other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
winges of horsemen coasting and ranging on every side And keeping this array he with great pompe entred the towne of Leiceste after the sunne set The Earle of Richmond raised his campe and departed from Lichfield to the towne of Tomworth thereto neere adjoyning and in the mid way passing there saluted him Sir Walter Hungerford and sir Thomas Burchier Kinghts and divers other which yeelded and submitted themselves to his pleasure For they being advertised that King Richard had them in suspition and jelousie a little beyond Stony stratford left forsooke privily their Captaine Robert Brakenbury and by nocturnall wandering and in manner by unknowne pathes and uncertaine waies searching at the last came to the Earle Henry Diverse other noble personages which inwardly hated King Richard worse then a toade or a serpent likewise to him resorted with their power and strength There happened in this progression to the Earle of Richmond a strange chance worthy to be noted for albeit he was a man of hautie and valiant courage and that his army encreased and daily more and more he waxed puisaunt and stronger yet hee was not a little afraid because he in no wise could bee assured of his father in law Thomas Lord Stanley which for feare of the destruction of the Lord Strange his sonne as you have heard as yet enclined to neither partie For if hee had gone to the Earle and that notified to King Richard his sonne had shortly beene executed Wherefore sith the Earles feare sprang not of nothing he accompanied with twenty light horsemen lingered in his journey as a man disconsolate musing and imagining what was best to bee done And the more to aggravate his melancholy pensivenesse it was shewed him that King Richard was at hand with a strong power and a populous army While he thus pensive dragged behind his hoast the whole army came before the town of Tomwoorth when he for the deepe darkenesse could not perceive the steppes of them that passed on before and had wandered hither and thither seeking after his company and yet not once hearing any noyse or whispering of them hee diverted to a little village being about three miles from his army taking great thought and much fearing lest hee should be espied and so trapped by K. Richards scoutwatch There hee tarried all night not once adventuring to aske or demand a question of any creature he being no more amased with the jeopardy and perill that was passed then with this present chaunce sore feared it should bee a prognostication or prodigiall signe of some unfortunate plague afterward to succeede As he was not merry being absent from his company likewise his army much marvelled and no lesse mourned for his sodaine and in tempestious absence The next morning early in the dawning of the day hee returned and by the conduct of good fortune espied and came to his army excusing himselfe not to have gone out of his way by ignorance but for a policie devised for the nonce he went from his campe to receive some glad message from certaine of his privie friends secret alies This excuse made hee privilie departed againe from his hoast to the towne of Aderstone where the Lord Stanley and sir William his brother with their bands were abiding There the Earle came first to his fatherinlaw in a little close where hee saluted him and sir William his brother and after diverse congratulations many friendly embracings each rejoyced of the state of the other and suddenly were surprised with great joy comfort and hope of great fortunate successe in all their affaires and doings Afterward they consulted together how to give battaile to K. Richard if hee would abide whom they knew not to be far off with an huge army In the evening of the same day sir Iohn Savage sir Brian Sanford sir Simon Digby and many other leaving King Richard turned came to the part of the Earle of Richmond with an elect company of men Which refusall of King Richards part by men of such experience did augment and increase both the good hope and the puissance of the Earle of Richmond In the meane season King Richard which was appointed now to finish his last labour by the very divine justice and providence of God which called him to condigne punishment for his scelerate merits and mischievous deserts marched to a place meete for two battailes to encounter by a village called Bosworth not farre from Leicester and there hee pitched his field refreshed his souldiers and tooke his rest The fame went that hee had that same night a dreadfull and terrible dreame for it seemed to him being asleepe that hee saw divers images like terrible devills which pulled and haled him not suffering him to take any quiet or rest The which strange vision not so suddenly strake his heart with a sudden feare but it stuffed his head and troubled his minde with many dreadfull and busie Imaginations For incontinent after his heart being almost damped hee prognosticated before the doubtfull chance of the battaile to come not using the alacritie and mirth of minde and of countenance as he was accustomed to doe before hee came towards the battell And lest that it might bee suspected that hee was abashed for feare of his enemies and for that cause hee looked so pittifully hee recited and declared to his familiar friends in the morning his wonderfull vision and terrible dreame But I thinke this was no dreame but a punction and pricke of his sinfull conscience for the conscience is so much more charged and aggravate as the offence is greater and more haynous in degree which prick of conscience although it strike not alwaies yet at the last day of extreame life it is wonte to shew and represent to us our faults and offences and the paines and punishments which hang over our heads for the same to the intent that at the instant we for our deserts being penitent and repentant may bee compelled to lament and bewaile our sinnes like forsakers of this world jocund to depart out of this miserable life Now to returne againe to our purpose the next day after K. Richard being furnished with men and all abiliments of wa◠bringing all his men out of their campe into the plaine ordered his foreward in a marvellous length in which hee appointed both horsemen and footmen to the intent to imprint in the hearts of them that looked a farre off a sodaine terrour and deadly feare for the great multitude of the armed souldiers and in the fore front hee placed the archers like a strong fortified trench or bulwarke over this battaile was captaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke with whom was Thomas Earle of Surrey his sonne After this long vangard followed King Richard himselfe with a strong company of chosen and approved men of warre having horsemen for winges on both the sides of his battell After that the Earle of Richmond was departed from the communicatiō of his friends as you
her wealth she went begging of many that had begged themselves if shee had not hope them such was her chance Now was it devised by the Protectour and his Councell that the same day that the Lord Chamberlain was headed in the Tower of London and about the same houre should be beheaded at Pomfret the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard the Queenes sonne sir Thomas Vaughan and sir Richard Haute which as you heard were taken at Northampton and Stony stratford by the consent of the Lord Hastings which execution was done by the order and in the presence of sir Richard Ratclif knight whose service the Protectour specially used in the Councell and in the execution of such lawlesse enterprises as a man that had beene long secret with him having experience of the world a notable wit short and rude in speech rough and boysterous of behaviour bold in mischiefe and as farre from pittie as from all feare of God This Knight brought these foure persons to the Scaffold at the day appointed and shewed to all the people that they were Traitours not suffering the Lords to speake and to declare their innocency lest their words might have inclined men to pitty them and to hate the Protectour and his part and so without judgement and processe of the Law caused them to bee beheaded without other earthly guilt but onely they were good men and true to the King too nie to the Queene insomuch that sir Thomas Vaughan going to his death said A mischeife take them that tooke the prophesie that G. should destroy King Edwards children for George Duke of Clarence Lord George which for that suspition is now dead but now remaineth Richard G. Duke of Gloucester which now I see is he that shall and will accomplish the Prophesie and destroy King Edwards children and all their allies and friends as it appeareth by us this day whom I appeale to the high tribunall of God for his wrongfull murther and our true innocency And then Ratclife said you have well appealed lay downe your head yea quoth sir Thomas I dye in right beware you dye not in wrong and so that good Knight was beheaded and the other three and buried naked in the Monasterie at Pomfret When the Lord Hastings and those other Lords and Knights were thus beheaded and rid out of the way then the Protectour caused it to bee proclamed that the Coronation for divers great and urgent causes should bee deferred till the second day of November for then thought he that while men mused what the matter meant and whiles the Lords of the Realme were about him out of their owne strengths and while no man knew what to thinke nor whom to trust or whether they should have time or space to digest the matter and make parts it were best hastily to pursue his purpose and put himselfe in possession of the Crowne before men could have time to devise any waies to resist But now was all the studie how this matter being of it selfe so haynous might be first broken to the people in such wise as it might bee well taken To this councell they tooke divers such as they thought meet to be trusted and likely to be induced to that part and able to stand them in stead either by power or by policie Among whom they made of Councell Edmond Shaw then Mayor of London which upon trust of his owne advancement where he was of a proud heart highly desirous tooke upon him to frame the Citty to their appetite Of Spirituall men they tooke such as had wit and were in authority amongst the people for opinion of their learning and had no scrupulus conscience Amongst these had they tooke Ralph Shaw clearke brother to the Mayor and Frier Pinkie provinciall of the Augustine Friers both Doctors in Divinity both great Preachers both of more learning then vertue of more fame then learning and yet of more learning then truth For they were before greatly esteemed among the people but after that never none of those two were regarded Shaw made a Sermon in praise of the Protectour before the Coronation and Pynkie made one after the Cornation both so full of tedious flattery that no good mans eares could abide them Pynkie in his Sermon so lost his vocye that hee was faine to leave off and come downe in the midst Doctor Shaw by his Sermon lost his honesty and soone after his life for very shame of the world into the which he durst never after much come abroad but the Frier feared no shame and so it harmed him the lesse Howbeit some doubt and many thinke that Pynkie was not of Councell before the Coronation but after the common manner fell to flattery after namely because his Sermon was not incontinent upon it but at S. Mary Spitle the Easter after But certaine it is that Doctor Shaw was of Councell in the beginning in so much that they determined that hee should first breake the matter in a Sermon at Paules Crosse in which hee should by the authority of his Preaching induce the people to encline to the Protectors ghostly purpose But now was all the labour and study in the device of some convenient pretext for which the people should be content to depose the Prince and accept the Protectour for their King In which deuers things they devised but the cheife thing and the weight of all that invention rested in this that they should alledge bastardy in King Edward himselfe or in his children or both so that he should seeme disabled to inherite the Crowne by the Duke of Yorke and the Prince by him To lay bastardy in King Edward sounded openly to the rebuk of the Protectours owne mother which was mother to them both For in that point could be no other colour but to pretend that his owne mother was an Adultresse but neverthelesse he would that point should bee lesse and more finely and closely handled not even fully plaine and directly but touched upon craftily as though men spared in that point to speake all the truth for feare of his displeasure But that other point concerning the bastardy they devised to surmise in King Edward his Children that hee desired should be openly declared and enforced to the uttermost The colour and pretext whereof cannot be well perceived except wee repeate some things long before done about King Edwards Marriages After King Edward the fourth had deposed King Henry the sixt and was in peaceable possession of the Realme hee determined with himselfe to marry as was requisite both for himselfe and for the Realme he sent the Earle of Warwick and divers other noble men in ambassage to the French King to entreate a marriage betweene the King and Bona sister to the French Queene then being in France In which thing the Earle of Warwick found the parties so toward and willing that hee speedily without any difficultie according to his instructions brought the matter to a good conclusion Now happeneth
in the twenty fifth yeare of Lewis the eleventh then being the King of France and the morrow after hee was Proclamed King and with great solemnity rode to Westminster and there 〈◊〉 in the seate Royall and called the Judges of the Realme before him staightly commanding them to execute the Lawes without favour or delay with many good exhortations of the which hee followed not one and then hee departed towards the Abby and at the Church doore hee was met with Procession and there was delivered to him by the Abbot the Scepter of Saint Edward and so went and offered to Saint Edwards shrine while the Monkes sang Te deum with a faint courage and from the Church hee returned to the Palace where he lodged till the Coronation And to bee sure of all enemies as hee thought hee sent for five thousand men out of the North against his Coronation which came up evill apparelled and worse harnessed in rusty harnesse neither defensable nor scoured to the sale which mustered in Finsbury fiâ—ld to the great disdaine of all the lookers on The fourth day of Iuly hee came to the Tower by water with his wife and the fifth day he created Edward his onely begotten sonne a child of tenne yeares old Prince of Wales and Iohn Haward a man of great knowledge and vertue aswell in councell as in battell hee created Duke of Norfolke and sir Thomas Haward his sonne he created Earle of Surry and William Lord Barkeley was then created Earle of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovell was then made Vicount Lovell and the Kings Chamberlaine and Lord Stanley was delivered out of ward for feare of his sonne the Lord Strange which was then in Lancashire gathering men as men said and the said Lord was made Steward of the Kings houshold likewise the Arch-Bishop of Yorke was delivered But Morton Bishop of Ely was deliverd to the Duke of Buckingham to keepe in ward who sent him to his manour of Brecknoke in Wales from whence hee escaped to King Richards confusion The same night the King made seventeene Knights of the Bath The next day he roade through London with great pompe and especially the Duke of Buckingham was richly apparelled and his horse trapped in blew velvet embroidered with the naves of carts burning of gold which trapper was borne by footmen from the ground with such solemne fashion that all men much admired it On the morrow being the sixt day of Iuly the King came towards his Coronation into Westminster Hall where his Chappell all the Prelates mitered received him And so they in order of Procession passed forward After the Procession followed the Earle of Northumberland with a pointlesse sword naked and the Lord Stanley bore the Mace of the Constableship The Earle of Kent bore the second sword on the right hand of the King naked The Lord Lovell bore an other sword on the left hand Then followed the Duke of Suffolke with the Scepter and the Earle of Lincolne with the Ball and Crosse. After them followed the new Earle of Surrey with the sword of Estate in a rich scabbard On the right side of him went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Crowne then followed King Richard in a Circot and robe of purple velvet under a Canopie borne by the barrons of the five Ports going betweene the Bishops of Bathe and Duresme The Duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high Steward of England bare the Kings traine After him followed the Earle of Huntington bearing the Queenes Scepter and the Vicount Lisle bearing the rod with the Dove And the Earle of Wiltshire bare the Queenes Crowne Then followed Queene Anne daughter to Richard Earle of Warwicke in robes like to the King between two Bishops and a canopie over her head borne by the Barons of the Ports On her head a rich Coronall set with stones pearles After her followed the countesse of Richmond heire to the Duke of Somerset which bare up the Queenes traine After followed the Dutches of Suffolke and Norfolke with Countesses Barronesses Ladies and many faire Gentlewomen in this order they passed thorow the palace entred the Abbie at the West end and so came to their seates of estate And after diverse songs solemly sung they both descended to the high Altar and were shifted from their robes and had diverse places open from the middle upward in which places they were annointed Then both the King and the Queene changed them into cloathes of gold and ascended to their seates where the Cardinall of Canterbury and other Bishops Crowned them according to the old custome of the Realme giving him the Scepter in his left hand and the ball with the crosse in the right hand and the Queene had the Scepter in her right hand and the rod with the Dove in the left hand On every side of the King stood a Duke and before him stood the Earle of Surrey with the sword in his hands And on every side of the Queene standing a Bishop and a Lady kneeling The Cardinall sung the Masse and after paxe The King the Queene descended and before the high Altar they were both houseled with one host divided betweene them After Masse finished they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine and there the King left the Crowne of Saint Edward and put on his owne Crowne And so in order as they came they departed to Westminster-hall and so to their chambers for a season during which time the Duke of Norfolke came into the Hall his horse trapped to the ground in cloth of gold as high Marshall and voyded the Hall About foure of the clocke the King and Queene entred into the Hall and the King sate in the middle the Queene on the left hand of the table on every side of her a Countesse holding a cloth of pleasance when shee list to drinke And at the right hand of the King sate the Bishop of Canterbury the Ladies sate all on one side in the middle of the Hall and at the table against theÌ„ sate the Chancellour and all the Lordes At the Table next the cupboord sate the Major of London And at the Table behind the Lords sate the Barons of the Ports And at the other boords sate Noble and Worshipfull personages When all persons were set the Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall the Earle of Surrey Constable for that day the Lord Stanlâ—y Lord Steward sir Willâ—am Hopton Treasurer and sir Thomas Percy Controler came in served the King solemnly with one dish of gold and another of silver And the Queene all in gilt vessels and the Bishops all in silver At the second course came into the Hall sir Robert Democke the Kings champion making a Proclamation that whosoever would say that King Richard was not lawfully King hee would fight with him at the utterance and threw downe his Gauntlet and then all the Hall cryed out King Richard And so hee did in three parts of the Hall and then one brought
