Lady Elizabeth Gray bewitcht him to her love and likewise another precontract with the Lady Edeanor Dutler daughter to the Earle of Shrewsbury and widdow to the Lord of Sudlye I cannot but beleeve all those scandals by some of the tyrants wicked instruments suggested into the mindes of that assembly For had there beene a just exception against this marriage neither George Duke of Clarence nor the Earle of Warwicke in their frequent calumnies against the King being in open rebellion had left it unmention'd But no sooner had King Edward obey'd his â—ancie in taking her to his bed and in that â—asted the forbidden fruite forbidden I meane by politique respects but he saw himselfe naked of friends at home and abroade to oppose against any new arising difficulty But as yet by the braverie of his carriage did he aâ—de an honour to the â—ct Courage and Love either denying himâ— to foresee or to regard the danger Though as soone as the marriage was deâ—â—â—ged hee presently I discern'd another face of men Moâ—â—â—â—iâ—r 〈◊〉 in the Extraordinary for France full of indignation return'd and the Nobility in generall lookâ— discontented or else but forc'd a smile The soâ— higâ— advancement of this one Lady and her children lately beneath so many in fortune begetting an universall envie in the rest But when the Earle of Warwicke understood how mighty an affront by this was given to his imployment he entertain'd none but disdainefull thoughts against his Prince And exprest so bold a discontent that Lewis of France who was quicke to perceive and carefull to â—omentany displeasure which might tend to the disturbance of another Kingdome began to enter into private communication with him For ever after this common injury so they cal'd the errour of love in the King the Earle held a dangerous intelligence in France which after occasion'd so many confusions to our Kingdome Neverthelesse upon his returne he dissembled â—ll discontent and in every circumstance of respect applyed himselfe to applaâ—de the mariage and in particular the excellent peâ—sonage of the Queene The King intâ—rpreted the intentions of the man according to the apparance unwilling perhaps to racke his owne nature so farre till it had confest that his carriage might dissemble danger And in the meane time to raise his wives kindred as neere as possibly to his owne greatnesse hee searchâ— out all meanes for their advancement The Lord Richard Widdevill her Father he created Earle of Rivers and High Constable of England with an annuall Fee of 200 pound out of the Exchequer whom shortly after he made Lord Treasureâ— Her brother Anthony hee created Lord Scales the daughter and heirâ— to which title by the Kings earâ—est sollicitation he not long before had wedded And her sonne Thomaâ— hee rais'd to the honour of Marquesse Dâ—rset for whom he procured in marriage the heire of the Lord Bonvile and Harrington By his owne free gift enobling them with titles and by the industry of his mediation enabling them with possessions to make those titles no scorne to the owners Every unmarried Lord imagin'd the bestowing of these two great heires on the Queenes kindred an injury to his owne hopes And Warwick thought every great office confer'd upon another misplac'd For his many Services begot so great an insolencie that he scarce allowed the King a share in the distribution of his owne Hereupon his thoughts grew dangerous and onely opportunity was wanting to thrust him into action He consider'd the vastnesse of his possessions the greatnesse of his authority among the Commons and the generall dependancies of the men of war upon him and hence concluded it was as easie for him to uncreate as to create a King But hee found the generall humor of the kingdome not yet fully ripe for mischiefe the vulgar enamor'd on the much curtesie of their Prince the Lords neerest to him in blood likeliest to incline to his Faction deare likewise to the King and all of the house of Lancaster who by probability would at first invitement take fire in any combustion of the state exil'd and poore Sedition therefore for the present was but an embrion in his braine which after when time had deliver'd became so vast and bloody a monster Neverthelesse hee was not unmindfull of his designe cherishing unkinde thoughts in any whom he saw distasted at the King and casting forth speeches which might lessen the honour of his publicke and private actions with which discourses as with slow poysons he infected many limbes of the general body Then upon pretention of infirmity and prescription of Pâ—isitions for the change of ayre with licence from the King he retired to his Castle at Warwicke Where his observation was what Lords great in power or treasure resorted to him and with what countenance whether they undervalued the weakenesse of the Kings judgement or hated the advancement of the Queene and her kindred whether they were troubled at any private repulse or open affront or generally at the publicke businesse or whether they repented not the so violent oppression of the family of Lancaster Any discontent making for his purpose which either pointed at the errors of the King pride of the Queene and her kindred or the misgovernment of the state Vpon the affections of the meaner sort begain'd by a profuâ—e hospitality â—â— open kitchen and buttery perswading more with them than any dutie to justice Vpon the good will of the better sort he wonne by bowing his entertainement downe to an endearing familiarity saluting every man curteously by his name