Archbishop of Canterbury And for FOX hee made him Lord Keeper of his Priuie-Seale and afterwards aduanced him by Degrees from Excester to Bathe and Wells thence to Durham and last to Winchester For although the King loued to imploy and aduance Bishops because hauing rich Bishopricks they carried their Reward vpon themselues yet he did vse to raise them by steps that hee might not lose the profit of the First-fruits which by that course of Gradation was multiplied At last vpon the eighteenth of Ianuarie was solemnized the so long expected and so much desired Marriage betweene the King the Lady ELIZABETH Which Day of Marriage was celebrated with greater Triumph and Demonstrations especially on the peoples part of Ioy and Gladnesse than the dayes eyther of his Entrie or Coronation which the King rather noted than liked And it is true that all his life time while the Lady ELIZABETH liued with him for she died before him hee shewed himselfe no very indulgent Husband towards her though shee was beautifull gentle and fruitfull But his auersion towards the House of YORKE was so predominant in him as it found place not only in his Warres and Counsells but in his Chamber and Bed Towards the middle of the Spring the King full of confidence and assurance as a Prince that had beene victorious in Battaile and had preuailed with his Parliament in all that hee desired and had the Ring of Acclamations fresh in his eares thought the rest of his Raigne should bee but Play and the enioying of a Kingdome Yet as a wise and watchfull King hee would not neglect any thing for his safetie thinking neuerthelesse to performe all things now rather as an Exercise then as a Labour So hee being truly informed that the Northerne parts were not onely affectionate to the House of YORKE but particularly had beene deuoted to King RICHARD the third thought it would bee a Summer well spent to visit those Parts and by his presence and application of himselfe to reclaime and rectifie those humors But the King in his accompt of Peace and Calmes did much ouer-cast his Fortunes which proued for many yeares together full of Broken Seas Tides and Tempests For he was no sooner come to Lincolne where he kept his Easter but he receiued newes that the Lord LOVEL HVMPHREY STAFFORD and THOMAS STAFFORD who had formerly taken Sanctuarie at Colchester were departed out of Sanctuarie but to what place no man could tell Which aduertisement the King despised and continued his Iourney to Yorke At Yorke there came fresh and more certaine aduertisement that the Lord LOVEL was at band with a great power of men and that the STAFFORDS were in Armes in Worcestershire and had made their approaches to the Citie of Worcester to assaile it The King as a Prince of great and profound iudgement was not much moued with it for that hee thought it was but a Ragge or Remnant of Bosworth-Field and had nothing in it of the maine Partie of the house of YORKE But hee was more doubtfull of the raysing of Forces to resist the Rebels then of the Resistance it selfe for that hee was in a Core of People whose affections he suspected But the Action enduring no delay hee did speedily leuie and send against the Lord LOVEL to the number of three thousand men ill armed but well assured being taken some few out of his owne Traine and the rest out of the Tenants and Followers of such as were safe to bee trusted vnder the Conduct of the Duke of Bedford And as his manner was to send his Pardons rather before the Sword then after hee gaue Commission to the Duke to proclaime pardon to all that would come in Which the Duke vpon his approach to the Lord LOVELS Campe did performe And it fell out as the King expected the Heralds were the Great-Ordnance For the Lord LOVEL vpon Proclamation of pardon mistrusting his men fled into Lancashire and lurking for a time with Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON after sailed ouer into Flanders to the Ladie MARGARET And his men forsaken of their Captaine did presently submit themselues to the Duke The STAFFORDS likewise and their Forces hearing what had happened to the Lord LOVEL in whose successe their chiefe trust was despaired and dispersed The two Brothers taking Sanctuarie at Colnham a Village neare Abington which Place vpon view of their Priuiledge in the Kings Bench being iudged no sufficient Sanctuarie for Traitors HVMPHREY was executed at Tiburne and THOMAS as being led by his elder brother was pardoned So this Rebellion proued but a Blast and the King hauing by this Iourney purged a little the Dregs and Leauen of the Northerne People that were before in no good affection towards him returned to London In September following the Queene was deliuered of her first sonne whom the King in honour of the Brittish-Race of which himselfe was named ARTHVH according to the Name of that ancient worthie King of the Britaines in whose Acts there is truth enough to make him Famous besides that which is Fabulous The Childe was strong and able though hee was borne in the eight Moneth which the Physicians doe preiudge THere followed this yeare being the Second of the Kings Reigne a strange Accident of State whereof the Relations which wee haue are so naked as they leaue it scarce credible not for the nature of it for it hath fallen out oft but for the manner and circumstance of it especially in the beginnings Therfore wee shall make our Iudgement vpon the things themselues as they giue light one to another and as wee can digge Truth out of the Mine The King was greene in his estate and contrarie to his owne opinion and desert both was not without much hatred throughout the Realme The root of all was the discountenancing of the House of YORKE which the generall Bodie of the Realme still affected This did alienate the hearts of the Subiects from him daily more and more especially when they saw that after his Marriage and after a Sonne borne the King did neuerthelesse not so much as proceed to the Coronation of the Queene not vouchsafing her the honour of a Matrimoniall Crowne for the Coronation of her was not till almost two yeares after when Danger had taught him what to doe But much more when it was spread abroad whether by Errour or the cunning of Male-Contents that the King had a purpose to put to death EDWARD PLANTAGENET closely in the Tower Whose case was so neerly paralleld with that of EDWARD the Fourths Children in respect of the Bloud like Age and the very place of the Tower as it did refresh and reflect vpon the King a most odious resemblance as if hee would bee another King RICHARD And all this time it was still whispered euery where that at least one of the Children of EDWARD the Fourth was liuing Which Bruit was cunningly fomented by such as desired Innouation Neither was the Kings nature and customes greatly fit to disperse
true Degree as it was and saw plainly that his Kingdome must againe be put to the Stake and that he must fight for it And first he did conceiue before he vnderstood of the Earle of Lincolnes sayling into Ireland out of Flanders that he should be assailed both vpon the East-parts of the Kingdome of England by some impression from Flanders and vpon the North-west out of Ireland And therefore hauing ordered Musters to be made in both Parts and hauing prouisionally designed two Generals IASPER Earle of Bedford and IOHN Earle of Oxford meaning himselfe also to goe in person where the Affaires should most require it and neuerthelesse not expecting any actuall Inuasion at that time the Winter being farre on he tooke his iourney himselfe towards Suffolke and Northfolke for the confirming of those parts And being come to S. Edmonds-bury hee vnderstood that THOMAS Marquesse Dorset who had beene one of the Pledges in France was hasting towards him to purge himselfe of some Accusations which had beene made against him But the King though hee kept an Eare for him yet was the time so doubtfull that hee sent the Earle of Oxford to meet him and forth with to carry him to the Tower with a faire Message neuerthelesse that hee should beare that disgrace with patience for that the King meant not his hurt but onely to preserue him from doing hurt either to the Kings seruice or to himselfe and that the King should alwayes be able when hee had cleared himselfe to make him reparation From S. Edmonds-bury he went to Norwich where he kept his Christmas And from thence he went in a manner of Pilgrimage to Walsingham where hee visited our Ladies Church famous for miracles and made his Prayers and Vowes for helpe and deliuerance And from thence he returned by Cambridge to London Not long after the Rebels with their King vnder the Leading of the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare the Lord LOVEL and Colonell SWART landed at Fouldrey in Lancashire whither there repaired to them Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON with some small companie of English The King by that time knowing now the Storme would not diuide but fall in one place had leuied Forces in good number And in person taking with him his two designed Generals the Duke of Bedford and the Earle of Oxford was come on his way towards them as farre as Couentry whence he sent forth a troupe of Light-Horsemen for discouerie and to intercept some straglers of the Enemies by whom he might the better vnderstand the particulars of their Progresse and purposes which was accordingly done though the King otherwise was not without intelligence from Espials in the Campe. The Rebels tooke their way towards Yorke without spoyling the Countrie or any act of Hostilitie the better to put themselues into fauour of the people and to personate their King who no doubt out of a princely feeling was sparing and compassionate towards his Subiects But their Snow-ball did not gather as it went For the people came not in to them Neither did any rise or declare themselues in other parts of the Kingdome for them which was caused partly by the good taste that the King had giuen his People of his Gouernement ioyned with the reputation of his Felicitie and partly for that it was an odious thing to the people of England to haue a King brought in to them vpon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch of which their Armie was in substance compounded Neither was it a thing done with any great iudgement on the Party of the Rebels for them to take their way towards Yorke Considering that howsoeuer those parts had formerly beene a Nurserie of their friends yet it was there where the Lord LOVEL had so lately disbanded and where the Kings presence had a little before qualified discontents The Earle of Lincolne deceiued of his hopes of the Countries concourse vnto him in which case he would haue temporized and seeing the businesse past Retract resolued to make on where the King was and to giue him battaile and therupon marched towards Newarke thinking to haue surprized the Towne But the King was somewhat before this time come to Nottingham where he called a Councell of Warre at which was consulted whether it were best to protract time or speedily to set vpon the Rebels In which Councell