win favour Hee was first upon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and neither left it nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queene and the Prince And while King Edward had King Henry in prison hee never returned but to the field at Barnet after which field lost and utterly subdued and all par-takings extinguished King Edward for his fast faith wisedome was not onely content to receive him but also wooed him to come and had him from thenceforth both in secret trust and speciall favour whom he never deceived For hee being after King Edwards death first taken by the tyrant for his truth to the King found the meanes to set the Duke in his toppe and joyned gentlemen together in aide of the Earle of Richmond which after was named King Henry the sevenâ—h First devising the marriage betweene the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth by the which his faithfull and true service declared to both his masters at once was an infinite benift to the Realme by the conjunction of the bloods of Lancaster and Yorke whose funerall titles had long unquieted the Realme This man afterwards escaped from the Duke and fled the Realme and never returned and went to Rome never minded to meddle with the world till King Henry the seventh sent for him and after made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England and after was made Cardinall and lived well to all mens judgements and died well But to returne to the former purpose he by the long and often alternate proofe as well of prosperity as adverse fortune had gotten by great experience the very mother and mistris of wisedome and deepe insight in politike and worldly drifts wherby perceiving now the Duke to commune with him fed him with faire words and many prayses and perceiving by the griefe of their communications the Dukes pride now and then to balke out a little brayd of envie towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the waies to pricke him forward taking alwaies the occasion of his comming and also keeping himself close within his bands that he rather seemed to follow him then to leade him For when the Duke began first to praise and boast the King to shew how much profit the Realme should take by his reigne Bishop Morton answered surely my Lord folly it were for mee to lie for I am sure if I would sweare the contrary ye would not once beleeve mee but if the world would have begunne as I would have wished that King Henries sonne had had the Crowne and not King Edward then would I have beene his true and faithfull subject but after that God had ordained him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was never so mad with a dead man to strive against the quicke so was I ever to King Edward a faithfull and true chaplin and glad would have beene that his children should have succeeded him howbeit if the secret judgement of God have otherwise provided I purpose not to spurne against the prick nor labour to set up that God pulleth downe And as for the late protector and now King and with that word hee left saving that he said that he had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his booke and beades and no further Then longed the Duke sore to heare what hee would have said because hee ended with the King and there so sodainely stopped and exhorted him familiarly betweene them both to be bold and to say whatsoever hee thought whereof he faithfully promised there should never come hurt and peradventure more good then hee would thinke And that hee himselfe intended to use his faithfull secret advice and counsaile which he said was the onely cause for the which hee procured of the King to have him in his custody where he might reckon himselfe at home or else hee had beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not have found like favour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said in good faith my Lord I love not much to talke of Pâ—inces as of a thing not all out of perill although the word bee without fault but yet it must be as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesops talke that when the Lyon had proclamed that on paine of death there should no horned beasts come into the wood one beast that had a bunch of flesh growing out of his head fled a great pace the foxe that saw him flie with all the hast asked him whither he fled In faith quoth he I neither know nor care so I were once hence because of the proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the foxe the Lyon never meant it by thee for that which thou hast is no horne in thy head No marry quoth hee I know that well enough but if hee say it is a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Bore shall picke any matter at any thing here spoken for it shall never come neere their eares In good faith sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken as well as before God I meant it could deserve but thankes and yet taken as I thinke it would might happen to turne mee to little good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke much more to know what it was Whereupon the Bishop said In good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith hee is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the wealth of this realme wherof his grace hath now the governance and whereof I my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise yet might it have pleased God for the better store to have given him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of the Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your grace and there left off againe The Duke somewhat marvelling at his sodaine pauses as though they were but parentheses with a high countenance said my Lord I evidently perceive and no lesse note your often breathing and sudden stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your words neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might perceive and have knowledge what your inward intent is now toward the King or what affectioÌ„ you beare toward me For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to us both for the which I my selfe knowledge and recognise to have none nor looke for no praise of any creature for the same maketh me not a little to muse thinking that you have some other privie Imagination by love or by grudge ingraved and
pleasant meanes to perswade and exhort the Duke to come to the Court But the Duke as wilie as the King mistrusting the faire flattering words and the gay promises to him so suddenly without any cause offered knowing the craftie castes of K. Richards bow which in divers affaires before times hee had seene practised required the King to pardon him excusing himselfe that hee was so diseased in his stomacke that hee could scarce take any refection or rest King Richard not being content with this excuse would in no wise admit the same but incontinent directed to the Duke other letters of a more rougher and hautie sort not without minatorie termes and checking words commanding him all excuses set apart to repaire without any delay to his royall presence The Duke made to the messenger a determinate answer that he would not come to his mortall enemie whom hee neither loved nor favored and immediately prepared open warre against him and perswaded all his complices and partakers that every man should in his quarter with all diligence raise up the people and make a commotion And by this meanes almost in one moment Thomas Marques Dorcet came out of Sanctuary where hee since the beginning of Richards dayes had continued whose life by the onely helpe of sir Thomas Lovel Esquier was preserved from all danger and perill in this troublous world gathered together a great band of men in Yorkeshire Sir Edward Courtney and Peter his brother Bishop of Exeter raised another army in Devonshire and Cornewall In Kent Richard Gilford and other Gentlemen collected a great company of Souldiers and openly began Warre But King Richard which in the meane time had gotten together a great strength and puissaunce thinking it not most for his part beneficiall to disperse and divide his Armie into small branches and particularly to persecute any one of the conjuration by himselfe determined all other being set aside with his whole puissaunce to set on the chiefe head which was the Duke of Buckingham And so removing from London hee tooke his journey toward Salsbury to the intent that in his journey hee might set on the Dukes armie if he might know him in any place encamped or in order of Battaile arayed The King was scarse two dayes journey from Salisbury when the Duke of Buckingham accompanied with a great power of wilde Welshmen whom he being a man of that courage and sharpe speech in manner against their willes had rather thereto enforced compelled by Lordly and straite commandement then by liberall wages and gentle reteynour which thing was the very occasion why they left him desolate and cowardly forsooke him The Duke with all his power marched through the forrest of Deanâ— intending to have passed the river Severne at Gloucester and there to have joyned in army with the Courtneys and other Westerne men of his confederacy and affinity which if hee had done no doubt but K. Richard had beene in great jeopardy either of privation of his Realme or losse of his life or both But see the chance before he could attaine to Severne side by force of continuall raine and moysture the river rose so high that it overflowed all the countrey adjoyning insomuch that men were drowned in their beds houses with the extreme violence were overturned children were carried about the fields swimming in cradles beastes were drowned on hills which rage of water lasted continually tenne dayes insomuch that in the countrey adjoyning they call it to this day the great water or the Duke of Buckinghams great water By this inundation the passages were so closed that the Duke could not come over Severne to his complices nor they to him during the which time the Welshmen lingering idely without money victuals or wages sodainly scaled and departed and for all the Dukes faire promises menaces and enforcements they would in no wise either goe further or abide The Duke thus abandoned and left almost alone was of necessity compelled to fly and in his flight was with this sodaine misfortune marvelously disdained and being unprovided what counsell hee should take and what way he should follow like a man in despaire not knowing what to doe of very trust and confidence conveyed himself into the house of Humfrey Banister his servant besides Shrewesbury whom hee had tenderly brought up and whom he above all men loved favoured and trusted now not doubting but that in his extreme necessity hee should finde him faithfull secret and trusty intending there covertly to lurk till either he might raise againe a new army or else shortly to saile into Britaine to the Earle of Richmond But when it was knowne to his adherents which were ready to give battaile that his hoste was scaled and had left him almost alone and was fled and could not bee found they were sodainely amased and stricken with a sodain feare that every man like persons desperate shifted for himselfe and fled some went to Sanctuary and to solitarie places some fled by sea whereof the most part within a few dayes after arrived safely in the Dutchy of Britany Among which number were these persons Peter Courtney Bishop of Exeter and Sir Edmond Courtney his brother by King Henry the sevâ—nth after created Earle of Dâ—â—onshire Thomas Marquâ—s Dorcet Iohn Lord Welles Sir Iohn Burchier Sir Edmond Woodvile a valiant man in Armes brother to Queene Elizabeth Sir Rrbert Willoughby Sir Gyles Dabeney Sir Thomas Arundell Sir Iohn Cheney and his two brethren Sir William Barkeley Sir William Brandon and Thomas his brother Sir Richard Edgcombe all these for the most part being Knights and Iohn Halwell Edward Powninges a politike captaine At this very season Iohn Morton Bishop of Ely and Christopher Vrswicke Priest and another company of noble men sojourned in Flanders and by letters and messengers procured many enemies against King Richard Which using a vigilant eye and a quicke remembrance being newly come to Salisbury having perfect notice knowledge how the Duke was fled his complices intended to passe out of the Realme First he sent men of warre to all the next ports and passages to keepe straightly the sea coast so that no person should passe outward nor take land in the Realme without their assent and knowledge Secondly he made Proclamation that what person could shew and reveale where the Duke of Buckingham was should be highly rewarded if he were a bondman hee should be infranchised and set at libertie if he were of free bloud hee should have a generall pardon bee remunerate with a thousand poundes Furthermore because he understood by Thomas Hutton which as you have heard was newly returned out of Britaine that Francis Duke of Britaine not onely refused to keepe the Earle of Richmond as a prisoner at his contemplation and for his sake but also was ready to aide and succour the said Earle with men money and all things necessarie for his transporting into England Wherefore hee rigged and sent out shippes of warre well furnished
worme of vengeance wavering in his head could not bee content with the death of divers gentlemen suspected of treason but also he must extend his bloudy fury against a poore gentleman called Collingborne for making a small Rime of three of his unfortunat Councellers which were the Lord Lovell sir Richard Radcliffe his mischievous minion and sir William Catesbey his secret seducer which meeter was The Rat the Cat and Lovell our dog Rule all England under the hog Meaning by the hog the dreadfull wild Bore which was the Kings cognisaunce but because the first line ended in dog the metrician could not observing the regiments of meeter end the second verse in Bore but called the Bore an hogge This poeticall Schoole-master corrector of breves and longs caused Collingborne to be abbreviated shorter by the head and to be divided into foure quarters King Richard being thus tormented and tossed in his owne conceipt and imagination calling to his remembrance that considerations amities and other honest bonds and pacts made concluded and appointed betweene Princes and politique governours are in the cause efficient especiall introduction that their Realmes and Countries are fortified and munited with a double power that is to say with their owne strength and the ayde of their friends devised with himselfe to practise a league and amitie with the King of Scotts which not long before had made diverse incursions and rodes into the Realme of England where although hee got little yet surely he lost not much and thereupon sued to have a truce or peace concluded which came even as King Richard had wished it Wherefore commissioners were assigned for both parts to meete at Notingham the seventh day next ensuing at which time came thither for the King of England Iohn Bishop of Lincolne Chancellor of England Richard Bishop of Saint Asse Iohn Duke of Norfolke Henry Earle of Northumbâ—rland Thomas Lord Stanley George Stanley Lord Strange Iohn Gray Lord Powes Richard Lord Fitzhngh Iohn Gunthorpe keeper of the Kings Privie Seale Thomas Barow Master of the Roules sir Thomas Bryan chiefe Justice of the Common Place sir Richard Ratcliffe Knight William Catesbey and Richard Salkeld Esquiers And for the King of Scots were deputed Colin Earle of Ergile Lord Campâ—ell Lord Chancellour of Scotland William Bishop of Aberden Robert Lord Lyle Laurence Lord Oliphant Iohn Drummond of Stobhall Archibald Qwitelator Archdeacon of Lawdene and Secretarie to King Iames Lyon K. of Armes Duncane Dundas These Councellers diverse times met and after long debating demanding and denying in the end of September they fully concluded and made a determination the effect whereof followeth in Articles I. First It was appointed and concluded that a perfect Amitie and an Inviolable peace should be had and kept betweene the Realmes of England and Scotland for the space of three yeares to beginne at the Sunne rising the twentie ninth day of September in the yeere of our Lord One thousand foure hundred eighty foure and to continne to the setting of the sunne the twenty ninth day of September in the yeare of Christs incarnation one thousand foure hnndred eightie seven II. Item that during the said yeares none of both the Princes nor their ministers shall make war or invade the Realme or dominion of the other by sea or land or vexe perturbe or molest the subjects or vassalles of either of them nor shall give counsell excite or move any other person to make warre or invasion on the territories of any of the said Princes III. Item that the towne and Castle of Barwicke with all such bounds as were thereto belonging â—hich were in the English mens hands at the deliverance of the same towne by King Henry the sixt to the King of Scotts shall so peaceably remaine in the possession of the King of England dnring the said truce IIII. Item that all other Castles holdes and fortresses shall peaceably remaine in the hands of the possessor and owner without chalenge or demand during the said truce the Castle of Dumbar only excepted which was delivered into the English mens hands by the appointment of the Duke of Albany when he fled into France V. Item If the King of Scotts doe intimate and declare to the King of England within the space of fortie daies next ensuing the date hereof that hee will not suffer the said Castle of Dumbar to be possessed of the English nation above the terme of sixe moneths that then during the said sixe moneths neither the English men in the Garison of Dumbar nor the Scotts dwelling and inhabiting about the limits of the same shall doe any hurt prejudice or dammage to any of the sald parties the said terme contiâ—ning VI. Item If after the said sixe moneths any variance or warre shall arise betweene the said two Princes either for the recovering or defending the said Castle of Dumbarre yet the said truce leagne and amitie for all other rights and possessions shall stand in force and be effectuall and that it shall bee lawfull to each of the said Princes to doe what they shall thinke necessary both for the obtaining and defending the said Castle of Dumbarre any thing contained in the treaty of peace notwithstanding VII Item It is conclvded and appointed between the parties aforesaid that during the said truce none of both the Princes aforesaid shall receiue into his Realme territories or dominions any traitour or rebell of the other Prince nor shall maintaine favour aide or comfort any rebell or traytor which is already fled or shall hereafter fly into either the said Princes dominions nor there suffer him or them to tarry or make their abode VIII Item If any such rebell or traytour shall fortune hereafter to arrive in the Realme or territorie of any of the said Princes that thâ—n the said Prince in whose dominion the said traytour or rebell is so arrived at the instance and request of the other Prince to whom the offence and crime was committed shall bee bound incontinently to deliver the said rebell or traytour to the said demander withont fraud or male engine IX Item That all Scotchmen now inhabiting in England and sworne to the King of England shall and may there inhabite and tarry so that their names within sortie daies after the date of this league bee certified to the King of Scotts or to his Chancellour by the King of England or the warden of the Marches X. Item If during the said amity and peace it shall fortune any of the Wardeines of the said Princes without commandment assent or knowledge of his soveraigne Lord and Master to invade or raise an army in the dominion of the other Prince and there to slay burne or spoyle that then the said Prince to whom the said Wardeine is or shall be subject and vassaile shall within sixe daies next after the fact done and perpetrate declare the said Wardeine a traytour and rebell and thereof shall make certificate to the other Prince to whom the injury was
