By my truth, quoth the duke, we will begin with the ladie Richmond,
the earles mother, which knoweth where he is, either in captiuitie,
or at large in Britaine. For I heard saie, that the duke of Britaine
restored him to libertie, immediatlie after the death of king Edward,
by whose means he was restreined. Sith you will begin that waie (said
the bishop) I haue an old fréend with the countesse, a man sober,
secret, and well witted, called Reginald Braie: whose prudent policie
I haue knowne to haue compassed things of great importance, for whome
I shall secretlie send, if it be your pleasure; and I doubt not but
he will gladlie come and that with a good will. So with a little
diligence the bishop wrote a letter to Reginald Braie, requiring him
to come to Brecknocke with spéed, for great and vrgent causes touching
his mistresse: and no other thing was declared in the letter. So the
messenger rode into Lancashire where Braie was with the countesse, and
lord Thomas Stanlie hir husband, and deliuered the letter: which when
he had read, he tooke it as a signe or presage of some good fortune to
come.
Then he (with the messenger) came to the castell of Brecknocke, where
the duke and the bishop declared what thing was deuised, both for to
set the relme in a quiet stedfastnesse, as also for the high preferment
of the earle of Richmond, sonne to his ladie and mistresse: willing hir
first to compasse how to obteine the good will of quéene Elizabeth, and
also of hir eldest daughter bearing the same name: and after secretlie
to send to hir sonne into Britaine, to declare what high honor was
prepared for him, if he would sweare to marrie the ladie Elizabeth
assoone as he was king, and in roiall possession of the relme. Reginald
Braie with a glad heart, forgetting nothing giuen to him in charge, in
great hast and with good spéed returned to the countesse his ladie and
mistresse.
[Sidenote: Bishop Mortons deuise for to be at his owne libertie in his
bishoprike of Elie.]
When Braie was departed, and this great doubtfull vessell once set
abroach, the bishop thirsting for nothing more than for libertie: when
he saw the duke pleasant and well minded toward him; he told the duke,
that if he were in his Ile of Elie, he could make manie fréends to
further their enterprise: and if he were there and had but foure daies
warning, he little regarded the malice of king Richard, his countrie
was so strong. The duke knew well all this to be true, but yet loth he
was that the bishop should depart: for he knew well, that as long as
the bishop was with him, he was sure of politike aduise, sage counsell,
and circumspect procéeding. And so he gaue the bishop faire words,
saieng, that he should shortlie depart, and that well accompanied for
feare of enimies.
[Sidenote: The bishop of Elie saileth into Flanders to the earle of
Richmond.]
The Bishop being as wittie as the duke was wilie, did not tarrie till
the dukes companie were assembled, but secretlie disguised, in a night
departed (to the dukes great displeasure) and came to his sée of Elie;
where he found monie and fréends; and so sailed into Flanders, where
he did the earle of Richmond good seruice, and neuer returned againe,
till the erle of Richmond (after being king) sent for him, and shortlie
promoted him to the sée of Canturburie. Thus the bishop woond himselfe
from the duke when he had most néed of his aid, for if he had taried
still, the duke had not made so manie blabs of his counsell, nor put so
much confidence in the Welshmen, nor yet so temerariouslie set forward
(without knowledge of his fréends) as he did, which things were his
sudden ouerthrowe (as they that knew it did report) [and might perhaps
haue béene auoided by the bishops wisdome for the dukes saftie, as his
owne; sith