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
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
worme of vengeance wavering in his head could not bee content with the death of divers gentlemen suspected of treason but also he must extend his bloudy fury against a poore gentleman called Collingborne for making a small Rime of three of his unfortunat Councellers which were the Lord Lovell sir Richard Radcliffe his mischievous minion and sir William Catesbey his secret seducer which meeter was The Rat the Cat and Lovell our dog Rule all England under the hog Meaning by the hog the dreadfull wild Bore which was the Kings cognisaunce but because the first line ended in dog the metrician could not observing the regiments of meeter end the second verse in Bore but called the Bore an hogge This poeticall Schoole-master corrector of breves and longs caused Collingborne to be abbreviated shorter by the head and to be divided into foure quarters King Richard being thus tormented and tossed in his owne conceipt and imagination calling to his remembrance that considerations amities and other honest bonds and pacts made concluded and appointed betweene Princes and politique governours are in the cause efficient especiall introduction that their Realmes and Countries are fortified and munited with a double power that is to say with their owne strength and the ayde of their friends devised with himselfe to practise a league and amitie with the King of Scotts which not long before had made diverse incursions and rodes into the Realme of England where although hee got little yet surely he lost not much and thereupon sued to have a truce or peace concluded which came even as King Richard had wished it Wherefore commissioners were assigned for both parts to meete at Notingham the seventh day next ensuing at which time came thither for the King of England Iohn Bishop of Lincolne Chancellor of England Richard Bishop of Saint Asse Iohn Duke of Norfolke Henry Earle of Northumbâ—rland Thomas Lord Stanley George Stanley Lord Strange Iohn Gray Lord Powes Richard Lord Fitzhngh Iohn Gunthorpe keeper of the Kings Privie Seale Thomas Barow Master of the Roules sir Thomas Bryan chiefe Justice of the Common Place sir Richard Ratcliffe Knight William Catesbey and Richard Salkeld Esquiers And for the King of Scots were deputed Colin Earle of Ergile Lord Campâ—ell Lord Chancellour of Scotland William Bishop of Aberden Robert Lord Lyle Laurence Lord Oliphant Iohn Drummond of Stobhall Archibald Qwitelator Archdeacon of Lawdene and Secretarie to King Iames Lyon K. of Armes Duncane Dundas These Councellers diverse times met and after long debating demanding and denying in the end of September they fully concluded and made a determination the effect whereof followeth in Articles I. First It was appointed and concluded that a perfect Amitie and an Inviolable peace should be had and kept betweene the Realmes of England and Scotland for the space of three yeares to beginne at the Sunne rising the twentie ninth day of September in the yeere of our Lord One thousand foure hundred eighty foure and to continne to the setting of the sunne the twenty ninth day of September in the yeare of Christs incarnation one thousand foure hnndred eightie seven II. Item that during the said yeares none of both the Princes nor their ministers shall make war or invade the Realme or dominion of the other by sea or land or vexe perturbe or molest the subjects or vassalles of either of them nor shall give counsell excite or move any other person to make warre or invasion on the territories of any of the said Princes III. Item that the towne and Castle of Barwicke with all such bounds as were thereto belonging â—hich were in the English mens hands at the deliverance of the same towne by King Henry the sixt to the King of Scotts shall so peaceably remaine in the possession of the King of England dnring the said truce IIII. Item that all other Castles holdes and fortresses shall peaceably remaine in the hands of the possessor and owner without chalenge or demand during the said truce the Castle of Dumbar only excepted which was delivered into the English mens hands by the appointment of the Duke of Albany when he fled into France V. Item If the King of Scotts doe intimate and declare to the King of England within the space of fortie daies next ensuing the date hereof that hee will not suffer the said Castle of Dumbar to be possessed of the English nation above the terme of sixe moneths that then during the said sixe moneths neither the English men in the Garison of Dumbar nor the Scotts dwelling and inhabiting about the limits of the same shall doe any hurt prejudice or dammage to any of the sald parties the said terme contiâ—ning VI. Item If after the said sixe moneths any variance or warre shall arise betweene the said two Princes either for the recovering or defending the said Castle of Dumbarre yet the said truce leagne and amitie for all other rights and possessions shall stand in force and be effectuall and that it shall bee lawfull to each of the said Princes to doe what they