accompanied with as strange a story which suggests the instigation of a Spirit that in likeness of a Cat had for two years space advised it The King with a true seeling grief lamenting his dishonourable Return from Scotland where his noble Father had so oft display'd his victorious Arms doth vow with a speedy rescue to revenge it He communicates his resolution with the whole body of his Council who are in their advice equally concurrent in the Action The former loss exacts a more care and a better provision York as the fittest place is made the Senate of this grave Assembly Thither resort all the Sages of the Kingdom and make it their first deliberation to secure Berwick that is one of the Keys of the Kingdom and exposed to the greatest hazard This Charge is given to Sir Peter Spalden who was believed able enough both in fidelity and valour A short time discovers him truly possest of neither A small Sum of Money with an expectant Preferment promised betrays the trust reposed and gives the Scots the full possession of the Charge to him committed The Pope wisely foreseeing into the misery of this dissention out of his Christian and pious care sends over two Cardinals to mediate a Peace and Agreement They being arrived in England find the King well disposed so the Conditions might be reasonable and such as might become his Interest and Honour They pass from hence into Scotland and are by the way with a barbarous Example surprized and robb'd The King is infinitely discontented with so inhuman an Act that threw a taint upon the whole Nation Great enquiry is presently made which finds out the Actors and sends Sir Peter Middleton and Sir Walter Selby to a shameful and untimely execution Immediately at the heels of this follows another Example no less infamous and full of danger Sir Gilbert Denvil and others pretending themselves to be Outlaws with a jolly Army to the number of Two hundred ramble up and down the Country acting divers notorious Insolencies and Robberies The Fame of an attempt so new and unexpected without a speedy prevention seemed to intimate a greater danger A Commission is immediately sent out which apprehends the heads of this encreasing mischief and delivers them over to the hand of Justice They which confest themselves out of the protection of the Law and glory in their being so fall under his rigour Those that duly examined the truth of this action believed the pretence to be but a Mask that hid a more perilous intention The King by his untemperate and undiscreet actions had lost the hearts of his People and there was a general face of discontent throughout the whole Kingdom The Ulcers festered daily more and more which seemed to presage and threaten without some speedy prevention a dangerous issue All Men discover their ill affections expecting but a Patron that durst declare himself and adventure to hang the Bell about the Cat 's Neck If this disorderly attempt which was but to tast the Peoples Inclinations had succeded the King as it was to be feared had much sooner felt the general loss and revolt of his whole Kingdom But this work was reserved to future time and the operation of those who had the time to effect it with more power and pretence of Justice The crying Maladies of this Climat were such that the Divine Power sent down at one and the self-same instant his three fatal Executioners Plague Dearth and Famine to call upon us for a repentant Reformation No part of the Kingdom is free but was grievously afflicted by the unmerciful Prosecution of one or all these fatal angry Sisters So great a Misery was too much but it is seconded with a sudden Invasion of the hungry Scots who apprehending the advantage of the present Visitation and ill Estate of their Neighbours like a Land-Flood over-run the naked and unprovided Borders The Arch-Bishop of York a grave and wise Prelate in his Element but as far from the Nature as Name of a Soldier resolves to oppose this over-daring and insolent Eruption He levies in hast an Army in number hopeful but it was compos'd of Men fitter to pray for the success of a Battel than to fight it With these and an undaunted hoping Spirit he affronts the Scots and gives them Battel making Mitton upon Swale that honoured his Enemies with the Glory of a second Triumph the place of his Disaster Many Religious Church-men with the purchase of their Lives begin their first Apprentiship in Arms whose loss christ'ned this overthrow The White Battel The intent of this grave Prelate was questionless worthy of a great and singular Commendation but the Act was wholly inconsiderate weak and unadvised It was not proper for his Calling to undertake a Military Function in which he had no experience neither did it agree with his Wisdom or Piety to be an Actor in Blood though the occasion were so great and weighty Too much care and confidence improperly exprest doth many times overthrow and ruin the Cause it seeks to strengthen and advantage There ought to be in all considerations of this nature a mature Deliberation before we come to Action else we lose the Glory