Part 5

¶ This yeare (saith he) was verie troublesome, and full of ciuill wars and great discords. For after that king Edward the fourth was escaped out of prison, at Wolneie besides Warwike, he mustered and prepared a new armie. Wherevpon the earle of Warwike and the duke of Clarence, mistrusting themselues, prepared to passe the seas ouer to Calis, and first of all sent awaie the duches of Clarence daughter to the said earle, who was then great with child, and she being accompanied with the lord Fitz Warren, the lord Dinham, and the baron of Carew, and a thousand fighting men came to this citie of Excester the eightéenth daie of March, and was lodged in the bishops palace. Sir Hugh, or (as some saie) sir William Courtneie, who then fauoured the partie of king Edward the fourth, assembled a great troope and armie of all the fréends he could make, and inuironing the citie, besieged the same; he pulled downe all the bridges, rampered vp all the waies, and stopped all the passages, so that no vittels at all could be brought to this citie for twelue daies togither, which being doone vpon a sudden and vnlooked for, vittels waxed short and scant within the citie, and by reason of so great a multitude within the same, the people for want of food began to murmur and mutter.

The duches and the lords of hir companie, mistrusting what might and would be the sequele hereof, began to deale with the maior, and required to haue the keies of the gates to be deliuered into their hands and that they would vndertake the safe custodie of the citie. Likewise sir William Courtneie did send his messenger to the maior, and required the gates to be opened and to giue him entrance: or els he would with sword and fier destroie the same. The maior and his brethren being in great perplexities, and hauing to answer not onelie the lords within and the knight without, but most of all doubting the common people within, who being impatient of penurie, were deafe to all persuasions and listen to any counsels: did so order and handle the matter, as that by good spéeches and courteous vsages, euerie partie was stopped and staied, vntill by means and mediations of certeine good and godlie men, an intreatie was made, the matter was compounded and the siege raised, and euerie man set at libertie.

[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence and the earle of Warwike soiorne at Excester, and are pursued of the king.]

The next daie after which conclusion, the gates being opened, to wit, the third of Aprill 1470, the earle of Warwike and the duke of Clarence came to this citie, and here rested, and soiorned themselues vntill sufficient shipping was prouided for their passage ouer the seas, and then they all imbarked themselues, and passed ouer to Calis. The king in this meane time mustered his armie, and prepared with all spéed all things necessarie to follow and pursue his said aduersaries, and came to this citie, thinking to find them here the fourtéenth of Aprill being saturdaie 1470, with fortie thousand fighting men: but the birds were fled awaie before his comming. Neuerthelesse the king came and entred into the citie, being accompanied with sundrie noble men; namelie, the bishop of Elie then lord treasuror, the duke of Norffolke earle marshall, the duke of Suffolke, the earle of Arundell, the earle of Wilshire sonne to the duke of Buckingham, the earle of Worcester constable of England, the earle of Shrewesburie, the earle Riuers, the lord Hastings, the lord Graie of Codnor, the lord Audelie, the lord Saie, the lord Sturton, the lord Dacres, the lord Montioie, the lord Stanlei, the lord Ferris, and the baron of Dudlei.

[Sidenote: The king is receiued verie honorablie into the citie of Excester.]

[Sidenote: The citizens beneuolence to the king.]

Before whose comming, the maior being aduertised thereof, tooke order, and gaue commandement to euerie citizen and inhabitant, being of abilitie, to prouide and prepare for himselfe a gowne of the cities liuerie, which was then red colour, and to be in a readinesse for receiuing of the king, which was accordinglie doone. And when the king was come neere to the citie, the maior being verie well attended with foure hundred persons well and séemelie apparelled in the cities liuerie, went to the south gate, and without the same attended the kings comming. Who when he was come, the maior did his most humble obeisance, and therewith Thomas Dowrish then recorder of the citie made vnto his grace an humble oration, congratulating his comming to the citie: which ended, the maior deliuered vnto the king the keies of the gates and the maces of his office, and therewith a pursse of one hundred nobles in gold, which his grace tooke verie thankfullie. The monie he kept, but the keies and the maces he deliuered backe to the maior; and then the maior tooke the mace and did beare it through the citie bare-headed before the king, vntill he came to his lodging.

