Thus passed faire words and golden promises betwéene these two princes: and in the meane time the yoong duchesse of Burgognie was spoiled of hir townes, castels & territories, till at length for maintenance she condescended to marrie with Maximilian sonne to the emperour Frederike, that he might kéepe the woolfe from the fold. King Edward in the ninetéenth yeare of his reigne began (more than he was before accustomed) to serch the forfeiture of penall lawes and statutes, as well of the chéefe of his nobilitie as of other gentlemen, being proprietaries of great possessions, or abundantlie furnished with goods; likewise of merchants, and other inferior persons. By reason whereof, it was of all men iudged that he would proue hereafter a sore and a rigorous prince among his subiects. But this his new inuented practise and couetous meaning (by reason of forreine aifaires and abridgement of his dales in this transitorie life, which were within two yeares after consumed) tooke some (but not great) effect.
¶ In this yeare was great mortalitie and death by the pestilence, not onelie in London, but in diuerse parts of the realme, which began in the latter end of September in the yeare last before passed, and continued all this yeare till the beginning of Nouember, which was about fourtéene moneths: in the which space died innumerable of people in the said citie & elsewhere. ¶ This yeare also the maior of London being in Paules, knéeling in his deuotions at saint Erkenwalds shrine, Robert Bifield one of the shiriffes vnaduisedlie knéeled downe nigh vnto the maior: whereof afterward the maior charged him to haue doone more than becomed him. But the shiriffe answering rudelie and stubbornlie, would not acknowledge to haue commited anie offense: for the which he was afterward by a court of aldermen fined at fiftie pounds to be paid toward the reparations of the conduits in London, which was trulie paid. ¶ This yeare Thomas Ilam one of the shirifs of London newlie builded the great conduit in Cheape, of his owne charges. ¶ This yeare also king Edward began his Christmasse at Waking, and at fiue daies end remooued to Gréenewich, where he kept out the other part of his Christmasse with great roialtie.
Ambassadours were sent to and fro betwixt the king of England and France, and still the French king fed the king of England with faire words, putting him in hope to match his sonne and heire the Dolphin with the ladie Elizabeth daughter to the king of England, according to the conclusions of agréement had and made at Picquenie betwixt them, although in verie déed he meant nothing lesse. His ambassadours euer made excuses if anie thing were amisse, and he vsed to send change of ambassadours; so that if those which had béene here before, and were returned, had said or promised anie thing (though they were authorised so to doo) which might turne to their masters hinderance, the other that came after, might excuse themselues by ignorance of that matter; affirming that they wanted commission once to talke or meddle with that matter: or if he perceiued that anie thing was like to be concluded contrarie to his mind, for a shift he would call his ambassadours home in great hast, and after send an other with new instructions nothing depending on the old.
Thus the French king vsed to dallie with king Edward in the case of this mariage, onelie to kéepe him still in amitie. And certeinelie the king of England, being a man of no suspicious nature, thought sooner that the sunne should haue fallen from his circle, than that the French king would haue dissembled or broken promise with him. But there is none so soone beguiled, as he that least mistrusteth; nor anie so able to decieue, as he to whome most credence is giuen. But as in mistrusting nothing, is great lightnesse; so in too much trusting, is to much follie: which well appeared in this matter. For the French king, by cloking his inward determinate purpose with great dissimulation and large promises, kept him still in fréendship with the king of England, till he had wrought a great part of his will against the yoong duchesse of Burgognie. Which king Edward would not haue suffered, if he had put anie great doubt in the French kings faire promises, considering that the crowne of France was in this meane time so much increased in dominions, to the great re-enforcement of that realme.
¶ On the two and twentith of Februarie were fiue notable théeues put to death, for robbing the church called saint Martins le grand in London, and other places; thrée of them were drawne to the Tower hill, hanged & burnt, the other two were pressed to death. A sore and seuere kind of execution no doubt, but yet thought by iustice meritorious in the malefactors, for their offences of sacrelege. Heinous enough had it beene to spoile a priuat man of his goods, and by law of nations punishable with death; but much more horrible, that prophane persons with polluted hands should priuilie or openlie so touch holie & consecrated things, as to take them out of a sacred place, whereto (for holy vses) they were dedicated, & applie them to the satisfieng of the corrupt concupiscences of their owne hearts, the bottomlesse gulfe whereof bicause no booties nor spoiles could satisfie; it stood with the high praise of iustice that they and their ceaselesse desires were seuered by deserued death; wherefore it is wiselie said by the comicall poet of such gréedie guts:
Decipitur in transenna perítque auaritia.
In this yeare king Edward required great sums of monie to be lent him. The citizens of London granted him fiue thousand marks, which were seized of the fiue and twentie wards: which fiue thousand marks was trulie repaid againe in the next yeare following. ¶ Also this yeare on Whitsundaie K. Edward the fourth created the lord Berkleie, vicount Berkeleie, at Gréenewich. ¶ In this yeare also an house on London bridge called the common siege, or priuie, fell downe into the Thames, where thorough it fiue persons were drowned. ¶ This yeare the king with his quéene kept a roiall Christmas at Windsor.
Also this yéere was one Richard Chawrie maior of London, whome king Edward so greatlie fauoured, that he tooke him (with certeine of his brethren the aldermen, & commons of the citie of London) into the forrest of Waltham, where was ordeined for them a pleasant lodge of gréene boughs, in which lodge they dined with great chéere; & the king would not go to dinner vntill he saw them serued. Moreouer he caused the lord chamberlaine, with other lords, to cheere the said maior and his companie sundrie times whilest they were at dinner. After dinner they went a hunting with the king, and slue manie deare, as well red as fallow, whereof the king gaue vnto the maior and his companie good plentie, and sent vnto the ladie mairesse and hir sisters the aldermens wiues, two harts, six bucks, and a tun of wine to make them merrie with, which was eaten in the drapers hall. The cause of which bountie thus shewed by the king, was (as most men did take) for that the maior was a merchant of woonderous aduentures into manie and sundrie countries. By reason whereof, the king had yearelie of him notable summes of monie for his customes, beside other pleasures that he had shewed vnto the king before times. ¶ This yéere the Scots began to stir, against whom the king sent the duke of Glocester & manie others, which returned againe without any notable battell.
In this verie season Iames the third of that name king of Scots sent into England a solemne ambassage for to haue the ladie Cicilie, king Edwards second daughter, to be married to his eldest sonne Iames, prince of Scotland, duke of Rothsaie, and earle of Caricke. King Edward and his councell, perceiuing that this affinitie should be both honourable and profitable to the realme, did not onelie grant to his desire; but also before hand disbursed certeine summes of monie, to the onelie intent that the marriage hereafter should neither be hindered nor broken. With this condition, that if the said mariage by anie accidentall meane should in time to come take none effect; or that king Edward would notifie to the king of Scots, or his councell, that his pleasure was determined to haue the said marriage dissolued: then the prouost and merchants of the towne of Edenburgh, should be bound for repaiment of the said summes againe. All which things were with great deliberation concluded, passed, and sealed, in hope of continuall peace and indissoluble amitie.
But king Iames was knowne to be a man so wedded to his owne opinion, that he could not abide them that would speake contrarie to his fansie: by meanes whereof, he was altogither led by the counsell and aduise of men of base linage, whome for their flatterie he had promoted vnto great dignities and honourable offices. By which persons diuerse of the nobilitie of his realme were greatlie misused and put to trouble, both with imprisonment, exactions, & death; insomuch that some of them went into voluntarie exile. Amongst whome Alexander duke of Albanie, brother to king Iames, being exiled into France, & passing through England, taried with K. Edward: and vpon occasion mooued him to make warre against his brother, the said king Iames, for that he forgetting his oth, promise, and affinitie concluded with king Edward, caused his subiects to make roads and forraies into the English borders, spoiling, burning, and killing king Edwards liege people.
King Edward, not a little displeased with this vnprincelie dooing, prouoked and set on also by the duke of Albanie, determined to inuade Scotland with an armie, as well to reuenge his owne injuries receiued at the hands of King Iames, as to helpe to restore the duke of Albanie vnto his countrie and possessions againe. Herevpon all the Winter season he mustered his men, prepared his ordinance, rigged his ships, and left nothing vnprouided for such a iournie: so that in the begining of the yeare, all things appertaining to the warre, and necessarie for his voiage, were in a readinesse. To be the cheefteine of his hoast, and lieutenant generall, Richard duke of Glocester was appointed by his brother king Edward; and with him were adioined as associats, Henrie the fourth earle of Northumberland, Thomas lord Stanleie lord steward of the kings house, the lord Louell, the lord Greiestocke, and diuerse other noblemen and worthie knights.
These valiant capteins came to Alnewike in Northumberland, about the beginning of Iulie, where they first incamped themselues, & marshalled their hoast. The fore-ward was led by the earle of Northumberland, vnder whose standard were the lord Scroope of Bolton, sir Iohn Middleton, sir Iohn Dichfield, and diuerse other knights, esquiers, & souldiers, to the number of six thousand and seauen hundred. In the midle-ward was the duke of Glocester, and with him the duke of Albanie, the lord Louell, the lord Greiestocke, sir Edward Wooduile, and other, to the number of fiue thousand & eight hundred men. The lord Neuill was appointed to follow, accompanied with thrée thousand. The lord Stanleie led the wing on the right hand of the dukes battell with foure thousand men of Lancashire & Cheshire. The lord Fitz Hugh, sir William a Parre, sir Iames Harrington, with the number of two thosand souldiers, guided the left wing. And beside all these, there were one thousand appointed to giue their attendance on the ordinance.
¶ In this yeare Edmund Shaw goldsmith and maior of London newlie builded Creplegate from the foundation, which gate in old time had bene a prison, wherevnto such citizens and other as were arrested for debt (or like trespasses) were committed, as they be now to the counters, as maie appear by a writ of king Edward the second, in these words: Rex vic' London salutem. Ex graui querela capti & detenti in prisona nostra de Creplegate, prox. li. quas coram Radulpho Sandwico, tunc custode ciuitatis nostræ London, & I. de Blackewell custode recognit. debitorum, &c. King Edward held his Christmas at Eltham, and kept his estate all the whole feast in his great chamber; and the quéene in hir chamber, where were dailie more than two thousand persons. The same yeare on Candlemas day, he with his quéene went on procession from saint Stephans chappell into Westminster hall, accompanied with the earle of Angus, the lord Greie, & sir Iames Liddall, ambassadors from Scotland. And at his procéeding out of his chamber he made sir Iohn Wood vnder-treasuror of England, & sir William Catesbie one of the iustices of the cōmon plées, knights.
But to returne to the kings affaires concerning Scotland. The roiall armie aforesaid not intending to lose time, came suddenlie by the water side to the towne of Berwike, and there (what with force, and what with feare of so great an armie) tooke and entered the towne: but the earle of Bothwell, being capteine of the castell, would in no wise deliuer it; wherfore the capteines, vpon good and deliberate aduise, planted a strong siege round about it. When this siege was laid, the two dukes and all the other souldiers (except the lord Stanleie, sir Iohn Eldrington treasurer of the kings house, sir William a Parre, and foure thousand men that were left behind to keepe the siege before the castell) departed from Berwike toward Edenburgh; and in marching thitherward, they burnt and destroied manie townes and bastiles. King Iames hauing small confidence in his communaltie, and lesse trust in his nobilitie, kept himselfe within the castell of Edenburgh.
The duke of Glocester entered into the towne, and at the especiall desire of the duke of Albanie saued the towne, and the inhabitants from fire, bloud, and spoile, taking onelie of the merchants, such presents as they gentlie offered to him and his capteins, causing Gartier principall king at armes to make a publike proclamation at the high crosse in the market place of Edenburgh; by the which he warned and admonished king Iames, to kéepe, obserue, and performe, all such promises, compacts, couenants, and agréements, as he had concluded and sealed with the king of England, and also to make sufficient recompense vnto his subiects, for the tyrannic, spoile, and crueltie which he and his people had committed and doone, contrarie to the league, within the marches of his realme of England, before the first daie of August next insuing: and further without delaie to restore his brother the duke of Albanie to his estate, & all his possessions, offices, and authorities, in as large maner as he occupied & inioied the same before. Or else the duke of Glocester, lieutenant generall for the king of England, was readie at hand to destroie him, his people, and countries, with slaughter, flame, and famine.
King Iames would make no answer, neither by word nor writing, but kept himselfe close within the castell. But the lords of Scotland lieng at Hadington with a great puissance, determined first to practise with the duke of Glocester for a peace, and after by some meanes to allure the duke of Albanie from the English amitie. And vpon this motion, the second daie of August they wrote to the duke of Glocester, requiring that the mariage betwéene the prince of Scotland, and king Edwards daughter might be accomplished, according to the couenants: and further, that a peace from thencefoorth might be louinglie concluded betwéene both the realmes. The duke of Glocester answered againe vnto these demands; that for the article of the mariage, he knew not the king his brothers determinate pleasure, either for the affirmance or deniall of the same; but neuerthelesse he desired full restitution of all the sums of monie prested out in lone vpon the same mariage. And as for peace, he assured them that he wold agrée to none, except the castell of Berwike might be to him deliuered; or at the least wise, that he should vndertake that the siege lieng afore the same should not be troubled by the king of Scots, nor by anie of his subiects, nor by his or their procurement or meanes.
The Scotish lords, vpon this answer and demands of the duke of Glocester, sent to him the elect of Murreie, and the lord Dernleie, which excused the matter touching the repaiment of the monie: for that the time of the lawfull contract of the said marriage was not yet come, and no daie appointed for the monie to be paied before the contract begun. But for further assurance either for the contract to be made, or for the paiment of the monie, they promised therevnto accordinglie (as reason should require) to agrée. Secondarilie, as touching the castell of Berwike, they alledged, that it apperteined to the realme of Scotland, as the old inheritance of the same.
The duke, notwithstanding all that they could saie, would agrée to no peace, except the castell of Berwike might be deliuered to the K. of England. And so the messengers departed. The same daie the archbishop of S. Andrews, the bishop of Dunkeld, Colin earle of Argile, lord Campbell, and lord Andrew lord of Anandale chancellor of Scotland, wrote to the duke of Albanie, a solemne and an autenticall instrument, signed and sealed with their hands and seales, concerning a generall pardon to him and his servants, vpon certeine conditions to be granted; which conditions seemed to be so reasonable, that the duke of Albanie, desirous to be restored to his old estate, possessions, and natiue countrie, willinglie accepted the same.
But before he departed from the duke of Glocester, he promised both by word and writing of his owne hand, to doo and performe all such things, as he before that time had sworne and promised to king Edward: notwithstanding anie agréement now made, or after to be made with the lords of Scotland. And for performance of the effect hereof, he againe tooke a corporall oth, and sealed the writing before the duke of Glocester, in the English campe at Leuington besides Hadington, the third daie of August, in the yeare 1482. After he was restored, the lords of Scotland proclamed him great lieutenant of Scotland; and in the kings name made proclamation, that all men within eight daies should be readie at Craushaus, both to raise the siege before the castell, and for the recouering againe of the towne of Berwike.
The duke of Albanie wrote all this preparation to the duke of Glocester, requiring him to haue no mistrust in his dealings. The duke of Glocester wrote to him againe his mind verie roundlie, promising that he with his armie would defend the besiegers from all enimies that should attempt to trouble them, or else die in the quarell. To be briefe, when the lords of Scotland saw that it booted them not to assaie the raising of the siege, except they should make account to be fought withall, they determined to deliuer the castell of Berwike to the Englishmen, so that therevpon there might be an abstinence of warre taken for a season.
And herewith they sent to the duke of Glocester a charter indented, which was dated the foure and twentith daie of August, in the said yeare 1482 contracted betwéene the duke of Glocester lieutenant generall for the king of England, & Alexander duke of Albanie lieutenant for Iames king of Scots; that an especiall abstinence of warre should be kept betwixt the realmes of England and Scotland, as well by sea as by land, to begin the eighth daie of September next comming, & to indure till the fourth daie of Nouember next following. And in the same season, the towne & castell of Berwike to be occupied and remaine in the reall possession of such, as by the king of Englands deputie should be appointed.
Herevnto the duke of Glocester agreed, and so then was the castell of Berwike deliuered to the lord Stanleie, and other thereto appointed; who therein put both Englishmen and artillerie, sufficient to defend it against all Scotland, for six months. The duke of Albanie also caused the prouost and burgesses of Edenburgh, to make a sufficient instrument obligatorie to king Edward, for the true satisfaction and contentation of the same monie, which he also sent by the said prouost to the duke of Glocester to Alnewike; the verie copie whereof hereafter followeth.
The true copie of the said instrument obligatorie.
Be it knowne to all men by these present letters, vs Walter Bertraham, prouost of the towne of Edenburgh in Scotland, and the whole fellowship, merchants, burgesses, & communaltie of the same towne, to be bound and obliged by these presents, vnto the most excellent, and most mightie prince Edward, by the grace of God king of England. That where it was communed and agreed betweene his excellencie on the one part, and the right high & mightie prince our souereigne lord, Iames king of Scots on the other part, that mariage and matrimonie should haue beene solemnized and had betwixt a mightie and excellent prince Iames the first begotten sonne and heire apparent to our souereigne lord aforesaid, & the right noble princesse Cicilie, daughter to the said Edward K. of England; and for the said mariage to haue beene performed, certeine and diuerse great summes of monie bene paid and contented by the most excellent prince, vnto our souereigne lord aforesaid, as by certeine writings betwixt the said princes therevpon made more at large plainlie appeares.
That if it be the pleasure of the said Edward king of England, to haue the said mariage to be performed and completed, according to the said communication in writing, that then it shall be well and trulie, without fraud, deceipt, or collusion obserued, kept, and accomplished on the partie of our souereigne lord aforesaid, & the nobles spirituall and temporall of the realme of Scotland. And if it be not the pleasure of the said excellent prince Edward king of England, to haue the said mariage performed and completed; that then we Walter, prouost, burgesses, merchants, and commons of the aboue named towne of Edenburgh, or anie of vs, shall paie and content to the king of England aforesaid, all the summes of monie that was paied for the said mariage, at such like termes & daies immediatlie insuing after the refusall of the said mariage, and in such like maner & forme as the said summes were afore deliuered, contented and paied; that then this obligation and bond to be void, and of no strength. Prouided alwaies, that the said Edward king of England, shall giue knowledge of his pleasure and election in the premisses in taking or refusing of the said mariage, or of repaiment of the said sums of monie, to our said souereigne lord, or lords of his councell, or to vs the said prouost, merchants, or any of vs, within the realme of Scotland, being for the time, betwixt this & the feast of Alhalowes next to come.
To the which paiment well and trulie to be made, we bind and oblige vs, & euerie of vs, our heires, successors, executors, and all our goods, merchandizes, & things what soeuer they be, where soeuer, or in what place, by water or by land, on this side the sea or beyond, we shall happen to be found, anie league, anie truce or safegard made or to be made, notwithstanding. In witnesse whereof to this our present writing, and letters of bond, we, the said prouost, burgesses, merchants, and communitie, haue set our common seale of the said towne of Edenburgh, the fourth daie of Aueust, the yeare of our Lord God, 1482. Giuen in the presence of the right miehtie prince Richard duke of Glocester, Alexander duke of Albanie, the reuerend father in God Iames bishop of Dunkeld, & the right noble lord Henrie earle of Northumberland, Colin earle of Argile, Thomas lord Stanleie, maister Alexander English, and others, &c.
So that you see it was conteined in the said instrument or writing, that king Edward should intimate his pleasure vnto the said prouost and burgesses of Edenburgh, before the feast of Alsaints next following, whether he would the mariage should take place, or that he would haue the paiment of the monie. According to which article, king Edward sent Gartier his principall king of armes, and Northumberland herald, to declare his refusall of the mariage, and the election and choise of the repaiment of the monie. They came to Edenburgh eight daies before the feast of Alsaints, where (according to their commission and instructions) Gartier declared the pleasure of the king his maister vnto the prouost and burgesses of Edenburgh, to whom he openlie said as followeth.
The intimation of Gartier king of armes to the Edenburghers.
I Gartier king of armes, seruant, proctour and messenger vnto the most high and mightie prince, my most dread souereigne lord Edward, by the grace of God king of England and of France, and lord of Ireland, by vertue of certeine letters of procuracie here readie to be shewed to me, by my said souereigne lord made and giuen, make notice and giue knowledge vnto you prouost, burgesses, merchants and communaltie of the towne of Edenburgh in Scotland, that whereas it was sometime communed and agreed betweene my said souereigne lord on the one partie, and the right high & mightie prince Iames king of Scots on the other partie, that mariage and matrimonie should haue beene solemnized, and had betweene Iames the first begotten sonne of the said king of Scots, and ladie Cicilie, daughter to my said souereigne lord the king of England.
And for the said mariage to haue been performed, certeine and diuers great sums of monie beene paied and contented by my said souereigne lord, which summes of monie, in case of refusall of the said mariage, by my said souereigne lord to be made and declared, yée the said prouost, burgesses, merchants, and communaltie, and euerie one of you are bound and obliged by your letters, vnder your common seale of your towne of Edenburgh, to repaie vnto his highness vnder like forme, & at such termes as they were first paied. So that the king my souereigne lord would make notice and knowledge of his pleasure and election in taking or refusing of the said mariage, of the repaiment of the said sums of monie, before the feast of Alhalowes next to come; like as in your said letters, bearing date at Edenburgh the fourth daie of August last past, it was conteined all at large.
The pleasure and election of my said souereigne lord, for diuerse causes and considerations him moouing, is to refuse the accomplishment of the said mariage, and to haue the repaiment of all such summes of monie, as (by occasion of the said betrusted mariage) his highnesse had paied. The said repaiment to be had of you prouost, burgesses, merchants, and communaltie, and euerie of you, your heires and successours, according to your bond and obligation afore rehearsed. And therefore I giue you notice & knowledge by this writing, which I deliuer vnto you, within the terme in your said letters limited and expressed, to all intents and effects, which thereof may insue.
When Gartier had thus declared all things giuen to him in charge, the prouost and other burgesses made answer, that they now knowing the kings determinat pleasure, would (according to their bond) prepare for the repaiment of the said summes; and gentlie interteining Gartier conueied him to Berwike, from whence he departed to Newcastell, to the duke of Glocester, making relation to him of all his dooings: which duke with all speed returned to Shrithuton, and there abode. Shortlie after Gartiers departing, the duke of Albanie, thinking to obteine againe the high fauour of the king his brother, deliuered him out of captiuitie and prison, wherin he had a certeine space continued (not without the dukes assent, which besieged him in the castell of Edenburgh a little before) and set him at large, of whome outwardlie he receiued great thanks, when inwardlie nothing but reuenging & confusion was in the kings stomach fullie setled. So that shortlie after in the kings presence he was in ieopardie of his life, and all vnprouided for dread of death, constrained to take a small balinger, and to saile into France, where shortlie after riding by the men of armes, which incountered at the tilt, by Lewes then duke of Orleance, after French king, he was with mischarging of a speare by fortunes peruerse countenance pitifullie slaine and brought to death, leauing after him one onelie son named Iohn, which being banished Scotland, inhabited and maried in France, and there died.
How dolorous, how sorrowfull is it to write, and much more painefull to remember the chances and infortunities that happened within two yeares in England and Scotland, betwéene naturall brethren. For king Edward, set on by such as enuied the estate of the duke of Clarence, forgetting nature and brotherlie amitie, consented to the death of his said brother. Iames king of Scots, putting in obliuion that Alexander his brother was the onelie organ and instrument, by whome he obteined libertie & fréedome, seduced and led by vile and malicious persons, which maligned at the glorie and indifferent iustice of the duke of Albanie, imagined and compassed his death, and exiled him for euer. What a pernicious serpent, what a venemous toade, and what a pestiferous scorpion is that diuelish whelpe, called priuie enuie. Against it no fortresse can defend, no caue can hide, no wood can shadow, no fowle can escape, nor no beast can auoid. Hir poison is so strong, that neuer man in authoritie could escape from the biting of hir téeth, scratching of hir pawes, blasting of hir breth, & filth of hir taile. Notable therefore is the Gréeke epigram in this behalfe, touching enuie of this kind, which saith, that a worsse thing than enuie there is not in the world, and yet hath it some goodnesse in it: for it consumeth the eies and the hart of the enuious. The words in their owne toong sententiouslie sound thus:
τήκα γὰρ φθονδρῶν ὀμματα καὶ κραδίαν
Although king Edward reioised that his businesse came to so good a conclusion with the Scots, yet he was about the same time sore disquieted in his mind towards the French king, whome he now perceiued to haue dallied with him, as touching the agreement of the mariage to be had betwixt the Dolphin and his daughter the ladie Elizabeth. For the lord Howard, being as then returned out of France, certified the king (of his owne knowledge) how that he being present, saw the ladie Margaret of Austrich daughter to duke Maximilian, sonne to the emperor Frederike, receiued into France with great pompe and roialtie, and at Ambois to the Dolphin contracted and espoused. King Edward highlie displeased with such double and vniust dealing of the French king, called his nobles togither, and opened to them his gréefes; who promised him for redresse thereof, to be readie with all their powers to make warres in France at his pleasure and appointment.
But whilest he was busie in hand to make his purueiance for warres thus against France, whether it was with melancholie and anger, which he tooke with the French kings dooings and vncourteous vsage; or were it by any superfluous surfet (to the which he was verie much giuen) he suddenlie fell sicke, and was so gréeuouslie taken, that in the end he perceiued his naturall strength in such wise to decaie, that there was little hope of recouerie in the cunning of his physicians, whome he perceiued onlie to prolong his life for a small time. Wherefore he began to make readie for his passage into another world, not forgetting (as after shall appeare) to exhort the nobles of his realme (aboue all things) to an vnitie among themselues. And hauing (as he tooke it) made an attonement betwixt the parties that were knowne to be scant freends, he commended vnto their graue wisedoms the gouernment of his sonne the prince, and of his brother the duke of Yorke, during the time of their tender yeares. But it shall not be amisse to adde in this place the words which he is said to haue spoken on his death-bed, which were in effect as followeth.
The words of king Edward vttered by him on his death-bed.
My welbeloued and no lesse betrusted fréends, councellors, and alies, if we mortall men would dailie and hourlie with our selues reuolue, and intentiuelie in our hearts ingraue, or in our minds seriouslie ponder, the fraile and fading imbecillitie of our humane nature, and the vnstablenesse of the same: we should apparantlie perceiue, that we being called reasonable creatures, and in that predicament compared and ioined with angels, be more worthie to be named and déemed persons vnreasonable, and rather to be associate in that name with brute beasts called vnreasonable (of whose life and death no creature speaketh) rather than in that point to be resembled to the angelicall societie and reasonable companie.
For while health in vs florisheth, or prosperitie aboundeth, or the glosing world laugheth, which is he, so reasonable of vs all, that can saie (if he will not er from the truth) that he once in a wéeke remembreth his fatall end, or the prescribed terme of his induring; or once prouided by labour, studie, or otherwise, to set a stedfast and sure order for the securitie, profit, and continuance either of his possessions & dominions, or of his sequele and posteritie which after him shall naturallie succéed. Such is the blindnesse of our fraile and weake nature, euer giuen to carnall concupiscence and worldlie delectations, dailie darkened and seduced with that lithargious and deceiuable serpent called hope of long life, that all we put in obliuion our duetie present, and lesse remember the politike purueiance for things to come: for blindlie we walke in this fraile life, till we fall groueling, with our eies suddenlie vpon death.
The vanities of this world be to vs so agreeable, that when we begin to liue, we estéeme our life a whole world; which once ouerpassed, it sheweth no better but dust driuen awaie with a puffe of wind. I speake this to you of my selfe, and for your selues to you; sore lamenting and inwardlie bewailing, that I did not performe & finallie consummate such politike deuises, & good and godlie ordinances, in my long life and peaceable prosperitie, which then I fullie determined to haue begun, set forward, and completlie to haue finished. Which now for the extreame paines and tortures of my angrie maladie, and for the small terme of my naturall life, I can neither perform, neither yet liue to sée either to take effect, or to sort to anie good conclusion.
For God I call to record, my heart was fullie set, and my mind deliberative determined, so to haue adorned this realme with wholesome lawes, statutes and ordinances; so to haue trained and brought vp mine infants and children in vertue, learning, actiuitie, and policie, that, what with their roiall puissance, & your fréendlie assistance, the proudest prince of Europe durst not once attempt to mooue anie hostilitie, against them, you, or this realme. But oh Lord, all things that I of long time haue in my mind reuolued and imagined, that stealing théefe death goeth about to subuert, and in the moment of an houre cléerelie to ouertred. Wherefore (as men saie) I now being driuen to the verie hard wall, haue perfect confidence and sure hope in the approued fidelitie, and constant integritie, which I haue euer experimented and knowne to be rooted and planted in the hearts of your louing bodies, towards me and mine.
So that I may saie and auouch, that neuer prince bearing scepter and crowne ouer realmes and regions, hath found or prooued more faithfull councellors, nor truer subiects, than I haue doone of you; nor neuer potentate nor gouernour put more affiance and trust in his vassals and seruants, than I, since the adeption of the crowne, firmelie haue fixed in your circumspect wisedoms and sober discretions. And now of very force compelled, lieng in a doutfull hope, betwéene liuing and dieng, betweene remembrance and obliuion, I doo require you, and instantlie mooue you, that as I haue found you faithfull, obedient, and to all my requests and desires (while I was here in health conuersant with you) diligent and intentiue: so after my death, my hope is with a sure anchor grounded, & mine inward conceipt vndoubtedlie resolued, that the especiall confidence and inward fidelitie, which so loag hath continued betwéene vs, bieing together liuing, shall not wholie by my death be extinct and vanished like smoke.
For what auaileth fréendship in life, when trust deceiueth after death? What profiteth amitie in apparent presence, when confidence is fraudulentlie beguiled in absence? What loue groweth by coniunction of matrimonie, if the ofspring after doo not agree and accord? Or what profiteth princes to aduance and promote their subiects, if after their death, the bountifulnesse by them shewed, be of the receiuers of the same and their sequele neither regarded nor yet remembred? The parents make the marriage for an indissoluble amitie. Princes promote sometime for fauour, sometime for desert, & sometime for pleasure: yet (if you will consider) the verie scope, to the which all gifts of promotions doo finallie tend, is to haue loue, fauour, faithfull counsell, and diligent seruice, of such as be by them promoted and exalted, not onelie in their owne liues, being but bréefe and transitorie: but also that they and their progenie, calling to remembrance the fauor, estimation, and aduancement, which they of so liberall and munificent a prince had receiued and obteined, should with speare and shield, toong and wit, hand and pen, continuallie studie to defend, councell and preferre, not onelie him during his life, but also to serue, assist, and mainteine his sequele and lineall succession, as the verie images and carnall portratures of his stirpe, line, and stemme, naturallie descended.
In this case am I, whome you know, not without vnspeakable trouble & most dangerous war to haue obteined the scepter and diademe of this realme and empire. During which reigne, I haue had either litle peace, or small tranquillitie: and now when I thought my selfe sure of a quiet life, and worldlie rest, death hath blowne his terrible trumpet, calling and summoning me (as I trust) to perpetuall tranqaillitie and eternall quietnesse. Therefore now, for the perfect and vnmoueable confidence that I haue euer had in you, and for the vnfeined loue that you haue euer shewed vnto me, I commend and deliuer into your gouernance, both this noble realme, and my naturall children, and your kinsmen. My children by your diligent ouersight and politike prouision to be taught, informed, and instructed, not onelie in the sciences liberall, vertues morall, and good literature: but also to be practised in trickes of martiall actiuitie, and diligent exercise of prudent policie. For I haue heard clarkes saie, although I am vnlettered, that fortunate is that realme where philosophers reigne, or where kings be philosophers and louers of wisedome.
In this tender age, you may writh and turne them into euerie forme and fashion. If you bring them vp in vertue, you shall haue vertuous princes. If you set them to learning, your gouernours shall be men of knowledge. If you teach them actiuitie, you shall haue valiant capteins. If they practise policie, you shall haue both politike and prudent rulers. On the other side, if by your negligence they fall to vice (as youth is to all euill prone and readie) not onelie their honor, but also your honestie shall be spotted and appalled. If they be sluggards and giuen to slouth, the publike wealth of this realme must shortlie decaie. If they be vnlearned, they may by flatterie soone be blinded, and by adulation often deceiued. If they lacke actiuitie, euerie creature (be he neuer so base of birth) shall foile and ouerthrow them like dum beasts and beastlie dastards. Therefore I desire you, and in Gods name adiure you, rather to studie to make them rich in godlie knowledge, and vertuous qualities; than to take paine to glorifie them with abundance of worldlie treasure, and mundane superfluitie.
And certeinlie, when they come to ripenesse of age, and shall peraduenture consider, that by your omission and negligent education, they haue not such graces, nor are indued with such notable qualities as they might haue béene, if you had performed the trust to you by me committed: they shall not onelie deplore and lament their vngarnished estate, and naked condition; but also it may fortune, that they shall conceiue inwardlie against you such a negligent vntruth, that the sequele thereof may rather turne to displeasure than thanks, and sooner to an ingratitude than to a reward. My kingdome also I leaue in your gouernance, during the minoritie of my children, charging you (on your honors oths and fidelitie made and sworne to me) so indifferentlie to order and gouerne the subjects of the same, both with iustice and mercie, that the wils of malefactors haue not too large a scope, nor the harts of the good people by too much extremitie be neither sorowfulle daunted, nor vnkindlie kept vnder. Oh I am so sléepie, that I must make an end. And now before you all I commend my soule to almightie God my sauiour and redéemer, my bodie to the wormes of the earth, my kingdome to the prince my sonne: and to you my louing fréends my heart, my trust, and my whole confidence. [And euen with that he fell on sléepe.]
Hauing thus spoken, and set things in good staie, as might be supposed, he shortlie after departed this life at Westminster the ninth of Aprill, in the yeare 1483, after he had reigned two and twentie yeares, one moneth, and eight daies. His bodie was with funerall pompe conueied to Windsore, and there buried. He left behind him issue by the quéene his wife two sonnes, Edward and Richard, with fiue daughters; Elizabeth that was after quéene married to Henrie the seauenth; Cicilie married to the vicount Welles; Briget a nunne professed in Sion or Dertford, as sir Thomas More saith; Anne married to the lord Thomas Howard, after earle of Surrie, and duke of Norffolke; Katherine wedded to the lord William Courtenie sonne to the earle of Deuonshire. Beside these he left behind him likewise a base sonne named Arthur, that was after vicount Lisle. For the description of his person & qualities I will referre you to that which sir Thomas More hath written of him in that historie, which he wrote and left vnfinished of his sonne Edward the fift and of his brother king Richard the third: which we shall (God willing) hereafter make you partaker of, as we find the same recorded among his other workes, word for word; when first we haue (according to our begun order) rehersed such writers of our nation as liued in his daies.
