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where he shewed a werish withered arme and small, as it was never other. And thereupon every mannes mind sore misgave them, well perceiving that this matter was but a quarel. For wel thei wist, that the quene was to wise to go aboute any such folye. And also if she would, yet wold she of all folke leste make Shoris wife of counsaile, whom of al women she most hated, as that concubine whom the king her husband had most loved. And also no man was there present, but wel knew that his harme was ever such since his birth. Natheles the lorde Chamberlen aunswered and sayd: certainly my lorde if they have so heinously done, thei be worthy heinouse punishment.

of the Council

What, quod the protectour, thou servest me, I wene, with Execution of iffes and andes, I tel the thei have done so, and that I will several lords make good on thy body, traitour. And therwith as in a great anger, he clapped his fist upon the borde a great rappe. At which token given, one cried treason without the chambre. Therewith a dore clapped, and in come there rushing men in harneys as many as the chambre might hold. And anon the protectour sayd to the lorde Hastinges: I arest the, traitour. What, me, my lorde? quod he. Yea, thee, traitour, quod the protectour. And another let flee at the Lorde Standley which shronke at the stroke and fel under the table, or els his hed had ben clefte to the tethe: for as shortely as he shranke, yet ranne the blood aboute hys eares. Then were they al quickly bestowed in diverse chambres, except the lorde Chamberlen, whom the protectour bade spede and shryve hym apace, for by saynt Poule (quod he) I wil not to dinner til I se thy hed of. It boted him not to ask why, but hevely he toke a priest at adventure, and made a short shrift, for a longer would not be suffered, the protectour made so much hast to dyner; which he might not go to til this wer done for saving of his othe. So was he brought forth into the grene beside the chappel within the Tower, and his head laid upon a long log of timbre, and there striken of, and afterward his body with the hed entred at Windsore beside the body of Kinge Edward, whose both soules our Lord pardon. . . .

King Richarde after his coronacion, takyng his way to Gloucester to visit, in his newe honor, the towne of which he

bare the name of his old, devised as he roode to fulfil that thing which he before had intended. And forasmuch as his minde gave him that, his nephewes living, men woulde not recken that hee could have right to the realm, he thought therfore without delay to rid them, as though the killing of his kinsmen could amend his cause, and make him a kindly king. And calling up syr James, brake to him secretely his mind in this mischievous matter. In whiche he founde him nothing strange. Wherfore on the morow he sente him to Brakenbury with a letter, by which he was commaunded to deliver sir James all the kayes of the Tower for one nyght, to the ende he might there accomplish the kinges pleasure, in such thing as he had geven him commaundement. After which letter delivered and the kayes received, sir James appointed the night nexte ensuing to destroy them, devysing before and preparing the meanes. The prince, as soone as the protector left that name and toke himself as king, had it shewed unto him, that he should not reigne, but his uncle should have the crowne. At which worde the prince sore abashed, began to sigh and said: Alas I woulde my uncle woulde lette me have my lyfe yet, though I lese my kingdome. Then he that tolde the tale, used him with good wordes, and put him in the Murder of best comfort he could. But forthwith was the prince and his the princes brother bothe shet up, and all other removed from them,

onely one called black Wil or William Slaughter except, set to serve them and see them sure. After whiche time the prince never tyed his pointes, nor ought rought of hymselfe, but with that young babe hys brother, lingered in thought and heavines til his tratorous death delivered them of that wretchednes. For sir James Tirel devised that thei shold be murthered in their beddes. To the execucion wherof, he appointed Miles Forest, one of the foure that kept them, a felowe fleshed in murther before time. To him he joyned one John Dighton, his own horsekeper, a big brode square strong knave. Then al the other beeing removed from them, thys Miles Forest and John Dighton, about midnight (the sely children lying in their beddes) came into the chamber, and sodainly lapped them up. among the clothes, so bewrapped them and entangled them,

keping down by force the fetherbed and pillowes hard unto their mouthes, that within a while smored and stifled, theyr breath failing, thei gave up to God their innocent soules into the joyes of heaven, leaving to the tormentors their bodys dead in the bed. Whiche after that the wretches parceived, first by the strugling with the paines of death, and after long lying styll, to be throughly dead; they laide their bodies naked out upon the bed, and fetched sir James to see them. Which upon the sight of them, caused those murtherers to burye them at the stayre foote, metely depe in the grounde under a great heape of stones. Than rode sir James in great hast to king Richarde, and shewed him al the maner of the murther, who gave hym gret thanks and, as som say, there made him knight.

