King so set on that she could not pluck him backe so highly she disdained it that under pretence of her duty toward God shee devised to disturbe this marriage and rather to helpe that hee should marry one Dame Elizabeth Lucie whom the King not long before had gotten with childe wherefore the Kings Mother objected openly against this marriage as it were in discharge of her conscience that the King was sure to Dame Elizabeth Lucy and her husband before God by reason of which words such obstacle was made in that matter that either the Bishop durst not or the King would not proceed to the solemnization of the marriage till his fame were cleerely purged and the truth well and openly testified Whereupon Dame Elizabeth Lucy was sent for and albeit shee was by the Kings Mother and many other put in good coÌ„fort that she was ensured to the King yet when she was solemnly sworne to say the truth she confessed she was never ensured Howbeit shee said his Grace spake such loving words to her that shee verily hoped that he would have married her and if such kinde words had not been she would never have shewed such kindenesse to him to let him so kindly get her with child This examination solemnely taken it was cleerely proved that there was no impediment to let the King to marry wherefore he shortly after at Grafton beside Stony Stratford married the Lady Elizabeth Grey very privily which was his enemies wife and had prayed heartily for his losse in the which God loved her better then to grant her her boon for then had shee not been his wife And after that shee was crowned Queene and her father was created Earle Rivers and her sonne created Marquesse Dorset But when the Earle of Warwicke understood of this marriage he took it so highly that thereof ensued much blood-shed as is declared before in the Story of Edward the fourth I have rehearsed this marriage somewhat the more at length because it might thereby the better appeare upon how slippery a ground the Protector builded his colour by which he pretended King Edwards children to be Bastards but the invention as simple as it was liked them to whom it sufficeth to have somewhat to say while they were sure to bee compelled to no larger proofe then themselves list to make Now to returne where I left as I began to shew you it was by the Protector and his Councell concluded that this Doctor Shaw should in a Sermon at Pauls Crosse signifie to the people that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence were lawfully begotten nor were the very children of the Duke of Yorke but begotten unlawfully by other persons by adultery of the Dutchesse their Mother And Dame Elizabeth Lucy was the very wife of King Edward and so Prince Edward and all the children begotten on the Queen were Bastards And according to this device Doctor Shaw the Sunday after at Paules Crosse in a great audience as alwayes a great number assembled to his preaching came into the Pulpit taking for his Theme Spuria vitulamina non dabunt radices altos Sapien. 4. that is to say Bastard slippes shall never take deepe rootes Whereupon when he had shewed the great grace that God giveth and secretly infundeth in right generation after the Lawes of Matrimony then declared hee that those children commonly lacked that grace and for the punishment of their parents were for the most part unhappy which were ilegitimate and especially in adultery of which though some by the ignorance of the world and truth hid from knowledge have inherited for a season other mens Lands yet God alwayes so provideth that it continueth not in their bloud long but the truth comming to light the rightfull inheritors be restored and the bastard slippes plucked up ere it can be rooted deepe And when hee had layed for the proofe and confirmation of this sentence examples taken out of the old and new Testament and other ancient Histories then began he to descend to the praise of the Lord Richard Duke of Yorke calling him father to the Protector and declared his Title to the Crowne by inheritance and also by entaiâ—e authorised by Parliament after the death of King Henry the sixth Then shewed he that the Lord Protector was only the right heire of his body lawfully begotten Then declared hee that King Edward was never lawfully married to the Queene but his wife before God was Dame Elizabeth Lucy and so his children were Bastards And besides that that neither King Edward himselfe nor the Duke of Clarence amongst them that were secret in the Duke of Yorkes houshold were never reckoned surely to be the children of the Noble Duke as those that by their favours more resembled other knowne men then him from whose vertuous conditions hee said also that King Edward was farre off But the Lord Protector quoth hee that very Noble Prince the speciall Patron of Knightly Prowesse as well in all Princely behavior as in the lineaments and favour of his visage representeth the very face of the Noble Duke his Father This is quoth he the Fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the very print of his visage the sure undoubted image the plaine expresse likenesse of that Noble Duke Now was it before devised that in the speaking of these words the Protector should have come in amongst the people to the Sermon to the end that these words so meeting with his presence might have beene taken amongst the hearers as though the Holy Ghost had put them in the Preachers mouth