[Sidenote: How long the king continued in the citie.]

[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence and the earle of Warwike arriue on the English coasts.]

The next daie following, being Palmesundaie, the king in most princelie and roiall maner came to the cathedrall church of saint Peters, to heare the diuine seruice, where he followed and went in procession after the maner as was then vsed, round about the churchyard, to the great ioy and comfort of all the people: he continued in the citie thrée daies vntill the tuesdaie then following; who when he had dined tooke his horsse and departed backe towards London, and gaue to the maior great good thanks for his interteinement. About foure moneths after this, in August, the duke of Clarence and the erle of Warwike returned againe from Calis, with all their retinue, & landed some at Plimmouth, some at Dartmouth, and some at Exmouth: but all met in this citie, and from hence they all passed towards London, and at euerie place they proclamed king Henrie the sixt, which when king Edward heard, he was very much troubled therewith: and not able then to withstand their force, he passed the seas to his brother in law the duke of Burgognie.

[Sidenote: The practise of a knight being chiefe iustice at the law to rid himselfe of life.]

This yeare also, being verie troublesome, and the gouernement vncerteine, men were in great perplexities, & wist not what to doo. And among manie there was one speciallie to be remembred, who to rid himselfe out of these troubles, did deuise this practise: his name was sir William Haukesford knight, a man verie well learned in the lawes of the realme, and one of the chiefe iustices at the law: he dwelled at Annorie in Deuonshire, a gentleman of great possessions, and hauing neuer a sonne, the lord Fitz Warren, sir Iohn Sentleger, & sir William Bulleine, who maried his daughters, were his heires. This man being one of the chiefest lawiers in the land, was dailie sought to and his councell asked: and he considering that when the sword ruled, law had a small course, and finding by experience what fruits insue such counsell as dooth not best like the parties, was verie heauie, sorrowfull, and in great agonies.

[Sidenote: An vniust or surmised charge of the knight against the kéeper of his parke.]

Herevpon suddenlie he called vnto him the keeper of his parke, with whom he fell out and quareled, bicause (as he said) he was slothfull and careles, and did not walke in the nights about the parke, but suffered his game to be spoiled and his deere to be stolen, wherefore he willed him to be more vigilant and carefull of his charge, and also commanded him that if he met anie man in his circuit and walke in the night time, and would not stand nor speake vnto him, he should not spare to kill him what so euer he were. This knight, hauing laid this foundation, and minding to performe what he had purposed for the ending of his dolefull daies, did in a certeine darke night secretlie conueie himselfe out of his house, and walked alone in his parke. Then the kéeper in his night walke hearing one stirring and comming towards him, asked who was there? but no answer was made at all.

[Sidenote: The kéeper killeth his maister the knight with an arrow.]

Then the keeper willed him to stand, which when he would not doo, the kéeper nocked his arrow and shot vnto him, and killed him; who when he perceiued that it was his maister, then he called to remembrance his maisters former commandement. And so this knight, otherwise learned and wise, being affraid to displease man, did displease God, and verie disorderlie ended his life. It is inrolled amongst the records of this citie, of a commission directed to Iohn earle of Deuonshire, & from him sent to the maior of the citie of Excester to be proclamed. The words be these: Decimoquarto die Aprilis, vz. in vigilia Paschæ, An. 49. Hen. 6. commissio domini regis directa Iohanni comiti Deuon. missa est maiori vt proclamaretur. And likewise in an other place: Quatuor marcæ sunt solutæ Iohanni comiti Deuon. ex assensu maioris.

