of the world and times For the Maiestie of Kings will not be tied vp with the slender bindings of rebellion nor taught any lesson against their wils either of fauouring or disfauouring whom they please As for personall faults Alas Princes Prelates Officers Maiestrates and all sorts of men will runne the race of mortality and if it were possible to remoue offenders at pleasure the persons may be changed but the imperfections continue Let them therefore alone a Gods name for they must stand or fall to the estate of their liues which he hath appointed only this I will be bold to say I would haue no man for any priuate respect runne in the outragious races of sinnes himselfe or defend any wickednesse in others beare with great men in their vices flatter or temporize for profit or preferment yeeld vnto base or degenerating actions either for feare or fauour or in a word doe any thing contrary to Gods word wherein as in a glasse men may perspicuously behold the way of life and death and the infallible positions which in the affirmatiue and negatiue conclude all things either by precept or interdiction Eurip. Orest. Paruis enim res magnas quomodò caperet quis laboribus stultum etiam velle conarihaec quando enim excanduerit populus ad iram prolapsus similis est igni ad extinguendum vehementi si vero pedetentim quis ei concitato quidem cedens obsecundârit tempus cautè obseruans cum autem emiserit flatus forsan exhalauerit THE TRVE AND wonderfull History of PERKIN VVARBECK THE contentions betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancaster are the subiects of many discourses and therefore I will insist the lesse either vpon Genealogies Titles Vsurpations Warres Factions Encounters Reuenges Battails Slaughters or other accidentall outrages which for 90. yeares filled the wrinckles of the face of our Common-wealth of England with the blood and sweat of tenne Kings and Princes of the race roiall 60 Dukes and Earles 1000 Lords and Knights and 150000 Soldiers and people Only I must make a little commorance and abiding in the wretched and ragged house of enuie and malice gouerned and ouerseene by a woman who was so opposite and aduerse to the Lancastrian family that for all King Henry the seuenth had obtained the Crowne by a strong hand and as we say diuinitùs praemunitus yea debarred all Titles or fuming shadowes of Titles by consummating that mariage with the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter of Edward the fourth she yet contriued all the waies of his ouerthrow and inuit â fortunâ entertained euery occasion which might adde fuell to the fier of her inueterate hate and blood-thirstie humor of reuenge as if she had beene borne like certaine Antipathies in nature which cannot endure any neighbour-hood or commixture such as the Eugh and Palme the Figge and Vine the strings of Wolues and Sheep which makes me remember the story of Eteocles and Pollinices the sonnes of Oedipus whose hate was so great in their liues that after death the bones being burnt togeather the flame of the sacrifice deuided asunder This was Margaret Dutches of Burgundy sister of Edward the fourth and a sworne aduersary to cast the red Rose of England into the black pit of confusion who perceiuing her first hopes frustrated and annihilated concerning the progression of Lamberts enterprises studied night and day vpon further and further instigations yea houered ouer opportunitie like a hawke for her pray to torment and trouble the peace of England embracing euery strange and prestigious illusion and not caring with what pullies of ridiculous and impossible actions her malice and reuenges were woond vp so they might be hurried downe againe vpon the head of the King whom she cursed on her knees and hated euen beyond the tendernesse of her sex many of her owne friends for his sake Therefore to weary his patience a little more she set vp another puppet like the former one Peter Warbeck a Fleming to act a part of wonder on the Stage of dangerous Innouation and take vpon him the Title of Richard the fourth Prince of England and white Rose of the same But before I play the Midwife or if you will Phisitian with her to deliuer her wombe of this monstrous birth of Peter Warbeck whom she taught the cunning and audacious impudency of personating Richard Duke of Yorke murthered with his brother in the Tower by Richard the third some eight yeare before I thinke it not impertinent to our purpose in hand to tell you what this Lambert was and wherein he seemed cosened with the whorish smiles of an adulterate fortune by the only meanes and coadiutement of this Dutches of Burgundy The first and second yeares of Henry the seuenth swelled to so great a height of ioy blessednesse and contentment from the rivulets of King Richards slaughter the corroboration of his estate the amity of the Nobles the mariage with the eldest daughter of Yorke the birth of Prince