of our Aims and commit all to the uncertain hazard of Time and Fortune The Cardinals are now returned out of Scotland by whom the King truly understands that the hopes of Peace are desperate Their leave taken and losses fairly repaired they return to Rome acquainting his Holiness with the success of their Employment The Pope being truly informed that the Scots were neither conformable to his Will or the general Good excommunicates both that usurping King and Kingdom The King nearly touch'd with the loss of Berwick enflamed with the Insolency of his barbarous Enemies and grieved with so great a loss of his People resolves no more to suffer but to transport the War into the very Bowels of Scotland To this effect with speed he hastens out his Directions and gives present Order for the levying of Men Arms and Money to begin the War and continue it The Royal Command and desire of Revenge gives Wings to this Resolution An Army is ready and attends the King's Pleasure before he conceits his Will truly understood or bruited Nothing is wanting but his own Person or a fit Commander to lead them he oseth no time but appears in the Head of his Army before his Enemies had the least knowledge of this Assembly With a hopeful expectation he leads them on and makes Berwick the Rendezvous that should make his Number compleat and perfect Before this Strength that had the warranty of Art and Nature he makes the first Experiment of this Expedition The Town begirt was not more confident of their own strength than assured of a speedy supply or rescue This gave the King a longer delay than he believed and his Enemies leasure to raise and enable their Provisions They saw it a work too full of Danger and Hazard to
glorious that are thus unjustly wronged My blushing Cheek may give you knowledge I too much Honour the Cause of mine Affliction to let my Tongue discover it Yet this in Duty and Modesty I may ingenuously confess My Royal Husband is too far seduced his Ear is too open his Will too violent and his Heart too free to those bewitching Syrens that make his Errors their Profit and Glory All hope of his return is lost so long as they shall live and remain his Leaders How many of his noblest and bravest Subjects have attempted his freedom and by an unjust and inglorious Death miscarried Alass all expectations are vain and desperate if I had not known the impossibility to disinchant him I had not in so mean and miserable a case stoln to you for Succour You have a fair way to make known to the World the truth of your own Glory and Goodness Fortune leads you by the hand to an Action not more Just than Honourable if you would dispute it Can there be a more precious Motive to invite you than the view of these unhappy Ruins See here two Royal Branches of the Flower-de-luce withering sullied and depressed Would you truly consider how great and noble a Work it is to support those that are unworthily oppressed Heaven and Earth must witness the true value of your Worth and my Petition Let it not breed a Jealousie or Discouragement that I appear before you and seek your help with so poor a Train and mean Attendance Besides the Justice of my Cause I bring with me the Griefs and Hearts of a Kingdom that have both Sworn and Vow'd to defend it Nor may you with reason doubt their Integrity while you have my wretched self and the Heir apparent to be your Pawn and Warrant For God's sake Sir by your own Virtue and Goodness I desire it and in the challenge of that Royal Blood whereof by the Laws of God Men and Nature I have so large a Share and Interest Let not after Ages taint your Memory with such an Aspersion That you are the first of all the Kings of France that denied to relieve a Sister so deeply wronged and distressed She would have spoken more but here the big swoln Fountains of her watry Eyes discharge their heavy burthen Her Tears like Orient Pearls bedew her lovely Cheeks while she with a silent Rhetoric invites a noble pity Her sad Complaint won a general remorse and her liquid Tears a deep and strong compassion Her Brother vows Revenge and promiseth to make England and the World know she was his Sister The Lords and Peers of France tender their ready help and assistance the Service is so hotly pursu'd that the poor Queen with an abused confidence believes she shall be speedily and strongly righted 'T was not alone her Error it is a general Disease We easily credit that News we most desire and hope for The Spencers whose watchful eyes were soon informed of these Passages too late condemn their own Improvidence and Folly that gave the wronged Queen so fit and fair an advantage They fear not all the Power of France but suspect Intestine danger where they knew the Hearts of all were alien'd and estranged They well enough understood the vanity of Female Passion but suspect that the rising Son would be follow'd and admir'd whilst their declining Master would be left forsaken and dejected These Conceits work so deeply that they conclude they must fall if they could not stop the Foreign Danger The English were Cow'd there was in