Edward the 5 King of EnglaÌ„d â—â—d France Lord of Ireland THE HISTORIE OF THE PITIFVLL Life and unfortunate Death of Edward the fifth and the then Duke of Yorke his brother With the troublesome and tyrannical government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end Written by the Right Honorable Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellor of England LONDON Printed by Thomas Payne for the Company of Stationers and are to be sold by Mich Young at his shop in Bedford-street in Covent-Garden neere the new Exchange 1641. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR IOHN LENTHALL Knight Marshall of the Kings-bench SIR IT is not unknowne to the World the great eare earnest sedulitie laudable custome that hath alwaies been observed in all ages for the preservation of antiquities by meanes wherof the acts and occurrences of former times are so clearely demonstrated as if they were manifested to the world by a perfect and lively representation which affordeth in it selfe a double profit doth thereby allure all well-disposed persons to the imitation of those things which are honest and vertuous and to the evitation of such things as are evill and obnoxious letting them therby understand the happie issue and successe of the one and the miserable and wretched end and event of the other for histories are as so many Records and Registers of matters that hath beene already past which being a thing that our humane natures are much inclined unto gives a great pleasure and delight in the reading Especially to those that are well affected to the same The consideration hereof hath moved me to revive that which hath for a long time been raked up in the embers of oblivion For there comming by chance into my hand a booke long since printed the authour whereof was that famous and learned Knight Sir Thomas Moore sometimes Lord Chancellour of England wherein is set forth the short Raigne and unfortunate death of the two young Princes Edward the fith the theÌ„ Duke of York his brother with the troublesome and tyrannicall government of usurping Richard the third and his miserable end both which for the matter of the subject the worth of the Authour who lived in those times deserves to bee memorized to succeeding ages which having for many yeares escaped the presse and by that meanes likely to bee utterly lost I have thought it not amisse to put to my helping hand for the restoring of it to the world and because I know you to bee a gentleman that delights your selfe in matters of this nature I am bould to crave your patronage herein and that you would be pleased to shelter it under the wings of your protect on not doubting but by that meanes it will bee as welcome to the world and as wel entertained as it hath formerly beene which being the thing I wish together with your pardon for this my presumption I humbly rest Yours to Command W. S. THE PITTIFVLL LIFE OF KING EDVVARD the Fifth THE Eternall God calling to his Mercy the Noble Prince King Edward the Fourth of that Name Edward his eldest sonne Prince of Wales began his Reigne the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. and in the 23. yeere of Lewis the eleventh then French King Which young Prince reigned a small space and little season over this Realme either in pleasure or liberty For his Uncle Richard Duke of Gloucester within three months deprived him not onely of his Crowne and Regality but also unnaturally bereft him of his naturall life And for the declaration by what crafty engin he first attempted his ungracious purpose and by what false colourable and untrue allegations he set forth openly his pretensed enterprise and finally by what shamefull cruell and detestable act he performed the same Ye must first consider of whom he and his Brother descended their natures conditions and inclinations and then you shall easily perceive that there could not be a more cruell Tyrant appointed to atchieve a more abominable enterprise Their Father was Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke which began not by warre but by Law to challenge the crown of England putting his claime in the Parliament holden the thirtieth yeere of King Henry the sixth where either for right or for favour his cause was so set forth and advanced that the Blood of the said King Henry although he had a goodly Son was clearly abjected and the Crowne of the Realme by authority of Parliament entayled to the Duke of Yorke and his Heires after the decease of the said King Henry the Sixth But the Duke not intending so long to tarry but minding under the pretext of dissention growne and risen within the Realm and of Covenants made in the Parliament not kept but broken to prevent the time and to take upon him the Governance in King Henries life was by too much hardinesse slaine at the Battaile of Wakefield leaving behind him three sonnes Edward George and Richard All these three as they were great estates of Birth so were they great and stately of stomacke greedy of promotions and impatient partners of rule and authority This Edward revenged his Fathers death and deposed King Hâ—nry the Sixth and attained the Crowne and Scepter of the Realme George Duke of Clarence was a goodly and well â—eatured Prince in all things fortunâ—te if either his owne ambition had not for him against his Brother or the envy of his enemies had not set his Brothâ—r against him for were it by the Queene or the Nobles of her Bloud which highly maligned the Kings Kindred as women commonly not of malice but of Nature hate such as their husbands love or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himselfe intending to be King at the least wise heinous Treason was laid to his charge and finally were he in fault or were he faultlesse attainted was hee by Parliament and judged to death and thereupon hastily drowned in a But of Malmsey within the Towre of London Whose death King Edward although hee commanded it when he wist it was done pitteously hee bewailed and sorrowfully repented it Richard Duke of Gloucester the third Sonne of which I must most entreat was in wit and courage equâ—ll with the other but in beauty and lineaments of Nature farre underneath both for he was little of stature evill featured of limbes crooke-backed the left shoulder much higher then the right hard favoured of visage such as in estates is called a warlike visage and among common persons a crabbed face He was malicious wrathfull and envious and as it is reported his Mother the Dutches had much adoe in her travell that shee could not be delivered of him uncut and that hee came into the world the feet forward as men be borne outward and as the fame ran not untoothed whether that men of hatred reported above the truth or that Nature changed his course in his beginning which in his life committed many things unnaturally this I
were come together in presence the Cardinall shewed unto her that it was thought to the Lord Protectour and the whole Councell that her keeping of the Kings Brother in that place highly sounded not onely to the grudge of the people and their obloquy but also to the importable griefe and displeasure of the Kings Royall Majesty to whose Grace it were a singular comfort to have his naturall Brother in company and it was to both their dishonours and hers also to suffer him in Sanctuary as though the one Brother stood in danger and perill of the other And hee shewed her farther that the whole Councell had sent him to require of her the delivery of him that hee might bee brought to the Kings presence at his liberty out of that place which men reckoned as a prison and there should he be demeaned according to his estate and degree and she in this doing should both do great good to the Realme pleasure to the Councell profit to her selfe succour to her friends that were in distresse and over that which he knew well shee specially tendred not onely great comfort and honour to the King but also to the young Duke himselfe both whose great weale it were to be together aswel for many greater causes as also for both their disport and recreation which things the Lords esteemed not light though it seemed light well pondering that their youth without recreation and play cannot endure nor any stranger for the convenience of both their ages and estates so meet in that point for any of them as the either of them for the other My Lord quoth the Queen I say not nay but that it were very convenient that this Gentleman whom you require were in the company of the King his Brother and in good faith me thinketh it were as great commodity to them both as for yet a while to be in the custody of their Mother the tender age considered of the elder of them both but especially the younger which besides his infancie that also needeth good looking to hath a while beene so sore diseased with sicknesse and is so newly rather little amended then well recovered that I dare put no person earthly in trust with his keeping but my selfe onely considering there is as Physicians say and as wee also finde double the perill in the resiluation that was in the first sicknesse with which disease Nature being sore laboured forewearied and weakned waxeth the lesse able to beare out a new surfeit And albeit there might bee found other that would haply doe their best unto him yet is there none that either knoweth better how to order him then I that so long have kept him or is more tenderly like to cherish him then his owne Mother that bare him No man denyeth good Madame quoth the Cardinall that your Grace of all folke were most necessary about your children and so would all the Councell not onely be content but also glad that it were if it might stand with your pleasure to be in such place as might stand with their honour But if you appoint your selfe to tarry here then thinke they it more convenient the Duke of Yorke were with the King honourably at his liberty to the comfort of them both then here as a Sanctuary man to both their dishonors and obloquy sith there is not alway so great necessity to have the child with the Mother but that occasion sometime may be such that it should be more expedient to keep him elsewhere which in this well appeareth that at such time that your most dearest sonne then Prince and now King should for his honour and good order of the Country keepe houshold in Wales farre out of your keeping your Grace was well content therewith your selfe Not very well content quoth the Queene and yet the case is not like for the one was then in health the other is now sicke in which case I marvell greatly why my Lord Protector is so desirous to have him in keeping where if the childe in his sicknesse miscarried by nature yet might hee run into slander and suspition of fraud And they call it a thing so sore against my childes honour and theirs also that hee