Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

land, and that their Plantagenet was indeed but a loquy, which, nevertheless, besides the reason of puppet or a counterfeit. state, was somewhat sweetened to him by a great confiscation.

About this time also, Edward Plantagenet was upon a Sunday brought throughout all the principal streets of London, to be seen of the people. And having passed the view of the streets, was conducted to Paul's Church in solemn procession, where great store of people were assembled. And it was provided also in good fashion, that divers of the nobility, and others of quality, especially of those that the king most suspected, and knew the person of Plantagenet best, had communication with the young gentleman by the way, and entertained him with speech and discourse; which did in effect mar the pageant in Ireland with the subjects here, at least with so many, as out of error, and not out of malice, might be misled. Nevertheless in Ireland, where it was too late to go back, it wrought little or no effect. But contrariwise, they turned the imposture upon the king; and gave out, that the king, to defeat the true inheritor, and to mock the world, and blind the eyes of simple men, had tricked up a boy in the likeness of Edward Plantagenet, and showed him to the people; not sparing to profane the ceremony of a procession, the more to countenance the fable.

The third was, that there should be again proclaimed a general pardon to all that would reveal their offences, and submit themselves by a day. And that this pardon should be conceived in so ample and liberal a manner, as no high treason, no not against the king's own person, should be excepted. Which though it might seem strange, yet was it not so to a wise king, that knew his greatest dangers were not from the least treasons, but from the greatest. These resolutions of the king and his council were immediately put in execution. And first, the queen-dowager was put into the monastery of Bermondsey, and all her estates seized into the king's hands: whereat there was much wondering; that a weak woman, for the yielding to the menaces and promises of a tyrant, after such a distance of time, wherein the king had showed no displeasure nor alteration, but much more after so happy a marriage between the king and her daughter, blessed with issue male, should, upon a sudden mutability or disclosure of the king's mind, be so severely handled. This lady was amongst the examples of great variety of fortune. She had first, from a distressed suitor, and desolate widow, been taken to the marriage bed of a bachelor king, the goodliest personage of his time; and even in his reign she The general pardon likewise near the same had endured a strange eclipse by the king's flight, time came forth; and the king therewithal omitand temporary depriving from the crown. She ted no diligence, in giving strait order for the keepwas also very happy, in that she had by him fairing of the ports, that fugitives, malecontents, or issue; and continued his nuptial love, helping suspected persons, might not pass over into Ireherself by some obsequious bearing and dissem-land and Flanders. bling of his pleasures, to the very end. She was Meanwhile the rebels in Ireland had sent privy much affectionate to her own kindred, even unto messengers both into England and into Flanders. faction; which did stir great envy in the lords of who in both places had wrought effects of no small the king's side, who counted her blood a dispa- importance. For England, they won to their party ragement to be mingled with the king's. With John, Earl of Lincoln, son of John de la Pole, which lords of the king's blood joined also the Duke of Suffolk, and of Elizabeth, King Edward king's favourite, the Lord Hastings; who, not- the Fourth's eldest sister. This earl was a man withstanding the king's great affection to him, of great wit and courage, and had his thoughts was thought at times, through her malice and highly raised by hopes and expectations for a spleen, not to be out of danger of falling. After time; for Richard the Third had a resolution, her husband's death she was matter of tragedy, out of his hatred to both his brethren, King Edhaving lived to see her brother beheaded, and her ward and the Duke of Clarence, and their lines, two sons deposed from the crown, bastarded in having had his hand in both their bloods, to distheir blood, and cruelly murdered. All this able their issues upon false and incompetent prewhile, nevertheless, she enjoyed her liberty, state, texts; the one of attainder, the other of illegitimaand fortunes: but afterwards again, upon the rise tion: and to design the gentleman, in case himof the wheel, when she had a king to her son-in-self should die without children, for inheritor of law, and was made grandmother to a grandchild the crown. Neither was this unknown to the of the best sex: yet was she, upon dark and un- king, who had secretly an eye upon him. But known reasons, and no less strange pretences, pre- the king, having tasted of the envy of the people cipitated and banished the world into a nunnery; for his imprisonment of Edward Plantagenet, was where it was almost thought dangerous to visit doubtful to heap up any more distastes of that kind, her, or see her; and where not long after she ended by the imprisonment of De la Pole also; the rather her life but was by the king's commandment thinking it policy to conserve him as a co-rival buried with the king her husband, at Windsor. unto the other. The Earl of Lincoln was induced She was foundress of Queen's College, in Cam- to participate with the action of Ireland, not bridge. For this act the king sustained great ob- lightly upon the strength of the proceedings there