them no fear unless the strangers strength gave them new Life and Spirit In so weighty a Cause there was no time left for delay or dalliance They dispatch presently away their Agents to the French Court laden with the Treasure of the Kingdom and many glorious Promises They instruct them how to apply themselves to the Time and present Necessity and teach them the way to work and undermine the Queen's Proceedings These Messengers arriving at Paris find the French heat well qualified and cooled This gave them more time and hope to bring their Master's Will and their own Imployment to a speedy perfection They set upon the Pillars of State such as in their Master's Ear or in his Council had most sway and preheminence they give freely and promise more till they have won a firm and fair assurance No one had an Interest and was known to be a favourer of the adverse Party but his Tongue is tied with a golden Chain to a perpetual silence When thus this Practice was ripe the King is persuaded of the danger and peril of so great and weighty an Action His Sister's Reputation and intemperate Carriage though tenderly is often touched A Woman's Passion is believed too weak a Reason to engage two so Warlike Nations in a War wherein themselves had formerly so often suffered The King for all his first great and high Expression had much rather have to do with the English in their own Kingdom than in France yet was well enough content not to try their Arms in either Yet still he feeds his sorrowing Sister with good words pretending many vain Excuses which made her suspect and doubt his meaning She arms her self with a noble patience hopeful at least that she and her son might there remain in peace and safety By the intercourse of Messages that had so often pass'd and repass'd the Spencers are assured that their Affairs in France went fairly on by which they were well onward in their Journey There could be yet no certain or assured confidence until they had again gotten the Queen and her Son into Possession No Promise or Persuasion is left to win her to return but her Ears were stopt she too well knew the sweet Enticements of such alluring Serpents This Project falling short a solemn Letter is fram'd from King Edward to the Pope and a Messenger after their own hearts appointed to carry it The Contents were full of Humility and Bitterness complaining to his Holiness That his Wife had without just Cause forsaken both Him and his Kingdom carrying away his Son the stay of his Age without his leave or license a Traytor to Him and his Crown that had publickly acted a Rebellion and was taken and Imprison'd for it had made an escape and was now her sole Companion and though he was not hasty to report or credit ye he had just cause to fear he was the abuser of his Wedlock The King of France with whom he had sworn so solemn and firm a League being Summon'd had denied to restore her These goodly Glosses and Pretexts find a ready passage and an easie belief where there was none to contradict or justifie If these Aspersions had been as they were pretended just and true the Fact had been odious and justly deserved a fair and speedy reformation The greater Cardinals that were at that time most great and eminent had tasted deeply of the King's bounty which gave the
the other The Subjects Voice was so fortunate that it was always concurrent where the King maintained the party If the discourse were Arms Gaveston extoll'd it as an Heroic Vertue if Peace he maintained it not more useful than necessary unlawful pleasure he stiled a noble Recreation and unjust Actions the proper and becoming Fruits of an absolute Monarchy These Gloses so betray the willing ear that heard them that no Honour is thought good and great enough for the Reporter The greatest Commands and Offices are in the person or disposure of Gaveston The command of War and all Provisions Foreign and Domestic are committed solely to his care and custody All Treaties for Peace or War had their success or ruin by his direction and pleasure The King Signed no Dispatch private or public but by his consent or appointment So that all men believed their Soveraign to be but a meer Royal shadow without a real substance Neither was it enough to advance him beyond his desert or the rules of a modest proportion But his Power must be made more extant in the Commitment to the Tower of the Bishop of Chester whom he quarrels as the occasion of his first banishment These insolencies carried with so great a height and contempt are accompanied with all the remonstrances of a justly grieved Kingdom The ancient Nobility that disdain'd such an Equal justly exclaim against the Iniquity of the time that made him their Superiour The grave Senators that understood their own worths are discontent to see themselves rejected while Upstarts by Money or Favour possess the higher places The Soldier that with his Blood had purchas'd his Experience laments his own dishonour seeing unworthy Striplings advanced while he like the ruins of a goodly Building is left to the wide World without use or reparation