5

Whereupon the sayd Lewes retourned vnto the lady Margarete his mastresse declaryng vnto her the whole mynde and entent of the quene. So that then it was shortly agreed betwene these two women, that with all spede this matter should be set forwarde, insomuche that the lady Margarete brake this matter vnto Reynold Bray, willyng him to moue and set forwarde the same with all suche as he should perceiue either able to do good or willyng therunto. Then had the quene deuised that one Christopher (whom the 10 foresayd Lewes the physician had promoted into her seruice)

15

shuld be sent into Britayne to Henry to geue him knowledge of their myndes here, and that he should prepare and appoinct him selfe redy and to come into Wales, where he should fynd ayd and helpe ynough ready to receyue him.

But then shortly after it came vnto her knowledge that the duke of Buckyngham had of him selfe afore entended the same matter, wherupon she thought it should be mete to sende some messenger of more reputation and credyte then was this Christopher, and so kepte him at home, and 20 then sent Hughe Conewaye with a great somme of moneye,

25

willyng him to declare vnto Henry all thynges, and that he should hast him to come and to lande in Wales as is aforesayd. And after him one Rycharde Guilforde out of Kente sent one Thomas Ramney with the same message, the whiche two messengers came in maner both at one tyme into Britayn to the erle Henry, and declared vnto him al their commissyons. The whiche message, when Henry had perceiued and throughly hard, it rejoysed his heart, and he gaue thankes vnto God, ful purposyng with all conuenient 30 spede to take his journey towardes England, desiryng the ayde and helpe of the duke of Britayne, with promyse of thankeful recompence when God should send him to come to his right. The duke of Britayne notwithstandyng that he

had not long after bene required by Thomas Hutton purposely sent to him from kyng Rychard in message with mony eftsones to imprison the sayd Henry erle of Richemond and there continually to kepe and holde the same from commyng into England, yet with al gladnesse and 5 fauour inclyned to the desyre of Henry and ayded him as he might with men, monye, shyppes and other necessaries. But Henry whyle he might accordingly appoinct and furnishe him selfe, remayned in Britayne sendyng afore the foresayd Hugh Coneway and Thomas Ramney, whiche. ii. were to him very true and faithful, to beare tidynges into England vnto his frendes of his commyng, to the ende that they might prouidently ordre al thinges, as wel for the commodious receiuyng of him at his commyng, as also foreseyng suche daungers as might befall, and auoydyng suche trappes 15 and snares as by Rychard the thirde and his complyces might be set for him and for al his other company that he should bryng with him.

ΙΟ

In the meane tyme, the frendes of Henrye with al care, study, and dilygence wrought all thyngs vnto their purpose 20 belongyng. And though al this wer as secretly wrought and conueighed as emong so greate a numbre was possible to bee, yet priuie knowledge thereof came to the eares of kyng Richard, who although he were at the firste hearyng muche abashed, yet thought beste to dissemble the matter 25 as thoughe he had no knowledge thereof, while he might secretely gather vnto hym power and strength, and by secrete spiall emong the people get more perfect knowledge of the whole matters and chief autoures and contriuers of the same. And because he knewe the chief and principall 30 of theim, as vnto whom his owne conscience knewe that he had geuen moste just causes of enemite, he thought it necessary first of all to dispatche the same duke out of the

5

waie. Wherfore, vnto the duke he addressed letters enfarced and replenished with al humanitee, frendship, familiaritee and swetnesse of wordes, willyng and desiryng the same to come vnto hym with all conueniente spede. And ferther gaue in commaundement to the messenger that caried the letters that he should in his behalfe make many high and gaie promises vnto the duke and by all gentle meanes persuade the same to come vnto hym. But the duke, mistrustyng the faire woordes and promises so sodainly ΙΟ offred of hym, of whose wily craftes and meanes he knewe sondery examples afore practised, desired the kyng his perdon, excusyng hym self that he was deseased and sicke, and that he might bee asserteined, that if it possible wer for hym to come, he would not absent hym self from his grace. 15 This excuse the kyng would not admitte, but eftsones directed vnto the duke other letters of a more rough sorte, not without menacyng and threatenyng onlesse he would accordyng to his dutie repaire vnto him at his callyng, whervnto the Duke playnly made aunswere that he would 20 not come vnto hym whom he knewe to bee his enemie. And immediately the duke prepared hym self to make warre against hym, and perswaded all his complices and partakers of his intent with all possible expedicion, some in one place and some in another, to sturre against kyng Richarde. And 25 by this meanes and maner, at one tyme and houre, Thomas