abideth in this place it is all their honours there to suffer his abode where no man doubteth hâ— shaâ—l be best kept and that is heere while I am here which as yet intend not to come forth and danger my selfe after other my friends which would God were rather here in surety with me then I were there in danger with them Why Madame quoth the Lord Howard know you any thing why they should bee in danger Nay verily quoth she nor why they should be in prison neither as they now be but I trow it is no great marvell though I feare lest those that have not letted to put them in durance without colour will let as little to procure their destruction without cause The Cardinall made a countenance to the Lord Howard that he should harpe no more upon that string and then said hee to the Queene that he nothing doubted but those Lords of her kinne the which remained under arrest should upon the matter examined doe well enough and as toward her Noble person neither was nor could be any manner of danger Whereby should I trust that quoth the Queene in that I am guiltlesse as though they were guilty in that I am with their enemies better beloved then they when they hate them for my sake in that I am so neere to the King and how farre be they off that would helpe as God send Grace they hurt not And therefore as yet I purpose not to depart hence As for this Gentleman my son I minde he shall bee where I am till I see further for I see some men so greedy without any substantiall cause to have him which maketh mee much more warie and scrupulous to deliver him Truly Madame quoth the Cardinall the further that yee bee to deliver him the further be other men to suffer you to keepe him lest your causelesse feare might cause you farther to conveigh him and many thinke he can here have no priviledge which can have neither will to aske it nor yet malice or offence to need it And therefore they reckon no priviledge broken although they fetch him out of Sanctuary which if you finally refuse to deliver him I thinke verily the Councell will enfranchise him so much dread hath my Lord his Uncle for the tender love he beareth him lest your Grace should send him away Ah quoth the Queene hath hee so tender a zeale to him that hee feareth nothing but lest hee should escape him Thinketh hee that I would send him hence which is neither in the plight to send out and in what place could I reckon him sure if he be not sure in this Sanctuary whereof was there never Tyrant yet so devillish that durst attempt to breake the priviledge and I trust God is now as strong
in the twenty fifth yeare of Lewis the eleventh then being the King of France and the morrow after hee was Proclamed King and with great solemnity rode to Westminster and there 〈◊〉 in the seate Royall and called the Judges of the Realme before him staightly commanding them to execute the Lawes without favour or delay with many good exhortations of the which hee followed not one and then hee departed towards the Abby and at the Church doore hee was met with Procession and there was delivered to him by the Abbot the Scepter of Saint Edward and so went and offered to Saint Edwards shrine while the Monkes sang Te deum with a faint courage and from the Church hee returned to the Palace where he lodged till the Coronation And to bee sure of all enemies as hee thought hee sent for five thousand men out of the North against his Coronation which came up evill apparelled and worse harnessed in rusty harnesse neither defensable nor scoured to the sale which mustered in Finsbury fiâ—ld to the great disdaine of all the lookers on The fourth day of Iuly hee came to the Tower by water with his wife and the fifth day he created Edward his onely begotten sonne a child of tenne yeares old Prince of Wales and Iohn Haward a man of great knowledge and vertue aswell in councell as in battell hee created Duke of Norfolke and sir Thomas Haward his sonne he created Earle of Surry and William Lord Barkeley was then created Earle of Notingham and Francis Lord Lovell was then made Vicount Lovell and the Kings Chamberlaine and Lord Stanley was delivered out of ward for feare of his sonne the Lord Strange which was then in Lancashire gathering men as men said and the said Lord was made Steward of the Kings houshold likewise the Arch-Bishop of Yorke was delivered But Morton Bishop of Ely was deliverd to the Duke of Buckingham to keepe in ward who sent him to his manour of Brecknoke in Wales from whence hee escaped to King Richards confusion The same night the King made seventeene Knights of the Bath The next day he roade through London with great pompe and especially the Duke of Buckingham was richly apparelled and his horse trapped in blew velvet embroidered with the naves of carts burning of gold which trapper was borne by footmen from the ground with such solemne fashion that all men much admired it On the morrow being the sixt day of Iuly the King came towards his Coronation into Westminster Hall where his Chappell all the Prelates mitered received him And so they in order of Procession passed forward After the Procession followed the Earle of Northumberland with a pointlesse sword naked and the Lord Stanley bore the Mace of the Constableship The Earle of Kent bore the second sword on the right hand of the King naked The Lord Lovell bore an other sword on the left hand Then followed the Duke of Suffolke with the Scepter and the Earle of Lincolne with the Ball and Crosse. After them followed the new Earle of Surrey with the sword of Estate in a rich scabbard On the right side of him went the Duke of Norfolke bearing the Crowne then followed King Richard in a Circot and robe of purple velvet under a Canopie borne by the barrons of the five Ports going betweene the Bishops of Bathe and Duresme The Duke of Buckingham with the rod of the high Steward of England bare the Kings traine After him followed the Earle of Huntington bearing the Queenes Scepter and the Vicount Lisle bearing the rod with the Dove And the Earle of Wiltshire bare the Queenes Crowne Then followed Queene Anne daughter to Richard Earle of Warwicke in robes like to the King between two Bishops and a canopie over her head borne by the Barons of the Ports On her head a rich Coronall set with stones pearles After her followed the countesse of Richmond heire to the Duke of Somerset which bare up the Queenes traine After followed the Dutches of Suffolke and Norfolke with Countesses Barronesses Ladies and many faire Gentlewomen in this order they passed thorow the palace entred the Abbie at the West end and so came to their seates of estate And after diverse songs solemly sung they both descended to the high Altar and were shifted from their robes and had diverse places open from the middle upward in which places they were annointed Then both the King and the Queene changed them into cloathes of gold and ascended to their seates where the Cardinall of Canterbury and other Bishops Crowned them according to the old custome of the Realme giving him the Scepter in his left hand and the ball with the crosse in the right hand and the Queene had the Scepter in her right hand and the rod with the Dove in the left hand On every side of the King stood a Duke and before him stood the Earle of Surrey with the sword in his hands And on every side of the Queene standing a Bishop and a Lady kneeling The Cardinall sung the Masse and after paxe The King the Queene descended and before the high Altar they were both houseled with one host divided betweene them After Masse finished they both offered at Saint Edwards shrine and there the King left the Crowne of Saint Edward and put on his owne Crowne And so in order as they came they departed to Westminster-hall and so to their chambers for a season during which time the Duke of Norfolke came into the Hall his horse trapped to the ground in cloth of gold as high Marshall and voyded the Hall About foure of the clocke the King and Queene entred into the Hall and the King sate in the middle the Queene on the left hand of the table on every side of her a Countesse holding a cloth of pleasance when shee list to drinke And at the right hand of the King sate the Bishop of Canterbury the Ladies sate all on one side in the middle of the Hall and at the table against theÌ„ sate the Chancellour and all the Lordes At the Table next the cupboord sate the Major of London And at the Table behind the Lords sate the Barons of the Ports And at the other boords sate Noble and Worshipfull personages When all persons were set the Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall the Earle of Surrey Constable for that day the Lord Stanlâ—y Lord Steward sir Willâ—am Hopton Treasurer and sir Thomas Percy Controler came in served the King solemnly with one dish of gold and another of silver And the Queene all in gilt vessels and the Bishops all in silver At the second course came into the Hall sir Robert Democke the Kings champion making a Proclamation that whosoever would say that King Richard was not lawfully King hee would fight with him at the utterance and threw downe his Gauntlet and then all the Hall cryed out King Richard And so hee did in three parts of the Hall and then one brought
