upon a trussing chest of his own, with his beads and staff in his
hands. And espying me coming from the earl, he demanded of me what
news. "Forsooth, sir," quoth I, "the best news that ever came to you;
if your grace can take it well." "I pray God it be," quoth he, "what is
it?" "Forsooth, sir," quoth I, "my Lord of Shrewsbury, perceiving by
your often communication that ye were always desirous to come before
the king's majesty, and now as your most assured friend, hath travailed
so with his letters unto the king, that the king hath sent for you
by Master Kingston and twenty-four of the guard, to conduct you to
his highness." "Master Kingston," quoth he, rehearsing his name[191]
once or twice; and with that clapped his hand on his thigh, and gave
a great sigh. "Sir," quoth I, "if your grace could or would take all
things in good part, it should be much better for you. Content yourself
for God's sake, and think that God and your friends hath wrought for
you, according to your own desire. Did ye not always wish that ye might
clear yourself before the king's person, now that God and your friends
hath brought your desire to pass, ye will not take it thankfully? If ye
consider your truth and loyalty unto our sovereign lord, against the
which your enemies cannot prevail, the king being your good lord as he
is, you know well, that the king can do no less than he doth, you being
to his highness accused of some heinous crime, but cause you to be
brought to your trial, and there to receive according to your demerits;
the which his highness trusteth, and saith no less but that you shall
prove yourself a just man to his majesty, wherein ye have more cause to
rejoice than thus to lament, or mistrust his favourable justice. For I
assure you, your enemies be more in doubt and fear of you, than you
of them; that they wish that thing, that I trust they shall never be
able to bring to pass with all their wits, the king (as I said before)
being your indifferent and singular good lord and friend. And to prove
that he so is, see you not how he hath sent gentle Master Kingston for
you, with such men as were your old true servants, and yet be as far as
it becometh them to be only to attend upon you, for the want of your
own servants, willing also Master Kingston to remove you with as much
honour as was due to you in your high estate; and to convey you by such
easy journeys as ye shall command him to do; and that ye shall have
all your desires and commandments by the way in every place, to your
grace's contentation and honour. Wherefore, sir, I humbly beseech your
grace, to imprint all these just persuasions with many other imminent
occasions in your discretion, and be of good cheer; I most humbly with
my faithful heart require your grace, wherewith ye shall principally
comfort yourself, and next give all your friends and to me and other
of your servants good hope of your good speed." "Well, well, then,"
quoth he, "I perceive more than ye can imagine, or do know. Experience
of old hath taught me." And therewith he rose up, and went into his
chamber, to his close stool, the flux troubled him so sore; and when
he had done he came out again; and immediately my Lord of Shrewsbury
came into the gallery unto him, with whom my lord met, and then they
both sitting down upon a bench in a great window, the earl asked him
how he did, and he most lamentably, as he was accustomed, answered,
thanking him for his gentle entertainment. "Sir," quoth the earl, "if
ye remember ye have often wished in my company to make answer before
the king; and I as desirous to help your request, as you to wish,
bearing towards you my good will, have written especially to the king
in your behalf; making him also privy of your lamentable sorrow, that
ye inwardly receive for his high displeasure; who accepteth all things
and your doings therein, as friends be accustomed to do in such cases.
Wherefore I would advise you to pluck up your heart, and be not aghast
of your enemies, who I assure you have you in more doubt than ye would
think, perceiving that the king is fully minded to have the hearing
of your case before his own person. Now, sir, if you can be of good
cheer, I doubt not but this journey which ye shall take towards his
highness shall be much to your advancement, and an overthrow of your
enemies. The king hath sent for you by that worshipful knight Master
Kingston, and with him twenty-four of your old servants, who be now of
the guard, to defend you against your unknown enemies, to the intent
that ye may safely come unto his majesty." "Sir," quoth my lord, "as
I suppose Master Kingston is constable of the tower." "Yea, what of
that?" quoth the earl, "I assure you he is only appointed by the king
for one of your friends, and for a discreet gentleman, as most worthy
to take upon him the safe conduct of your person; for without fail the
king favoureth you much more, and beareth towards you a secret special
favour, far otherwise than ye do take it." "Well, sir," quoth my lord,
"as God will, so be it. I am subject to fortune, and to fortune I
submit myself, being a true man ready to accept such ordinances as
God hath provided for me, and there an end: sir, I pray you, where is
Master Kingston?" "Marry," quoth the earl, "if ye will, I will send for
him, who would most gladly see you." "I pray you then," quoth my lord,
"send for him." At whose message he came incontinent, and as soon as my
lord espied him coming in to the gallery, he made haste to encounter
him. Master Kingston came towards him with much reverence; and at his
approach he kneeled down and saluted him on the king's behalf; whom
my lord bareheaded offered to take up, but he still kneeled. "Then,"
quoth my lord, "Master Kingston, I pray you stand up, and leave your
kneeling unto a very wretch replete with misery, not worthy to be
esteemed, but for a vile abject utterly cast away, without desert;
and therefore, good Master Kingston, stand up, or I will myself kneel
down by you." With that Master Kingston stood up, saying, with humble
reverence, "Sir, the king's majesty hath him commended unto you." "I
thank his highness," quoth my lord, "I trust he be in health, and
merry, the which I beseech God long continue." "Yea, without doubt,"
quoth Master Kingston: "and so hath he commanded me first to say unto
you, that you should assure yourself that he beareth you as much good
will and favour as ever he did; and willeth you to be of good cheer.
