his right Heires but leauing that to the Law to decide so as the Entaile might seeme rather a personall fauour to him and his children then a totall Dis-inherison to the House of Yorke And in this forme was the Law drawne and passed Which Statute hee procured to be confirmed by the Popes Bull the yeare following with mention neuerthelesse by way of Recitall of his other Titles both of Descent and Conquest So as now the wreath of Three was made a wreath of Fiue for to the three first Titles of the two Houses or Lines and Conquest were added two more the Authorities Parliamentarie and Papall The King likewise in the Reuersall of the Attaindors of his Partakers and discharging them of all offences incident to his seruice and succour had his Will and Acts did passe accordingly In the passage whereof exception was taken to diuers Persons in the house of Commons for that they were attainted and therby not legall nor habilitate to serue in Parliament being disabled in the highest degree And that it should bee a great incongruitie to haue them to make Lawes who themselues were not Inlawed The truth was that diuers of those which had in the time of King RICHARD beene strongest and most declared for the Kings Partie were returned Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament whether by care or recommendation from the State or the voluntarie inclination of the People many of which had beene by RICHARD the third attainted by Outlawries or otherwise The King was somewhat troubled with this For though it had a graue and specious Shew yet it reflected vpon his Partie But wisely not shewing himselfe at all moued therewith hee would not vnderstand it but as a Case in Law and wished the Iudges to be aduised therupon who for that purpose were forthwith assembled in the Exchequer-Chamber which is the Councell-Chamber of the Iudges and vpon deliberation they gaue a graue and safe Opinion and Aduice mixed with Law and Conuenience which was that the Knights and Burgesses attainted by the course of Law should forbeare to come into the House till a Law were passed for the reuersall of their Attaindors It was at that time incidently moued amongst the Iudges in their Consultation what should be done for the King himselfe who likewise was attainted But it was with vnanimous consent resolued That the Crowne takes away all defects and stops in bloud and that from the time the King did assume the Crowne the fountaine was cleared and all Attaindors and Corruption of bloud discharged But neuerthelesse for Honours sake it was ordained by Parliament that all Records wherein there was any memorie or mention of the Kings Attaindor should be defaced cancelled and taken off the File But on the part of the Kings Enemies there were by Parliament attainted the late Duke of Glocester calling himselfe RICHARD the Third The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Surrey Viscount LOVEL the Lord FERRERS the Lord ZOVCH RICHARD RATCLIFFE WILLIAM CATESBY and many others of degree and qualitie In which Bills of Attaindors neuerthelesse there were contained many iust and temperate Clauses Sauings and Prouisoes well shewing and fore-tokening the wisdome stay and moderation of the Kings spirit of Gouernment And for the Pardon of the rest that had stood against the King the King vpon a second aduice thought it not fit it should passe by Parliament the better being matter of Grace to impropriate the thankes to himselfe vsing onely the opportunitie of a Parliament time the better to disperse it into the Veines of the Kingdome Therfore during the Parliament hee published his Royall Proclamation offering Pardon and Grace of restitution to all such as had taken Armes or beene participant of any Attempts against him so as they submitted themselues to his mercie by a Day and tooke the Oath of Allegeance and Fidelitie to him Whereupon many came out of Sanctuary and many more came out of Feare no lesse guiltie then those that had taken Sanctuarie As for Money or Treasure the King thought it not seasonable or fit to demand any of his Subiects at this Parliament both because he had receiued satisfaction from them in matters of so great importance and because hee could not remunerate them with any Generall Pardon being preuented therin by the Coronation Pardon passed immediatly before but chiefly for that it was in euery mans eye what great Forfeitures and Confiscations he had at that present to helpe himselfe Wherby those Casualties of the Crowne might in reason spare the Purses of the Subiect especially in a time when he was in peace with all his Neighbours Some few Lawes passed at that Parliament almost for forme sake amongst which there was One to reduce Aliens being made Denizens to pay strangers Customes and another to draw to himselfe the Seisures and Compositions of Italians Goods for not imployment being Points of Profit to his Coffers whereof from the very Beginning he was not forgetfull and had beene more happie at the Latter End if his early prouidence which kept him from all necessitie of exacting vpon his people could likewise haue attemp'red his nature therin He added during Parliament to his former Creations the Innoblement or aduancement in Nobilitie of a few others The Lord CHANDOS of Brittaine was made Earle of Bathe and Sir GILES DAWBENY was made Lord Dawbeny and Sir ROBERT WILLOVGHBY Lord Brooke The King did also with great Noblenesse and Bountie which Vertues at that time had their turnes in his Nature restore EDWARD STAFFORD eldest sonne to HENRY Duke of Buckingham attainted in the time of King RICHARD not onely to his Dignities but to his Fortunes and Possessions which were great to which he was moued also by a kind of gratitude for that the Duke was the man that moued the first Stone against the Tyrannie of King RICHARD and indeed madethe King a bridge to the Crowne vpon his owne Ruines Thus the Parliament brake vp The Parliament being dissolued the King sent forthwith Money to redeeme the Marquesse Dorset and Sir IOHN BOVRCHIER whom hee had left as his Pledges at Paris for Money which hee had borrowed when he made his Expedition for England And thereupon hee tooke a fit occasion to send the Lord Treasurer and Master BRAY whom hee vsed as Councellor to the Lord Maior of London requiring of the Citie a Prest of six thousand Markes But after many Parlees hee could obtaine but two thousand pounds Which neuerthelesse the King tooke in good part as Men vse to doe that practise to borrow Money when they haue no need About this time the King called vnto his Priuie-Councell IOHN MORTON and RICHARD FOX the one Bishop of Elie the other Bishop of Excester vigilant men and secret and such as kept watch with him almost vpon al men else They had beene both versed in his Affaires before hee came to the Crowne and were partakers of his aduerse Fortune This MORTON soone after vpon the death of BOVRCHIER he made
principall persons in presence of whom he did renew againe his promise to marrie with the Lady ELIZABETH This hee did the rather because hauing at his comming out of Britaine giuen artificially for seruing of his owne turne some hopes in cale he obtained the Kingdome to marrie ANNE Inheritresse to the Duchie of Britaine whom CHARLES the Eight of France soone after married It bred some doubt and suspicion amongst diuers that he was not sincere or at least not fixed in going on with the match of England so much desired which Conceit also though it were but Talke and Discourse did much afflict the poore Lady ELIZABETH her selfe But howsoeuer he both truly intended it and desired also it should be so beleeued the better to extinguish Enuie and Contradiction to his other purposes yet was he resolued in himselfe not to proceed to the Consummation thereof till his Coronation and a Parliament were past The one least a ioynt Coronation of himselfe and his Queene might giue any countenance of participation of Title The other least in the intayling of the Crowne to himselfe which he hoped to obtaine by Parliament the Votes of the Parliament might any wayes reflect vpon her About this time in Autumne towards the end of September there began and reigned in the Citie and other parts of the Kingdome a Disease then new which of the Accidents and manner thereof they called the Sweating Sicknesse This Disease had a swift course both in the Sicke-Body and in the Time and Period of the lasting therof for they that were taken with it vpon foure and twentie houres escaping were thought almost assured And as to the Time of the malice and reigne of the Disease ere it ceased It began about the one and twentieth of September and cleared vp before the end of October insomuch as it was no hinderance to the Kings Coronation which was the last of October nor which was more to the holding of the Parliament which began but seuen dayes after It was a Pestilent-Feuer but as it seemeth not seated in the Veynes or Humors for that there followed no Carbuncle no purple or liuide Spots or the like the Masse of the Bodie being not tainted onely a maligne Vapour flew to the Heart and seased the vitall Spirits which stirred Nature to striue to send it forth by an extreme sweat And it appeared by experience that this Disease was rather a Surprise of Nature than obstinate to remedies if it were in time looked vnto For if the Patient were kept in an equall