MISCELLANY 42
THE
P1TIFULL LIFE
OF
KYNG EDWARD THE. V.
Part VIII Buckingham attempts to rouse the rabble
Richard’s Next Step is to employ the tame Duke of Buckingham to give a
similar speech in the Guild Hall, culminating in a rousing admonition to the
citizenry to go to Richard’s Palace and call upon him to be king. Unfortunately, in the other slightly lighter
moment (both of which are designed by Hall to show how amateurish and pathetic
these stratagems were), the citizens of London, instead of cheering Buckingham
and marching off to Richard’s palace, mutter and discuss what to do, and the
rabble resolutely refuse to be roused.
Nevertheless Buckingham arranges that tomorrow they will go to proclaim
Richard.
Then on the tuesday after next
foloyng this sermond, beyng the. xvii. day of Iune, there came to the Guyld
hall of London the duke of Buckyngham and diuerse lordes and knightes who then
happely knewe the message that they brought. And at the east ende of the hal
where the hoystynges be kepte, the duke and the maire and the other lordes sat
downe, and the aldermen also, all the commons of the citee beeynge assembled
and standyngc before theim. After scilence commaunded vpon agreate paine in the
protectoures name: The duke stode vp and as he was well learned and of nature
merueilously well spoken, he sayed to the people with a cleare and a lowde
voyce: Frendes, for the zeale and hertie fauoure that we beare you we be come
to breke of a matter righte greate and weightie, and no lesse weightie then
pleasyng to God and profitable to all the realme, nor to no parte of the
realme, more profitable, then to you the citezens of this noble citee. For why,
the thynge that you haue long lacked and as we well know sore longed for that
you would haue geuen greate good for, that you would haue gonne farre to
fetche: that thynge be we come hether to bryngyou, without your labour pain,
coste, auenture or ieoperdye. What thynge is that? Certes the surety of your
awne bodies, the quiete of your wiues and daughters and the sauegarde of your
goodes. Of all whiche thynges in tyme passed you stoode in doubte. For who was
he of you all that could recon hym selfe lorde of his awne good emongest so
many gynnes and trappes wer set therfore emong so much pyllyng and pollynge,
emonge so many taxes and talliages, of the which there was neuer ende, and
oftymes no nede, or yf any were, it grew rather of riote or of vnreasonable
waste, then any necessary honourable charge, so that there was daily plucked
and pilled from good and honeste menne greate substaunce of goodes, to be
lashed out emong vnthriftes, so far furthe that fiftenes suffised not, nor any
vsuall termes of knowen taxes, but vnder an easy name of beneuolence and good
will, the commissioners so much of euery manne toke, as no manne woulde with
his good will haue geuen. As though the name of beneuolence had signified that
euery manne shoulde paie, not what he of hym selfe of his good will lust to
graunte, but what the king of his good wil lust to take, who neuer asked litle,
but euery thing was haunsed aboue the measure, amercimentes turned into fines,
fines into raunsomes, small trespaces into mesprision, mesprision into treason,
where of I thynke that no manne looketh that we shall remembre you of examples
by name, as though Burdet were forgotten whiche was for a worde spoken, in hast
cruelly behedded. (This Burdet was a marchaunt dwellyng in Chepesyd at ye signe
of ye croune which now is ye signe of ye flowre de luse ouer against soper
lane: This man merely in ye rufflyng tyme of kyng Edwarde ye iiij. his rage,
saied to his awne sonne that he would make hym inheritor of ye croune, meanyng
his awne house: but these wordes king Edward made to be mysconstrued, &
interpreted that Burdet meant the croune of the realme: wherfore within lesse
space then. iiij. houres, he was apprehended, iudged, drawen and quartered in
Chepesydc) by the mysconstruynge of the lawes of the realme for the princes
pleasure, with no lesse honoure to Merkam chiefe Iustice then, which lost his
office rather then he would assent to that iudgement: then to the dishonesty of
those that either for feare or flattery gaue that iudgement. What nede I to
speke of syr Thomas Cooke Aldcrman and mayre of this noble citee, who is of you
either for negligence that wotteth not, or so forgetfull that he reincmbreth
not, or so harde harted that he pitieth not that worshipfull manncs losse? what
speke I of losse, his wonderfull spoyle and vndeserued distruction, oncly
because it happened him to fauour them whom the prince fauoured not. We nede
not rcherse of these any mo by name, sithe I doubte not that here be many
presente that either in theim selucs or their nigh frendes, aswell their goodes
as their personcs were greately endaungered either by faincd querels or small
matters aggrauated with heinous names, & also there was no crimeso great,
of which there could lacke a pretcxte. For sithe ye king preuentyng the tyme of
his inheritaunce attained the croune by battail, it suffised in a riche man for
a pretext of treason, to haue been of kindred or aliaunce, nere of familiarite,
or longer of acqnaintaunce with any of those, that were at any tyme the kynges
enemies which was at one time or another more then half the realme. Thus were
neither your goodes, neither landes in suretie, and yet they brought your
bodies in ieoperdye, beside the comen auenture of open warre, which albeit,
that it is eucr the well and occasion of much mischief, yet is it neuer so
mischeuous aswher any people fal in deuision, and at distaunce emong
theimselues: and in no realm earthly so dedly and so pestilent as when it
happeneth emongest vs... And in that poinct whiche in good faithe I am sory to
speake of, sauynge that it is vain to kepe in counsaill that thynge that all
men knoweth, ye kyng [Edward IV] his gredy appetite was insaciable, and euery
where ouer all the realme intollerable. For no women was there any where, young
