester Northampton where the Lord Hastings power lay But surely great pittie was it that he had not more thruth or lesse wit for his dissimulation onely kept all that mischiefe up in whom if the Lord Hastings had not put so speciall trust the L. Stanley and he with divers other Lords had departed into their countries and broken all the dance for many evill signes that hee saw which hee now constructed all for the best so â—urely thought he that there couâ—d be no harme intended towaâ—ds him in that councill where Catesby was And of tâ—uth the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham did seeme to shew very much countenance unto the Lord Hastings and kept him often in their company And undoubtedly the Protector loved him well and loth he was to have lost him saving for feare lest his life should have quailed their purpose for the which cause hee moved Catesby to prove with some words cast out afarre off whether hee could thinke it possible to winne the Lord Hastings to their part But Catesby whether hee assayed him or assayed him not reported unto him that hee found him so fast and heard him speake so terrible words that he durst no further breake unto him and of a truth the Lord Hastings of very trust shewed unto Catesby the mistrust that others began to have in the matter And therefore he fearing least their motions might with the Lord Hastings diminish his credit whereunto onely all the matter leaned procured the Protectour hastily to rid him and much the rather for he trusted by his death to obtaine much of the rule which the Lord Hastings bare in his countrey the onely desire whereof was the the thing that induced him to bee procurer and one of the specialest contrivers of all this horrible treason Whereupon the Lord Protector caused a Councell to bee set at the Tower on the friday the thirteenth day Iune where was much communing for the honorable solemnitie of the Coronation of the which the time appointed approached so neare that the Pageants were a making day and night at Westminster and vitailes killed which afterwards was cast away These Lords thus sitting communing of this matter the Protector came in among them about nine of the clocke saluting them curteously excusing himselfe that hee had beene from them so long saying merrily that he
had beene a sleepe that day And after a little talking with them he said to the Bishop of Ely my Lord you have very good strawberies in your garden at Holbourne I require you let us have a messe of them Gladly my Lord quoth he I would I had some better thing as ready at your pleasure as that and with that in all hast he sent his servant for a dish of Strawberies The Protectour set the Lords fast on communing and thereupon prayed them to spare him a little and so he departed and came againe betweene ten and eleven of the clocke into the chamber all changed with a sowre angry countenance knitting the browes frowning and fretting gnawing of his lips and so set him downe in his place All the Lords were dismayed and sore marvelled at this manner and suddaine change what hee should ayle When he had sitten a while thus hee began What were they worthy to have that compasse and imagine the destruction of mee being so neare of blood to the King and Protector of this his Royall Realme At which question all the Lords sate sore astonied musing much by whom the question should bee meant of which every man knew himself cleere Then the Lord Hastings who for the familiarity that was betweene them thought he might be boldest with him answered and said that they were worthâ—e to be punished as haynous traytors whatsoever they were and all the other affirmed the same that is quoth he yonder Sorceresse my brothers wife others with her meaning the Queene at these words many of the Lords were sore abashed which favored her but the Lord Hastings was better content in his minde that it was moved by her then by any other that hee loved better albeit his heart grudged that hee was not afore made of the counsell of this matter as well as hee was of the taking of her kindred and of their putting to death which were by his assent before devised to be beheaded at Pomfrete this self same day in the which he was not aware that it was by others devised that he himselfe should the same day be beheaded at London then said the Protectour See in what wise that Sorceresse and others of her councell as Shores wife with her affinitie have by their sorcery and witchcraft thus wasted my body and therewith plucked up his doublet sleeve to his elbow on his left arme where hee shewed a werish withered arme and small as it was never other And therefor every mans minde misgave them well perceiving that this matter was but a quarrell for they knew that the Queene was both too wise to goe about any such folly also if she would yet she would not make Shores wife of her counsell whom of al women she most hated as that concubine whom the King her husband most loved Also there was no man there but knew that his arme was ever such since the day of his birth Neverthelesse the Lord Hastings which from the death of King Edward kept Shores wife on whom he somwhat doted in the Kings life saving it is said that he forbare her for reverence towards his King or else of a certaine kind of fidelity towards his friend Yet now his heart somewhat grudged to have her whom hee loved so highly accused and as he knew well untruly therefore he answered and said certainely my Lord if they have so done they bee worthy of haynous punishment What quoth the Protectour thou servest mee I thinke with if and with and I tell thee they have done it and that I will make it good