committed within twelve daies after the said declaration made and denounced XI Item That in every safe conduct to be granted by either of the said Princes this clause to bee added Provided alwaies that the obtainer of this safe conduct be no traytour or rebell XII Item If during this amity and truce any of the subjects of either Prince doe presume or attempt to aide helpe maintaine or serve any other Prince against any of the said contractors Then it shall be lawfull to the Prince and his subjects against whom he shewed himselfe enemy and adversarie to apprehend and attach the said subject going comming or tarrying any act article or clause in this league to the contrary comprehended notwithstanding XIII Item It is agreed apointed and accorded that in this traatie and amitie shall bee comprehended the friends obliged and confederates of both the Princes if they list to enter and accept the league and thereupon to declare their pleasures within sixe moneths next ensuing and specially for the King of Englands part were named for confederates The King of Castile and Lyon the King of Arragon the King of Portugall the Archduke of Austryche and Burgony and the Duke of Britaine On the part of the King of Scotts were named for confederates Charles the French King Iohn King of Denmarke and Norwey and the Duke of Geldres and Brittaine XIIII Item It is agreed and concluded betweene the parties aforesaid that the Lordship of Lorne in the Realme of Scotland nor the Island of Londay lying in the river of Severne in the Realme of England shall not be taken nor comprised within the league but to stand at large as they did before XV. Item That this concord peace and amity should be published proclaymed and divulged the first day of October next ensuing in the most noble and famous cities and townes of both the Realmes and Regions And conservatours were appointed for the sure observation of this league aud amitie on both parts whose names follow For the King of England Iohn Earle of Lincone Henry Earle of Northumberland Ralph Lord Nevell Ralph Lord Greystocke Richard Lord Fitz Hugh Iohn Lord Scrope Thomas Lord Scrope of Massam Sir Christopher Moresby William Clapton Esquier Humfrey Lord Daker Sir Richard Ratcliffe Sir Iohn Conyers Sir Edward Hastings Sir Robert Donstable Sir Hugh Hastings Sir William Evers Sir Iohn Huldeston William Musgrave Esquier Richard Salkeld Esquier For the King of Scotts David Earle of Crafford and Lord Linsey George Earle of Huntlâ—y Lord Gordâ—n and Badzâ—nath Iohn Lord Dornelâ—y Iohn Lord Kynedy Robert Lord Lile Patricke Lord Hales Lawrence Lord Oliphaunt William Lord Borthwike Sir Iohn Rosse of Halkehed Sir Gilbert Iohnson of Elphynstone Sir Iohn Lundy Sir Iames Ogilly of Arly Sir Robert Hamilton of Fingaltâ—n Sir William Balze of Lamington Sir Iohn Kinedy of Blarqhon Sir Iohn Wemes Sir William Rochewen Edward Crochton of Kirke Paty Iohn Dundas Iohn Rosse of Montgrenane these three last were Esquiers XVI Item It is further condesconded and agreed that these commissioners whose names ensue shall meete at Loughmabanstane the eighteenth day of November next ensuing aswell for redresse to bee had of certaine offences done on the Westmarches as also for declaring and publishing of the peace and amitie Commissioners of the English part The Lord Dacre The Lord Fitz Hugh Sir Richard Radcliffe Sir Christopher Moresby Sir Richard Salkeld or three of them Commissioners for the Scottish part The Lord Kenedy The Lord Mountgomory The Lord Lile Iohn Maxwell Stuarde of Annerdâ—le Robert Crechton of Sanquhane or three of them XVII Item The like Commissioners were assigned to meete at Raydon Borne for the East Marches the first day of December and also meete at Haldanstanke the fourth day of the said moneth for the midle Marches Commissioners for the King of England The Earle of Northumberland The Lord Greystorcke The Lord Scrope of Massam Sir William Gastoyn Sir Robert Constable Commissioners for the King of Scotts The Earle of Huntley The Earle of Angus The Earle of Ergile Chancellour of Scotland The Lord Wandale The Lord Seton The Lord Olyphaunt The Lord Stobhill XVIII Item It is agreed that the commessioners aforesaid shall depute and assigne certaine persons to view and declare the bounds and limits appertaining to the Towne of Berwicke according to the true meaning of the league XIX Item It is agreed and appointed that no person of England or Scotland shall during the said truce build eare or sow any lands or ground being within the bounds of the batable ground but to suffer the same to continue in the same condition that it now remaineth When this league and amitie was thus concluded finished and sealed with all due circumstances thereunto required although King Richard judged deemed himselfe somewhat the more strong and quiet by force of this new amitie and concluded confederacie yet to augement more the familiaritie begunne betweene the King of Scots and him and to have a double string for his bow hee entreated a new aliance and marriage to bee concluded betweene the Prince of Rothsay eldest son to the King of Scots and Lady Anne de la Poole daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolke and Lady Anne sister to King Richard which sister he so much favored that he studying all the waies by the which hee might advance her off-spring and linage did not onely procure and seeke meanes how to make her daughter a Princesse and consequently a Queene but also after the death of his son he proclaimed Iohn Earle of Lincolne his Nephew her son heire apparent to the Crowne of England disinheriting King Edwards daughters whose brethren before you have heard he shamefully killed and murthered The King of Scots having neede of Friends but not so much neede as King Richard which was of necessitie compelled to seeke aiders and to entertaine fautours the one for favouring of flatterers and base borne persons and the other not only for tyranny and unnaturall homicide but also for the usurpation of the Crowne being of all the Realme detested and disdained gladly accepted and joyously consented to King Richards device and conjunction of amitie perfectly remembring that amongst all bonds and obligations of love and amitie that there is neither a surer nor a more perfect locke then the knot of conjunction in the Sacrament of Matrimonie which was in the very beginning of the first age of man ordained and instituted in the holy place of Paradice terrestiall by God himselfe by reason whereof the propagation and succession of the humane nature stablished upon the sure seate of lawfull Matrimonie betweene Princes may nourish peace concord and unity asswage breake the furious rage of truculent Mars and terrible battaile and encrease love favour and familiaritie Wherefore the said Princes sent their Embassadours and Councellors againe to the Towne of Nottingham where the said marriage was by writings and instruments covenanted condiscended and agreed and affiances made and taken by Procters and Deputies on
willing him in any wise to leave the Earle and without delay to repaire into England where for him were provided great honours and honourable promotions ascertaining him further that all offences in both parties were forgotten and forgiven and both he and she highly incorporate in the Kings heart Surely the inconstancie of this woman were much to bee marvelled at if all women had bin found constant but let men speake yet women of the very bond of Nature wil follow their owne kinde After that King Richard had thus with glorious promises and flattering words pleased and appeased the mutable mind of Queene Elizabeth which knew nothing lesse then that he most intended he caused all his brothers daughters to be conveighed into his Palace with solemne receiving as though with his new familiar and loving entertainment they should forget and in their mindes obliterate the old committed injury and late perpetrate tyranny Now nothing was contrarie and opposite to his pernicious purpose but that his Mansion was not void of his wife which thing he in any wise adjudged necessary to be done But there was one thing that so much feared and dragged him from committing this abominable murder because as you have heard before hee began to counterfeit the image of a good and well disposed person and therefore he was afraid lest the sudden and immature death of his wife once openly knowne hee should lose the good and credible opinion which the people had of him without desert conceived and reported But in conclusion evill counsell prevailed in a wit lately minded to mischiefe and turned from all goodnesse So that his ungratious desire overcame his honest feare And first to enter into the gates of his imagined enterprise hee abstayned both from the bed and company of his wife After hee complained to divers Noble men of the Realm of the unfortunate sterilitie and barrennesse oâ— his wife because she brought forth no fruit and generation of her body And in speciall hee accompted to Thomas Rotheram Arch-bishop of Yorke whom lately hee had delivered out of ward and captivity these impediments of his Queene and divers others thinking that hee would reveale and open to her all these things trusting the sequell hereof to take his effect that shee hearing this grudge of her husband and taking therefore an inward thought would not long live in this world Of this the Bishop gathered which well knew the complection and usage of the King that the Queenes dayes were short and that hee declared to certaine of his secret friends And thus he procured a common rumour but hee would not have the authour knowne to bee published and spread abroâ—d among the common people that the Qâ—eene was dead to the intent that shee taking some conceit of this strang fame should fall into some sudden sicknesse or grievous malady and to prove if afterwards shee shâ—â—ld fortune by that or any other waies to lose her life whether the people would impute her death to the thought or sicknes or therof would lay the blame to him When the Queene heard tell that so horrible a rumour of her death was sprung amongst the commonaltie shee sore suspected and judged the world to be almost at an end with her and in that sorrowfull agony shee with lamentable countenance and sorrowfull cheere repaired to the presence of the King her husband demanding of him what it should meane that he had judged her worthy to die The King answered her with faire words and with dissembling blandiments and flattering leasings comforted her bidding her to bee of good comfort for to his knowledge shee should have no other cause But howsoever it fortuned either by inward thought and pensivenesse of heart or by intoxication of poyson which is affirmed to bee most likely within a few dayes after the Queene departed out of this transitorie life was with due solemnitie buried in the church of S. Peter at Westminster This is the same Anne one of the daughters of the Earle of Warwicke which as you have heard before at the request of Lewes the French King was married to Prince Edward son to King Henry the Sixt. The King thus according to his long desire loosed out of the bonds of matrimony beganne to cast a foolish phantasie to Lady Elizabeth his neece making much suite to have her joyned with him in lawfull matrimony But because all men and the maiden her selfe most of all detested and abhorred this unlawfull and in a manner unnaturall copulation hee determined to prolong and dâ—fer the matter till he were in a more quietnesse For all that very season hee was oppressed with great weightie and urgent causes and businesses on every side considering that daily part of the nobilitie sailed into France to the Earle of Richmond other privily favoured and aided certaine of the conjuration so that of his short end few or none were in doubt And the common people for the most part were brought to such desperation that many of them had rather be reputed and taken of him in the number of his enemies then to abide the chance and hazard to have their goods taken as a spoyle of victorie by his enemies Amongst the noble men whom hee most mistrusted these were the principall Thomas Lord Stanley Sir William Stanley his brother Gilbert Talbot and six hundred other of whose purposes although King Richard were ignorant yet he gave neither confidence nor credence to any one of them and least of al to the Lord Stanley because hee was joyned in matrimony with the Lady Margaret mother to the Earle of Richmond as afterward apparently ye may perceive For when the said Lord Stanley would have departed into his Countrey to visite his familie and to recreate and refresh his spirits as he openly said but the truth was to the intent to be in a perfect readinesse to receive the Earle of Richmond at his first arrivall into England the King in no wise would suffer him to depart before he had left as an hostage in the Court George Stanley Lord Strange his first begotten son heire While King Richard was thus troubled and vexed with imaginations of the tumultuous time that was like to come Loe even suddenly hee heard newes that fire was sprung out of the smoake and the warre presently begun and that the Castle of Hammes was delivered into the hands of the Earle of Richmond by the meanes of the Earle of Oxford and that not onely hee but also Iames Blunt Captaine of the Castle were fled into France to aide the Earle Henry Wherefore he thinking it great policie to withstand the first brunt sent the most part of the garison of Calice to recover again by force the castle of Hammes They which were in the Castle perceiving their adversaries to approach prepared munitions and engins for their defence and sent also the Earle of Richmond to advertise him of their sodaine obsession requiring him of hasty ayde speedie succour The Earle slipping
leave to Gods Judgement Hee was no evill Captaine in warre as to the which his disposition was more inclined then to peace Sundry Victories he had and some Overthrowes but never for default of his owne person either for lacke of hardinesse or politicke order Free hee was of his exspences and somewhat above his power liberall with large gifts he gat him unstedfast friendship for which cause he was faine to borrow pill and extort in other places which gat him stedfast hatred Hee was close and secret a deep dissembler lowly of countenance arrogant of heart outwardly familiar where he inwardly hated not letting to kisse whom he thought to kill spitefull and cruell not alway for ill will but oftner for ambition and to serve his purpose friend and foe were all indifferent where his advantage grew hee spared no mans death whose life withstood his purpose He slew in the Tower King Henry the Sixth saying Now is there no Heire male of King Edward the third but we of the House of Yorke which murder was done without King Edward his assent which would have appointed that butcherly office to some other rather then to his owne Brother Some Wise men also thinke that his drift lacked not in helping forth his owne Brother of Clarence to his death which thing in all appearance he resisted although hee inwardly minded it And the cause thereof was as men noting his doings and proceedings did marke because that he long in King Edwards time thought to obtaine the Crown in case that the King his Brother whose life he looked that ill dyet would soone shorten should happen to decease as he did indeed his children being young And then if the Duke of Clarence had lived his pretensed purpose had been farre hindered For if the Duke of Clarence had kept himselfe true to his Nephew the young King every one of these casts had bin a Trumpe in the Duke of Gloucesters way but when he was sure that his Brother of Clarence wat dead then hee knew that hee might worke without that danger But of these points there is no certainety and whosoever divineth or conjectureth may as well shoot too farre as too short but this conjecture afterward tooke place as few doe as you shall perceive hereafter But before I declare to you how this Richard Duke of Gloucâ—ster began his mischievous imagined and pretended enterprise as apparently shall be opened I must a little put you in remembrance of a loving and charitable act no lesse profitable then pleasing to the whole Commonalty if it had bin so inwardly thought as it was outwardly dissembled which King Edward did lying on his death bed not long before he dyed For in his life although that the division amongst his friends somewhat grieved and vexed him yet in his health he lesse regarded and tooke heed to it by reason that he thought that he was able in all things to rule both parties were they never so obstinate But in his last sicknesse which continued longer then false and fantasticall tales have untruly and falsely surmised as I my selfe that wrote this Pamphlet truely knew when hee perceived his naturall strength was gone and hoped little of recovery by the arts of all his Physicians which he perceived onely to prolong his life Then he began to consider the youth of his Children howbeit hee nothing lesse mistrusted then that that hapned yet he wisely foreseeing and considering that many harmes might ensue by the debate of his Nobles while the youth of his children should lack discretion and good counsell of their friends for hee knew well that every part would worke for their owne commodity and rather by pleasant advice to win themselves favour then by profitable advertisement to doe the Children good wherefore lying on his death bed at Westminster hee called to him such Lords as then were about him whom hee knew to be at variance especially the Lord Marquesse Dorset son to the Queen and the Lord Hastings against whom the Queene especially grudged for the favour that the King bare him and also she thought him familiar with the King in wanton company her Kin bare him envy aswell for that the King made him Captaine of Calice which office the Lord Rivers Brother to the Queene claimed of the King by his former promise as of divers other gifts which hee received that they looked for And when these Lords with divers other of both parties were come unto the Kings presence he caused himselfe to be raised up with pillowes and as I can guesse said thus or much like in sentence to them My Lords my deare kinsmen and allies in what plight I now lye you see and I perfitly feele by the which I look the lesse while to live with you therefore the more deeply I am moved to care in what case I leave you for such as I leave you such are my children like to finde you which if they should finde at variance as God forbid they themselves might hap to fall at warre ere their discretion would serve to set you at peace You see their youth of which I reckon the onely surety to rest in your concord For it sufficeth not all you to love them if each of you hate other If they were men your faithfulnesse might hap to suffice but childhood must bee maintained by mens authority and slippery youth underpropped with elder counsell which they can never have except you give it nor you give it except you agree for where each laboureth to breake that the other maketh and for hatred each impugneth others counsell there must needes be a long tract ere any good conclusion can issue And further while each partie laboureth to be chiefe flatterer adulation shall then have more place then plaine and faithfull advice of which must needes ensue the evill bringing up of the Prince whose minde in tender youth infected shall readily fall to mischiefe and riot and draw downe this Noble Realme to ruine But if grace turne him to wisedome which God send him then they which by evill meanes pleased him best shall after fall farthest out of favour so that at the length evill drifts drive to naught and good plaine wayes prosper and flourish Great variance hath beene betweene you not alwayes for great causes Sometime a thing right well intended and misconstrued hath beene turned to the worse or a small displeasure done to you either by your owne affection or by instigation of evill tongues hath beene sorely aggravated But this I know wel you had never so great cause of hatred as you have of love because wee be all men and that we be all Christian men This I will leave to Preachers to tell you and yet I know not whether any Preachers words ought more to move you then I that am going by and by to the place that they alpreach of But this shall I desire of you to remember that the one part of you being of my bloud the