other of my allies and each of you with other either of kinred or affinity which is the very spirituall affinity and kinred in Christ as all partakers of the Sacraments of Christs Church The weight of which consanguinity if we did beare as would to God wee did then should wee more be moved to spirituall charity then to fleshly consanguinity Our Lord forbid that you love the worse together for the selfe-same cause that you ought to love the better and yet that hapneth for no where finde wee so deadly debate as amongst them which by nature and law most ought to agree together Such a Serpent is ambition and desire of vaine glory and soveraignty while amongst estates when he is once entred he creepeth forth so farre till with division and variance hee turneth all to mischiefe First longing to be next to the best afterward equall with the best and at the last chiefe and above the best Of which immoderate appetite of worship and the debate and dissention that grew thereby what losse what sorrow what trouble hath within these few yeeres growne within this Realme I pray God as well to forget as wee well remember which thing if I could as well have foreseene as I have with my more paine then pleasure proved by God his blessed Lady that was his common oath I would never have won the courtesies oâ— mens knees with the losse of so many heads But sith things passed cannot be called againe much more ought we to beware by what occasion we have taken so great hurt before that wee presently fall not into that occasion againe Now be these griefs pâ—ssed and all is quiet thanked bee God and likely well to prosper in wealthfull peace under your Cousins my children if God send them life and you love and concord Of which two things the lesse losse were they by whom although God did his pleasure yet should this Realme alwayes finde Kâ—ngs and peradventure as good Kings as they But if you amongst your selves in a childes Raigne fall at debate many a good man shall innocently perish and hee and you also ere this Land finde peace and quiet againe wherefore in these last words that ever I look to speak to you I exhort and require you all for the love that you have borne to mee and for the love that I have borne to you and for the love that our Lord beareth to us all From this time forward all griefes forgotten each of you love other which I verily trust you will if you any thing regard God or your Kings affinity or kindred this Realme your owne Country or your owne safety and wealth And therewithall the King for faintnesse no longer enduring to sit up layed him downe on his right side his face toward them And there was none present that could forbeare weeping but the Lords comforted him with as good words as they could and answered for the time as they thought should stand with his pleasure And there in his presence as by their words appeared each forgave other and joyned their hands together when as it after appeared by their deedes their hearts were farre asunder And so within a few dayes this Noble Prince deceased at Westminster the ninth day of April in the yeere of our Lord 1483. after that he had raigned 22. yeeres one month and eight dayes and was with great Funerall pompe conveiged to Windsore leaving behinde him two sons Edward the Prince of whom this story entreateth a childe of 13. yeeres of age Richard Duke of Yorke two yeeres yonger then the Prince and five daughters Elizabeth which by Gods Grace was married to King Henry the seventh and Mother to King Henry the 8. Cicile not so fortunate as faire first wedded to the Vicount Wâ—llâ—â— after to one Kyne and lived not in great wealth Bridâ—â—â—â—rofessed â—rofessed her selfe a close Nunne at Sâ—on Anne was marrieâ— to Lord Thomas Howard Earle of Surrâ—y and Duke of Norfolk Katherine the youngest daughter was married to Lord William Courtney sonne to the Eâ—rle of Devonshire which long time â—â—ssed in either fortune sometime in wealth after in adversity till the benignity of her Nephew King Henry the eighth brought her into a sure estate according to her degree and Progeny This King Edward was such a Prince of Governance and behaviour in the time of peace for in the time of warre each must bee others enemy that there was never any King in this Realme attaining the Crowne by warre and battaile so heartily beloved with the more substance of his people nor hee himselfe so specially favoured in any part of his life as at the time of his death which favour and affection yet after his death by the cruelty mischiefe and trouble of the tempestuous world that followed highly towards him more encreased At such time as he dyed the displeasure of those that bare him a grudge for King Henry the sixth his sake whom he deposed was well asswaged and in effect quenched within the space of 22. yeeres which is a great part of a mans life and some were reconciled and growne into his favour of the which he was never strange when it was with true heart demanded Hee was goodly of Personage and Princely to behold of heart couragious politicke in counsell and in adversity nothing abashed in prosperity rather joyfull then proud in peace just and mercifull in war sharpe and fierce in the Field bold and hardy and yet neverthelesse no farther then reason and policie would adventure whose warres whosoever circumspectly and advisedly considereth hee shall no lesse commend his wisedome and policie where he avoided them then his manhood where hee vanquished them Hee was of visage full-faced and lovely of body mighty strong and clean made with over-liberall and wanton dyet he waxed something corpulent and burly but neverthelesse not uncomely Hee was in youth greatly given to fleshly wantonnesse from the which health of body in great prosperity and fortune without an especiall grace hardly refraineth This fault little grieved his people for neither could any one mans pleasure stretch or extend to the displeasure of very many nor a multitude bee grieved by a private mans fantasie or voluptuousnesse when it was done without violence And in his latter dayes he left all wild dalliance and fell to gravity so that hee brought his Realme into a wealthy and prosperous estate all feare of outward enemies were cleerely extinguisheâ— and no warre was in hand nor none toward but such as no man looked for The people were toward their Prince not in a constrained feare but in a true loving and wilfull obedience among themselves and the Commons were in good peace The Lords whom hee knew at variance hee on his death bed as hee thought brought to good concord love and amity And a little before his death he had left gathering of money of his subjects which is the onely thing that draweth the hearts of English men from their Kings and Princes
or amend things that were past he determined by doing his dutie in all things to his commons to obliterate and put out of memorie that note of infamie with the which his fame was justly spotted and stayned and to cause the people to conceive so good an opinion of him that from thence forth no calamity nor trouble should bee adjudged to happen to the common wealth either by his negligence or by his misgovernment although it is difficile and strange shortly to turne and plucke out such qualities and usages as have of long time beene incorporated in a mans minde and rooted in his manners and conditions Therefore whether it was for the performance of his former intent of amendment or as common fame flew abroad that he tooke repentance of his mischievous acts and scelerate doings hee turned over the leafe and began an order of a new life and pretended to have the name of a good and vertuous man by the reason that hee shewed himselfe more just more meeker more familiar more liberall especially amongst the poore people then before hee had accustomed to doe and so by this meanes he firmely trusted first to obtaine of God forgivenesse of his offences and crimes and after to live and take away the enemy and inward grudge that the common people bare in their mindes towards him and in conclusion to obtaine their friendly love and assured favour Hee furthermore began and enterprised divers things as well publike as private the which hee being prevented by sodayne death did neither accomplish nor begin to conclusion for hee â—egan to found a Colledge of a hundred Priests which foundation with the founder shortly tooke an end To please the common people also hee in his high Court of Parliament enacted divers and sundry good lawes and profitable statutes and especially one against strangers and foren wrought wares not to bee transported into this Realme which commodious act for the common wealth if hee had lived hee had fully purposed to have advanced and set forward and put in execution But afterwards evidently it appeared to all persons that onely feare which is not a master long in office and in continuall authoritie and not justice caused King Richard at that very time to waxe better and amend his wicked and sinfull life for shortly after the goodnesse of the man which was but painted and fraudulent suddenly waxed cold and vanished away And from thenceforth not onely all his Councellors doings and proceeding suddenly decayed and resorted to none effect But also fortune began to frowne and turned her wheele downewards from him in so much that he lost his onely begotten sonne Edward in the third moneth after hee had created him Prince of Wales The second yeere of his Raigne ANd shortly after in his second yeere of his raigne hee was unquieted by conspiracie or rather a confederacy betweene the Duke of Buckingham and many other Gentlemen against him as yee shall heare But the occasion why the Duke and the King fell out is of diverse folke diversly pretended This Duke as you have heard before assoone as the Duke of Gloucester after the death of King Edward was come to Yorke and there had solemne funerall service done for King Edward sent to him a secret servant of his called Persall with such messages as you have heard before And after the Duke of Buckingham came with three hundred horse to Northampton and still continued with him as partner and chiefe organ of his devices till after his Coronation they departed seeming all to bee very good friends at Gloucester From whence assoone as the Duke came home hee so highly conspired against him that a man would marvell whereof the change grew in so short a space Some say this occasion was that a little before the Coronation the Duke required the King amongst other things to bee restored to the Earle of Herfords lands and forasmuch as the title which hee claymed by inheritance was somewhat interlaced with the title of Lancaster which house made a title to the Crowne and enjoyed the same three descents as all men knew till the house of Yorke deprived the third King which was Henry the sixt King Richard somewhat mistrusted and conceived such an indignation that he rejected the Dukes request with many spitefull and minatorie words which so wounded the Dukes heart with hatred and mistrust that hee could never after indure to looke right on King Richard but ever feared his owne life so farre forth that when the Protectour should ride to his Coronation hee feigned himselfe sicke because he would doe him no honour And the other taking it in evill part sent him word to rise and ride or hee would make him to be carried Whereupon gorgeously apparelled and sumptuously trapped with burning cart navos of gold embrodered he roade befoâ—e the King through London with an evill will and worse heart And that notwithstanding hee rose the day of the Coronation from the feast feining himselfe ficke whicâ— King Richard said was done in hate and dispight of him And therefore men said that each of them ever after lived continually in such hatred and distrust of other that the Duke looked verily to have beene murthered at Gloucester from which hee in faire manner departed but surely such as were right secret with both affirmed all this to be untrue and otherwise men thinke it unlikely the deepe dissembling nature of both these men well considered And what neede in that greene world the Protector had of the Duke and in what perill the Duke stood if hee fell once in suspition of that tyrant that either the Protectour would give the Duke occasion of displeasure or the Duke the Protectour occasion of mistrust And surely men thinke that if King Richard had any such opinion conceived in him hee would never have suffered him to avoide his hands or escape his power but very true it is that the Duke of Buckingham was an high minded man and ill could beare the glory of another so that I have heard of some that saw it that he at such time as the Crowne was set upon the Protectors head his eye could never abide the sight thereof but wryed his head another way but men said he was not well at ease and that was both to King Richard well knowne and well taken nor any demand of the Dukes request uncurteously rejected but gently deferred but both hee with great gifts and high behestes in most loving and trusty manner departed from the King to Gloucester Thus every man judged as he thought but soone after his comming home to Brecknocke having there by King Richards commandment Doctor Morton Bishop of Ely who before as you have heard was taken at the Councell at the Tower waxed with him very familiar whose only wisedome abused his pride to his own deliverance and the Dukes destruction The Bishop was a man of great naturall wit very well learned and of honorable behaviour lacking no wise waies to