on thy body traytor And therewith as in a great anger he strooke his fist on the boord a great rappe at which token given one cryed treason without the chamber and therwith a doore clapped and men in armes came rushing in as many as the chamber could hold And anone the Protector said to the Lord Hastings I arest thee Traytour what me my Lord quoth he yes thou Traytour quoth the Protector And one let fly at the Lord Stanley who shrunke at the stroke and fell under the Table or else his head had been cleft to the teeth for as suddenly as he shrunk yet the blood ran about his eares Then was the Archbishop of Yorke and Doctour Morton Bishop of Ely and the Lord Stanley and divers others taken and bestowed in severall chambers save the Lord Hastings whom the Protectour commanded to speede and shrive him apace for by Saint Paul quoth he I will not dine till I see thy head off It booted him not to aske why but heavily hee tooke a Priest at aventure and made a short shrift for a longer would not be suffered the Protectour made so much hast to his dinner who might not goe to it till this murther were done for saving of his ungratious oath So was hee brought forth into the greene besides the Chappell within the Tower and his head layed downe on a logge of timber that lay there for building of the Chappell and there tyrannously stricken off and after his body and head were enterred at Windsor by his Master King Edward the fourth Late deceased A miraculous case it is to heare either the warnings that he should have avoyded or the tokens of that hee could not avoid For the next night before his death the Lord Stanley sent to him a trusty messenger at midnight in all the haste requiring him to rise and ride away with him for hee was disposed utterly no longer for to abide for he had a fearefull dreame in the which hee thought that a Bore with his tuskes so rased them both by the heads that the blood ran about both their shoulders and for asmuch as the Protectour gave the Bore for his cognisance hee imagined that it should be he This dreame made such a fearefull impression in his heart that he was throughly determined no longer to tarry but had his horse ready if the Lord Hastings would goe with him So that they would ride so farre that night that they should bee out of danger by the next day A good Lord quoth the Lord Hastings to the messenger leaneth my Lord thy Master so much to such trifles and hath hee such faith in dreames which either his owne feare fantasieth or doe rise in the nights rest by reason of the daies thought Tell him it is plaine witchcraft to beleeve in such dreames which if they were tokens of things to come why thinketh hee not that wee might as likely make them true by our going if we were caught and brought backe as friends flyers for then had the bore a cause likely to rase us with his tuskes as folkes that fled for some falshood wherfore either there is perill but indeed there is none or if any be it is rather in going then abiding And if wee must needes fall into perill one way or other yet had I rather that men should see it were by other mens falshood then thinke it were
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
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
and the blood from the earth cryeth to Almighty God for vengeance If the common people cryed out I assure you the friends of the Queene and her children made no lesse exclamation and complaint with loud voyce lamentably crying and saying alas what will â—e doe to others that thus shamefully murdereth his owne bloud without cause or desert whom will hee save when hee slayeth the poore Lambes committed to him in trust now wee see and behold that the most cruell tyranny hath invaded the Common-wealth now wee see that in him is neither hope of Justice nor trust of Mercy but abundance of cruelty and thirst of innocent bloud But when this newes was first brought to the infortunate mother of the dead children yet being in Sanctuary no doubt but it strake to her heart like the sharpe dart of death for when shee was first informed of the murther of her two Sonnes shee was suddenly amazed with the greatnesse of the cruelty that for feare she sounded and fell downe to the ground and there lay in a great agony like to a dead corps And after that shee came to her memory and was revived againe shee wept and sobbed and with pittifull scrieches shee replenished the whole Mansion her brest shee strooke her faire haire shee tore and pulled in pieces and being overcome with sorrow and pensivenesse rather desired death then life calling by name divers times her sweet Babes accounting her selfe more then mad that she deluded by wile and fraudulent promises delivered her younger sonne out of the Sanctuary to his enemy to be put to death thinking that next the oath made to God broken and the duty of allegeance toward her children violated she of all creatures in that point was most seduced and deceived After long lamentation when shee saw no hope of revenging otherwise she kneeled downe and cryed on God to take vengeance for the deceitfull perjury as who said shee nothing mistrusted but once hee would remember it What is hee living that if hee remember and behold these two noble infants without deserving so shamefully murthered that will not abhorre the fact yea and be moved and tormented with pitty and mercy And yet the world is so fraile and our nature so blinde that few be stirred with such examples obliviously forgetting and little considering that oftentimes for the offences by the Parents perpetrate and committed that sinne is punished in their line and posterity This chance might so