And where[192] report hath been made unto him, that ye should commit
against his royal majesty certain heinous crimes, which he thinketh
to be untrue, yet for the ministration of justice, in such cases
requisite, and to avoid all suspect of partiality [he] can do no less
at the least than to send for you to your trial, mistrusting nothing
your truth and wisdom, but that ye shall be able to acquit yourself
against all complaints and accusations exhibited against you; and to
take your journey towards him at your own pleasure, commanding me to
be attendant upon you with all damage and inconveniences that might
ensue; and to elect all such your old servants, now his, to serve you
by the way, who have most experience of your diet. Therefore, sir, I
beseech your grace to be of good cheer; and when it shall be your good
pleasure to take your journey, I shall give mine attendance." "Master
Kingston," quoth my lord, "I thank you for your good news: and, sir,
hereof assure yourself, that if I were as able and as lusty as I have
been but of late, I would not fail to ride with you in post: but, sir,
I am diseased with a flux[193] that maketh me very weak. But, Master
Kingston, all these comfortable words which ye have spoken be but for
a purpose to bring me into a fool's paradise: I know what is provided
for me. Notwithstanding, I thank you for your good will and pains taken
about me; and I shall with all speed make me ready to ride with you
to-morrow." And thus they fell into other communication, both the
earl and Master Kingston with my lord; who commanded me to foresee and
provide that all things might be made ready to depart the morrow after.
I caused all things to be trussed up, and made in a readiness as fast
as they could conveniently.
When night came that we should go to bed, my lord waxed very sick
through his new disease, the which caused him still continually from
time to time to go to the stool all that night; insomuch from the
time that his disease took him, unto the next day, he had above fifty
stools, so that he was that day very weak. The matter that he voided
was wondrous black, the which physicians call choler adustine; and
when he perceived it, he said to me, "If I have not some help shortly,
it will cost me my life." With that I caused one doctor Nicholas, a
physician, being with the earl, to look upon the gross matter that
he avoided; upon sight whereof he determined how he should not live
past four or five days; yet notwithstanding he would have ridden with
Master Kingston that same day, if the Earl of Shrewsbury had not been.
Therefore, in consideration of his infirmity, they caused him to tarry
all that day.
And the next day he took his journey with Master Kingston and the
guard. And as soon as they espied their old master, in such a
lamentable estate, they lamented him with weeping eyes. Whom my lord
took by the hands, and divers times, by the way, as he rode, he would
talk with them, sometime with one, and sometime with another; at night
he was lodged at a house of the Earl of Shrewsbury's, called Hardwick
Hall, very evil at ease. The next day he rode to Nottingham, and there
lodged that night, more sicker, and the next day we rode to Leicester
Abbey; and by the way he waxed so sick that he was divers times likely
to have fallen from his mule[194]; and being night before we came
to the abbey of Leicester, where at his coming in at the gates the
abbot of the place with all his convent met him with the light of many
torches; whom they right honourably received with great reverence. To
whom my lord said, "Father Abbot, I am come hither to leave my bones
among you," whom they brought on his mule to the stairs foot of his
chamber, and there alighted, and Master Kingston then took him by the
arm, and led him up the stairs; who told me afterwards that he never
carried so heavy a burden in all his life. And as soon as he was in
his chamber, he went incontinent to his bed, very sick. This was upon
Saturday at night; and there he continued sicker and sicker.
Upon Monday in the morning, as I stood by his bed side, about eight
of the clock, the windows being close shut, having wax lights burning
upon the cupboard, I beheld him, as me seemed, drawing fast to his
end. He perceiving my shadow upon the wall by his bed side, asked who
was there? "Sir, I am here," quoth I; "How do you?" quoth he to me.