Arthur the league and amitie of forraine Princes and the applause of all his subiects that the diuine prouidence thought it meet to temper and allay the excesse of the same with some mixtures of feares and displeasure lest mortalitie might presume too farre and man triumph that his owne arme of flesh had contriued his establishment So that the Lord Louel Humphrey and Thomas Stafford with Sir Thomas Broughton and diuers others attempted a dangerous rebellion and drew into the field a great Army against the King whom to preuent the Duke of Bedford with such forces as could be raised on a soddain made hast to an encounter but his fortune was so good that with a successefull Oratory not striking a stroake he preuailed to dissipate those threatning and thickning clouds of disturbance For after he had intimated the hainousnes of their transgression nature of their offences which were capital Treasons with al inferred the Kings great mercy which was willing to pardon their rashnesse and pitiful ouersights so they would desist and retire peaceably into their Countries the whole company surceased and quietly deposed their Armes whereupon the Lord Louel fled and the Staffords tooke Sanctuary in a Village called Culnaham two miles from Abington but because the Iudges of the law alledged that the Townes of refuge among the Iewes were ordained for other purposes and that Ioab was killed holding by the hornes of the Altar and the places of priuiledges in England were neuer meant to suborne Traitors Humphrey Stafford was taken by force from the Towne and sent to the Tower from whence they brought him to Tyborne and there put him to execution His yonger Brother Thomas was notwithstanding remitted as a man whom consanguinitie and brother-hood had rather deceiued then wilfulnesse and malice against the King abused O blessed wisedome that can so temper Iustice with the consideration of mens frailties and other maleuolent circumstances to keep her a while from contracting a brow of reuenge
a spredding tree of royalty and therefore hee requested their loyalty and resolued courages to take his part that the right heire of the crowne might bee restored to England and themselues eternized to heereafter memory for so meritorious a worke Little needed a spur saith our Prouerb to a forward horse all that saw him beleeued it and such as heard onely the report according to the Poet errorem vocis vt omen amo Clapt their hands for ioy that they should bee employed in an enterprize of such wonder and important greatnesse whereupon money horse armour men and all things else were promised which might be aduantagious to such a businesse But alas Ireland was too weake and of themselues they did onely discouer their malice curbed yet with insufficiency giuing the King notice how their wills exceeded their power and that they were ready to entertaine euerie opportunitie to doe any mischeefe Therefore they sent ouer into England acquainting many discontented persons with the businesse but most principally as to the life of their actions they submitted to Margaret Duches of Burgundy sister of King Edward the fourth for her directions This was a woman of a wonderfull composure so adorned with princely qualities and setled in Maiesticall authoritie as you shall heare heereafter that she was admired of all Europe and beloued in her owne countrey Onely as stinking flies lying secretly in boxes of sweet oyntments putrifie the same did an innated malice and virulent hatred to the Lancastrian Family corrupt her other vertues and as it were thrust vp her princely enduments into a meere bog poole of dirt and filthinesse For although shee knew the bloud of Yorke extinguished and that the Earle of Warwicke was in King Henries possession as taken forth together with the Lady Elizabeth now his wife out of the castle of Sherrington in Yorke-shire vnder the custodie of Sr. Robert Willoughby Yet insatiate in her hate and so consequently in her reuenge Nam ingentes parturit ira minas She admitted of euerie motion of disturbance and inuented meanes of her owne to set in combustion the whole sâ—ate of England vnder a hopefull pretence to see the King ouerthrowne and supplanted Thus did she pile vp together the fire of this disturbance and countenanced the matter more with her greatnesse and power then all the other complices besides but if you aske me how she continued in this authority being a widow amongst strangers and enemie to so great a Prince as the King of England I will answer in a word and measure out the cheefe and principall cord that bound her royaltie together Charles Duke of Burgoine hauing married this Lady Margaret daughter to Richard Duke of Yorke and sister to Edward the fourth had yet no issue by her but left one sole daughter behinde him named Mary which hee had by his first wife the daughter of the Duke of Bourbon this was married to Maximilian sonne to Frederick