nor nothing he enterprised nor tooke in hand by the which he should be driven thereunto For his tribute out of France he had a little before recovered and obtained And the yeere before he dyed hee recovered againe the Towne of Barwicke against the King of Scots And albeit that all the time of his reigne he was so benigne courteous and familiar that no part of his vertues was esteemed more than those high humilities Yet that condition in the end of his last dayes decayed not in the which many Princes by a long continued Soveraignty decline to a proud port and behaviour from their conditions accustomed at their beginning Yet lowlinesse and gentlenesse so farre forth in him increased that the Summer before he dyed hee being at Havering at the Bower sent for the Maior of London thither onely to hunt and make pastime where hee made them not so hearty but so familiar and friendly cheere and sent also to their Wives such plenty of Venison that no one thing in many dayes before gat him either more hearts or more hearty favour amongst the common people which oftentimes more esteeme and take for great kindnesse a little courtesie then a great profit or benefit And so this Noble Prince deceased as you have heard in that time his life was most desired and when his people most desired to keepe him Which love of his people and their entire affection toward him had beene to his Noble Children having in themselves also as many gifts of Nature as many Princely vertues as much good towardnesse as their age could receive a marvellous fortresse and a sure armour if the division and dissention of their friends had not unarmed them and left them destitute and the execrable desire of Soveraignty provoked him to their destruction which if either kind or kindnesse had holden place must needes have beene their defence For Richard Gloucester by nature their Uncle by Office their Protectour to their Father greatly beholden and to them by oath and allegiance bounden all the bonds broken and violated which binde man and man together without any respect of God or the World unnaturally contrived to bereave them not onely of their dignity and pre-eminence but also of their naturall lives and worldly felicity And first to shew you that by conjecture he pretended this thing in his Brothers life yee shall understand for a truth that the same night that King Edward dyed one called Mistelbrooke long ere the day sprung came to the house of one Pottier dwelling in Redcrosse-street without Cripple Gate of London and when he was with hasty wrapping quickly let in the said Mistelbrooke shewed unto Pottier that King Edward was that night deceased by my truth quoth Pottier then will my Master the Duke of Gloucester be King and that I warrant thee What cause hee had so to thinke hard it is to say whether hee being his servant knew any such thing pretended or otherwise had any inkling thereof but of all likelihood hee spake it not of nought But now to returne to the true History were it that the Duke of Gloucester had of old sore practised this conclusion or was before-time moved thereunto and put in hope by the tender age of the young Princes his Nephews as opportunity and likelihood of speed putteth a man in courage of that that he never intended Certaine it is that he being in the North parts for the good governance of the Countrey being advertised of his Brothers death contrived the destruction of his Nephewes with the usurpation of the Royall Dignity and Crowne And forasmuch as he well wist and had holpe to maintaine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betweene the Queenes kindred and the Kings Bloud either part envying others authority he now thought as it was indeed a furtherly beginning to the pursuit of his intent and a sure ground and situation of his unnatural building if hee might under the pretence of revenging of old displeasures abuse the ignorance and anger of the one party to the destruction of the other and then to win to his purpose as many as he could and such as could not be won might be lost ere they looked for it But of one thing hee was certaine that if his intent were once perceived hee should have made peace betweene both parties with his owne bloud but all his intent he kept secret till hee knew his friends of the which Henry the Duke of Buckingham was the first that sent to him after his Brothers death a trusty servant of his called Persivall to the City of Yorke where the Duke of Gloucester kept the K. his brothers Funeralls This Persivall came to Iohn Ward a cret Chamberer to the Duke of Gloucester desiring that hee in close and covert manner might speake with the Duke his Master whereupon in the dead of the night the Duke sent for Persivall all other being avoided which shewed to the Duke of Gloucester that the Duke of Buckingham his Master in this new World would take such part as hee would and would farther waite upon him with a thousand good fellowes if need were The Duke sent backe the Messenger with great thankes and divers privie instructions by mouth which Persivall did so much by his travell that he came to the Duke of Buckingham his Master into the Marches of Wales and presently after with new instructions met with the Duke of Gloucester at Notingham which was come out of the North-country with many Knights and Gentlemen to the number of 600. Horse and more in his journey towards London And after secret meeting and communication had betweene him and the Duke of Gloucester hee returned with such speed that hee brought the Duke of Buckingham his Master to meete with the Duke of Gloucester not far from Northampton with three hundred Horses and so they two came together to Northampton where they first began their unhappy enterprise and so the Duke of Buckingham continued stil with the Duke of Gloucester till he was crowned King as yee shall plainely perceive hereafter The young King at the death of his Father kept houshold at Ludlow for his Father had sent him thither for Justice to be done in the Marches of Wales to the end that by the authority of his presence the wilde Welshmen and evill disposed persons should refraine from their accustom'd murthers and outrages The governance of this young Prince was committed to Lord Anthony Woodvile Earle Rivers and Lord Scales Brother to the Queene a wise hardy and honourable personage as valiant of hands as politick in Counsell and with him were associate others of the same party and in effect every one as hee was neere of kin unto the Queene so was he planted next about the Prince That drift by the Queene seemed to be devised whereby her bloud might of right in tender youth be so planted in the Princes favour that afterward it should hardly be eradicated out of the same The Duke of
bee put to death And where it is otherwise then in these cases there is no need of Sanctuaries appointed by God in the Old Law For if necessity of his owne defence or misfortune drived him to that deed then a pardon serveth him which either is granted of course or the King of pitty and compassion giveth Now looke how few Sanctuary men there be whom necessity or misfortune compelled to goe thither And then see on the other â—ide what a sort there be commonly therein of such whom wilfull unthriftinesse hath brought to naught What a rabble of Theeves Murtherers and malicious hainous Traytors be and that in two places especially the one at the elbow of the Citie and the other in the very bowels I dare well avow it if you weigh the good that they doe with the hurt that commeth of them yee shall finde it much better to lose both then to have both And this I say although they were not abused as they now bee and so long have been that I feare me ever they will be while men be afraid to set their hands to the amendment as though God and Saint Peter were the Patrons of ungracious living Now unthrifts riot and run in debt upon boldnesse of these places yea and rich men run thither with poor mens goods there they build there they spend and bid their creditors goe whistle Mens Wives run thither with their Husbands Plate and say they dare not abide with their Husbands for beating Theeves bring thither stolne goods and live thereon There devise they new robberies nightly and steale out and rob rive and kill men and come again into those places as though those places gave them not only a safeguard for the harme that they have done but a license also to doe more mischiefe howbeit much of this great abusion if wise men would set their hands there unto might be amended with great thankes of God and no breache of the priviledge The conclusion is sith it is so long agoe I wot not what Pope and what Prince more pitious then politicke hath granted it and other men sensible of a religious feare have not broken it let us take paines with it and let it stand a Gods Name in his force as farre forth as reason will which is not so farre forth as may serve to let us of the fetching forth of this Noble man to his honour and wealth out of that place in the which hee neither is nor can be a Sanctuary or priviledged man A Sanctuary ever serveth to defend the body of that man that standeth in danger abroad not of great hurt only but of lawfull hurt for against unlawfull hurts and harmes no Pope nor King intended to priviledge any one place wherein it is lawfull for one man to doe another man wrong That no man unlawfully take hurt that liberty the King the Law and very nature forbiddeth in every place and maketh in that regard for every man every place a Sanctuary but whereas man is by lawfull meanes in perill there needeth he the tuition of some speciall privilege which is the onely ground of all Sanctuaries from which necessity this Noble Prince is farre whose love