and engaging them by triviall benefits And with all sorts by his great service to the Crowne and a carriage Noble both in warre and peace The King though he wanted that vertue of â—owards suspicion began neverthelesse to have the Earle in some jealousie his unusuall retirednesse from the Court and so expencefull purchasing the voyce of the people argued both distaste against his Prince and a hope to maintaine any unlawfull enterpise by Faction But either in pollicie he dissembled his distrust nor having yet any firme ground to build a just accusation or in good nature would ecclips the Earles greatnesse by which himselfe enjoy'd a benefit little lesse thaâ— the Crowne But that the storme threatned from France for incensing King Lewis in the diâ—â—ouâ—â—t marriage of the Lady â—ona might be diverted he made strong confederacies round about him With Henry King of Castle and John King of Arâ—agon that Spaine however far remoâ—e might bâ—e neere in friendship he enter'd into leagâ—â— and upon the conclusion of it granted licence for the transportation of certaine Cotswold sheepe thither a grant that is complain'd of still as a mighty enriching to the Spanish and as great an empoverishing to the English Merchant With Scotland hee made a trucâ— for fifteene yeeres that he invading France or invaded by the French might be secure however not to have that Nation according to their custome upon all advantages enemies at his
valiant Percie Who disdaining to reprive his life beyond his honour or to shew the least weakenesse beneath his name or Spirit fought it out with his 〈◊〉 till overpâ—est with number he and his were all cut to peeces Encourag'd with his successe Mountague attempts without expectation of any farther succour or direction to finish the presenâ— warâ—e and immediately marches to a plaine neere the River Dowell in Hexam-shire where King Henries Armie lay encampt The Campe he suddenly assaults in the night and had taken it without any losse had not the enemie beyond reason gathered themselves into some order and valiantly oppos'd But no courage could withstand the Fortune and spirit of Mountague for the Queenes Campe at length was lost and in it taken the Duke of Sommerset the Lords Hungerford Rosse Moulins and Hussie with Wentworth and Finderne Knights Sommerset on the place lost his head the rest sent to Newcastle to suffer there the same punishment But King Henry and the Queene escap'd at the first on set whose Tragoedy drew not yet nere the last Act. King Edward whose Fortune fought for him even in his absence encounter'd the newes of this victory in his march toward Durisme so that finding the presence of his person and Armie needlesse he return'd toward Yorke Giving command to Warwicke to take in all the Forts and Castles which yet in the North held out On the way he was certified of the apprehension of King Henries person who was surprized as he endeavord by shifting from place to place to have recovered Scotland With the joy of which report King Edward returnd to London whether as yet hee never came but glorious in the accession of some new Triumph The sonne of Sir Edward Talbot of Lanca-shire apprehended King Henry as he sate at dinner at Waddington Hall and forgetting all respect due to so great a Prince like a common malefactor with his legges tyed under the horse belly guarded him up toward London By the way the Earle of Warwick met him who adding indignities to his affliction with the generall reproaches of the people the acclamations they give to the unfortunate led him prisoner to the Tower The onely companions of his present calamity were Doctor Manning Deane of Windsore and Doctor Bedle both of so divine a calling as shewed no misfortune could seperate him from his Pietie The miserable Queene seeing the desolation of her greatnesse her husband imprison'd all her great partakers fled or slaughter'd made againe her retreate into France and with her sonne whose preservation flatter'd her with some hope that one day he might rebuild the now ruin'd house of Lancaster fled to her fathers Court. A most wretched Sanctuary to her feares where she had onely leisure by long sufferance to prepare her minde for future misery But this her dejection rais'd Edward up to an unsuspicious Soveraigntie so that now he began to set strong the disjoynted body of his Kingdome And knowing liberalitie the onely ligament that ties affection to a Prince he resolv'd by attaindor of his enemies to enable himselfe to reward the services of his friends And though hee pretended the gate of mercie ever to stand open to the submission of the Lancastrians yet few or none accepted the favour either distrustfull of his reallitie or feeding their hopes with imagination that the tide of Fortune would not still flow with so impetuous a torrent But King Edward disdaining a faction so contemptible in their ruine should disdaine his clemencie proceeded to punishment The Earledome of Pembrooke an honour heretofore enjoy'd by Jasper Teuther halfe brother to Henry the sixth he bestowed on Sir William Herbert a Knight of Wales both for descent and power most eminent and to whose ayde a great part of the present felicitie was owing To the Lord Mountague whose person and service he equally lov'd he gave the opulent possessions belonging to the family of the Percies But the most open hand cannot satisfie the expectation of great deservers who set so high a price upon their merits that they leave their Princes no power of reward The greatest benefit being received in the degree