nor nothing he enterprised nor tooke in hand by the which he should be driven thereunto For his tribute out of France he had a little before recovered and obtained And the yeere before he dyed hee recovered againe the Towne of Barwicke against the King of Scots And albeit that all the time of his reigne he was so benigne courteous and familiar that no part of his vertues was esteemed more than those high humilities Yet that condition in the end of his last dayes decayed not in the which many Princes by a long continued Soveraignty decline to a proud port and behaviour from their conditions accustomed at their beginning Yet lowlinesse and gentlenesse so farre forth in him increased that the Summer before he dyed hee being at Havering at the Bower sent for the Maior of London thither onely to hunt and make pastime where hee made them not so hearty but so familiar and friendly cheere and sent also to their Wives such plenty of Venison that no one thing in many dayes before gat him either more hearts or more hearty favour amongst the common people which oftentimes more esteeme and take for great kindnesse a little courtesie then a great profit or benefit And so this Noble Prince deceased as you have heard in that time his life was most desired and when his people most desired to keepe him Which love of his people and their entire affection toward him had beene to his Noble Children having in themselves also as many gifts of Nature as many Princely vertues as much good towardnesse as their age could receive a marvellous fortresse and a sure armour if the division and dissention of their friends had not unarmed them and left them destitute and the execrable desire of Soveraignty provoked him to their destruction which if either kind or kindnesse had holden place must needes have beene their defence For Richard Gloucester by nature their Uncle by Office their Protectour to their Father greatly beholden and to them by oath and allegiance bounden all the bonds broken and violated which binde man and man together without any respect of God or the World unnaturally contrived to bereave them not onely of their dignity and pre-eminence but also of their naturall lives and worldly felicity And first to shew you that by conjecture he pretended this thing in his Brothers life yee shall understand for a truth that the same night that King Edward dyed one called Mistelbrooke long ere the day sprung came to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse-street without Cripple Gate of London and when he was with hasty wrapping quickly let in the said Mistelbrooke shewed unto Pottier that King Edward was that night deceased by my truth quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be King and that I warrant thee What cause hee had so to thinke hard it is to say whether hee being his servant knew any such thing pretended or otherwise had any inkling thereof but of all likelihood hee spake it not of nought But now to returne to the true History were it that the Duke of Gloucester had of old sore practised this conclusion or was before-time moved thereunto and put in hope by the tender age of the young Princes his Nephews as opportunity and likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that that he never intended Certaine it is that he being in the North parts for the good governance of the Countrey being advertised of his Brothers death contrived the destruction of his Nephewes with the usurpation of the Royall Dignity and Crowne And forasmuch as he well wist and had holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings Bloud either part envying others authority he now thought as it was indeed a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of his intent and a sure ground and situation of his unnatural building if hee might under the pretence of revenging of old displeasures abuse the ignorance and anger of the one party to the destruction of the other and then to win to his purpose as many as he could and such as could not be won might be lost ere they looked for it But of one thing hee was certaine that if his intent were once perceived hee should have made peace betweene both parties with his owne bloud but all his intent he kept secret till hee knew his friends of the which Henry the Duke of Buckingham was the first that sent to him after his Brothers death a trusty servant of his called Persivall to the City of Yorke where the Duke of Gloucester kept the K. his brothers Funeralls This Persivall came to Iohn Ward a cret Chamberer to the Duke of Gloucester desiring that hee in close and covert manner might speake with the Duke his Master whereupon in the dead of the night the Duke sent for Persivall all other being avoided which shewed to the Duke of Gloucester that the Duke of Buckingham his Master in this new World would take such part as hee would and would farther waite upon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were The Duke sent backe the Messenger with great thankes and divers privie instructions by mouth which Persivall did so much by his travell that he came to the Duke of Buckingham his Master into the Marches of Wales and presently after with new instructions met with the Duke of Gloucester at Notingham which was come out of the North-country with many Knights and Gentlemen to the number of 600. Horse and more in his journey towards London And after secret meeting and communication had betweene him and the Duke of Gloucester hee returned with such speed that hee brought the Duke of Buckingham his Master to meete with the Duke of Gloucester not far from Northampton with three hundred Horses and so they two came together to Northampton where they first began their unhappy enterprise and so the Duke of Buckingham continued stil with the Duke of Gloucester till he was crowned King as yee shall plainely perceive hereafter The young King at the death of his Father kept houshold at Ludlow for his Father had sent him thither for Justice to be done in the Marches of Wales to the end that by the authority of his presence the wilde Welshmen and evill disposed persons should refraine from their accustom'd murthers and outrages The governance of this young Prince was committed to Lord Anthony Woodvile Earle Rivers and Lord Scales Brother to the Queene a wise hardy and honourable personage as valiant of hands as politick in Counsell and with him were associate others of the same party and in effect every one as hee was neere of kin unto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince That drift by the Queene seemed to be devised whereby her bloud might of right in tender youth be so planted in the Princes favour that afterward it should hardly be eradicated out of the same The Duke of
Gloucester turned all this to their destruction and upon that ground set the foundation of his unhappy building For whom soever he perceived to be at variance with them or to beare toward himselfe any favour hee brake unto them some by mouth some by writing and secret messengers that it was neither reason nor yet to bee suffered that the young King their Master and kinsman should be in the hands and custody of his Mothers kindred sequestred in manner from their company and attendance of which every one ought him as faithfull service as they and many of them of farâ— more honourable part of kin then his Mothers side whose bloud quoth the Duke of Gloucester saving the Kings pleasure was farre unmeet to be matched with his which now to be removed from the King and the least Noble to bee left about him is quoth he neither honourable to his Majesty nor to us and also to him lesse surety to have his Nobles and mightiest of his friends from him and to us all no little danger to suffer and especially our ill willers to grow into great authority with the King in youth namely which is light of beliefe and soone perswaded Yee remember that King Edward himselfe albeit he was both of age and discretion yet was he ruled in many things by that faction more then stood ther with his honour or our profit or with the commodity of any man else except onely the immoderate advancement of themselves which whether they thirsted sore after their owne weale or no it were hard I thinke to guesse And if some folkes friendship had not holden better place with the King then any respect of kindred they might peradventure easely have trapped and brought to confusion some of us ere this and why not as easely as they have done others or this as neere of the Bloud Royall but our Lord hath wrought his will and thanked be his grace that perill is past howbeit as great is growing if wee suffer this young King in his enemies hands which without his witting might abuse the name of his commandement to any of our undoing which things God and our good provision forbid of which good provision none of us have any thing the lesse need for the late attonement made in which the Kings pleasure had more place then the parties hearts or wills nor none of us is so unwise or so much overseene as to trust a new friend made of an old foe or to thinke that any onely kindenesse so sodainly contracted in an houre continued scantly yet a fortnight should be deeper set in our stomackes then a long accustomed malice many yeeres rooted With these perswasions and writings the Duke of Gloucester set on fire them which were easie to kindle and especially two Henry Duke of Buckingham and William Lord Hastings and Lord Chamberlaine both men of honour and of great power the one by long succession from his Ancestors the other by his Offices and the Kings favour These two not bearing each to other so much love as hatred both to the Queenes bloud accorded together with the Duke of Gloucester that they would remove from the King all his Mothers friends under the name of their enemies Whereupon the Duke of Gloucester being advertised that the Lords about the King intended to bring him to London to his Coronation accompanied with such a number of their friends that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe without the assembling and gathering of people and in manner of open warre wherof the end he knew was doubtfull and in the which the King being on the other side his part should have the name and face of Rebellion He secretly therefore by divers meanes caused the Queene to be peâ—swaded that it was neither need and should also be dangerous for the King to come up so strong for as now every Lord loved other and no other thing studied for but the triumph of his Coronation and honour of the King And if the Lords about the King should assemble in the Kings name much people they should give the Lords betwixt whom and them there had beene some time debate an occasion to feare and suspect lest they should gather this people not for the Kings safe-guard whom no man impugned but for their destruction having more regard to their old variance then to their new atonement for the which cause they on the other part might assemble men also for their defence whose powers shee knew well stretched farre and thus should all the Realme fall in an uproare and of the mischief that thereof should ensue which was likely to be not a little the most harme was like to fall where she least would and then all the World would put her and her kindred in the blame saying That they had unwisely and untruly broken the amity and peace which the King her Husband had so prudently made between her kindred and his which amity his Kinne had alwayes observed The Queene being thus perswaded sent word to the King and to her Brother that there was no cause nor need to assemble any peope and also the Duke of Gloucester and other Lords of his side wrote unto the King so reverently and to the Queenes friends there so lovingly that they nothing earthly mistrusting brought the King toward London with a sober company in great haste but not in good speed till hee came to Northampton and from thence hee removed to Stony Stratford On which day the two Dukes and their traine came to Northampton faigning that Stony Stratford could not lodge them all where they found the Earle Rivers intending the next morning to have followed the King and to bee with him early in the morning So that night the Dukes made to the Earl Rivers friendly cheere but as soone as they were departed very familiar with great courtesie in open sight and the Earle Rivers lodged the two Dukes with a few of their privie friends fell to Councell wherein they spent a great part of the night and in the dawning of the day they sent about privily to their servants in their lodgings to haste to horsebacke for their Lords were in manner ready to ride whereupon all their servants were ready ere the Lord Rivers servants were awake Now had the Dukes taken the keyes of the Inne into their possession so that none should issue out without their consent And over this in the high way toward Stony Stratford they set certaine of their folkes that should cause and compell to returne againe all persons that were passing from Northampton to Stony Stratford saying that the Dukes themselves would be the first that should come to the King from Northampton thus they bare folks in hand But when the Earle Rivers understood the Gates closed and the wayes on every side beset neither his servants neither himselfe suffered to goe out perceiving so great a thing without his knowledge not begun for nought comparing this present doing
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
one safe and both be sure and nothing to both more perilous then both to be in one place for a wise Merchant never adventureth all his goods in one Ship All this notwithstanding here I deliver him and his Brother in him to keepe to your hands of whom I shall aske them both before God and the world Faithfull you be and that I know well and I know you be wise and of power and strength if you list to keep him for you lacke no helpe of your selves nor need to lacke no helpe in this case and if you cannot else-where then may you leave him here But onely one thing I beseech you for the trust that his Father put you in ever and for the trust I put you in now that as far as you thinke that I feare too much yee bee well ware that you feare not too little And therewithall she said to the Childe Farewell mine owne sweet Sonne God send you good keeping let me once kisse you ere you goe for God knoweth when we shall kisse together againe and therewith she kissed him and blessed him and turned her backe and wept going her way leaving the poore innocent childe weeping as fast as the Mother When the Cardinall and the other Lords had received the young Duke they brought him into the Star-Chamber where the Protector tooke him into his armes and kissed him with these words now welcome my Lord with all my very heart and hee said in that of likelihood even as hee inwardly thought and thereupon forthwith brought him to the King his Brother into the Bishops Palace at Pauls and from thence through the Citie honorably into the Tower out of which after that day they never came abroad When the Protector had both the children in his possession yea and that they were in a sure place he then began to thirst to see the end of his enterprise And to avoid all suspition hee caused all the Lords which hee knew to be faithfull to the King to assemble at Baynards Castle to commune of the order of the Coronation while he and other of his complices and of his affinity at Crosbies Place contrived the contrary and to make the Protectour King to which Councell there were adhibited very few and they very secret Then began here and there some muttering amongst the people as though all things should not long be well though they knew not what they feared nor wherefore were it that before such great things mens hearts of a secret instinct of Nature misgive them as the South wind sometime swelleth of it selfe before a Tempest or were it that some one man haply somewhat perceiving filled many men with suspition though hee shewed few men what he knew howbeit the dealing it selfe made men to muse on the matter though the Councel were close for by little and littâ—e all folke drew from the Tower where the King was and drew to Crosbies Place so that the Protector had all the resort the King was in manner desolate While some made suit unto them that had the doing some of them were by their friends secretly warned that it might haply turn to no good to them to be too much attendant on the King without the Protectors appointment which removed diverse of the kings old servants from him and set new in their places about him Thus many thinges comming together partly by chance and partly by purpose caused at length not common people onely which waver with the wind but wise men also and some Lords to marke the matter and muse therupon insomuch that the Lord Stanley which afterward was Earle of Derby wisely mistrusted it and said to the Lord Hastings that he much misliked these two severall Councels for while we quoth he talke of one matter at the one place little know we whereof they talke in the other peace my Lord quoth the Lord Hastings on my life never doubt you for while one man is there which is never thence neither can there bee any thing once minded that should sound amisse towards me but it should be in my eares as soone as out of their mouths This hee meant by Catesby which was neere of his seeret counsell and whom hee most familiarly used in his weighty matters putting no man in so speciall trust as hee reckoning himselfe to bee beloved of no man more then he knowing well that there was no man so much beholding to him as was this Catesby which was a man well learned in the lawes of this Realme and by the speciall favour of the Lord Hastings in good authority and bore much rule in the countries of Leicester Northampton where the Lord Hastings power lay But surely great pittie was it that he had not more thruth or lesse wit for his dissimulation onely kept all that mischiefe up in whom if the Lord Hastings had not put so speciall trust the L. Stanley and he with divers other Lords had departed into their countries and broken all the dance for many evill signes that hee saw which hee now constructed all for the best so â—urely thought he that there couâ—d be no harme intended towaâ—ds him in that councill where Catesby was And of tâ—uth the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham did seeme to shew very much countenance unto the Lord Hastings and kept him often in their company And undoubtedly the Protector loved him well and loth he was to have lost him saving for feare lest his life should have quailed their purpose for the which cause hee moved Catesby to prove with some words cast out afarre off whether hee could thinke it possible to winne the Lord Hastings to their part But Catesby whether hee assayed him or assayed him not reported unto him that hee found him so fast and heard him speake so terrible words that he durst no further breake unto him and of a truth the Lord Hastings of very trust shewed unto Catesby the mistrust that others began to have in the matter And therefore he fearing least their motions might with the Lord Hastings diminish his credit whereunto onely all the matter leaned procured the Protectour hastily to rid him and much the rather for he trusted by his death to obtaine much of the rule which the Lord Hastings bare in his countrey the onely desire whereof was the the thing that induced him to bee procurer and one of the specialest contrivers of all this horrible treason Whereupon the Lord Protector caused a Councell to bee set at the Tower on the friday the thirteenth day Iune where was much communing for the honorable solemnitie of the Coronation of the which the time appointed approached so neare that the Pageants were a making day and night at Westminster and vitailes killed which afterwards was cast away These Lords thus sitting communing of this matter the Protector came in among them about nine of the clocke saluting them curteously excusing himselfe that hee had beene from them so long saying merrily that he