the Emperour by whom he had two Princes Philip and Margaret which children after the death of the Lady Mary their mother this Lady Margaret Duches Dowager so entirely beloued so tenderly brought vp so motherly nourished and so carefully preserued that she was highly reputed of and esteemed for the same To which when she added a politique ordring her affaires both for the maintenance of their honour and administration of Iustice in the Common-wealth so that I may say with the ancient Poet Saepenumero iam per subtiliores sermones iui ad contentiones veni maiores quam conueniat genus foemineum perscrutari c. The whole bodie of the gouerment willingly consented to be apparrelled and adorned after her fashion so that like an absolute Prince indeed she proceeded both in the gouernment for their benefit and the illustration of her owne greatnesse In this Orb of reputation thus moouing herselfe she still shined like a full planet from whose influence could proceede nothing but sweet presages till stepping aside into a contrary motion of despight and rankor against the King as an enemie to knowledge and her owne conscience she countenanced this ridiculous yet vnhappy coniuration which by her meanes grew apace like broad and stinking burs vnprofitable in themselues and spoiling all the grasse about them vntill at last they were by a politique hand of preuention pull'd vp by the roots and cast vnder foot into the dirt For when King Henry was certefied of all these tumults and comminations and knew the deepnesse and fulnesse of the channell in which the tottered barke of this rebellion steered he verily supposed the best point of wisdome was principiâ—s obstare and so attempted with all care and vigilancy to turne the rage of those troubles another way or else to preuent them from flowing ouer the banks of his enclosures and although the collusion fraud of the inuention vexed him more then the matter or substance of such a rebellion yet hee moderated his anger and with Ianus looked both waies smiling with one face at the ridiculousnesse and deceit of the proiect and marking warily with another all the meanes to redact the confused Chaos of this molestation to better order and vniformity desiring onely at Gods hands to preuent effusion of bloud which must needes bee spilt in any settled warre and contracted army Besides in well ordred battells the euent was disputable and many times punishments were ordained as well to reduce good men ad correctionem and amendment as to bring bad men to ruinam and destruction And therfore if it were possible he would rebate the insolency by other meanes and diuert it from handy blowes and bloudy contentions whereupon he called his Councell together at the Charter-house besides his royal mannour of Richmond and there consulted how to pacifie this sudden tumult and conspiracy without any further disturbance or open defiance This motion of the Kings so tempered with grauity mercy and commiseration was so well accepted of the whole company that they presently applauded his high wisdome and religious care and put in practise whatsoeuer seemed conuenient for their intended affaires They first began with a generall pardon published to all offenders that were content to receiue the same and remain obedient to the Maiestie of England For although at this very instant Sr. Th. Broughton who had obscured the Lord Louell a great season from the King was in a manner ready to giue him battell with many friendly coadiutors and a well-settled army yet did the King thinke it policie to desist from a forcible ouerrunning them because as desperate of life or pardon considering their former treasons and abuses they would hardly be reclaimed in their rages but now fight for their liues and liberties Againe in shewing exemplarie Iustice vpon them once subiect to accusation or condemnation he must needes proceed against many yea such whose offences in standing out could admit of no pardon and therefore as I sayd he gently proclaimed the
Earle of Surrey was so enraged at the bragging and ouer-daring Prince that he followed him at the heeles and in reuenge of many mischiefes perpetrated by him in such audacious manner he entred Scotland defaced the Castle of Cundrestins deuasted the Tower Hedonhaâ—â— vndermined the Tower of Edington ouerthrew the Pile of Fulden and sent Norey King of Armes to the Captaine of Haiton Castle the strongest fortification betweene Barwick and Edinborough to deliuer the same which he absolutely denied vntill the worthy Generall set himselfe downe before it made his approches and cast vp a strong rampart or battery for the expugnation preuailing so farre that at last it was surrendred their liues onely saued who were no soooner departed according to the conditions but our Generall quite ouerthrew and demolished the same The King of Scots was within a mile of the siedge and yet durst not reskue the