[Sidenote: The election of K. Richard hardlie to be preferred.]
[Sidenote: Fitz William recorder.]
But were it for woonder or feare, or that each looked that other should
speake first: not one word was there answered of all the people that
stood before, but all was as still as the midnight, not somuch as
rowning amongest them, by which they might séeme to commune what was
best to do. When the maior saw this, he with other partners of that
councell drew about the duke, and said that the people had not béene
accustomed there to be spoken vnto, but by the recorder, which is the
mouth of the citie, and happilie to him they will answer. With that the
recorder, called Fitz William, a sad man, & an honest, which was so new
come into that office, that he neuer had spoken to the people before,
and loth was with that matter to begin, notwithstanding therevnto
commanded by the maior, made rehearsall to the commons of that the duke
had twise rehearsed to them himselfe.
But the recorder so tempered his tale, that he shewed euerie thing as
the dukes words, and no part his owne. But all this noting no change
made in the people, which alwaie after one stood as they had béene men
amazed. Wherevpon the duke rowned vnto the maior and said; This is a
maruellous obstinate silence: and therewith he turned vnto the people
againe with these words; Déere friends, we come to mooue you to that
thing, which peraduenture we not so greatlie néeded but that the lords
of this realme, and the commons of other parties might haue sufficed,
sauing that we such loue beare you, and so much set by you, that we
would not gladlie doo without you, that thing in which to be partners
is your weale and honor, which (as it séemeth) either you sée not, or
weie not. Wherefore we require you giue vs answer one way or other,
whether you be minded, as all the nobles of the realme be, to haue this
noble prince, now protector, to be your king or not.
[Sidenote: K. Richards election preferred by voices of confederacie.]
At these words the people began to whisper among themselues secretly,
that the voice was neither lowd nor distinct, but as it were the sound
of a swarme of bées, till at the last in the nether end of the hall, an
ambushment of the dukes seruants and Nashfields, and other belonging
to the protector, with, some prentisses and lads that thrust into the
hall amongst the prease, began suddenlie at mens backs to crie out, as
lowd as their throtes would giue; King Richard, king Richard: and threw
vp their caps in token of ioy. And they that stood before, cast backe
their heads maruelling therof, but nothing they said. Now when the duke
and the maior saw this maner, they wiselie turned it to their purpose,
and said it was a goodlie crie, & a ioifull, to heare euerie man with
one voice, no man saieng naie.
Wherefore friends (quoth the duke) sith we perceiue it is all your
whole mind to haue this noble man for your king (whereof we shall make
his grace so effectuall report, that we doubt not but it shall redound
vnto your great weale and commoditie) we require ye, that ye to morrow
go with vs, and we with you vnto his noble grace, to make our humble
request vnto him in maner before remembred. And therewith the lords
came downe, and the companie dissolued and departed, the more part all
sad: some with glad semblance that were not verie merrie, and some
of those that came thither with the duke not able to dissemble their
sorrow, were faine at his backe to turne their face to the wall while
the dolor of their hearts burst out of their eies.
[Sidenote: The maiors comming to Bainards castell vnto the lord
protector.]
Then on the morrow after, the maior with all the aldermen, and chiefe
commoners of the citie, in their best maner apparelled, assembling
themselues togither, resorted vnto Bainards castell, where the
protector laie. To which place repaired also (according to their
appointment) the duke of Buckingham, and diuerse noble men with him,
beside manie knights and other gentlemen. And therevpon the duke
sent word vnto the lord protector, of the being there of a great and
honourable companie, to mooue a great matter vnto his grace. Wherevpon
the protector made difficultie to come out vnto them, but if he first
knew some part of their errand, as though he doubted and partlie
mistrusted the comming of such a number vnto him so suddenlie, without
anie warning or knowledge, whether they came for good or harme.
Then the duke, when he had shewed this to the maior and other, that
they might thereby sée how little the protector looked for this matter,
they sent vnto him by the messenger such louing message againe, and
therewith so humblie besought him, to vouchsafe that they might resort
to his presence to propose their intent, of which they would vnto none
other person anie part disclose; that at the last he came foorth of his
chamber, and yet not downe vnto them, but stood aboue in a gallerie
ouer them, where they might sée him, and speake to him, as though he
would not yet come too néere them till he wist what they ment. And
therevpon the duke of Buckingham first made humble petition vnto him on
the behalfe of them all, that his grace would pardon them, and licence
them to propose vnto his grace the intent of their comming, without his
displeasure, without which pardon obteined, they durst not be bold to
mooue him of that matter.
In which albeit they ment as much honor to his grace, as wealth to all
the realme beside, yet were they not sure how his grace would take
it, whome they would in no wise offend. Then the protector (as he was
verie gentle of himselfe, and also longed sore to wit what they ment)
gaue him leaue to propose what him liked, verelie trusting (for the
good mind that he bare them all) none of them anie thing would intend
vnto himward, wherewith he ought to bée gréeued. When the duke had this
leaue and pardon to speake, then waxed he bold to shew him their intent
and purpose, with all the causes moouing them therevnto (as ye before
haue heard) and finallie to beséech his grace, that it would like him,
of his accustomed goodnesse and zeale vnto the realme, now with his eie
of pitie to behold the long continued distresse and decaie of the same,
and to set his gratious hands to redresse and amendment thereof.
[Sidenote: O singular dissimulation of king Richard.]