which was but a bubble, but upon letters from the and the conjunction and reputation of foreign sucLady Margaret of Burgundy, in whose succours cours, the fame of it would embolden and prepare and declaration for the enterprise there seemed to all the party of the confederates and malcontents be a more solid foundation, both for reputation within the realm of England, to give them assistand forces. Neither did the earl refrain the busi-ance when they should come over there. And ness, for that he knew the pretended Plantagenet for the person of the counterfeit, it was agreed, to be but an idol. But contrariwise, he was more that if all things succeeded well he should be put glad it should be the false Plantagenet than the down, and the true Plantagenet received; wheretrue; because the false being sure to fall away in, nevertheless, the Earl of Lincoln had his parof himself, and the true to be made sure of by ticular hopes. After they were come into Ireland, the king, it might open and pave a fair and pre- and that the party took courage, by seeing thempared way to his own title. With this resolu- selves together in a body, they grew very confition he sailed secretly into Flanders, where dent of success; conceiving and discoursing was a little before arrived the Lord Lovel, amongst themselves, that they went in upon far leaving a correspondence here in England with better cards to overthrow King Henry, than King Sir Thomas Broughton, a man of great power Henry had to overthrow King Richard: and that and dependencies in Lancashire. For before if there were not sword drawn against them in this time, when the pretended Plantagenet was Ireland, it was a sign the swords in England first received in Ireland, secret messengers had would be soon sheathed or beaten down. And been also sent to the Lady Margaret, advertis- first, for a bravery upon this accession of power, ing her what was passed in Ireland; imploring they crowned their new king in the cathedral church succours in an enterprise, as they said, so pious of Dublin; who formerly had been but proclaimed and just, and that God had so miraculously pros- only; and then sat in council what should farther pered the beginning thereof: and making offer that be done. At which council, though it were proall things should be guided by her will and di- pounded by some, that it were the best way to rection, as the sovereign partroness and protec- establish themselves first in Ireland, and to make tress of the enterprise. Margaret was second that the seat of the war, and to draw King Henry sister to King Edward the Fourth, and had been thither in person, by whose absence they thought second wife to Charles, surnamed the Hardy, there would be great alterations and commoDuke of Burgundy; by whom having no children tions in England; yet because the kingdom there of her own, she did with singular care and tender- was poor, and they should not be able to keep their ness intend the education of Philip and Margaret, army together, nor pay their German soldiers; grandchildren to her former husband; which won and for that also the sway of the Irishmen, and genher great love and authority among the Dutch. This erally of the men of war, which, as in such cases of princess, having the spirit of a man, and malice popular tumults is usual, did in effect govern their of a woman, abounding in treasure by the great-leaders, was eager, and in affection to make their ness of her dower and her provident government, fortunes upon England; it was concluded with all and being childless, and without any nearer care, possible speed to transport their forces into Engmade it her design and enterprise to see the ma- land. The king, in the mean time, who at first jesty royal of England once again replaced in her when he heard what was done in Ireland, though it house; and had set up King Henry as a mark at troubled him, yet thought he should be well enough whose overthrow all her actions should aim and able to scatter the Irish as a flight of birds, and shoot; insomuch as all the counsels of his suc- rattle away this swarm of bees with their king; ceeding troubles came chiefly out of that quiver. when he heard afterwards that the Earl of Lincoln And she bare such a mortal hatred to the house was embarked in the action, and that the Lady of Lancaster, and personally to the king, as she Margaret was declared for it; he apprehended the was no ways mollified by the conjunction of the danger in a true degree as it was, and saw plainly house in her niece's marriage, but rather hated her that his kingdom must again be put to the stake, niece, as the means of the king's ascent to the and that he must fight for it. And first he did crown, and assurance therein. Wherefore with conceive, before he understood of the Earl of Lingreat violence of affection she embraced this over-coln's sailing into Ireland out of Flanders, that he ture. And upon counsel taken with the Earl of Lincoln, and the Lord Lovel, and some other of the party, it was resolved with all speed, the two lords, assisted with a regiment of two thousand Almains, being choice and veteran bands, under the command of Martin Swart, a valiant and experimented captain, should pass over into Ireland to the new king; hing, that when the action should have the face of a received and settled regality, with such a second person as the Earl of Lincoln,

should be assailed both upon the east parts of the kingdom of England by some impression from Flanders, and upon the northwest out of Ireland. And therefore having ordered musters to be made in both parts, and having provisionally designed two generals, Jasper, Earl of Bedford, and John, Earl of Oxford, meaning himself also to go in petson where the affairs should most require it, and nevertheless not expecting any actual invasion at that time, the winter being far on, he took his