same only by way of ostentation he sent Marchemount and another Herrald to the Earle of Surrey with a kind of defiance and challenge either to encounter with him Army to Army or body to body conditionally that if the victory fall to his maiesty the Earle should deliuer and surrender for his ransome the Townâ— of Barwicke with the fish-garthes of the same if the Earle againe were Victor the King would pay 1000. pound sterling for his redemption The noble Generall welcommed these Herralds and like a couragious yet vnderstanding Captaine quickly answered all the points of their commission First he was ready to abide the battaile in the plaine field and would if he pleased for the same purpose lay open the trenches and make the passages so easie that victory should haue comfort of comming amongst them Secondly he thought himselfe much honoured that so noble a Prince and great a King would vouchsafe to descend to so low a dregree of contention as a priuate duello with him for which he would not onely repute him heroike and magnanimous but setting his loyalty to his Prince aside performe all good offices which belonged to the sweet contract of a perpetuall amity if it were possible betweene them Thirdly for the towne of Barwicke it was none of his but the King his masters which hee would not so much as coniâ—cture vpon without his consent and aduice as he himselfe might well iudge in the affaires of Princes what was to bee done Fourthly hee thought his owne life worth all the townes of the world and so would gladly hazard himselfe yea was proud as hee said before that so great a Maiesty would parallel him in such a kinde onely he desired pardon for a little vaine-glory that if hee conquered the King hee would release him freely if the King vanquished him hee would either yeeld him his life or pay such a tribute and competency as is befitting the state and degree of an Earle to all which he was the rather induced because he was confident that Causa iubet melior superos sperare secundos But it should seeme these affronts were meere flourishes For neither battell nor combat nor any enterprize worth the recording was put in practise although the English forces had layen long in the Countrey to the same purpose wherupon the Lord Generall loth to spend his time so inconsiderately and somewhat wearied with the distemperature of the Climate and vnseasonablenesse of 〈◊〉 weather the Countrey affoording nothing but mists and foggs at this time of the yeere raised his camp and retired to Barwicke But when the truth was further enlarged the King commauded him so to doe by his letters of priuate intelligence For now came a time in which the windowes of heauen seemed to open and the God of mercy thought to recompence his patience and goodnesse with a quiet end of his troubles and happy successe in his enterprizes which fell out vpon this occasion Ferdinando King of Spaine and Elizabeth his wife hauing a purpose to marry their daughter Lady Katherine to Arthur Prince of Wales and very loth that any content on betweene the King of Scots whom he much fauoured and the King of England whom he highly respected should be as it were a wall of partition betweene their proiected amity and royall affinity especially that either probability of an interest or counterfet deuice of the issue-male from the house of Yorke should cast any blockes or hinderances in the way of these pretences he most prouidently sent one Peter Hialos a man of great learning experience and prudency as an Embassadour to Iames King of Scots by way of mediation to contract a league of peace and absolute amity betweene the King of England and him who proceeded with such faire conditions and preuailed so well in his proposed message that hee perceiued a glimmering sun-shine of this peace a farre off but that there were certaine thickning clowds of mischeefe and disturbance which by some effectuall heat from the King of Englands breath must bee remooued and dissipated and therefore hee wrote to King Henry that if it would please him to send some worthy man to be his associate in this enterprize he perswaded himselfe that an honest oratory would quickly conclude the profitable articles of amity For the Poet had assured him and hee found by some experience that Addidit inualidae rebus facundia causae And for an entrance into 〈◊〉 same he assured the King that there was gâ—â—at likelihood to lay downe the bloudy colours of defiance and flourish the pleasant ensignes of tranquility For the King of Scots had already protested hee was onely emulous of King Henries vertues and not maligned or despighted his person and for Perkins title he made it a matter of conscience and charity For he knewe him the right heire if he were the right creature and the Cleargy warranted the actions as meritorious The better sort disclaimed all tyrannous prosecutions For except their obedience to the King they spent