of mariage for him beyng made, and first the Lady Margaret, sister to Iames the 4. K. of Scottes thought vpon, but that motion takyng no effect, afterward the lady Elizabeth sister to Henry Kyng of Castelle, beyng intended, but shee beyng vnder age, the Earle of Warwicke turnyng then hys legation and viage, to the French Kyng Lewes the. xi. to obtayne Lady Bona, daughter of the duke of Sauoy, and sister to Carlot the Frenche Quene, and obteining the same)MarginaliaThe kinges sodeine mariage wyth Queene Elizabeth. had cast fauour vnto one Elizabeth Grey, widow of Syr Iohn Grey Knight, slaine before in the battaile of S. Albons, daughter to the Duches of Bedford, and Lord Riuers, and first went about to haue her to his concubine: But she, as beyng vnworthy (as she sayd) to be the wife of such an high personage, so thinking her selfe to be to good to be his cōcubine, in such sort wanne the kyngs hart, that incontinente, before the returne of the Earle of Warwicke, he maried her: at the which mariage were no moe then only the Duches of Bedford, two gentle women, the priest and clarke. Vpon this so hastye and vnluckye mariage, ensued no litle trouble to the kyng, much bloudshed to the realme, vndoyng almoste to all her kynred, and finally confusion to the K. Edwardes. ij. sonnes, which both were declared afterward to be bastards, and also depriued of their lyues:MarginaliaThe first falling out betwene king Edward & the Earle of Warwicke. For the Earle of Warwicke, who had bene the faithfull frend, and chief mayntayner before of the kyng, at the hearyng of this maryage, was therewith so greuously moued and chaffed in his mynd, that he neuer after sought any thing more, then howe to worke displeasure to the king, and to put him beside his cusshion.MarginaliaConspiracie agaynst kyng Edward. And although for a tyme he dissembled his wrathfull moode, till he myght spye atyme conuenient, and a worlde to set forwarde his purpose, at last finding occasion somewhat seruing to his mynde, he, breaketh his hart to his. ij. brethren: to witt, the Marques Moūtacute, and the Archbhshop of Yorke, conspiring with them how to bryng his purpose about. Then thought he also to proue a farre of, the minde of the Duke of Clarence, king Edwardes brother, and lykewise obteined him, geuyng also to him his daughter in Mariage,

This matter beyng thus prepared agaynst the kyng, the first flame of this cōspracie began to appeare in þ^e north countrey. Where the Northrenmen in short space gathering them selues in an open rebellion, and finding captains of ther wicked purpose, came down from Yorke toward London. Against whom was appointed by the king, W. lord Harbert Earle of Penbroke, with the lord Stafford, and certayne other Captaynes, to encounter. The Yorkeshiere mē geuing the ouerthrow fyrst to the lord Stafford, then to the Earle of Penbrok and hys company of Welchmen, at Banbery fielde, at last ioyninge together with the armye of the Earle of Warwicke, and Duke of Clarence,MarginaliaK. Edward takē prisoner by the Earle of Warwicke. in the dead of the nyght, secretly stealynge on the kinges fielde at Wolney by Warwicke, killed the watch, and toke the king prysoner, who first being in the castell of Warwike, then was conueied by nyght to Myddelham Castell in Yorkeshire, vnder the custodye of the Archbishop of Yorke, where he hauing loose keeping and libertie to go on huntyng, meeting with syr William Standley, syr Thomas of Brough, and other his frendes, was to good for his keepers, and escaped the handes of his enemies, and so came to Yorke, where he was well receaued: from thence to Lankester, where he met wyth the Lord Hastinges his Chamberlaine, wel accompanied, by whose helpe he came safe to London.

MarginaliaThe rebellion in Lincolneshire repressed. After this tumult, when reconciliation could not come to a perfect peace & vnitie, although much labour was made by the nobility, the earle of Warwicke raiseth vp a new war in Lincolneshire, the captayne wherof was Sir Rob. Wels knight, who shortly after beyng taken in battayle with hys father, and sir Thomas Dimocke were beheaded, the residue castyng away their coates, ranne away and fled, geuyng the name of the field, called Losecoate field.MarginaliaThe Earle of Warwicke & the Duke of Clarēce flie into Fraunce. The erle of Warwicke after this put out of comfort and hope to preuayle at home, fled out of England. An. 1470. first to Calice, then to Lewys the French kyng, accompanied with the Duke of Clarence. The fame of the earle of Warwike and of his famous actes, was at that tyme in great admiration aboue measure, and so highly fauoured, that both in England and Fraunce, all men were glad to behold hys personage. Wherfore the commyng of this earle and of the duke of Clarence, was not a little gratefull to the French kyng, and no lesse oportune to Queene Margaret, King Henries wyfe, and Prince Edward her sonne, who also came to the Frenche Courte to meete and conferre together, touching their affaires: where a league betwene thē was concluded, & moreouer a mariage betwene Edward prince of Wales, & Anne the second daughter of the erle of Warwicke was wrought. Thus all thinges falling luckely vpon the erles part, beside the large offers, and great promises made by the Frenche Kyng, on the best maner, to set forwarde their purpose, the earle hauyng also intelligence by letters that the hartes almost of all men went with hym, and longed sore for his presence, so that there lacked now but onely hast with all spede possible to retourne:MarginaliaThe Earle of Warwick and the duke of Clarence returne into England. he with the duke of Clarence well fortified with the French nauy, set forward toward England: For so was it betwene them before decreed, that they two should proue the first venture, and then Quene Margaret with Prince Edward her sonne, should follow after.MarginaliaThe receauing of the Earle of Warwicke into Englād The arriuall of the erle was not so soone heard of at Dartmouth in Deuonshire, but great concourse of people by thousaundes went to hym from all quarters, to receyue and welcome him.MarginaliaK. Henry agayne proclaymed kyng. Who immediately made proclamation in the name of Kyng Henry the sixt. chargyng all men able to beare armoure, to prepare themselues to fyghte agaynst Edwarde Duke of Yorke vsurper of the Crowne. Here lacked no friendes. strength of men, furniture, nor policy conuenient for such a matter.