the King himselfe whose continuall vigilancie did sucke in sometimes causelesse suspitions which few else knew inclined to the accelerating a Battaile But this was presently put out of doubt by the great aides that came in to him in the instant of this Consultation partly vpon Missiues and partly Voluntaries from many parts of the Kingdome The principall persons that came then to the Kings aide were the Earle of Shrewesburie and the Lord STRANGE of the Nobilitie and of Knights and Gentlemen to the number of at least threescore and tenne persons with their Companies making in the whole at the least six thousand fighting men besides the Forces that were with the King before Wherupon the King finding his Armie so brauely re-enforced and a great alacritie in all his men to fight was confirmed in his former resolution and marched speedily so as hee put himselfe betweene the Enemies Campe and Newarke being loth their Armie should get the commoditie of that Towne The Earle nothing dismayed came forwards that day vnto a little Village called Stoke and there encamped that night vpon the Brow or hanging of a hill The King the next day presented him Battaile vpon the Plaine the fields there being open and champion The Earle couragiously came downe and ioyned Battaile with him Concerning which Battaile the relations that are left vnto vs are so naked and negligent though it be an action of so recent memorie as they rather declare the Successe of the day then the Manner of the fight They say that the King diuided his Armie into three Battailes whereof the vant-guard onely well strengthened with wings came to fight That the Fight was fierce and obstinate and lasted three houres before the victorie inclined either way saue that Iudgement might be made by that the Kings Vant-guard of it selfe maintained fight against the whole Power of the Enemies the other two Battailes remaining out of action what the successe was like to bee in the end That MARTIN SWART with his Germanes performed brauely and so did those few English that were on that side neither did the Irish faile in courage or fiercenesse but being almost naked men only armed with Darts and Skeines it was rather an Execution then a fight vpon them insomuch as the furious slaughter of them was a great discouragement and appalement to the rest That there died vpon the place all the Chiefetaines That is the Earle of Lincolne the Earle of Kildare FRANCIS Lord LOVEL MARTIN SWART and Sir THOMAS BROVGHTON all making good the fight without any ground giuen Onely of the Lord LOVEL there went a report that he fled and swam ouer Trent on
old at the time when other Women giue ouer Child-bearing bring forth two such Monsters being not the Births of nine or tenne Moneths but of many yeares And whereas other naturall Mothers bring forth Children weake and not able to helpe themselues she bringeth forth tall Striplings able soone after their comming into the World to bid Battaile to mightie Kings My Lords wee stay vnwillingly vpon this Part. Wee would to GOD that Lady would once taste the Joyes which GOD Almightie doth serue up vnto her in beholding her Neece to Reigne in such Honour and with so much Royall Issue which shee might bee pleased to accompt as her owne The Kings Request vnto the Archduke and your Lordships might bee That according to the Example of King CHARLES who hath already discarded him you would banish this vnworthy Fellow out of your Dominions But because the King may iustly expect more from an ancient Confederate than from a new reconciled Enemie hee maketh his Request vnto you to deliuer him vp into his hands Pirates and Impostures of this sort beeing fit to bee accounted the Common Enemies of Mankinde and no wayes to bee protected by the Law of Nations After some time of Deliberation the Ambassadours receiued this short Answer THat the Archduke for the loue of King HENRY would in no sort aide or assist the pretended Duke but in all things conserue the Amitie hee had with the King But for the Duchesse Dowager shee was absolute in the Lands of her Dowrie and that hee could not let her to dispose of her owne THe King vpon the returne of the Ambassadours was nothing satisfied with this Answer For well he knew that a Patrimoniall Dowrie carried no part of Soueraignty or Command of Forces Besides the Ambassadors told him plainly that they saw the Duchesse had a great Party in the Arch-Dukes Counsell that howsoeuer it was carried in a course of conniuence yet the Arch-Duke vnder hand gaue aid and furtherance to PERKIN Wherefore partly out of Courage and partly out of Policie the King forthwith banished all Flemmings as wel their Persons as their Wares out of his Kingdom Commanding his Subiects likewise and by name his Merchants-Aduenturers which had a Resiance in Antwerpe to return translating the Mart which commonly followed the English Cloth vnto Calice embarred also all further trade for the future This the King did being sensible in point of honour not to suffer a Pretender to the Crowne of England to affront him so neare at hand and he to keep termes of friendship with the Countrie where he did set vp But he had also a further reach for that hee knew well that the Subiects of Flanders drew so great commoditie from the trade of England as by this Embargo they would soon waxe weary of PERKIN and that the Tumults of Flanders had bin so late fresh as it was no time for the Prince to displease the People Neuerthelesse for formes sake by way of requitall the Arch-Duke did likewise banish the English out of Flanders which in effect was done to his hand The King being well aduertised that PERKIN did more trust vpon Friends and Partakers within the Realme than vpon forraine Armes thought it behooued him to apply the Remedy where the Disease lay to proceed with seueritie against some of the principall Conspirators here within the Realme Thereby to purge the ill Humours in England to coole the Hopes in Flanders Wherefore hee caused to bee apprehended almost at an instant IOHN RATCLIFFE Lord Fitz-water Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD Sir THOMAS THWAITES WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY ROBERT RATCLIFFE THOMAS CHRESSENOR THOMAS ASTWOOD All these were arraigned conuicted and condemned for High-Treason in adhering and promising aide to PERKIN Of these the Lord FITZWATER was conueighed to Calice and there kept in hold and in hope of life vntill soone after eyther impatient or betrayed he dealt with his Keeper to haue escaped thereupon was beheaded But Sir SIMON MOVNTFORD ROBERT RATCLIFFE and WILLIAM DAWBIGNEY were beheaded immediately after their Condemnation The rest were pardoned together with many others Clerkes and Laikes amongst which were two Dominican Friars and WILLIAM WORSELEY Deane of Paules which latter sort passed Examination but came not to publike triall The Lord Chamberlaine at that time was not touched whether it were that the King would not stir too many humours at once but after the maner of good Physitians purge the head last or that CLIFFORD from whom most of these Discoueries came reserued that Piece for his own cōming ouer signifying only to the King in the meane time that he doubted there were some greater ones in the businesse whereof he would giue the King further accompt when he came to his presence Vpon Al-hallowes-day-euen being now the tenth yeare of the Kings Reigne the Kings second Sonne HENRY was created Duke of Yorke as well the Duke as diuers others Noblemen Knights-Batchlours Gentlemen of Quality were made knights of the Bath according to the Ceremony Vpon the morrow after Twelfth-Day the King remoued from Westminster where he had kept his Christmas to the Tower of London This he did as soon as he had aduertisement that Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD in whose Bosom or Budget most of PERKINS secrets were layed vp was come into England And the place of the Tower was chosen to that end that if CLIFFORD should accuse any of the Great-ones they might without suspition or noise or sending abroad of Warrants be presently attached the Court Prison being within the cincture of one Wal. After a day or two the king drew vnto him a selected Councel admitted CLIFFORD to his presence who first fell downe at his feet and in all humble manner craued the Kings Pardon which the King then granted though hee were indeed secretly assured of his life before Then commanded to tell his knowledge he did amongst many others of himself not interrogated appeach Sir WILLIAM STANLEY the Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The King seemed to be much amazed at the naming of this Lord as if he had heard the Newes of some strange and fearfull Prodigie To heare a Man that had done him seruice of so high a nature as to saue his life set the Crown vpon his head a Man that enioied by his fauor aduancement so great a fortune both in Honour Riches a Man that was tied vnto him in so near a Band of alliance his Brother hauing married the Kings Mother and lastly a Man to whom he had cōmitted the trust of his Person in making him his Chamberlain That this Man no waies disgraced no waies discontent no waies put in feare should be false vnto him CLIFFORD was required to say ouer again againe the Particulars of his accusatiō being warned that in a matter so vnlikely that concerned so great a Seruant of the Kings he should not in any wise go too far But the king finding that he did sadly constantly without