and consumed their estates and onely returned with teares and lamentations for the loâ—se of 〈◊〉 friends The inferiour sort imputed all to the superiour commands and as for the formidable effects and bloudy issue of warre it was only the chance and fortune of encounters the action of fury and the vengeance or curse appropriate to dissentions according to that worthy author of excellent sentences and proprositions Sed mentibus vnum Hoc solamen erat quod votiturba nefandi Conscia quae patrum iâ—gulos quae pector a fratrum Sperabat gaudet monstris mentisque tumustu Atque omen scelerum subitos putat esse furores Whereupon King Henry boasting of the character of Prince of peace so that he might not be branded with ignominy of basenesse pusillanimity and dishonour quickly consented to such agreement and for the same purpose sent Richard Fox Bishop of Durrham who stilllay in the baÌ„ttered Castle of Norrham as his cheefe Commissioner who accordingly associated himselfe with Peter Hialos at the towne of Iedworth in Scotland whither the
liberty yet did hee set a guard ouer him that hee could neither haue free conference nor doe what he wantonly listed without them By this time you must consider that Lady Margaret in Flanders Duches Dowager of Burgundy was not so ill befriended or negligent in her owne affaires but shee had both intelligence from England and espialls of her owne to acquaint her with all occurrences and aduentures as they chanced But whether it was a newes to her of bitternesse and tormenting despight or no let them iudge that make their stomackes and inward faculties a store-house of rankour and malice and cry out with Seneca Foelix iacet quicunquâ— quos odit Premit yet was she not tormented so much with the losse expences or disaster of the businesse which might be the chance of warre as in that shee could not preuaile in her malignant courses against her enemy the house of Lancaster So that shee bemoaned the lamentable successe of her vnfortunate darling and as many did testifie euen shed teares againe but they were so farre from coâ—punction or penitency that they seemed rather signes of rage frenzy and intollerable madnesse in which shee cried out on nothing but reuenge and repeated an exclamation of Hermiones against Orestes Quae mea Coelestes iniuria fecit iniquos Quodue mihi miserae â—idus obesse querar So that if shee had had power to her implacable hatred K. Henry should haue felt the scourges of her wrathfull hand euen to the lowest deiection and she had questionlesse shewed him a tricke of a womans will or if I might speake without offence wickednesse In this while Perkin hauing two yeeres liberty to ruminate on his businesse and swell vp his vexed soule with vncomfortable commemoration of precedent misfortunes would many times cast out abrupt and vncertaine speeches concerning his distresse and the maleuolent aspect of his fate cursing his miserable life and complaining on his vnprofitable Genius that had stood him in no better steed wishing hee had beene borne to any mechanicall drudgery rather then from the royall bloud of Plantaginet Insomuch that his keepers mistrusted him in these extasies and the King was still troubled that hee could neither make him confesse the truth nor disclaime this high assumption of another dignity and royalty But at last as all such discontentments and eruptions must haue avent and so a determination whether the opprobry of this kinde of imprisonment greeued him or the vnquietnesse of his thoughts vexed him or the basenesse of his submission abused him or the losse of his sweet wife confounded him or the instigations of others disturbed him or indeede because the last act of his Tragedy and Catastrophe was now in hand he not onely studied which way to escape but put the same in practise in despight of his owne knowledge that the King was acquainted with all his discontentments For alas Princes haue long hands and prying lookes to reach into the furthest parts of their Kingdome and search into the secretest closeâ—s of their palaces yea other mens houses and so are made to vnderstand the affaires of the remoâ—est regions But concerning himselfe his vaine suppositions as in his former enterprizes still flattered him that he should once againe finde fuell enough to set another rebellion and commotion on fire and his vexation to bee bereaued of so delicate a creature as his Lady made him desperate of all and set his wits on the â—enter-hookes to put something in practise to his further contentment So that one day reading the story of Mortymers escape out of the Tower by giuing his keepers a sleepy drinke he in such a manner deceiueth his guard and betooke him to a resolution of escaping and flying out of the land wherein hee prooued onely like the silly bird that with striuing in the net entangles herselfe the more or as Deere that are hunted betray themselues to well-sented