The Commons in a more intemperate fashion make known their griefs and sad oppressions Gaveston that both saw and knew the general discontent sought not to redress it but with an ill advised confidence strives to out-dare the worst of his approaching danger Lincoln Warwick and Pembrook whose noble hearts disdained the o'regrown height of this untimely Musherompt let the King know their fidelity and his apparent Error He must free himself and right them or else they will seek it in another Fashion Edward knew their Complaints were just yet was most unwilling to hear or relieve them till seeing their strong resolution and himself wholly unprovided to withstand the danger he makes his affections stoop to the present necessity and consents to a second banishment of his so dearly beloved Favourite Gaveston in the height and pride of his ambition is enforced to leave his Protector and to make Ireland the place of his Abiding With a sad heart he takes his leave departing yet with a more desire of revenge than sorrow for his absence All things thus reconciled the Kingdom began to receive a new life mens hopes were suitable to their desires and all things seem to promise a swift and fair Reformation But the bewitching Charms of this wily Serpent made it soon evident that alone his death must prevent his mischief The personal correspondency taken away the affections of the restless King becomes far more violent In the short interim of his absence many reciprocal and sweet messages interchangeably pass betwixt them Edward receives none but he returns with a Golden Interest He is not more sensible of his loss than the Affront and Injury which persuades him it were too great indignity for him to suffer at the hand of a Subject Though with his own hazard he once more calls him home pacifying the incensed Lords with an assurance of reconciliation and amendment Those strict Admonitions so fully exprest were not powerful enough to reclaim the Fondness of the one and Insolency of the other The King regaining thus his beloved Minion dotes on him in a far greater measure and he to make the Music perfect is of a far more violent temper He affronts and condemns his Adversaries the ancient Nobility surreptitiously wasting and imbezelling the Revenues of the Crown He enflames the King's heart so apt to receive it with all the motives of revenge unquietness and disorder The Jewels of the Crown and that rich Table and Tressels of Gold are purloin'd and pawn'd to supply this wanton Riot He had so true a knowledge of his Master's weakness that he made him solely his His Creatures were alone prefer'd his Agents were the guides and no man hath the King's ear hand or purse but such as were by Gaveston prefer'd or recommended Edward in his voluptuous sensuality supplies the place but he had the sole execution of that Royal Prerogative that was alone proper to the Crown The Nobility whose Lyon-hearts strugled betwixt the sence of their just grief and allegiance at length resolve the King as to himself must be so to them and the Kingdom or they may no more endure it With grave and weighty Reasons they make the King know both the error and the vanity of his Affections letting him truly understand that they had a dear Interest both in him and the Kingdom which they would no longer suffer to be so abused and misguided Edward being himself thus hardly prest and that no entreaty or dissimulation could prevail he must now set right the disorders of the Kingdom or have his work done to his hand with less honour and more danger Once more he subscribes to their will which he sees he cannot withstand or alter Gaveston is again banish'd and makes Flanders the next Neighbour the place of his reception Infinite was the joy of the Kingdom who now expected a secure Freedom from that dangerous Convulsion that threatned so apparent an intestine ruin This their imaginary Happiness was made more real and perfect in the knowledge that Windsor had blest them with an Heir Apparent The Royal Father is pleased with the News but had not wheher his divining Spirit or Gaveston's absence were the cause those true expressions of joy that in justice became so great a Blessing The absence of his Minion could not lighten his heavy Soul but all other comforts seemed vain and counterfeit his distracted brains take new and desperate resolutions he revokes the sentence of his grief and vows to justifie it against the utmost strength of Contradiction He that dares do those things that are dishonest and unjust is not asham'd to justifie and maintain them This Error gave this unfortunate King more Enemies than he had Friends to defend them Kings that once falsifie their Faiths more by their proper Will than a necessary Impulsion grow infamous to foreign Nations and fearful or suspected to their own peculiar Subjects He that is guilty of doing ill and justifies the action makes it evident he hath won unto himself a habit of doing so and a daring impudence to maintain it by the protection of which he believes all things in a politic wisdom lawful This