Marques of Dorcester reised an armie within the countye of Yorke, beeyng hym self late come furthe of sanctuary, and by the meanes and helpe of Thomas Rowell, preserued and saued from perell of deathe. And in Deuonshire, Edwarde 30 Courtenay with his brother Peter, bishoppe of Excester, reised in like maner an armie, and in Kente, Richard Guylforde accompaignied with certain other gentlemen raysed vp the people, as is aforsaied, and all this was dooen

in maner in one momente. But the kyng, who had in the meane tyme gathered together greate power and strength, thynkyng it not to be best by pursuyng euery one of his enemies to disparkle his compaignie in small flockes, determined to lette passe all the others, and with all his whole 5 puysaunce to set upon the chief hed, that is to saie the duke of Buckyngham: so takyng his journey from London he wente towardes Salisbury to the entente that he might set vpon the saied duke, in case he mighte haue perfecte knowledge that the same laie in any felde embatailed. And now IO was the kyng within twoo daies journey of Salisbury when the duke attempted to mete him, whiche duke beyng accompaignied with great strength of Welshemen, whom he had enforced thereunto and coherced, more by lordly commaundement then by liberall wages and hire, whiche thyng 15 in deede was the cause that thei fell from hym and forsoke hym. Wherfore he beeyng sodenly forsaken of his menne, was of necessite constrained to flee, in whiche doyng, as a man caste in sodain and therfore great feare, of this his sodain chaunge of fortune, and by reason of the same fear 20 not knowyng where to bee come, nor wher to hide his hed, nor what in suche case best to doo, he secretely conueighed hym self into the house of Homffray Banaster, in whom he had conceiued a sure hope and confidence to finde faithfull and trustie vnto hym, because the same had been and then 25 was his seruaunt, entendyng there to remain in secrete vntill he might either raise a newe armie, or els by some meanes conueigh hym self into Britain to Henry erle of Richemonde. But as sone as the others, whiche had attempted the same enterprise against the kyng, had knowledge that the duke 30 was forsaken of his compaigny and fled and could not bee founde, thei beeyng striken with sodain feare, made euery man for himself suche shift as he might, and beyng in vtter

RICH.

7

despaire of their helth and life, either gotte theim to sanctuaries or desert places, or els assaied to escape ouer sea, and many of them in deede arrived sauely in Britain, emong whom wer these whose names ensue. Peter Curtney bishop 5 of Excestre with his brother Edward erle of Deuonshire, Thomas Marques of Dorcestre with his sonne Thomas beyng a very young childe, John Bourshere, John Welshe, Edwarde Wooduile a stoute manne of armes and brother to Elizabeth the quene, Robert Willoughby, Giles Daubeney, 10 Thomas Harondell, Jhon Cheiny with his twoo brethren, William Berkeley, William Brandon with Thomas his brother, Richard Edgecome, and all these for the moste parte knightes. Also Jhon Halwell, Edward Pointz an excellent good capitain and Christopher Urswicke, but Jhon 15 Morton bishop of Ely at the self same tyme together with sondrye of the nobles and gentlemen sailed into Flaunders.

But Richarde the kyng, who was now come to Salisbury and had gotten perfect knowledge that all these parties sought to flie the realme, with all diligence and haste that 20 mighte bee, sent to all the porte townes there aboute, to make sure steye that none of theim might passe vntaken, and made proclamacion that whosoeuer would bryng him knowledge, where the duke of Buckyngham wer to bee had, should haue for his reward, if he wer a bondman, his 25 fredome, and if he were free, his pardon and besides that, a thousande pounde of money.

Furthermore because he vnderstod by Thomas Hutton newly returned out of Britain, of whome afore is mencioned, that Fraunces duke of Britain would not onely [not] hold 30 Henry erle of Richemond in prisone for his sake, but also was ready to help the same Henry with menne, money and shippes in all that he might against hym, he set diuerse and sondery shippes in places conueniente by all the sea coastes