and should have moved the people even there to have cryed King Richard that it might have been after said that he was specialy chosen by God and in manner by miracle but this device quailed either by the Protectors negligence or the Preachers over-hasty diligence For while the Protector found by the way tarrying lest he should have prevented these words the Doctor fearing that he should come ere his Sermon could come to those words hasting his matter thereto he was come to them and past them and entred into other matters ere the Protector came whom when hee beheld comming hee left the matter in hand and out of all order and out of all frame began to repeat those words againe This is the very Noble Prince the especiall Patrone of Knightly prowesse which aswell in all Princely behaviviour as in the lineaments and favour of his visage representeth the very face of the Noble Duke of York his father This is his Fathers owne figure this is his owne countenance the very print of his visage the sure undoubted image the plaine expresse likenesse of that Noble Duke whose remembrance can never dye while hee liveth While these words were speaking the Protector accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham went through the people up into the place where the Doctors stand where they heard out the Sermon but the people were so farre from crying King Richard that they stood
with the last nights cheere in so few houres so great a change marvellously misliked it Howbeit sith hee could not get away hee determined not to keepe himselfe close lest hee should seeme to hide himselfe for some secret feare of his owne fault whereof he saw no such cause in himselfe wherefore on the surety of his owne conscience hee determined to goe to them and to inquire what this matter might meane Whom as soone as they saw they began to quarrell with him affirming that he pretended to set distance betweene the King and them to bring them to confusion which should not lye in his power and when he began as he was an eloquent and well-spoken man in goodly wise to excuse himselfe they would not heare his answer but tooke him by force and put him in ward And then they mounted on horsebacke and came in haste to Stony Stratford where the King was going to horsebacke because hee would leave the lodging for them for it was too straight for both the companies And when they came to his presence they alighted and their company about them and on their knees saluted him and hee them gently received nothing earthly knowing nor mistrusting as yet The Duke of Buckingham said aloud On afore Gentlemen and Yeomen keepe your roomes and therewith in the Kings presence they picked a quarrell to the Lord Richard Grey the Queenes sonne and Brother to the Lord Marquesse and halfe Brother to the King saying that hee and the Marquesse his Brother and the Lord Rivers his Uncle had compassed to rule the King and the Realme and set variance betweene the estates and to subdue and destroy the Noble Bloud of the Realme And toward the accomplishment of the same they said the Lord Marquesse had entred into the Tower of London and thence had taken out treasure and sent men to the Sea which things these Dukes knew well were done for a good purpose and as very necessary appointed by the whole Counsell at London but somewhat they must say Unto the which words the king answered what my Brother Marquesse hath done I cannot say but in good faith I dare well answer for my Uncle Rivers and my Brother here that they bee innocent of such matters Yea my Liege quoth the Duke of Buckingham they have kept the dealing of these matters farre from the knowledge of your good Grace And forth-with they arrested the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte knights in the Kings presence and brought the King and all backe to Northampton where they tooke farther counsell in their affaires And there they sent from the King whom it pleased them and set about him such servants as better pleased them then him At which dealing he wept and was not content but it booted not And at dinner the Duke of Gloucester sent a dish from his owne Table to the Lord Rivers praying him to be of good cheere and all should be well hee thanked him and prayed the Messenger to beare it to his Nephew the Lord Richard with like words whom he knew to have need of comfort as one to whom such adversity was strange but hee himselfe had beene alwayes enured therewith and therefore could beare it the better But for all this message the Duke of Gloucester sent the Lord Rivers the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawte into the North parts into divers prisons but at last all came to Pomfret where they all foure were beheaded without judgement In this manner as you have heard the Duke of Gloucester tooke on him the Governance of the young King whom with much reverence hee conveighed towards London These tydings came hastily to the Queene before midnight by a very sore report that the King her sonne was taken and that her Brother and her other son and other her friends were arrested and sent no man knew whither With this heavie tidings the Queene bewailed her childs ruine her friends mischance and her owne misfortune cursing the time that ever she was perswaded to leave the gathering of people to bring up the King with a great power but that was passed and therefore now she tooke her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter and went out of the Palace of Westminster into the Sanctuary and there lodged in the Abbots place and shee and all her children and company were registred for Sanctuary persons The same night there came to Doctor Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke and Lord Chancelour a messenger from the Lord Chamberlaine to Yorke place beside Westminster the Messenger was brought to the Bishops Bed side and declared to him that the Dukes were gone back with the young King to Northampton and declared further that the Lord Hastings his master sent him word that hee should feare nothing for all should be well Well quoth the Archbishop be it as well as it will it will never be so well as wee have seene it and then the messenger departed Whereupon the Bishop called up all his servants and tooke with him the great Seale and came before day to the Queen about whom hee found much heavinesse rumble haste businesse conveyance and carriage of her stuffe into Sanctuary every man was busie to carry beare and convey stuffe chests and fardels no man was unoccupied and some carried more then they were commanded to another place The Queene sat alone below on the Rushes all desolate and dismaid whom the Archbishop comforted in the best manner that he could shewing her that the matter was nothing so sore as she took it for and that hee was put in good hope and out feare by the message sent to him from the Lord Hastings A woe worth him quoth the Queene for it is hee that goeth about to destroy me and my bloud Madame quoth he be of good comfort and I assure you if they crowne any other King then your sonne whom they now have we shall on the morrow crowne his Brother whom you have here with you And here is the Great Seale which in likewise as your Noble Husband delivered it to mee so I deliver it to you to the use of your Son therewith delivered her the Great Seale and departed home in the dawning of the day And when hee opened his windowes and looked on the Thames hee might see the River full of Boats of the Duke of Gloucester his servants watching that no person should goe to Sanctuary nor none should passe unsearched Then was there great rumour and commotion in the Citie and in other places the people diversly divined upon this dealing And divers Lords Knights and Gentlemen either for favour of the Queene or for feare of themselves assembled companies and went stocking together in harnesse And many also for that they recounted this demanour attempted not so specially against other Lords as against the King himselfe in disturbance of his Coronation therefore they assembled by and by together to commune of this matter
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
to them by the new usurper much lamented and pittied would never cease to barke if they cannot bite at the one side of me Likewise my cousin the Earle of Richmond his aides kinsfolke which be not of little power will surely attempt like a fierce grayhound either to bite or to pierce mee on the other side So that my life and rule should ever hang by a haire never in quiet but ever in doubt of death or deposition And if the said two linages of Yorke and Lancaster which so long have strived for the imperiall Diadem should joyne in one against mee then were I surely mated and the game gotten Wherefore I have clearely determined and with my selfe concluded utterly to relinquish all such fantasticall imaginations concerning the obtaining of the Crowne But all such plagues calamities and troubles which I feared and suspected might have chanced on me if I had taken the rule and regiment of this reale I shall with a reredemaine so make them rebound to our common enemie that calleth himselfe King that the best stopper that hee hath at tenice shall not well stop without a fault for as I told you before the Countesse of Richmond in my returne from the new named King meeting mee in the high way prayed me first for kindred sake secondly for the love I bare to my grandfather Duke Humphrey which was sworne brother to her father to move the King to bee good to her sonne Henry Earle of Richmond and to licence him with his favour to returne againe into England and if it were his pleasure so to doe shee promised that the Earle her sonne should marry one of King Edwards daughters at the appointment of the King without any thing to be taken or demanded for the said espousals but onely the Kings favour which request I soone overpassed and gave her faire words and so departed But after in my lodging when I called to memorie with a deliberate studie and did circumspctly ponder them I fully adjudged that the holy Ghost caused her to move a thing the end whereof she could not consider both for the security of the Realme as also for the preferment of her child and the destruction and finall confusion of the common enemy King Richard Which thing shee neither then thought I am sure as I by her words could make conjecture nor I my selfe cast not her desire to be so profitable to the Realme as I now doe perceive but such a Lord is God that with a little sparkle he kindleth a great fire and so finally to declare to you the very conclusion to the which I am both bent and set my mind is and my power and purpose shall helpe that the Earle of Richmond very heire of the house of Lancaster in the quarrell of the which linage both my father and grandfather lost their lives in battell shall take