"Very well, sir," quoth I, "if I might see your grace well." "What is
it of the clock?" said he to me. "Forsooth, sir," said I, "it is past
eight of the clock in the morning." "Eight of the clock?" quoth he,
"that cannot be," rehearsing divers times, "eight of the clock, eight
of the clock, nay, nay," quoth he at the last, "it cannot be eight of
the clock: for by eight of the clock ye shall lose your master: for
my time draweth near that I must depart out of this world." With that
Master Doctor Palmes, a worshipful gentleman, being his chaplain and
ghostly father, standing by, bade me secretly demand of him if he would
be shriven, and to be in a readiness towards God, whatsoever should
chance. At whose desire I asked him that question. "What have you to do
to ask me any such question?" quoth he, and began to be very angry with
me for my presumption; until at the last Master Doctor took my part,
and talked with him in Latin, and so pacified him.
And after dinner, Master Kingston sent for me into his chamber, and
at my being there, said to me, "So it is, that the king hath sent me
letters by this gentleman Master Vincent, one of your old companions,
who hath been of late in trouble in the Tower of London for money that
my lord should have at his last departing from him, which now cannot
be found. Wherefore the king, at this gentleman's request, for the
declaration of his truth hath sent him hither with his grace's letters
directed unto me, commanding me by virtue thereof to examine my lord in
that behalf, and to have your counsel herein, how it may be done, that
he may take it well and in good part. This is the chief cause of my
sending for you; therefore I pray you what is your best counsel to use
in this matter for the true acquittal of this gentleman?" "Sir," quoth
I, "as touching that matter, my simple advice shall be this, that your
own person shall resort unto him and visit him, and in communication
break the matter unto him; and if he will not tell the truth, there
be that can satisfy the king's pleasure therein; and in anywise speak
nothing of my fellow Vincent. And I would not advise you to tract the
time with him; for he is very sick, and I fear me he will not live
past to-morrow in the morning." Then went Master Kingston unto him;
and asked first how he did, and so forth proceeded in communication,
wherein Master Kingston demanded of him the said money, saying, "that
my lord of Northumberland hath found a book at Cawood that reporteth
how ye had but late fifteen hundred pounds in ready money, and one
penny thereof will not be found, who hath made the king privy by his
letters thereof. Wherefore the king hath written unto me, to demand of
you if you know where it is become; for it were pity that it should
be embezzled from you both. Therefore I shall require you, in the
king's name, to tell me the truth herein, to the intent that I may
make just report unto his majesty what answer ye make therein." With
that my lord paused awhile and said, "Ah, good Lord! how much doth
it grieve me that the king should think in me such deceit, wherein I
should deceive him of any one penny that I have. Rather than I would,
Master Kingston, embezzle, or deceive him of a mite, I would it were
moult, and put in my mouth;" which words he spake twice or thrice very
vehemently. "I have nothing, ne never had (God being my judge), that I
esteemed, or had in it any such delight or pleasure, but that I took
it for the king's goods, having but the bare use of the same during
my life, and after my death to leave it to the king; wherein he hath
but prevented my intent and purpose. And for this money that ye demand
of me, I assure you it is none of mine; for I borrowed it of divers
of my friends to bury me, and to bestow among my servants, who have
taken great pains about me, like true and faithful men. Notwithstanding
if it be his pleasure to take this money from me, I must hold me
therewith content. Yet I would most humbly beseech his majesty to see
them satisfied, of whom I borrowed the same for the discharge of my
conscience." "Who be they?" quoth Master Kingston. "That shall I show
you," said my lord. "I borrowed two hundred pounds thereof of Sir John
Allen of London; and two hundred pounds of Sir Richard Gresham; and two
hundred pounds of the master of the Savoy; and two hundred pounds of
Doctor Hickden, dean of my college in Oxford; and two hundred pounds
of the treasurer of the church of York; and two hundred pounds of the
dean of York; and two hundred pounds of parson Ellis my chaplain; and
a hundred pounds of my steward, whose name I have forgotten; trusting
that the king will restore them again their money, for it is none of
mine." "Sir," quoth Master Kingston, "there is no doubt in the king;
ye need not to mistrust that, but when the king shall be advertised
thereof, to whom I shall make report of your request, that his grace
will do as shall become him. But, sir, I pray you, where is this
money?" "Master Kingston," quoth he, "I will not conceal it from the
king; I will declare it to you, or I die, by the grace of God. Take a
little patience with me, I pray you." "Well, sir, then will I trouble
you no more at this time, trusting that ye will show me to-morrow."
"Yea, that I will, Master Kingston, for the money is safe enough, and
in an honest man's keeping; who will not keep one penny from the king."
And then Master Kingston went to his chamber to supper.
Howbeit my lord waxed very sick, most likeliest to die that night, and
often swooned, and as me thought drew fast toward his end, until it was
four of the clock in the morning, at which time I asked him how he did.
"Well," quoth he, "if I had any meat; I pray you give me some." "Sir,
there is none ready," said I; "I wis," quoth he, "ye be the more to
blame, for you should have always some meat for me in a readiness, to
eat when my stomach serveth me; therefore I pray you get me some; for
I intend this day, God willing, to make me strong, to the intent I may
occupy myself in confession, and make me ready to God." "Then, sir,"
quoth I, "I will call up the cook to provide some meat for you; and
will also, if it be your pleasure, call for Master Palmes, that ye may
commune with him, until your meat be ready." "With a good will," quoth
he. And therewith I went first, and called up the cook, commanding him
to prepare some meat for my lord; and then I went to Master Palmes and
told him what case my lord was in; willing him to rise, and to resort
to him with speed. And then I went to Master Kingston, and gave him
warning, that, as I thought, he would not live; advertising him that
if he had any thing to say to him, that he should make haste, for he
was in great danger. "In good faith," quoth Master Kingston, "ye be to
blame: for ye make him believe that he is sicker, and in more danger
than he is." "Well, sir," quoth I, "ye shall not say another day but
that I gave you warning, as I am bound to do, in discharge of my duty.
Therefore, I pray you, whatsoever shall chance, let no negligence be
ascribed to me herein; for I assure you his life is very short. Do
therefore now as ye think best." Yet nevertheless he arose, and made
him ready, and came to him. After he had eaten of a cullis made of a
chicken, a spoonful or two; at the last, quoth he, "Whereof was this
cullis made?" "Forsooth, sir," quoth I, "of a chicken." "Why," quoth
he, "it is fasting day, and St. Andrew's Eve." "What though it be,
sir," quoth Doctor Palmes, "ye be excused by reason of your sickness?"
"Yea," quoth he, "what though? I will eat no more."
Then was he in confession the space of an hour. And when he had ended
his confession, Master Kingston bade him good-morrow (for it was about
seven of the clock in the morning); and asked him how he did. "Sir,"
quoth he, "I tarry but the will and pleasure of God, to render unto him
my simple soul into his divine hands." "Not yet so, sir," quoth Master
Kingston, "with the grace of God, ye shall live, and do very well; if
ye will be of good cheer." "Master Kingston, my disease is such that
I cannot live; I have had some experience in my disease, and thus it
is: I have a flux with a continual fever; the nature whereof is this,
that if there be no alteration with me of the same within eight days,
then must either ensue excoriation of the entrails, or frenzy, or else
present death; and the best thereof is death. And as I suppose, this
is the eighth day: and if ye see in me no alteration, then is there
no remedy (although I may live a day or twaine), but death, which is
the best remedy of the three." "Nay, sir, in good faith," quoth Master
Kingston, "you be in such dolor and pensiveness, doubting that thing
that indeed ye need not to fear, which maketh you much worse than ye
should be." "Well, well, Master Kingston," quoth he, "I see the matter
against me how it is framed; but if I had served God as diligently
as I have done the king, he would not have given me over in my grey
hairs[195]. Howbeit this is the just reward that I must receive for my
worldly diligence and pains that I have had to do him service; only
to satisfy his vain pleasure, not regarding my godly duty. Wherefore
I pray you, with all my heart, to have me most humbly commended unto
his royal majesty; beseeching him in my behalf to call to his most
gracious remembrance all matters proceeding between him and me from the
beginning of the world unto this day, and the progress of the same:
and most chiefly in the weighty matter yet depending; (meaning the
matter newly began between him and good Queen Katherine) then shall
his conscience declare, whether I have offended him or no. He is sure
a prince of a royal courage, and hath a princely heart; and rather
than he will either miss or want any part of his will or appetite, he
will put the loss of one half of his realm in danger. For I assure you
I have often kneeled before him in his privy chamber on my knees, the
space of an hour or two, to persuade him from his will and appetite:
but I could never bring to pass to dissuade him therefrom. Therefore,
Master Kingston, if it chance hereafter you to be one of his privy
counsel, as for your wisdom and other qualities ye are meet to be, I
warn you to be well advised and assured what matter ye put in his head,
for ye shall never put it out again.