to his King Nature and kindred proveth whose innocencie to all the world his tender youth affirmeth and so Sanctuary as for him is not necessary and none he can have Men come not to Sanctuary as they come to Baptisme to require it by Godfathers he must aske it himselfe that must have it and reason sith no man hath cause to have it but whose coÌ„science of his own fault maketh him have need to require it What will then hath yonder Babe which if hee had discretion to require it if need were I dare say would be now right angry with them that keep him there And I would thinke without any scruple of conscience without any breach of priviledge to bee somewhat more homely with them that be their Sanctuary men indeed that if one goe to Sanctuary with another mans goods why should not the King leaving his body at liberty satisfie the party of his goods even within the Sanctuary for neither King nor Pope can give any place such a priviledge that it shall discharge a man of his debts being able to pay And with that divers of the Clergy that were there present whether they said it for his pleasure or as they thought agreed plainely by the Law of God and of the Church that a Sanctuary man should be delivered in payment of his debts and stolne goods to the owner and onely liberty reserved to him to get his living by the labour of his hands Verily quoth the Duke I thinke ye say very truth And what if a mans wife take Sanctuary because shee list to run from her husband I would thinke if she can alledge no other cause hee may lawfully without any displeasure done to Saint Peter take her out of Saint Peters Church by the arme And if no body may bee taken out of Sanctuary because he saith hee will abide there then if a child will take Sanctuary because he feareth to goe to Schoole his Master must let him alone And as simple as that example is yet is there lesse reason in our case then in it for there though it be a childish feare yet is there at the least some feare and herein is no feare at all And verily I have heard of Sanctuary men but I never heard before of Sanctuary children and therefore as for the conclusion of my minde whosoever may deserve to have need of it if they thinke it for their surety let them keepe it but he can be no Sanctuary man that hath no other discretion to desire it nor malice to deserve it whose life nor liberty can by any lawful processe stand in danger and hee that taketh one out of Sanctuary to do him good I say plainely hee breaketh no Sanctuary When the Duke hand done the temporall men wholly and the most part of the spirituall men also thinking no hurt earthly meant toward the yong Babe condescend in effect that if hee were not delivered hee should be fetched out Howbeit they thought it best in avoiding of all manner of rumour that the Cardinall should first assay to get him with her good will And thereupon all the Councell came to the Star-Chamber at Westminster and the Cardinall leaving the Protector and other Lords in the Starre-Chamber departed into the Sanctuary to the Queen accompanied with certaine Lords were it for the respect of his honour or that shee should by the persons of so many perceive that his errand was not onely one mans minde or were it for that the Protector intended not in this matter to trust one man alone or else if she finally were determined to keepe him some of the company had peradventure some secret instruction incontinent mauger her will to take him and to leave her no respit to conveigh him When the Queene and these Lords
either our owne fault or faint feeble heart and therefore goe to thy Maister and commend me to him and tell him I pray him to bee merry and have no feare for I assure him I am assured of the man he wotteth of as I am sure of mine owne hand God send grace quoth the messenger and so departed Certaine it is also that in riding towards the Tower the same morning in which he was beheaded his horse that hee accustomed to ride on stumbled twice or thrice almost to the falling which thing although it happeneth to them daily to whom no mischance is towards yet hath it beene as an old evill token observed as a going toward mischiefe Now this that followeth was no warning but an envious scorne the same morning before he was up from his bed where Shores wife lay with him all night there came to him sir Thomas Haward son to the Lord Haward which Lord was once of the priviest of the Lord Protectours counsell and doing as it were of curtesie to accompany him to the councell but of truth sent by the Lord Protectour to hast him thitherward This sir Thomas while the Lord Hastings stayed a while commoning with a Priest whoÌ„ he met in Towerstreete brake the Lords tale saying to him merrily what my Lord I pray you come on wherefore talke you so long with that Priest you have no neede of a Priest yet and laughed upon him as though he would say you shall have neede of one soone But little thought the other what hee meant but before night these words were well remembred by them that heard them so the true Lord Hastings little mistrusted and was never merier nor thought his life in more suretie in all his dayes which thing is often a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe mee then the vaine surety of mans minde so neere his death for upon the very Towerwharfe so neere the place where his head was off so soone after as a man might cast a ball a Pursievant of his owne called Hastings met with him and of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance another time in which it happened them to meete before together in the place at which time the Lord Hastings had been accused to King Edward by the Lord Rivers the Queenes brother insomuch that he was for a while which lasted not long highly in the Kings indignation as hee now met the same Pursevant in the same place the jeoperdie so well passed it gave him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom he had talked in the same place of that matter and therefore he said Ah Hastings art thou remembred when I met thee here once with a heavie heart Yea my Lord quoth he that I remember well and thankes bee to God they got no good nor you harme thereby thou wouldest say so quoth hee if thou knewest so much as I do which few know yet and more shall shortly that meant he that the Earle Rivers and the Lord Richard and Sir Thomas Vaughan should that day be beheaded at Pomfret as they were indeed which act he knew well should be done but thought not that the Axe hung so neere his owne head In faith man quoth hee I was never so sory nor never stood in so great danger of my life as I did when thou and I met here and loe the world is turned now now stand mine enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I never in my life merrier nor never in so great surety I pray God it prove so quoth Hastings prove quoth he doubtest thou that nay nay I warrant thee and so in manner displeased hee entred into the Tower where he was not long alive as you have heard O Lord God the blindnesse of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in most surety and when he reckoned himselfe most sure hee lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honourable man a good Knight and gentle of great authority with his Prince of living somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemy and sure and secret to his friend easie to beguile as hee that of good heart and courage foâ—â—saw no perils a loving man and passing well beloved very faithfull and trusty enough buâ— trusting too much was his destruction as you may perceive Now flew the fame of thiâ— Lords death through the City and farther about like a winâ— in every mans eare but thâ— Protector immediately afteâ— dinner intending to set some colour upon the matter sent in all the haste for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower and at their comming himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in old ill-favoured Briganders such as no man would thinke that they would have vouchsafed to have put on their backes except some sodaine necessity had constrained them Then the Lord Protector shewed them that the Lord Hastings and other of his conspiracie had contrived to have suddenly destroyed him and the Duke of Buckingham there the same day in Councel and what they intended farther was yet not well known of which their treason hee had never knowledge before ten of the clock the same forenoone which sodaine feare drave them to put on such harnesse as came next to their hands for their defence and so God holpe them that the mischiefe turned upon them that would have done it and thus he required them to report Every man answered faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which of truth no man beleeved Yet for the further appeasing of the peoples mindes hee sent immediately after dinner an Herald of Armes with a Proclamation through the Cirie of London which was proclaimed in the Kings Name that the Lord Hastings with divers other of his trayterous purpose had before conspired the same day to have slaine the Protector and the Duke of Buckingham fitting in Councell and after to have taken upon them the rule of the King and the Realme at their pleasure and thereby to pill and spoile whom they list uncontrouled and much matter was devised in the same Proclamation to the slander of the Lord Hastings as that he was an evill Councellor to the Kings Father entising him to many things highly redounding to the diminishing of his honour and to the universall hurt of his Realme by his evill company and sinister procuring and ungracious example aswell in many other things as in vitious living and inordinate abusing of his body both with many other and especially with Shores wife which was one of his secret Councell in this heinous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night passed next before his death so that it was the lesse marvell if ungracious living brought him to an unhappy end which he was now put to by the command of the Kings Highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Councell both for his demerits being so openly taken in