to wife Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to K. Edward by the which marriage both the houses of Yorke and Lancaster may bee obtained and united in one to the cleare stablishment of the title to the Crowne of this noble Realme To the which conclusion if the mothers of both parties and especially the Earle himselfe and the Lady will agree I doubt not but the braging Bore which with his tuskes raseth every mans skinne shall not only be brought to confusion as he hath deserved but that this Empire shal ever be certain of an undubitate heire and then shall all civill and intestine war cease which hath so long continued to the parting of many mens Crownes this Realme shall bee reduced againe to quietnesse renoune and glory This invention of the Duke many men thought after that it was more imagined for the inward hatred that he beare to King Richard then for any favour that hee bare to the Earle of Richmond But of such doubtfull matters it is not best to judge for erring to farre from the minde and entent of the actour But whatsoever he intended this device once opened to King Richard was the very occasion that hee was rounded shorter by the whole head without attainder or judgement When the Duke had said the Bishop which ever favored the house of Lancaster was wonderous joyfull and much rejoyced to heare this device for now came the winde about even as hee would have it for all his imagination tended to this effect to have King Richard subdued and to have the lines of K. Edward and King Henry the sixt againe raised and advanced But Lord how hee rejoyced to thinke how that by this marriage the linages of Yorke and Lancaster should bee conjoyned in one to the very stead fastnesse of the publique wealth of this Realme And lest the Dukes courage should swage or his minde should againe alter as it did often before as you may easily perceive by his owne tale Hee thought to set up all the sailes hee had to the intent that the ship of his pretended purpose might come shortly to some sure port And said to the Duke my Lord sith by Gods high provision your incomparable wisedome and policie this noble conjunction was first moved now it is convenient yea and necessary to consider what personages and friends we shall first make privie of this high device and politicke conclusion By my truth quoth the Duke wee will begin with my Lady of Richmond the Earles mother which knoweth where he is either in captivitie or at large in Brytaine For I heard say that the Duke of Britaine restored him to liberty immediately after the death of King Edward by whose meanes hee was restrayned Sith you will begin that way said the Bishop I have an old friend with the Countesse a man sober secret and well witted called Reignold Bray whose prudent policie I have knowne to have compassed things of great importance for whom I shall secretly send if it bee your pleasure I doubt not he wil gladly come and with a good will So with a little diligence the Bishop wrote a letter to Reighnold Bray requiting him to come to Brecknock with speede for great and urgent causes touching his Mistresse and no other thing was declared in the letter So the messenger rode into Lancashire where Bray was with the Countesse and Lord Thomas Stanley her husband delivered the letter which when hee had read hee tooke it as a signe or presage of some good fortune to come and so with the messenger hee came to the Castle of Brecknocke where the Duke and the Bishop declared what thing was devised both to set the Realme in a quiet steadfastnesse and also for the high preferment of the Earle of Richmonds sonne to his Lady and Mistrisse Willing her first to compasse how to obtaine the good wil of Queene Elizabeth and also of her eldest daughter bearing the same name and after secretly to send to her son into Britaine to declare what high honour was prepared for him if he would sweare to marry the Lady Elizabeth assoone
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
Cittie of Roan While hee tarried there making provision at Bartfleet in the mouth of the River of Seyne for all things necessary for his navy and navigation tidings were brought to him that King Richard being without children and now widdower intended shortly to marry with Lady Elizabeth his brothers daughter and to preferre the Lady Cicile her sister to a man found in a cloude and of an unknowne linage and family He tooke this newes as a matter of no small moment and so al things considered it was of no lesse importance then he tooke it for For this thing onely tooke away from all his companions their hope and courage that they had to obtaine an happie enterprise And therefore no marvell though it nipped him at the very heart when hee thought that by no possibility hee might attaine the marriage of any of King Edwards daughters which was the strongest foundation of his building by reason whereof hee judged that al his friends in England would abandon and â—hrinke from him Wherefore making not many of his counsell after diverse consultations hee determined not yet to set forward but to tarry and attempt how to get more aide more friends and more stronger succours And amongst all other it was thought most expedient to allure by affinity in his aide as a companion in armes Sir Walter Harbert a man of ancient stock and great power amongst the welshmen which had with him a faire Lady to his sister of age mature and ripe