temper both for Clothes Fire and Drinke moderately warme with temperate Cordials wherby Natures worke were neither irritated by Heat nor turned backe by Cold hee commonly recouered But infinite Persons died sodainly of it before the manner of the Cure and attendance was knowne It was conceiued not to bee an Epidemicke Disease but to proceed from a malignitie in the constitution of the Aire gathered by the predispositions of Seasons and the speedie cessation declared as much On SIMON and IVDES Euen the King dined with THOMAS BOVRCHIER Arch-Bishop of Canterburie and Cardinall and from Lambeth went by Land ouer the Bridge to the Tower where the morrow after hee made twelue Knights-Bannerets But for Creations hee dispensed them with a sparing hand For notwithstanding a Field so lately fought and a Coronation so neere at hand hee onely created three IASPER Earle of Pembroke the Kings Vncle was created Duke of Bedford THOMAS the Lord STANLEY the Kings Father-in-law Earle of Darbie and EDWARD COVRTNEY Earle of Deuon though the King had then neuerthelesse a purpose in himselfe to make more in time of Parliament bearing a wise and decent respect to distribute his Creations some to honour his Coronation and some his Parliament The Coronation followed two dayes after vpon the thirtieth day of October in the yeare of our Lord 1485. At which time INNOCENT the Eight was Pope of Rome FREDERICKE the Third Emperour of Almaine and MAXIMILIAN his sonne newly chosen King of the Romans CHARLES the Eight King of France FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spain and IAMES the Third King of Scotland with all which Kings and States the King was at that time in good peace and amitie At which day also as if the Crowne vpon his head had put perils into his thoughts he did institute for the better securitie of his person a Band of fiftie Archers vnder a Captaine to attend him by the name of Yeomen-of-his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of Dignitie after the imitation of that hee had knowne abroad then any matter of Diffidence appropriate to his owne Case hee made it to be vnderstood for an Ordinance not temporarie but to hold in succession for euer after The seuenth of Nouember the King held his Parliament at Westminster which hee had summoned immediately after his comming to London His Ends in calling a Parliament and that so speedily were chiefly three First to procure the Crowne to bee entayled vpon himselfe Next to haue the Attaindors of all of his Partie which were in no small number reuersed and all Acts of hostilitie by them done in his quarrell remitted and discharged and on the other side to attaine by Parliament the Heads and Principals of his Enemies The Third to calme and quiet the feares of the rest of that Partie by a Generall-Pardon not being ignorant in how great danger a King stands from his Subiects when most of his Subiects are conscious in themselues that they stand in his danger Vnto these three speciall Motiues of a Parliament was added that hee as a prudent and moderate Prince made this iudgement that it was fit for him to hasten to let his people see that hee meant to gouerne by Law howsoeuer hee came in by the Sword and fit also to reclaime them to know him for their King whom they had so lately talked of as an Enemie or Banished-man For that which concerned the Entayling of the Crowne more then that he was true to his owne Will that hee would not endure any mention of the Lady ELIZABETH no not in the nature of Speciall-Intaile he carried it otherwise with great wisdome and measure For he did not presse to haue the Act penned by way of Declaration or Recognition of right as on the other side he auoyded to haue it by new Law or Ordinance but chose rather a kind of middle-way by way of Establishment and that vnder couert and indifferent words That the inheritance of the Crowne should rest remaine and abide in the King c. which words might equally be applied That the Crowne should continue to him but whether as hauing former right to it which was doubtfull or hauing it then in Fact and possession which no man denied was left faire to interpretation eyther way And againe for the limitation of the Entaile he did not presse it to goe further then to himselfe and to the Heires of his body not speaking of
France And although the Parliament consisted of the First and Second Nobilitie together with principall Citizens and Townesmen yet worthily and iustly respecting more the People whose deputies they were then their owne priuate Persons and finding by the Lord Chancellours speech the Kings inclination that way they consented that Commissioners should goe forth for the gathering and leuying of a Beneuolence from the more able sort This Tax called Beneuolence was deuised by EDWARD the Fourth for which hee sustained much Enuie It was abolished by RICHARD the Third by Act of Parliament to ingratiate himselfe with the people and it was now reuiued by the King but with consent of Parliament for so it was not in the time of King EDWARD the Fourth But by this way hee raised exceeding great summes Insomuch as the Citie of London in those dayes contributed nine thousand pounds and better and that chiefly leuied vpon the wealthier sort There is a Tradition of a Dilemma that Bishop MORTON the Chancellour vsed to raise vp the Beneuolence to higher Rates and some called it his Forke and some his Crotch. For hee had couched an Article in the Instructions to the Commissioners who were to leuie the Beneuolence That if they met with any that were sparing they should tell them That they must needs haue because they laid vp and if they were spenders they must needs haue because it was seene in their Port and manner of liuing So neither kinde came amisse This Parliament was meerly a Parliament of Warre for it was in Substance but a declaration of Warre against France and Scotland with some Statutes conducing thereunto As the seuere punishing of Mortpayes and keeping backe of Souldiours wages in Captaines The like seueritie for the departure of Souldiours without licence Strengthening of the Common-Law in fauour of Protections for those that were in the Kings seruice And the setting the gate open and wide for men to sell or Morgage their lands without Fines for Alienation to furnish themselues with money for the Warre And lastly the voiding of all Scottishmen out of England There was also a Statute for the dispersing of the Standard of the Exchequer throughout England therby to size Weights and Measures and two or three more of lesse importance After the Parliament was broken vp which lasted not long the King went on with his Preparations for the Warre of France yet neglected not in the meane time the affaires of MAXIMILIAN for the quieting of Flanders and restoring him to his authoritie amongst his Subiects For at that time the Lord of Rauenstein being not onely a Subiect rebelled but a Seruant reuolted and so much the more malicious and violent by the aide of Bruges and Gaunt had taken the Towne and both the Castles of Sluice as wee said before And hauing by the commoditie of the Hauen gotten together certaine Ships and Barkes fell to a kind of Pyraticall Trade robbing and spoyling and taking Prisoners the Ships and Vessels of all Nations that passed alongst that Coast towards the Mart of Antwerpe or into any part of Brabant Zeland or Freezland being euer well victualled from Picardie besides the commoditie of Victuals from Sluice and the Countrey adjacent and the auailes of his owne Prizes The French assisted him still vnder-hand and hee likewise as all men doe that haue beene of both sides thought himselfe not safe except hee depended vpon a third Person There was a small Towne some two miles from Bruges towards the Sea called Dam which was a Fort and Approch to Bruges and had a relation also to Sluice This Towne the King of the Romans had attempted often not for any worth of the Towne in it selfe but because it might choake Bruges and cut it off from the Sea and euer failed But therewith the Duke of Saxonie came downe into Flanders taking vpon him the Person of an Vmpire to compose things betweene MAXIMILIAN and his Subiects but being indeed fast and assured to MAXIMILIAN Vpon this Pretext of Neutralitie and Treatie hee repaired to Bruges desiring of the States of Bruges to enter peaceably into their Towne with a Retinue of some number of men of Armes fit for his Estate being somewhat the more as hee said the better to guard him in a Countrey that was vp in Armes and bearing them in hand that hee was to communicate with them of diuers matters of great importance for their good Which hauing obtained of them hee sent his Carriages and Harbingers before him to prouide his Lodging So that his Men of Warre entred the Citie in good Array but in peaceable manner and he followed They that went before enquired still for Innes and Lodgings as if they would haue rested there all Night and so went on till they came to the Gate that leadeth directly towards Dam and they of Bruges only gazed vpon them and gaue them passage The Captaines and inhabitants of Dam also suspected no harme from any that passed through Bruges and discouering Forces a farre off supposed they had beene some Succours that were come from their Friends knowing some Dangers towards them And so perceiuing nothing but well till