either our owne fault or faint feeble heart and therefore goe to thy Maister and commend me to him and tell him I pray him to bee merry and have no feare for I assure him I am assured of the man he wotteth of as I am sure of mine owne hand God send grace quoth the messenger and so departed Certaine it is also that in riding towards the Tower the same morning in which he was beheaded his horse that hee accustomed to ride on stumbled twice or thrice almost to the falling which thing although it happeneth to them daily to whom no mischance is towards yet hath it beene as an old evill token observed as a going toward mischiefe Now this that followeth was no warning but an envious scorne the same morning before he was up from his bed where Shores wife lay with him all night there came to him sir Thomas Haward son to the Lord Haward which Lord was once of the priviest of the Lord Protectours counsell and doing as it were of curtesie to accompany him to the councell but of truth sent by the Lord Protectour to hast him thitherward This sir Thomas while the Lord Hastings stayed a while commoning with a Priest whoÌ„ he met in Towerstreete brake the Lords tale saying to him merrily what my Lord I pray you come on wherefore talke you so long with that Priest you have no neede of a Priest yet and laughed upon him as though he would say you shall have neede of one soone But little thought the other what hee meant but before night these words were well remembred by them that heard them so the true Lord Hastings little mistrusted and was never merier nor thought his life in more suretie in all his dayes which thing is often a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe mee then the vaine surety of mans minde so neere his death for upon the very Towerwharfe so neere the place where his head was off so soone after as a man might cast a ball a Pursievant of his owne called Hastings met with him and of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance another time in which it happened them to meete before together in the place at which time the Lord Hastings had been accused to King Edward by the Lord Rivers the Queenes brother insomuch that he was for a while which lasted not long highly in the Kings indignation as hee now met the same Pursevant in the same place the jeoperdie so well passed it gave him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom he had talked in the same place of that matter and therefore he said Ah Hastings art thou remembred when I met thee here once with a heavie heart Yea my Lord quoth he that I remember well and thankes bee to God they got no good nor you harme thereby thou wouldest say so quoth hee if thou knewest so much as I do which few know yet and more shall shortly that meant he that the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan should that day be beheaded at Pomfret as they were indeed which act he knew well should be done but thought not that the Axe hung so neere his owne head In faith man quoth hee I was never so sory nor never stood in so great danger of my life as I did when thou and I met here and loe the world is turned now now stand mine enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I never in my life merrier nor never in so great surety I pray God it prove so quoth Hastings prove quoth he doubtest thou that nay nay I warrant thee and so in manner displeased hee entred into the Tower where he was not long alive as you have heard O Lord God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in most surety and when he reckoned himselfe most sure hee lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honourable man a good Knight and gentle of great authority with his Prince of living somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemy and sure and secret to his friend easie to beguile as hee that of good heart and courage foâ—â—saw no perils a loving man and passing well beloved very faithfull and trusty enough buâ— trusting too much was his destruction as you may perceive Now flew the fame of thiâ— Lords death through the City and farther about like a winâ— in every mans eare but thâ— Protector immediately afteâ— dinner intending to set some colour upon the matter sent in all the haste for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower and at their comming himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in old ill-favoured Briganders such as no man would thinke that they would have vouchsafed to have put on their backes except some sodaine necessity had constrained them Then the Lord Protector shewed them that the Lord Hastings and other of his conspiracie had contrived to have suddenly destroyed him and the Duke of Buckingham there the same day in Councel and what they intended farther was yet not well known of which their treason hee had never knowledge before ten of the clock the same forenoone which sodaine feare drave them to put on such harnesse as came next to their hands for their defence and so God holpe them that the mischiefe turned upon them that would have done it and thus he required them to report Every man answered faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which of truth no man beleeved Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples mindes hee sent immediately after dinner an Herald of Armes with a Proclamation through the Cirie of London which was proclaimed in the Kings Name that the Lord Hastings with divers other of his trayterous purpose had before conspired the same day to have slaine the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham fitting in Councell and after to have taken upon them the rule of the King and the Realme at their pleasure and thereby to pill and spoile whom they list uncontrouled and much matter was devised in the same Proclamation to the slander of the Lord Hastings as that he was an evill Councellor to the Kings Father entising him to many things highly redounding to the diminishing of his honour and to the universall hurt of his Realme by his evill company and sinister procuring and ungracious example aswell in many other things as in vitious living and inordinate abusing of his body both with many other and especially with Shores wife which was one of his secret Councell in this heinous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night passed next before his death so that it was the lesse marvell if ungracious living brought him to an unhappy end which he was now put to by the command of the Kings Highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Councell both for his demerits being so openly taken in
honest man and substantiall amongst you And in that point which in good faith I am sory to speake of saving that it is vaine to keepe in Counsell that thing that all men knowe the Kings greedy appetite was insatiable and every where over all the Realme intolerable For no woman was there any where young or old poor or rich whom he set his eye upon whom hee any thing liked either for person or beauty speech pace or countenance but without any feare of God or respect of his Honour murmure or grudging of the world hee would importunately pursue his appetite and have her to the great destruction of many a good woman and great dolour to their husbands and friends which being honest people of themselves so much regarded the cleannesse of their houses the chastity of their wives and children that they had rather lose all that they had besides then to have such a villany done to them And albeit that with this and other importable dealing the Realme was in every place annoyed yet specially you the Citizens of this Nobility as for that amongst you is most plenty of such things as minister matter to such injuries as for that you were neerest hand sith that neere here about was his most common abiding And yet be yee a people whom he had as singular a cause well and truly to intreat as any part of his Realme not onely for that the Prince by this Noble Citie as of his speciall Chamber and renouned Citie of this Realme receiveth much honourable fame amongst all other Nations but also for that you not without your great cost and sundry favours and dangers in all his warres bare ever your especiall favour to his part which your kinde mindes borne to the house of Yorke sith hee hath nothing worthily requirid you there is of the house now which by Gods grace shall make you full recompence which thing to shew you is the whole summe and effect of our arrand It shall not neede I hope to rehearse unto you againe that you have already heard of him that can better tell it and of whom I am sure ye will better beleeve it and reason it is that it should bee so I am not so proud to looke therefore that you should receive my words of so great authority as the Preachers of the word of God namely a man so cunning and so wise that no man knoweth better what hee should doe and say and thereto so good and vertuous that he would not say the thing which hee ought not to say in the pulpit namely into the which no honest man commeth to lie which honorable preacher ye well remember substantially declared to you at Paules Crosse on Sunday last past the right and title of the most excellent Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester now Protector of this his Realme which he hath unto the Crowne of the Kingdome of the same For that worshipfull man made it perfectly and groundedly open unto you The children of King Edward the fourth were never lawfully begotten for as much as the King leaving his very wife Dame Elizabeth Lucy was never lawfully married to the Queene their mother whose blood saving hee set his voluptuous pleasure before his honour was full unmeetly to bee matched with his the mingling of which two bloods together hath beene the effusion of a great part of the noble blood of this Realme whereby it may well be seene that marriage was not well made of which there is so much mischiefe growne For lacke of which lawfull copulation and also of other things which the said worshipfull Doctor rather signified then fully explained and which thing shall not be spoken for me as the thing that every man forbeareth to say that hee knoweth in avoiding the displeasure that my noble Lord Protector bearing as nature requireth a filiall reverence to the Dutches his Mother For these causes before remembred I say that for lacke of issue lawfully comming of the late noble Prince Richard Duke of Yorke to whose Royall blood the Crownes of England and of France are by the high authority of a parliament entailed the right and title of the same is by just course of inheritance according to the common law of this land devolved and come unto the most excellent Prince the Lord Protector as to the very lawfull begotten sonne of the fore-remembred noble Duke of Yorke Which thing well considered and the knightly prowesse with many vertues which in his noble person singularly doe abound The Nobles and Commons of this Realme and specially of the North parts not willing any bastard blood to have the rule of the land nor theabuses in the same before used and exercised any longer to continue have fully condescended and utterly determined to make humble petition unto the puisant Prince the Lord Protector that it may like his grace at our humble request to take upon him the guiding government of this Realme to the wealth and increase of the same according to his very right and just title which thing I know well hee will bee loth to take upon him as he whose wisedome well perceiveth the labour and study both of mind and body that shall come therewith to him whosoever shall occupy that rome I dare say he will if he take it for I warrant you that that roome is no childes office and that the great wise man well perceived when he said Vae regno cujus Rex puer est woe to that Realme whose King is a child wherefore so much the more cause have we to thanke God that this noble personage which is so righteously entituled thereto is of so solid age and thereto of so great wisedome joyned with so great experience which albeit he will bee loth as I have said to take upon him yet shall hee to our petition in that behalfe the more graciously inclin if ye the worshipfull Citizens of this Cittie being the cheife cittie of the Realme joyne with us the nobles in our said request which for your owne weale we doubt not but that ye will And yet neverthelesse wee pray yoâ— so to doe whereby ye shall doe great profit to all this his Realme Beside that in choosing them so good a King it shall bee to your selfe a speciall commoditie to whom his Majestie shall ever after beare so much the more tender favour in how much hee shall perceive you the more prone and benevolently minded towards his election wherein deare friends what minde ye have we require you plainely to shew us When the Duke had said and looked that the people whom he hoped that the Mayor had framed before should after this flattering proposition made have cried King Richard King Richard all was still and mute and not one word answered unto wherewith the Duke was marvellously abashed and taking the Major neere to him with other that were about him privie to the matter said unto them softly What meaneth this that the people be so still
him a cup of wine coverd and when hee had dranke he cast out the wine and departed with the cup. After that the Heralds cried a largesse thrice in the Hall and so went up to their stage At the end of dinner the Major of London served the King and Queene with sweete wine and had of each of them a cup of gold with a cover of gold And by that time that all was done it was darkenight and so the King returned to his chamber and every man to his lodging When this feast was thus finished the King sent home all the Lords into their countries that would depart except the Lord Stanley whom hee retained till hee heard what his sonne the Lord Strange went about And to such as went home hee gave straight charge and commandement to see their Countries well ordered that no wrong nor extortion should bee done to his subjects And thus hee taught others to execute justice and equitie the contrary wherof he daily exercised hee also with great rewards given to the Northerne men which hee sent for to his Coronation sent them home to their Countrey with great thankes Whereof divers of them as they all bee of nature very greedy of authoritie and especially when they thinke to have any comfort or favour tooke on them so highly and wrought such Masteries that the King was faine to ride thither in his first yeare and to put some in execution and stay the Country or else no small mischiefe had ensued Incontinent after this he sent a solemne Embassage to Lewis the French King to conclude a league and amitie with him trusting also to obtaine the tribute which King Edward his brother had before out of France but the French King so abhorred him and his crueltie that he would neither see nor heare his Embassadors and so in vaine they returned Now after this triumphant Coronation there fell mischiefs thicke and thicke and as the thing evill gotten is never well kept so through all the time of his usurped reigne never ceased there cruell murther death and slaughter till his own destruction ended it But as hee finished with the best death and most fitting that is to say his owne so beganne he with the most pitteous and wicked I meane the lamentable murther of his innocent Nephewes the young King and his tender brother whose death and finall fortune hath neverthelesse so farre come in question that some remained long in doubt whether they were in his dayes destroyed or no. Not for that that Parkin Warbeck by many folkes folly so long space abusing the world was aswell with Princes as with poore people reputed and taken for the yonger of these two But for that also that all things were so covertly demeaned one thing pretended and another meant that there was nothing so plaine and openly proved but that yet for the common custome of close covert dealing men had it ever inwardly suspect as many well counterfet jewels make the true mistrusted Howbeit concerning that opinion men may see the conveiance thereof in the Noble Prince King Henry the seventh in the processe of Parkin But in the meane season for this present matter I shall rehearse to you the dolorous end of these two babes not after every way that I have heard but after that way that I have so heard by such men and such meanes as I thinke it to be hard but it should be true King Richard after his Coronation taking his way to Gloucester to visite in his new honour the towne of which hee bare the name of old devised as hee roade to fulfill that thing which hee before had intended And forasmuch as his minde gave him that his Nephewes living men would not recon that hee could have right to the Realme he thought therefore without delay to rid them as though the killing of his kinsmen might end his cause and make him kindly King Whereupon he sent Iohn Greene whom he specially trusted unto sir Robert Brakenbury Constable of the Tower with a letter and credence also that the same sir Robert in any wise should put the two children to death This Iohn Greene did his errand to Brakenbury kneeling before our Lady in the Tower who plainely answered that hee would never put them to death to dye therefore With the which answer Greene returned recompting the same to King Richard at Warwicke yet on his journey wherewith hee tooke such displeasure and thought that the same night hee said to a secret page of his Ah whom shall a man trust they that I have brought up my selfe they that I thought would have most surely served mee even those faile me and at my commandment will doe nothing for mee Sir quoth the page there lieth one in the palet chamber without that I dare say will doe your Grace pleasure the thing were right hard that he would refuse meaning this by Iames Tirell which was a man of a goodly personage and for the gifts of nature worthy to have served a much better Prince if he had well served God and by grace obtained to have as much truth and good will as hee had strength and wit The man had an high heart and sore longed upward not rising yet so fast as he had hoped being hindered and kept under by sir Richard Ratcliffe and sir William Catesbey which longing for no more partners of the Princes favour namely not for him whose pride they knew would beare no peere kept him by secret drifts out of all secret trust which thing this page had well marked and knew wherefore this occasion offered of very speciall friendship spied his time to set him forward and in such wise to doe him good that all the enemies that he had except the devill could never have done him so much hurt and shame for upon the pages words King Richard arose for this communication had he sitting on a draft a convenient carpet for such a councell and came out into the palet chamber where hee did finde in bed the said Iames Tyrell and sir Thomas Tyrell of person like and brethren of blood but nothing of kinne in conditions Thē said the King merrily what sirs bee you in bed so soone and called up Iames Tyrell and brake to him secretly his minde in this mischievous matter in the which hee found him nothing strange Wherefore on the morrow he sent him to Brakinbury with a letter by the which hee was commanded to deliver to the said Iames all the keyes of the Tower for a night to the end that he might there accomplish the Kings pleasure in such things as hee there had given him in commandement After which letter delivered and the keyes received Iames appointed the next night ensuing to destroy them devising before and preparing the meanes The Prince assoone as the Protector tooke upon him to be King and left the name of Protectour was thereof advertised and shewed that he should not reigne but his Vncle
