[Sidenote: 1506.]
[Sidenote: Philip archduke of Austrich landeth in the west parts of
England.]
In this verie season, and the yeare of our Lord 1506, Elizabeth quéene
of Castile died without issue male, by reason whereof the inheritance
of Castile (bicause that kingdome is not partible) descended to ladie
Iane hir eldest daughter by king Ferdinando, the which was maried to
Philip archduke of Austrich. Wherefore the yeare following, about the
sixt day of Ianuarie, hauing a great nauie prepared, he intituled now
king of Castile, sailed out of Flanders with his wife towards Spaine;
but by a mightie tempest of wind and foule weather, the whole nauie
was dispersed and sparkled abroad in diuerse places on the coasts of
England. The kings ship with two other vessels were blowne by tempest
on the west part of the realme, to the port of Weimouth in Dorsetshire.
The king being wearied with the tossing of the seas, as one not
accustomed thereto, contrarie to the mind of his councellors, came on
land to refresh himselfe.
When it was knowne that strange ships were arriued in that place, there
came thither a great number, as well of gentlemen as commons of the
countrie, to beat them backe if they prooued to be enimies. But when
they perceiued that the king of Spaine was there driuen on land by
force of weather, sir Thomas Trenchard knight, chéefe of that companie,
went with great humblenesse vnto him, and did what he could to haue him
to his house, being not farre off, and so to cause him to stay, till
such time as king Henrie might be certified of his arriuall; to whome
with all spéed he sent diuerse posts to aduertise him of king Philips
landing. In this meane while came people in from all sides, vpon
knowlege of this strange princes comming. And among other there came
sir Iohn Carew, with a goodlie band of piked men. Which sir Iohn and
sir Thomas Trenchard intreated the king of Castile not to depart, vntil
such time as he had spoken with the king.
[Sidenote: The king of Castile interteined honorablie.]
The king of Castile excused him by necessitie of his weightie
enterprise: but when he perceiued that if he would proffer to go once
aboord to his ships againe, he might be letted, and was like so to bée;
hée thought good rather to assent to their humble request and to séeme
to gratifie them; than by denieng it to procure their euil willes, and
yet neuer the néer of his purpose. When king Henrie was informed of
his landing, he was right glad therof, and wrote vnto sir Iohn Carew,
and to sir Thomas Trenchard, that they should interteine him in the
most honorable sort they could deuise, till he might come himselfe in
person to welcome him. Beside this, he sent the earle of Arundell with
manie lords and knights to attend vpon him. Which earle (according to
the kings letters) receiued him with thrée hundred horsses, all by
torchlight, to the great admiration of the strangers.
King Philip séeing no remedie but that he must néeds tarie, would no
longer gaze after king Henries comming, but tooke his iournie toward
Windsore castell, where the king laie: and fiue miles from Windsore the
prince of Wales, accompanied with fiue earles, and diuerse lords and
knights, and other to the number of fiue hundred persons gorgiouslie
apparelled, receiued him after the most honorable fashion. And within
halfe a mile of Windsore, the king, accompanied with the duke of
Buckingham, and a great part of the nobilitie of this realme, welcomed
him, & so conueied him to the castell of Windsore, where he was made
companion of the noble order of the garter. After him came to Windsore
his wife quéene Iane, sister to the princesse Dowager, late wife to
prince Arthur.
[Sidenote: King Henrie desireth to haue Edmund de la Poole earle of
Suffolke deliuered into his hands.]
After the two kings had renewed & confirmed the league and amitie
betwixt them, king Henrie desired to haue Edmund de la Poole earle of
Suffolke to be deliuered into his hands. To whome the king of Castile
answered that he verelie was not within his dominion: and therefore it
laie not in him to deliuer him. In déed he was loth to be the author
of his death that came to him for succour, and was receiued vnder
his protection: yet vpon the earnest request and assured promise of
king Henrie (that he would pardon him of all executions and paines of
death) he granted to king Henries desire; and so incontinentlie caused
the said earle secretlie to be sent for. After this, to protract time
till he were possessed of his preie, king Henrie conueied the king of
Castile vnto the citie of London, that he might sée the head citie of
his realme.
[Sidenote: The king of Castiles vow inuiolablie kept.]