his right Heires but leauing that to the Law to decide so as the Entaile might seeme rather a personall fauour to him and his children then a totall Dis-inherison to the House of Yorke And in this forme was the Law drawne and passed Which Statute hee procured to be confirmed by the Popes Bull the yeare following with mention neuerthelesse by way of Recitall of his other Titles both of Descent and Conquest So as now the wreath of Three was made a wreath of Fiue for to the three first Titles of the two Houses or Lines and Conquest were added two more the Authorities Parliamentarie and Papall The King likewise in the Reuersall of the Attaindors of his Partakers and discharging them of all offences incident to his seruice and succour had his Will and Acts did passe accordingly In the passage whereof exception was taken to diuers Persons in the house of Commons for that they were attainted and therby not legall nor habilitate to serue in Parliament being disabled in the highest degree And that it should bee a great incongruitie to haue them to make Lawes who themselues were not Inlawed The truth was that diuers of those which had in the time of King RICHARD beene strongest and most declared for the Kings Partie were returned Knights and Burgesses for the Parliament whether by care or recommendation from the State or the voluntarie inclination of the People many of which had beene by RICHARD the third attainted by Outlawries or otherwise The King was somewhat troubled with this For though it had a graue and specious Shew yet it reflected vpon his Partie But wisely not shewing himselfe at all moued therewith hee would not vnderstand it but as a Case in Law and wished the Iudges to be aduised therupon who for that purpose were forthwith assembled in the Exchequer-Chamber which is the Councell-Chamber of the Iudges and vpon deliberation they gaue a graue and safe Opinion and Aduice mixed with Law and Conuenience which was that the Knights and Burgesses attainted by the course of Law should forbeare to come into the House till a Law were passed for the reuersall of their Attaindors It was at that time incidently moued amongst the Iudges in their Consultation what should be done for the King himselfe who likewise was attainted But it was with vnanimous consent resolued That the Crowne takes away all defects and stops in bloud and that from the time the King did assume the Crowne the fountaine was cleared and all Attaindors and Corruption of bloud discharged But neuerthelesse for Honours sake it was ordained by Parliament that all Records wherein there was any memorie or mention of the Kings Attaindor should be defaced cancelled and taken off the File But on the part of the Kings Enemies there were by Parliament attainted the late Duke of Glocester calling himselfe RICHARD the Third The Duke of Norfolke the Earle of Surrey Viscount LOVEL the Lord FERRERS the Lord ZOVCH RICHARD RATCLIFFE WILLIAM CATESBY and many others of degree and qualitie In which Bills of Attaindors neuerthelesse there were contained many iust and temperate Clauses Sauings and Prouisoes well shewing and fore-tokening the wisdome stay and moderation of the Kings spirit of Gouernment And for the Pardon of the rest that had stood against the King the King vpon a second aduice thought it not fit it should passe by Parliament the better being matter of Grace to impropriate the thankes to himselfe vsing onely the opportunitie of a Parliament time the better to disperse it into the Veines of the Kingdome Therfore during the Parliament hee published his Royall Proclamation offering Pardon and Grace of restitution to all such as had taken Armes or beene participant of any Attempts against him so as they submitted themselues to his mercie by a Day and tooke the Oath of Allegeance and Fidelitie to him Whereupon many came out of Sanctuary and many more came out of Feare no lesse guiltie then those that had taken Sanctuarie As for Money or Treasure the King thought it not seasonable or fit to demand any of his Subiects at this Parliament both because he had receiued satisfaction from them in matters of so great importance and because hee could not remunerate them with any Generall Pardon being preuented therin by the Coronation Pardon passed immediatly before but chiefly for that it was in euery mans eye what great Forfeitures and Confiscations he had at that present to helpe himselfe Wherby those Casualties of the Crowne might in reason spare the Purses of the Subiect especially in a time when he was in peace with all his Neighbours Some few Lawes passed at that Parliament almost for forme sake amongst which there was One to reduce Aliens being made Denizens to pay strangers Customes and another to draw to himselfe the Seisures and Compositions of Italians Goods for not imployment being Points of Profit to his Coffers whereof from the very Beginning he was not forgetfull and had beene more happie at the Latter End if his early prouidence which kept him from all necessitie of exacting vpon his people could likewise haue attemp'red his nature therin He added during Parliament to his former Creations the Innoblement or aduancement in Nobilitie of a few others The Lord CHANDOS of Brittaine was made Earle of Bathe and Sir GILES DAWBENY was made Lord Dawbeny and Sir ROBERT WILLOVGHBY Lord Brooke The King did also with great Noblenesse and Bountie which Vertues at that time had their turnes in his Nature restore EDWARD STAFFORD eldest sonne to HENRY Duke of Buckingham attainted in the time of King RICHARD not onely to his Dignities but to his Fortunes and Possessions which were great to which he was moued also by a kind of gratitude for that the Duke was the man that moued the first Stone against the Tyrannie of King RICHARD and indeed madethe King a bridge to the Crowne vpon his owne Ruines Thus the Parliament brake vp The Parliament being dissolued the King sent forthwith Money to redeeme the Marquesse Dorset and Sir IOHN BOVRCHIER whom hee had left as his Pledges at Paris for Money which hee had borrowed when he made his Expedition for England And thereupon hee tooke a fit occasion to send the Lord Treasurer and Master BRAY whom hee vsed as Councellor to the Lord Maior of London requiring of the Citie a Prest of six thousand Markes But after many Parlees hee could obtaine but two thousand pounds Which neuerthelesse the King tooke in good part as Men vse to doe that practise to borrow Money when they haue no need About this time the King called vnto his Priuie-Councell IOHN MORTON and RICHARD FOX the one Bishop of Elie the other Bishop of Excester vigilant men and secret and such as kept watch with him almost vpon al men else They had beene both versed in his Affaires before hee came to the Crowne and were partakers of his aduerse Fortune This MORTON soone after vpon the death of BOVRCHIER he made
memorie and all things were directed by the Duke of Orleance who gaue audience to the Chaplaine VRSWICK and vpon his Ambassage deliuered made answer in somewhat high termes That the Duke of Britaine hauing beene an Host and a kind of Parent or Foster-father to the King in his tendernesse of age and weaknesse of fortune did looke for at this time from King HENRY the renowned King of England rather braue Troupes for his Succours then a vaine Treatie of Peace And if the King could forget the good Offices of the Duke done vnto him aforetime yet he knew well he would in his wisdome consider of the future how much it imported his owne safetie and reputation both in forraine parts and with his owne people not to suffer Britaine the old Confederates of England to be swallowed vp by France and so many good Ports and strong Townes vpon the Coast be in the command of so potent a Neighbour-King and so ancient an Enemie And therefore humbly desired the King to thinke of this businesse as his owne and therewith brake off and denied any further conference for Treatie VRSWICK returned first to the French King and related to him what had passed Who finding things to sort to his desire tooke hold of them and said That the Ambassadour might perceiue now that which he for his part partly imagined before That considering in what hands the Duke of Britaine was there would be no Peace but by a mixt Treatie of force and perswasion And therfore he would goe on with the one and desired the King not to desist from the other But for his owne part he did faithfully promise to bee still in the Kings power to rule him in the matter of Peace This was accordingly represented vnto the King by VRSWICK at his returne and in such a fashion as if the Treatie were in no sort desperate but rather stayed for a better houre till the Hammer had wrought and beat the Partie of Britaine more pliant Whereupon there passed continually Packets and Dispatches betweene the two Kings from the One out of desire and from the other out of dissimulation about the negotiation of Peace The French King meane while inuaded Britaine with great forces and distressed the Citie of Nantes with a strait siege and as one who though hee had no great Iudgement yet had that that hee could dissemble home the more he did vrge the prosecution of the Warre the more he did at the same time vrge the solicitation of the Peace Insomuch as during the siege of Nantes after many Letters and particular messages the better to maintaine his dissimulation and to refresh the Treatie he sent BERNARD DAVBIGNEY a person of good qualitie to the King earnestly to desire him to make an end of the businesse howsoeuer The King was no lesse readie to reuiue and quicken the Treatie And therupon sent three Commissioners the Abbot of Abington Sir RICHARD TVNSTAL and CHAPLEINE VRSWICK formerly imployed to doe their vtmost endeuours to manage the Treatie roundly and strongly About this time the Lord WOODVILE Vncle to the Queene a valiant gentleman desirous of honor sued to the King that he might raise some Power of Voluntaries vnder-hand and without licence or pasport wherein the King might any wayes appeare goe to the aide of the Duke of Britaine The King denied his request or at least seemed so to doe and layed strait commandement vpon him that hee should not stirre for that the King thought his honour would suffer therein during a Treatie to better a Partie Neuerthelesse this Lord either being vnruly or out of conceipt that the King would not inwardly dislike that which he would not openly auow sailed secretly ouer into the Isle of Wight whereof hee was Gouernour and leuied a faire Troupe of foure hundred men and with them passed ouer into Brittaine and ioyned himselfe with the Dukes Forces The Newes whereof when it came to the French Court put diuers Young Bloods into such a furie as the English Ambassadors were not without perill to bee outraged But the French King both to preserue the Priuiledge of Ambassadors and being conscious to himselfe that in the businesse of Peace hee himselfe was the greater dissembler of the two forbade all iniuries of fact or word against their persons or Followers And presently came an Agent from the King to purge himselfe touching the Lord WOODVILES going ouer vsing for a principall argument to demonstrate that it was without his priuitie for that the Troupes were so small as neither had the Face of a succour by authoritie nor could much aduance the Brittaine affaires To which message although the French King gaue no full credit yet he made faire weather with the King and seemed satisfied Soone after the English Ambassadors returned hauing two of them beene likewise with the Duke of Britaine and found things in no other termes then they were before Vpon their returne they informed the King of the state of the affaires and how farre the French King was from any true meaning of Peace and therefore he was now to aduise of some other course Neither was the King himselfe lead all this while with credulity meerely as was generally supposed But his Error was not so much facility of beleefe as an ill measuring of the forces of the other Partie For as was partly touched before the King had cast the businesse thus with himselfe He tooke it for granted in his owne iudgement that the Warre of Britaine in respect of the strength of the Townes and of the Partie could not speedily come to a Period For he conceiued that the Counsels of a Warre that was vndertaken by the French King then childlesse against an Heire-apparant of France would be very faint and slow And besides that it was not possible but that the state of France should be imbroiled with some troubles and alterations in fauour of the Duke of Orleance Hee conceiued likewise that MAXIMILIAN King of the Romans was a Prince warlike and potent who he made account would giue succours to the Britaine 's roundly So then iudging it would be a worke of Time hee laide his plot how hee might best make vse of that Time for his owne affaires Wherein first hee thought to make his vantage vpon his Parliament knowing that they being affectionate vnto the quarrell of Britaine would giue treasure largely Which treasure as a noise of Warre might draw forth so a peace succeeding might cofer vp And because hee knew his people were hot vpon the businesse hee chose rather to seeme to bee deceiued and lulled asleepe by the French then to be backward in himselfe considering his Subiects were not so fully capable of the reasons of State which made him hold backe Wherefore to all these purposes hee saw no other expedient then to set and keepe on foot a continuall Treatie of Peace laying it downe and taking it vp againe as the occurrence required Besides he had in consideration the point
