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A Messenger with a letter from the right honourale The Duke of Buckingham. My Lord. Come on mine Oste, what dost thou understand my tale or no? Why then thus, I serve the right honourable the Lord Protector. Nay more. Nay, my Lords graces pleasure is further, that when all thy guess have taken their chambers, that thou convey into my Lords hands the keys of every several chamber, and what my Lords pleasure is further, thou shalt know in the morning. Treason villain, how darest thou have a thought of treason against my Lord, therefore you were best be brief, and tell me whither you will do it or no? Come sir be brief, there is no remedy, therefore be brief and tell me straight. Why then farewell mine Oste. Yet good my Lord, utter it. My Lord you shall see my forwardness herein, I am acquainted with one James Terrell, that lodgeth-hard by your honours chamber, with him my Lord will I so work, that soon at night you shall speak with him. For his trust my Lord, I dare be bound, only this, a poor gentleman he is, hoping for preferment by your grace, and upon my credit my Lord, he will see it done. And honest fellow I warrant him. How now Shores wife, will none relieve thee? Why it pity to do thee good, but me thinks she is fulsome and stinks. Sownes is Shores wife become and holy whore, nay then we shall never have done. And cannot you keep the City but you must run gadding to the Court, and you stay here a little longer, isle make you be set away, and for my partly, would all whores were so sir ved, then there would be fewer in England then there be. And so farewell good mistress Shore. How says thou, is it concluded? Where shall I find a place to sighs my fill, And wail the grief of our soar troubled King? For now he hath obtained the Diadem, But with such great discomfort to his mind, That he had better lived a private man, his looks are ghastly, Hideous to behold, and from the privy sentire of his heart, There comes such deep fetched sighs and fearful cries, That being with him in his chamber oft, He moves me weep and sighs for company, For if he hear one stir he riseth up, And claps his hand upon his dagger straight, Ready to stab him, what so ere he be, But he must think this is the joust revenge, The heavens have poured upon him for his sins, Those Peers which he unkindly murdered, Does cry for justice at the hands of God, And he in justice sends continual fear, For to affright him both at bed and board, But stay, what noise is this, who have we here? Why comes there any more? Why these are the villains my Lord would have put his life into their hands. A Richard, now do my eyes witness that thy end is at hand, For thy commons make no more account of thee then of a pri vate man, yet will I as duty binds, give thee advertisements of their unjust proceedings. My master hath lifted out many, and yet hath left one to lift him out of all, not only of his Crown, but also of his life. But I will in, to tell my Lord of what is hap penned. A fly my Lord, and save your life. A no, the King is slain and he hath lost the day, and Richmond he hath won the field, and triumphs Like a valiant conqueror. Slain is the worthy Duke of Northfolk he, & with him sir Robart Brokenby, Lieutenant of the Tower, beside Lovel, he made also a partner in this Tragedy. He is this day beheaded on a stage at Lester, because he took partly with my Lord the King. But stay Report, & thou shalt hear me tell the brief discourse. And how the battle fell then know Report, that Richard came to field mounted on horseback, with as high resolve as fierce Achillis amongst the stir die Greeks, whom to encounter worthy Richmond, came ac companied with many followers, and then my Lord displayde his colours straight, and with the charge of Trumpet, Drum, and Fyfe, these brave batalians straight encountered, but in the skirmish which continued ̄ tinued long, my Lord gan faint, which Rich mond straight perceived, and presently did found afresh alarm, but worthy Richard that did never fly, but followed honour to the gates of death, straight spurred his horse to encounter with the Earl, in which encounter Richmond did prevail, & taking Richard at advantage, then he threw his horse and him both to the ground, and there was worthy Richard wounded, so that after that he never recovered strength. But to be brief, my mai ster would not yield, but with his lose of life he lost the field. Report farewell. Joy my Lord of your Protectorship for the most partly, Some murmur, but my Lord they be of the baser sort. This my Lord, they say the young king is coming up to his coronation, attended on by his two uncles, Earl Rivers & Lord Grey, and the rest of the Queens kindred. It is reported my Lord, but I know not whither it be true or no, that the Duke of Buckingham is up in the Marches of Wales with a band of men, and as they say, he aims at the Crown. I see my Lord is fully resolved to climb, but how he climbs isle leave that to your judgements, but what his fallen will be thats hard to say: But I marvel that the Duke of Bucking ham and he are now become such great friends, who had wont to love one another so well as the spider does the fly: but this I have noted, since he hath had the charge of Protector, how ma nigh noble men hath fled the realm, first the Lord Marcus son to the Queen, the Earl of Westmoreland and Northumberland, are secretly fled: how this gear will cotton I know not. But what do I meddling in such matters, that should meddle with the untying of my Lords points, faith do even as a great many do beside, meddle with Princes matters so long, till they prove them selves beggars in the end. Therefore I for fear I should be taken nipping with any words, I'll set a lock on my lips, for fear my tongue grow too wide for my mouth. Then this is his graces pleasure, that this night he will be lodged in thy house, thy fare must be sumptuous, thy lodgings cleanly, his men used friendly and with great courtesy, and that he may have his lodging prepared as near Lord River sible may be Why thus by keeping company, am I become Like un to those with whom I keep company. As my Lord Hope's to wear the Crown, so I hope by that means to have preferment, but in steed of the Crown, the blood of the headless light upon his head: he hath made but a wrong match, for blood is a threat ner and will have revenge. He makes havoc of all to bring his purpose to pass: all those of the Queen's kindred that were come mitted to Pomphret Castle, he hath caused them to be secretly put to death without iudgeme ̄ to: the Like was never seen in Eng land. He spares none whom he but mistrusteth to be a hinderer to his proceedings, he is straight chopped up in prison The valiant Earl of Oxford being but mistrusted, is kept close prisoner in Hames Castle. Again, how well Doctor Shaw hath pleased my Lord, that preached at Pauls Cross yesterday, that proved the two Princes to be bastards, whereupon in the after noon came down my Lord Mayor and the Aldermen to Baynar's Castle, and offered my Lord the whole estate upon him, and offered to make him King, which he refused so faintly, that if it had be offered once more, I know he would have taken it, the Duke of Buckingham is gone about it, and is now in the Guild Hall ma king his Oration. But here comes my Lord. I my Lord, & give diligent attendance upon your grace. Does my Lord say he hath be a long sleeper to day? There are those of the Court that are of another opinion, that thinks his grace lies never lo ̄ g enough a bed. Now there is court held to day by diverse of the Council, which I fear me will cost the Lord Hastings and the Lord Standley their best caps: for my Lord hath willed me to get half a dozen ruffians in readi ness, and when he knocks with his fist upon the board, they to rush in, and to cry, treason, treason, and to lay hands upon the Lord Hastings, and the Lord Stannley, which for fear I should let slip, I will give my diligent attendance. Ah that my Lord would utter it to his Page, then should I count my self a happy man, if I could ease my Lord of that great doubt. The more weighty it is, the sooner shall I by doing it, increase your honours good liking towards me. Why my Lord, I will choke them with gifts that sha perform it, therefore good my Lord, trust me in this cause. Why hath he undone thee? nay thy wicked and naugh tie life hath undone thee, but if thou wantest maintenance, why dost thou not fallen to thy old trade again?