journey himself towards Suffolk and Norfolk for there where the Lord Lovel had so lately disbandthe confirming of those parts. And being come ed, and where the king's presence had a little to St. Edmond's-Bury, he understood that Tho- before qualified discontents. The Earl of Linmas, Marquis Dorset, who had been one of the coln, deceived of his hopes of the country's conpledges in France, was hasting towards him, to course unto him, in which case he would have purge himself of some accusations which had been temporised, and seeing the business past retract, made against him. But the king, though he kept resolved to make on where the king was, and to an ear for him, yet was the time so doubtful, that give him battle; and thereupon marched towards he sent the Earl of Oxford to meet him, and forth- Newark, thinking to have surprised the town. with to carry him to the Tower; with a fair mes- But the king was somewhat before this time come sage, nevertheless, that he should bear that dis- to Nottingham, where he called a council of war, grace with patience, for that the king meant not at which was consulted whether it were best to his hurt, but only to preserve him from doing hurt, protract time, or speedily to set upon the rebels. either to the king's service, or to himself: and that In which council the king himself, whose continthe king should always be able, when he had clear-ual vigilancy did suck in sometimes causeless ed himself, to make him reparation. suspicions which few else knew, inclined to the

The principal persons that came then to the king's aid were, the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Lord Strange, of the nobility; and of knights and gentlemen, to the number of at least threescore and ten persons, with their companies; making in the whole, at the least, six thousand fighting men, besides the forces that were with the king before. Whereupon the king, finding his army so bravely reinforced, and a great alacrity in all his men to fight, was confirmed in his former re

From St. Edmond's-Bury he went to Norwich, accelerating a battle, but this was presently put where he kept his Christmas: and from thence he out of doubt by the great aids that came in to went, in a manner of pilgrimage, to Walsingham, him in the instant of this consultation, partly upon where he visited our lady's church, famous for mi-missives and partly voluntaries, from many parts racles, and made his prayers and vows for help of the kingdom. and deliverance: and from thence he returned by Cambridge to London. Not long after the rebels, with their king, under the leading of the Earl of Lincoln, the Earl of Kildare, the Lord Lovel, and Colonel Swart, landed at Fouldrey, in Lancashire; whither there repaired to them Sir Thomas Broughton, with some small company of English. The king, by that time, knowing now the storm would not divide, but fall in one place, had levied forces in good number; and in person, taking with him his two designed generals, the Duke of Bed-solution, and marched speedily, so as he put himford, and the Earl of Oxford, was come on his way towards them as far as Coventry, whence he sent forth a troop of light horsemen for discovery, and to intercept some stragglers of the enemies, by whom he might the better understand the particulars of their progress and purposes, which was accordingly done; though the king otherwise was not without intelligence from espials in the

camp.

self between the enemies' camp and Newark, being loath their army should get the commodity of that town. The earl, nothing dismayed, came forwards that day unto a little village called Stoke, and there encamped that night, upon the brow or hanging of a hill. The king the next day presented him battle upon the plain, the fields there being open and champain. The earl courageously came down and joined battle with him. Concerning which battle the relations that are left unto us are so naked and negligent, though it be an action of so recent memory, as they rather declare the success of the day than the manner of the fight.

The rebels took their way toward York, without spoiling the country, or any act of hostility, the better to put themselves into favour of the people and to personate their king; who, no doubt, out of a princely feeling, was sparing and compas-They say that the king divided his army into ;sionate towards his subjects: but their snow-ball did not gather as it went, for the people came not in to them; neither did any rise or declare themselves in other parts of the kingdom for them: which was caused partly by the good taste that the king had given his people of his government, joined with the reputation of his felicity; and partly for that it was an odious thing the people of England to have a king brought in to them upon the shoulders of Irish and Dutch, of which their army was in substance compounded. Neither was it a thing done with any great judgment on the party of the rebels, for them to take their way towards York: considering that howsoever those parts had formerly been a nursery of their friends, yet it was

three battails; whereof the vanguard only, well strengthened with wings, came to fight: that the fight was fierce and obstinate, and lasted three hours, before the victory inclined either way; save that judgment might be made by that the king's vanguard of itself maintained fight against the whole power of the enemies, (the other two battails remaining out of action,) what the success was like to be in the end: that Martin Swart with his Germans performed bravely, and so did those few English that were on that side: neither did the Irish fail courage or fierceness; but being almost naked men, only armed with darts and skeins, it was rather an execution than a fight upon them; insomuch as the furious slaugh

