Although Edward claimed the throne as heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence, his title was strengthened by the people's direct vote. Parliament was not sitting when, soon after the second battle of St. Albans, Edward summoned a great council of lords spiritual and temporal, who determined that Henry had forfeited the crown; [Hol. iii. 661/2/2. Halle, 253, 254.] and incontinentlie was Edward earle of March, sonne and heire to Richard duke of Yorke, by the lords in the said councell assembled, named, elected, and admitted for king and gouernour of the realme. The earle of incl March elected king of the lords spiritual and temporal]. The lord Faucon the people assembled Field they would On which daie, the people of the earles part being in their muster in S. Iohns field, and a great number of the substantiall citizens there assembled to behold their order, the lord Fauconbridge, who tooke the musters, wiselie anon declared to the people the offenses and breaches of the late agreement, committed by in St. John's king Henrie the sixt; and demanded of the people, whether they whether would haue him to rule and reigne anie longer ouer them? whome they with whole voice answered: "Naie, naie!" Then he asked them, if they would serue, loue, honour, and obeie the erle of March, as their onlie king and souereigne lord? To which question they answered: "Yea, yea!" crieng, "King Edward!" with manie great showts & clapping of hands in assent and gladnesse of the same. To The lords were shortlie aduertised of the louing consent which the commons frankelie and freelie had giuen. Whervpon, incontinentlie, they all with a conuenient number of the most substantiall commons repaired to the erle at Bainards castell; making iust and true report of their election and admission, and the louing assent of the commons. have Henry or Edward to be their King). The earle of March [Hol. iii. 663/1/64. Halle, 254.] After that this prince Edward Anno Reg. 1. earle of March had taken vpon him the gouernement of this realme of England (as before ye haue heard), the morow next insuing, being the fourth of March, he rode to the church of saint Paule, and there offered; and, after Te Deum soong, with great solemnitie he was conueied to Westminster, and there set in the hall with the scepter roiall in his hand: whereto people in great numbers assembled. His claime to the crowne was de- His title clared to be by two maner of waies; the first, as sonne and heire to duke Richard his father, right inheritor to the same; the second, taketh vpon him as king. declared. [The commons by authoritie of parlement, and forfeiture committed by king Henrie. Wherevpon it was againe demanded of the commons, if they would again assent admit and take the said erle as their prince and souereigne lord; which all with one voice cried: "Yea, yea!" to Edward's election.] [Lewis was displeased with Edward's marriage.] The earle of Warwike offended with the kings mariage. [Edward tried to violate Finally Lewis assents to the proposed marriage. But this agreement is soon of no worth, for a "Poste" enters with letters from which Lewis and Warwick learn that Edward has wedded Lady Grey. Lewis is deeply angered, and Warwick renounces allegiance to Edward (11. 134-194). My next excerpt shows how Edward's breach of faith was taken: [Hol. iii. 668/1/50. Halle, 265.] The French king was not well pleased to be thus dallied with; but he shortlie (to appease the greefe of his wife and hir sister the ladie Bona) married the said ladie Bona to the duke of Millan. Now when the earle of Warwike had knowledge by letters sent to him out of England from his trustie friends, that king Edward had gotten him a new wife, he was not a little troubled in his mind; for that he tooke it his credence thereby was greatlie minished, and his honour much stained, namelie, in the court of France for that it might be iudged he came rather like an espiall, to mooue a thing neuer minded, and to treat a marriage determined before not to take effect. Suerlie he thought himselfe euill vsed, that when he had brought the matter to his purposed intent and wished conclusion, then to haue it quaile on his part; so as all men might thinke at the least wise, that his prince made small account of him, to send him on such a sleeuelesse errand. All men for the most part agree, that this marriage was the onlie cause, why the earle of Warwike conceiued an hatred against king Edward, whome he so much before fauoured. The discredit brought upon his embassy makes Warwick speak of another wrong, which he had condoned (1. 188): Did I let passe th'abuse done to my Neece? We have seen that Edward's marriage was generally believed to have alienated Warwick. [Hol. iii. 668/1/73. Halle, 265.] Other affirme other causes, and one speciallie: for that king Edward did attempt a thing once daughter or in the earles house, which was much against the earles honestie; Warwick's niece.] 1 (whether he would haue defloured his daughter or his neece, the certeintie was not for both their honours openlie reuealed;) for, suerlie, such a thing was attempted by king Edward; ... The Post is made the bearer of threatening messages to Edward from Lewis, Margaret, and Warwick. Lewis then says to Warwick (11. 234-239): Thou and Oxford, with fiue thousand men, Shall crosse the Seas, and bid false Edward battaile; And, as occasion serues, this Noble Queen 236 Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt, Warwick replies: This shall assure my constant Loyalty, Queen Margaret and Prince Edward assent. 