or old, poore or riche, whom he sette his yie vpon, whom he any thynge liked
either for persone or beaulie, speche, pace or countenaunce, but without any
feare of God, or respecte of his honour, murmure, or grudgyng of the world, he
woulde importunately pursue his appetite and haue her, to the great distruction
of many a good woman, and great dolour to their husbandes and frendes, whiche
beynge honest people of theim selues, so muche regarded the clenesse of their
houses, the chastitee of their wiues and children, that theim wer leuer to lose
all that thei haue beside, then to haue suche a vilanie done to theim. And
albeit that with this and other importable dealing, the realme was in euery
place anoyed yet specially you the citezens of this nobilite, as for that
emongest you is most plentie of such thynges as minister matter to such
iniuries, as for that you were nerest hande, sithe that nere here about was his
moste common abidyng. And yet be ye people whom he had as synguler a cause wel
and truly to intreate, as any part of his realme: not onely for that the prince
by this noble citee, as of his speciall chambre and renoumed citee of this
realme, muche honourable fame receiueth emongest all other nacions, but also
for that, you not without your greate coste and sondrye fauoures and ieoperdyes
in all his warres bare euer your especiall fauoure to his parte: whiche your
kynde myndes borne to the house of Yorke.
Sithe he hath nothynge worthely
requited you, there is of the house now which by God his grace shall make you
full recompence, which thyng to shew you, is the whole some and effect of our
errande. It shall not, I wote well nede, that I reherse vnto you again that you
al redy haue hearde of hym that can better tell it, and of whom I am sure ye
will better beleue it (and reason it is that it so be) I am not so proud too
looke therfore that you should receiue my wordes of so great aucthorite as the
preachers of the word of God, namely a man so conninge and so wise, that no
manne wotteth better what he should do and say, and therto so good and vertues
that he would not say the thing, which he wist he should not say in the pulpit,
namely, into the which no honest man cometh to lie: whiche honourable preacher
ye well remembre, substancially declared to you at Paules crosse on Sondaie
laste paste, the right and title of the most excellent prince Richard duke of
Gloucester now protector of this his realme which he hath vnto the croune of
the kyngdome of the same. For that worshipfulman made it perfectely and
groundely open vnto you. The children of kynge Edward the fourth wer neuer
laufully begotten, for as muche as the kynge (liuynge his verie wife dame
Elizabeth Lucy) was neuer laufully maried to the quene their mother whose bloud
sauyngc he set his volupteous pleasure before his honour, was ful vnmetely to
be matched with his (the mynglyng of which two bloudes together hath been the
effusion of a great part of the noble bloud of this realme) wherby it may well
be seen, that mariage was not well made of which there is so much mischiefe
growen. For lacke of which lawefull copulacion and also of other thynges whiche
the saied worshipfull doctor rather signified then fully explaned, and whiche
thyng shall not be spoken for me, as the thyng that euery manne forbearelh to
saie that he knoweth, in auoidyng the displeasure that my noble lorde protector
bearyng as nature requireth a filial reuerence to the duches his mother.
For these causes before remembred
I saie, that for lake of issue lawfully commynge of the late noble prince
Richard duke of Yorke, to whose royall bloud the crounes of England and of
Fraunce, are by the high aucthorite of a parliament entailed, the right and
title of the same is by iuste course of enheritaunce according to the common lawe
of this lande, deuoluted and come vnto the moste excellent prince the lord
protectoure, as to the very lawfull begotten sonne of the fore remembred noble
duke of Yorke. Whiche thynge well considred and the knightely prowesse with
many vertues whiche in his noble persone singulerely dooe habounde: The nobles
and commons of this realme, and specially of the North partes, not willing any
bastard blond to haue the rule of the land, nor the abusions in the same before
vsed and exercised any longer too continue, haue fully condiscended and vtterly
determined too make humble peticion vnto the puisaunte prince the lorde
protectour, that it may like his grace at our humble request, to take vpon hym
the guydyng and gouernaunce of this realme, too the wealth and increase of the
same, accordynge to his very right and iuste title, whiche thynge I wot well he
will be loth to take vpon hym as he whose wisedome well perceiueth, the laboure
and study bothe of mynde and bodye that shall come therwith to hym, whosoeuer
shall occupy that rome. I dare saye he will if he take it (for I warrant you
that that rome is no childes office) & that the great wise man well
perceyued when he sayed Vae regno, cuius Rex puer est, wo to that realme whose
kyng is a child, wherfore, so muche more cause haue we to thanke God, that this
noble personage, which is so righteously entitled therto is of so sad age,
& therto of so great wisedome, ioyned with so great experience, which
albeit, he will bee lothe as I haue saide to take vpon hym, yet shall he too
our peticion in that behalf the more graciously encline, yf ye the worshipful
citezens of this citee being the chief citee of the realme ioyne with vs the
nobles in our saied request, whiche for your owne weale we doubte not but that
ye will. And yet neuerthelesse, we pray you so to do, whereby ye shall do great
profite. to all this his realme: Beside that in chosyng them so good a kynge,
it shall bee to your selfe a speciall commodite, to whom his maiestie shal euer
after, bcare so much ye more tendre fauour in how much he shall perceiue you
the more pronc and beneuolentely mynded toward his election: wherin dere
frendes, what mynd you haue we require you plainely to shewe vs?