of a debt not a gift And certainely Mountague and his brother Warwicke had by too much merit even disobleig'd the King what honour soever they were in future to have being so little able to cancell the obligation it could scarce defray the interest And in that way was this title and inheritance accepted which gave the King occasion to distaste whom otherwise he would with passion have embrac'd Whereupon reflecting on the danger of adding power to them who wanted onely will to doe mischiefe and knowing how easily innovation might be resolv'd on when nothing but the conscience was to be perswaded he began seriously to wish the mightinesse of that family hee owed the crowne to in some degree lessend Yet that hee might no way appeare unthankefull to so great deserts he thought fit to weaken their strength and yet to adde to the spender of their title Whereupon he willingly admitted the friends of Percie to interced for restitution both of honor and revenue and soone granted it Rewarding Mountague with the more specious stile of Marquesse But this state-tricke was by the brothers easily understood and accepted with the same brow they would have entertaind an injurie Which the King dissembled and to build his estimation high in the ayre of popular applause endeavord by all the Arts of humble greatnesse to endeare himselfe into the opinion of the multitude His presence was easie to any mans love or curiositie his aspect cleere and smiling his language free and familiar And to the Ladies who have also their share in the motion of states he applyed a generall courtship which used by a Prince and of so amiable a personage made them usually the Idolls of others Idolaters of him Among his Nobility he was so supple in gesture and liberall in affability that he appeard King not in his assumption of state but in their application of duty This to winne outward applause while to settle an inward sence of his wisdome he looked into abuses of Officers and reformed them Neither was there any oppression or mistake in government but what he releiv'd or corrected And that it might appeare how zealously â—ee sought due administration of justice he in person sate three dayes together on his Bench at Westminster Hall which though it little advanced the uncorcupted execution of the lawes yet it serv'd happily for example and created what hee then most courted opinion Thus he grew upon his people at home while abroade the neighbouring states began to decline the danger of his future enmitie who ever measure the power of Princes by that sway and affection they have among their subjects Charles Earle of Charolois a widdower but without heire male heire to a large and opulent territory the seventeene Provinces with the Duchie and County of Burgundie and the greatest part of Picardie being subject
to Duke Philip his Father first made his addresse Who bearing an implacable hatred to Lewis of France desired to gaine so potent a neighbour to his party and that he might secure the friendship against all vacillation he by his Embassadors entreated a marriage with the Lady Margaret the Kings sister A motion heard in England with much acceptance and which every circumstance well weigh'd brought both honour and securitie But it was thought by some intimate with the Earle in his most inward counsells that really he never intended this marriage having from his mother neece to John of Oaunt Duke of Lancaster deriv'd an irreconcilable malice against the house of Yorke And that this negotiation aim'd onely to temporize with England in case the Duke of Brittaine and the French Kings brother should desert him and make their peace with Lewis against whom these three were then in confederacie but this I beleeve an overcunning in conjecture since marriage among Princes as it seldome confirmes a sound friendship so doth it never extirpate an ancient hatred the proofe of our and all times shewing how false a love is created by alliance But the thoughts of Princes are so unknowne to Posterity that they are beyond the â—orâ—tiâ—â—e of the present time I will not therefore dispute what the Earles inward designes were but certainely both according to reason of state and the â—vâ—oâ—â— which is the best light Historians can discerne by as it vvas pretended so vvas it intended The marriage of his sister thus far advanc'd he began to advise with Counsell concerning his owne A strong alliance abroad was soone resolved most necessary both for the dignity and safety of his Crowne and among all the Princesses that time gloried in the Lady Bona was thought worthyest his bed In respect of the excellencie of her beauty greatnesse of birth as being daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and the mighty marriage of her other sister with Lewis the Eleventh of France This last consideration being a maine inducement as by which all feare might bee taken away of a tempest from that coast whence Queene Margaret seem'd to prepare a storme To this negotiation the Earle of Warwicke was deputed as the fittest person both for his great faith to the King and authority in the Kingdome Who no sooner arriv'd at the French Court where the young Lady then resided in company of her sister but was withall triumph entertain'd and his motion heard with joy and acceptation The ambition of the French Queene to have her sister married to so great a Prince prevailing against many politique respects which might else have overswayd King Lewis And soone after for an absolute conclusion of all businesses Mounsiur