France And although the Parliament consisted of the First and Second Nobilitie together with principall Citizens and Townesmen yet worthily and iustly respecting more the People whose deputies they were then their owne priuate Persons and finding by the Lord Chancellours speech the Kings inclination that way they consented that Commissioners should goe forth for the gathering and leuying of a Beneuolence from the more able sort This Tax called Beneuolence was deuised by EDWARD the Fourth for which hee sustained much Enuie It was abolished by RICHARD the Third by Act of Parliament to ingratiate himselfe with the people and it was now reuiued by the King but with consent of Parliament for so it was not in the time of King EDWARD the Fourth But by this way hee raised exceeding great summes Insomuch as the Citie of London in those dayes contributed nine thousand pounds and better and that chiefly leuied vpon the wealthier sort There is a Tradition of a Dilemma that Bishop MORTON the Chancellour vsed to raise vp the Beneuolence to higher Rates and some called it his Forke and some his Crotch. For hee had couched an Article in the Instructions to the Commissioners who were to leuie the Beneuolence That if they met with any that were sparing they should tell them That they must needs haue because they laid vp and if they were spenders they must needs haue because it was seene in their Port and manner of liuing So neither kinde came amisse This Parliament was meerly a Parliament of Warre for it was in Substance but a declaration of Warre against France and Scotland with some Statutes conducing thereunto As the seuere punishing of Mortpayes and keeping backe of Souldiours wages in Captaines The like seueritie for the departure of Souldiours without licence Strengthening of the Common-Law in fauour of Protections for those that were in the Kings seruice And the setting the gate open and wide for men to sell or Morgage their lands without Fines for Alienation to furnish themselues with money for the Warre And lastly the voiding of all Scottishmen out of England There was also a Statute for the dispersing of the Standard of the Exchequer throughout England therby to size Weights and Measures and two or three more of lesse importance After the Parliament was broken vp which lasted not long the King went on with his Preparations for the Warre of France yet neglected not in the meane time the affaires of MAXIMILIAN for the quieting of Flanders and restoring him to his authoritie amongst his Subiects For at that time the Lord of Rauenstein being not onely a Subiect rebelled but a Seruant reuolted and so much the more malicious and violent by the aide of Bruges and Gaunt had taken the Towne and both the Castles of Sluice as wee said before And hauing by the commoditie of the Hauen gotten together certaine Ships and Barkes fell to a kind of Pyraticall Trade robbing and spoyling and taking Prisoners the Ships and Vessels of all Nations that passed alongst that Coast towards the Mart of Antwerpe or into any part of Brabant Zeland or Freezland being euer well victualled from Picardie besides the commoditie of Victuals from Sluice and the Countrey adjacent and the auailes of his owne Prizes The French assisted him still vnder-hand and hee likewise as all men doe that haue beene of both sides thought himselfe not safe except hee depended vpon a third Person There was a small Towne some two miles from Bruges towards the Sea called Dam which was a Fort and Approch to Bruges and had a relation also to Sluice This Towne the King of the Romans had attempted often not for any worth of the Towne in it selfe but because it might choake Bruges and cut it off from the Sea and euer failed But therewith the Duke of Saxonie came downe into Flanders taking vpon him the Person of an Vmpire to compose things betweene MAXIMILIAN and his Subiects but being indeed fast and assured to MAXIMILIAN Vpon this Pretext of Neutralitie and Treatie hee repaired to Bruges desiring of the States of Bruges to enter peaceably into their Towne with a Retinue of some number of men of Armes fit for his Estate being somewhat the more as hee said the better to guard him in a Countrey that was vp in Armes and bearing them in hand that hee was to communicate with them of diuers matters of great importance for their good Which hauing obtained of them hee sent his Carriages and Harbingers before him to prouide his Lodging So that his Men of Warre entred the Citie in good Array but in peaceable manner and he followed They that went before enquired still for Innes and Lodgings as if they would haue rested there all Night and so went on till they came to the Gate that leadeth directly towards Dam and they of Bruges only gazed vpon them and gaue them passage The Captaines and inhabitants of Dam also suspected no harme from any that passed through Bruges and discouering Forces a farre off supposed they had beene some Succours that were come from their Friends knowing some Dangers towards them And so perceiuing nothing but well till it was too late suflered them to enter their Towne By which kinde of Sleight rather then Stratageme the Towne of Dam was taken and the Town of Bruges shrewdly blockt vp wherby they tooke great discouragement The Duke of Saxonie hauing wonne the Towne of Dam sent immediatly to the King to let him know that it was Sluice chiefely and the Lord RAVENSTEIN that kept the Rebellion of Flanders in life And that if it pleased the King to besiege it by Sea he also would besiege it by Land and so cut out the Core of those Warres The King willing to vphold the Authoritie of MAXIMILIAN the better to hold France in awe and being likewise sued vnto by his Merchants for that the Seas were much infested by the Barkes of the Lord RAVENSTEIN sent straightwayes Sir EDWARD POYNINGS a valiant man and of good seruice with twelue Ships well furnished with Souldiers and Artillerie to cleare the Seas and to besiege Sluice on that part The Englishmen did not only coupe vp the Lord RAVENSTEIN that hee stirred not and likewise hold in strait Siege the Maritime part of the Towne but also assailed one of the Castles and renewed the assault so for twentie dayes space issuing still out of their Ships at the Ebbe as they made great slaughter of them of the Castle who continually fought with them to repulse them though of the English part also were slaine a brother of the Earle of Oxfords and some fiftie more But the Siege still continuing more and more strait and both the Castles which were the principall strength of the Towne being distressed the one by the Duke of Saxonie and the other by the English and a Bridge of boats which the Lord RAVENSTEIN had made betweene both Castles whereby Succours and Releefe might passe from the one to the other being on a night
set on fire by the English hco despairing to hold the Towne yeelded at the last the Castles to the English and the Towne to the Duke of Saxonie by composition Which done the Duke of Saxonie and Sir EDWARD POYNINGS treated with them of Bruges to submit themselues to MAXIMILIAN their Lord which after some time they did paying in some good part the Charge of the Warre whereby the Almaines and forraigne Succours were dismissed The example of Bruges other of the Reuolted Townes followed so that MAXIMILIAN grew to be out of danger but as his manner was to handle matters neuer out of necessitie And Sir EDWARD POYNINGS after he had continued at Sluice some good while till all things were setled returned vnto the King being then before Bulleigne Somewhat about this time came Letters from FERDINANDO and ISABELLA King and Queene of Spaino signifying the finall conquest of Granada from the Moores which action in it selfe so worthie King FERDINANDO whose manner was neuer to lose any vertue for the shewing had expressed and displayed in his letters at large with all the particularities and religious Punctoes and Ceremonies that were obserued in the reception of that Citie and Kingdome Shewing amongst other things That the King would not by any meanes in person enter the Citie vntill hee had first aloofe seene the Crosse set vp vpon the greater Tower of Granada whereby it became Christian ground That likewise before hee would enter he did Homage to God aboue pronouncing by an Herauld from the Height of that Tower that hee did acknowledge to haue recouered that Kingdome by the helpe of GOD Almightie and the glorious Virgin and the vertuous Apostle Saint IAMES and the holy Father INNOCENT the Eight together with the aides and seruices of his Prelates Nobles and Commons That yet he stirred not from his Campe till hee had seene a little Armie of Martyrs to the number of seuen hundred and more Christians that had liued in bonds and seruitude as Slaues to the Moores passe before his Eyes singing a Psalme for their redemption and that he had giuen Tribute vnto GOD by Almes and releefe extended to them all for his admission into the Citie These things were in the Letters with many more Ceremonies of a kind of Holy Ostentation The King euer willing to put himselfe into the Consort or Quire of all religious Actions and naturally affecting much the King of Spaine as farre as one King can affect another partly for his vertues and partly for a counterpoise to France vpon the receipt of these Letters sent all his Nobles and Prelates that were about the Court together with the Maior and Aldermen of London in great solemnitie to the Church of Pauls there to heare a Declaration from the Lord Chancellor now Cardinall When they were assembled the Cardinall standing vpon the vppermost step or Halfe-pase before the Quire and all the Nobles Prelates and Gouernours of the Citie at the foot of the Staires made a Speech to them letting them know that they were assembled in that Consecrate place to sing vnto God a New-song For that said he these many yeares the Christians haue not gayned new ground or Territorie vpon the Infidels nor enlarged and set further the Bounds of the Christian-world But this is now done by the prowesse and deuotion of FERDINANDO and ISABELLA Kings of Spaine Who haue to their immortall Honour recouered the great and rich Kingdome of Granada and the populous