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
my selfe have heard spoken and that upon great presumptions more times then once so againe by my ayde and favour hee of a Protectour was made a King and of a subject made a Governour at which time he promised mee upon his fidelitie laying his hand in mine at Baynards Castle that the two yong Princes should live and that hee would so provide for them and so maintaine them in honorable estate that I and all the Realme ought and should bee content But when he was once Crowned King and in full possession of the whole Realme he cast away his old conditions as the Adder doth his skinne verifying the old proverbe honours change manners as the Parish Priest remembreth not that he was ever Parish Clarke For when I my selfe sued to him for my part of the Earle of Hartfords lands which his brother King Edward wrongfully detyned and withheld from mee and also required to have the office of the high Constable ship of England as divers of my noble ancestors before this time have had and in long discent continued In this my first suite shewing his good minde towards me he did not onely first delay me and afterward deny me but gave me such unkind words with â—uch taunts and retaunts yea in manner checke and check mate to the uttermost proofe of my patience As though I had never furthered him but hindred him as though I had put him downe and not set him up yet al these ingratitudes undeserved unkindnesses I bare closely and suffer patiently and covertly remeÌ„bred outwardly dissembling that I inwardly thought and so with a painted countenance I passed the last summer in his last company not without many faire promises but without any good deedes But when I was credibly informed of the death of the two young innocents his owne naturall Nephewes contrary to his faith and promise to the which God bee my judge I never agreed nor condiscended O Lord how my veines panted how my body trembled and my heart inwardly grudged in so much that I so abhorred the sight and much more the company of him that I could no longer abide in his court except I should bee openly revenged The end whereof was doubtfull and so I fained a cause to depart and with a merry countenance and a dispightful heart I tooke my leave humbly of him hee thinking nothing lesse then that I was displeased and so returned to Brecknocke to you But in the journey as I returned whether it were by the inspiration of the holy Ghost or by Melancolous disposition I had divers and sundry imaginations how to deprive this unnaturall Vncle and bloody butcher from his royall seate and princely dignity First I fantasied that if I list to take upon me the Crowne and imperiall Scepter of the Realme now was the time fit and convenient For now was the way made plaine and the gate opened and occasion given which now neglected should peradventure never take such effect and conclusion For I saw hee was disdained of the Lords temporall execrate and accursed of the Lords spiritual detested of all gentlemen and despised of all the commonaltie So that I saw my chance as perfectly as I saw my owne Image in a glasse that there was no person if I had beene greedy to attempt the enterprise could nor should have won the ring or got the gole before me And on this point I rested in imagination secretly with my selfe two dayes at Teukesbury And from thence sojourning I mused thought it was not best nor convenient to take vpon me as a conquerour for then I knew that all men and especially the nobilitie would with all their power withstand me both for rescuing of possessions and tenours as also for subverting of the whole estate Lawes and Customes of the Realme Such a power hath a conquerour as you know well enough my Lord. But at the last in all this doubtfull case there sprang a new branch out of my head which surely I thought should have brought forth faire flowers but the sunne was so hot that they turned to dry weedes for I suddenly remembred that Lord Edmond Duke of Somerset my Grandfather was with King Henry the sixt in the second and third degrees from Iohn Duke of Lancaster lawfully begotten So that I thought sure my mother being eldest daughter to Duke Edmond that I was next to King Henry the sixt of the house of Lancastâ—r This title pleased well such as I made privie of my counsell but much more it encouraged my foolish desire and elevated my ambitious intent in so much that I clerely judged and in mine own minde was determinately resolved that I was indubitated heire of the house of Lancaster and thereupon concluded to make my first foundation and erect my new building But whether God so ordered or by fortune it so chanced while I was in a mase either to conclude sodainely on this title and to set it open amongst the common people or to keepe it secret a while see the chance as I rode betweene Worcester and Bridgnorth I encountered with the lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond now wife to the Lord Stanley which is the very daughter and sole heyre to Iohn Duke of Somerset my grandfathers elder brother Which was as cleane out of my minde as though I had never never seene her so that shee and her sonne the Earle of Richmond be both bulwarke and portcolice betweene and the gate to enter into the majesty royall and getting of the Crowne And when wee had communed a little concerning her sonne as I shall shew you after and were departed shee to our Lady of Worcester and I toward Shrewsbury I then new changed and in manner amased began to dispute with my selfe litle considering that thus my earnest was turned even to a tittle not woth esteeme Presently I imagined whether I were best to take upon me by the election of the nobilitie and commonaltie which me thought easie to be done the usurper King thus being in hatred and abhorred of this whole Realme or to take it by power which standeth in fortunes chance and difficile to bee atchieved and brought to passe Thus rumbling tossing in the waves of ambiguitie betweene the stone and sacrifice I considered first the office duty and paine of a King which surely thinke that no mortall man can justly and truely observe except hee bee called elected and specially appointed by God as King David and divers others have beene But further I remembred that if I once tooke on mee the Scepter and the governance of the Realme That of two extreame enemies I was daily sure but of one trusty friend which now adayes bee gone a pilgrimage I was neither assured nor credibly ascertained such is the worlds mutation for I manifestly perceived that the daughters of King Edward and their alies and friends which be no small number being both for his sake much beloved and also for the great injurie manifest tyranni done
as hee was King and in Royall possession of the Realme Reighnold Bray with a glad heart forgetting nothing hiven to him in charge in gread hast and with good speede returned to the Countesse his Lady and Mistresse When Bray was departed and this great dolefull vessell once set a broach the Bishop thrusting for nothing more then for liberty when he saw the Duke pleasant and well minded toward him told the Duke that if he were in his Isle of Ely hee could make many friends to further their enterprise and if he were there had but foure daies warning hee little regarded the malice of King Richard his countrey was so strong The Duke knew well all this to bee true but yet loth hee was that the Bishop should depart for he knew well that as long as the Bishop was with him hee was sure of politique advice sage councell and circumspect proceeding And so hee gave the Bishop faire words saying that hee should shortly depart and that wel accompanied for feare of enemies The Bishop being as wittie as the Duke was wilie did not tarry till the Dukes company were assembled but secretly disguised in a night departed to the Dukes great displeasure and came to his see of Ely where he found money and friends and so sayled into Flanders where he did the Earle of Richmond good service and never returned againe till the Earle of Richmond after being King sent for him and shortly promoted him to the See of Canterbury Thus the Bishop wound himselfe from the Duke when he had most neede of his ayde for if hee had tarried still the Duke had not made so many blabbes of his councell nor put so much confidence in the Welshmen nor yet so temerariously set forward without knowledge of his friends as hee did which things were his sodaine overthrow as they that knew it did report When Reighnald Bray had declared his message and privie instruction to the Countesse of Richmond his Mistrisse no marvell though she were joyous and glad both of the good newes and also for the obtaining of such a high friend in his sonnes cause as the Duke was wherefore shee willing not to slip this matter but to farther it to the uttermost of her power and abilitie devised a meanes how to breake this matter to Queene Elizabeth then being in sanctuary at Westminster And thereupon shee having in her family at that time for the preservation of her health a certaine Welshman called Lewes learned in Physicke which for his gravitie and experience was well known and much esteemed amongst great estates of the Realme with whom she used sometimes liberally and familiarly to talke now having oportunity and occasion to break her mind unto him of this weightie matter declared that the time was come that her sonne should bee joyned in marriage with Lady Elizabeth daughter and heire to King Edward and that King Richard being taken and reputed of all men for the common enemy of the Realme should out of all honour and estate bee dejected and of his rule and kingdome be clearely spoyled and expulsed and required him to go to Queene Elizabeth with whome in his facultie hee was of counsell not as a messenger but as one that came friendly to visite and consolate her and as time and place should require to make her privie of this device not as a thing concluded but as a purpose by him imagined This Physitian did not long linger to accomplish her desire but with good diligence repaired to the Queene being still in the sanctuary at Westminster And when hee saw time proper and convenient for his purpose hee said unto her Madam although my imagination bee very simple and my device more foolish yet for the entire affection that I beare towards you and your children I am so bold to utter unto you a secret and privie conceit that I have cast compassed in my fantasticall braine When I well remember and no lesse consider the great losse and dammage that you have sustayned by the death of your noble and loving husband and the great dolour and sorrow that you have suffered and tolerated by the cruell murther of your innocent children I can no lesse doe both of bounden duty and christian charity then daily study and hourely imagine not onely how to bring your heart to comfort gladnesse but also devise how to revenge the righteous quarrell of you and your children on that bloody blood-sucker and cruell tyrant King Richard And first consider what battell what manslaughter what mischiefe hath risen in this Realme by the dissention betweene the two noble houses of Yorke and Lancaster which two families as I have contrived if they may bee joyned in one I thinke yea and doubt not but your line shal be againe restored to the pristinate estate degree to your great joy and comfort and to the utter confusion of your mortal enemy the usurper King You know very wel madam that of house the of Lancaster the Earle of Richmond is nxet of blood which is living a lusty young bachelor to the house of Yorke your daughters now are heires if you could agree and invent the meanes how to couple your eldest daughter with thâ— young Earle of Richmond in matrimony no doubt but the usurper of the Realme should bee shortly deposed and your heire againe to her right restored When the Queene had heard this friendly motion which was as farre from her thought as the man that the rude people say is in the Moone Lord how her spirits revived and how her heart leapt in her body for joy and gladnesse And first giving laude to almighty God as the chiefe authour of her comfort secondly to Master Lewes the deviser of the good newes and tidings instantly besought him that as hee had beene the first inventer of so good an enterprise that now hee would not relinquish nor desist to follow the same desiring him further because hee was appertaining to the Countesse of Richmond mother to the Earle Henry that hee would with all diligence resort to her then lodging in her husbands place within the citie of London and to declare on the Queenes behalfe to the Countesse that all the friends and favourers of King Edward her husband should assist and take part with the Earle of Richmond her sonne so that he would take a corporall oath after the Kingdome obtained to espouse and take to wife the Lady Elizabeth her daughter or else Lady Cecile if the eldest daughter were not then living Master Lewes with all dexteritie so sped his businesse that he made and concluded a finall end and determination of this enterprise betweene the two mothers and because hee was a Physitian and out of all suspition and misdeeming hee was the common currer and daily messenger betweene them ayding and setting forth the invented conspiracie against King Richard So the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond brought into a good hope of the preferment oâ—
to God requiring of him a safe conduct and licence to passe through his countrey of Normandy into Britaine The yong King having compassion of the misfortune and unfortunate chance of the Earle of Richmond not onely gently granted and assigned to him a pasporte but also literally disbursed and departed to him a convenient some of money for his conduct and expenses necessary in his long journey and passage But the Earle trusting on the French Kings humanity adventured to send his ships home into Britaine and to set forward himselfe by land on his journie making no great haste till his messengers were returned which being with the benefit so comforted and with hope of prosperous successe so encouraged marched towards Britaine with all diligent celeritie intending there to consult further with his lovers and friends of his affaires and enterprises When hee was returned againe into Britaine hee was certified by credible information that the Duke of Buckingham had lost his head and that the Marques Dorset and a great number of noble men of England had a little before enquired and searched for him there and were now returned to Vanues When hee had heard these newes thus reported hee first sorrowed dolorously lamented the first attempt and setting forward of his friends and especially of the Nobility not to have more fortunately succeeded Secondly hee rejoyced on the other part that God had sent him so many valiant and prudent Captaines to bee his companions in his martiall enterprises trusting surely and nothing doubting in his owne opinion but that all his businesse should bee wisely compassed and brought to a good conclusion Wherefore hee determining with all diligence to accelerate and set forward his new begun businesse departed to Renes and sent certaine of his privie servitours to conduct and bring the Marquis and the other Noble men to his presence When they knew that hee was safely returned into Britaine Lord how they rejoyced and applauded for before that time they missed him and knew not in what part of the world to make investigation or search for him For they doubted and no lesse feared lest hee had taken land in England and fallen into the hands of King Richard in whose person they knew wel was neither mercy nor compassion Wherefore in all speedy manner they galloped towards him and him reverently saluted which meeting after great joy and solace and no small thanks and gratifications given and rendered on both parts they consulted and advisedly debated commoned of their great businesse and weightie enterprise in the which season the solene feast of the Nativitie of our Saviour Christ happened on which day all the English Lords went with great solemnity to the chiefe Church of the Cittie and there each gave faith and promise to other The Earle himselfe first tooke a corporall oath and on his honour promising that incontinent after he should be possessed of the Crowne and dignity of the Realme of England hee would bee conjoyned in matrimony with the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth Then all the company sware to him fealtie and did to him homage as though he had beene that time the Crowned King and annointed Prince promising faithfully fiâ—mely assuring that they would not onely lose their worldly substance but also bee deprived of their lives and worldly felicity rather then to suffer King Richard that tyrant longer to rule and â—aigne over them Which solemne oathes made and taken the Earle of Richmond declared and communicated all these doings to Francis Duke of Brittaine desiring and most heartily requiring him to aide him with a great army to conduct him into his Countrey which so sore longed and looked for his returne and to the which he was by the more part of the Nobilitie called and desired which with Gods ayde and the Dukes comfort hee doubted not in short time to obtaine requiring him further to lend to him a convenient some of money affirming that all such somes of money which he had received of his especiall friends were spent and exhausted in the preparation of the last journey made towards England which somes of money after his enterprise once atchived he in the word of a Prince faithfully promised to repay and restore againe The Duke promised him aide and helpe upon confidence wherof he rigged his ships set forth his Navie well decked with ordinance warlikely furnished with all things necessary to the intent to saile forward shortly and to see no convenient time slackly overpassed nor bee pretermitted In the meane season King Richard apprehended in divers parts of the Realme certaine gentlemen of the Earle of Richmonds faction and confederation which either intended to saile into Britaine towards him or else at his landing to assist and aide him Amongst whom sir George Browne sir Roger Clifford and foure others were put to execution at London and sir Thomas Sentliger which had married the Dutches of Exeter the Kings owne sister and Thomas Rame and diverse others were executed at Exeter Besides these persons diverse of his houshold servants whom either hee suspected or doubted were by great crueltie put to shamefull death After this hee called a Parliament in the which he attainted the Earle of Richmond and all other persons which were fled out of the Realme for feare of any other cause as enemies to him their naturall countrey and all their lands goods and possessions were confiscate and seased to the Kings use And yet not content with this prey which no doubt was of no small value and moment hee laid on the peoples neckes a great taxe and tollage and surely necessity to that act in a manner compelled him For what with purging and declaring his innocencie concerning the murther of his Nephewes towards the world what with cost to obtaine the love and favour of the commonaltie which outwardly glosed and openly dissembled with him hee gave prodigally so many and so great rewards that now both hee lacked and scarce knew honestly how to borrow In this troublous season nothing was more marvelled at then that the Lord Stanley had not beene taken and reputed as an enemie to the King considering the working of the Lady Margaret his wife mother to the Earle of Richmond but forasmuch as the enterprise of a woman was of him reputed of no regard or estimation and that the Lord Thomas her husband had purged himselfe sufficiently to be innocent of all doings and attempts by her perpetrated and committed it was given him in charge to keepe her in some secret place at home without having any servant or company so that from thenceforth shee should never send letter nor messenger to her sonne nor any of his friend or confederates by the which the King might bee molested or troubled or any hurt or prejudice might bee attempted against his realme and commonaltie Which commandement was a while put in execution and accomplished according to his dreadfull commandement Yet the wild