it was too late suflered them to enter their Towne By which kinde of Sleight rather then Stratageme the Towne of Dam was taken and the Town of Bruges shrewdly blockt vp wherby they tooke great discouragement The Duke of Saxonie hauing wonne the Towne of Dam sent immediatly to the King to let him know that it was Sluice chiefely and the Lord RAVENSTEIN that kept the Rebellion of Flanders in life And that if it pleased the King to besiege it by Sea he also would besiege it by Land and so cut out the Core of those Warres The King willing to vphold the Authoritie of MAXIMILIAN the better to hold France in awe and being likewise sued vnto by his Merchants for that the Seas were much infested by the Barkes of the Lord RAVENSTEIN sent straightwayes Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a valiant man and of good seruice with twelue Ships well furnished with Souldiers and Artillerie to cleare the Seas and to besiege Sluice on that part The Englishmen did not only coupe vp the Lord RAVENSTEIN that hee stirred not and likewise hold in strait Siege the Maritime part of the Towne but also assailed one of the Castles and renewed the assault so for twentie dayes space issuing still out of their Ships at the Ebbe as they made great slaughter of them of the Castle who continually fought with them to repulse them though of the English part also were slaine a brother of the Earle of Oxfords and some fiftie more But the Siege still continuing more and more strait and both the Castles which were the principall strength of the Towne being distressed the one by the Duke of Saxonie and the other by the English and a Bridge of boats which the Lord RAVENSTEIN had made betweene both Castles whereby Succours and Releefe might passe from the one to the other being on a night
KNESVVORTH likewise that had beene lately Maior of London and both his Sheriffes were for Abuses in their Offices questioned and imprisoned and deliuered vpon one Thousand foure hundred pounds payed HAVVIS an Alderman of London was put in Trouble and died with Thought and Anguish before his Businesse came to an end Sir LAVVRENCE AILMER who had likewise beene Maior of London and his two Sheriffes were put to the Fine of one Thousand Pounds And Sir LAVVRENCE for refusing to make payment was committed to Prison where hee stayed till EMPSON himselfe was committed in his place It is no marueile if the Faults were so light and the Rates so heauie that the Kings Treasure of store that hee left at his death most of it in secret places vnder his owne Key and keeping at Richmond amounted as by Tradition it is reported to haue done vnto the Summe of neare Eighteene hundred thousand pounds Sterling a huge Masse of Money euen for these times The last Act of State that concluded this kings Temporall Felicitie was the Conclusion of a Glorious Match betweene his Daughter MARIE and CHARLES Prince of Castile afterwards the great Emperour both beeing of tender yeares Which Treatie was perfected by Bishop FOXE and other his Commissioners at Calice the yeare before the Kings Death In which Alliance it seemeth hee himselfe tooke so high Contentment as in a Letter which hee wrote thereupon to the Citie of London commaunding all possible demonstrations of ioy to bee made for the same hee expresseth himselfe as if hee thought hee had built a Wall of Brasse about his Kingdome When hee had for his Sonnes-in-law a King of Scotland and a Prince of Castile and Burgundie So as now there was nothing to bee added to this great Kings Felicitie beeing at the top of all worldly Blisse in regard of the high Marriages of his Children his great Renowne throughout Europe and his scarce credible Riches and the perpetuall Constancie of his prosperous Successes but an opportune Death to withdraw him from any future blowe of Fortune Which certainely in regard of the great Hatred of his People and the Title of his Sonne being then come to Eighteene yeares of age and being a bold Prince and liberall and that gained vpon the People by his very Aspect and Presence had not beene impossible to haue come vpon him To crowne also the last yeare of his Raigne as well as his first hee did an Act of Pietie rare and worthy to bee taken into Imitation For hee granted forth a Generall Pardon as expecting a second Coronation in a better Kingdome Hee did also declare in his Will that his minde was that Restitution should bee made of those Summes which had beene vniustly taken by his Officers And thus this SALOMON of England for SALOMON also was too heauie vpon his People in Exactions hauing liued two and fiftie yeares and thereof Raigned three and twentie yeares and eight Moneths beeing in perfect Memorie and in a most Blessed Minde in a great Calme of a Consuming Sickenesse passed to a better World the two and twentieth of Aprill 1508. at his Palace of Richmond which himselfe had built THis King to speake of him in Tearmes equall to his Deseruing was one of the best sort of VVonders a Wonder for VVisemen Hee had parts both in his Vertues and his Fortune not so fit for a Common-place as for Obseruation Certainly hee was Religious both in his Affection and Obseruance But as hee could see cleare for those times through Superstition so he would be blinded now and then by Humane Policie Hee aduanced Church-men hee was tender in the Priuiledge of Sanctuaries though they wrought him much mischiefe Hee built and endowed many Religious Foundations besides his Memorable Hospitall of the Sauoy And yet was hee a great Almes-giuer in secret which shewed that his VVorkes in publique were dedicated rather to GODS Glorie than his owne Hee professed alwaies to loue and seeke Peace and it was his vsuall Preface in his Treaties That when CHRIST came into the World Peace was sung and when HEE went out of the World Peace was bequeathed And this Vertue could not proceede out of Feare or Softnesse for he was Valiant and Actiue and therefore no doubt it was truely Christian and Morall Yet hee knew the way to Peace was not to seeme to bee desirous to auoyde Warres Therefore would be make Cffers and Fames of Warres till hee had mended the Conditions of Peace It was also much that one that was so great a Louer of Peace should be so happie in VVarre For his Armes eyther in Forraine or Ciuill VVarres were neuer Infortunate neyther did be know what a Disaster meant The VVarre of his Comming in and the Rebellions of the Earle of Lincolne and the Lord AWDLEY were ended by Victorie The VVarres of France and Scotland by Peaces sought at his hands That of Brittaine by accident of the Dukes death The Insurrection of the Lord LOVEL and that of PERKIN at Excester and in Kent by flight of the Rebells before they came to Blowes So that his Fortune of Armes was still Inuiolate The rather sure for that in the quenching of the Commotions of his Subiects hee euer went in Person Sometimes reseruing himselfe to backe and second his Lieutenants but euer in Action and yet that was not meerely Forwardnesse but partly Distrust of others Hee did much maintaine and countenance his Lawes Which neuerthelesse was no Impediment to him to worke his VVill. For it was so handled that neyther Prerogatiue nor Profit went to Diminution And yet as hee would sometimes straine vp his Lawes to his Prerogatiue so would hee also let downe his Prerogatiue to his Parliament For Minte and Warres and Marshall Discipline things of Absolute Power hee would neuerthelesse bring to Parliament Iustice was well administred in his time saue where the King was Partie Saue also that the Councell-Table intermedled too much with Meum and Tuum For it was a very Court of Iustice during his time especially in the Beginning But in that part both of Iustice and Policie which is the Durable Part and cut as it were in Brasse or Marble which is The making of good Lawes he did excell And with his Iustice hee was also a Mercifull Prince As in whose time there were but three of the Nobilitie that suffered the Earle of Warwicke the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord AWDLEY Though the first two were in stead of Numbers in the Dislike and Obloquie of the People But there were neuer so great Rebellions expiated with so little Bloud drawne by the hand of Iustice as the two Rebellions of Black-heath and Excester As for the Seueritie vsed vpon those which were taken in Kent it was but vpon a Scumme of People His Pardons went euer both before and after his Sword But then hee had withall a strange kinde of Interchanging of large and inexpected Pardons which seuere Executions Which his Wisedome considered could not bee imputed to any