his false contrived treason and also lest the delaying of his execution might have encouraged other mischievous persons partners of his conspiracie to gather and assemble themselves together in making so great commotion for his deliverance whose hope now being by his well deserved death politickly repressed all the Realme shall by Gods grace rest in good quiet and peace Now was this proclamation made within two houres after hee was beheaded and it was so curiously indited and so faire written in Parchment in a faire set hand and therwith so large a processe that every child might perceive that it was prepared and studied before and as some men thought by Catesby for all the time betweene his death and the publishing of the Proclamation could scarce have sufficed to the bare writing of it alone albeit that it had beene in paper and scribled forth in hast at adventure So that upon the proclaiming thereof one that was schoolemaster at Pauls standing by and comparing the shortenesse of the time with the length of the matter said to them that stood about him here is a gay goodly cast fouly cast away for haste And a Merchant that stood by him said that it was written by inspiration and prophesie Now then by and by as it were for anger and not for covetousnesse the Protector sent Sir Thomas Howard to the house of Shores wife for her Husband dwelt not with her which spoyled her of all that ever she had above the value of two or three thousand Markes and sent her body to prison And the Protector had laid to her for the manner sake that shee was of Councell with the Lord Hastings to destroy him In conclusion when no colour could fasten upon these matters then he layed heinously to her charge that thing that shee could not deny for all the world knew that it was true and that notwithstanding every man laughed to heare it then so suddenly so highly taken that she was naught of her body And for this cause as a godly continent Prince cleane and fauâ—tlesse of himselfe sent out of Heaven into this vicious world for the amendment of mens manners hee caused the Bishop of London to put her to open penance going before a crosse one Sunday at procession with a taper in her hand In the which she went in countenance and pace so womanly and albeit she was out of all array saving her kirtle onely yet went shee so faire and lovely and namely when the wondering of the people cast a comly red in her cheekes of the which before she had most misse that her great shame woon her much praise amongst them that were more amorous of her body theÌ„ curious of her soule and many good folk that hated her living and were glad to see sinne corrected yet pittied they more her penance then rejoyced at it wheÌ„ they considered that the Protectour did it more of a corrupt minde then any vertuous affection This woman was borne in London well friended honestly brought up and very well married saving somewhat too soon her husband an honest and a young Citizen godly and of good substance but forasmuch as they were coupled before she was well ripe shee not very fervently loved for whom shee never longed which was the thing by chance that the more easily made her to incline to the Kings appetite when hee required her Howbeit the respect of his royaltie the hope of gaine apparrell ease pleasure and other wanton wealth was able soone to pierce a soft tender heart but when the King had abused her anon her husband being an honest man would not presume to touch a Kings concubine but left her up to him altogether When the King died the Lord Hastings tooke her which in the Kings dayes albeit that he was sore enamored with her yet hee forbare either for a princely reâ—erence or for a certaine friendly faithfulnesse Proper shee was and faire nothing in her body that you could have changed but if you would have wished her somewhat higher This say they that knew her in her youth some said and judged that she had beene well favored and some judged the contrary whose judgement seemeth like as men gesse the beauty of one long before departed by a shape taken out of a charnell house and this judgement was in the time of King Henry the eight in the eighteenth yeare of whose reigne she dyed when she had nothing but a rivelled skin bone Her beauty pleased not men so much as her pleasant behaviour for shee had a proper wit and could both reade and write merry in company ready and quicke of answer neither mute nor full of bable sometimes taunting without displeasure but not without disport King Edward would say he had three concubines which in divers properties diversly excelled one the merriest the other the wiâ—est the third the holiest harlot in the Realme as one whom no man could get out of the Church to any place lightly unlesse it were to his bed the other two were somewhat greater personages then Mistris Shore and yet neverthelesse of their humilitie were content to bee namelesse and to forbeare the praise of these properties But the merriest was Shores wife in whom the King therefore tooke great pleasure for many he had but her hee loved whose favour to say the truth for it were sinne to belie the devill she never abused to any mans hurt but to many mens comfort and reliefe For where the King tooke displeasure shee would mitigate and appease his minde where men were out of favour shee would bring them into his grace for many that had highly offended shee obtained pardon and of great forfeitures she gate remission and finally in many weighty suites shee stood many men in great stead either for none or for very small reward and those rather gay then rich either that shee was content with the deede well done or for that shee delighted to bee sued unto and to shew what shee was able to doe with the King or for that that wanton women and wealthy be not alwaies covetous I doubt not some men will thinke this woman to be too slight to be written of among grave and weighty matters which they shall specially thinke that happily saw her in her age and adversity but we thinke the chance so much more worthy to bee remembred in how much after wealth she fell to poverty and from riches to beggery unfriended out of acquaintance after great substance after so great favour with her Prince after as great suite and seeking to with all those which in those dayes had businesse to speed as many other men were in their times which bee now famous only by the infamy of their evill deedes her doings were not much lesse albeit they be much lesse remembred because they were not evill for men use to write an evill turne in marble stone but a good turne in the dust which is not worst proved by her for after
it in the meane season there came to make a sute to the King by Petition Dame Elizabeth Gray which after was his Queene then a widdow borne of noble blood specially by her mother which was Dutches of Bedford and she was married to sir Richard Woodvile Lord Rivers her Father Howbeit this Elizabeth being in service with Queene Margaret wife to King Henry the sixt was married to one Iohn Grey Esquier whom King Henry made Knight at the last battell of Saint Albons but little while hee enjoyed his knighthood for at the same field he was slaine After when King Edward was King and the Earle of Warwicke beeing on his Embassage this poore Lady made her sute to the King to bee restored to such small lands as her husband had given her in joynture whoÌ„ when the King beheld and heard her speak as she was both faire and of good favour moderate of stature well made and very wise he not alone pitched on her but also waxed enamored on her and taking her secretly aside began to enter into talking more familiarly whose appetite when shee perceived shee vertuously denyed him but that shee did so wisely and that with so good manner and words so well set that shee rather kindled his desire then quenched it And finally after many a meeting much wooing and many great promises she well perceived the Kings affection towards her so greatly increased that shee durst somewhat the more boldly say her minde as to him whose heart she perceived more fervently set then to fall off for a word And in conclusion shee shewed him plaine that as shee thought her selfe too simple to bee his wife so shee thought her selfe too good to be his concubine The King much marvelling at her constancy as hee that had not beene before elswhere so stiffely said nay so much esteemed her continency and chastity that he set her vertue in stead of possession and riches And thus taking counsell of his owne desire determined in haste to marry her And after that hee was thus appointed and had betwâ—ene them twaine assured her then asked he counsell of his secret friends and that in such manner that they might easily perceive that it booted them not to say nay Notwithstanding the Dutches of York his mother was so sore moved therewith that she disswaded that marriage as much as shee possible might alleaging that it was his honour profit and surety to marry in some noble progeny out of his Realme whereupon depended great strength to his estate by that affinity and great possibility of increase of his dominions And that hee could not well otherwise doe considering the Earle of Warwicke had so farforth entred into the matter already which was not like to take it well if all his voyage were in such wise frustrate and his appointment deluded And she said further that it was not Princely to marry his owne Subject no greater occasion leading there unto no possessions nor other commoditie depending thereupon but onely as a rich man would marry his maiden onely for a little wanton dotage upon her person In which marriage many men commend more the maidens fortune then the mans wisedome and yet shee said that there was more honesty then honour in this marriage for asmuch as there is not betweene a Merchant and his maide so great a difference as betweene a King and his Subject a great Prince and a poore widdow In whose person although there were nothing to bee misliked yet was there said shee nothing so excellent but that it might bee found in divers other that were more mee quoth she for your estate yea and maidens also the onely widowhood of Dame Elizabeth Grey although she were in all other points and things convenient for you should suffice as I thâ—nke to refraine you from her marriage since it is an unfitting thing and a great blemish to the sacred Majesty of a Prince that ought as neere to approach priesthood in cleannesse as he doth in dignity to be defiled with bigamy in his first marriage The King made his Mother an answer part in earnest and part in play merrily as hee that knew himselfe out of her rule and albeit he would gladly that shee should take it well yet was hee at a point in his owne minde tooke shee it well or otherwise Howbeit somewhat to satisfie her hee said that albeit marriage being a spirituall thing ought rather to be made for the respect of God where his grace inclineth the parties ought to incline to love together as he trusted it was in his case rather then for the regard of any temporall advantage yet neverthelesse he deemed this marriage well considered not to be unprofitable for hee reckoned the amity of no earthly Nation to be so necessary for him as the friendship of his owne which hee thought likely to beare him so much the more hearty favour in that hee disdained not to marry with one of his owne Land and yet if outward alliance were thought so requisite he would finde the meanes to enter thereunto much better by other of his kin where all parties