"jects for the particular expedition (for," adds Comines," the Kings of England live upon "their own revenue, and can raise no taxes but "under the fpecious pretence of invading "France). Befides, the King had another ftra"tagem to amuse and delude his fubjects with; "for he had brought with him ten or twelve of "the chief citizens of London and of fome other 66 great towns in England, all fat, jolly, and of great power in their country; fome of whom "had promoted the war, and had been very fer"viceable in raising the army. The King or"dered very good tents to be made for them, "in which they flept; but not being used to "fuch a manner of living, they foon began to ત grow weary of the campaign, for they had "reckoned that they should come to an engage"ment three or four days after their landing; "and the King multiplied their fears of the dangers of the war, that they might be better "fatisfied with a peace, and fo pacify the murmurs of the people." 66 66 as "As foon," fays the fame hiftorian, "King Edward had fettled the affairs of his kingdom, and had received of our mafter "(Louis the Eleventh) 50,000 crowns a-year, "which were regularly paid him in the Tower "of London, and was become as rich as his "ambition "ambition could defire, he died fuddenly, and (as it was fuppofed) of grief at our present "King's (Charles the Eighth's) marriage with "the Lady Margaret, the daughter of the Duke "of Auftria (his diforder feizing him upon the 66 news of it); for he then found himself out"witted with refpect to his daughter, to whom "he had given the title of Dauphiness *. Upon "this marriage the penfion, or (as King Ed"ward called it) the tribute, was stopped." "This King," fays Habington, "if we com66 pare his life with the lives of Princes in "general, was worthy to be numbered amongst "the beft. His education was according to the "best provifion for his honour and fafetie in arms; a ftrict and religious difcipline, in all probabilitie likely to have foftened him too "much to mercy and a love of quiet. He had a great extent of wit, which certainly he owed 66 66 66 * "The King of England," fays Comines, "retired "foon to England. He was not of a complexion or dif"pofition of mind to endure much hardship and difficulties: and thofe any King of England who wishes to make any "confiderable conquefts in France must expect to endure. "Another design the King of England had in view was, "the accomplishment of the marriage concluded upon be"tween the Dauphin and his daughter; the hopes of this "wedding causing him to overlook several things, which was a great advantage to our Mafter's affairs.” 66 *to nature, that age bettering age bettering men but little by learning; the trumpet founding ftill too loud in his ears to have admitted the fober counfels "of philosophy; and his wit lay not in the flights "of cunning and deceit, but in a fharpe appre"henfion, yet not too much whetted by super"ftition. "In counfaile he was judicious, with little "difficultie difpatching much. His understand"ing open to cleare doubts, not dark and "cloudie, and apt to create new. His wife"dome looked ftill directly upon truth, which appears by the manage of his affaires, both in ડઃ peace and warre; in neither of which (as farre "as concerned the politique part) he committed "any maine error. "His nature certainly was both noble and "honeft, which, if rectified by the straight rule "of vertue, had rendered him fit for example "(whereas he is only now for observation); for "profperitee raised him but to a complacencie in "his fortune, not to a difdaine of others loffes "in a pride of his own acquifitions. And when " he had moft fecuritie in his kingdom, and con"fequently moft allurements to tyrannee, then "fhewed he himfelf most familiar and indulgent: "an admirable temperature in a Prince who fo "well "well knew his own ftrength, and whom the "love of riot neceffitated to a love of treasure, " which commonly is fupplied by oppreffion of "the fubject. His buildings were few, but fumptuous for the time, which are yet to be "feene at the Tower of London, his house of "Elthem, the Castles of Nottingham and Dover, "but above all at Windsor, where he built the "new Chapel, (finished after by Sir Reginald 66 ૯. 66 Bray, Knight of the Order,) and endowed the Colledge with negative revenues, which he gave not, but transferred thither, taking from King's Colledge in Cambridge, and Eaton Colledge, a thousand pounds the yeare, to enrich "this at Windfor. "But our buildings, like our children, are "obnoxious to death, and time fcorns their "folly who place a perpetuite in either. And "indeed the fafer kind of fate happened to King r Edward, in both these felicities: his posteritie, "like his edifices, loft in other names. "Edward," fays Habington, "to recover " him the great love which in both fortunes the "Londoners had fhewed him to his last houre, "ufed towards them a particular kindnesse, even "fo much that he invited the Lord Mayor, "Aldermen, "Aldermen, and fome of the principal Citizens, "to the foreft of Waltham, to give them a friendly, not a pompous entertainment, where "in a pleasant lodge they were feasted, the King "himself seeing their dinner ferved in; and by "thus ftoopinge downe to a loving familiarity, "funke deepe into their hearts; and that the "fex he always affected might not bee unre "membered, he caufed great plentie of venifon "to be fent to the Lady Mayorefs and the Al❝dermen's wives." HENRY THE SEVENTH. "THIS politic Prince," fays Lord Bacon, always profeffed to love and to feek peace, and "it was his usual preface to his Treaties, That when Chrift came into the world peace was 66 fung, and that when he went out of the world, peace was bequeathed. Yet he knew the way to peace was not to feem to be defirous to "avoid wars, therefore would he make offers "and fames of wars till he had worded the con"ditions of peace. For his pleasures," adds Lord Bacon," there is no news of them, He "did by pleasures as great Princes do by ban quets VOL, I. D |