tion. And first, he did yet again make a progress from Lincoln to the northern parts, though it were indeed rather an itinerary circuit of justice than a progress. For all along as he went, with much severity and strict inquisition, partly by martial law and partly by commission, were punished the adherents and aiders of the late rebels. Not all by death, for the field had drawn much blood, but by fines and ransom, which spared life and raised treasure. Amongst other crimes of this nature, there was diligent inquiry made of such as had raised a bruit and rumour a little before the field fought, "that the rebels had the day; and that the king's army was overthrown, and the king fled." Whereby it was supposed that many succours, which otherwise would have come unto the king, were cunningly put off and kept back. Which charge and, accusation, though it had some ground, yet it was industriously embraced and put on by divers, who having been in themselves not the best affected to the king's part, nor forward to come to his aid, were glad to apprehend this colour to cover their neglect and cold

ter of them was a great aiscouragement and appalment to the rest: that there died upon the place all the chieftains; that is, the Earl of Lincoln, the Earl of Kildare, Francis Lord Lovel, Martin Swart, and Sir Thomas Broughton: all making good the fight without any ground given. Only of the Lord Lovel there went a report, that he fled, and swam over Trent on horseback, but could not recover the farther side by reason of the steepness of the bank, and so was drowned in the river. But another report leaves him not there, but that he lived long after in a cave or vault. The number that was slain in the field, was of the enemies' part four thousand at the least; and of the king's part, one half his vanguard, besides many hurt, but none of name. There were taken prisoners, amongst others, the counterfeit Plantagenet, now Lambert Simnell again, and the crafty priest his tutor. For Lambert, the king would not take his life, both out of magnanimity, taking him but as an image of wax that others had tempered and moulded; and likewise out of wisdom, thinking that if he suffered death, he would be forgotten too soon; but being kept alive, he would be a con-ness, under the pretence of such discouragements. tinual spectacle, and a kind of remedy against the like enchantments of people in time to come. For which cause he was taken into service in his court to a base office in his kitchen; so that, in a kind of "mattacina" of human force, he turned a broach that had worn a crown; whereas fortune commonly doth not bring in a comedy or farce, after a tragedy. And afterwards he was preferred to be one of the king's falconers. As to the priest, he was committed close prisoner, and heard of no more; the king loving to seal up his own : dangers.

Which cunning nevertheless the king would not understand, though he lodged it, and noted it in some particulars as his manner was.

But for the extirpating of the roots and cause of the like commotions in time to come, the king began to find where his shoe did wring him, and that it was his depressing of the house of York that did rankle and fester the affections of his people. And therefore being now too wise to disdain perils any longer, and willing to give some contentment in that kind, at least in ceremony, he resolved at last to proceed to the coronation of his After the battle, the king went to Lincoln, where queen. And therefore at his coming to London, he caused supplications and thanksgivings to be where he entered in state, and in a kind of trimake for his deliverance and victory. And that umph, and celebrated his victory with two days his devotions might go round in circle, he sent his of devotion, for the first day he repaired to Paul's, banner to be offered to our lady of Walsingham, and had the hymn of "Te Deum" sung, and the where before he made his vows. And thus deli-morrow after he went in procession, and heard vered of this so strange an engine, and new invention of fortune, he returned to his former confidence of mind; thinking now, that all his misfortunes had come at once. But it fell out unto him according to the speech of the common people in the beginning of his reign, that said, "It was a token he should reign in labour, because his reign began with a sickness of sweat." But howsoever the king thought himself now in a haven, yet such was his wisdom, as his confidence did seldom darken his foresight, especially in things near hand. And therefore, awakened by so fresh and unexpected dangers, he entered into due consideration, as well how to weed out the partakers | berty without examination or other circumstance. of the former rebellion, as to kill the seeds of the At that time also the king sent an ambassador like in time to come; and withal to take away all unto Pope Innocent, signifying unto him this his shelters and harbours for discontented persons, marriage; and that now, like another Æneas, he where they might hatch and foster rebellions, had passed through the floods of his former trouwhich afterwards might gather strength and mo- bles and travels, and was arrived unto a safe

the sermon at the cross, the queen was with great
solemnity crowned at Westminister, the five-and-
twentieth of November, in the third year of his
reign, which was about two years after the mar-
riage; like an old christening, that had stayed long
for godfathers. Which strange and unusual dis-
tance of time made it subject to every man's note,
that it was an act against his stomach, and put
upon him by necessity and reason of state.
after, to show that it was now fair weather again,
and that the imprisonment of Thomas, Marquis
Dorset, was rather upon suspicion of the time than
of the man, he, the said marquis, was set at l-

Soon

haven: and thanking his holiness that he had honoured the celebration of his marriage with the presence of his ambassador; and offering both his person and the forces of his kingdom, upon all occasions, to do him service.