and mightie Citie of the same name from the Moores hauing beene in possession thereof by the space of seuen hundred yeares and more For which this Assembly and all Christians are to render laud and thankes vnto God and to celebrate this noble Act of the King of Spaine who in this is not only Victorious but Apostolicall in the gaining of new Prouinces to the Christian Faith And the rather for that this Victorie and Conquest is obtained without much effusion of bloud Whereby it is to bee hoped that there shall bee gained not only new Territorie but infinite soules to the Church of Christ whom the Almightie as it seemes would haue liue to bee conuerted Herewithall hee did relate some of the most memorable Particulars of the Warre and Victorie And after his Speech ended the whole assemblie went solemnely in Procession and Te Deum was sung Immediately after the Solemnitie the King kept his May Day at his Palace of Sheine now Richmond Where to warme the blood of his Nobilitie and Gallants against the warre hee kept great Triumphs of Iusting and Tourney during all that Moneth In which space it so fell our that Sir IAMES PARKER and HVGH VAVGHAH one of the Kings Gentlemen-Vshers hauing had a Controuersie touching certaine Armes that the King at Armes had giuen VAVGHAN were appointed to runne some Courses one against an other And by accident of a faultie Helmet that PARKER had on he was stricken into the mouth at the first course so that his tongue was borne vnto the hinder part of his head in such sort that hee died presently vpon the Place Which because of the Controuersie precedent and the Death that followed was accounted amongst the Vulgar as a Combate or Tryall of Right The King towards the end of this Summer hauing put his Forces where with hee meant to inuade France in readinesse but so as they were not yet met or mustered together sent VRSWICK now made his Almoner and Sir IOHN RISLEY to MAXIMILIAN to let him know that hee was in Armes ready to passe the Seas into France and did but expect to heare from him when and where he did appoint to ioyne with him according to his promise made vnto him by COVNTEBALT his Ambassador The English Ambassadors hauing repaired to MAXIMILIAN did finde his power and promise at a very great distance hee being vtterly vnprouided of Men Money and Armes for any such enterprize For MAXIMILIAN hauing neither Wing to flie on for that his Patrimony of Austria was not in his hands his Father beeing then liuing And on the other side his Matrimonial Territories of Flanders being partly in Dowre to his Mother-in-law and partly not seruiceable in respect of the late Rebellions was thereby destitute of meanes to enter into Warre The Ambassadors saw this well but wisely thought fit to aduertise the King thereof rather than to returne themselues till the Kings further pleasure were knowne The rather for that MAXIMILIAN himselfe spake as great as euer hee did before and entertained them with dilatory Answers so as the formall part of their Ambassage might well warrant and require their further stay The King hereupon who doubted as much before and saw through his businesse from the beginning wrote backe to the Ambassadors commending their discretion in not returning and willing them to keepe the State wherein they found MAXIMILIAN as a Secret till they heard further from him And meane while went on with his Voyage Royall for France suppressing for a time this
kind of astonishment mixt of Ioy and Wonder at his miraculous deliuerance receiuing him as if hee were risen from Death to Life and inferring that GOD who had in such wonderfull manner preserued him from Death did likewise reserue him for some great and prosperous Fortune As for his dismission out of France they interpreted it not as if hee were detected or neglected for a Counterfeit Deceiuer but contrariwise that it did shew manifestly vnto the World that hee was some Great matter for that it was his abandoning that in effect made the Peace being no more but the sacrificing of a poore distressed Prince vnto the vtilitie and Ambition of two Mightie Monarchs Neither was PERKIN for his part wanting to himselfe either in gracious and princely behauiour or in ready and apposite answers or in contenting and caressing those that did applie themselues vnto him or in prettie scorne and disdaine to those that seemed to doubt of him but in all things did notably acquite himselfe Insomuch as it was generally beleeued aswell amongst great Persons as amongst the Vulgar that he was indeed Duke RICHARD Nay himselfe with long and continuall counterfeiting and with oft telling a Lye was turned by habit almost into the thing heesee med to bee and from a Lyer to a Beleeuer The Duchesse therefore as in a case out of doubt did him all princely honour calling him alwaies by the name of her Nephew and giuing him the Delicate Title of the White-rose of England and appointed him a Guard of thirtie Persons Halberdiers clad in a Party-coloured Liuerie of Murrey and Blue to attend his Person Her Court likewise and generally the Dutch and Strangers in their vsage towards him expressed no lesse respect The Newes hereof came blazing and thundering ouer into England that the Duke of Yorke was sure aliue As for the name of PERKIN WARBECK it was not at that time come to light but all the newes ranne vpon the Duke of Yorke that hee had beene entertayned in Ireland bought and sold in France and was now plainly auowed and in great honour in Flanders These Fames tooke hold of diuers In some vpon discontent in some vpon ambition in some vpon leuitie and desire of change and in some few vpon conscience and beleefe but in most vpon simplicitie and in diuers out of dependance vpon some of the better sort who did in secret fauour and nourish these bruits And it was not long ere these rumours of Noueltie had begotten others of Scandall and Murmur against the King and his gouernment taxing him for a great Taxer of his People and discountenancer of his Nobilitie The losse of Britaine and the Peace with France were not forgotten But chiefly they fell vpon the wrong that hee did his Queene in that hee did not reigne in her Right Wherefore they said that GOD had now brought to light a Masculine-Branch of the House of YORKE that would not bee at his Curtesie howsoeuer hee did depresse his poore Ladie And yet as it fareth in things which are currant with the Multitude and which they affect these Fames grew so generall as the Authors were lost in the generalitie of Speakers They being like running Weedes that haue no certaine root or like Footings vp and downe impossible to be traced But after a while these ill Humours drew to an head and setled secretly in some eminent Persons which were Sir WILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlaine of the Kings Houshold The Lord FITZ-WATER Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir THOMAS THWAITES These entred into a secret Conspiracie to fauour Duke RICHARDS Title Neuerthelesse none engaged their fortunes in this businesse openly but two Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and Master WILLIAM BARLEY who sailed ouer into Flanders sent indeed from the Partie of the Conspiratours here to vnderstand the truth of those things that passed there and not without some helpe of monies from hence Prouisionally to bee deliuered if they found and were satisfied that there was truth in these pretences The person of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD being a Gentleman of Fame and Familie was extremely welcome to the Ladie MARGARET Who after shee had conference with him brought him to the sight of PERKIN with whom hee had often speech and discourse So that in the end wonne either by the Duchesse to affect or by PERKIN to beleeue hee wrote backe into England that he knew the Person of RICHARD Duke of Yorke as well as hee knew his owne and that this Young-man was vndoubtedly hee By this meanes all things grew prepared to Reuolt and Sedition here and the Conspiracie came to haue a Correspondence betweene Flanders and England The King on his part was not asleepe but to Arme or leuie Forces yet he thought would but shew feare and doe this Idoll too much worship Neuerthelesse the Ports hee did shut vp or at least kept a Watch on them that none should passe to or fro that was suspected But for the rest hee choose to worke by Countermine His purposes were two the one to lay open the Abuse The other to breake the knot of the Conspirators To detect the Abuse there were but two wayes The first to make it manifest to the world that the Duke of Yorke was indeed murthered The other to prooue that were he dead or aliue yet PERKIN was a Counterfeit For the first thus it stood There were but foure Persons that could speake vpon knowledge to the murther of the Duke of Yorke Sir IAMES TIRREL the employed-man from King RICHARD IOHN DIGHTON and MILES FORREST his seruants the two Butchers or Tormentors and the Priest of the Tower that buried them Of which foure MILES FOREST and the Priest were dead and there remained aliue onely Sir IAMES TIRREL and IOHN DIGHTON These two the King caused to bee committed to the Tower and examined touching the manner of the death of the two innocent Princes They agreed both in a Tale as the King gaue out to this effect That King RICHARD hauing directed his warrant for the putting of them to death to BRACKENBVRIE the Lieutenant of the Tower was by him refused Whereupon the King directed his Warrant to Sir IAMES TIRREL to receiue the keyes of the Tower from the Lieutenant for the space of a night for the Kings speciall seruice That Sir IAMES TIRREL accordingly repaired to the Tower by night attended by his two Seruants afore-named whom hee had chosen for that purpose That himselfe stood at the staire-foot and sent these two Villaines to execute the murther That they smothered them in their bed that done called vp their Master to see their naked dead bodies which they had laid forth That they were buried vnder the Staires and some stones cast vpon them That when the report was made to King RICHARD that his will was done hee gaue Sir IAMES TIRREL great thankes but tooke exception to the place of their buriall being too base for them that were Kings children Whereupon another night by the Kings warrant renued their