Howbeit, certeine it is there was no such earle of that name, onelie there was Iohn Holland then liuing duke of Excester, wherefore something is mistaken herein.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]

But was this a practise (thinke you) beséeming a man of worship, learning, and iudgement, to make awaie himselfe, bicause he saw a temporall interruption of his prosperitie? Suerlie how much learning so euer he had in the lawes of the land, litle at all or none (as appeareth) had he in suffering the forces of aduersitie, whom the feare of it did so terrifie, that it droue him to his end. Wise therefore is the counsel of the comedie-writer, and worthie of imitation, that a man, when he is in best case and highest degrée of welfare, should euen then meditate with himselfe how to awaie with hardnesse, with penurie, perils, losse, banishment, and other afflictions: for so shall he prepare himselfe to beare them with patience when they happen: as souldiers trained vp in militarie exercises at home, are so much the forwarder for the field, & fitter to incounter their foes (with lesse dread of danger) when they come abroad to be tried: and therefore it is wiselie (& to the purpose) said of Virgil:

[Sidenote: _Aeneid. 5._]

----superando omnis fortuna ferendo est.

[Sidenote: K. Edwards fréends take sanctuarie.]

[Sidenote: Quéene Elizabeth deliuered of a prince.]

[Sidenote: _Ab. Flem._]

But to returne to the princes affaires. When the fame was once spred abroad that K. Edward was fled the relme, an innumerable number of people resorted to the earle of Warwike to take his part, but all K. Edwards trustie fréends went to diuerse sanctuaries, and amongst other his wife quéene Elizabeth tooke sanctuarie at Westminster, and there in great penurie forsaken of all hir friends, was deliuered of a faire son called Edward, which was with small pompe like a poore mans child christened, the godfathers being the abbat and prior of Westminster, and the godmother the ladie Scroope. [But what might be the heauinesse of this ladies hart (thinke we) vpon consideration of so manie counterblasts of vnhappinesse inwardlie conceiued? Hir husband had taken flight, his adherents and hir fréends sought to shroud themselues vnder the couert of a new protector, she driuen in distresse forsooke not that simple refuge which hir hard hap forced vpon hir; and (a kings wife) wanted in hir necessitie such things as meane mens wiues had in superfluitie, & (a corosiue to a noble mind) a prince of renowmed parentage was (by constreint of vnkind fortune) not vouchsafed the solemnitie of christendome due and decent for so honorable a personage.]

[Sidenote: The Kentishmen make an hurlie burlie.]

[Sidenote: King Henrie fetched out of the Tower & restored to his kinglie gouernement.]

The Kentishmen in this seson (whose minds be euer moueable at the change of princes) came to the subvrbs of London, spoiled mansions, robbed béerehouses, and by the counsell of sir Geffrie Gates and other sanctuarie men, they brake vp the kings Bench and deliuered prisoners, and fell at Ratcliffe, Limehouse, & S. Katharins, to burning of houses, slaughter of people, and rauishing of women. Which small sparkle had growne to a greater flame, if the earle of Warwike with a great power had not suddenlie quenched it, and punished the offendors: which benefit by him doone, caused him much more to be estéemed and liked amongst the commons than he was before. When he had settled all things at his pleasure, vpon the twelfe daie of October he rode to the Tower of London, and there deliuered king Henrie out of the ward, where he before was kept, and brought him to the kings lodging, where he was serued according to his degrée.

On the fiue and twentith day of the said moneth, the duke of Clarence accompanied with the earles of Warwike and Shrewesburie, the lord Strange, and other lords and gentlemen, some for feare, and some for loue, and some onelie to gaze at the wauering world, went to the Tower, and from thense brought king Henrie apparelled in a long gowne of blew veluet, through London to the church of saint Paule, the people on euerie side the stréets reioising and crieng; God saue the king: as though ech thing had succéeded as they would haue had it: and when he had offered (as kings vse to doo) he was conueied to the bishops palace, where he kept his houshold like a king. [Thus was the principalitie posted ouer somtimes to Henrie, sometimes to Edward; according to the swaie of the partie preuailing: ambition and disdaine still casting fagots on the fire, whereby the heat of hatred gathered the greater force to the consumption of the péeres and the destruction of the people. In the meane time, neither part could securelie possesse the regalitie, when they obteined it; which highmindednesse was in the end the ouerthrow of both principals and accessaries, according to the nature thereof noted in this distichon by the poet:

Fastus habet lites, offensis fastus abundat, Fastus ad interitum præcipitare solet.]

[Sidenote: A parlement.]