shall thinke necessary both for the obtaining and defending the said Castle of Dumbarre any thing contained in the treaty of peace notwithstanding VII Item It is conclvded and appointed between the parties aforesaid that during the said truce none of both the Princes aforesaid shall receiue into his Realme territories or dominions any traitour or rebell of the other Prince nor shall maintaine favour aide or comfort any rebell or traytor which is already fled or shall hereafter fly into either the said Princes dominions nor there suffer him or them to tarry or make their abode VIII Item If any such rebell or traytour shall fortune hereafter to arrive in the Realme or territorie of any of the said Princes that thâ—n the said Prince in whose dominion the said traytour or rebell is so arrived at the instance and request of the other Prince to whom the offence and crime was committed shall bee bound incontinently to deliver the said rebell or traytour to the said demander withont fraud or male engine IX Item That all Scotchmen now inhabiting in England and sworne to the King of England shall and may there inhabite and tarry so that their names within sortie daies after the date of this league bee certified to the King of Scotts or to his Chancellour by the King of England or the warden of the Marches X. Item If during the said amity and peace it shall fortune any of the Wardeines of the said Princes without commandment assent or knowledge of his soveraigne Lord and Master to invade or raise an army in the dominion of the other Prince and there to slay burne or spoyle that then the said Prince to whom the said Wardeine is or shall be subject and vassaile shall within sixe daies next after the fact done and perpetrate declare the said Wardeine a traytour and rebell and thereof shall make certificate to the other Prince to whom the injury was
which was Father to Sir Charles Brandon by King Henry the 8. created Duke of Suffolke and matched hand to hand with Sir Iohn Cheiny a man of great force and strength which would have resisted him and the said Iohn was by him manfully overthrowne and so he making open passage by dent of sword as hee went forward the Earle of Richmond withstood his violence and kept him at the swords point without advantage longer then his companions either thought or judged which being almost in despaire of Victory were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley which came to succour them with three thousand tall men at which very instant King Richards men were driven back and fled and hee himselfe manfully fighting in the middle of his enemies was slaine brought to his death as hee worthily had deserved In the mean season the Earle of Oxford with the aide of the Lord Stanley after no long fight discomâ—ted the forward of King Richard whereof a great number were slaine in the flight but the greatest number which compelled by feare of the King and not of their meer valiant motion came to the field gave never a stroke and having no harme nor damage safely departed which came not thither in hope to see the King prosper and prevaile but to hear that he should be shamefully confounded and brought to ruine In this Battaile dyed few above the number of a thousand persons And of the Nobilitie were slaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke which was warned by divers to refraine the Field insomuch that the night before hee should set forward toward the King one wrote on his Gate Iack of Norfolke be not too bold For Dickon thy Master is bought and sold. Yet all this notwithstanding hee regarding more his oath his honour and promise made to King Richard like a Gentleman and a faithfull subject to his Prince absented not himselfe from his Master but as hee faithfully lived under him so hee manfully dyed with him to his great fame and laud. Theâ—e were slaine beside him Walter Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Radâ—liffe and Robert Brakenâ—uâ—y Lieutenant of the Tower and not many Gentlemen more Sir William Catesbey learned in the Lawes of the Realme and one of the chiefe Counsellors to the late King with divers others were two dayes after beheaded at Leicester Amongst them that ranne away were Sir Francis Vicount Lovell and Humfrey Stafford and Thomas Stafford his Brother which took Sanctuary at Saint Iohns at Gloucester Of Captives and prisoners there was a great number for after the death of King Richard was knowne and published every man in manner vnarming himselfe and casting away his abiliment of warre meekly submitted themselves to the obeisance and rule of the Earle of Richmond of the which the more part had gladly so done in the beginning if they might have conveniently escaped from King Richards espyals which having as cleare eyes as Linx and as open eares as Midas ranged and searched in every quarter Amongst these was Henry the fourth Earle of Northumberland which whether it was by the commandement of King Richard putting diffidence in him or he did it for the love and favour that hee bare unto the Earle stood still with a great companie and intermitted not in the