venture the breach of the Body of so great an Army that in Worth and Number so far exceeded The memory of former Passages and Trials taught them how to understand their present condition this begets in them a Resolution more solid and hopeful They leave the Road-way and war rather by Discretion than Valour which succeeds so fortunately that they surprize all the English Provisions and enforce the King to a second Return more Fortunate yet much less Honourable It is true he retreated and brought back his Army in safety but he had quitted the Siege which he had vowed to continue against the United Power of Scotland and lost wholly all that Wealth and Luggage he had carried with him This fill'd all Men's mouths with a complaining Grief and made Foreign Nations think the English had lost their former luster and renowned valour It was wondred that an Enemy so weak and contemptible should three several times successively bear away the Garland from those that had so often and knew the way so well to win and wear it But now begins a second Fire of a higher Nature that made the Kingdom a Theater stain'd with the noblest Blood that within her Confines had or Life or Being The King discouraged with his Foreign Fortune lays aside the thoughts of Arms and recalls into his wanton Heart the bewitching vanities of his Youth that had formerly bred him such Distemper He was Royally attended but it was by those that made their Tongues rather the Orators of a pleasing falshood than a true sincerity These were fit Instruments for such an ear that would not hear unless the Music answered in an even correspondency The Infidelity of the Servant is in a true Construction the Misery of the Master which is more or less dangerous as is the weight and measure of his Employment It is in the Election of a Crown a principal Consideration to chuse such Attendants whose Integrity may be the Inducement as well as the Ability else the imaginary help proves rather a Danger than Assistance Neither is it safe or honourable for the Majesty of a King to seem to depend solely on the Wisdom Care or Fidelity of one particular Servant Multiplicity of able Men is the Glory and Safety of a Crown which falls by degrees into confusion when one Man alone acts all parts whence proceeds a World of Error and Confusion The King was not ignorant that such a course would make such as were his but at second hand yet he resolves to make a new choice of one to supply the room of his lost beloved Gaveston Though his diseased Court was furnished with a large variety yet his Eye fixeth on Hugh the younger of the Spencers who was always tractable and conformable to the King's Will and Pleasure This Man was in shew smooth and humble of an insinuating Spirit one that knew his Master's ways and was ever careful to observe them He had applied himself wholly to Edward's will and fed his wanton pleasures with the strains of their own Affection Heat of Spirit and height of Blood consult more with Passion than Reason and a short Deliberation may serve where the Subject was so pleasing and to each side agreeable The King to make his Resolutions eminent with more hast than advisement makes him his Lord Chamberlain and lets the World know it was his Love and Will that thus advanc'd him Scarcely is this new great Officer warm in his unbefitting Authority but he exactly follows his Predecessor-precedent to the Life making all things lawful that were agreable to his Master's Will or his fantastical Humour The Peers of the Kingdom that saw the sudden and hasty Growth of this undeserving Canker resolve to lop or root it up before it should o'retop their Luster Spencer that in the precedent Story of Gaveston beheld the danger of his own condition begins in time to provide and strengthen a Party His aged Father fitter for his Beads than Action he makes a young Courtier and wins the King to give him Power and Assistance He labours to remove from his Master's ear all such as might endanger him and supplies their places with such as were his Creatures Those that were too high for such a surprisal by Persuasion Money or Alliance he seeks to engage and make the Parties this his coming Faction The Body of the Court thus assured his Actions in the State went in an even Correspondency Those that held him at a distance valuing their Fidelity and Honour before so base an advantage saw themselves disgracefully cashier'd and others installed in their Rooms that had neither Worth Birth or Merit The Factious Entertainers of his proffered Amity not only enjoy their own but are advanced higher which made them but the Instruments to act and further the Corruptions of his Will and wicked Nature This Foundation laid they now seem to contemn all fear of danger and in that assurance express their Contempt and Scorn against the Nobility who they knew would never entertain their Society or Friendship While thus the Rule and Manage of all the Royal Affairs in their Power was daily more and more abused the Incensed Barons meet at Sherborough where the Earl of Lancaster the Prime Agent lays before them in