D'ampmartin was design'd Embassador for England These two Kings equally solliciting the perfection of this marriage Edward that hee might without feare of more danger enjoy the glory of a late recover'd Kingdome Lewis that freed from the danger of an English invader he might give a period to his busie projects at home by laying the deuill of civill warre rais'd by a tumultuous Nobility But while policie acted severall parts abroade love on the suddaine chang'd the whole Sceane at home For the Young King after hunting comming to visite the Duches of Bedford at her Mannor of Grafton neere Sâ—ony Stratford was sollicited by a faire petitioner the Duchesses daughter widow of Sir John Gray â—â—â—â—e on King Henries part at the battaile of S â— Albans The King could not but yeeld to any request made by â—â— conquering a beauty and presently himselfe glew as earnest in solliciting her but in a more unlawfull suite But she arm'd her â—oule with a modesty able to breake the hottest battery of lust and though on every side assaulted by the engines of temptation shee repulst her enemie so nobly that he offer'd party upon honorable tearmes For when the King perceiv'd her adorn'd with a chastitie strong enough to resist him who had scarce ever beene but victorious in those attempts he grew enamor'd on the beauty of her minde and resolv'd her vertue was dowre enough to marry her to the highest Throne Reason of state argued sharpely against a marriage so unequall to Majestie by alleaging the perill of irritating so potent a neighbour as King Lewis and so dangerous a subject as Warwick as likewise the inconvenience of raising a widdow to his bed who could bring nothing with her but her poverty and an unprovided issue Who if not advanc'd by him would bee a scorne to his children if advanc'd a ruinous charge to his Exchequer and an envie both to the Princes of his blood and the Nobility of his Kingdome But Love like a cunning Sophister easily refell'd all pollitique arguments and perswaded reason her selfe almost to be of his side For he repeated to the King his owne prerogative which being so large why should he then be denyed the liberty of a free choyce which is allowed the meanest subject Why might not he wooe with his owne eyes and make election where his fancie best delighted As for the Lady her selfe he found her in the treasures of her minde most abundant and in the perfections of her body excellent to please him who and not the state was to marry For her birth she was by the father Noble in descent at home by her mother of the house of Luxenbourge a family with which the greatest Princes of Christendome had neere alliance As for marrying a subject and the widdow of his enemie the later argued more charity and the former could not but tye the affection of his people when they saw their Prince disdain'd not affinity with them For a president to authorize these his intended Nuptialls he had Edward the Blacke Prince his great Vncle great indeede if not the greatest among all the Princes of his name And for the threatned danger from King Lewis or the Earle of Warwicke from France he could never expect how neere so ever the alliance had beene but an unfaithfull amitie and should this his marriage thrust Warwicke upon rebellious attempts the rebell would but fondly runne upon his owne ruine since it could not stand with the Majestie of a King to hold his Crowne by so base a tenure as to have his actions awed by a subject These and such like arguments which love is cunning upon all occasions to enforce prevail'd so far that though the old Duches of Yorke his mother most violently opposed by throwing the highest calumnies upon the Lady Gray and alleaging a precontract with the Lady Lucy yet one morning secretly did he marry her For the disparity of birth or Fortune is no impediment and for the precontract upon examination the Lady Lucy her self acquitted the King only laying to his chaâ—g the guilt of a most winning courtship And though afterward during the usurpation of Richard the third in open Parlament was alleaged against the lawfulnesse of King Edwards marriage strange potions and amorous charmes by which the
grounded were inconsiderate words by which upon report that white Bucke was killd as the King was hunting in his Parke hee wisht the head and hornes and all in the Kings belly whereas indeed he wisht it onely in his belly who counsaild the King to kill it With this accusation were mingled many other of poisoning sorceries and inchantments Crimes which every judicious man easily perceiv'd were onely put in the scale like graines to make his rash language full weight which otherwise would have beene too light to deserve the sentence of death These proceedings Clarence resented as they were intended and expostulated with the King the injustice to his servant and injury to himselfe And according to the custome of expostulations his words were bold and disorderly and having receiv'd an apparent injury built too much on the right of his cause and provoked the King too far into indignation So that soone after hee was committed close prisoner to the Tower where by Act of Parliament attainted he was secretly put to death the manner as it is generally receiv'd was by thrusting his head into a But of Malmesey by which he was stifled In his attainder according to the forme are crimes enough to make his death have apparence of justice the execution of which the King seem'd rather constrain'd to then to have sought For there are reckon'd how the Duk of Clarence to