When the duke had saied and loked
that the people whom he hoped that the Maire had framed before, shoulde, after
this flatterynge preposicion made, haue cried kynge Richarde, kynge Richarde,
all was still and mute and not one woorde answered to: wherwith the duke was
maruelously abashed, and takynge ye Maire nere to hym, with other that wer
aboute hym priuy to the matter, saied vnto theim softely. What meaneth this,
that the people be so still? Sir quod the Maire, percase they perceiue you not
well, that shall we amend quod he, if be that wil helpe, and therwith somewhat
lowdcr rehersed the same matter again, in other ordre and other woordes so well
and ornately, and neuerthelesse so euidently and plaine with voice, gesture,
& countenaunce so comely and so conuenient, that eucry man much marueiled
that hard him and thought that they neuer harde in their liues so euill a tale
so well told. But wer it for wonder or fearc, or that eche loked that other
should spcake firste, not one word was there answered of all the people that
stoode before, but all were as still as the midnight, not so much as rounyng
emong them, by which they might seme once to common what was best to do. When
the Maire sawe this, he with other partencrs of the counsaill, drew about the
duke and saied that ye people had not been accustomed there to be spoken to, but
by the Recorder, which is the mouthe of the citee, and happely to hym they will
answere. With that the Recorder called Thomas Fitz Wyllyam, a sadde manne and
an honeste, which was but newly come to the office, and neuer had spoken to the
people before, and loth was with that matter to begyn, notwithstanding, there
vnto cominannded by the Maire, made rehersall to the commons of that which the
duke had twise purposed hym self, but the recorder so tempered his tale that he
shewed euery thyng as the duke his woordes were and no parte of his owne, but
all this no chaunge made in the people, whiche alway after one stoode as they
had been amased. Where vpon, the duke rouned with the Maire and said, this is a
marueilous obstinate scilence, and therewith turned too the people again with
these woordes. Deare frendes, we come to moue you to that thyng whiche
parauenture we so greatcly neded not, but that the lordes of this reahne and
commons of other partes might h aue suffised, sauyng suche loue we bcare you,
and so muche set by you, that we would not gladly do without you, that thyng in
whiche to be parteners is your weele and honoure, whiche as to vs semeth you se
not or waye not: Wherfore we require you to giue vs an answere, one or other,
whether ye be mynded as all the nobles of the real me be, to haue this noble
prince now protector to be your kyng? And at these wordes the people began to
whisper emong them selfes secretly, that the voyce was neither loud nor base,
but like a swarme of bees, till at the last, at the nether ende of the hal a
busheinent of the dukes seruauntes and one Nashfeelde and other belongynge to
the protectoure with some prentices and laddes that thrusted into the hall
emongest the preace, began sodainly at mennes backes to crye out as lowde as
they could, kynge Richard, king Richard, and there threwe vp their cappes in
token of ioyc, and they that stoode before cast backe their heddes murueilynge
therat, but nothing the saied. And when the duke and the Maire saw this mancr,
they wisely turned it to their purpose, and said it was a goodly crie and a
ioyfull to here euery man with one voyce and no man saiyng nay. Wherefore
frendes (quod the duke,) sith we percciue that it is all your whole mindes to
haue this noble man for your king, wherof we shall make his grace so effectuall
reporte that we doubt not but that it shall redounde to your great wealth and
commodite. We therefore require you that to morowe ye go with vs and we with
you to his noble grace to make our humble peticion and request to him in maner
before remembred. And therwith the lordes came doune and the compaignie
dissolued and departed the more part all sad, some with glad sembleaunce that
were not very merie and some of them that came with the duke not liable to
dissemble their sorowe, were fain euen at his backe to turne their face to the
wall, while the doloure of their hartes braste out of their yies.
To be continued