could be contented then to marry himselfe wherein hee should never haply love and for the possibility of possessions lose the fruit and pleasure of this that he had already For small pleasure taketh a man of all that ever he hath beside if hee be wived against his appetite and I doubt not quoth he but there be as you say others that be in every point comparable with her and therefore I let not them that like them to marry them no more is it reason that it mislike any man that I marry where it liketh me And I am sure that my Cousin of Warwicke neither loveth me so little to grudge at that that I love nor is so unreasonable to looke that I should in choice of a wife rather be ruled by his eye then by mine owne as though I were a ward that were bound to marry by the appointment of a Guardian I would not be a King with that condition to forbeare mine owne liberty in choice of mine owne marriage As for possibility of more inheritance by new affinity in strange Lands is oft the occasion of more trouble then profit And wee have already title by that meanes as sufficeth to so much as sufficeth to get and keepe well in one mans dayes That she is a widdow and hath already children By God his blessed Lady I am a Batchelor and have some too and so each of us hath a proofe that neither of us is like to be barren And therefore Madame I pray you be content I trust to God she shall bring forth a young Prince that shall please you And as for the bigamy let the Bishop hardly lay it to my charge when I come to take orders for I understand it is forbidden a Priest but I never knew that it was forbidden a Prince The Dutchesse with these words nothing appeased and seeing the
imprinted in your heart which for feare you dare not or for childish shamefastnesse you be ashamed to disclose and reveale and especially to mâ— being your friend which on my honour doe assure you to bee as secret in this case as the deafe and dumbe person is to the singer or the tree to the hunter The Bishop being somewhat bolder considering the Dukes promise but most of all animated and incouraged because hee knew the Duke desirous to bee exalted and magnified and also he perceived the inward hatred and privie rancor which hee bare towards King Richard was now bouldned to open his stomacke even to the very bottome intending thereby to compasse how to destroy and utterly to confound King Richard and to deprive him of his dignity royall or else to set the Duke so faire with the desire of ambition that hee himselfe might be safe and escape out of all danger and perill which thing hee brought shortly to conclusion both to the Kings destruction and the Dukes confusion to his owne safegard and finally to his high promotion And so as I said before upon trust and confidence of the Dukes promise the Bishop said my singular good Lord sith the time of my captivity which being in your graces custodie I may rather call it a liberall liberty more then a straight imprisonment in avoiding idlenesse the mother and nourisher of all vices in reading bookes and ancient pamphlets I have found this sentence written that no man is borne free and in liberty of himselfe only for one part of duty hee oweth or should owe to his parents for his procreation by a very naturall instinct and filiall curtesie another part to his friends and kinsfolke for proximitie of blood and naturall amity doth of verie duty chalenge and demand But it the native countrey in the which hee tasted first the sweet aire of this pleasant flattering world after his nativitie demandeth as a debt by a naturall bond neither to be forgotten nor yet to bee put in oblivion which saying causeth me to consider in what case this Realme my native countrey now standeth and in what estate and assuranc before this time it hath continued what governour we now have and what ruler we might have for I plainely perceive the Realme being in this case must needes decay and be brought to utter confusion and finall extermination But one hope I have incorporate in my breast that is when I consider and in my minde doe diligently remember and daily behold your noble personage your justice and indifference your fervent love towards your countrie likewise theirs to you the great learning pregnant wit and goodly eloquence which so much doth abound in the persoÌ„ of your grace I must needes thinke this Realme fortunate yea twise more then fortunate which hath such a Prince in store meete and apt to bee a governour in whose person being endued with so many qualities consisteth and resteth the very undoubted similitude and image of true honour But on the other side when I call to memorie the good qualities of the late Protector and now called King so violated and subverted by tyranny so changed and altered by usurped authority so clowded and shadowed by blind and insatiable ambition yea and so suddenly in manner by a metamorphosis transformed from politicke civility to detestable tyrannie I must needes say and justly affirme that he is neither meete to be a King of so noble a Realme nor so famous a Realme meete to be governed by such a tyrant Was not his first enterprise to obtaine the Crowne begun and incepted by the murther of divers noble valiant true and vertuous personages Oh a holy beginning to come to mischievous ending did hee not secondarily proceede contrary to all lawes of honesty shamefully against his owne naturall mother being a woman of much honour and more vertue declaring her openly to bee a woman given to carnall affection and dissolute living which thing if it had beene true as it was not indeede every good and naturall child would have rather beene silent then have blased it abroade and especially shee beeing alive Declaring furthermore his two brethren and his two nephewes to be bastards and to bee borne in adultery yet not with all this is hee content After that he had obtained the garland for the which hee so long thirsted he caused the two poore innocents his nephewes committed to him for especiall trust to bee murthered and shamefully to be killed The blood of which sillie and little babes daily cries to God from the earth for vengeance alas my heart sobbeth to remember this bloody butcher and cruell murtherer what surety shall bee in this Realme to any person either for life or goods under such a cruell Prince which regardeth not the destruction of his owne blood and then lesse the losse of others And most especially as often times it chanceth where a covetuous or a cruell Prince taketh suspicion the smalest swarving that is possible if the thing bee misconstured may bee the cause of the destruction of many giltlesse persons and especiall of noble and wealthie personages having great possessions and riches Such a Lord is Lucifer when he is entered into the heart of a proud Prince given to covetousnesse and crueltie But now my Lord to conclude what I meane towards your noble person I say and affirme if you love God your linage or your native contrie you must your selfe take upon you the Crowne and Diadem of this noble Empire both for the maintenance of the honour of the same which so long hath flourished in fame and renown as also for the deliverance of your naturall countrey men from the bondage and thraldome worse then the captivitie of Egypt of so cruell a tyrant and arrogant oppressor For thus I dare say if any forren Prince or potentate yea the Turke himselfe would take upon him the regiment here and the Crowne the Commons would rather admit and obey him then to live under such a bloud-sucker and child-killer but how much more joyful and glad would they bee to live under your grace whom they all know to bee a ruler meete and convenient for them to live under despise not nor forsake so manifest occasion so lovingly offered And if your self knowing the paine and travaile that appartaineth to the office of a king or for any other considerraâ—ion will refuse to take upon you the 〈…〉 of this Realme 〈…〉 adjure you by the faith that you owe to God by your honour and by your oath made to Saint George patron of the noble order of the Garter whereof you bee a companion and by the love and affection that you beare to your native countrey the people of the same to devise some way how this Realme now being in miserie may by your high discretion and princely policy bee brought and reduced to some suretie and convenient regiment under some good governour by you to bee excogitate for you are the
my selfe have heard spoken and that upon great presumptions more times then once so againe by my ayde and favour hee of a Protectour was made a King and of a subject made a Governour at which time he promised mee upon his fidelitie laying his hand in mine at Baynards Castle that the two yong Princes should live and that hee would so provide for them and so maintaine them in honorable estate that I and all the Realme ought and should bee content But when he was once Crowned King and in full possession of the whole Realme he cast away his old conditions as the Adder doth his skinne verifying the old proverbe honours change manners as the Parish Priest remembreth not that he was ever Parish Clarke For when I my selfe sued to him for my part of the Earle of Hartfords lands which his brother King Edward wrongfully detyned and withheld from mee and also required to have the office of the high Constable ship of England as divers of my noble ancestors before this time have had and in long discent continued In this my first suite shewing his good minde towards me he did not onely first delay me and afterward deny me but gave me such unkind words with â—uch taunts and retaunts yea in manner checke and check mate to the uttermost proofe of my patience As though I had never furthered him but hindred him as though I had put him downe and not set him up yet al these ingratitudes undeserved unkindnesses I bare closely and suffer patiently and covertly remeÌ„bred outwardly dissembling that I inwardly thought and so with a painted countenance I passed the last summer in his last company not without many faire promises but without any good deedes But when I was credibly informed of the death of the two young innocents his owne naturall Nephewes contrary to his faith and promise to the which God bee my judge I never agreed nor condiscended O Lord how my veines panted how my body trembled and my heart inwardly grudged in so much that I so abhorred the sight and much more the company of him that I could no longer abide in his court except I should bee openly revenged The end whereof was doubtfull and so I fained a cause to depart and with a merry countenance and a dispightful heart I tooke my leave humbly of him hee thinking nothing lesse then that I was displeased and so returned to Brecknocke to you But in the journey as I returned whether it were by the inspiration of the holy