HISTORY OF KING IIKNKY VII.
executioners of tyrants do goto such errands with Hesides, the ambassadors told him plainly, that a halter about their IK ck ; so that it they perform they saw the duchess had a oreat party "in the IK -i they are sure to din tor it] And do you think archduke s council ; and that howsoever it was that these men would hazard their own lives for! carried in a course of connivance, yet the arch- sparing another s 1 ? Admit they should have saved | duke underhand gave aid and furtherance to > i- him, what should they have done with him ? I kin. Wherefore, partly out of courage, and part- Turn him into London streets, that the watchmen, j ly out of policy, the king forthwith banished all or any passenger that should light upon him, might carry him before a justice, and so all come to light 1 Or should they have kept him by them secretly ? That surely would have required a great deal of care, charge, and continual fears. Hut, my lords, I labour too much in a clear busi ness. The king is so wise, and hath so good friends abroad, as now he knoweth Duke Perkin from his cradle. And because he is a great prince, if you have any good poet here, he can help him with notes to write his life ; and to parallel him with Lambert Simnel, now the king s falconer. And therefore, to speak plainly to your lordships, it is the strangest thing in the world, that the Lady Margaret, excuse us if we name her, whose malice to the king is both causeless and endless, should now when she is old, at the time when other women give over child-bearing, bring forth two such monsters; being not the births of nine or ten months, but of many years. And whereas other natural mothers bring forth children weak, and not able to help themselves ; she hringeth forth tall striplings, able soon after their coming My We into the world to bid battle to mighty kings, lords, we stay unwillingly upon this part, would to God that lady would once taste the joys which God Almighty doth serve up unto her, in beholding her niece to reign in such honour, and with so much royal issue, which she might be pleased to account as her own. The king s re quest unto the archduke, and your lordships, might be that according to the example of King Charles, who hath already discarded him, you would banish this unworthy fellow out of your dominions. But because the king may justly ex pect more from an ancient confederate, than from a new reconciled enemy, he maketh his request unto you to deliver him up into his hands : pirates and impostors of this sort, being fit to be account ed the common enemies of mankind, and noways to be protected by the law of nations." After some time of deliberation, the ambassa dors received this short answer: " That the archduke, for the love of King Henry, would in no sort aid or assist the pre tended duke, but in all things conserve the amity he had with the king: but for the duchess-dow ager, she was absolute in the lands of her dowry, and that he could not let her to dispose of her own/ The king, upon the return of the ambassadors, was nothing satisfied with this answer. Foi Flemings, as well their persons as their wares, out of his kingdom ; commanding his subjects likewise, and byname his merchants adventurers, which had a resiance in Antwerp, to return; translating the mart, which commonly followed the English cloth, unto Calais ; and embarrcd also all further trade for the future. This the king did, being sensible in point of honour, not to suffer a pretender to the crown of England to affront him so near at hand, and he to keep terms of friendship with the country where he did set up. kill" But he had also a further reach : fo- that he well, that the subjects of Flanders drew so great commodity from the trade of England, as by this embargo they would soon wax weary of Per kin ; and that the tumults of Flanders had been so late and fresh, as it was no time for the prince to displease the people. Nevertheless, for form s sake, by way of requital, the archduke did like wise banish the English out of Flanders, which in effect was done to his hand. The king being well advertised, that Perkin did more trust upon friends and partakers within the realm than upon foreign arms, thought it be hoved him to apply the remedy where the disease lay; and to proceed with severity against some of the principal conspirators here within the realm ; thereby to purge the ill humours in Eng land, and to cool the hopes in Flanders. Where fore he caused to be apprehended, almost at an instant, John Ratcliffe, Lord Fitzwater, Sir Simon Mountfort, Sir Thomas Thwaites, William D Au- bigny, Robert Ratcliffe, Thomas Cressenor, and Thomas Astwood. All these were arraigned, convicted, and condemned for high treason, in ad hering and promising aid to Perkin. Of these the Lord Fitzwater conveyed to Calais, and there kept in hold, and in hope of life, until soon after, either impatient or betrayed, he dealt with his keeper to have escaped, and thereupon Was be headed. But Sir Simon Mountfort, Robert Rat cliffe, and William D Aubigny were beheaded immediately after their condemnation. The rest were pardoned, together with many others, clerks and laics, amongst which were two Dominican friars, and William Worseley, Dean of Paul s, which latter sort passed examination, but camo not to public trial. The lord chamberlain at that time was not touched ; whether it were that the king would not stir too many humours at once, but, after the manner of good physicians, purge the head las; ; well he knew, that a patrimonial dowry carried j or that Clifford, from whom most of those din- no part of sovereignty or command df forces, coveries came, reserved that piece for his own