bodies were remoued by the Priest of the Tower and buried by him in some place which by meanes of the Priests death soone after could not be knowne Thus much was then deliuered abroad to be the effect of those Examinations But the King neuerthelesse made no vse of them in any of his Declarations whereby as it seemes those Examinations left the businesse somewhat perplexed And a for Sir IAMES TIRREL hee was soone after beheaded in the Tower-yard for other matters of Treason But IOHN DIGHTON who it seemeth spake best for the King was forthwith set at libertie and was the principall meanes of diuulging this Tradition Therefore this kind of Proofe being left so naked the King vsed the more diligence in the latter for the tracing of PERKIN To this purpose hee sent abroad into seuerall parts and especially into Flanders diuers secret and nimble Scouts and Spies some faining themselues to flie ouer vnto PERKIN and to adhere vnto him and some vnder other pretences to learne search and discouer all the circumstances and particulars of PERKINS Parents Birth Person Trauailes vp and downe and in briefe to haue a Iournall as it were of his life and doings Hee furnished these his imployed-men liberally with Money to draw on and reward Intelligences giuing them also in charge to aduertise continually what they found and neuerthelesse still to goe on And euer as one Aduertisement and Discouerie called vp another hee employed other new Men where the Businesse did require it Others hee employed in a more speciall nature and trust to be his Pioners in the maine Counter-mine These were directed to insinuate themselues into the familiaritie and confidence of the principall Persons of the Partie in Flanders and so to learne what Associates they had and Correspondents either heere in England or abroad and how farre euery one ingaged and what new ones they meant afterwards to trie or board And as this for the Persons so for the Actions themselues to discouer to the Bottome as they could the vtmost of PERKINS and the Conspiratours their Intentions Hopes and Practices These latter Best-be-trust-Spies had some of them further instructions to practise and draw off the best Friends and Seruants of PERKIN by making remonstrance to them how weakly his Enterprize and Hopes were built and with how prudent and potent a King they had to deale and to reconcile them to the King with promise of Pardon and good Conditions of Reward And aboue the rest to assayle sappe and worke into the constancie of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and to winne him if they could being the man that knew most of their secrets and who being wonne away would most appall and discourage the rest and in a manner breake the Knot There is a strange Tradition That the King being lost in a Wood of Suspicions and not knowing whom to trust had both intelligence with the Confessors and Chaplaines of diuers great men and for the better Credit of his Espialls abroad with the contrarie side did vse to haue them cursed at PAVLS by Name amongst the Bead-roll of the Kings Enemies according to the Custome of those Times These Espials plyed their Charge so roundly as the King had an Anatomie of PERKIN aliue and waslikewise well informed of the particular correspondent Conspiratours in England and many other Mysteries were reuealed and Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD in especiall wonne to bee assured to the King and industrious and officious for his seruice The King therfore receiuing a rich Returne of his diligence and great satisfaction touching a number of Particulars first diuulged and spred abroad the Imposture and iuggling of PERKINS Person and Trauailes with the Circumstances therof throughout the Realme Not by Proclamation because things were yet in Examination and so might receiue the more or the lesse but by Court-fames which commonly print better than printed Proclamations Then thought hee it also time to send an Ambassage vnto Archduke PHILIP into Flanders for the abandoning and dismissing of PERKIN Heerein hee employed Sir EDWARD POYNINGS and Sir WILLIAM WARHAM Doctor of the Canon Law The Archduke was then young and gouerned by his Councell before whom the Ambassadours had audience and Doctor WARHAM spake in this manner MY Lords the King our Master is very sorie that England and your Countrey here of Flanders hauing beene counted as Man and Wife for so long time now this Countrey of all others should be the Stage where a base Counterfeit should play the part of a King of England not onely to his Graces disquiet and dishonour but to the scorne and reproach of all Soueraigne Princes To counterfeit the dead Image of a King in his Coyne is an high Offence by all Lawes But to counterfeit the liuing Image of a King in his Person exceedeth all Falsifications except it should bee that of a MAHOMET or an Anti-Christ that counterfeit Diuine Honour The King hath too great an Opinion of this sage Counsell to thinke that any of you is caught with this Fable though way may be giuen by you to the passion of some the thing in it selfe is so improbable To set Testimonies aside of the Death of Duke RICHARD which the King hath vpon Record plaine and infallible because they may bee thought to bee in the Kings owne Power let the thing testifie for it selfe Sense and Reason no Power can command Is it possible trow you that King RICHARD should damne his soule and foule his Name with so abominable a Murther and yet not mend his Case Or doe you thinke that Men of Bloud that were his Instruments did turne to Pitty in the middest of their Execution Whereas in cruell and sauage Beasts and Men also the first Draught of Bloud doth yet make them more fierce and enraged Doe you not know that the Bloudie Executioners of Tyrants doe goe to such Errands with an Halter about their necke So that if they performe not they are sure to die for it And doe you thinke that these men would hazard their owne liues for sparing anothers Admit they should haue saued him What should they haue done with him Turne him into London Streets that the Watch-men or any Passenger that should light vpon him might carry him before a Iustice and so all come to light Or should they haue kept him by them secretly That surely would haue required a great deale of Care Charge and continuall Feares But my Lords I labour too much in a cleare Businesse The King is so wise and hath so good Friends abroad as now hee knoweth Duke PERKIN from his Cradle And because hee is a great Prince if you haue any good Poet here hee can helpe him with Notes to write his Life and to parallel him with LAMBERT SIMNELL now the Kings Faulconer And therefore to speake plainely to your Lordships it is the strangest thing in the World that the Lady MARGARET excuse vs if wee name her whose Malice to the King is both causelesse and endlesse should now when she is
hesitation or varying with those ciuill Protestations that were fit stand to that that he had said offering to iustifie it vpon his soule and life he caused him to be remoued And after he had not a litle bemoaned himself vnto his Councel there present gaue order that Sir WILLIAM STANLEY should be restrained in his own Chamber where he lay before in the Square Tower And the next day he was examined by the Lords Vpō his Examination he denied little of that wherewith he was charged nor endeauoured much to excuse or extenuate his fault So that not very wisely thinking to make his Offence lesse by Confession hee made it enough for Condemnation It was conceiued that he trusted much to his former merits and the interest that his brother had in the king But those helpes were ouer weighed by diuers things that made against him were predominant in the Kings nature and minde First an Ouer-merit for conuenient Merit vnto which reward may easily reach doth best with kings next the sense of his Power for the King thought that he that could set him vp was the more dāgerous to pul him down Thirdly the glimmering of a Confiscation for he was the richest subiect for value in the kingdome There being found in his Castle of Holt forty thousand Marks in ready mony and plate besides Iewels Houshold-stuffe Stockes vpon his grounds other Personall Estate exceeding great And for his Reuenue in Land and Fee it was three thousand pounds a yeere of old Rent a great matter in those times Lastly the Nature of the Time for if the King had been out of feare of his own Estate it was not vnlike he would haue spared his life But the Cloud of so great a Rebellion hanging ouer his head made him worke sure Wherefore after some six weekes distance of time which the King did honorably interpose both to giue space to his Brothers Intercession to shew to the World that he had a conflict with himself what he should do he was arraigned of High-Treason and condemned and presently after beheaded Yet is it to this day left but in dark memorie both what the Case of this Noble Person was for which he suffred and what likewise was the ground cause of his defection the alienation of his heart from the King His Case was said to be this That in discourse between Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD and him he had said That if he were sure that that young man were King EDWARDS Sonne hee would neuer beare Armes against him This Case seemes somwhat an hard Case both in respect of the Conditionall and in respect of the other words But for the Conditional it seemes the Iudges of that time who were learned men the three chief of them of the Priuy Councel thought it was a dangerous thing to admit Ifs and And 's to qualifie words of Treason wherby euery man might expresse his malice and blanch his danger And it was like to the Case in the following times of ELIZABETH BARTON the Holy-maid of Kent who had said That if king HENRY the eighth did not take KATHERINE his Wife againe he should be depriued of his Crown and dye the death of a Dogge And infinite Cases may be put of like nature Which it seemeth the graue Iudges taking into Consideration would not admit of treasons vpō condition And as for the Positiue words That he would not bear arms against King EDWARDS Son though the words seeme calme yet it was a plain direct Ouer-ruling of the Kings Title either by the Line of LANCASTER or by Act of Parliament Which no doubt pierced the King more than if STANLEY had charged his Lance vpon him in the fielde For if STANLEY would hold that opinion that a son of King EDWARD had still the better right he being so principall a Person of authoritie and fauor about the King it was to teach all England to say as much And therfore as those times were that speech touched the Quicke But some Writers doe put this out of doubt for they say That STANLEY did expresly promise to aide PERKIN sent him some helpe of Treasure Now for the Motiue of his falling off from the King It is true that at Bosworth Field the King was beset and in a manner inclosed round about by the Troupes of King RICHARD in manifest danger of his life when this STANLEY was sent by his brother with three thousand men to his Rescue which he performed so that king RICHARD was slaine vpon the Place So as the condition of Mortal men is not capable of a greater benefit than the king receiued by the hands of STANLEY being like the benefit of CHRIST at once to Saue and Crowne For which seruice the King gaue him great gifts made him his Counsellor Chamberlain and somwhat cōtrary to his nature had winked at the great spoiles of Bosworth Field which came almost wholly to this mans hands to his infinite enriching Yet neuerthelesse blown vp with the conceit of his Merit he did not think he had receiued good Measure frō the King at least not Pressing-downe and runningouer as he expected And his ambition was so exorbitant and vnbounded as he became Sutour to the King for the Earledome of Chester Which euer beeing a kinde of Appennage to the Principalitie of Wales and vsing to goe to the Kings Sonne his suit did not only end in a Deniall but in a Distaste The King perceiuing thereby that his Desires were intemperate and his Cogitations vaste and irregular and that his former Benefits were but cheape and lightly regarded by him Wherefore the King began not to brook him wel And as a litle Leauen of new Distaste doth commonly sowre the whole Lumpe of former Merits the Kings Wit began now to suggest vnto his Passion that STANLEY at Bosworth Field though he came time enough to saue his life yet hee stayed long enough to endanger it But yet hauing no matter against him he continued him in his Places vntill this his Fall After him was made Lord Chamberlaine GILES Lord Dawbeny a man of great sufficiencie and valour the more because he was gentle and moderate There was a common Opinion That Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who now was become the State-Informer was from the beginning an Emissary and Spie of the Kings and that hee fled ouer into Flanders with his consent and priuitie But this is not probable both because hee neuer recouered that Degree of Grace which he had with the king before his going ouer and chiefly for that the Discouerie which hee had made touching the Lord Chamberlaine which was his great Seruice grew not from any thing he learn'd abroade for that hee knew it well before he went These Executions and especially that of the Lord Chamberlaines which was the chiefe strength of the Partie and by meanes of Sir ROBERT CLIFFORD who was the most inward man of Trust amongst them did extremely quaile the Designe of
