And yet must he bee twise asked whyther he wil be bishop or no, and he muste twyse say naye, and at the third tyme take it as compelled ther vnto by his owne wyll. And in a stage play all the people know right wel, that he that playeth the sowdayne is percase a sowter. Yet if one 5 should can so lyttle good, to shewe out of seasonne what acquaintance he hath with him, and calle him by his owne name whyle he standeth in his magestie, one of his tormentors might hap to breake his head, and worthy for marring of the play. And so they said that these matters IO bee Kynges games, as it were stage playes, and for the more part plaied vpon scafoldes. In which pore men be but the lokers on. And thei that wise be, wil medle no farther. For they that sometyme step vp and playe with them, when they cannot play their partes, they disorder the play and do 15 themself no good. This that is here betwene this marke* and this master More *The nexte daye the protectoure with a great traine wente to Westmynster halle and marke was not there when he had placed himself in the court written by of the kinges bench, declared to the audience, 20 written by him that he woulde take vpon him the crowne in in English, but is translated out of this history which he wrote in Latin. in this history that place there, wher the king himself sitteth and ministreth the law; because he considred that it was the chiefest duety of a kyng to minister the lawes. Than with as pleasant an oracion 25 as he could, he went about to win vnto him the nobles, the marchantes, the artificers, and in conclusion al kinde of men, but specially the lawyers of this realme. And fynally to thentent that no man shoulde hate hym for feare, and that his deceitful clemency mighte geat him the good wyll of the people, when he had declared the dyscomoditie of discorde, and the commodyties of concorde and vnitie, he made an open proclamacion, that 30 he did put oute of his minde all enymities, and that he there did openly pardon all offences committed against him. And to the entente that he might shew a proofe thereof, he commaunded that one Fogge, whom he had 5 long deadly hated, shold be brought than before him. Who being brought oute of the saintuary by (for thither had he fled, for fere of hym) in the sight of the people, he tooke him by the hand. Whiche thyng the common people rejoysed at and praised, but wise men tooke it for a vanitye. Io In his returne homewarde, whom so euer he met he saluted. For a minde that knoweth it self giltye, is in a maner dejected to a seruile flattery. When he hadde begonne his reygne the-daye of June, after this mockishe eleccion, than was he crowned the 15-day of the same moneth. And that solemnitie was furnished for the most part with the selfe same prouision that was appointed for the coronacion of his nephew*. Now fell ther mischieues thick. And as the thinge euill gotten is neuer well kept, through all the time of his 20 reygne, neuer ceased there cruel death and slaughter, till his owne destruccion ended it But as he finished his time with the beste death, and the most righteous, that is to wyt his own; so began he with the most piteous and wicked, I meane the lamentable murther of his innoocent 25 nephewes, the young king and his tender brother. Whose death and final infortune hathe natheles so far comen in question, that some remain yet in doubt, whither they wer in his dayes destroyde or no. Not for that onely that Perken Werbecke, by many folkes malice, and more folkes foly, so long space abusyng the worlde, was, as wel with princes as the porer people, reputed and taken for the yonger of those two, but for that also that all thynges wer in late daies so couertly demeaned, 30 Perken one thing pretended and an other ment, that there was nothyng so plaine and openly proued, but that Close delyng yet for the comen custome of close and couert is ever suspect. dealing, men had it euer inwardely suspect, as many well counterfaited jewels make the true mistrusted. Howbeit 5 concerning the opinion, with the occasions mouing either partie, we shal haue place more at large to entreate, yf we hereafter happen to write the time of the late noble prince of famous memory king Henry the seuenth, or parcase that history of Perkin in any compendious processe 10 by it selfe. But in the meane time for this present matter, I shall rehearse you the dolorous end of those babes, not after euery way that I haue heard, but after that way that I haue so hard by suche men and by such meanes, as me thinketh it wer hard but it should be true. King Richarde 15 after his coronacion, takyng his way to Gloucester