battell which was incontinently received into favour and made of the councell But Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey which submitted himselfe there was not taken to grace because his Father was chiefe Counceller and hee ly familiar with with King Richard but committed to the Tower of London where hee long remained and in conclusion delivered and for his truth and fidelitie after promoted to high honours and dignities On the Earle of Richmonds part were slaine scarce one hundred persons amongst whom the principall was sir William Brandon his standard bearer This battell was fought at at Bosworth in Leicestershire the two and twentieth day of August in the yeare one thousand foure hundred eighty sixe the whole conflict endured litle above two houres King Richard as the fame went might have escaped and gotten safegard by flying For when they which were next about his person saw and perceived at the first joyning of the battell the souldiers faintly and nothing couragiously to set on their enemies and not onely that but also that some with drew themselves privily out of the prease and departed They beganne to suspect fraud and smell treason and not only exhorted but determinately advised him to save himselfe by flight and when the losse of the battell was eminent and apparent they brought to him a swift and a light horse to convey him away He which was not ignorant of the grudge and ill will that the common people bare towards him casting away all hope of fortunate successe and happie chance to come answered as men say hee would make an end of all battailes or else there finish his life Such a great audacitie and such a stout stomacke raigned in his body for surely he knew that to be the day in the which it should bee decided and determined whether hee should peaceably obtaine and enjoy his kingdome during his life or else utterly forgoe and bee deprived of the same with which too much hardinesse hee being overcome hastily closed his helmet and entered fiercely into the hard battell to the intent to obtaine that day a quiet raigne or else to finish there his unquiet life and unfortunate governance And so this miser at the same very point had like chance and fortune as happeneth to such which in place of right justice and honesty following their sensuall appetite love use and imbrace mischiefe tyranny and unthriftinesse Surely these be examples of more vehemency then mans tongue can expresse to feare and astunne such evill persons as will not live one houre vacant from doing and exercising crueltie mischiefe or outragious living When the Earle had thus obtained victorie and slaine his mortall enemie hee kneeled downe and rendered to almighty God his harty thankes with devout and godly orisons beseeching his goodnesse to send him grace to advance and defend the catholike faith and to maintaine justice and concord amongst his subjects and people by God now to his governance committed and assigned which prayer finished he replenished with incomparable gladnesse ascended up to the top of a little mountaine where he not onely praysed anâ—â—â—â—ded his valiant souldiers but also gave unto them his harty thankes with promise of condigne recompence for their fidelitie and valiant facts willing and commanding all the hurt and wounded persons to bee cured and the dead carcases to bee delivered to the Sepulture Then the people rejoyced and clapped hands crying up to heaven King Henry King Henry When the Lord Stanley saw the good will and gratuity of the people hee tooke the Crowne of King Richard which was found amongst the spoyle in the field and set it on the Earles head as though hee had beene elected King by the voice of the people as in
if it please him to take the paine which I doubt not of his goodnesse hee will not refuse for the Kings sake ours and wealth of the young Duke himselfe the Kings most honourable Brother and for the comfort of my Soveraigne Lord himselfe my most dearest Nephew considering that thereby shall be ceased the slanderous rumor and obloquy now going abroad and the hurts avoided that thereof might ensue and then must rest and quietnesse grow to all the Realme And if shee perhaps be so obstinate and so precisely set in her own will and opinion that neither his wise and faithfull advertisement can move her nor any mans reason satisfie her then shall wee by my advice by the Kings authority fetch him out of that prison and bring him to his Noble presence in whose continuall company hee shall be so well cherished and so honourably intreated that all the world shall to our honour and her reproach perceive that it was onely malice frowardnesse and folly that caused her to keepe him there This is my minde for this time except that any of you my Lords perceive to the contrary for never shall I by Gods Grace sowed my selfe unto mine owne will but I shall bee ready to change it upon your better advices When the Protectour had said all the Councell affirmed that the motion was good and reasonable and to the King and the Duke honourable and a thing that should cease great murmure in the Realme if the Mother