All which he might well doo, by taking vpon him the crowne and
gouernance of this realme, according to his right and title lawfullie
descended vnto him, and to the laud of God, profit of the land, & vnto
his noble grace so much the more honour, and lesse paine, in that,
that neuer prince reigned vpon anie people, that were so glad to liue
vnder his obeisance, as the people of this realme vnder his. When
the protector had heard the proposition, he looked verie strangelie
thereat, and answered: that all were it that he partlie knew the things
by them alledged to be true, yet such entire loue he bare vnto king
Edward and his children, that so much more regarded his honour in
other realmes about, than the crowne of anie one of which he was neuer
desirous, that he could not find in his hart in this point to incline
to their desire. For in all other nations, where the truth were not
well knowne, it should peraduenture be thought, that it were his owne
ambitious mind and deuise, to depose the prince, and take himselfe the
crowne.
[Sidenote: K. Richard spake otherwise than he meant.]
With which infamie he would not haue his honour stained for anie
crowne, in which he had euer perceiued much more labour and paine,
than pleasure to him that so would vse it, as he that would not, were
not worthie to haue it. Notwithstanding, he not onlie pardoned them
the motion that they made him, but also thanked them for the loue and
hartie fauour they bare him, praieng them for his sake to giue and
beare the same to the prince, vnder whom he was, and would be content
to liue, and with his labour and counsell (as farre as should like
the king to vse him) he would doo his vttermost deuoir to set the
realme in good state, which was alreadie in this little while of his
protectorship (the praise giuen to God) well begun, in that the malice
of such as were before occasion of the contrarie, and of new intended
to be, were now partlie by good policie, & partlie more by Gods
speciall prouidence, than mans prouision, repressed.
Vpon this answer giuen, the duke by the protectors licence, a little
rowned aswell with other noble men about him, as with the maior
and recorder of London. And after that (vpon like pardon desired &
obteined) he shewed alowd vnto the protector, that for a finall
conclusion, that the realme was appointed K. Edwards line should not
anie longer reigne vpon them, both for that they had so farre gone,
that it was now no suertie to retreat, as for that they thought it
for the weale vniuersall to take that waie, although they had not yet
begun it. Wherefore, if it would like his grace to take the crowne vpon
him, they would humblie beséech him therevnto. If he would giue them a
resolute answer to the contrarie, which they would be loth to heare,
then must they néeds séeke and should not faile to find some other
noble man that would. These words much mooued the protector, which
else (as euerie man may wéet) would neuer of likelihood haue inclined
therevnto.
[Sidenote: The protector taketh vpon him to be king.]
But when he saw there was none other waie, but that either he must take
it, or else he and his both go from it, he said vnto the lords and
commons; Sith we perceiue well that all the realme is so set, whereof
we be verie sorie, that they will not suffer in any wise king Edwards
line to gouerne them, whom no man earthlie can gouerne against their
willes; & we well also perceiue, that no man is there, to whome the
crowne can by iust title apperteine, as to our selues, as verie right
heire lawfully begotten of the bodie of our most déere father Richard
late duke of Yorke, to which title is now ioined your election, the
nobles and commons of this realme, which we of all titles possible take
for the most effectuall: we be content and agrée fauourablie to incline
to your petition and request, and (according to the same) here we take
vpon vs the roiall estate, preheminence and kingdome of the two noble
realmes, England and France: the one from this daie forward by vs and
our heires to rule, gouerne, and defend; the other by Gods grace, and
your good helpe, to get againe and subdue, and establish for euer in
due obedience vnto this realme of England, the aduancement wherof we
neuer aske of God longer to liue than we intend to procure.
[Sidenote: A made match to cousen the people.]
With this there was a great shout, crieng; King Richard, king Richard.
And then the lords went vp to the king (for so was he from that time
called) and the people departed, talking diuerslie of the matter,
euerie man as his fantasie gaue him. But much they talked and maruelled
of the maner of this dealing, that the matter was on both parts made so
strange, as though neither had euer communed with other thereof before,
when that themselues wist there was no man so dull that heard them, but
he perceiued well inough that all the matter was made betwéene them.
Howbeit some excused that againe, and said all must be doone in good
order though: and men must sometime for the maners sake, not be aknowen
what they know [though it be hard to outreach the circumspect, wise, &
vigilant minded man; as the poet saith:
[Sidenote: _Iuuenal. sat. 2._]
----non facile est tibi
Decipere Vlyssem.]
For at the consecration of a bishop, euerie man woteth well by the
paieng for his buls, that he purposeth to be one, & though he paie
for nothing else. And yet must he be twise asked whether he will be
bishop or no, and he must twise saie naie, and the third time take it,
as compelled therevnto by his owne will. And in a stage plaie, all
the people know right well, that one plaieng the Soldan, is percase a
sowter; yet if one should can so little good, to shew out of season
what acquaintance he hath with him, and cast him by his owne name while
he standeth in his maiestie, one of his tormentors might hap to breake
his head (and worthie) for marring of the plaie. And so they said, that
these matters be kings games, as it were stage plaies, and for the more
part plaied vpon scaffolds, in which poore men be but the lookers on.
And they that wise be will meddle no further. For they that sometime
step vp, and plaie with them, when they can not plaie their parts, they
disorder the plaie, and doo themselues no good.
Thus farre Edward the fift, who was neuer king crowned, but shamefullie
by his vncle slaine, as in the processe following appeereth,