Ghost or by Melancolous disposition I had divers and sundry imaginations how to deprive this unnaturall Vncle and bloody butcher from his royall seate and princely dignity First I fantasied that if I list to take upon me the Crowne and imperiall Scepter of the Realme now was the time fit and convenient For now was the way made plaine and the gate opened and occasion given which now neglected should peradventure never take such effect and conclusion For I saw hee was disdained of the Lords temporall execrate and accursed of the Lords spiritual detested of all gentlemen and despised of all the commonaltie So that I saw my chance as perfectly as I saw my owne Image in a glasse that there was no person if I had beene greedy to attempt the enterprise could nor should have won the ring or got the gole before me And on this point I rested in imagination secretly with my selfe two dayes at Teukesbury And from thence sojourning I mused thought it was not best nor convenient to take vpon me as a conquerour for then I knew that all men and especially the nobilitie would with all their power withstand me both for rescuing of possessions and tenours as also for subverting of the whole estate Lawes and Customes of the Realme Such a power hath a conquerour as you know well enough my Lord. But at the last in all this doubtfull case there sprang a new branch out of my head which surely I thought should have brought forth faire flowers but the sunne was so hot that they turned to dry weedes for I suddenly remembred that Lord Edmond Duke of Somerset my Grandfather was with King Henry the sixt in the second and third degrees from Iohn Duke of Lancaster lawfully begotten So that I thought sure my mother being eldest daughter to Duke Edmond that I was next to King Henry the sixt of the house of Lancastâ—r This title pleased well such as I made privie of my counsell but much more it encouraged my foolish desire and elevated my ambitious intent in so much that I clerely judged and in mine own minde was determinately resolved that I was indubitated heire of the house of Lancaster and thereupon concluded to make my first foundation and erect my new building But whether God so ordered or by fortune it so chanced while I was in a mase either to conclude sodainely on this title and to set it open amongst the common people or to keepe it secret a while see the chance as I rode betweene Worcester and Bridgnorth I encountered with the lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond now wife to the Lord Stanley which is the very daughter and sole heyre to Iohn Duke of Somerset my grandfathers elder brother Which was as cleane out of my minde as though I had never never seene her so that shee and her sonne the Earle of Richmond be both bulwarke and portcolice betweene and the gate to enter into the majesty royall and getting of the Crowne And when wee had communed a little concerning her sonne as I shall shew you after and were departed shee to our Lady of Worcester and I toward Shrewsbury I then new changed and in manner amased began to dispute with my selfe litle considering that thus my earnest was turned even to a tittle not woth esteeme Presently I imagined whether I were best to take upon me by the election of the nobilitie and commonaltie which me thought easie to be done the usurper King thus being in hatred and abhorred of this whole Realme or to take it by power which standeth in fortunes chance and difficile to bee atchieved and brought to passe Thus rumbling tossing in the waves of ambiguitie betweene the stone and sacrifice I considered first the office duty and paine of a King which surely thinke that no mortall man can justly and truely observe except hee bee called elected and specially appointed by God as King David and divers others have beene But further I remembred that if I once tooke on mee the Scepter and the governance of the Realme That of two extreame enemies I was daily sure but of one trusty friend which now adayes bee gone a pilgrimage I was neither assured nor credibly ascertained such is the worlds mutation for I manifestly perceived that the daughters of King Edward and their alies and friends which be no small number being both for his sake much beloved and also for the great injurie manifest tyranni done
win favour Hee was first upon the part of King Henry while that part was in wealth and neither left it nor forsooke it in woe but fled the Realme with the Queene and the Prince And while King Edward had King Henry in prison hee never returned but to the field at Barnet after which field lost and utterly subdued and all par-takings extinguished King Edward for his fast faith wisedome was not onely content to receive him but also wooed him to come and had him from thenceforth both in secret trust and speciall favour whom he never deceived For hee being after King Edwards death first taken by the tyrant for his truth to the King found the meanes to set the Duke in his toppe and joyned gentlemen together in aide of the Earle of Richmond which after was named King Henry the sevenâ—h First devising the marriage betweene the Lady Elizabeth daughter to King Edward the fourth by the which his faithfull and true service declared to both his masters at once was an infinite benift to the Realme by the conjunction of the bloods of Lancaster and Yorke whose funerall titles had long unquieted the Realme This man afterwards escaped from the Duke and fled the Realme and never returned and went to Rome never minded to meddle with the world till King Henry the seventh sent for him and after made him Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England and after was made Cardinall and lived well to all mens judgements and died well But to returne to the former purpose he by the long and often alternate proofe as well of prosperity as adverse fortune had gotten by great experience the very mother and mistris of wisedome and deepe insight in politike and worldly drifts wherby perceiving now the Duke to commune with him fed him with faire words and many prayses and perceiving by the griefe of their communications the Dukes pride now and then to balke out a little brayd of envie towards the glory of the King and thereby feeling him easie to fall out if the matter were well handled hee craftily sought the waies to pricke him forward taking alwaies the occasion of his comming and also keeping himself close within his bands that he rather seemed to follow him then to leade him For when the Duke began first to praise and boast the King to shew how much profit the Realme should take by his reigne Bishop Morton answered surely my Lord folly it were for mee to lie for I am sure if I would sweare the contrary ye would not once beleeve mee but if the world would have begunne as I would have wished that King Henries sonne had had the Crowne and not King Edward then would I have beene his true and faithfull subject but after that God had ordained him to lose it and King Edward to raigne I was never so mad with a dead man to strive against the quicke so was I ever to King Edward a faithfull and true chaplin and glad would have beene that his children should have succeeded him howbeit if the secret judgement of God have otherwise provided I purpose not to spurne against the prick nor labour to set up that God pulleth downe And as for the late protector and now King and with that word hee left saving that he said that he had already medled too much with the world and would from that day meddle with his booke and beades and no further Then longed the Duke sore to heare what hee would have said because hee ended with the King and there so sodainely stopped and exhorted him familiarly betweene them both to be bold and to say whatsoever hee thought whereof he faithfully promised there should never come hurt and peradventure more good then hee would thinke And that hee himselfe intended to use his faithfull secret advice and counsaile which he said was the onely cause for the which hee procured of the King to have him in his custody where he might reckon himselfe at home or else hee had beene put in the hands of them with whom he should not have found like favour The Bishop right humbly thanked him and said in good faith my Lord I love not much to talke of Pâ—inces as of a thing not all out of perill although the word bee without fault but yet it must be as it pleaseth the Prince to construe it And ever I thinke on Aesops talke that when the Lyon had proclamed that on paine of death there should no horned beasts come into the wood one beast that had a bunch of flesh growing out of his head fled a great pace the foxe that saw him flie with all the hast asked him whither he fled In faith quoth he I neither know nor care so I were once hence because of the proclamation made against horned beasts What foole quoth the foxe the Lyon never meant it by thee for that which thou hast is no horne in thy head No marry quoth hee I know that well enough but if hee say it is a horne where am I then The Duke laughed merrily at the tale and said my Lord I warrant you neither the Lyon nor the Bore shall picke any matter at any thing here spoken for it shall never come neere their eares In good faith sir said the Bishop if it did the thing that I was about to say taken as well as before God I meant it could deserve but thankes and yet taken as I thinke it would might happen to turne mee to little good and you to lesse Then longed the Duke much more to know what it was Whereupon the Bishop said In good faith my Lord as for the late Protector sith hee is now King in possession I purpose not to dispute his title but for the wealth of this realme wherof his grace hath now the governance and whereof I my selfe am a poore member I was about to wish that to those good abilities whereof hee hath already right many little needing my praise yet might it have pleased God for the better store to have given him some of such other excellent vertues meet for the rule of the Realme as our Lord hath planted in the person of your grace and there left off againe The Duke somewhat marvelling at his sodaine pauses as though they were but parentheses with a high countenance said my Lord I evidently perceive and no lesse note your often breathing and sudden stopping in your communication so that to my intelligence your words neither come to any direct or perfect sentence in conclusion whereby either I might perceive and have knowledge what your inward intent is now toward the King or what affectioÌ„ you beare toward me For the comparison of good qualities ascribed to us both for the which I my selfe knowledge and recognise to have none nor looke for no praise of any creature for the same maketh me not a little to muse thinking that you have some other privie Imagination by love or by grudge ingraved and