appertaineth knowing in his owne Heart Our vndoubted Right Wee being the very RICHARD Duke of Yorke younger Sonne and now suruiuing Heire-male of the Noble and Uictorious EDWARD the Fourth late King of England hath not onely depriued Us of Our Kingdome but likewise by all foule and wicked meanes sought to betray Us and bereaue Us of Our Life Yet if his Tyrannie onely extended it selfe to Our Person although Our Royall Bloud teacheth Us to bee sensible of Iniuries it should bee lesse to Our Griefe But this TIDDER who boasteth himselfe to haue ouerthrown a Tyrant hath euer since his first entrance into his Vsurped Reigne put little in practice but Tyrannie and the feats thereof For King RICHARD our Vnnaturall Uncle although desire of Rule did blinde him yet in his other actions like a true PLANTAGENET was Noble and loued the Honour of the Realme and the Contentment and Comfort of his Nobles and People But this our Mortall Enemie agreeable to the meanesse of his Birth hath troden under foote the honour of this Nation selling our best Confederates for Money and making Merchandize of the Bloud Estates and Fortunes of our Peeres and Subiects by fained Warres and dishonourable Peace onely to enrich his Coffers Nor vnlike hath beene his hatefull Mis-gouernement and euill Deportments at home First hee hath to fortifie his false Quarrell caused diuers Nobles of this our Realme whom hee held Suspect stood in dread of to be cruelly murthred as our Cousin Sir VVILLIAM STANLEY Lord Chamberlain Sir SIMON MOVNTFORT Sir ROBERT RATCLIFFE WILLIAM DAWBENEY HVMPHREY STAFFORD and many others besides such as haue dearely bought their liues with intolerable Ransomes Some of which Nobles are now in the Sanctuary Also hee hath long kept and yet keepeth in Prison our right entirely welbeloued Cosen EDWARD Sonne and Heire to our Unckle Duke of Clarence and others with-holding from them their rightfull Inheritance to the intent they should neuer be of might and power to aide and assist vs at our neede after the dutie of their Liegeances Hee also married by Compulsion certaine of our Sisters and also the Sister of our said Cosen the Earle of VVarwicke and diuers other Ladies of the Royall Bloud vnto certaine of his Kinsmen and Friends of simple and low Degree and putting apart all Well-disposed Nobles he hath none in fauour and trust about his Person but Bishop FOX SMITH BRAY LOVEL OLIVER KING DAVID OWEN RISELEY TVRBERVILE TILER CHOLMLEY EMPSON IAMES HOBART IOHN CVT GARTH HENRY WYAT and such other Caitifes and Uillaines of Birth which by subtile inuentions and Pilling of the People haue beene the principall Finders Occasioners and Counsellors of the Mis-rule and Mischiefe now reigning in England Wee remembring these Premisses with the great and execrable Offences daily committed and done by our foresaid great Enemie and his Adherents in breaking the Liberties and Franchises of our Mother the Holy Church vpon pretences of Wicked and Heathenish Policie to the high displeasure of Almightie GOD besides the manifold Treasons abominable Murthers Man-slaughters Robberies Extortions the dayly Pilling of the People by Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences and other vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions with many other haynous Effects to the likely destruction and desolation of the whole Realme shall by Gods Grace and the helpe and assistance of the great Lords of our Bloud with the Counsell of other sad Persons see that the Commodities of our Realme bee imployed to the most aduantage of the same the entercouse of Merchandise betwixt Realme and Realme to bee ministred and handled as shall more bee to the Common weale and prosperity of our Subiects and all such Dismes Taxes Tallages Beneuolences vnlawfull Impositions and grieuous Exactions as bee aboue rehearsed to bee fore-done and layd apart and neuer from henceforth to bee called vpon but in such cases as our noble Progenitors Kings of England haue of old time bin accustomed to haue the Ayde Succour and helpe of their Subiects and true Liege-men And further wee doe out of our Grace and Clemencie hereby as well publish and promise to all our Subiects Remission and free Pardon of all By-past Offences whatsoeuer against our Person or Estate in adhering to our said Enemie by whom wee know well they haue beene mis-led if they shall within time conuenient submit themselues vnto Us. And for such as shall come with the foremost to assist our Righteous Quarrell wee shall make them so farre partakers of our Princely Fauour and Bountie as shall bee highly for the Comfort of them and theirs both during their Life and after their Death As also wee shall by all meanes which GOD shall put into our hands demeane our selues to giue Royall contentment to all Degrees and Estates of our People maintaining the Liberties of Holy Church in their Entire preseruing the Honours Priuiledges and Preheminences of our Nobles from Contempt or disparagement according to the Dignitie of their Bloud Wee shall also vnyoake our People from all heauie Burthens and Endurances and confirme our Cities Boroughes and Townes in their Charters Freedoms with inlargement where it shal be deserued and in all points giue our Subiects cause to thinke that the blessed and debonaire Gouernment of our Noble Father King EDWARD in his last times is in vs reuiued And for as much as the putting to death or taking aliue of our said Mortall Enemie may bee a meane to stay much effusion of Blood which otherwise may ensue if by Compulsion or faire Promises hee shall draw after him any number of our Subiects to resist vs which wee desire to auoyd though wee bee certainely informed that our said Enemie is purposed and prepared to flye the Land hauing already made ouer great Masses of the Treasure of our Crowne the better to support him in Forraine Parts Wee doe hereby declare That whosoeuer shall take or distresse our said Enemie though the Party bee of neuer so meane a Condition hee shall bee by Us rewarded with a Thousand Pound in Money forthwith to bee laid downe to him and an Hundred Markes by the yeare of Inheritance besides that hee may otherwise merit both toward God and all good People for the destruction of such a Tyrant Lastly wee doe all men to wit and herein wee take also God to witnesse That whereas GOD hath mooued the Heart of our Dearest Cousin the King of Scotland to aide vs in Person in this our righteous Quarrell it is altogether without any Pact or Promise or so much as demaund of any thing that may preiudice our Crowne or Subiects But contrariwise with promise on our said Cousins part that whensoeuer hee shall finde vs in sufficient strength to get the vpper hand of our Enemie which wee hope will bee very suddenly hee will forthwith peaceably returne into his owne Kingdome contenting himselfe onely with the glorie of so Honourable an Enterprise and our true and faithfull Loue and Amitie Which wee shall euer by the Grace of Almightie GOD
so order as shall bee to the great comfort of both Kingdomes BVt PERKINS Proclamation did little edifie with the people of England neither was hee the better welcome for the company hee came in Wherefore the King of Scotland seeing none came in to PERKIN nor none stirred any where in his fauour turned his enterprise into a Rode and wasted and destroyed the Countrie of Northumberland with fire and sword But hearing that there were Forces comming against him and not willing that they should finde his Men heauie and laden with bootie hee returned into Scotland with great Spoyles deferring further prosecution till another time It is said that PERKIN acting the part of a Prince handsomely when hee saw the Scottish fell to waste the Countrey came to the King in a passionate manner making great lamentation and desired That that might not bee the manner of making the Warre for that no Crowne was so deare to his minde as that hee desired to purchase it with the bloude and ruine of his Countrey Whereunto the King answered halfe in sport that hee doubted much hee was carefull for that that was none of his and that hee should bee too good a Steward for his Enemie to saue the Countrie to his vse By this time beeing the Eleuenth yeare of the King the Interruption of Trade betweene the English and the Flemmish beganne to pinch the Merchants of both Nations very sore Which mooued them by all meanes they could deuise to affect and dispose their Soueraignes respectiuely to open the Entercourse againe Wherein time fauoured them For the Arch-Duke and his Councell beganne to see that PERKIN would prooue but a Runnagate and Citizen of the World and that it was the part of children to fall out about Babies And the King on his part after the Attempts vpon Kent and Northumberland beganne to haue the businesse of PERKIN in lesse estimation so as hee did not put it to accompt in any Consultation of State But that that mooued him most was that beeing a King that loued Wealth and Treasure hee could not endure to haue Trade sicke nor any Obstruction to continue in the Gate-veine which disperseth that bloud And yet he kept State so farre as first to bee sought vnto Wherein the Merchant-Aduenturers likewise beeing a strong Companie at that time and well vnderset with rich Men and good order did hold out brauely taking off the Commodities of the Kingdome though they lay dead vpon their hands for want of Vent At the last Commissioners met at London to Treate On the Kings part Bishop FOXE Lord Priuy Seale