bring the present government into hatred with the people and thereby the present state into trouble had not onely in his speeches frequently laid injustice to the Kings charge in attainting Thomas Burdet falsely convict of many notorious treasons but subornd many of his servants and divers others corrupted with money to divulge the like seditious discourses That he had spread abroad impious rumors that the King dealt by Necromancy and upon offence against such of his subjects whom by order of Law he could not destroy hee was accustomed to take away by poyson That he had not rested there but whereby to advance himselfe to the Kingdome and for ever to disable the King and his posteritie from the Crowne had contrary to truth nature and Religion Viper-like destroying her who gave him life publishâ— that the King was a bastard and no way capable to reigne That to make this his so monstrous ambition more successefull and already to begin his usurpation he had caus'd many of the Kings subjects to bee sworne upon the most blessed Sacrament to bee true to him and his heires without any acceptation of their alleigance After which so solemne oathes hee discovered to them his resolution to right himselfe and his followers who had both suffer'd by the Kings violent wresting away their estates And in particular to revenge himselfe upon the King who as hee most impiously and falsly suggested had by art Magicke order'd to consume him as a Candle consumeth in burning And what most exprest that treason of his designes that he had got out an exemplification under the great Seale of Henry the sixt late King wherein was shewed how by the Parliament it was enacted that if the said Henry and Edward his sonne should dye without issue male the kingdome should descend upon the Duke of Clarence and his heires Whereby clearely appeared his intention immediatly to possesse himselfe of the Crowne with destruction of King Edward and his children by pretention of a generall election of the Commonweale This was the summe of his attainder which wee may well beleeve had not so easily past but by the Kings publike declaring himselfe the secret working of the Duke of Glocester and the passionate urging of the Queenes kindred But this Attainder hath in it one thing most remarkeable that Clarence here falsly was accused by laying bastardie to the King to endeavour possession of the Crowne Which afterward was alledged indeed by Richard Duke of Glocester to the absolute disinherit of the Kings Sonnes Whereby Gods severe judgement manifests how unsafe it is in a Prince by false accusations to condemne an innocent or but to aggravate the fault of one lesse guilty to the end that crueltie may be reported an act of justice The death of this Prince sudden and extraordinary begot every where an extraordinary censure the unnaturall severity taking away all excuse even from their discourse who most fa vour'd the King At home it was generally condemn'd both in regard of the manner it being prodigious to be drowned without water upon dry ground and the quality of the person He being the first brother to a King in this Country that ever was attainted And what increased the murmure a faction appeard at Court triumphing in his ruine all the accusations were strangely wrested and no matter of fact scarce an intention proved against the state Whereupon this punishment was thought to have beene inflicted upon him for no new attempt His first taking part with Warwicke being his onely crime For which warre though somewhat against nature he had many examples in France Spaine and other parts of Christendome Whereas for the death of a younger Brother upon bare suspition the King could borrow no precedent neerer then the Turkish governement But Clarence imagined the prerogative of his birth a sufficient defence against danger and omitted to fortefie himselfe with faction which laid him open to every assault of envy And because hee had heretofore beene in opposition against the King the libertie in censuring any defect in government was interpreted a desire to be in armes agen Every word of distaste being held criminall in him for whom the King was alienated by his owne disposition open invectives of the Queenes kindred and secret traines of the Duke of Glocester who now began to looke high over all respects of nature and religion Hee was certainly ambitious beyond proportion which made him so attentive to any new counsailes and of an easie nature which renderd him apt by practise to be wrought to mischiefe He was a good Master but an uncertaine friend which delivers him to us to have beene according to the nature of weake men sooner perswaded by an obsequious flattery then a free advice We cannot judge him of any evill nature onely busie and inconstant thinking it a circumstance of greatnesse to be still in action Hee was too open brested for the Court where suspition lookes thorough a man and discovers his resolutions though in the darke and lockt up in se. crecie But what was his ruine hee was whether the house of Yorke or Lancaster prevailed still second to the Crowne So that his eye by looking too stedfastly on the beautie of it became unlawfully enamord And that being observd by the Kings jealousie hee sufferd as if hee actually had sinned While this mischiefe was secretly in contrivance against Clarence in the Court appeard no face but that of jollity and magnificence For at that time was Edward eldest son to the King during Christmas to mingle the solemnitie with libertie inaugurated Prince of Wales