the Earle of Richmond how all the deceit and craftie working was conveighed and compassed giving him in charge to counsell and advise the Earle in all haste possible with all his company to retire out of Britaine into France When these newes were brought to the Earle he then kept house in Vannes and incontinent dispatched againe Christopher Vrswike to Charles the French K. requiring him that hee and his might safely passe into France which desire impetrated and obteyned the messenger shortly returned to his Lord and Prince The Earle well perceiving that it was expedient and necessarie with all speede and diligence to looke to this weightie matter calling verie few to councell he made exploration and search of all secret and by waies and sent before all his noble men as though for a certaine familiarity and kindnesse they should visit and comfort the Duke which then for recreation and change of aire lay on the borders and confines of France And secretly hee gave charge to the Earle of Pembrooke which was the leader and conducter of his company that when they approched the marches and limits of Britaine they should divert and take the next way into France The noble men somewhat suspicious of things newly imagined without any tarrying or by the journey gasing scouring the waies as fast as their horse would runne or as they conveniently might beare sustaine came out of the Dutchy of Brittaine into the Dutchy of Angeou in the dominion of France where they expected the Earles comming which two dayes after departed out of Vannes only accompanied with five servitours as though hee had gone to visite some familiar friend of his in a small village adjoyning No man suspected that hee would depart considering that a great multitude of Englishmen were left and continued in the citie but after he had passed directly five miles forward hee suddenly turned into a solitary wood next adjoyning where cloathing himselfe in the simple coate of his poore servant made and appointed his said minister leader and master of his small cōpanie he as an humble page diligently followed and served his counterfeit governour never resting nor themselves refreshing except the bayting of their horses till they by waies unknowne now this way now turning that way came to their company abiding them in Angiers The fourth day after the Earle of Richmond was thus departed that craftie merchant Perter Landoyse trusting still after his prey promised by King Richard was ready to set forward his crew of souldiers which he privily had consigned with certaine trustie captaines for that onely purpose appointed and elected to performe and atchieve his pretensed enterprise dissembling feigning them to be conducted and hired by him to serve the Earle of Richmond and him to conduct in his returne towards his native countrey meaning none other thing but to apprehend him and the other noble men in his retinue which no such fraud suspecting nor yet any treason imagining unawares and unprovided and destitute of all aide and them to cast and detrude suddenly into continuall captivitie and bondage to the intent that by this facinorous and naughty act he might satisfie the charitable request and louing desires of good K. Richard more for his owne profit then for King Richards gaine But when this crafty dissembler Peter Landoyse which was no wiliar then an old Foxe perceived that the Earle was departed thinking that to bee true that hee imagined Lord how curriours ran into every coast how light-horsemen galloped to every streete to follow and detaine him i◠by any possibility hee could bee subsecuted and overtaken and him to incarcerate and bring captive into the citie of Vannes The horsemen made such diligence and with such celeritie set forward their journey that nothing was more likely then they to have obtained yea and seazed their prey For the Earle of Richmond was not entred into the Realme of France scarse one houre but the followers came to the limits and confines of Britaine and durst adventure no further but vainely without their desire sorrowfully returned At which season were left at Vannes about the number of three Englishmen which not being called to counsell and unawares of this enterprise but knowing of the Earles sudden departure were so incontinently astonied that in a manner they were all in despaire both of him and their owne securitie and safegard But fortune turned her saile and otherwise it happened then their feare them incombred For the Duke of Britaine now being somewhat recovered was sore displeased and nothing contented that the Earle of Richmond was in his dominion so uncurteously tracted and intreated that hee should bee by fraud and untruth compelled to leave and fly out of his Dutchy and countrey contrary to his honour Wherfore hee tooke great displeasure with Peter Landoyse his Treasurer to whom although hee knew not and was ignorant that all the drift was driven and devised by him he laid the fault and imputed the crime Wherefore he sent for Edward Woodvile and Edward Powninges valiant Esquiers of England and delivered unto them money sufficient for their conduct willing them them to convey the rest of the Englishmen being in Britaine to the Earle of Richmonds presence When the Earle was thus furnished and appointed with his trusty company and was escaped all the dangerous labyrinthes and snares that were set for him no marvell though he were jocund and glad of the prosperous successe that happened in his affaires Wherefore lest hee should seeme to be blotted with the note of ingratitude hee sent divers of his gentlemen to the Duke of Britaine the which should publish and declare to him on the behalfe of the Earle that hee and his were onely by his benefit and favour conserved and delivered from the imminent danger that they were like to be trapped in Wherefore at that time he rendred to him most heartie thanks in words trusting and not doubting but in time to come liberally to recompence him with acts and deedes After this the Earle tooke his journey to Charles the French King living then at Langes upon the river of Leyre to whom after great thankes given for manifold gratuities by him to the Earle shewed hee disclosed and manifested the cause and occasion of his accesse and repaire to his person After that hee required of him helpe and succour to the intent that by his immortall benefit to him at that time shewed hee might safely returne to the nobilitie of his Realme of whom he was generally called to take upon him the Crowne and Scepter of the Realme they so much hated and abhorred the tyranny of King Richard King Charles promised him aide and comfort and bad him bee of good courage and make good cheere for hee assured him that hee would gladly shew to him his benevolent minde and bountifull liberalitie Which King from thence removed to Mountargis leading with him the Earle of Richmond and all the noble personages of his retinue and faction
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
with the ayde and reliefe of his friends intended to passe over the river of Siverne at Shrewesbury so to passe directly to the citie of London requiring them as his especiall trust and confidence was perplanted in the hope of their fidelitie that they would occurre and meete him by the way with all diligent preparation to the intent that hee and they at time propice and place convenient might communicate together the profunditie and deepenesse of all his dubious weighty businesse When the messengers were disparcled with these commandements admonitions hee marched forwards toward Shrewesbury and in his passing there met and saluted him Rice ap Thomas with a goodly band of Welshmen which making an oath promise to the Earle submitted himself wholy to his order and commandement For the Earle of Richmond two dayes before made to him promises that if hee would sweare to take his part and be obedient to him he would make him chiefe governour of Wales which part as he faithfully promised and granted so after that hee had obtained and possessed the Realme and diadem hee liberally performed and accomplished the same In the meane time the messengers that were sent diligently executed the things given to them in charge and laden with rewards of them to whom they were sent returned to him the same day that he entred into Shrewesbury made relation to him that his friends were ready in all points to doe all things for him which either they ought or might doe The Earle Henry brought in good hope with his pleasant message continued foorth his entended journey and came to a little towne called Newport pitching his campe on a little hill adjoyning reposed himselfe there that night In the evening the same day came to him Sir George Talbot with the whole power of the young Earle of Shrewesbury then being inward which were accompted to the number of two thousand men And thus his power increasing he arrived at the towne of Stafford and there pawsed To whom came Sir William Stanley accompanied with a few persons and after that the Earle and hee had communed no long time together he reverted to his souldiers which hee had congregate together to serve the Earle which from thence departed to Lichfield lay without the walles in his campe all the night The next morning hee entred into the towne and was with all honour like a Prince received A day or two before the Lord Stanley having in his band almost five thousand men lodged in the the same towne but hearing that the Earle of Richmond was marched thitherward gave to him place dislodging him and his and repayred to a towne called Adrestone there abiding the comming of the Earle and this wilie Foxe did this act to avoide all suspicion being affraid lest if hee should bee seene openly to be a fautour or ayder to the Earle his son in law before the day of the battell that King Richard which did not utterly put in him diffidence and mistrust would put to some cruell death his sonne and heire apparent George Lord Strange whom King Richard as you have heard before kept with him as a pledge or hostage to the intent that the Lord Stanley his father should attempt nothing prejudiciall to him King Richard at this season keeping his house in the Castle of Nottingham was informed that the Earle of Richmond with such banished men as fled out of England to him were now arrived in Wales and that all things necessary to his enterprise were unprovided unpurveyed and very weake nothing meete to withstand the power of such as the King had appointed to resist him This rumour so inflated his minde that in manner disdaining to heare speake of so poore a company determined at the first to take little or no regard to this so small a sparcle declaring the Earle to bee innocent and unwise because that hee temerariously attempted such a great enterprise with so small thinne a number of warlike persons and therefore hee gave a definitive sentence that when hee came to that point that hee should be compelled to fight against his will he either should be apprehended alive or else by all likelihood hee should of necessitie come to a shamefull confusion and that he trusted to be shortly done by Sir Walter Herbert and Rice ap Thomas which then ruled Wales with equall power and like authoritie But hee revolving and casting in his minde that a small warre begun and winked at and not regarded may turne to a great broyle and tumultuous trouble and that it was prudent policie not to asperne and disdaine the little small power and weakenesse of the enemie be it never so small thought it necessary to provide for after clappes that might happen and chance Wherefore hee sent to Iohn Duke of Norfolke Henry Earle of Northumberland Thomas Earle of Surrey and to other of his especiall and trusty friends of the nobility which he judged much more to preferre and esteeme his wealth and honour then their owne riches and private commoditie willing them to muster and view all their servants and tenants and to elect and chuse the most couragious and active persons of the whole number and with them to repaire to his presence with all speede and diligence Also he wrote to Robert Brakâ—nbury Lieutenant of the Tower commanding him with his power to come to his army and to bring with him as fellowes in armes Sir Thomas Burchier and sir Walter Hungerford and divers other Knights and Esquiers in whom he had cast no smal suspition While hee was thus ordering his affaires tidings came that the Earle of Richmond was passed Severne come to Shrewesbury without any detriment or encombrance At which message hee was sore moved and broyled with Melancolie and dolour and cryed out asking vengeance of them that contrary to their oathes and promises had fraudulently deceived him For which cause he beganne to have diffidence in others in so much that hee determined himselfe out of hand the same day to occurre and resist his adversaries And in all haste sent out explorators to view and espie what way his enemies kept and passed They diligently doing their dutie shortly after returned declaring to the King that the Earle was encamped at the Towne of Lichfield When he had perfect knowledge where the Earle with his army was sojourning he having continuall repaire of his subjects to him began incontinently without delay to marshall and collocate in order his battailes like a valiant captaine and politique leader and first hee made his battailes to set forward foure foure in a rancke marching toward that way whither his enemies as was to him reported intended to passe In the middle part of the army he appointed the trafficke and carriage appertaining to the armie Then hee environed with his satellites and yeomen of the Crowne with a frowning countenance and truculent aspect mounted on a great white courser followed with his footmen the
have heard before hee began to be of a better stomacke and of a more valiant courage and with all diligence pitched his field just by the Campe of his enemies and there he lodged that night In the morning betime hee caused his men to put on their armour apparell themselves ready to fight and give battell and sent to the Lord Stanley which was now come with his Band in a place indifferently betweene both the Armies requiring him with his men to approach neer to his Army and to helpe to set the Souldiers in array hee answered that the Earle should set his owne men in a good order of battell while hee would array his company and come to him in time convenient Which answer made otherwise then the Earle thought or would have judged considering the opportunity of the time and the weight of the businesse and although hee was therewithall a little vexed began somewhat to hang the head yet hee without any time delaying compelled by necessity after this manner instructed and ordered his men He made his fore-ward somewhat single and slender according to the small number of his people In the front hee placed the Archers of whom he made Captaine Iohn Earle of Oxford to the right wing of the battell hee appointed Sir Gilbert Talbor to be the leader to the left wing hee assigned Sir Iohn Savage and hee with the aide of the Lord Stanley accompanied with the Earle of Pembroke having a good company of horse-men and a small number of footmen For all his whole number exceeded not five thousand men beside the power of the Stanleys whereof three thousand were in the field under the Standard of Sir William Stanley The Kings number was double as much and more When both the Armies were thus ordered and all men ready to set forward King Richard called his Chieftains together and to them said Most faithfull and assured fellowes most trusty and welbeloved friends and elected Captaines by whose wisdome and policie I have obtained the Crowne and Type of this famous Realme and noble Region by whose puissance and valiantnesse I have enjoyed and possessed the state Royall and dignity of the same maâ—gâ—e the ill will and seditious attempts of all my cankerd enemies and insidious adversaries by whose prudent and politick counsell I have so governed my Realme people and subjects that I have omitted nothing appertaining to the office of a just Prince nor you have pretermitted nothing belonging to the duty of wise and sage Counsellors So that I may say and truly affirme that your approved fidelity and tryed constancie maketh mee to beleeve firmely and thinke that I am an undoubted King and an indubitate Prince And although in the adâ—ption and obtaining of the Garland I being seduced and provoked by sinister counsell and diabolicall temptation did commit a facinorous and detestable act yet I have with strict penance and salt teares as I trust expiated and cleerely purged the same offence which abominable crime I require you of friendship as cleerly to forget as I daily doe remember to deplore and lament the same If you will now diligently call to remembrance in what case and perplexity wee now stand and in what doubtfull perill wee be now intricked I doubt not but you in heart will thinke and with mouth confesse that if ever amity and faith prevailed betweene Prince and subjects or between subject and subject or if ever bond of allegeance obliged the vassaile to love and serve his naturall Soveraigne Lord or if any obligation of duty bound any Prince to aide and defend his subjects All these loves bonds and duties of necessity are this day to be experimented shewed and put in experience For if wise men say true there is some policie in getting but much more in keeping the one being but fortunes chance and the other high wit and policie for which cause I with you and you with mee must needes this day take labour and paine to keepe and defend with force that preeminence and possession which by your prudent devises I have gotten and obtained I doubt not but you know how the Devill continuall enemy to humane nature disturber of concord and sower of sedition hath entred into the heart of an unknown Welshman whose father I never knew nor him personally saw exciting him to aspire and covet our Realme Crown and Dignity and thereof cleerely to deprive and spoile us and our posterity yee see further how a company of traitors theeves out-lawes and runagates of our owne Nation be aiders and partakers of his feat and enterprise ready at hand to overcome and oppresse us you see also what a number of beggerly Britaines and faint-hearted French men bee with him arrived to destroy us our wives and children which imminent mischiefes and apparent inconveniencies if we will withstand wee must live together like brethren fight together like Lions and feare not to dye together like men And observing and keeping this rule and precept beleeve mee the fearefull Hare never fled faster before the greedy Greyhound nor the silly Larke before the Sparrow hawke nor the simple Sheepe before the ravenous Wolfe then your proud bragging adversaries astonied and amazed with the onely sight of your manly visages will flye run and skir out of the Field For if you consider and wisely ponder all things in your mind you shall perceive that wee have manifest causes and apparent tokens of Victory And to begin with the Earle of Richmond Captaine of this rebellion hee is a Welsh milk-sop a man of small courage and of lesse experience in Martiall acts and feates of warre brought up by my brothers meanes and mine like a captive in a close Cage in the Court of Francis Duke of Britaine and never saw Armie nor was exercised in Martiall affaires by reason wherof hee neither can nor is able on his owne wit and experience to guide an Hoast For in the wit and policie of the Captaine consisteth the chiefe adeption of the victory and overture of the enemies Secondly feare not and put away all doubts for when the Traytors and Runagates of our Realme shall see us with Banner displayed come against them remembring their oath promise and fidelity made unto us as to their Soveraigne Lord and anointed King they shall bee so pricked and stimulate in the bottome of their scrupulous consciences that they for very remorce and dread of the divine plague will either shamefully flye or humbly submit themselves to our grace and mercy And as for the Frenchmen and Britaines their valiantnesse is such that our Noble Progenitors and your Noble Parents have them oftner vanquished and overcome in one month then they in the beginning imagined possible to compasse and finish in a whole yeere What will you make of them braggers without audacity Drunkards without discretion rybauds without reason cowards without resisting and in conclusion the most effeminate and lascivious people that ever shewed themselves in front of Battaile ten