When kyng Edward (who before not passyng for the matter, nor seekyng how, either to haue stopped his landing, or els streightwayes to haue encountred with hym before the gathering of his friendes, but passing forth the tyme in huntyng, in hauking, in all pleasure and daliance) had knowledge what great resort of multitudes incessauntly repayred more and more daily about the Erle and the Duke, beganne now to prouide for remedy, when it was to late.MarginaliaThe inconstant leuitie of the people of England. Who trusting to much to hys friendes and fortune before, dyd nowe right well perceiue what a variable and inconstaunt thyng the people is, and especially here of England, whose nature is neuer to be content long with the present state, but alwayes delightyng in newes, seketh new varietie of chaunges, eyther enuying that which standeth, or els pitying that which is fallen. Which inconstaunt mutabilitie of the light people, chaunging with the wynd, and waueryng with the reede, did well appeare in the course of this kinges story. For he, thorough the people, when he was downe, was exalted: now beyng exalted of the same, was forsaken. Wherby this is to be noted of all Princes, that as there is nothing in this mutable world firme and stable: so is there no trust nor assuraunce to be made, but onely in the fauour of God, and in the promises of his worde, onely in Christ hys sonne, whose only kyngdome shall neuer haue ende, nor is subiecte to any mutation.

MarginaliaThe constant hart & truth of the Lord Hastinges. These thinges thus passing in England on the Earles side agaynst king Edward, he accompanied with the Duke of Gloucester his brother, and the Lord Hastings, who had maried the erle of Warwickes sister, and yet was neuer vntrue to the kyng his maister: and the Lord Scales brother to the Queene, sent abrode to all his trusty friendes for furniture of able souldiors for defence of his person to withstād his enemies.MarginaliaK. Edward forsaken of his people in his neede. Whē litle rescue and few in effect would come, the kyng himselfe so destitute, departed to Lincolneshiere, where he perceiuing his enemies dayly to encrease vpō him, and all the countries about to be in a rore, makyng fiers and singyng songes, crying king Henry, king Henry, a Warwike a Warwicke,MarginaliaThe weake state of kyng Edward. and hearyng moreouer his enemies the Lancastrians to be within halfe a dayes iourney of hym, was aduised by his friendes to flye ouer the Sea to the Duke of Burgoyne, which not long before had maried Kyng Edwardes sister.

MarginaliaWhether godly simplicitie, or mās policie be stronger. ¶ Here might be thought, by the common iudgement and policy of man, peraduenture, that kyng Edward, as he had in his handes the lyfe of Kyng Henry, of his Queene and Prince: so if he had dispatched them out of the way, when as he might, he had not fallen into this misery: but because he tooke not the vauntage, which tyme rather then godly reason gaue hym, therefore that sparyng pitye of his turned nowe to hys confusion and ruine. And certesse, I suppose no lesse, but if the same case had fallen in these oure pitilesse dayes, in which charitye nowe waxeth vtterly colde, and humanitie is almost forgotten, the occasion of suche a tyme should not be so neglected, But let vs here note and learne, how godly simplicitie alwayes in the ende of thinges, gayneth more then mans policy, for so much as man worketh with the one, but God worketh with the other.

And so farre is it of, that the euent and successe of things be gouerned by mans aduised policy, or rather vnaduised affection in thys worlde, that that is iudged to bee weaker that flourisheth in man, then that whiche is caste downe in the Lorde: as in the double case of both these kyngs may well appeare.MarginaliaThe double case of these two kynges considered. And first let vs consider the case of Kyng Edwarde, who beyng so besette and compassed with euils and distresses on euery syde,MarginaliaK. Edward taketh the Washes. firste was compelled to take the Washes, betwene Lincolneshyre and Lynne (which was