Then he led him from Bainards castell by Cheape to Barking; and so
returned by Watling stréet againe: during which time there was shot out
of the Tower a woonderfull peale of ordinance. But he would not enter
into the Tower, bicause (as ye haue heard before) he had aduowed not
to enter the fortresse of anie forren prince, in the which a garrison
was mainteined. From London the king brought him to Richmond, where
manie notable feates of armes were prooued both of tilt, turnie, and
barriers. In the meane season the erle of Suffolke, perceiuing what
hope was to be had in forreine princes, and trusting that after his
life to him once granted, king Henrie would bréeflie set him at his
full libertie, was in maner contented to returne againe into his natiue
countrie.
[Sidenote: The death & description of Philip king of Spaine.]
When all pacts and couenants betwéene the kings of England and
Castile were appointed, concluded, and agréed; king Philip tooke his
leaue of king Henrie, yéelding to him most heartie thanks for his
high chéere and princelie interteinement. And being accompanied with
diuers lords of England, he came to the citie of Excester, and so to
Falmouth in Cornewall, and there taking ship sailed into Spaine, where
shortlie after he died being thirtie yeares of age. He was of stature
conuenient, of countenance amiable, of bodie somewhat grosse, quicke
witted, bold and hardie stomached. The tempest that he suffered on the
sea was huge, and woonderfull also vpon the land, insomuch that the
violence of the wind blew downe an eagle of brasse, being set to shew
on which part the wind blew, from a pinacle or spire of Paules church,
and in the falling, the same eagle brake and battered an other eagle
that was set vp for a signe at a tauerne doore in Cheapeside.
[Sidenote: Prodigious tokens or accidents haue their issue in truth.]
[Sidenote: Sée pag. 264.]
Herevpon men that were giuen to gesse things that should happen by
marking of strange tokens, déemed that the emperour Maximilian, which
gaue the eagle, should suffer some great misfortune: as he did shortlie
after by the losse of his sonne, the said king Philip. ¶ And suerlie
these prodigious accidents are not to be omitted as matter of course;
for they haue their weight, and shew their truth in the issue. Examples
in this booke be diuerse, among which one is verie memorable, mentioned
in the thirtie & ninth yeare of Henrie the sixt. At what time the
duke of Yorke making an oration to the lords of the parlement, for
the iustifieng of his title to the crowne, it chanced that a crowne
which hoong in the middle of the nether house (to garnish a branch to
set lights vpon) without touch of man or blast of wind suddenlie fell
downe. About which season also fell downe the crowne which stood on the
top of Douer castell. Which things were construed to be signes that the
crowne of the realme should some waie haue a fall; and so it came to
passe.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem. ex. Guic. pag. 40._]
[Sidenote: Thrée sunnes sèene at once in the night.]
And bicause the euents of these foreshewes had their truth, as manie
more of the like nature; it shall not be amisse here to ad (by waie of
digression) what hath béene obserued in former ages by forren writers
in and about such foretokens. The consent of the heauens and of men,
pronounced to Italie their calamities to come: for that such as made
profession to haue iudgement either by science or diuine inspiration
in the things to come, assured with one voice that there were in
preparing, both more great mutations and more strange and horrible
accidents, than for manie worlds before had béene discerned in anie
part or circuit of the earth. There were séene in the night in Pouille
thrée suns in the middest of the firmament, but manie clouds about
them, with right fearefull thunders and lightnings. In the territorie
of Aretze, were visiblie séene passing in the aire, infinit numbers
of armed men vpon mightie horsses, with a terrible noise of drums and
trumpets. The images & figures of saints did sweat in manie parts of
Italie.
In euerie place of the countrie were brought foorth manie monsters of
men and other creatures, with manie other things against the order of
nature concurring all at one time, but in diuerse places: by means
wherof the people were caried into incredible feares, being alreadie
amazed with the brute of the French powers & furie of that nation, with
which (according to the testimonie of histories) they had aforetime
run ouer all Italie, sacked and made desolate with fire and sword the
citie of Rome, and subdued in Asia manie prouinces; and generallie no
part of the world which had not felt the vertue of their armes. But
albeit these iudgements are oftentimes fallible, and rather coniectures
vncerteine, than effects happening: yet the accidents that drew on,
brought to them, in the spirits of fraile men, an absolute faith,
credit, & religion. So that there is in foreshewes matter of moment
worthie to be obserued, howsoeuer the world lulled asléep in the lap
of securitie is touched with no feare of change. But alas the Heathen
could sée the contrarie, and therefore said:
[Sidenote: _Manil. lib. Astr. 1._]
Omnia mortali mutantur lege creata,
Nec se cognoscunt terræ veteribus annis
Exutas variam faciem per secula gentes.]