[Sidenote: K. Edward adiudged an vsurper.]

When king Henrie had thus readepted and eftsoons gotten his regall power and authoritie, he called his high court of parlement to begin the six and twentith day of Nouember at Westminster; in the which king Edward was adiudged a traitor to the countrie, and an vsurper of the realme. His goods were confiscat and forfeited. The like sentence was giuen against all his partakers and freends. And besides this it was inacted, that such as for his sake were apprehended, and were either in captiuitie or at large vpon suerties, should be extremelie punished according to their demerits, amongst whome was the lord Tiptoft earle of Worcester lieutenant for king Edward in Ireland, exercising there more extreme crueltie than princelie pietie, and namelie on two infants being sonnes to the earle of Desmond.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 725._]

[Sidenote: The earle Tiptoft beheaded.]

[Sidenote: The crowne intailed.]

[This earle of Worcester, being found in the top of an high trée, in the forest of Waibridge, in the countie of Huntington, was brought to London, and either for treason to him laid, or malice against him conceiued, was atteinted, and beheaded at the Tower hill, and after buried at the Blacke friers.] Moreouer, all statutes made by king Edward were clearlie reuoked, and the crownes of the realmes of England and France were by authoritie of the same parlement intailed to king Henrie the sixt, and to his heires male; and for default of such heires, to remaine to George duke of Clarence, & to his heires male: and further, the said duke was inabled to be next heire to his father Richard duke of Yorke, and to take from him all his landes and dignities, as though he had béene his eldest sonne at the time of his death. Iasper earle of Penbroke, and Iohn earle of Oxford, with diuerse other by king Edward atteinted, were restored to their old names, possessions, and ancient dignities.

[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 722, 723._]

[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike his housekéeping.]

[Sidenote: _Fabian._]

[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike instituted gouernour of the realme.]

Beside this, the earle of Warwike, as one to whom the common-wealth was much bounden [and euer had in great fauour of the commons of this land, by reason of the exceeding houshold which he dailie kept in all countries where euer he soiourned or laie: and when he came to London, he held such an house, that six oxen were eaten at a breakefast, and euerie tauerne was full of his meat, for who that had anie acquaintance in that house, he should haue had as much sod and rost as he might carrie vpon a long dagger] he (I saie) was made gouernour of the realme, with whom as fellow was associat George duke of Clarence. And thus was the state of the realme quite altered. To this parlement came the marquesse Montacute, excusing himselfe, that for feare of death he declined to take king Edwards part, which excuse was accepted. When quéene Margaret vnderstood by hir husbands letters, that the victorie was gotten by their fréends, she with hir sonne prince Edward and hir traine entered their ships, to take their voiage into England: but the winter was so sharpe, the weather so stormie, and the wind so contrarie, that she was faine to take land againe, and to deferre hir iournie till another season.

[Sidenote: Iasper earle of Penbroke.]

[Sidenote: Margaret countesse of Richmond and Derbie.]

About the same season, Iasper earle of Penbroke went into Wales, to visit his lands in Penbrokeshire, where he found lord Henrie sonne to his brother Edmund earle of Richmond, hauing not full ten yeares of age; he being kept in maner like a captiue, but honorablie brought vp by the ladie Herbert, late wife to William earle of Penbroke, beheaded at Banburie (as ye before haue heard.) This Henrie was borne of Margaret the onelie daughter and heire of Iohn the first duke of Summerset, then not being full ten yeares of age, the which ladie though she were after ioined in mariage with lord Henrie sonne to Humfreie duke of Buckingham, and after to Thomas Stanleie earle of Derbie, both being yoong and apt for generation, yet she had neuer anie more children, as though she had doone hir part to bring foorth a man child, and the same to be a king (as he after was indéed) intituled by the name of Henrie the seuenth (as after ye shall heare.)

[Sidenote: The saieng of king Henrie the sixt, of Henrie of Richmond after king Henrie the seuenth.]