might by good meanes be induced to deliver him which thing the Archbishop of Canterbury whom they all agreed also to be most convenient thereunto tooke upon him to move her and thereto to doe his uttermost endeavor Howbeit if shee could in no wise be intreated with her good will to deliver him then thought he and such of the spirituality as were present that it were not in any wise to bee attempted to take him out against her will for it would be a thing that should turne to the grudge of all men and high displeasure of God if the priviledge of that place should bee broken which had so many yeeres been kept which both Kings and Popes had granted and confirmed which ground was sanctified by Saint Peter himselfe more then five hundred yeeres agoe And sith that time was never so undevout a King that ever enterprised that sacred priviledge to violate nor so holy a Bishop that durst presume the Church of the same to consecrate and therefore quoth the Archbishop God forbid that any man should for any earthly enterprise breake the immunity and liberty of that sacred Sanctuary that hath beene the safeguard of so many a good mans life but I trust quoth he wee shall not need it but for any manner of need I would we should not doe it I trust that â—hee with reason shall bee contented and all things in good manner obtained And if it hap that I bring it not to passe yet shall I further it to my best power so that you all shall perceive my good will diligence and endeavour But the Mothers dread and womanish feare shall bee the let if any be Nay womanish frowardnesse quoth the Duke of Buckingham for I dare take it on my soule that she well knoweth that shee needeth no such thing to feare either for her sonne or for her selfe For as for her here is no man that will be at warre with women would God some men of her kin were women too and then should all be soon at rest Howbeit there is none of her kinne the lesse loved for that they be of her kin but for their owne evill deserving And put the case that wee neither loved her nor her kin yet there were no cause why wee should hate the Kings Noble Brother to whose Grace wee our selves bee kin whose Honour if shee desired as our dishonour and as much regard tooke to his wealth as to her owne will she could be as loth to suffer him to be absent from the King as any of us if she had any wit as would God she had as good will as shee hath froward wit For shee thinketh her selfe no wiser then some that are here of whose faithfull mindes she nothing doubteth but verily beleeveth and acknowledgeth that they would be as sory of his harme as her owne selfe and yet they would have him from her if shee abide there And we all I thinke be content that both her children bee with her if shee came from thence and abide in such a place where they may be with their honour Now if shee refuse in the deliverance of him to follow the wisedome of them whose wisdome shee knoweth whose approbate fidelity shee well trusteth it is easie to perceive frowardnesse letteth her and not feare But goe to suppose that she feareth as who may let her to feare her owne shadow the more we ought to feare to leave him in her hands for if shee cast such fond doubts that shee feare his hurt then will she feare that he shall be fetcht thence for shee will soone thinke that if men were set which God forbid on so great a mischiefe the Sanctuary wil little let them which Sanctuary good men as mee thinketh might without sinne somewhat lesse regard then they doe Now then if she doubt lest he might bee fetched from her is it not likely that she will send him somewhere out of the Realme Verily I looke for none other And I doubt not but she now as sore mindeth it as wee minde the let thereof And if shee might hap to bring that purpose to passe as it were no great mastery to doe we letting her alone all the world would say that wee were a sort of wise Counsellors about a King to let his Brother be cast away under our noses And therefore I ensure you faithfully for my minde I will rather maâ—ger her stomack fetch him away then leave him there till her feare or fond frowardnesse convey him away and yet will I breake no Sanctuary for verily sith the priviledge of that place and other of that sort have so long continued I would not goe about to breake it but if they were now to begin I would not be hee should make them yet will not I say nay but it is a deed of pittie that such men as the chance of the Sea or their evill debtors have brought into povertie should have some place of refuge to keepe in their bodies out of the danger of their cruell creditors And if it fortune the Crowne to come in question as it hath done before this time while each part taketh other for Traytors I thinke it necessary to have a place of refuge for both But as for theeves and murderers whereof these places be full and which never fall from their craft after they once fall thereunto it is pittie that every Sanctuary should serve them and especially wilfull murtherers whom God commandeth to bee taken from the Altar and to
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