a short and grave Discourse the Iniquity and Danger that seemed eminently to threaten both them and the whole Kingdom if such a Resolution were not taken as might assure a speedy Prevention The Fore-knowledge of their Soveraign's Behaviour which would observe no Rule or Proportion in his immodest Affections gave them small hope to prevail by Persuasion or Entreaty They too well understood that Spencer's Pride was too great and haughty to go less without Compulsion and they must sink a Key or neither the Kingdom or themselves against so Inveterate a Hatred could expect in reason Safety or Assurance Hertford Mowbray and Clifford sore a higher pitch and in plain terms affirm That all other Resolutions were vain and hopeless 't was only Arms that must right the Time and State so much disorder'd Benningfield and Mortimer approve this Resolution and as soon give it Life and Action They enter furiously on the Possessions of their Enemies spoyling and wasting like profess'd Enemies Such an Outrage flies with a nimble Wing to the ears of the Owner who as soon makes the King the sharer of his Intelligence and encreaseth it to his own advantage The King sensible of so great an Affront and as tender of the one as cruel to the other publisheth by Proclamation the sentence of his Royal Will and Pleasure The Actors of this Misdemeanor must appear and justifie themselves or presently forsake the Kingdom The Lords that saw their Interests at Stake as they had begun resolve to maintain the Quarrel New Levies and Preparations are dayly made to make good the succeeding Issue Yet the more to justifie those Arms that in the best construction was deemed Rebellions they send to the King a fair
business within doors and without that the Royal Treasure of the Crown is prosusely wasted and spent without Accompt or Honour The antient Plate and Jewels of the Crown are in the Lombard and their Engagement drowned before it had the warmth of a sure possession The Subject is rack'd with strange Inventions and new unheard of Propositions for Money and many great Loans required beyond all proportion or order Lastly the Royal Demeans are set at Sale and all things that might make Money within the Kingdom To supply these inconveniences which are now grown to a greater height than the Plotter of them intended a new Parliament is called at York where the elder Spencer is advanced to the Earldom of Winchester and Harkely another Chip of the same Block is made Earl of Carlisle Baldocke a mean Man in Birth Worth and Ability is made Lord Chancellor of England In this Parliament which was by Fear and Favour made to his hand he makes known the greatness of his Want and Occasions the justly aggrieved Commons entring into a deep consideration of the times freely give the sixth Penny of all the Temporal Goods throughout the whole Kingdom When this Act came to the general knowledge it utterly estranged the Hearts of the Subjects which plead an Impossibility to perform it in respect of those many former Exactions Yet after some light contestation it is levyed no man daring to make so much as a shew of resistance If we may credit all the Antient Historians who seem to agree in this Relation there were seen at this time many Sights fearful and prodigious Amongst them no one was so remarkable as that which for six hours space shewed the glorious Sun cloathed all in perfect Blood to the great Admiration and Amazement of all those that beheld it Following times that had recorded it in their Memories by the sequel believed it the fatal Prediction of the ensuing Miseries Those that more aptly censure the present view of a Wonder conceited the just Heavens shew'd their incensed Anger for the Noble Blood of the Earl of Lancaster and his Adherents so cruelly shed without Compassion or Mercy The Scots working on the condition of the times so much dejected and amazed seize the advantage They saw by the last Parliamentary Proceedings that the King was so enabled as the hope of any Attempt in England was altogether hopeless Yet they resolve to be doing somewhere within the King's Dominions or at the least his Jurisdiction This draws them to assemble themselves and to Attempt a surprisal of the Northern places of Ireland As the Action was vain so the Success proved as unfortunate they are defeated slain overthrown and return not with the twentieth part of their number The King remembring those many Indignities he had suffered and resenting this their last Attempt with an implacable scorn and anger resolves to let them speedily know that he meant to call them to an after reckoning Upon this he sends out his Summons to call his Men of War together and makes all Provisions be prepared for this so constantly resolved a Journey His former Misfortunes had instructed him to undertake this Design much more strongly and warily And this so grave a Consideration brought him together the remaining Glory and Strength of the greater part of his Kingdom With these he marcheth forward and invadeth the nearer parts of Scotland but whether it were the Infidelity of those