[Sidenote: _Ab. Flem._]

The earle of Penbroke tooke this child, being his nephue, out of the custodie of the ladie Herbert, and at his returne brought the child with him to London to king Henrie the sixt, whome when the king had a good while beheld, he said to such princes as were with him: Lo, suerlie this is he, to whom both we and our aduersaries leauing the possession of all things shall hereafter giue roome and place. So this holie man shewed before the chance that should happen, that this earle Henrie so ordeined by God, should in time to come (as he did indéed) haue and inioy the kingdome and whole rule of this realme of England. ¶ So that it might seeme probable by the coherence of holie Henries predictions with the issue falling out in truth with the same; that for the time he was indued with a propheticall spirit. And suerlie the epithet or title of holie is not for naught attributed vnto him, for it is to be read in writers, that he was by nature giuen to peaceablenesse, abhorring bloud and slaughter, detesting ciuill tumults, addicted to deuotion, verie frequent in praier, and not estéeming so highlie of courtlie gallantnesse as stood with the dignitie of a prince. In consideration wherof, he procured against himselfe an apostasie of his people both natiue and forren; who reuolted and fell from fealtie. And whie? The reason is rendred by the same writer, namelie:

Quòd tales homines populus sceleratior odit, Fastidit, detestatur: non conuenit inter Virtutem & vitium, lucem fugêre tenebræ.

[Sidenote: The ragged staffe.]

The earle of Warwike, vnderstanding that his enimie the duke of Burgognie had receiued king Edward, and meant to aid him for recouerie of the kingdome, he first sent ouer to Calis foure hundred archers on horssebacke to make warre on the dukes countries; and further, prepared foure thousand valiant men to go ouer shortlie, that the duke might haue his hands euen full of trouble at home. And where ye haue heard that the erle of Warwike was kept out of Calis at his fléeing out of England into France, ye shall note that within a quarter of an houre after it was knowne that he was returned into England; and had chased king Edward out of the realme; not onelie monsieur de Vaucléere, but also all other of the garrison & towne shewed themselues to be his fréends; so that the ragged staffe was taken vp and worne in euerie mans cap, some ware it of gold enameled, some of siluer; and he that could haue it neither of gold nor siluer, had it of whitish silke or cloth: such wauering minds haue the common people, bending like a reed with euerie wind that bloweth.

[Sidenote: The duke of Burgognie sendeth ambassadors to Calis.]

The duke of Burgognie, hauing an armie readie at the same time to inuade the frontiers of France, to recouer the townes of saint Quintines and Amiens, latelie by the French king taken from him, doubted to be hindered greatlie by the Englishmen, if he should be constreined to haue warre with them: for the duke of Burgognie held not onlie at that season Flanders, but also Bulleine, and Bullennois, and all Artois, so that he was thereby in danger to receiue harme out of Calis on ech side. Therefore he sent ambassadors thither, which did so much with the councell there, that the league was newlie confirmed betwixt the realme of England and the dukes countries; onelie the name of Henrie put in the writing in stéed of Edward. This matter hindered sore the sute of king Edward, dailie suing to the duke for aid at his hands, the more earnestlie indéed, bicause of such promises as by letters were made vnto him out of England, from his assured fréends there.

[Sidenote: 1471.]

[Sidenote: He aideth K. Edward vnder hand.]

But duke Charles would not consent openlie to aid king Edward; but yet secretlie vnder hand by others he lent vnto him fiftie thousand florens of the crosse of S. Andrew, and further caused foure great ships to be appointed for him in the hauen of de Véere, otherwise called Camphire in Zeland, which in those daies was free for all men to come vnto, and the duke hired for him fouretéene ships of the Easterlings well appointed, & for the more suertie tooke a bond of them to serue him trulie, till he were landed in England, and fifteene daies after. The Easterlings were glad of this iournie, trusting if he got againe the possession of England, they should the sooner come to a peace, and obteine restitution of their liberties and franchises, which they claimed of former time to haue within this realme. The duke of Burgognie cared not much on whose side the victorie fell, sauing for paiment of his monie: for he would oft saie, that he was fréend to both parties, and either part was fréendlie to him.

[Sidenote: _W. Fleetwood._]

[Sidenote: He arriueth on the coast of Norffolke.]