Page:The Works of Francis Bacon (1884) Volume 1.djvu/474

 346 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. both the kings lives. Where there was no article : of importance; being in effect rather a bargain than a treaty. For all things remained as they | were, save that there should be paid to the king seven hundred forty-five thousand ducats in pre sent, for his charges in that journey; and five and twenty thousand crowns yearly, for his charges sustained in the aids of the Britons. For which annual, though he had Maximilian bound before for those charges, yet he counted the alteration of the hand as much as the principal debt. And besides, it was left somewhat indefinitely when it should determine or expire; which made the English esteem it as a tribute carried under fair terms. And the truth is, it was paid both to the king and to his son, King Henry the Eighth, longer than it could continue upon any computa tion of charges. There was also assigned by the French king, unto all the king s principal coun sellors, great pensions, besides rich gifts for the present. Which whether the king did permit, to save his own purse from rewards, or to com municate the envy of a business, that was dis pleasing to his people, was diversely interpreted. For certainly the king had no great fancy to own this peace. And therefore a little before it was concluded, he had underhand procured some of his best captains and men of war to advise him to a peace, under their hands, in an earnest man ner, in the nature of a supplication. But the truth is, this peace was welcome to both kings. To Charles, for that it assured unto him the pos session of Britain, and freed the enterprise of Naples. To Henry, for that it filled his coffers ; and that he foresaw at that time a storm of inward trouble? coming upon him, which presently after brake forth. But it gave no less discontent to the nobility and principal persons of the army, who had many of them sold or engaged their estates upon the hopes of the war. They stuck not to say, &quot; That the king cared not to plume his nobility and people, to feather himself.&quot; And some made themselves merry with that the king had said in parliament; &quot;That after the war was once begun, he doubted not but to make it pay itself;&quot; saying, he had kept promise. Having risen from Boloign, he went to Calais, where he stayed some time. From whence also he wrote letters, which was a courtesy that he sometimes used, to the Mayor of London, and the aldermen his brethren ; half bragging what great sums he had obtained for the peace; knowing well that full coffers of the king is ever good news to London. And better news it would have been, if their benevolence had. been but a loan. And upon the seventeenth of December following, he returned to Westminster, where he kept his Christmas. Soon after the king s return, he sent the order of the Barter to Alphonso, Duke of Calabria, oldest son i-o Ferdinando, King of Naples. An honour sought by that prince to hold him up in the eyes of the Italians; who, expecting the arms of Charles, made great account of the amity of England for a bridle to France. It was received by Alphonso with all the ceremony and pornp that could be devised, as things used to be carried that are intended for opinion. It was sent by Urswick ; upon whom the king bestowed this ambassage to help him after many dry employments. At this time the king began again to be haunted with spirits, by the magic and curious arts of the Lady Margaret; who raised up the ghost of Richard, Duke of York, second son to King Edward the Fourth, to walk and vex the king. This was a finer counterfeit stone than Lambert Simnel ; better done, and worn upon greater hands ; being graced after with the wearing of a King of France, and a King of Scotland, not of a Duchess of Burgundy only. And for Simnel, there was not much in him, more than that he was a handsome boy, and did not shame his robes. But this youth, of whom we are now to speak, was such a mercurial, as the like hath seldom been known; and could make his own part, if at any time he chanced to be out. Wherefore this being one of the strangest examples of a persona tion, that ever was in elder or later times; it deserveth to be discovered, and related at the full. Although the king s manner of showing things by pieces, and by dark lights, hath so muffled it, that it hath left it almost as a mystery to this day. The Lady Margaret, whom the king s friends called Juno, because she was to him as Juno was to jEneas, stirring both heaven and hell to do him mischief, for a foundation of her particular practices against him, did continually, by all means possible, nourish, maintain, and divulge the flying opinion, that Richard, Duke of York, second son to Edward the Fourth, was pot mur dered in the Tower, as was given out, but saved alive. For that those that were employed in that barbarous fact, having destroyed the elder brother, were stricken with remorse and compassion to wards the younger, and set him privily at liberty to seek his fortune. This lure she cast abroad, thinking that this fame and belief, together with the fresh example of Lambert Simnel, would draw at one time or other some birds to strike upon it. She used likewise a further diligence, not committing all to chance : for she had some secret espials, like to the Turks commissioners for children of tribute, to look abroad for hand some and graceful youths, to make Plantagenets, and Dukes of York. At the last she did light on one, in whom all things met, as one would wish, to serve her turn for a counterfeit of Richard, Duke of York. This was Perkin Warbeck, whose adventures we shall now describe. For first, the years agreed well. Secondly, he was a youth of fine