Archbishop of Canterbury And for FOX hee made him Lord Keeper of his Priuie-Seale and afterwards aduanced him by Degrees from Excester to Bathe and Wells thence to Durham and last to Winchester For although the King loued to imploy and aduance Bishops because hauing rich Bishopricks they carried their Reward vpon themselues yet he did vse to raise them by steps that hee might not lose the profit of the First-fruits which by that course of Gradation was multiplied At last vpon the eighteenth of Ianuarie was solemnized the so long expected and so much desired Marriage betweene the King the Lady ELIZABETH Which Day of Marriage was celebrated with greater Triumph and Demonstrations especially on the peoples part of Ioy and Gladnesse than the dayes eyther of his Entrie or Coronation which the King rather noted than liked And it is true that all his life time while the Lady ELIZABETH liued with him for she died before him hee shewed himselfe no very indulgent Husband towards her though shee was beautifull gentle and fruitfull But his auersion towards the House of YORKE was so predominant in him as it found place not only in his Warres and Counsells but in his Chamber and Bed Towards the middle of the Spring the King full of confidence and assurance as a Prince that had beene victorious in Battaile and had preuailed with his Parliament in all that hee desired and had the Ring of Acclamations fresh in his eares thought the rest of his Raigne should bee but Play and the enioying of a Kingdome Yet as a wise and watchfull King hee would not neglect any thing for his safetie thinking neuerthelesse to performe all things now rather as an Exercise then as a Labour So hee being truly informed that the Northerne parts were not onely affectionate to the House of YORKE but particularly had beene deuoted to King RICHARD the third thought it would bee a Summer well spent to visit those Parts and by his presence and application of himselfe to reclaime and rectifie those humors But the King in his accompt of Peace and Calmes did much ouer-cast his Fortunes which proued for many yeares together full of Broken Seas Tides and Tempests For he was no sooner come to Lincolne where he kept his Easter but he receiued newes that the Lord LOVEL HVMPHREY STAFFORD and THOMAS STAFFORD who had formerly taken Sanctuarie at Colchester were departed out of Sanctuarie but to what place no man could tell Which aduertisement the King despised and continued his Iourney to Yorke At Yorke there came fresh and more certaine aduertisement that the Lord LOVEL was at band with a great power of men and that the STAFFORDS were in Armes in Worcestershire and had made their approaches to the Citie of Worcester to assaile it The King as a Prince of great and profound iudgement was not much moued with it for that hee thought it was but a Ragge or Remnant of Bosworth-Field and had nothing in it of the maine Partie of the house of YORKE But hee was more doubtfull of the raysing of Forces to resist the Rebels then of the Resistance it selfe for that hee was in a Core of People whose affections he suspected But the Action enduring no delay hee did speedily leuie and send against the Lord LOVEL to the number of three thousand men ill armed but well assured being taken some few out of his owne Traine and the rest out of the Tenants and Followers of such as were safe to bee trusted vnder the Conduct of the Duke of Bedford And as his manner was to send his Pardons rather before the Sword then after hee gaue Commission to the Duke to proclaime pardon to all that would come in Which the Duke vpon his approach to the Lord LOVELS Campe did performe And it fell out as the King expected the Heralds were the Great-Ordnance For the Lord LOVEL vpon Proclamation of pardon mistrusting his men fled into Lancashire and lurking for a time with Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON after sailed ouer into Flanders to the Ladie MARGARET And his men forsaken of their Captaine did presently submit themselues to the Duke The STAFFORDS likewise and their Forces hearing what had happened to the Lord LOVEL in whose successe their chiefe trust was despaired and dispersed The two Brothers taking Sanctuarie at Colnham a Village neare Abington which Place vpon view of their Priuiledge in the Kings Bench being iudged no sufficient Sanctuarie for Traitors HVMPHREY was executed at Tiburne and THOMAS as being led by his elder brother was pardoned So this Rebellion proued but a Blast and the King hauing by this Iourney purged a little the Dregs and Leauen of the Northerne People that were before in no good affection towards him returned to London In September following the Queene was deliuered of her first sonne whom the King in honour of the Brittish-Race of which himselfe was named ARTHVH according to the Name of that ancient worthie King of the Britaines in whose Acts there is truth enough to make him Famous besides that which is Fabulous The Childe was strong and able though hee was borne in the eight Moneth which the Physicians doe preiudge THere followed this yeare being the Second of the Kings Reigne a strange Accident of State whereof the Relations which wee haue are so naked as they leaue it scarce credible not for the nature of it for it hath fallen out oft but for the manner and circumstance of it especially in the beginnings Therfore wee shall make our Iudgement vpon the things themselues as they giue light one to another and as wee can digge Truth out of the Mine The King was greene in his estate and contrarie to his owne opinion and desert both was not without much hatred throughout the Realme The root of all was the discountenancing of the House of YORKE which the generall Bodie of the Realme still affected This did alienate the hearts of the Subiects from him daily more and more especially when they saw that after his Marriage and after a Sonne borne the King did neuerthelesse not so much as proceed to the Coronation of the Queene not vouchsafing her the honour of a Matrimoniall Crowne for the Coronation of her was not till almost two yeares after when Danger had taught him what to doe But much more when it was spread abroad whether by Errour or the cunning of Male-Contents that the King had a purpose to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET closely in the Tower Whose case was so neerly paralleld with that of EDWARD the Fourths Children in respect of the Bloud like Age and the very place of the Tower as it did refresh and reflect vpon the King a most odious resemblance as if hee would bee another King RICHARD And all this time it was still whispered euery where that at least one of the Children of EDWARD the Fourth was liuing Which Bruit was cunningly fomented by such as desired Innouation Neither was the Kings nature and customes greatly fit to disperse
memorie and all things were directed by the Duke of Orleance who gaue audience to the Chaplaine VRSWICK and vpon his Ambassage deliuered made answer in somewhat high termes That the Duke of Britaine hauing beene an Host and a kind of Parent or Foster-father to the King in his tendernesse of age and weaknesse of fortune did looke for at this time from King HENRY the renowned King of England rather braue Troupes for his Succours then a vaine Treatie of Peace And if the King could forget the good Offices of the Duke done vnto him aforetime yet he knew well he would in his wisdome consider of the future how much it imported his owne safetie and reputation both in forraine parts and with his owne people not to suffer Britaine the old Confederates of England to be swallowed vp by France and so many good Ports and strong Townes vpon the Coast be in the command of so potent a Neighbour-King and so ancient an Enemie And therefore humbly desired the King to thinke of this businesse as his owne and therewith brake off and denied any further conference for Treatie VRSWICK returned first to the French King and related to him what had passed Who finding things to sort to his desire tooke hold of them and said That the Ambassadour might perceiue now that which he for his part partly imagined before That considering in what hands the Duke of Britaine was there would be no Peace but by a mixt Treatie of force and perswasion And therfore he would goe on with the one and desired the King not to desist from the other But for his owne part he did faithfully promise to bee still in the Kings power to rule him in the matter of Peace This was accordingly represented vnto the King by VRSWICK at his returne and in such a fashion as if the Treatie were in no sort desperate but rather stayed for a better houre till the Hammer had wrought and beat the Partie of Britaine more pliant Whereupon there passed continually Packets and Dispatches betweene the two Kings from the One out of desire and from the other out of dissimulation about the negotiation of Peace The French King meane while inuaded Britaine with great forces and distressed the Citie of Nantes with a strait siege and as one who though hee had no great Iudgement yet had that that hee could dissemble home the more he did vrge the prosecution of the Warre the more he did at the same time vrge the solicitation of the Peace Insomuch as during the siege of Nantes after many Letters and particular messages the better to maintaine his dissimulation and to refresh the Treatie he sent BERNARD DAVBIGNEY a person of good qualitie to the King earnestly to desire him to make an end of the businesse howsoeuer The King was no lesse readie to reuiue and quicken the Treatie And therupon sent three Commissioners the Abbot of Abington Sir RICHARD TVNSTAL and CHAPLEINE VRSWICK formerly imployed to doe their vtmost endeuours to manage the Treatie roundly and strongly About this time the Lord WOODVILE Vncle to the Queene a valiant gentleman desirous of honor sued to the King that he might raise some Power of Voluntaries vnder-hand and without licence or pasport wherein the King might any wayes appeare goe to the aide of the Duke of Britaine The King denied his request or at least seemed so to doe and layed strait commandement vpon him that hee should not stirre for that the King thought his honour would suffer therein during a Treatie to better a Partie Neuerthelesse this Lord either being vnruly or out of conceipt that the King would not inwardly dislike that which he would not openly auow sailed secretly ouer into the Isle of Wight whereof hee was Gouernour and leuied a faire Troupe of foure hundred men and with them passed ouer into Brittaine and ioyned himselfe with the Dukes Forces The Newes whereof when it came to the French Court put diuers Young Bloods into such a furie as the English Ambassadors were not without perill to bee outraged But the French King both to preserue the Priuiledge of Ambassadors and being conscious to himselfe that in the businesse of Peace hee himselfe was the greater dissembler of the two forbade all iniuries of fact or word against their persons or Followers And presently came an Agent from the King to purge himselfe touching the Lord WOODVILES going ouer vsing for a principall argument to demonstrate that it was without his priuitie for that the Troupes were so small as neither had the Face of a succour by authoritie nor could much aduance the Brittaine affaires To which message although the French King gaue no full credit yet he made faire weather with the King and seemed satisfied Soone after the English Ambassadors returned hauing two of them beene likewise with the Duke of Britaine and found things in no other termes then they were before Vpon their returne they informed the King of the state of the affaires and how farre the French King was from any true meaning of Peace and therefore he was now to aduise of some other course Neither was the King himselfe lead all this while with credulity meerely as was generally supposed But his Error was not so much facility of beleefe as an ill measuring of the forces of the other Partie For as was partly touched before the King had cast the businesse thus with himselfe He tooke it for granted in his owne iudgement that the Warre of Britaine in respect of the strength of the Townes and of the Partie could not speedily come to a Period For he conceiued that the Counsels of a Warre that was vndertaken by the French King then childlesse against an Heire-apparant of France would be very faint and slow And besides that it was not possible but that the state of France should be imbroiled with some troubles and alterations in fauour of the Duke of Orleance Hee conceiued likewise that MAXIMILIAN King of the Romans was a Prince warlike and potent who he made account would giue succours to the Britaine 's roundly So then iudging it would be a worke of Time hee laide his plot how hee might best make vse of that Time for his owne affaires Wherein first hee thought to make his vantage vpon his Parliament knowing that they being affectionate vnto the quarrell of Britaine would giue treasure largely Which treasure as a noise of Warre might draw forth so a peace succeeding might cofer vp And because hee knew his people were hot vpon the businesse hee chose rather to seeme to bee deceiued and lulled asleepe by the French then to be backward in himselfe considering his Subiects were not so fully capable of the reasons of State which made him hold backe Wherefore to all these purposes hee saw no other expedient then to set and keepe on foot a continuall Treatie of Peace laying it downe and taking it vp againe as the occurrence required Besides he had in consideration the point
of Honour in bearing the blessed person of a Pacificator Hee thought likewise to make vse of the Enuie that the French King met with by occasion of this Warre of Britaine in strengthening himselfe with new alliances as namely that of FERDINANDO of Spaine with whom he had euer a consent euen in nature and customes and likewise with MAXIMILIAN who was particularly interessed So that in substance hee promised himselfe Money Honour Friends and Peace in the end But those things were too fine to be fortunate and succeed in all parts for that great affaires are commonly too rough and stubborne to be wrought vpon by the finer edges or points of wit The King was likewise deceiued in his two main grounds For although he had reason to conceiue that the Councel of France wold be wary to put the King into a Warre against the Heire-apparant of France yet hee did not consider that CHARLES was not guided by any of the principall of the Bloud or Nobilitie but by meane Men who would make it their Master-peece of Credit and fauour to giue venturous Counsels which no great or wise Man durst or would And for MAXIMILIAN he was thought then a Greater-matter then he was his vnstable and necessitous Courses being not then knowne After Consultation with the Ambassadors who brought him no other newes then he expected before though he would not seeme to know it till then he presently summoned his Parliament and in open Parliament propounded the cause of Britaine to both Houses by his Chancellor MORTON Arch-Bishop of Canterburie who spake to this effect MY Lords and Masters The Kings Grace our Soueraigne Lord hath commanded me to declare vnto you the causes that haue moued him at this time to summon this his Parliament which I shall doe in few words crauing pardon of his Grace and you all if I performe it not as I would His Grace doth first of all let you know that he retaineth in thankefull memorie the loue and loyaltie shewed to him by you at your last Meeting in establishment of his royaltie freeing and discharging of his partakers and confiscation of his Traytors and Rebels more then which could not come from Subiects to their Soueraigne in one action This he taketh so well at your hands as he hath made it a Resolution to himselfe to communicate with so louing and well approued Subiects in all Affaires that are of publike nature at home or abroad Two therefore are the causes of your present assembling the one a forraigne Businesse the other matter of gouernment at home The French King as no doubt yee haue heard maketh at this present hot warre vpon the Duke of Britaine His Armie is now before Nantes and holdeth it straitly besieged being the principall Citie if not in Ceremonte and Preheminence yet in Strength and Wealth of that Duchie Yee may guesse at his Hopes by his attempting of the hardest part of the Warre first The cause of this Warre he knoweth best Hee alleageth the entertaining and succouring of the Duke of Orleance and some other French Lords whom the King taketh for his Enemies Others diuine of other Matters Both parts haue by their Ambassadours diuers times prayed the Kings Aids The French King Aides or Neutralitie the Britons Aides simply for so their case requireth The King as a Christian Prince and blessed Sonne of the Holy Church hath offered himselfe as a Mediator to treat a Peace betweene them The French King yeeldeth to treat but will not stay the prosecution of the Warre The Britons that desire Peace most hearken to it least not vpon confidence or stiffenesse but vpon distrust of true meaning seeing the Warre goes on So as the King after as much paines and care to effect a Peace as euer he tooke in any Businesse not being able to remoue the Prosecution on the one side nor the Distrust on the other caused by that Prosecution hath let fall the Treatie not repenting of it but desparing of it now as not likely to succeed Therefore by this Narratiue you now vnderstand the state of the Question whereupon the King prayeth your aduice which is no other but whether hee shall enter into an auxiliarie and defensiue Warre for the Britons against France 〈◊〉 the better to open your vnderstandings in this Affaire the King hath commanded mee to say somewhat to you from him of the Persons that doe interuene in this Businesse and somewhat of the Consequence thereof as it hath relation to this Kingdome and somewhat of the Example of it in generall making neuerthelesse no Conclusion or Judgement of any Point vntill his Grace hath receiued your faithfull and politique aduices First for the King our Soueraigne himselfe who is the principall Person you are to eye in this Businesse his Grace doth professe that he truly and constantly desireth to reigne in Peace But his Grace saith he will neither buy Peace with Dishonour nor take it vp at interest of Danger to ensue but shall thinke it a good Change if it please God to change the inward Troubles and Seditions wherewith he hath beene hitherto exercised into an honourable Forraigne Warre And for the other two Persons in this Action the French King and the Duke of Britaine his Grace doth declare vnto you that they be the Men vnto whom be is of all other Friends and Allies most bounden the one hauing held ouer him his hand of Protection from the Tyrant the Other hauing reacht forth vnto him his hand of helpe for the recouerie of his Kingdome So that his affection toward them in his naturall Person is vpon equall tearmes And whereas you may haue heard that his Grace was enforced to flie out of Britaine into France for doubts of being betrayed his Grace would not in any sort haue that reflect vpon the Duke of Britaine in defacement of his former benefits for that hee is throughly informed that it was but the practice of some corrupt Persons about him during the time of his sicknesse altogether without his consent or priuitie But howsoeuer these things doe interesse his Grace in his particular yet hee knoweth well that the higher Bond that tieth him to procure by all meanes the safetie and welfare of his louing Subiects doth dis-interesse him of these Obligations of Gratitude otherwise then thus that if his Grace be forced to make a Warre he doe it without passion or ambition For the consequence of this Action towards this Kingdome it is much as the French Kings intention is For if it be no more but to range his Subiects to reason who beare themselues stout vpon the strength of the Duke of Britaine it is nothing to vs. But if it be in the French Kings purpose or if it should not be in his purpose yet if it shall follow all one as if it were sought that the French King shall make a Prouince of Britaine and ioyne it to the Crowne of France then it is worthy the consideration how this may