about him the will and pleasure of Him that is the Guider and Directer of Human Actions or the unfortunate Destiny of this unhappy King he is enforc'd to return without doing any Act that is truly worthy his Greatness or Memory The wily Scots that durst not set upon the Face of his Army wait upon the Rear and in a watch'd opportunity surprise his Stuff and Treasure This sends him home a third time a discontented Man and whether with a just Guilt or to transfer his own Fault upon others the newly created Earl of Carlile is put to a shameful Execution The Grounds against him were very probable but not certain and it was enough that he is believed like Judas for Money to have sold his Master The principal Motive that may lead us to think he was deeply faulty was the Honour and Gravity of his Tryal which gave him on a full hearing so sincere and sharp a Sentence Scarcely is the King settled after his tedious Journey when comes a stranger News That the French King had made a Hostile Attempt upon the Frontier parts of Guyen which was seconded with a Declaration That he was no longer resolved to entertain the Friendship or Peace with England This Feat had been cunningly before-hand wrought by the secret working of Spencer yet he desired to have it still in Agitation and not in Action He wisht his Master thence might be possest with the fear of War and not feel it The French were of another mind they saw into the great Disorders and Misguidance of England and thought it a fit time either by War or Policy to unite so goodly a Branch of their Kingdom It is true they had matcht a Daughter of France to the Crown of England and had solemnly swore a Peace but these they thought might be with ease dispenst with on so weighty a Cause and so fair an Advantage Edward seeing into the danger and taxing bitterly the Infidelity of the French begins to survey his own Condition whereby he might accordingly sort his resolution either to entertain the War or to seek Peace upon some Honourable or at least reasonable Conditions He in this passage finds himself more hated and feared than beloved he saw his Coffers empty the Scotish War and Surprisal had quite exhausted the Sinews of his last Parliamentary Contribution He feared the Inclination of the Subject would refuse any further Supply or in consenting make it conditional which he was wholly unwilling to undergo or adventure Lastly The Misfortune that waited on him ever since he was absolute he feared had estranged and dejected so the Hearts of his Soldiers that they would hardly be drawn forth or act any thing with their accustomed Valour and Resolution In this Distraction he seeks not by the Advice of a grave Council to qualifie or prevent it this Medicine he conceits worse than the Disease but calls unto him Spencer the Cabinet of his Heart he alone is thought fit to communicate this deep Secret and to give the Resolution His Father Baldock and the rest of that Faction by his persuasion and entreaty are admitted to make the Party greater and the Discourse more serious and likely Before them is laid the Condition of the King the Estate of the Kingdom their own Danger and the Intentions of their Foreign Adversary Many several ways are devised and advised and in conclusion no one is believed more sound and proper than that the Queen should personally mediate the Atonement with her Royal Brother This as it was cunningly laid
so had it a double use and reflection The Spencers saw the Subject more inclinable to adore the rising Sun in which Act they thought the Queen's Mediation and Presence would be a dangerous Instigator They believed her absence could not work such and so great an assistance as might countervail the domestic danger They knew the French light and inconstant and those which with a kind of natural fear abhorr'd the English Wars out of the limit of their own Kingdom And in the worst construction they conceited Money or a resignation of that part was holden by the King in France would beget a Peace at their own will and pleasure Yet these Considerations were attended with some doubts which delayed and put off the execution The Queen who had long hated the Insolency of the Spencers and pitying the languishing Estate of the Kingdom resolves in her mind all the possible ways to reform them Love and Jealousie two powerful Motives spurr'd her on to undertake it She saw the King a stranger to her Bed and revelling in the embraces of his wanton Minions without so much as a glance or look on her deserving Beauty This contempt had begot in her Impressions of a like though not so wanton and licentious a Nature She wanting a fit Subject for her Affections to work on her Wedlock being thus estranged had fixed her wandring Eye upon the goodly shape and beauty of gallant Mortimer He was not behind hand in the reception and comel entertainment of so rich and desired a Purchase But his last Act had lodg'd him in the Tower which was a Cage too strait to crown their desires with their full perfection yet is there a sweet correspondency continued Letters and many loving