The ambassador making his oration to the pope, in the presence of the cardinals, did so magnify the king and queen, as was enough to glut the hearers. But then he did again so extol and deify the pope, as made all that he had said in praise of his master and mistress seem temperate and passable. But he was very honourably entertained, and extremely much made on by the pope: who knowing himself to be lazy and unprofitable to the Christian world, was wonderfully glad to hear that there were such echoes of him sounding in remote parts. He obtained also of the pope a very just and honourable bull, qualifying the privileges of sanctuary, wherewith the king had been extremely gulled in three points.

The first, that if any sanctuary man did by night, or otherwise, get out of sanctuary privily, and commit mischief and trespass, and then come in again, he should lose the benefit of sanctuary forever after. The second, that howsoever the person of the sanctuary man was protected from his creditors, yet his goods out of sanctuary should not. The third, that if any took sanctuary for case of treason, the king might appoint him keepers to look to him in sanctuary.

his father, received the kingdom of France in more flourishing and spread estate than it had been of many years before; being redintegrate in those principal members, which anciently had been portions of the crown of France, and were afterward dissevered, so as they remained only in homage and not in sovereignty, being governed by absolute princes of their own, Anjou, Normandy, Provence, and Burgundy. There remained only Britain to be reunited, and so the monarchy of France to be reduced to the ancient terms and bounds.

King Charles was not a little inflamed with an ambition to re-purchase and re-annex that duchy : which his ambition was a wise and well-weighed ambition; not like unto the ambitions of his succeeding enterprises of Italy. For at that time, being newly come to the crown, he was somewhat guided by his father's counsels, counsels not counsellors, for his father was his own council, and had few able men about him. And that king, he knew well, had ever distasted the designs of Italy, and in particular had an eye upon Britain. There were many circumstances that did feed the ambition of Charles with pregnant and apparent hopes of success: the Duke of Britain, old, and entered into a lethargy, and served with mercenary counsellors, father of two only daughters, the one sickly and not likely to continue; King Charles himself in the flower of age, and the subjects of France at that time well trained for war, The king also, for the better securing of his es- both for leaders and soldiers; men of service betate against mutinous and malcontented subjects, ing not yet worn out since the wars of Lewis whereof he saw the realm was full, who might against Burgundy. He found himself also in have their refuge into Scotland, which was not peace with all his neighbour princes. As for under key as the ports were; for that cause rather those that might oppose to his enterprise, Maxithan for any doubt of hostility from those parts, milian King of the Romans, his rival in the same before his coming to London, when he was at desires, (as well for the duchy, as the daughter,) Newcastle, had sent a solemn ambassage unto feeble in means; and King Henry of England, as James the Third, King of Scotland, to treat and well somewhat obnoxious to him for his favours conclude a peace with him. The ambassadors and benefits, as busied in his particular troubles were, Richard Fox, Bishop of Exeter, and Sir at home. There was also a fair and specious Richard Edgcombe, comptroller of the king's occasion offered him to hide his ambition, and to house, who were honourably received and enter-justify his warring upon Britain; for that the tained there. But the King of Scotland, labour- duke had received and succoured Lewis Duke of ing of the same disease that King Henry did, | though more mortal, as afterwards appeared, that is, discontented subjects, apt to rise and raise tumult, although in his own affection he did much desire to make a peace with the king; yet finding his nobles averse, and not daring to displease them, concluded only a truce for seven years; giving nevertheless promise in private, that it should be renewed from time to time during the two king's lives.

Hitherto the king had been exercised in settling his affairs at home. But about this time brake forth an occasion that drew him to look abroad, and to hearken to foreign business. Charles the Eighth, the French king, by the virtue and good fortune of his two immediate predecessors, Charles the Seventh, his grandfather, and Lewis the Eleventh,

Orleans, and other of the French nobility, which had taken arms against their king. Wherefore, King Charles, being resolved upon that war, knew well he could not receive any opposition so potent, as if King Henry should, either upon policy of state in preventing the growing greatness of France, or upon gratitude unto the Duke of Britain for his former favours in the time of his distress, espouse that quarrel, and declare himself in aid of the duke. Therefore he no sooner heard that King Henry was settled by his victory, but forthwith he sent ambassadors unto him to pray his assistance, or at least that he would stand neutral. Which ambassadors found the king at Leicester, and delivered their embassage to this effect: they first imparted unto the king the success that their master had had a little before against Maximilian,

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »