<B CEHIST1A>
<Q E1 NN HIST MORERIC>
<N HISTORY RICHARD III>
<A MORE THOMAS>
<C E1>
<O 1500-1570>
<M X>
<K X>
<D ENGLISH>
<V PROSE>
<T HISTORY>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X MALE>
<Y 20-40>
<H HIGH PROF>
<U X>
<E X>
<J X>
<I X>
<Z NARR NON-IMAG>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^MORE, THOMAS.
TEXT:  THE HISTORY OF KING RICHARD III.
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF ST. THOMAS MORE,
VOL. II.
ED. R. S. SYLVESTER.
NEW HAVEN AND LONDON: YALE UNIVERSITY
PRESS, 1963.
PP. 15.26 - 18.30   (SAMPLE 1)
PP. 40.8  - 42.23   (SAMPLE 2)
PP. 46.7  - 47.25   (SAMPLE 3)
PP. 52.23 - 56.24   (SAMPLE 4)
PP. 76.13 - 80.25   (SAMPLE 5)^]

<S SAMPLE 1>
<P 15>
   With these wordes and writynges and suche other, the Duke of
Gloucester sone set a fyre, them that were of themself ethe to  #
kindle,
and in especiall twayne, Edward Duke of Buckingham, and
Richarde Lorde Hastinges and chaumberlayn, both men of honour
and of great power. The tone by longe succession from his       #
ancestrie,
the tother by his office and the kinges fauor. These two not    #
bearing
eche to other so muche loue, as hatred bothe vnto the Quenes    #
parte:
<P 16>
in this poynte accorded together wyth the Duke of Gloucester,   #
that
they wolde vtterlye amoue fro the kynges companye, all his      #
mothers
frendes, vnder the name of their enemyes. Vpon this concluded,
the Duke of Gloucester vnderstandyng, that the Lordes whiche at
that tyme were aboute the kyng, entended to bryng him vppe to   #
his
Coronacion, accoumpanied with suche power of theyr frendes,     #
that
it shoulde bee harde for him to brynge his purpose to passe,    #
without
the gathering and great assemble of people and in maner of open
warre, wherof the ende he wiste was doubtuous, and in which the
kyng being on their side, his part should haue the face and     #
name of a
rebellion: he secretly therefore by diuers meanes, caused the   #
Quene
to be perswaded and brought in the mynd, that it neither wer    #
nede,
& also shold be ieopardous, the king to come vp strong. For     #
where
as nowe euery lorde loued other, and none other thing studyed
vppon, but aboute the Coronacion and honoure of the king: if    #
the
lordes of her kinred shold assemble in the kinges name muche
people, thei should geue the lordes atwixte whome and them      #
hadde
bene sommetyme debate, to feare and suspecte, leste they        #
shoulde
gather thys people, not for the kynges sauegarde whome no manne
enpugned, but for theyr destruccion, hauyng more regarde to     #
their
olde variaunce, then their newe attonement. For whiche cause    #
thei
shoulde assemble on the other partie muche people agayne for    #
their
defence, whose power she wyste wel farre stretched. And thus    #
should
all the realme fall on a rore. And of al the hurte that therof  #
should
ensue, which was likely not to be litle, and the most harme     #
there
like to fal wher she lest would, all the worlde woulde put her  #
and her
kinred in the wyght, and say that thei had vnwyselye and        #
vntrewlye
also, broken the amitie and peace that the kyng her husband so
prudentelye made, betwene hys kinne and hers in his death bed,  #
and
whiche the other party faithfully obserued.
<P 17>
   The Quene being in this wise perswaded, suche woorde sente   #
vnto
her sonne, and vnto her brother being aboute the kynge, and     #
ouer
that the Duke of Gloucester hymselfe and other Lordes the       #
chiefe of
hys bende, wrote vnto the kynge soo reuerentelye, and to the
Queenes frendes, there soo louyngelye, that they nothynge       #
Earthelye
mystrustynge, broughte the Kynge vppe in greate haste, not in   #
good
speede, with a sober coumpanye. Nowe was the king in his waye   #
to
London gone, from Northampton, when these Dukes of Gloucester
and Buckyngham came thither.


   Where remained behynd, the Lorde
Ryuers the Kynges vncle, entendyng on the morowe to folow the
Kynge, and bee with hym at Stonye Stratford eleuen miles        #
thence,
earely or hee departed. So was there made that nyghte muche
frendely chere betwene these Dukes and the Lorde Riuers a       #
greate
while. But incontinente after that they were oppenlye with      #
greate
courtesye departed, and the Lorde Riuers lodged,

the Dukes
secretelye with a fewe of their moste priuye frendes, sette     #
them downe
in counsayle, wherin they spent a great parte of the nyght.     #
And at
their risinge in the dawnyng of the day, thei sent about        #
priuily to
their seruantes in their Innes and lodgynges about, geuinge     #
them
commaundemente to make them selfe shortely readye, for their
Lordes wer to horsebackward. Vppon whiche messages, manye of 
their folke were attendaunt, when manye of the lorde Riuers
seruantes were vnreadye. Nowe hadde these Dukes taken also
into their custodye the kayes of the Inne, y=t= none shoulde    #
passe
foorth without theyr licence. And ouer this in the hyghe waye
<P 18>
towarde Stonye Stratforde where the Kynge laye, they hadde
beestowed certayne of theyr folke, that shoulde sende backe     #
agayne,
and compell to retourne, anye manne that were gotten oute of
Northampton toward Stonye Stratforde, tyll they should geue     #
other
lycence. For as muche as the Dukes themselfe entended for the
shewe of theire dylygence, to bee the fyrste that shoulde that  #
daye
attende vppon the Kynges highnesse oute of that towne: thus     #
bare
they folke in hande. But when the Lorde Ryuers vnderstode the
gates closed, and the wayes on euerye side besette, neyther hys
seruantes nor hymself suffered to gone oute, parceiuyng well so
greate a thyng without his knowledge not begun for noughte,
comparyng this maner present with this last nightes chere, in   #
so few
houres so gret a chaunge marueylouslye misliked. How be it
sithe hee coulde not geat awaye, and keepe him selfe close, hee
woulde not, leste hee shoulde seeme to hyde him selfe for some
secret feare of hys owne faulte, whereof he saw no such cause   #
in hym
self: he determined vppon the suretie of his own conscience,    #
to goe
boldelye to them, and inquire what thys matter myghte meane.
Whome as soone as they sawe, they beganne to quarell with hym,
and saye, that hee intended to sette distaunce beetwene the     #
Kynge
and them, and to brynge them to confusion, but it shoulde not   #
lye
in hys power. And when hee beganne (as hee was a very well
spoken manne,) in goodly wise to excuse himself, they taryed    #
not the
ende of his aunswere, but shortely tooke
him and putte him in warde, and that 
done, foorthwyth wente to horsebacke, and
tooke the waye to stonye Stratforde. Where they founde the      #
kinge with
his companie readye to leape on horsebacke, and departe         #
forwarde,
to leaue that lodging for them, because it was to streighte     #
for bothe
coumpanies.

<S SAMPLE 2>
<P 40>
   The lord Cardinall perceiuing that the quene waxed euer the
lenger the farder of, and also that she began to kindle and     #
chafe, and
speke sore biting wordes against the protectour, and such as he
neither beleued, and was also loth to here, he said vnto her    #
for a
finall conclusion, that he woulde no lenger dispute the         #
matter. But
if she were content to deliuer y=e= duke to him & to y=e=       #
other lordes
there present, he durst lay his owne body & soule both in       #
pledge, not
onely for his suerty but also for hys estate. And if she        #
woulde giue 
them a resolute aunswere to y=e= contrary, he would forthw=t=   #
depart
there with all, and shyfte whoso would with thys busynes        #
afterwarde:
for he neuer entended more to moue her in that matter, in       #
which she
thought y=t= he and all other also saue herselfe, lacked        #
either wit or
trouth. Wit if they were so dul, that they coulde nothing       #
perceiue
what the protectour entended: trouthe if they should procure    #
her
sonne to be delyuered into his handes, in whom thei shold       #
perceyue
toward the childe any euil intended.
   The quene with these wordes stode a good while in a great    #
study.
And for asmuch her semed the Cardinall more redy to depart,     #
then
some of the remnant, & the protectour himself redy at hand, so  #
y=t=
she verely thought she coulde not kepe him there, but that hee  #
shoulde
incontinent be taken thence: & to conuay him els where, neyther
had shee time to serue her, nor place determined, nor parsons
appointed, all thinge vnredy thys message came on her so        #
sodaynely,
<P 41>
nothing lesse loking for then to haue him fet out of sentuary,  #
which
she thought to be now beset in such places about, y=t= he       #
coulde not
be conuaied out vntaken,
   & partly as she thought it might fortune
her fere to bee false, so will she waste it was either nedeles  #
or boteles:
wherfore if she shold nedes go from him, she dempte it beste    #
to deliuer
him. And ouer y=t= of y=e= Cardinals faith she nothing          #
doubted, nor of
some other lordes neither, whom she there saw. Which as she     #
fered
lest they might bee deceiuid: so was she well assured they      #
would
not be corupted: Then thought she it should yet make them y=e=  #
more
warely to loke to him, & the more sircumspectly to se to his    #
surety,
if she with her owne handes betoke him to them of trust. And    #
at the
last she toke the yong duke by the hande, and said vnto the     #
lordes:
my lord (quod she) & all my lordes, I neither am so vnwise to   #
mistrust
your wittes, nor so suspicious to mistruste your trouthes. Of   #
which
thing I purpose to make you such a proofe, as if either of      #
both lacked
in you, might tourne both me to great sorowe, the realme to     #
much
harme, and you to gret reproche. For loe here is (quod she)     #
this
gentilman,
   whom I doubt not but I could here kepe safe if I woulde,
whatsoeuer any man say. And I doubt not also but ther be some 
abrode so deadly enemies vnto my blood, that if thei wist       #
where any
of it lay in their owne body, they would let it out. We haue    #
also had
experience y=t= the desire of a kingdome 
knoweth no kinred. The brother hath bene
the brothers bane.
   And may the nepheus be sure of their vncle?
Eche of these children is others defence while they be a        #
sunder, and
eche of their liues lieth in the others body. Kepe one safe &   #
both
be sure, and nothing for them both more perilouse, then to be
both in one place. For what wise merchaunt aduentureth all his 
good in one ship? All this notwithstanding, here I deliuer him  #
and
hys brother in him, to kepe into your handes, of whome I shall  #
aske
<P 42>
them both afore god and the world. Faithfull ye be that wot I   #
wel
and I know wel you be wise. Power & strenght to kepe him if ye  #
list
neither lacke ye of your self, nor can lack helpe in this       #
cause.
And if ye cannot els where, then may you leue him here. But     #
only
one thing I beseche you for y=e= trust that his father put in   #
you euer,
and for the trust that I put in you now, that as farre as ye    #
thinke
that I fere to muche, be you wel ware y=t= you fere not as      #
farre to
little. And therewithall she said vnto the child: farewel my    #
own
swete sonne, god send you good keping, let me kis you ones yet  #
ere
you goe, for God knoweth when we shal kis togither agayne. And
therewith she kissed him, & blessed him, turned her back and    #
wept
and went her way, leauing the childe weping as fast. When the   #
lord
Cardinal & these other lordes with him, had receiued this yong  #
duke,
thei brought him into the sterrechamber
where the protectour
toke him in his armes & kissed him with these wordes: Now       #
welcome
my lord euen w=t= al my very hart. And he
sayd in that of likelihod as he thought. 
Thereupon forthwith they brought him to y=e= kynge his brother  #
into the bishoppes palice at powles,
& from thence through the citie
honorably into the tower, out of which after y=t= day they      #
neuer
came abrode.

<S SAMPLE 3>
<P 46>
   And of trouth the
protectour and the Duke of Buckingham made very good semblaunce
vnto the Lord Hastinges, and kept him much in company. And
vndoubtedly the protectour loued him wel, & loth was to haue    #
loste
him, sauing for fere lest his life shoulde haue quailed their   #
purpose.
For which cause he moued Catesby to proue wyth some words cast
out a farre of, whither he could thinke it possible to winne    #
the lord
Hasting into their parte. But Catesby whither he assayed him or
assaied him not, reported vnto them, that he founde him so      #
fast, and
hard him speke so terrible woordes, that he durst no further    #
breke.
And of trouth the lord Chamberlen of very trust shewed vnto
Catesbye, the mistrust that other began to haue in the mater.   #
And
therfore he fering lest their mocions might with y=e= lord      #
Hastinges
minishe his credence, wherunto onely al the matter lenid,       #
procured
the protectour hastely to ridde him.
And much the rather, for that
he trusted by his deth to obtaine much of the rule that the     #
lorde
Hastinges bare in his countrey: the only desire whereof, was    #
y=e=
allectiue y=t= induced him to be partener and one specyall      #
contriuer of
al this horrible treson.
   Whereupon sone after that is to wit, on 
the friday the thirtene day of Iune many
Lordes assembled in the tower, and there sat in counsaile,      #
deuising
the honorable solempnite of the kinges coronacion, of which the
time appointed then so nere approched, that the pageauntes and
suttelties were in making day and night at westminster, and     #
much
<P 47>
vitaile killed therfore, that afterward was cast away. These    #
lordes so
sytting togyther comoning of thys matter, the protectour came   #
in
among them, fyrst aboute ix. of the clock, saluting them        #
curtesly, &
excusyng hymself that he had ben from them so long, saieng      #
merely 
that he had bene a slepe that day. And after a little talking   #
w=t= them,
he sayd vnto y=e= Bishop of Elye: my lord you haue very good    #
strawberies
at your gardayne in Holberne, I require you let vs haue a messe
of them. Gladly my lord, quod he, woulde god I had some better  #
thing
as redy to your pleasure as that. And therwith in al the hast   #
he sent
hys seruant for a messe of strauberies. The protectour sette    #
the lordes
fast in comoning, and therupon prayeng them to spare hym for a 
little while, departed thence.

And sone after one hower betwene .x.
& .xi. he returned into y=e= chamber among them, al changed 
with a wonderful soure angrye countenaunce, knitting the        #
browes,
frowning and froting and knawing on hys lippes, and so sat him  #
downe,
in hys place: al the lordes much dismaied & sore merueiling of  #
this
maner of sodain chaunge, and what thing should him aile. Then   #
when
he had sitten still a while,
thus he began: what were they worthy to
haue, that compasse & ymagine the distruccion of me, being so   #
nere of
blood vnto y=e= king and protectour of his riall person & his   #
realme. At
this question, al y=e= lordes sat sore astonied, musyng much    #
by whome
thys question should be ment, of which euery man wyst himselfe  #
clere.

<S SAMPLE 4>
<P 52>
   Now flew y=e= fame of this lordes death, swiftly through     #
the citie,
& so forth farder about like a winde in euery mans ere. But the
protector immediatelye after diner, entending to set some       #
colour
vpon y=e= matter, sent in al y=e= hast for many substauncial    #
men out of the
city into the Tower. And at their comming, himself w=t= the     #
Duke of
Bukingham, stode harnesed in old il faring briginders, such as  #
no man
shold wene y=t= thei wold vouchsafe to haue put vpon their      #
backes,
except that some sodaine necessitie had constrained them. And   #
then
the protectour shewed them, y=t= the lord chamberlain, & other  #
of
<P 53>
his conspiracy, had contriued to haue sodeinly destroide him &  #
the
duke, ther y=e= same day in y=e= counsel. And what thei         #
intended further,
was as yet not well knowen. Of whiche their treson he neuer had
knowlage before x. of y=e= clock y=e= same fore none. Whiche    #
sodain fere
draue them to put on for ther defence such harneis as came      #
next to
hande. And so had god holpen them, y=t= y=e= mischief turned    #
vpon them
y=t= wold haue done it. And this he required them to report.
Eueri man
answered him fair, as though no man mistrusted y=e= mater       #
which of
trouth no man beleued. Yet for y=e= further appesing of y=e=    #
peoples mind,
he sent immediatli after diner in al y=e= hast, one herode of   #
armes, w=t=
a proclamacion to be made through y=e=
city in y=e= kinges name,
conteyning y=t= the
lord Hastinges w=t= diuers other of his traytorous purpose,     #
had before
conspired y=e= same day, to haue slaine y=e= lord protector &   #
y=e=
duke of Buckingham sitting in y=e= counsel, & after to haue     #
taken 
vpon them to rule y=e= king & y=e= realm at their pleasure, &   #
therbi
to pil & spoil whom thei list vncontroled. And much mater was   #
ther
in y=e= proclamacion deuised, to y=e= slaunder of y=e= lord     #
chamberlain,
as y=t= he was an euil counseller to y=e= kinges father,        #
intising him to many
thinges highlye redounding to y=e= minishing of his honor, &    #
to y=e=
vniuersal hurt of his realm, by his euyl company, sinister      #
procuring, &
vngracious ensample, as wel in many other thinges as in y=e=    #
vicious
liuing & inordinate abusion of his body, both w=t= many other,  #
& also
specialli w=t= shores wife, which was one also of his most      #
secret counsel
of this heynous treson, w=t= whom he lay nightli, & nameli      #
y=e= night last
passed next before his death, so that it was y=e= less meruel,  #
if vngracious
liuyng brought him to an vnhappy ending: which he was now put
vnto, by y=e= most drede commaundement of y=e= kinges highnes   #
& of his
honorable & faithful counsel, bothe for his demerites, being    #
so openli
taken in his falsli conceiued treson, & also lest y=e=          #
delaying of his
execucion, might haue encoraged other mischiuous persons        #
partners of
his conspiracy, together & assemble themself together in        #
makyng some
<P 54>
gret commocion for his deliueraunce, whose hope now being by    #
his
wel deserued deth politikely repressed, al y=e= realm shold bi  #
gods grace
rest in good quiete and peace. Now was this proclamacion made   #
w=t=in
 .ii. houres after y=t= he was beheded, & it was curiously      #
indited, & so
fair writen in parchment in so wel a set hande, & therwith of   #
it self so
long a processe, y=t= eueri child might wel perceiue, that it   #
was prepared
before. For al y=e= time betwene his death & the proclaming     #
could scant
haue suffised vnto y=e= bare wryting alone, all had it bene     #
but in paper
& scribled forth in hast at aduenture. So y=t= vpon y=e=        #
proclaming therof,
one y=t= was scole master of Poules of chaunce standing by,     #
& comparing
y=e= shortnes of y=e= time w=t= the length of y=e= matter,      #
said vnto them y=t= stode
about him here is a gay goodly cast, foule cast awai for hast.  #
And a
merchant answered hym, y=t= it was writen by profecy. Now then  #
by &
bi, as it wer for anger not for couetise, y=e= protector sent   #
into y=e= house of
shores wife (for her husband dwelled not
w=t= her) & spoiled her of al y=t= euer she had,
aboue y=e= value of .ii. or .iii. M. marks, & sent her body to  #
prison.
And when he had a while laide vnto her for the maner sake, y=t=
she went about to bewitch him, & y=t= she was of counsel w=t=   #
the lord
chamberlein to destroy him: in conclusion when y=t= no colour   #
could
fasten vpon these matters, then he layd heinously to her        #
charge, y=e= 
thing y=t= her self could not deny, that al y=e= world wist     #
was true, & that
natheles euery man laughed at to here it then so sodainly so    #
highly
taken, y=t= she was nought of her body. And for thys cause (as  #
a goodly
continent prince clene & fautles of himself, sent oute of       #
heauen into
this vicious world for the amendement of mens maners) he        #
caused the
bishop of London to put her to open penance, going before the   #
crosse in
procession vpon a sonday with a taper in her hand.
In which she went
in countenance & pace demure so womanly, & albeit she were out  #
of
al array saue her kyrtle only: yet went she so fair & louely,   #
namelye
while the wondering of the people caste a comly rud in her      #
chekes (of
<P 55>
which she before had most misse) that her great shame wan her   #
much
praise, among those y=t= were more amorous of her body then     #
curious
of her soule. And many good folke also y=t= hated her liuing,   #
& glad
wer to se sin corrected: yet pitied thei more her penance, then
reioyced therin, when thei considred that y=e= protector        #
procured it,
more of a corrupt intent then ani vertuous 
affeccion. This woman was born in
London, worshipfully frended, honestly brought vp, & very wel
maryed, sauing somewhat to sone, her husbande an honest         #
citezen,
yonge & goodly & of good substance. But forasmuche as they were
coupled ere she wer wel ripe, she not very feruently loued,     #
for whom
she neuer longed. Which was happely the thinge, that the more   #
easily
made her encline vnto y=e= kings appetite when he required      #
her. Howbeit
y=e= respect of his royaltie,
y=e= hope of gay apparel, ease, plesure & other
wanton welth, was hable soone to perse a softe tender hearte.   #
But
when the king had abused her, anon her husband (as he was an    #
honest
man & one that could his good, not presuming to touch a kinges
concubine) left her vp to him al togither.
When the king died, the lord
Chamberlen toke her. Which in the kinges daies, albeit he was
sore ennamored vpon her, yet he forbare her, either for         #
reuerence, or
for a certain frendly faithfulnes. Proper she was & faire:
nothing in her
body y=t= you wold haue changed, but if you would haue wished   #
her somewhat
higher. Thus say thei y=t= knew her in her youthe. Albeit some  #
that
now se her (for yet she liueth) deme her neuer to haue ben wel  #
visaged.
Whose iugement semeth me somwhat like, as though men should
gesse y=e= bewty of one longe before departed, by her scalpe    #
taken out
of the charnel house: for now is she old lene, withered &       #
dried vp,
nothing left but ryuilde skin & hard bone. And yet being euen   #
such:
whoso wel aduise her visage, might gesse & deuise which partes  #
how
<P 56>
filled, wold make it a faire face. Yet delited not men so much  #
in her
bewty, as in her plesant behauior. For a proper wit had she, &  #
could
both rede wel & write, mery in company, redy & quick of         #
aunswer,
neither mute nor ful of bable, sometime taunting w=t=out        #
displesure &
not w=t=out disport. The king would say
that he had .iii. concubines, which in
three diuers properties diuersly exceled. One the meriest, an
other the wiliest, the thirde the holiest harlot in his         #
realme, as one
whom no man could get out of y=e= church lightly to any place,  #
but it
wer to his bed. The other two were somwhat greter parsonages, &
Natheles of their humilite content to be nameles, & to forbere  #
the
praise of those properties. But the meriest was this Shoris     #
wife, in whom
the king therfore toke speciall pleasure. For many he had, but  #
her
he loued, whose fauour to saithe trouth (for sinne it wer to    #
belie y=e=
deuil) she neuer abused to any mans hurt, bu to many a mans     #
comfort
& relief: where the king toke displeasure, she would mitigate &
appease his mind: where men were out of fauour, she wold bring  #
them
in his grace. For many that had highly offended, shee obtained  #
pardon.
Of great forfetures she gate men remission. And finally in many
weighty sutes, she stode many men in gret stede, either for     #
none, or
very smal rewardes, & those rather gay then rich: either for    #
that she
was content w=t= the dede selfe well done, or for y=t= she      #
delited to be suid
vnto, & to show what she was able to do wyth the king, or for   #
y=t=
wanton women and welthy be not alway couetouse.

<S SAMPLE 5>
<P 76>
   At these wordes y=e= people began to whisper among
themselfe secretely, that the voyce was neyther loude nor       #
distincke, but
as it were the sounde of a swarme of bees, tyl at the last in   #
the nether
ende of the hal, a bushement of the dukes seruantes and         #
Nashefeldes
and other longing to the protectour, with some prentises and    #
laddes
that thrust into the hal amonge the prese, began sodainelye at  #
mennes
backes to crye owte as lowde as their throtes would gyue: king
Rycharde kinge Rycharde, and threwe vp their cappes in token of
ioye. And they that stode before, cast back theyr heddes        #
meruailing
thereof, but nothing they sayd.

And when the duke and the Maier

saw thys maner, they wysely turned it to theyr purpose. And     #
said it
was a goodly cry and a ioyfull to here, euery man with one      #
voice no
manne sayeng nay. Wherfore frendes, quod the duke, sins that we
parceiue it is al your hole mindes to haue this noble man for   #
your
king whereof we shall make his grace so effectuall reporte,     #
that we
doubte not but it shall redounde vnto your great weal and       #
commoditye:
we require ye that ye to morow go with vs and wee with you
vnto his noble grace, to make our humble request vnto him in    #
maner
<P 77>
before remembred. And therewith the lordes came downe, and the 
company dissolued and departed, the more part al sad, som with
glad semblaunce that wer not very mery, and some of those that  #
came
thyther with the duke, not able to dissemble theyr sorow, were  #
faine
at his backe to turne their face to the wall, while the         #
doloure of their
heart braste oute at theyr eyen.
   Then on the morowe after, the mayre
with all the alderman and chiefe comeners
of the citie in their beste maner apparailed,
assembling themself together resorted vnto Baynardes castell    #
where the
protector lay. To which place repaired also according to theyr  #
appointmente
the duke of Buckingham, with dyuers noble menne with him,
beside manye knightes and other gentlemen. And thereupon the    #
duke
sent worde vnto the lord protectour, of the being there of a    #
great
and honourable coumpanye, to moue a great matter vnto his       #
grace.
Whereupon the protectour made difficultie to come oute vnto     #
them,
but if he first knewe some part of theyr errande, as though he  #
doubted
and partelye dystrusted the commyng of suche noumber vnto him   #
so
sodainlye, withoute anye warnyng or knowledge, whyther they     #
came
for good or harme, then the Duke when he had shewed this vnto   #
the
maire and other, that they mighte thereby see howe lytle the    #
protectour
loked for this matter, thei sent vnto him by the messenger      #
suche
louyng message againe, and therewith so humblye besought hym to
vouchesafe that thei might resort to hys presence, to purpose   #
their
intent, of which they would vnto none other parson any part     #
disclose,
that at the laste hee came foorth of his chamber, and yet not   #
down
vnto them, but stode aboue in a galarye ouer them, where they   #
mighte
see hym & speake to him, as though he woulde not yet come to    #
nere
them tyll he wist what they mente. And thereuppon the Duke of
Buckingham fyrste made humble peticion vnto him, on the behalfe
of them all, that his grace woulde pardon them and lycence      #
them to
purpose vnto hys grace the intent of their commyng with oute    #
his
<P 78>
displeasure, withoute whiche pardon obtayned, they dyrst not be
bold to moue him of that matter. In whiche albeit thei ment as  #
muche
honor to hys grace as wealthe to al the realm beside, yet were  #
they not
sure howe hys grace woulde take it, whom they would in no wyse
offende. Then the protector as hee was very gentle of           #
hymselfe, and
also longed sore to wit what they mente, gaue hym leaue to      #
purpose
what hym lyked, verely trustyng for the good minde that he      #
bare them
al, none of them ani thing would intende vnto hym warde, where  #
with
he ought to be greued. When the duke had this leaue & pardon to
speake, then waxed he bolde to shewe hym theyr intent and       #
purpose,
with all the causes mouing them thereunto as ye before haue     #
harde,
and finally to beseche hys grace, that it wold lyke him of his  #
accustomed
goodnes and zeale vnto the realm, now with his eye of pitie,
to beholde the long continued distres and decay of the same     #
and to sette
his gracious handes
to the redresse and amendement therof, by taking
vppon him the crowne and gouernaunce of this realme,

according to
his right and tytle lawfully descended vnto hym, and to the     #
laude of
god, profyte of the land, and vnto his grace so muche the more  #
honour
and lesse paine, in that that neuer prince raigned vpon any     #
people,
that were so glad to liue vnder hys obeysaunce as the people    #
of this
realme vnder his. When the protector had hard the proposicion,  #
he
loked very strangely therat, and answered: That all were it     #
that he
partli knew the thinges by them alledged to be true: yet such   #
entier
loue he bare vnto king Edward and his children, that so muche   #
more
regarded hys honour in other realmes about, then the crowne of  #
any
one, of which he was neuer desyrous, that he could not fynde    #
in his
hearte in this poynte to enclyne to theyr desyre. For in all    #
other
nacyons where the trueth wer not wel knowen, it shold           #
paraduenture
be thought, that it were his owne ambicious minde and deuise,   #
to
depose the prince & take himself the crown. With which infami   #
he 
wold not haue his honoure stayned for anye crowne. In whiche he
had euer parceyued muche more labour and payn, then pleasure to
<P 79>
hym that so woulde so vse it, as he that woulde not were not    #
worthy
to haue it. Notwithstanding he not only pardoned them the       #
mocion
that they made him, but also thanked them for the loue and      #
hearty
fauoure they bare him, prayinge them for his sake to geue and   #
beare
the same to the prynce, vnder whom he was and would be content
to lyue, & with his labour and counsel as farre as should like  #
the kyng
to vse him, he woold doe his vttermost deuor to set the realm   #
in good
state. Whiche was alreadye in this litle while of his           #
protectorship (the
prayse geuen to god) wel begon, in that the malice of such as   #
wer before
occasion of the contrary and of new intended to bee, were nowe
partelye by good policye, partly more by goddes special         #
prouidence
then mans prouision repressed. Vpon this answer geuen, the      #
Duke by
the protectours lycence, a lytle rouned, aswell with other      #
noble men
about him as with the mayre and recorder of London. And after   #
that
vpon lyke pardone desyred and obtayned, he shewed aloude vnto   #
the
protectour, that for a fynal conclusion, y=t= the realm was     #
appointed
king Edwardes lyne shoulde not any longer reigne vpon them,     #
both
for that thei had so farre gone, that it was now no surety to   #
retreate,
as for that they thought it for the weale vniuersal to take     #
that wai
although they had not yet begonne it. Wherfore yf it would      #
lyke hys
grace to take the crowne vpon him, they woulde humblye beseche 
hym thereunto. If he woulde geue them a resolute aunswere to    #
the
contrarye, whyche they woulde bee lothe to heare, than muste    #
they
needes seke and shold not faile to fynd some other noble manne  #
that
woulde. These wordes muche moued the protectoure, whiche els as
euery manne may witte, would neuer of likelyhoode haue inclyned
therunto. But when he saw ther was none other way, but that     #
eyther
he must take it or els he and his bothe goe fro it, he saide    #
vnto the
lordes and commons: Sith we parceiue wel that al the realm is   #
so set,
whereof we be very sorye that they wil not suffer in any wise   #
king
Edwardes line to gouerne them, whom no manne earthly can        #
gouerne
again their willes, and we wel also perceue, that no manne is   #
there, to
whom the crown can by so iust tytle appertayn as to our self,   #
as
<P 80>
verye ryghte heyre lawfullye begotten of the bodye of oure      #
moste deere
father Rycharde late Duke of Yorke, to whiche tytle is nowe     #
ioyned
your elleccion, the nobles & comons of this realm, whiche       #
wee of all
titles possible take for most effectual: we be
content & agre fauourably to incline to
your peticion and request, and accordyng
to the same,
here we take vppon vs the royall estate, preeminence and
kyngdome of the twoo noble realmes, England and Fraunce, the    #
tone
fro this day forward by vs and our heires to rule, gouerne and  #
defend,
the tother by goddes grace & youre good helpe to geat again     #
and subdewe,
and established for euer in due obedyence vnto this realme of
Englande,

thaduancement whereof we neuer aske of god longer to 
lyue then we entende to procure. With this there was a great    #
shout,
crying kyng Richarde king Rychard. And then the lordes went vp  #
to
the kyng (for so was he from that time called) and the people   #
departed,
talkyng diuersly of the matter euery man as his fantasye gaue   #
hym.
But muche they talked and marueiled of the maner of this        #
dealing,
that the matter was on both partes made so straunge, as though  #
neither
had euer communed with other thereof before, when that          #
themself wel
wist there was no man so dul that heard them, but he perceieud  #
wel
inough, y=t= all the matter was made betwene them. Howbeit      #
somme
excused that agayne, and sayde all must be done in good order   #
though.