But to returne to our owne storie. Shortlie after the departing of king
Philip, the king of England began to suspect sir George Neuill lord
of Aburgauenie, and sir Thomas Gréene of Gréenes Norton, as partakers
in the beginning of the conspiracie with the earle of Suffolke; and
so vpon that suspicion they were commanded to the Tower. But shortlie
after, when they had béene tried and purged of that suspicion, he
commanded them both to be set at libertie. But sir Thomas Gréene fell
sicke before, and remained in the Tower, in hope to be restored to his
health as well as to his libertie, but by death he was preuented. [And
here bicause it is good to sée the consent of histories in the report
of accidents, it shall not be amisse to repeat the entier relation of
a late writer stranger touching this casualtie which befell to king
Philip, in such sort to be cast vpon the English coasts; as also the
promise of the said king to deliuer the duke of Suffolke into the hands
of king Henrie, with the cause (as it is supposed) why the king desired
to haue him within his owne reach.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex. Guic. pag. 353._]
[Sidenote: King Philip saileth out of Flanders into Spaine.]
[Sidenote: King Philip cast by casualtie of sea vpon the coasts of
England.]
¶ King Philip was imbarked to saile out of Flanders into Spaine with
a great armie by sea; and to reduce his going to a more facilitie
and safetie (for he feared least his father in law by the aid of the
French would hinder his passage) he practised the Spanish subtilties,
and agréed with him to leaue vnto him the managing and policie of the
most part of affaires, and that they shuld take in common the title
of king of Spaine, according to the example in the quéenes time: and
lastlie, that the revenues and tributes should be diuided in an order
certeine & indifferent. By reason of which accord, his father in law,
notwithstanding he was not assured of the obseruation, sent him into
Flanders manie ships to furnish his voiage: with the which, hauing
imbarked his wife, and Ferdinand his second sonne, he tooke his course
into Spaine with forward winds, which, within two daies turning cleane
contrarie, after his nauie had runne a dangerous fortune, and made a
wearie resistance against the furie of the sea, his ships were cast
vpon sundrie coasts of England and Britaine; his owne person with two
or thrée ships being driuen with manifest perill vpon England into the
hauen of Southampton.
[Sidenote: Philip promiseth to redeliuer to K. Henrie the duke of
Suffolke.]
Whereof Henrie the seuenth then king of that nation being aduertised,
sent to him with spéed manie barons to doo him honour, and desire him
to come to his court, then at London: a request which Philip could not
denie, the king of Englands demand béeing no lesse honourable, than his
owne estate full of necessitie and nakednesse. He remained in the court
of England, vntill all his nauie was reassembled, and eftsoones rigged,
making in the meane while betwéene them new capitulations: wherein
albeit Philip in all other things held himselfe vsed as a king, yet in
this one thing complained, that he was constreined as a prisoner, to
consent to redeliuer to K. Henries hands the duke of Suffolke, whom
he held prisoner within the castell of Namur, and whom the king of
England desired much to haue in his power, for that he quarrelled the
title of the crowne, pretending the right of the kingdome to apperteine
to him: onelie the king of England assured Philip by the faith and
word of a king, that he would not put him to death. Which he did as
iustlie performe, as he had honorablie promised, kéeping him in prison
so long as he liued, and afterwards was beheaded vnder the reigne and
commandement of his sonne.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 22.]
[Sidenote: The sweting sicknesse eftsoones returneth.]