although the French seemed to speake reason yet Arguments are euer with multitudes too weake for Suspitions Wherefore they did aduise the King roundly to embrace the Britons quarrell and to send them speedy aides and with much alacritie and forwardnesse granted to the King a great rate of Subsidie in contemplation of these aides But the King both to keepe a decencie towards the French King to whom he profest himselfe to be obliged and indeed desirous rather to shew Warre then to make it sent new solemne Ambassadors to intimate vnto him the Decree of his Estates and to iterate his motion that the French would desist from Hostilitie or if Warre must follow to desire him to take it in good part if at the motion of his people who were sensible of the cause of the Britons as their ancient Friends and Confederates hee did send them succours with protestation neuerthelesse that to saue all Treaties and Lawes of Friendship hee had limited his Force to proceed in aide of the Britons but in no wise to warre vpon the French otherwise then as they maintained the possession of Britaine But before this formall Ambassage arriued the Partie of the Duke had receiued a great blow and grew to manifest declination For neere the Towne of Saint Alban in Britaine a Battaile had beene giuen where the Britons were ouerthrowne and the Duke of Orleance and the Prince of Orange taken Prisoners there being slaine on the Britons part six thousand Men and amongst them the Lord WOODVILE and almost all his Souldiers valiantly fighting And of the French part one thousand two hundred with their Leader IAMES GALEOT a great Commander When the newes of this Battaile came ouer into England it was time for the King who now had no subrerfuge to continue further Treatie and saw before his Eyes that Britaine went so speedily for lost contrarie to his hopes knowing also that with his People and Forreiners both he sustained no small Enuie and disreputation for his former delayes to dispatch with all possible speed his succours into Britaine which hee did vnder the conduct of ROBERT Lord BROOKE to the number of eight thousand choise Men and well armed who hauing a faire wind in few houres landed in Britaine and ioyned themselues forthwith to those Briton-Forces that remained after the Defeat and marched straight on to find the Enemie and incamped fast by them The French wisely husbanding the possession of a Victorie and well acquainted with the courage of the English especially when they are fresh kept themselues within their Trenches being strongly lodged and resolued not to giue battaile But meane while to harrasse and wearie the English they did vpon all aduantages set vpon them with their Light-Horse wherein neuerthelesse they receiued commonly losse especially by meanes of the English-Archers But vpon these atchieuements FRANCIS Duke of Britaine deceased an accident that the King might easily haue foreseene and ought to haue reckoned vpon and prouided for but that the Point of Reputation when newes first came of the Battaile lost that somewhat must bee done did ouerbeare the Reason of Warre After the Dukes decease the principall persons of Britaine partly bought partly through faction put all things into confusion so as the English not finding Head or Bodie with whom to ioyne their Forces and being in iealousie of Friends as well as in danger of Enemies and the Winter begun returned home fiue moneths after their landing So the Battaile of Saint Alban the death of the Duke and the retire of the English succours were after some time the causes of the losse of that Duchie which action some accounted as a blemish of the Kings Iudgement but most but as the misfortune of his times But howsoeuer the temporarie Fruit of the Parliament in their aid and aduice giuen for Britaine tooke not nor prospered not yet the lasting Fruit of Parliament which is good and wholsome Lawes did prosper and doth yet continue to this day For according to the Lord Chancellours admonition there were that Parliament diuers excellent Lawes ordained concerning the Points which the King recommended First the authoritie of the Star-chamber which before subsisted by the ancient Common-Lawes of the Realme was confirmed in certaine Cases by Act of Parliament This Court is one of the sagest and noblest Institutions of this Kingdome For in the distribution of Courts of Ordinarie Iustice besides the High-Court of Parliament in which distribution the Kings-Bench holdeth the Pleas of the Crowne the Common-Place Pleas Ciuill the Exchequer Pleas concerning the Kings Reuenue and the Chancery the Pretorian power for mitigating the Rigour of Law in case of extremitie by the conscience of a good man there was neuerthelesse alwaies reserued a high and preheminent power to the Kings Counsell in Causes that might in example or consequence concerne the state of the Common-wealth which if they were Criminall the Counsell vsed to sit in the Chamber called the Star-Chamber if Ciuill in the White-Chamber or White-hall And as the Chancery had the Pretorian power for Equitie so the Star-chamber had the Censorian power for Offences vnder the degree of Capitall This Court of Star-chamber is compounded of good Elements for it consisteth of foure kindes of Persons Councellors Peeres Prelates and Chief-Iudges It discerneth also principally of foure kinds of Causes Forces Frauds Crimes various of Stellionate and the Inchoations or middle acts towards Crimes Capitall or hainous not actually committed or perpetrated But that which was principally aimed at by this Act was Force and the two chiefe Supports of Force Combination of multitudes and Maintenance or Headship of great Persons From the generall peace of the Countrie the Kings care went on to the peace of the Kings House and the securitie of his great Officers and Counsellors But this Law was somwhat of a strange composition and temper That if any of the Kings seruants vnder the degree of a Lord doe conspire the death of any of the Kings Counsell or Lord of the Realme it is made Capitall This Law was thought to bee procured by the Lord Chancellor who being a sterne and haughtie man and finding he had some mortall Enemies in Court prouided for his owne safetie drowning the enuie of it in a generall Law by communicating the priuiledge with all other Councellors and Peeres and yet not daring to extend it further then to the Kings seruants in Check-rowle lest it should haue beene too harsh to the Gentlemen and other Commons of the Kingdome who might haue thought their ancient Libertie and the clemencie of the Lawes of England inuaded If the will in any case of Felonie should be made the deed And yet the reason which the Act yeeldeth that is to say That hee that conspireth the death of Councellors may be thought indirectly and by a meane to conspire the death of the King himselfe is indifferent to all Subiects as well as to Seruants in Court But it seemeth this sufficed to serue the Lord
set on fire by the English hco despairing to hold the Towne yeelded at the last the Castles to the English and the Towne to the Duke of Saxonie by composition Which done the Duke of Saxonie and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS treated with them of Bruges to submit themselues to MAXIMILIAN their Lord which after some time they did paying in some good part the Charge of the Warre whereby the Almaines and forraigne Succours were dismissed The example of Bruges other of the Reuolted Townes followed so that MAXIMILIAN grew to be out of danger but as his manner was to handle matters neuer out of necessitie And Sir EDWARD POYNINGS after he had continued at Sluice some good while till all things were setled returned vnto the King being then before Bulleigne Somewhat about this time came Letters from FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queene of Spaino signifying the finall conquest of Granada from the Moores which action in it selfe so worthie King FERDINANDO whose manner was neuer to lose any vertue for the shewing had expressed and displayed in his letters at large with all the particularities and religious Punctoes and Ceremonies that were obserued in the reception of that Citie and Kingdome Shewing amongst other things That the King would not by any meanes in person enter the Citie vntill hee had first aloofe seene the Crosse set vp vpon the greater Tower of Granada whereby it became Christian ground That likewise before hee would enter he did Homage to God aboue pronouncing by an Herauld