to bee coupled in matrimonie And for the achiving of this purpose messengers were secretly sent to Henry Earle of Northumberland which had before married another sister of Sir Walter Herberts to the intent that hee should set forward all this device and purpose but the waies were so narrowly watched and so many spies laid that the messenger proceeded not in his journey and businesse But in the meane season there came to the Earle a more joyfull message from Morgan Kidwelly learned in the temporall Law which declared that Ryce ap Thomas a man of no lesse valiantnesse then activitie and Iohn Savage an approved Captaine would with all their power bee partakers of his quarrell And that Reighnold Bray had collected and gotten together no small some of money for the payment of the wages to the souldiers and men of warre admonishing him also to make quick expedition and to take his course directly into Wales The Earle of Richmond because hee would no longer linger and weary his friends living continually betweene hope and feare determined in all convenient hast to set forward and carried to his shippes armour weapons victualls and all other ordinances expedient for warre And shortly to speake all things hee prepared which were wont to bee necessary and profitable to the variable chances and incertaine accidents and jeopardies of warre which requireth preparation of many instruments and things chargable And that the Earle had made his humble petition and devout prayer to almighty God beseeching him not onely to send him most prosperous winde and sure passage in his journey but also effectuously desiring his goodnesse of aide and comfort in his necessitie and victorie and supremitie over his enemies onely accompanied with two thousand men and a small number of shippes weighed up his anchors and hoysed up his sailes and in the calends of August he sailed from Harfleet with so prosperous a winde that the seventh day after his departure he arrived in Wales in the evening at a port called Milford Haven and incontinent tooke land and came to a place called Dalle where he heard say that a certaine company of his adversaries were layed in garrison to defend his arrivall all the last winter And the Earle at the â—un rising removed to Harford Wâ—st being distant from Dalle not fully tenne miles where he was applauded and received of the people with great joy and hee arrived there so suddenly that hee was come and entred the towne at the same time when the Citizens had but knowledge of his comming Here he heard newes which was as untrue as they truely were reported to him in Normandy that Rice ap Thomas and Iohn Savage with body and goods were determined to aide King Richard While he and his company were somewhat appalled of these new tidings there came such message from the inhabitants of the towne of Pembrook that refreshed and revived their frosen hearts and daunted courages For Arnould Butler a valliant Captaine which first asking pardon for his offences before time committed against the Earle of Richmond and that obtained declared that the Penbrochians were ready to serve and give their attendance on their naturall and immediate Lord Iasper Earle of Pembrooke The Earle of Richmond having his armie thus increased departed from Herford West to the towne of Cardigan being five mile distant from thence While the souldiers were refreshing and trimming themselves in their campe strange tidings sprung among them without any certaine authour that Sir Walter Harberd which lay with a great crew of men at Carmarden was now with a great army ready to approach and bid him battaile With which newes the armie was sore troubled and every man assaid his armour and proved his weapon and were prest to defend their enemies And as they were in this timerous doubt certaine horsemen which the Earle had sent to make exploration and search returned and reported all the countrey to be quiet and no let nor impediment to bee laid or cast in their journey And even at that same time the whole army was greatly recomforted by reason that the comming of Richard Griffeth a man of great nobility the which notwithstanding that he was conversant with Sir Walter Harbert Richard ap Thomas yet at that very instant he came to the Earle of Richmond with all his company which were of no great number After him the same day came Iohn Morgan with his men Then the Earle advanced forward in good hast making no repose or abode in any one place And to the intent to passe forward with sure and short expedition hee assaulted every place where his enemies had set any men of warre which with small force and lesse difficultie hee briefely did expugne and vanquish And suddenly hee was by his espials ascertained that Sir Walter Harbert and Rice ap Thomas were in harnesse before him ready to encounter with his army and to stoppe their passage Wherefore like a valiant captaine he first determined to set on them and either to destroy or to take them into his favour and after with all his power and puissance to give battaile to his mortall enemie King Richard But to the intent his friends should know with what dexteritie his attempted enterprise proceeded forward he sent of his most secret and faithfull servants with letters and instructions to the Lady Margaret his mother to the Lord Stanley and his brother to Talbotâ— and to other his trusty friends declaring to them that hee succoured and holpen