happeÌ„ to these innocent children because King Edward their Father and Parent offended in staining his conscience hee made his solemne oath before the Gate of the City of Yorke as you have heard before and promised and sware one thing by his word thinking cleane contrary in his heart as after did appeare And afterward by the death of the Duke of Clarence his brother hee incurred of likelihood the great displeasure toward God After this murther thus perpetrated and that hee had visited his Towne of Gloucester which hee for his old Dignity both loved and with ample liberties and priviledges endowed and decorated he tooke his journy toward the County of Yorke where the people abusing his lawfull favour as hee both favoured and trusted them in his heart had of late presumed to attempt divers routs and riots contray to his lawes and infringing of his peace and upon hope of his maintenance were so elated that no Lord were he never of so great power could either pacifie or rule them till the King himselfelfe came personally thither to set a concord and an unity in that Country and to bridle and rule the rude rusticall and blustering bold people of that region and so he by long journeying came to the Citie of Yorke where the Citizens received him with great pompe and triumph according to the qualities of their education and quantity of their substance and ability and made divers dayes playes and Pageants in token of joy and solace Wherefore King Richard magnified and applauded of the North Nation and also to shew himself apparantly before them in habit royall with Scepter in hand and Diadem on his head made Proclamation that all persons should resort to Yorke on the day of the Ascention of our Lord where all men should both behold and see him his Queene and Prince in their high estates and degrees and also for their good wills should have received many thankes large benefits magnificent rewards At the day appointed the whole clergie assembled in Copes richly vested and so with a reverent ceremonie went about the citie in procession after whom folowed the King with his Crowne and Scepter apparelled in his Circot robe royall accoÌ„panied with no smal number of the nobilitie of his Realme after whom marched in order Queene Anne his wife crowned leading in her left hand Prince Edward her son having on his head a demy crown appointed for the degree of a Prince The King was had in that triumph in such honour and the common people of the North so rejoyced that they extolled and praysed him farre above the Starres After this solemne feast and glorious pompe he kept great counsellers there as well for the ordering of the countrey in time as for the brideling and punishing of such as there had misgoverned themselves and further of the gentlemen of that countrey he augmented the number of his domestical Ministers and servants in the which persons he put his whole trust and affiance When all things were thus discreetly ordered hee returned by Notingham and after came to London whom more for dread then for love the Citezens received in great companies Thus King Richard by a new invented crueltie late practised tyranny obtained and grew to high praise and honour and then by the admiration and judgment of the common multitude he was most esteemed to bee exalted into Heaven when hee covertly had intelligence that hee was like to loose his estate and could by no meanes have long continuance in his usurped power for assuredly after the death of King Edwards children when any blustering winde perrilous thunder or terrible tempest chanced or were apparently like to happen Sodainely the people having in their fresh memorie the facinorous act of their King and Prince would openly cry and make vociferation that God did take vengance and punish the poore Englishmen for the crime and offence of their ungratious King whom they blamed accursed and wished to have extreame tortures Although King Richard heard often of these slaunderous words malicious sayings and knew well by what persons they were spoken yet he durst not with strong hand bee on the first inventors revenged knowing that some time it is no wisedome to refuse or disdaine them that tell a ruler his dutie or declare to him his misbehaviour towards the common wealth or counsell him to amend and change his ill life After this great felicity he fell againe into a great feare and pensivenesse of minde and because he could by no meanes either correct
very patron the only helpe refuge and comfort of the poore amased and desolate commons of this Realme For if you could either devise to set up againe the linage of Lancaster or advance the eldest daughter of King Edward to some high and puissant Prince not onely the new crowned King shall small time enjoy the glory of his dignity but also all civill warre should cease all domesticall discord should sleepe and peace profit and quietnesse should bee set forth and embraced When the Bishoâ— had thus ended his saying the Duke sighâ—d and spake not of a great while which sore abashed the Bishop and made him change colour which thing when the Duke perceived he said be not afraid my Lord all promises shall bee kept to morrow wee will commune more let us goe to supper so that night they communed no more not a little to the inquietation of the Bishop which now was even as desirous to know the Dukes minde and intent as the Duke longed the day before to know his opinion and meaning So the nex day the Duke sent for the Bishop and rehearsed to him in maner for he was both witty and eloquent all the communication had betweene them before and so paused a while and after a little season putting off