This yeare the king began to be diseased of a certeine infirmitie,
which thrise euerie yeare, but specially in the springtime sore vexed
him. And bicause for the most part the harme that chanceth to the
prince, is parted with his subiects, the sweating sicknesse, which
(as ye haue heard in the first yeare of the king) first afflicted the
people of this realme, now assailed them againe; howbeit by the remedie
found at the beginning of it, nothing the like number died thereof now
this second time, as did at the first time till the said remedie was
inuented. But now the third plage equall to the pestilence insued, by
the working of the maisters of the forfeitures, and such informers as
were appointed thereto. By whose meanes manie a rich & wealthie person
by the extremitie of the lawes of the realme were condemned and brought
to great losse and hinderance.
A great part of which their vndooings procéeded by the inconuenience
of such vnconscionable officers, as by the abuse of exigents outlawed
those that neuer heard, nor had knowledge of the sutes commensed
against them, of which hard and sharpe dealing (the harme that thereof
insueth considered) if the occasion might be taken awaie by some other
more reasonable forme and order of law deuised, whereby the parties
might haue personall warning, it would both preserue manie an innocent
man. from vndeserued vexation, and danger of vnmercifull losse of
goods; and also redound highlie to the commendation of the prince, and
such other as chanced to be reformers of that colourable law, where
they be called onelie in the counties without other knowledge giuen to
them or theirs at their dwelling houses.
[Sidenote: _Ed. Hall in Hen. 7 fol. 59._]
But now to returne. Such maner of outlawies, old recognisances of the
peace, and good abearings, escapes, riots, & innumerable statutes
penall, were put in execution, and called vpon by Empson and Dudleie;
so that euerie man, both the spiritualtie and temporaltie, hauing
either lands or substance, were inuited to that plucking banket.
For these two rauening woolues had a gard of false periured persons
apperteining to them, which were impanelled in euerie quest. Learned
men in the law, when they were required of their aduise, would say;
To agreé is the best counsell that I can giue you. By this vndue
meanes, these couetous persons filled the kings coffers, and inriched
themselues. And at this vnreasonable and extort dooing, noble men
grudged, meane men kicked, poore men lamented, preachers openlie at
Poules crosse and other places exclamed, rebuked, and detested. Howbeit
the good king in his last daies conserued and pardoned his poore
subiects of such vncharitable yokes and ponderous burdens as they were
laden withall.
[Sidenote: 1507.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 314._]
[Sidenote: _Pag. 312._]
Sir Gilbert Talbot knight, and Richard Bere abbat of Glastenburie,
and doctor Robert Sherborne deane of Poules, were sent as ambassadors
from the K. to Rome, to declare to Pius the third of that name newlie
elected pope in place of Alexander the sixt deceased what ioy and
gladnesse had entered the kings heart for his preferment. But he taried
not the comming of those ambassadors, for within a moneth after that
he was installed, he rendered his debt to nature, and so had short
pleasure of his promotion [not beguiling the hopes which the cardinals
concerned of him at the time of his creation, the six & twentith day
after his election, which was in short time to die. This popes name was
Francis Piccolomini cardinall of Sienna, in whom was no expectation
of long life, both for his extreame age, and present sickenesse: a
cardinall sure of vnspotted report, and for his other conditions not
vnworthie that degrée; who to renew the memorie of Pius secundus his
vncle, tooke vpon him the name of Pius the third.
[Sidenote: _Pag. 307._]
He succéeded Alexander the sixt, who went to supper in a vineyard néere
the Vatican to reioise in the delight & plesure of the fresh aire, &
was suddenlie caried for dead to the bishops palace; his sonne also
communicating in the same accident, but with better fortune. For the
day folowing, which was the eightenth day of August, the dead corps
of the pope (according to custome) was borne into the church of saint
Peter, blacke, swolne, and most deformed; most manifest signes of
poison. But Valentinois, what by the vigour and strength of his youth,
and readie helpe of strong medicines and counterpoisons, had his life
saued, remaining notwithstanding oppressed with long and gréeuous
sickenesse: it was assuredlie beléeued that the accident procéeded of
poison, the discourse whereof (according to common report) was in this
sort.
[Sidenote: A practice of custome by poison to an ill purpose vsed.]
