The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

358 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII.
land, as of late, in fresh memory, it was done in deprived us of our kingdom, but likewise, by all
the person of Henry the Sixth. Wherefore, for foul and wicked means, sought to betray us, and
that your grace hath given clear signs, that you bereave us of our life. Yet if his tyranny only
are in no noble quality inferior to your royal extended itself to our person, although our royal
ancestors, 1, so distressed a prince, was hereby blood teacheth us to be sensible of injuries, it
moved to come and put myself into your royal should be less to our grief. But this Tudor, who
hands, desiring your assistance to recover my boasteth himself to have overthrown a tyrant,
kingdom of England; promising faithfully to hath, ever since his first entrance into his usurped
bear myself towards your grace no otherwise reign, put little in practice but tyranny and the
than if I were your own natural brother; and feats thereof.
will, upon the recovery of mine inheritance, 4"For King Richard, our unnatural uncle, algratefully do you all the pleasure that is in my though desire of rule did blind him, yet in his
utmost power." other actions, like a true Plantagenet, was noble,
After Perkin had told his tale, King James an- and loved the honour of the realm, and the conswered bravely and wisely; "That whatsoever tentment and comfort of his nobles and people.
he were, lie should not repent him of putting But this our mortal enemy, agreeable to the
ihimself into his hands." And from that time meanness of his birth, hath trodden under foot
forth, though there wanted not some about him, the honour of this nation: selling our best conthat would have persuaded him that all was but federates for money, and making merchandise of
an illusion; yet notwithstanding, either taken the blood, estates, and fortunes of our peers and
by Perkin's amiable and alluring behaviour, or subjects, by feigned wars and dishonourable
inclining to the recommendation of the great peace, only to enrich his coffers. Nor unlike
princes abroad, or willing to take an occasion of hath been his hateful misgovernment and evil
a war against King Henry, he entertained him in deportments at home. First, he hath, to fortify
all things as became the person of Richard, Duke his false quarrel, caused divers nobles of this our
of York; embraced his quarrel; and, the more to realm, whom he held suspect and stood in dread
put it out of doubt, that he took him to be a great of, to be cruelly murdered; as our cousin Sir
prince, and not a representation only, he gave William Stanley, lord chamberlain; Sir Simon
consent that this duke should take to wife the Mountfort, Sir Robert Ratcliffe, William D'AuLady Catharine Gordon, daughter to the Earl of bigny, Humphrey Stafford, and many others, beHiuntley, being a near kinswoman to the king sides such as have dearly bought their lives with
himself, and a young virgin of excellent beauty intolerable ransoms: some of which nobles are
and virtue. now in the sanctuary. Also he hath long kept,
Not long after, the King of Scots in person, and yet keepeth in prison, our right entirely wellwith Perkin in his company, entered with a great beloved cousin, Edward, son and heir to our
army, though it consisted chiefly of borderers, uncle Duke of Clarence, and others; withholding
being raised somewhat suddenly, into North- from them their rightful inheritance, to the intent
umberland. And Perkin, for a perfume before they should never be of might and power, to aid
him as he went, caused to be published a procla- and assist us at our need, after the duty of their
mation* of this tenor following, in the name of legiances. He also married by compulsion, cerRichard, Duke of York, true inheritor of the tain of our sisters, and also the sister of our said
crown of England: cousin the Earl of Warwich, and divers other
",It hath pleased God, who putteth down the ladies of the royal blood, unto certain of his
mighty from their seat, and exalteth the humble, kinsmen and friends of simple and low degree;
and suffereth not the hopes of the just to perish and putting apart all well disposed nobles, he
in the end, to give us means at the length to show hath none in favour and trust about his person,
ourselves armed unto our lieges and people of but Bishop Fox, Smith, Bray, Lovel. Oliver
England. But far be it from us to intend their King, David Owen, Risely, Turbervile, Tiler,
hurt or damage, or to make war upon them, other- Chomley, Empson, James Hobart, John Cut,
wise than to deliver ourselves and them from Garth, Henry Wyat, and such other caitiffs and
tyranny and oppression. For our mortal enemy villains of birth, which by subtile inventions,
Henry Tudor, a false usurper of the crown of and pilling of the people, have been the principal
England, which to us by natural and lineal right finders, occasioners, and counsellors of the misappertaineth, knowing in his own heart our un- rule and mischief now reigning in England.
doubted right, we being the very Richard, Duke "6 We remembering these premises, with the
of York, younger son, and now surviving heir great and execrable offences daily committed and
male of the noble and victorious Edward the done by our foresaid great enemy and his adheFourth, late King of England, hath not only rents, in breaking the liberties and franchises of
* The original ofithis proclamation remaineth with Sir our mother the holy church, upon pretences of
Robert Cotton, a worthy preserver and treasurer of rare wicked and heathenish policy, to the high displeaantiquities: from whose manuscripts I have had much light a
for the furnishing of this work. sure of Almighty God, besides the manifold trea