his bonet hee said O Lord God creator of all things how much is this Realme of England and the people of the same bounden to thy goodnesse for where wee now bee in vexation and trouble with great stormes oppressed sayling and tossing in a desperate ship without good Master or Governour by thy helpe good Lord I trust ere long time past that wee shall provide for such a ruler as shall be both to thy pleasure and also to the security and safeguard of this noble Realme And then he put on his bonet saying to the Bishop my Lord of Ely whose true heart and sincere affection toward me at all times I have evidently perceived and knowne and now most of all our last privie communication and secret devising I must needs in heart think and with mouth confesse and say that you bee a sure friend a trusty counsellor a vigilant foreseer a lover of your countrey a anturall countryman for which kindnesse for my part I most lovingly render to you my harty thanks now with words hereafter trusting to recompence and remunerate you with deedes if life and power shall serve And sith at our last communication you have disclosed and opened the very secrets and privities of your stomacke touching the Duke of Gloucester now usurper of the Crowne and also have a little touched the advancement of the two noble families of Yorke and Lancaster I shall likewise not onely declare and manifest unto you all my open acts attempts and doings but also my privie intents and secret cogitations To the intent that as you have unbuckled your heart of your privie meanings and secret puposes to me so shal all my cloudy working close devices and secret imaginations bee as cleare as the sunne revealed opened and made lightsome to you And to begin I declare that when King Edward was deceased to whom I thought my self little or nothing beholden although wee two had married two sisters because he neither promoted nor preferred mee as I thought I was worthy and had deserved neither favored nor regarded me according to my degree and birth for surely I had by him little authority and lesse rule and in effect nothing at all which caused mee the lesse to favour his children because I found small humanitie or none in their parent I then began to study and with mature deliberation to ponder and consider how and in what manner this Realme should be ruled and governed And first I remembred an old proverbe worthy of memory that often ruineth the Realme where children rule and women governe This old Adage so sunke and setled in my head that I thought it a great errour and extreme mischiefe to the whole Realme either to suffer the young King to rule or the Queene his mother to bee a governour over him considering that her brethren and her first children although they were not extract of high and noble linage tooke more upon them and more exalted themselves by reason of the Queene then did the Kings brethren or any Duke in his Realme Which in conclusion turned to their confusion Then I being perswaded with my self in this point thought it necessarie both for the publique and profitable wealth of this Realme and also for mine owne commodity and emolument to take part with the Duke of Gloucester Whom I asure you I thought to be as cleane without dissimulation as tractable without injury as mercifull without crueltie as now I know him perfectly to bee a dissembler without verity a tyrant without pitty yea and worse then the tyrant Phalaris destitute of all truth clemencie And so by my meanes at the first councell holden at London when hee was most suspected of that thing that after happened as you my Lord know well enough hee was made Protectour and defender both of the King and of the Realme which authority once gotten and the two children partly by policie brought under his governance hee being moved with the gnawing and covetous serpent desired to raigne and never ceased privilie to exhort and require yea and somtimes with minatorie termes to perswade me other Lords aswell spirituall as temporall that hee might take upon him the Crowne till the Prince came to the age of foure and twenty yeares and were able to governe the Realme as a mature and sufficient King Which thing when hee saw me somewhat sticke at both for the strangenesse of the example because no such president had beene seene and also because wee remembred that men once ascended to the highest tipe of honour and authority will not gladly discend againe hee then brought in instruments authentike Doctors Proctors and notaries of the Law with depositions of divers witnesses testifying King Edwards children to be bastards which depositions then I thought to bee as true as now I know them to be fained and â—estified by persons with rewards untruely subordinate When the said depositions were before us read and diligently heard he stood up bareheaded saying Well my Lords even as I and you sage and discreete councellers would that my Nephewes should have no wrong So I pray you to doe mee nothing but right For these witnesses and sayings of famous Doctors being true I am onely the undoubted heire to Lord Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke adjudged to bee the very heire to the Crowne of this Realme by authority of Parliament which things so by learned men to us for a veritie declared caused me and other to take him for our lawfull and undoubted Prince and soveraigne Lord. For well we know that the Duke of Clarence Son by reason of the attainder of his Father was disabled to inherite and also the Duke himselfe was named to be a bastard as I
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
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