Messages bring their Hearts together though their Bodies were divided By these is Mortimer informed of the Resolution for the intended Journey of his Royal Mistress whom he vows to attend or lose his Life in the adventure The Queen understanding the Intentions of her Servant strives to advance her dispatch and hastens it with all her best indeavours But where was so great an Inconstancy there could be no expectation that this Proposition should be more assur'd or permanent New delays and doubts interpose insomuch that the hopes of this Journey were now grown cold and desperate The Queen seeing her self deluded and this opportunity stoln from her by those whom she before so mortally hated sets her own brains a working to invent a speedy remedy She was therein so fortunate as to pretend a Journey of Devotion and Pilgrimage to Saint Thomas of Canterbury which by her Overseers was wholly unsuspected Things thus prepared by a faithful Messenger she gives Mortimer the knowledge of her Design who prepares himself with a more dangerous Stratagem to meet it Her eldest Son her dearest comfort and the chief spring that must set all these wheels a going she leaves not behind but makes him the Companion of her Travels The King's Joy was great that saw by this occasion he should gain a free liberty to enjoy his stoln Pleasures which were before so narrowly attended by the jealous eyes of his Queen that in this kind had been so often wronged The aspiring Spencers were well pleased that to be assured would have given a free consent to her perpetual absence A short time brings her to the end of so short a journey where she makes her stay of the same measure Winchelsey had the honour to have the last farewel of this pair of precious Jewels Thither comes Mortimer having made a fortunate Escape and with the Earl of Cane resolves to venture his Life in the Attendance and Service of so brave a Mistress An Exploit so weighty and dangerous gave no time of stay or ceremony They immediately Embark and make a tryal where they may find another Climate more propitious and fortunate The watry Billows and the peaceful Winds as if they were consenting to their Enterprise entertain them with an aspect clear and quiet sending them with a fresh and pleasing Gale safe to their desired Port of Bulloign The King and Spencers being truly enformed are startled with the matter and manner of their Escape They knew the Birds were too far flown to be catcht or reclaimed and did imagin the Plot was too surely laid that had so prosperous a beginning Now all the former Resolutions are useless new Deliberations are required how this Breach may be handsomly sodered or the threatning danger prevented All other ways are deemed short that one of taking off the King of France was believed most sure and easie They knew the French strain to be giddy light and covetous and applied themselves in the right Key to fit these several humours The King whose presaging soul misgave his welfare grows sad and melancholly calling to mind the Injustice of his own Actions and the fair Cause his Wife had to seek her right and refuge The neglect and breach of Wedlock was so great an Error but so to contemn so sweet and great a Queen was a fault in his own thoughts deserv'd a heavy censure She had not only felt a particular share of her own grief but suffered deeply in the general sorrow of the whole Kingdom Those which had erected their petty Tyrannies over the Subject were in like sort authoris'd by him that ought to have had an equal share of her affliction more and more to abuse her The sad Impressions of these Disorders and the reeking Blood of so many noble and brave Subjects so basely spilt do seem to cry for Vengeance This for a while wrought deeply in his distressed thoughts but a small intermission brings him back to his former temper A customary habit of a depraved Nature dulleth the sense of the Soul and Conscience so that when our better Angels summon us to restitution and repentance the want of a lively true apprehension leads us blindfold into a dangerous despairing hazard The French King having notice of his Sister's arrival with a wondrons plausible and seeming Joy doth entertain it with an honourable Attendance fitting more her Estate Birth and Dignity than her present miserable condition she is waited on to Paris where she is soon Visited by the Royal King her Brother When she beheld the refuge of her hopes she falls upon her Knee and with a sweetly coming modesty she thus begins her Story The King unwilling to suffer such an Idolatry from her that had a Father Brother and Husband so great and Royal takes her up in his Arms and then attends her Motives Great Sir quoth she behold in me your most unfortunate Sister the true Picture of a dejected Greatness and the essential substance of an unhappy Wedlock I have with a suffering beyond the belief of my Sex overcome a world of bitter Tryals Time lessens not but adds to my Afflictions my Burthen is grown too heavy for my long abused Patience Yet 't is not I alone but a whole Kingdom heretofore truly