from the Height of that Tower that hee did acknowledge to haue recouered that Kingdome by the helpe of GOD Almightie and the glorious Virgin and the vertuous Apostle Saint IAMES and the holy Father INNOCENT the Eight together with the aides and seruices of his Prelates Nobles and Commons That yet he stirred not from his Campe till hee had seene a little Armie of Martyrs to the number of seuen hundred and more Christians that had liued in bonds and seruitude as Slaues to the Moores passe before his Eyes singing a Psalme for their redemption and that he had giuen Tribute vnto GOD by Almes and releefe extended to them all for his admission into the Citie These things were in the Letters with many more Ceremonies of a kind of Holy Ostentation The King euer willing to put himselfe into the Consort or Quire of all religious Actions and naturally affecting much the King of Spaine as farre as one King can affect another partly for his vertues and partly for a counterpoise to France vpon the receipt of these Letters sent all his Nobles and Prelates that were about the Court together with the Maior and Aldermen of London in great solemnitie to the Church of Pauls there to heare a Declaration from the Lord Chancellor now Cardinall When they were assembled the Cardinall standing vpon the vppermost step or Halfe-pase before the Quire and all the Nobles Prelates and Gouernours of the Citie at the foot of the Staires made a Speech to them letting them know that they were assembled in that Consecrate place to sing vnto God a New-song For that said he these many yeares the Christians haue not gayned new ground or Territorie vpon the Infidels nor enlarged and set further the Bounds of the Christian-world But this is now done by the prowesse and deuotion of FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spaine Who haue to their immortall Honour recouered the great and rich Kingdome of Granada and the populous and mightie Citie of the same name from the Moores hauing beene in possession thereof by the space of seuen hundred yeares and more For which this Assembly and all Christians are to render laud and thankes vnto God and to celebrate this noble Act of the King of Spaine who in this is not only Victorious but Apostolicall in the gaining of new Prouinces to the Christian Faith And the rather for that this Victorie and Conquest is obtained without much effusion of bloud Whereby it is to bee hoped that there shall bee gained not only new Territorie but infinite soules to the Church of Christ whom the Almightie as it seemes would haue liue to bee conuerted Herewithall hee did relate some of the most memorable Particulars of the Warre and Victorie And after his Speech ended the whole assemblie went solemnely in Procession and Te Deum was sung Immediately after the Solemnitie the King kept his May Day at his Palace of Sheine now Richmond Where to warme the blood of his Nobilitie and Gallants against the warre hee kept great Triumphs of Iusting and Tourney during all that Moneth In which space it so fell our that Sir IAMES PARKER and HVGH VAVGHAH one of the Kings Gentlemen-Vshers hauing had a Controuersie touching certaine Armes that the King at Armes had giuen VAVGHAN were appointed to runne some Courses one against an other And by accident of a faultie Helmet that PARKER had on he was stricken into the mouth at the first course so that his tongue was borne vnto the hinder part of his head in such sort that hee died presently vpon the Place Which because of the Controuersie precedent and the Death that followed was accounted amongst the Vulgar as a Combate or Tryall of Right The King towards the end of this Summer hauing put his Forces where with hee meant to inuade France in readinesse but so as they were not yet met or mustered together sent VRSWICK now made his Almoner and Sir IOHN RISLEY to MAXIMILIAN to let him know that hee was in Armes ready to passe the Seas into France and did but expect to heare from him when and where he did appoint to ioyne with him according to his promise made vnto him by COVNTEBALT his Ambassador The English Ambassadors hauing repaired to MAXIMILIAN did finde his power and promise at a very great distance hee being vtterly vnprouided of Men Money and Armes for any such enterprize For MAXIMILIAN hauing neither Wing to flie on for that his Patrimony of Austria was not in his hands his Father beeing then liuing And on the other side his Matrimonial Territories of Flanders being partly in Dowre to his Mother-in-law and partly not seruiceable in respect of the late Rebellions was thereby destitute of meanes to enter into Warre The Ambassadors saw this well but wisely thought fit to aduertise the King thereof rather than to returne themselues till the Kings further pleasure were knowne The rather for that MAXIMILIAN himselfe spake as great as euer hee did before and entertained them with dilatory Answers so as the formall part of their Ambassage might well warrant and require their further stay The King hereupon who doubted as much before and saw through his businesse from the beginning wrote backe to the Ambassadors commending their discretion in not returning and willing them to keepe the State wherein they found MAXIMILIAN as a Secret till they heard further from him And meane while went on with his Voyage Royall for France suppressing for a time this
escape shee knew they were things that a verie few could controll And therfore she taught him onely to tell a smooth and likely Tale of those matters warning him not to vary from it It was agreed likewise betweene them what account he should giue of his Peregrination abroad intermixing many things which were true and such as they knew others could testifie for the credit of the rest but still making them to hang together with the Part hee was to play Shee taught him likewise how to auoid sundry captious and tempting questions which were like to bee asked of him But in this shee found him of himselfe so nimble and shifting as shee trusted much to his owne wit and readinesse and therefore laboured the lesse in it Lastly shee raysed his thoughts with some present rewards and further promises setting before him chiefly the glorie and fortune of a Crowne if things went well and a sure refuge to her Court if the worst should fall After such time as shee thought hee was perfect in his Lesson shee began to cast with herselfe from what coast this Blazing-starre should first appeare and at what time it must bee vpon the Horizon of Ireland for there had the like Meteor strong influence before The time of the Apparition to bee when the King should bee engaged into a Warre with France But well she knew that whatsoeuer should come from her would bee held suspected And therfore if hee should goe out of Flanders immediately into Ireland shee might bee thought to haue some hand in it And besides the time was not yet ripe for that the two Kings were then vpon tearmes of Peace Therefore shee wheel'd about and to put all suspicion a far off and loth to keepe him any longer by her for that shee knew Secrets are not long liued shee sent him vnknowne into Portugall with the Lady BRAMPTON an English Ladie that embarqued for Portugall at that time with some Priuado of her owne to haue an eye vpon him and there hee was to remaine and to expect her further directions In the meane time shee omitted not to prepare things for his better welcome and accepting not onely in the Kingdome of Ireland but in the Court of France Hee continued in Portugall about a yeare and by that time the King of England called his Parliament as hath beene said and declared open Warre against France Now did the Signe reigne and the Constellation was come vnder which PERKIN should appeare And therefore hee was straight sent vnto by the Duchesse to goe for Ireland according to the first designement In Ireland hee did arriue at the Towne of Corke When hee was thither come his owne Tale was when hee made his Confession afterwards That the Irish-men finding him in some good Clothes came flocking about him and bare him downe that he was the Duke of Clarence that had beene there before And after that hee was RICHARD the Thirds base sonne And lastly that he was RICHARD Duke of Yorke second sonne to EDWARD the Fourth But that hee for his part renounced all these things and offered to sweare vpon the holy Euangelists that hee was no such man till at last thy forced it vpon him and bade him feare nothing and so forth But the truth is that immediately vpon his comming into Ireland hee tooke vpon him the said Person of the Duke of York and drew vnto him Complices and Partakers by all the meanes hee could deuise Insomuch as hee wrote his Letters vnto the Earles of Desmond and Kildare to come in to his Aide and bee of his Partie the Originalls of which Letters are yet extant Somewhat before this time the Duchesse had also gayned vnto her a neare seruant of King HENRY's owne one STEPHEN FRION his Secretarie for the French Tongue an actiue man but turbulent and discontented This FRION had fled ouer to CHARLES the French King and put himselfe into his seruice at such time as hee began to bee in open enmitie with the King Now King CHARLES when he vnderstood of the Person and Attempts of PERKIN readie of himselfe to embrace all aduantages against the King of England instigated by FRION and formerly