The duke Valentinois, who was to be present at that supper, had
determined to poison Adrian cardinall of Cornette, reseruing that time
and place to execute his bloudie resolution: for it is most certeine
that in his father and him were naturall customes to vse poison, not
onelie to be reuenged of their enimies, or to be assured of suspicions;
but also vpon a wicked couetousnesse, to despoile rich men of their
goods, whether they were cardinals or courtiers, although they had
neuer doone them wrong, as hapned to the cardinall saint Ange, who
was verie rich. This maner of rage they would vse also against their
greatest friends & familiars, and such as had bin their most faithfull
seruants, such as were the cardinals of Capua and Modeno: a recompense
vnworthie the merits of good men, and not disagréeable to the
disposition of such a father and sonne, whereof the one made all things
lawfull by vile dispensation; and with the other nothing was dishonest
wherein was opportunitie to his purposes. The duke Valentinois sent
before certeine flagons with wine infected with poison, which he gaue
to a seruant that knew nothing of the matter, commanding that no person
should touch them.
[Sidenote: The pope poisoned with the wine that his owne son had sent
to poison the cardinall of Cornette.]
A commandement preiudiciall to his maister, as the ignorance of the
seruant was the instrument in the euill that happened both to the
father and son. Such is the sufferance of God, who in the execution of
his iudgments raiseth one murtherer to kill another, & breaketh the
brands of the fire vpon the head of him that first kindled it: for the
pope comming by aduenture somewhat before supper, and ouercome with
the drought and immoderate heat of the time, called for drinke. And
bicause his owne prouision was not yet brought from the palace, he that
had the infected wine in charge, thinking it to be recommended to his
kéeping for a wine most excellent, gaue the pope to drinke of the same
wine which Valentinois had sent; who arriuing while his father was
drinking drunke also of the same wine, being but iust that they both
should tast of the same cup which they had brued for the destruction of
others. All the towne of Rome ran with great gladnesse to saint Peters
about the dead bodie of the pope, their eies not satisfied to sée ded
and destroied a serpent, who with his immoderate ambition and poisoned
infidelitie, togither with all the horrible examples of crueltie,
luxurie, and monstruous couetousnesse, selling without distinction both
holie things and prophane things, had infected the whole world.
And yet was he accompanied with a most rare, & almost perpetuall
prosperitie euen from his yoong age, to the end of his life; desiring
alwaies great things, and obtaining most often that he desired. An
example of much importance, to confound the arrogancie of those men,
who presuming to know and sée perfectlie with humane eies the depth
of Gods iudgemehts, doo assure, that what happeneth either good or
ill to mortall men, procéedeth either of their merits or faults: as
though we saw not dailie manie good men vniustlie tormented, & wicked
persons aboue their diseruings liue in ease and honour: wherein who
makes an other interpretation, derogates the iustice and power of
God, the greatnesse of which being not to be conteined within any
scripts or tearms present, knoweth how well and largely to discerne
in an other time and place the iust from the vniust, and that with
rewards and eternall punishments. In the meane time he powreth out his
vengeance vpon the imaginers of mischéefe in this life; so prouiding,
as that they are caught in their owne snares, and ouertaken with such
destruction as they had prepared for others, according to that saieng
of the Psalmist:
[Sidenote: _Rob. Hess. & G. Buch. in Psal. 7._]
Effodit puteum, foueámque eduxit ab imo,
Et miser in latebras incidit ipse suas.
In verticem ipsius recurrit
Pernicies, recidúntque fraudes.]
[Sidenote: The lord Daubenie dieth.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 23.]
[Sidenote: Guidebald duke of Urbine in Italie made knight of the
garter.]
At the same time died Giles lord Daubeneie the kings chéefe
chamberleine, whose office Charles, bastard sonne to Henrie last
duke of Summerset occupied and enioied; a man of good wit, and great
experience. Soone after, the king caused Guidebald duke of Urbine to be
elected knight of the order of the garter, in like maner as his father
duke Frederike had béene before him, which was chosen and admitted into
the order by king Edward the fourth. Sir Gilbert Talbot, and the other
two ambassadors being appointed to kéepe on their iournie vnto pope
Iulie the second, elected after the death of the said Pius the third,
bare the habit and collar also vnto the said duke Guidebald; which
after he had receiued the same, sent sir Balshasar Castalio, knight,
a Mantuan borne, as his orator vnto king Henrie, which was for him
installed, according to the ordinances of the order.
[Sidenote: Thomas Sauage archbishop of Canturburie deceassed.]