240 Lewis adds: 252 Why stay we now? These soldiers shalbe leuied; Historical time is annihilated in these speeches. Warwick did not Margaret Edward and Prince went to meet Warwick.] [Hol. iii. 674/2/55. Halle, 281.] When queene Margaret, that soiourned with duke Reiner hir father, heard tell that the earle of Warwike was come to the French court, with all diligence shee came to Ambois to see him, with hir onelie sonne prince Edward. With hir also came Iasper earle of Penbroke, and Iohn earle of The earles of Oxford, which, after diuerse imprisonments latelie escaped, fled out Oxford of England into France, and came by fortune to this assemblie. Margaret). These persons, after intreatie had of their affaires, determined by The 1 Polyd. Verg. merely tells us (514/14) that Edward was said "tentasse nescio quid in domo comitis, quod ab honestate omnino abesset"; and this information is followed by a remark on the King's lascivious nature. other particulars are given by Halle. In Lord Lytton's Last of the Barons (bk. VIII., chap. vii.) the affront is offered to Anne Neville, Warwick's younger daughter. Warkw., 8, 9. Confession of Sir Robert Welles (Excerpta Historica, 282-284). Edward's proclamation of Clarence and Warwick as rebels and traitors is dated March 31.-Warkw., 59. Rot. Parl., vi. 233. Penbroke & [came with A league. Edward prince of Wales maried [to Warwick's second daughter]. [The Lords swore to meanes of the French king to conclude a league and amitie betweene them. And first to begin withall, for the sure foundation of their new intreatie, Edward prince of Wales wedded Anne second daughter1 to the earle of Warwike, which ladie came with hir mother into France. After which mariage, the duke [of Clarence] and the earles tooke a solemne oth, that they should neuer leaue the warre, till either king Henrie the sixt, or his make Henry Sonne prince Edward, were restored to the crowne: and that the queene and the prince [p. 675] should depute and appoint the duke and the earle [of Warwick] to be gouernors & conseruators of the common wealth, till time the prince were come to estate. ... The French king lent both ships, men, and monie vnto queene [Bourbon, Margaret, and to hir partakers; and appointed the bastard of Burbon,2 admerall of France, with a great nauie, to defend them convoy the against the nauie of the duke of Burgognie; which he laid at the mouth of the riuer Saine, readie to incounter them, being of greater force than both the French nauie and the English fleet. or his son King of England.] Admiral of France, ordered to Lancas trians.] Act IV. sc. i.-Edward and his newly-wedded Queen enter. By his invitation Clarence, Gloucester, and Montagu tell him freely what they think of his marriage. Montagu regrets the abandonment of an alliance with France; but Hastings would have England trust to God and the "fence impregnable" of her seas, And with their helpes onely defend our selues; In them and in our selues our safetie lyes. Clarence sarcastically comments (11. 47, 48): For this one speech, Lord Hastings well deserues To haue the Heire of the Lord Hungerford. 48 King. I, what of that it was my will and graunt; And, for this once, my Will shall stand for Law. Rich. And yet me thinks your Grace hath not done well, To giue the Heire and Daughter of Lord Scales 52 Vnto the Brother of your louing Bride; Shee better would haue fitted me or Clarence: But in your Bride you burie Brotherhood. Clar. Or else you would not haue bestow'd the Heire 56 1 In 3 H. VI. (III. iii. 242) and T. T. the marriage of Prince Edward and Warwick's "eldest daughter" is arranged. Isabel, the elder of Warwick's two daughters, married Clarence. 2 "Lord Bourbon, our High Admirall.”—3 H. VI. (III. iii. 252) and T. T. Holinshed, on Halle's authority (271), relates that, in 1468, works on disaffection [Hol. iii. 671/2/48.] the earle of Warwike, being a far casting (Warwick prince, perceiued somewhat in the duke of Clarence, whereby he Clarence's iudged that he bare no great good will towards the king his to Edward.] brother; and therevpon, feeling his minde by such talke as he of purpose ministred, vnderstood how he was bent, and so wan him to his purpose: Holinshed did not copy or paraphrase the subjoined passage in Halle (271), containing Clarence's answer to Warwick's murmurs at Edward's ingratitude. [How can kindness unkind to you expect from him who is his own (Edward has Lord heiress to married Scales's The erle had not halfe tolde his tale, but ye duke in a greate fury answered: "why, my lorde, thynke you to haue hym kynd to "you, that is vnkynd, yea, and vnnatural to me, beyng his awne "brother? thynke you that frendship will make hym kepe promise "where neither nature nor kynred in any wise can prouoke or brother?] "moue him to fauor his awne bloud? Thynke you that he will "exalte and promote hys cosin or alie, whiche litle careth for the "fall or confusion of hys awne line and lignage? This you knowe "well enough, that the heire of the Lorde Scales he hath maried "to his wifes brother, the heire also of the lorde Bonuile and "Haryngton he hath geuen to his wifes sonne,1 and theire of the "lorde Hungerford he hath graunted to the lorde Hastynges: "thre mariages more meter for hys twoo brethren and kynne then "for suche newe foundlynges as he hath bestowed theim on. "But, by swete saincte George, I sweare, if my brother of bestowed on "Gloucester would ioyne with me, we would make hym knowe "that wee were all three one mannes sonnes, of one mother and "lignage discended, which should be more preferred and promoted "then straungers of his wifes bloud." 2 The Post-who in Act III., sc. iii., brought letters to Warwick, Lewis, and Margaret-enters and repeats to Edward their verbal answers; ending with the news (1. 117): 1 "hir brother, lord Anthonie, was married to the sole heire of Thomas lord Scales: sir Thomas Graie, sonne to sir Iohn Graie, the queenes first husband, was created marques Dorset, and married to Cicelie, heire to the lord Bonuille."-Hol. iii. 668/1/46. Halle, 264. 2 The heiress of Lord Hungerford married Edward Lord Hastings, son of William Lord Hastings, whom Clarence sneers at (11. 47, 48).—Dugdale, iii. 211/1; cp. Doyle, ii, 149, 150, his wife's brother, to his wife's given Lord heiress, and son he has Bonville's the heiress of Lord Hungerford has been Hastings.] [If Glouces ter would Edward to join me, we would teach prefer us rather than strangers.] |