prepared by the Ladie MARGARET forthwith dispatched one LVCAS and this FRION in the nature of Ambassadors to PERKIN to aduertise him of the Kings good inclination to him and that hee was resolued to aide him to recouer his right against King HENRY an Vsurper of England and an Enemie of France and wished him to come ouer vnto him at Paris PERKIN thought himselfe in heauen now that hee was inuited by so great a King in so honourable a manner And imparting vnto his Friends in Ireland for their incouragement how Fortune called him and what great hopes hee had sayled presently into France When hee was come to the Court of France the King receiued him with great honour saluted and stiled him by the name of the Duke of Yorke lodged him and accommodated him in great State And the better to giue him the representation and the countenance of a Prince assigned him a Guard for his Person whereof the Lord CONGRESALL was Captaine The Courtiers likewise though it bee ill mocking with the French applyed themselues to their Kings Bent seeing there was reason of State for it At the same time there repaired vnto PERKIN diuers Englishmen of Qualitie Sir GEORGE NEVILE Sir IOHN TAYLOR and about one hundred more and amongst the rest this STEPHEN FRION of whom wee spake who followed his fortune both then and for a long time after and was indeed his principall Counsellor and Instrument in all his Proceedings But all this on the French Kings part was but a Tricke the better to bow King HENRY to Peace And therefore vpon the first Graine of Incense that was sacrificed vpon the Altar of Peace at Bulloigne PERKIN was smoked away Yet would not the French King deliuer him vp to King HENRY as hee was laboured to doe for his Honors sake but warned him away and dismissed him And PERKIN on his part was as readie to bee gone doubting hee might bee caught vp vnder hand Hee therefore tooke his way into Flanders vnto the Duchesse of Burgundie pretending that hauing beene variously tossed by Fortune hee directed his course thither as to a safe Harbour No wayes taking knowledge that he had euer beene there before but as if that had beene his first addresse The Duchesse on the other part made it as new and strange to see him pretending at the first that she was taught and made wise by the example of LAMBERT SIMNELL how shee did admit of any Counterfeit Stuffe though euen in that she said she was not fully satisfied Shee pretended at the first and that was euer in the presence of others to pose him and sift him thereby to trie whether hee were indeed the very Duke of Yorke or no. But seeming to receiue full satisfaction by his answers shee then fained her selfe to be transported with a
And beganne whetting and inciting one another to renew the Commotion Some of the subtilest of them hearing of PERKINS being in Ireland found meanes to send to him to let him know that if hee would come ouer to them they would serue him When PERKIN heard this Newes hee beganne to take heart againe and aduised vpon it with his Councell which were principally three HERNE a Mercer that had fledde for Debt SKELTON a Taylor and ASTLEY a Scriuener for Secretarie FRION was gone These told him that hee was mightily ouerseene both when hee went into Kent and when hee went into Scotland The one being a place so neare London and vnder the Kings Nose and the other a Nation so distasted with the People of England that if they had Ioued him neuer so well yet they would neuer haue taken his part in that Companie But if hee had beene so happie as to haue beene in Cornewall at the first when the People began to take Armes there hee had beene crowned at Westminster before this time For these Kings as hee had now experience vvould sell poore Princes for shooes But hee must relye wholly vpon People and therefore aduised him to sayle ouer with all possible speede into Cornewall Which accordingly hee did hauing in his Companie foure small Barks with some sixe score or seuen score fighting men Hee arriued in September at Whitsand-Bay and forthwith came to Bodmin the Black-smiths Town Where there assembled vnto him to the number of three thousand men of the rude People There he set forth a new Proclamation stroaking the People with faire Promises and humouring them with Inuectiues against the King and his Gouernment And as it fareth with Smoke that neuer loseth it selfe till it bee at the highest hee did now before his end raise his Stile intituling himself no more RICHARD Duke of York but RICHARD the Fourth King of England His Councell aduised him by all meanes to make himselfe Master of some good walled Towne as well to make his Men finde the sweetnesse of rich Spoyles and to allure to him all loose and lost People by like hopes of Bootie as to bee a sure Retrait to his Forces in case they should haue any ill Day or vnluckie Chance in the Field Wherefore they tooke heart to them and went on and besieged the Citie of Excester the principall Towne for Strength and Wealth in those Parts When they were comne before Excester they forbare to vse any Force at the first but made continuall Shouts and Out-cries to terrifie the Inhabitants They did likewise in diuers places call and talke to them from vnder the Walls to ioyne with them and be of their Partie telling them that The King would make them another London if they would bee the first Towne that should acknowledge him But they had not the wit to send to them in any orderly fashion Agents or chosen Men to tempt them and to treat with them The Citizens on their part shewed themselues stout and loyall Subiects Neyther was there so much as any Tumult or Diuision amongst them but all prepared themselues for a valiant Defence and making good the Towne For well they saw that the Rebels were of no such Number or Power that they needed to feare them as yet and well they hoped that before their Numbers encreased the Kings Succours would come-in And howsoeuer they thought it the extreamest of Euils To put themselues at the mercy of those hungry and disorderly People Wherefore setting all things in good order within the Towne they neuerthelesse let-downe with Cords from seuerall parts of the Walls priuily seuerall Messengers that if one came to mischance another might passe-on which should aduertise the King of the State of the Towne and implore his aide PERKIN also doubted that Succours would come ere long and therefore resolued to vse his vtmost Force to assault the Towne And for that purpose hauing mounted Scaling-Ladders in diuers places vpon the Walls made at the same instant an Attempt to force one of the Gates But hauing no Artillery nor Engines and finding that hee could doe no good by ramming with Logges of Timber nor by the vse of Iron Barres and Iron Crowes and such other meanes at hand hee had no way left him but to set one of the Gates on fire which hee did But the Citizens well perceiuing the Danger before the Gate could bee fully consumed blocked vp the Gate and some space about it on the inside with Fagots and other Fuell which they likewise set on fire and so repulsed fire with fire And in the meane time raised vp Rampiers of earth and cast vp deep Trenches to serue in stead of Wall and Gate And for the Escaladaes they had so bad successe as the Rebels were driuen from the Wals with the losse of two hundred men The King when hee heard of PERKINS Siege of Excester made sport with it and said to them that were about him that The King of Rake-hells was landed in the West and that hee hoped now to haue the honour to see him which hee could neuer yet doe And it appeared plainely to those that were about the King that he was indeed much ioied with the newes of PERKINS being in English Ground where hee could haue no retrait by Land thinking now that hee should bee cured of those priuie Stitches which hee had long had about his Heart and had sometimes broken his Sleeps in the middest of all his Felicitie And to set all mens hearts on fire hee did by all possible meanes let it appeare that those who should now doe him seruice to make an end of these troubles should bee no lesse accepted of him than hee that came vpon the Eleuenth Houre and had the whole Wages of the Day Therefore now like the end of a Play a great number came vpon the Stage at once He sent the Lord Chamberlaine and the Lord BROOK and Sir RICEAP THOMAS with expedite Forces to speed to Excester to the Rescue of the Towne and to spread the Fame of his owne following in Person with a Royall Army The Earle of Deuonshire and his Son with the CAROES and the FVLFORDES and other principall Persons of Deuonshire vncalled from the Court but hearing that the Kings heart was so much bent vpon this Seruice made haste with Troupes that they had raysed to bee the first that should succour the Citie of Excester and preuent the Kings Succours The Duke of Buckingham likewise with many braue Gentlemen put themselues in Armes not staying eyther the Kings or the Lord Chamberlaines comming on but making a Bodie of Forces of themselues the more to indeare their merit signifying to the King their readinesse and desiring to know his pleasure So that according to the Prouerbe In the comming downe euerie Saint did helpe PERKIN hearing this Thunder of Armes and Preparations against him from so many Parts raised his Siege and marched to Taunton beginning already to squint one eye vpon the