hounds by their faster running away whereby they make the deeper impression in their steps So fell it out with him Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdim And by seeking after liberty hee brought himselfe to a more straighter and vnkindlier endurance For when hee had gone to the sea-coasts aud heard the exclamations of the people against him saw all places debarred knew great searches made for him vnderstood what an indignation the Countrey had conceiued of his mockeries and illusions and found the whole Kingdome vp in his search and posting after him he was quite exanimated and like a man distracted knew not what to do At last vnstable in his former wilfulnesse he once againe altred his pretended iourney and came to the house of Bethelem called the Priory of Shene beside Richmond in Surrey and committed himselfe to the Prior with a long and secret conference concluding with an impetration of his charity that being a man of God hee would not thinke it strange to see Princes subiect to disasters and fatall conclusions of misfortune For he well knew the story both of the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of Carlile who in despight of King Henries vsurpation who had not only proiected the deliuery of Richard of Burdeaux but opposed the King in his strength of soueraignty against his wilfulnesse to destroy the other deposed and therefore he desired him to obtaine his pardon of the King yeelding forcible intimation for the same purpose The Prior glad to haue interest in such a meritorious worke and proud to bee seruiceable to his Prince and Countrey came with conuenient speed to the Court and acquainted his Maiewy with the accident leauing no circumstance of any validity vnrecounted which ended to the Kings wonderfull content and the whole Courts disdaine and amazement But all times are not alike and Princes in their mercies pardons are not so flexible as presumption buildeth vpon Yet to please the Prior hee gaue him his life which to a generous and free borne spirit was more irksome then death For hee was first taken and brought to Westminster with all scorne and reprâ—ch then set in a paire off stockes with contumelious derision then carried through all the streets of London like a prodigious spectacle then put to the racke which made him not onely confesse his pedigree and originall but write it with his owne hands Last of all mounted on diuers scaffolds he read it in publike and that so disgraciously as in the commemoration was able to torment a looker on so that hee might well crie out Vitamque per omnem Nulla fuit tam moesta dies nam caeter a damna Durataiammente malis firmaque tulerunt In some of your Chronicles you haue this confession at large as in Grafton which to make the story compleat I haue a little contracted and thus expose the same BE it knowen vnto all men that I was borne in the towne of Tourney in Flanders my father Iohn Oâ—beck Controller of the said towne and my mother Katherine Haro
marches to the ioy and fulnesse of contertment both of the towne and Countrey But when the King was aduâ—rtized of their returning to Taunton he hasted thither But first he welcommed Edward Duke of Buckingham a young noble and well regarded Prince in whose company came along an hundred Knights and Esquires of speciall name and credit in their countries amongst whom Sir Alexander Bainham Sir Mâ—urice Barckley Sir Robert Fame Sir Iohn Gmise Sir Robert Points Sir Henry Vernon Sir Iohn Mortymer Sir Thomas Tremaile Sir Edward Sutton Sir Amias Paulet Sir Iohn Bickwell Sir Iohn Sapcotes Sir Hugh Lutterâ—l and Sir Francis Cheny were principall O what a glorious thing it is to see a Noble man either stand by the chaire of thâ— Prince as a Court starre and Supportation that at last the King may aske what shall be done to the man hee meanes to honor or mooue in his own orb that is the loue and credit of his Country firme to the State and gracefull in all his actions and proceedings still hauing a care to the gouernment of the people and an eye to the dignity of the Common-wealth so shall his fame be extended abroad and his renowne enlarged at home which makes me remember the description of Capaneus in that ancient Euripides who may be a President to all young Noblemen yeal wish with mine heart that such as are not too presumptuous on their owne gifts of nature and education would take the booke in hand and make vse both of precept and example for the illustration of their Honours and administration of their liues the Poet is somewhat large and more pleasant in the Greeke then the Latine He thus beginneth Cappaneus hic est cui facult as viuendi erat abundans Minimè verò diuitijs insolens erat magnitudineÌ„ verò animi Non maiorem habebat quam pauper vir Fugiens splendido victu quicunque intumesceret minis Sufficientia vili pendens Non enim in pastu ventris Virtutem esse mediocria verò sufficere dicebat