As first, Nicholas Kenton borne in Suffolke a Carmelit frier in Gippeswich, prouinciall of his order through England; Henrie Parker a Carmelit frier of Doncaster, preached against the pride of prelats, and for such doctrine as he set foorth, was imprisoned with his fellow Thomas Holden, and a certeine blacke frier also for the like cause; Parker was forced to recant thrée speciall articles, as Bale noteth out of Leland; Iohn Harding an esquier borne in the north parts, wrote a chronicle in English verse, and among other speciall points therein touched, he gathered all the submissions and homages had and made by the Scotish kings, euen from the daies of king Athelstan [whereby it euidentlie may appeare, how the Scotish kingdome euen in manner from the first establishing thereof here in Britaine, hath beene apperteining vnto the kings of England, and holden of them as their chéefe, & superior lords.]
William Iue a doctor of diuinitie and prebendarie of saint Paules in London; Thomas Wilton a diuine, and deane of the said church of Paules in London; Iulian Bemes, a gentlewoman indued with excellent gifts both of bodie and mind, wrote certeine treatises of hawking and hunting, delighting greatlie hir selfe in those exercises and pastimes; she wrote also a booke of the lawes of armes, and knowledge apperteining to heralds; Iohn Stamberie borne in the west parts of this realme, a Carmelit frier, and confessor to king Henrie the sixt, he was also maister of Eaton colledge, and after was made bishop of Bangor, and remooued from thence to the sée of Hereford; Iohn Slueleie an Augustine frier, prouinciall of his order; Iohn Fortescue a iudge and chancellor of England, wrote diuerse treatises concerning the law and politike gouernement.
Rochus a Chaterhouse moonke borne in London, of honest parents, and studied in the vniuersitie of Paris, he wrote diuerse epigrams; Iohn Phreas borne also in London was fellow of Balioll colledge in Oxenford, and after went into Italie, where he heard Guarinus that excellent philosopher read in Ferrara, he prooued an excellent physician and a skilfull lawier, there was not in Italie (whilest he remained there) that passed him in eloquence & knowledge of both the toongs, Gréeke and Latine; Walter Hunt a Carmelit frier, a great diuine, and for his excellencie in learning sent from the whole bodie of this realme, vnto the generall councell holden first at Ferrara, and after at Florence by pope Eugenius the fourth, where he disputed among other with the Gréekes, in defense of the order and ceremonies of the Latine church; Thomas Wighenhall a moonke of the order called Premoristratensis in the abbeie of Durham in Norffolke.
Iohn Gunthorpe went into Italie, where he heard that eloquent learned man Guarinus read in Ferrara, after his comming home into England he was deane of Welles, and kéeper of the priuie scale; Iohn Hambois an excellent musician, and for his notable cunning therein made doctor of musicke; William Caxton wrote a chronicle called Fructus temporum, and an appendix ynto Treuisa, beside diuerse other bookes and translations; Iohn Miluerton a Carmelit frier of Bristow, and prouinciall of his order through England, Ireland, and Scotland, at length (bicause he defended such of his order as preached against endowments of the church with temporall possessions) he was brought into trouble, committed to prison in castell S. Angelo in Rome, where he continued thrée yeares, and at length was deliuered through certeine of the cardinals that were appointed his iudges; Dauid Morgan a Welsh man, treasurer of the church of Landaffe, wrote of the antiquities of Wales, & a description of the countrie.
Iohn Tiptoft, a noble man borne, a great traueller, excellentlie learned, and wrote diuerse treatises, and finallie lost his head in the yeare 1471, in time of the ciuill warre betwixt the houses of Yorke and Lancaster; Iohn Shirwood bishop of Durham; Thomas Kent an excellent philosopher; Robert Huggon borne in Norffolke in a towne called Hardingham, wrote certeine veine prophesies; Iohn Maxfield a learned physician; William Gréene a Carmelit frier; Thomas Norton borne in Bristow an alcumist; Iohn Meare a moonke of Norwich; Richard Porland borne in Norffolke a Franciscane frier, and a doctor of diuinitie; Thomas Milling a moonke of Westminster, a doctor of diuinitie and preferred to the bishoprike of Hereford; Scogan a learned gentleman and student for a time in Oxford, of a plesant wit, and bent to meirie deuises, in respect whereof he was called into the court, where giuing himselfe to his naturall inclination of mirth & pleasant pastime, he plaied manie sporting parts, although not in such vnciuill maner as hath beene of him reported:
Thus farre the prosperous reigne of Edward the fourth, sonne and heire to Richard duke of Yorke.