vertuous and womanly mother but also compassed all the meanes and waies that hee could invent how to stuprate carnally know neece his under the pretence of a cloaked matrimony which Lady I have sworne and promised to take and make my wife as you all know and beleeve If this cause bee not just and this quarrell godly let God the giver of victory judge and determine We have thankes be given to Christ escaped the secret treasons in Britaine and avoyded the subtile snares of our fraudulent enemies there passed the troublous seas in good and quiet safegard and without resistance have penetrate the ample region and large countrey of Wales and are now come to the place which wee so much desired for long wee have sought the furious Bore and now we have found him Wherfore let us not feare to enter into the toyle where wee may surely slay him for God knoweth that wee have lived in the vales of miserie tossing our shippes in dangerous stormes let us not now dread to set up our sailes in faire weather having with us both him and good fortune If wee had come to conquer Wales and had achieved it our prayse had beene great and our gaine more but if wee winne this battell the whole Realme of England with the Lords and Rulers of the same shall be ours the profit shall be ours and the honour shall be ours Therefore labour for your gaine and sweat for your right while wee were in Britaine wee had small livings and little plenty of wealth or welfare now is the time come to get abundance of riches and copie of profit which is the reward of your service and merit of your paine And this remember with your selves that before us be our Enemies and on either side of us bee such as I neither surely trust nor greatly beleeve backeward wee cannot fly So that here wee stand like sheepe in a fold circumsepted and compassed betweene our enemies our doubtfull friends Therefore let all feare be set aside and like sworne brethren let us joyne in one for this day shall bee the end of our travell and the gaine of our labour either by honorable death or famous victory And as I trust the battelâ— shall not be so sower as the profit shall bee sweet Remember that victory is not gotten with multitude of men but with the courage of hearts and valliantnesse of mindes The smaller that our number is the more glorie is to us if wee vanquish if we be overcome yet no laud is to bee attributed to the victors considering that tenne men fought against one and if we die so glorious a death in so good a quarrell neither fretting time nor cancaring oblivion shall bee able to obfuscate or race out of the booke of fame either our names or our godly attempt And this one thing I assure you that in so just and good a cause and so notable a quarrell you shall find mee this day rather a dead carion upon the coole ground then a free prisoner on a carpit in a Ladies chamber Let us therefore fight like invincible gyants and set on our enemies like untimerous Tigers and banish all feare like ramping lyons And advance forward true men against traytors pittifull persons against murtherers true inheritours against usurpers the scourges of God against tyrants display my banner with a good courage march forth like strong robustious champions and begin the battell like hardy conquerors the battell is at hand and the victorie approacheth and if we shamefully recoile or cowardly fly wee and all our sequell be destroyed and dishonored for ever This is the day of gaine and this is the time of losse get this day victorie and bee conquerors and leese this daies battell and bee villaines and therefore in the name of God let every man couragiously advance forth with his standard These chearefull words hee set forth with such gesture of body smiling countenance as though already hee had vanquished his enemies and gotten the spoyle Hee had scantly finished his saying but the one armie espied the other Lord how hastily the souldiers buckled their helmes how quickly the archers bent their bowes and frushed their feathers how readily the billmen shooke their billes and prooved their staves ready to approach and joyn when the terrible trumpet shall sound the bloody blast to victorie or death Betweene both armies there was a great marsh which the Earle of Richmond left on his right hand for this intent that it should be on that side a defence for his part and in so doing he had the sunne at his backe and in the faces of his enemies When King Richard saw the Earles company was passed the marsh hee commanded with all hast to set upon them then the Tâ—umpeters blew and souldiers shouted and the Kings archers couragiously let fly their arrowes the Earles bowmen stood not still but paide them home againe The terrible shot once past the armies joyned and came to hand strokes where neither sword nor bill was spared at which encounter the Lord Stanley joyned with the Earle The Earle of Oxford in the meane season fearing lest while his company was fighting they should bee compassed and circumvented with the multitude of his enemies gave commandement in every ranke that no man should be so hardy as to goe above tenne foot from the standard which commandement once knowne they knit themselves together and ceased a little from fighting the adversaries suddenly abashed at the matter mistrusting some fraud or deceit beganne also to pause and left striking and not against the will of many which had rather have had the King destroyed then saved and therefore they fought very faintly or stood sâ—ill The Earle of Oxford bringing all his band together on the one part set on his enemies afresh againe the adversaries perceiving that placed their men slender and thinne before and thicke and broade behind beginning againe hardily the battell While the two forwards thus mortally fought each intending to vanquish and convince the other King Richard was admonished by his explorators and espialles that the Earle of Richmond accompanied small with a number of men of armes was not far off and as he approched marched towards him he perfectly knew his personage by certaine demonstrations and tokens which hee had learned and knowne of others And being inflamed with ire and vexed with outragious malice he put his spurres to his horse and rode out of the side of the range of his Battaile leaving the avantguards fighting and like a hungry Lion ran with Speare and rest toward him The Earle of Richmond perceived well the King furiously came toward him and because the whole hope of his wealth and purpose was to bee determined by Battaile hee gladly proffered to encounter with him body to body and man to man King Richard set on so sharply at the first brunt that he overthrew the Earles Standard and slew Sir William Brandon his Standard Bearer
which was Father to Sir Charles Brandon by King Henry the 8. created Duke of Suffolke and matched hand to hand with Sir Iohn Cheiny a man of great force and strength which would have resisted him and the said Iohn was by him manfully overthrowne and so he making open passage by dent of sword as hee went forward the Earle of Richmond withstood his violence and kept him at the swords point without advantage longer then his companions either thought or judged which being almost in despaire of Victory were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley which came to succour them with three thousand tall men at which very instant King Richards men were driven back and fled and hee himselfe manfully fighting in the middle of his enemies was slaine brought to his death as hee worthily had deserved In the mean season the Earle of Oxford with the aide of the Lord Stanley after no long fight discomâ—ted the forward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the flight but the greatest number which compelled by feare of the King and not of their meer valiant motion came to the field gave never a stroke and having no harme nor damage safely departed which came not thither in hope to see the King prosper and prevaile but to hear that he should be shamefully confounded and brought to ruine In this Battaile dyed few above the number of a thousand persons And of the Nobilitie were slaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke which was warned by divers to refraine the Field insomuch that the night before hee should set forward toward the King one wrote on his Gate Iack of Norfolke be not too bold For Dickon thy Master is bought and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding hee regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a Gentleman and a faithfull subject to his Prince absented not himselfe from his Master but as hee faithfully lived under him so hee manfully dyed with him to his great fame and laud. Theâ—e were slaine beside him Walter Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Radâ—liffe and Robert Brakenâ—uâ—y Lieutenant of the Tower and not many Gentlemen more Sir William Catesbey learned in the Lawes of the Realme and one of the chiefe Counsellors to the late King with divers others were two dayes after beheaded at Leicester Amongst them that ranne away were Sir Francis Vicount Lovell and Humfrey Stafford and Thomas Stafford his Brother which took Sanctuary at Saint Iohns at Gloucester Of Captives and prisoners there was a great number for after the death of King Richard was knowne and published every man in manner vnarming himselfe and casting away his abiliment of warre meekly submitted themselves to the obeisance and rule of the Earle of Richmond of the which the more part had gladly so done in the beginning if they might have conveniently escaped from King Richards espyals which having as cleare eyes as Linx and as open eares as Midas ranged and searched in every quarter Amongst these was Henry the fourth Earle of Northumberland which whether it was by the commandement of King Richard putting diffidence in him or he did it for the love and favour that hee bare unto the Earle stood still with a great companie and intermitted not in the battell which was incontinently received into favour and made of the councell But Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey which submitted himselfe there was not taken to grace because his Father was chiefe Counceller and hee ly familiar with with King Richard but committed to the Tower of London where hee long remained and in conclusion delivered and for his truth and fidelitie after promoted to high honours and dignities On the Earle of Richmonds part were slaine scarce one hundred persons amongst whom the principall was sir William Brandon his standard bearer This battell was fought at at Bosworth in Leicestershire the two and twentieth day of August in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty sixe the whole conflict endured litle above two houres King Richard as the fame went might have escaped and gotten safegard by flying For when they which were next about his person saw and perceived at the first joyning of the battell the souldiers faintly and nothing couragiously to set on their enemies and not onely that but also that some with drew themselves privily out of the prease and departed They beganne to suspect fraud and smell treason and not only exhorted but determinately advised him to save himselfe by flight and when the losse of the battell was eminent and apparent they brought to him a swift and a light horse to convey him away He which was not ignorant of the grudge and ill will that the common people bare towards him casting away all hope of fortunate successe and happie chance to come answered as men say hee would make an end of all battailes or else there finish his life Such a great audacitie and such a stout stomacke raigned in his body for surely he knew that to be the day in the which it should bee decided and determined whether hee should peaceably obtaine and enjoy his kingdome during his life or else utterly forgoe and bee deprived of the same with which too much hardinesse hee being overcome hastily closed his helmet and entered fiercely into the hard battell to the intent to obtaine that day a quiet raigne or else to finish there his unquiet life and unfortunate governance And so this miser at the same very point had like chance and fortune as happeneth to such which in place of right justice and honesty following their sensuall appetite love use and imbrace mischiefe tyranny and unthriftinesse Surely these be examples of more vehemency then mans tongue can expresse to feare and astunne such evill persons as will not live one houre vacant from doing and exercising crueltie mischiefe or outragious living When the Earle had thus obtained victorie and slaine his mortall enemie hee kneeled downe and rendered to almighty God his harty thankes with devout and godly orisons beseeching his goodnesse to send him grace to advance and defend the catholike faith and to maintaine justice and concord amongst his subjects and people by God now to his governance committed and assigned which prayer finished he replenished with incomparable gladnesse ascended up to the top of a little mountaine where he not onely praysed anâ—â—â—â—ded his valiant souldiers but also gave unto them his harty thankes with promise of condigne recompence for their fidelitie and valiant facts willing and commanding all the hurt and wounded persons to bee cured and the dead carcases to bee delivered to the Sepulture Then the people rejoyced and clapped hands crying up to heaven King Henry King Henry When the Lord Stanley saw the good will and gratuity of the people hee tooke the Crowne of King Richard which was found amongst the spoyle in the field and set it on the Earles head as though hee had beene elected King by the voice of the people as in
ancient times past in divers Realmes it hath beene accustomed and this was the first signe and token of his good lucke and felicitie I must put you here in remembrance how that King Richard putting some diffidence in the Lord Stanley which had with him as an hostage the Lord Strange his eldest sonne which Lord Stanley as you have heard before joyned not at the first with his sonne in lawes army for feare that King Richard would have slaine the Lord Strange his heire When King Richard was come to Bosworth he sent a pursevant to the Lord Stanley commanding him to advance forward with his company and to come to his presence which thing if hee refused to doe he swore by Christs passion that hee would strike off his sonnes head before hee dined The Lord Stanley answered the Pursevant that if the King did so hee had more sons alive and to come to him he was not then so determined when King Richard heard this answer hee commanded the Lord Strange incontinent to bee beheaded which was at that very same season when both the armies had â—ight each of the other The Councellors of King Richard pondering the time and the cause knowing also the Lord Strange to be innocent of his fathers offence perswaded the King that it was now time to fight and not time to execution advising him to keepe the Lord Strange as a prisoner till the battell was ended and then at leisure his pleasure might bee accomplished So as God would King Richard infringed his holy oath and the Lord wâ—s â—elivered 〈◊〉 the keepers of the Kings tenâ— to bee kept as a prisoner which when the field was done and their master slaine and proclamation made to know where the child was they submitted themselves as prisoners to the Lord Strange and hee gently received them and brought them to the new proclamed King where of him and of his father hee was received with great joy and gladnesse After this the whole campe removed with bag and baggage and the same night in the evening King Henry with great pompe came to the towne of Leicester Where as well for the refreshing of his people and souldiers as for preparing all things necessary for his journey toward London hee rested and reposed himselfe two dayes In the meane season the dead corps of King Richard was as shamefully carried to the towne of Leicester as hee gorgiously the day before with pompe and pride departed out of the same towne For his body was naked and despoyled to the skin and nothing left about him not so much as a clout to cover his privie members and was trussed behind a pursevant of armes called Blaunche Senglier or white Boare like a hogge or a calfe the head and armes hanging on the one side of the horse and the legges on the other side and all besprinkled with mire and blood was brought to the Gray Fryers Church within the towne and there laid like a miserable spectacle but surely considering his mischievous acts and Facinorous doings men may worthily wonder at such a caitive and in the said Church hee was with no lesse funerall pompe and solemnitie interred then hee would to bee done at the burying of his innocent Nephewes whom hee caused cruelly to bee murthered and unnaturally to be quelled When his death was known few lamented and many rejoyced the proud bragging white Boare which was his badge was violently rased and plucked downe from every signe and place where it might be espied so ill was his life that men wished the memorie of him to bee buried with his carren corpes Hee raigned two yeares two moneths and one day As he was small and little of stature so was he of body greatly deformed the one shoulder higher then the other his face small but his countenance was cruell and such that a man at the first aspect would judge it to savour and smell of malice fraude and deceit when hee stood musing hee would bite and chew beasly his nether lippe as who said that his fierce nature in his cruell body alwaies chafed stirred and was ever unquiet besides that the dagger that hee wore hee would when hee studied with his hand plucke up and downe in the sheath to the midst never drawing it fully out his wit was pregnant quicke and ready wille to â—iegne and apt to dissemble hee had a proud minde and an arrogant stomacke the which accompanied him to his death which hee rather desiring to suffer by dent of sword then being forsaken and destitute of his untrue companions would by coward flight preserve and save his uncertaine life Which by malice sicknesse or condigne punishment â—ight chanâ—e shortly after to come to confusion Thus ended this Prince his mortall life with infamie and dishonour which never preferred fame or honesty before ambition tyranny and mischiefe And if hee had continued still Protectour and suffered his Nephewes to have lived and raigned no doubt but the Realme had prospered and hee much praysed and beloved as hee is now abhorred and vilipended but to God which knew his interior cogitations at the hower of his death I commit the punishment of his offences committed in his life FINIS This Kings time with some part of King Richard the third as shall appeare by a note made at that place was written by Sir Thomas Moore Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke The 3. sonnes of Richard Duke of Yorke described George Duke of Clarence drowned in a But of Maâ—msey The Description of Richard the 3. King Henry the 6. slaine in the Tower by Richard the 3. An Exhortation of King Edward the 4. on his death bed Edmund Shaw Maior of London Of Sanctuaries The discription of Shores wife The discription of King Edwards three Concubines The destruction of King Edwards Children King Edwards Children murthered