c. But to our story againe When the King approached the towne of Tawnton whether out of policie not to hazard the whole army at once or out of suspicion of some reuolters in his company or humbly considering there might be a turning of Fortunes wheele as still Rota fortunae in Gyro in the encounters of a battell or harping vpon some stratagem and enterprize as prouidently forecasting both the worst and best which might chance Hee sent before him Robert Lord Brooke the Steward of his house Giles Lord Daubney and Sr. Rice app Thomas to giue the onset and beginne the battell that hee with the rest as a strong Ambuscado and releefe might come to the reskue if they were wearied and deâ—atigated But little needed this policy or procrastination For poore Perkin desperate of his fortunes and quite exanimated to encounter with the Kingsforces in so warlike a manner and fearefull a preparation contrary to all the motiues of a true Roman Honour and without knowledge of his army about midnight accompanied with sixty horse departed in wonderfull celerity to a Sanctuary towne besides Southampton called Beâ—dly where he Iohn Heron Thomas a Water and others registred themselues as persons priuiledged O what a God art thou that canst one way humble settled Princes with the very shadowes of perill and danger making them confesse their frailty and ticklish estate of mortality by the seuerall encumbrances and mischeefes to which they are subiect and another way confound the mightiest proiects and annihilate their enterprizes turning all actions and mountaines of pride sedition conspiracies and ambition to powder and dust and then blowing it away like smoake and vapour and another way protect the right of the innocent and distressed sending remedy and comfort when they least thinke of it or know to helpe and aduance themselues and another way whip with the rods of vengeance the freneticall and vaine multitude who know nothing but rudenesse and clamorous outcries nor practize any thing but vndecencies and outragiousness so that we may well say O Iupiter cur nam miserâ—s sapere dicunt Homines ex te enim pendemus Agimvsque ea qua tu volueris O nihili homines Qui arcum extendentes tanquam vltra articulum Et iure vitque mala patientes multa Amicis non quidem creditis sed ipsis rerum euentibus c. When King Henry knew that Perkin was fled and departed from his camp he sent the Lord Daubney with fiue hundred horse to intercept him but he was lodged before they came although most of his company were surprized and taken who as miserable caitiffs and poore wretched delinquents were presented to his Maiesty But when the residue of this fearefull and staggering army could neither vnderstand what was become of their Generall nor see their accustomed Penons and Ancients nor their quarters so well ordred as was the manner of Souldiers nor their companies so cheerefull and well heartned they knew not what to say or to doe some supposing he was fraudulently slaine some suspecting he was traiterously fled some reporting the manifestation of his deceit some wondering at the strangenesse of his proceedings in that he had so myraculously begun and presumptuously prosecuted such a dangerous worke some exclaiming vpon the simplicity of the matter that built vpon no better grounds then vaine hopes and presumptuous titles some cursing themselues that they had so farre engaged their loialties against their Soueraigne Lord and King some continuing in their rancorous malice sware nothing but reuenge and obstinacy and some neuer to be reclaimed euen when their forces failed cried out to goe forward rayling at the misfortune of their businesse that they must now faile when they were ready to pull downe the Towne wals with their hands Yet when they were assured of his cowardly flight and base pusillanimity the common feare common mischiefe and common danger made them cast away their armour and submit to the King to whom though they came with affrighted countenances and venemous hearts sad lookes and little repentance curses in their soules and promises of faith loyaltie and obedience out of their mouthes yet did the King entertaine them with all cheerefulnesse and acceptable comfort as the greatest benefit which God could at that time bestow vpon him nor disputing of their hypocrisie nor determining by more narrow searches or artificiall incantations to try out the depth and search the bottome of their resolutions Thus as a conquerour without manslaughter and effusion of blood he roade triumphantly into the Citie of Excester and knowing Praemium and Poena to be the mastering curbes of all the things in the World not only praised and applauded the Citizens but opened the Treasure house of reward and honour amongst them giuing some presents aduancing others to the order of knighthood granting many petitions according to the worthy condition of a Prince and the full corroboration