"And say furthermore, that I request his grace, in God's name,
that he have a vigilant eye to depress this new pernicious sect of
Lutherans[196], that it do not increase within his dominions through
his negligence, in such a sort, as that he shall be fain at length
to put harness upon his back to subdue them; as the king of Bohemia
did, who had good game, to see his rude commons (then infected with
Wickliffe's heresies) to spoil and murder the spiritual men and
religious persons of his realm; the which fled to the king and his
nobles for succour against their frantic rage; of whom they could get
no help of defence or refuge, but [they] laughed them to scorn, having
good game at their spoil and consumption, not regarding their duties
nor their own defence. And when these erroneous heretics had subdued
all the clergy and spiritual persons, taking the spoil of their
riches, both of churches, monasteries, and all other spiritual things,
having no more to spoil, [they] caught such a courage of their former
liberty that then they disdained their prince and sovereign lord with
all other noble personages, and the head governors of the country,
and began to fall in hand with the temporal lords to slay and spoil
them, without pity or mercy, most cruelly. Insomuch that the king and
other his nobles were constrained to put harness upon their backs, to
resist the ungodly powers of those traitorous heretics, and to defend
their lives and liberties, who pitched a field royal against them;
in which field these traitors so stoutly encountered, the party of
them was so cruel and vehement, that in fine they were victors, and
slew the king, the lords, and all the gentlemen of the realm, leaving
not one person that bare the name or port of a gentleman alive, or
of any person that had any rule or authority in the common weal. By
means of which slaughter they have lived ever since in great misery
and poverty without a head or governor, living all in common like
wild beasts abhorred of all Christian nations. Let this be to him an
evident example to avoid the like danger, I pray you. Good Master
Kingston, there is no trust in routs, or unlawful assemblies of the
common people; for when the riotous multitude be assembled, there is
among them no mercy or consideration of their bounden duty; as in the
history of King Richard the Second, one of his noble progenitors, which
[lived] in that same time of Wickliffe's seditious opinions. Did not
the commons, I pray you, rise against the king and the nobles of the
realm of England; whereof some they apprehended, whom they without
mercy or justice put to death? and did they not fall to spoiling and
robbery, to the intent they might bring all things in common; and at
the last, without discretion or reverence, spared not in their rage
to take the king's most royal person out of the Tower of London, and
carried him about the city most presumptuously, causing him, for the
preservation of his life, to be agreeable to their lewd proclamations?
Did not also the traitorous heretic, Sir John Oldcastle, pitch a field
against King Henry the Fifth, against whom the king was constrained
to encounter in his royal person, to whom God gave the victory? Alas!
Master Kingston, if these be not plain precedents, and sufficient
persuasions to admonish a prince to be circumspect against the
semblable mischief; and if he be so negligent, then will God strike and
take from him his power, and diminish his regality, taking from him his
prudent counsellors and valiant captains, and leave us in our own hands
without his help and aid; and then will ensue mischief upon mischief,
inconvenience upon inconvenience, barrenness and scarcity of all things
for lack of good order in the commonwealth, to the utter destruction
and desolation of this noble realm, from the which mischief God of his
tender mercy defend us.
"Master Kingston, farewell. I can no more, but wish all things to have
good success. My time draweth on fast. I may not tarry with you. And
forget not, I pray you, what I have said and charged you withal: for
when I am dead, ye shall peradventure remember my words much better."
And even with these words he began to draw his speech at length, and
his tongue to fail; his eyes being set in his head, whose sight failed
him. Then we began to put him in remembrance of Christ's passion; and
sent for the abbot of the place to anneal[197] him, who came with all
speed, and ministered unto him all the service to the same belonging;
and caused also the guard to stand by, both to hear him talk before
his death, and also to witness of the same; and incontinent the clock
struck eight, at which time he gave up the ghost, and thus departed he
this present life[198]. And calling to our remembrance his words, the
day before, how he said that at eight of the clock we should lose our
master, one of us looking upon an other, supposing that he prophesied
of his departure.
Here is the end and fall of pride and arrogancy of such men, exalted by
fortune to honours and high dignities; for I assure you, in his time of
authority and glory, he was the haughtiest man in all his proceedings
that then lived, having more respect to the worldly honour of his
person than he had to his spiritual profession; wherein should be all
meekness, humility, and charity; the process whereof I leave to them
that be learned and seen in divine laws[199].
After that he was thus departed, Master Kingston sent an empost to the
king, to advertise him of the death of the late Cardinal of York by one
of the guard, that both saw and heard him talk and die. And then Master
Kingston calling me unto him and to the abbot, went to consultation for
the order of his burial.