to visit, in his newe honor, the towne of which he bare the name of his old, deuised as he roode to fulfil that thing which he before had intended. And forasmuch as his minde gaue him that, his nephewes liuing, men woulde not recken 20 that hee could haue right to the realm, he thought therfore without delay to rid them, as though the killing of his kinsmen could amend his cause, and make him a kindly king. Whereuppon he sent one John Grene, whom he specially trusted, vnto sir Brakenbery constable of the Tower, letter and credence also, that the same sir Robert enbery con with a John Grene. Tower. Robert shoulde in any wise put the two children to death. This John Grene did his errande vnto Brakenbery kneling before our Lady in the Tower, who plainely 30 answered that he would neuer putte them to death to dye therfore, with which answer Jhon Grene returning recounted the same to Kynge Richarde at Warwick yet in his way. RICH. 6 5 Wherwith he toke such displeasure and thought, that the same night, he said vnto a secrete page of his : Ah whome shall a man trust? those that I haue broughte vp my selfe, those that I had went would most surely serue me, euen those fayle me, and at my commaundemente wyll do nothyng for me. Sir, quod his page, there lyeth one on your paylet without, that I dare well say, to do your grace pleasure, the thyng were right harde that he wold refuse, meaning this by sir James Tyrell, which was a man of right goodlye parsonage, and for natures gyftes, worthy to haue serued a muche better prince, if he had well serued God, and by grace obtayned as muche trouthe and good wil as he had strength and witte. The man had an high heart, and sore longed vpwarde, not rising 15 yet so fast as he had hoped, being hindered and kept vnder by the meanes of sir Richarde Ratclife and sir William IO Syr James Authority loveth no partners. Catesby, which longing for no moo parteners of the princes fauour, and namely not for hym, whose pride thei wist would beare no pere, 20 kept him by secrete driftes oute of all secrete trust. Whiche thyng this page wel had marked and knowen. Wherefore thys occasion offered, of very speciall frendship he toke his time to put him forward, and by such wise doe him good, that al the enemies he had except the deuil, could 25 neuer haue done him so muche hurte. For vpon this pages wordes king Richard arose. (For this communicacion had he sitting at the draught, a conuenient carpet for such a counsaile) and came out in to the pallet chamber, on which he found in bed sir James and sir Thomas Tyrels, of parson 30 like and brethren of blood, but nothing of kin in condicions. Then said the king merely to them: What, sirs, be ye in bed so soone? And calling vp syr James, brake to him secretely his mind in this mischieuous matter. In whiche he founde him nothing strange. Wherfore on the morow he sente him to Brakenbury with a letter, by which he was commaunded to deliuer sir James all the kayes of the Tower for one nyght, to the ende he might there accomplish the kinges pleasure, in such thing as he had 5 geuen him commaundement. After which letter deliuered and the kayes receiued, sir James appointed the night nexte ensuing to destroy them, deuysing before and preparing the meanes. The prince, as soone as the protector left that name and toke himself as king, had it shewed vnto 10 him, that he should not reigne, but his vncle should haue the crowne. At which worde the prince sore abashed, began to sigh and said: Alas I woulde my vncle woulde lette me haue my lyfe yet, though I lese my kingdome. Then he that tolde him the tale, vsed him with good wordes, 15 and put him in the best comfort he could. But forthwith was the prince and his brother bothe shet vp, and all other remoued from them, onely one called black Wil or William Slaughter except, set to serue them and see them sure. After whiche time the prince neuer tyed his pointes, nor 20 ought rought of hymselfe, but with that young babe hys brother, lingered in thought and heauines til this tratorous death deliuered them of that wretchednes. For sir James Tirel deuised that thei shold be murthered in their beddes. To the execucion wherof, he appointed Miles Forest, one of the foure that kept them, a felowe fleshed in murther before time. To him he joyned one John Dighton, his own horsekeper, a big brode square strong knaue. Then al the other beeing remoued from them, thys Miles Forest and 30 John Dighton, about midnight (the sely children lying in their beddes) came into the chamber, and sodainly lapped them vp among the clothes, so bewrapped them and Miles Forest. Jhon Dighton. 25 |