Viscount Wells KENDAL Prior of Saint IOHNS WARHAM Master of the Rolles who beganne to gaine much vpon the Kings opinion VRSWICK who was almost euer one and RISELY On the Arch-Dukes part the Lord BEVERS his Admirall the Lord VERVNSEL President of Flanders and others These concluded a perfect Treatie both of Amitie and Intercourse betweene the King and the Arch-Duke Contayning Articles both of State Commerce and Free-Fishing This is that Treatie which the Flemmings call at this day Intercursus Magnus both because it is more compleat than the precedent Treaties of the Third and Fourth yeares of the King and chiefly to giue it a difference from the Treatie that followed in the One and twentieth yeare of the King which they call Intercursus Malus In this Treatie there was an expresse Article against the Reception of the Rebels of either Prince by other purporting that if any such Rebell should bee required by the Prince whose Rebell hee was of the Prince Confederate that forthwith the Prince Confederate should by Proclamation command him to auoyde the Countrey Which if hee did not within fifteene daies the Rebell was to stand proscribed and put out of Protection But neuerthelesse in this Article PERKIN was not named neither perhaps contained because hee was no Rebell But by this meanes his wings were clipt of his Followers that were English And it was expresly comprised in the Treatie that it should extend to the Territories of the Duchesse Dowager After the Intercourse thus restored The English Merchants came againe to their Mansion at Antwerpe where they were receiued with Procession and great Ioy. The Winter following beeing the Twelfth yeare of his reigne The King called againe his Parliament where hee did much exaggerate both the Malice and the cruell Predatory Warre lately made by the King of Scotland That that King being in Amitie with him and no wayes prouoked should so burne in hatred towards him as to drinke of the Lees and Dreggs of PERKINS Intoxication who was euery where else detected and discarded And that when hee perceiued it was out of his reach to doe the King any hurt hee had turned his Armes vpon vnarmed and vnprouided People to spoyle onely and depopulate contrary to the Lawes both of Warre and Peace Concluding that hee could neither with Honour nor with the safety of his People to whom he did owe Protection let passe these wrongs vnreuenged The Parliament vnderstood him well and gaue him a Subsidie limited to the summe of one hundred and twentie thousand Pounds besides two Fifteenes For his Warres were alwaies to him as a Mine of Treasure of a strange kind of Ore Iron at the top and Gold and Siluer at the bottome At this Parliament for that there had beene so much time spent in making Lawes the yeare before and for that it was called purposely in respect of the Scottish Warre there were no Lawes made to bee remembred Onely there passed a Law at the Sute of the Merchant-Aduenturers of England against the Merchant-Aduenturers of London for Monopolizing and exacting vpon the Trade Which it seemeth they did a little to saue themselues after the hard time they had sustained by want of Trade But those Innouations were taken away by Parliament But it was fatall to the King to fight for his money And though hee auoyded to fight with Enemies abroad yet hee was still enforced to fight for it with Rebels at home For no sooner beganne the Subsidie to bee leuied in Corne-wall but the People there began to grudge and murmure The Cornish being a Race of Men stout of stomacke mighty of Bodie and Limme and that liued hardly in a barren Countrey and many of them could for a neede liue vnder ground that were Tinners they muttered extreamely that it was a thing not to be suffered that for a little stirre of the Scots soone blowne ouer they should be thus grinded to Powder with Payments And said it was for them to pay that had too much and liued idly But they would eate the bread they got with the sweat of their browes and no man should take it from them And as in the Tides of People once vp there want not commonly stirring Windes to make them more rough So this People did light vpon two Ring-leaders or Captaines of the Rout. The one was one MICHAEL IOSEPH a Black-smith or Farrier of Bodmin anotable
Seisines and Alienations being the fruites of those Tenures refusing vpon diuers Pretexts and Delayes to admit men to trauerse those False Offices according to the Law Nay the Kings Wards after they had accomplished their full Age could not bee suffered to haue Liuerie of their Lands without paying excessiue Fines farre exceeding all reasonable Rates They did also vexe men with Informations of Intrusion vpon scarce colourable Titles VVhen men were Out-lawed in Personall Actions they would not permit them to purchase their Charters of Pardon except they paid great and intolerable summes standing vpon the strict Point of Law which vpon Out-lawries giueth Forfeiture of Goods Nay contrarie to all Law and Colour they maintained the King ought to haue the halfe of mens Lands and Rents during the space of full two yeares for a Paine in Case of Out-lawrie They would also ruffle with Iurors and inforce them to finde as they would direct and if they did not Conuent them Imprison them and Fine them These and many other Courses fitter to be buried than repeated they had of Preying vpon the People both like Tame Hawkes for their Master and like Wild Hawkes for themselues in so much as they grew to great Riches and Substance But their principall working was vpon Penall Lawes wherein they spared none great nor small nor considered whether the Law were possible or impossible in Vse or Obsolete But raked ouer all old and new Statutes though many of them were made with intention rather of Terrour than of Rigour hauing euer a Rabble of Promoters Questmongers and leading Iurors at their Command so as they could haue any thing found either for Fact or Valuation There remayneth to this Day a Report that the King was on a time entertained by the Earle of Oxford that was his principall Seruant both for Warre and Peace nobly and sumptuously at his Castle at Henningham And at the Kings going away the Earles Seruants stood in a seemely manner in their Liuerie Coats with Cognisances ranged on both sides and made the King a Lane The King called the Earle to him and said My Lord I have heard much of your Hospitalitie but I see it is greater than the speech These handsome Gentlemen and Teomen which I see on both sides of me are sure your Meniall Seruants The Earle smiled and said It may please your Grace that were not for mine ease They are most of them my Retainers that are come to doe me seruice at such a time as this and chiefly to see your Grace The King started a little and said By my faith my Lord I thanke you for my good Cheare but I may not endure to haue my Lawes broken in my sight My Atturney must speake with you And it is part of the Report that the Earle compounded for no lesse than fifteene thousand Markes And to shew further the kings extreme Diligence I doe remember to haue seene long since a Booke of Accompt of EMPSONS that had the kings hand almost to euery Leafe by way of Signing and was in some places Postilled in the Margent with the Kings hand likewise where was this Remembrance Item receiued of such a one fiue Markes for the Pardon to be procured and if the Pardon doe not passe the Monie to bee repaied Except the Partie bee some other-wayes satisfied And ouer against this Memorandum of the Kings owne hand Otherwise satisfied Which I doe the rather mention because it shewes in the king a Nearenesse but yet with a kind of Iustnesse So these little Sands and Graines of Gold and Siluer as it seemeth helped not a little to make vp the great Heape and Banke But meanewhile to keepe the king awake the Earle of Suffolke hauing beene too gay at Prince ARTHVRS Marriage and sunke himselfe deepe in Debt had yet once more a mind to bee a Knight-Errant and to seeke Aduentures in Forraine parts And taking his Brother with him fled againe into Flanders That no doubt which gaue him Confidence was the great Murmur of the People against the Kings Gouernement And beeing a Man of a light and rash Spirit he thought euerie Vapour would bee a Tempest Neither wanted hee some Partie within the Kingdome For the Murmur of People awakes the Discontents of Nobles and againe that calleth vp commonly some Head of Sedition The King resorting to his wonted and tried Arts caused Sir ROBERT CVRSON Captaine of the Castle at Hammes beeing at that time beyond Sea and therefore lesse likely to bee wrought vpon by the king to flie from his Charge and to faine himselfe a seruant of the Earles This Knight hauing insinuated himselfe into the Secrets of the Earle and finding by him vpon whom chiefly hee had either Hope or Hold aduertised the King thereof in great secrecie But neuerthelesse maintained his owne Credit and inward trust with the Earle Vpon whose Aduertisements the King attached WILLIAM COVRTNEY Earle of Deuonshire his Brother-in-Law married to the Ladie KATHERINE daughter to King EDVVARD the Fourth WILLIAM DE-LA-POLE Brother to the Earle of Suffolke Sir IAMES TIRREL and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and some other meaner Persons and committed them to Custodie GEORGE Lord ABERGAVENNIE and Sir THOMAS GREENE were at the same time apprehended but as vpon lesse Suspition so in a freer Restraint and were soone after deliuered The Earle of Deuonshire being interessed in the bloud of Yorke that was rather Feared than Nocent yet as One that might bee the Obiect of others Plots and Designes remained Prisoner in the Tower during the Kings life WILLIAAM DE-LA-POLE was also long restrained though not so straitly But for Sir IAMES TIRREL against whom the Bloud of rhe Innocent Princes EDVVARD the Fifth and his Brother did still crie from vnder the Altar and Sir IOHN WINDHAM and the other meaner ones they were attainted and executed The two Knights beheaded Neuerthelesse to confirme the Credit of CVRSON who belike had not yet done all his Feates of Actiuitie there was published at PAVLES Crosse about the time of the said Executions the Popes Bull of Excommunication and Curse against the Earle of Suffolke and Sir ROBERT CVRSON some others by name and likewise in generall against all the Abettors of the said Earle Wherein it must be confessed that Heauen was made too much to bow to Earth and Religion to Policie But soone after CVRSON when hee saw time returned into England and withall into wonted Fauour with the King but worse Fame with the People Vpon whose returne the Earle was much dismayed and seeing himselfe destitute of hopes the Ladie MARGARET also by tract of Time and bad Successe being now become coole in those Attempts after some wandering in France and Germanie and certaine little Proiects no better than Squibbs of an Exiled man being tired out retired againe into the Protection of the Arch-Duke PHILIP in Flanders who by the death of ISABELLA was at that time King of Castile in the right of IOAN his Wife This yeare beeing the Nineteenth of