185. Extracts

from the private

account book

of Henry VII (1497-1501)

CHAPTER XII

THE EARLY TUDOR PERIOD, 1485-1558

I. HENRY VII AND HIS POLICY

The private accounts kept by Henry VII are still preserved. They illustrate the close connection between the life of the king as a private person and his public duties as ruler of the kingdom. Sums spent to pay soldiers, ambassadors, and the costs of fortification are intermingled with rewards to musicians and clowns, payments of the king's gambling debts, the cost of his clothes, and a gift of £10 to John Cabot as a reward for his discovery of America. The journal shows Henry's methodical and careful habits, and the frequent changes of his residence and visits to his subjects. All the entries of the year 1497 and a few of those of the next three years are given here, and with a little ingenuity and patience can still be read in the exact language in which Henry wrote them.

January 2. For cristennyng of Wynslow childe, £3 6s. 8d. To Hugh Denes for a musk ball, 6s. 8 d.

January 6. To Hugh Vaughan for two harpers, 13 s. 4 d. To Graunt Pier the founder, in rewarde, £1. To Courtevild th’enbassadour of Flanders, £33 6s. 8 d.

January 7. For two new greate gestes, £1 13 s. 4 d. To a litelle mayden that daunceth, £12. To a Walshe man that maketh rymes, 6 s. 8 d.

January 20. To John Flee for a case for the capp and swerde of mayntenance,

1 25.

February 1. Delivered to the Quenes grace for to pay hir detts, which is to be repayed, £2000. Delivered to the Sergeant of the Pultry to mete th'archeduc suster, £40. To Sir Thomas Lovell for cost made aboute the Lorde Fitzwater, £5 5 s. 8 d.

February 17. Delivered to William Fysher, tresorer, for my Lorde of York expenses, £166 8s. To the Quenes fideler in rewarde, £1 6s. 8 d. To the gardener at Shene for graftes, £2. February 19. To the grete Walshe childe, 6 s. 8d.

March 17. At Shene. To Bayly for watching the crowes, 135. 4 d. Delivered to my Lady Fitzwater, £33 6 s. 6d. Delivered and sent by the Kinges comandment to York, Durham, and Newcastel, £4000.

March 31. Delivered to the Greke in rewarde, £4. To the freer that preched in Frensh, £2.

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April 3. To a Walshe rymer in rewarde, 13 s. 4 d. April 17. At London. 21. At Grenewich. To Dr. Mydelton going enbassadour, £2. To Dr. Ruthall going with hym, £23 6s. 8d.

May 1. For redemyng of prisoners oute of the Kinges Benche, £7 14s. 8d.

May 13. Delivered and sent by the Kinges comandment to Berwik towards the werrs, £6300.

May 24. For redemying of sertain persons oute of the Marchalsie by bille, £3 17s. 4 d. Delivered to the Coferer for asmoch money payed by Master Hugh Oldeham, for 100 peces of Cornyshe tynne, £250.

May 31. Delivered to the Quenes grace for juels, £31 IOS. To a woman for aqua vite, 5 s.

June. 5. Delivered to th'enbassadour of Naples, £66 13s. 4d. To Sir John Cheyne by M. Esterfeld, £100.

June 9. At Alesbury.-11. At Bucks.-12. At Banbury. June 12. Payde for a pair of kerving knyves, £1 6s. 8d. June 13. At Wodestok. 14. At Abingdon. - 15. At Walingford. 16. At Reding and Windsor. 17. At Kingeston. - 18. At Seint Georgefeld.—19. At Blakeheth.

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June 23. At the Towre. To Burley for keping of S. Th. Turnebull, £4 4s. 9d. Paide opon a bille for the werrs, £40 13s. 4 d. To one that toke the Lorde Audeley, £1. To my

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