STANLEY

Why my Lord, for that I sent, I have received. Not I my Lord. I desire your majesty but give me leave to speak? And Like your grace, whereas you mistrust that I knew of my sons departure, out of England into Britain, God I take to record it was unknown to me, nor know not yet what his pretence is: for at his departure, was I one of the privy con cell to your brother King Edward the fourth, and that she was able to relieve him without my help: I hope her sufficiency is known to your grace. Therefore I humbly crave pardon. I am to advise my self upon a secret cause, and of a matter that concerns me near: say that I leave my son unto the King, and that I should but aid Earl Richmond, my son George Standley die, but if my faith be kept unto my Prince, George Standley lives. Well I will except the Kings proffer. And please your grace I am content, and will leave my son to pledge. And you shall go apace, and yet go without me. But I humbly take my leave of your grace. Farewell George. No my Lord, I have done: The second sighed is sweet, of such a son. Why son, see how contrary you are, for I assure you, the chiefest of his company are liker to fly to thee, then to fight against thee: and for me, think me not so simple but that I can at my pleasure fly to thee, or being with them, fight so faintly, that the battle shall be won on thy partly with small encountering. And note this beside, that the King is now come to Lester, and means to morrow to bid thee battle in Bosworth. Why then son farewell, I can stay no longer. Marry some twenty thousand. And so farewell. Then know my son, the Peers by full consent, in that thou hast freed them from a tyrants yoke, have by election chosen thee as King, first in regard they account thee virtuous, next, for that they hope all foreign broils shall cease, and thou wilt guide and govern them in peace, then fit thou down my son, and here receive the Crown of England as thy proper own, fit down. A no my son, for he that joys in blood, will work his fury on the innocent. For his health my Lord, I do not mistrust. And please your grace, His power is unknown to me, Nor willingly would not I be privy to such causes. Only this my Lord, that I may repair from the court, to my house in the country. Captain I pray thee bring me word when thou dost descry the enemy. And so farewell, and leave me for a while. In good health my son, & the better to see thee thus forward in this laudable enterprise, but omitting vain circum stances, and to come briefly to the purpose, I am now in few words to deliver much matter. For know this, when I came to crave leave of the King to depart from the court, the king very furiously began to charge me that I was both acquainted with thy practises and drifts, and that I knew of thy landing, and by no means would grant me leave to go, till as pledge of my loy altie and true dealing with the king, I should leave my young son George Standley. Thus have I left my son in the hands of a tyrant, only of purpose to come and speak with thee. Son I cannot, for as I will not go to the usurper, no more I will not come to thee. Why son, George Standlyes death would do you no pleasure. Oh son, tyrants expect no time, and George Standley being young and a grissell, is the more easy to be made away. And now were but my form George Standley here, How happy were our present meeting then, But he is dead, nor shall I evermore see my sweet Boy whom I do love so deer, for well I know the usurper In his rage hath made a slaughter of my aged joy. But how now what noise is this? Well spoken son, and Like a man of worth, whose resolutio ̄ in this battle passed, hath made thee famous amongst thy enemies. And think my son, I glory more to hear what praise the common people gave of thee, then if the Peers by general full consent had set me down to wear the Diadem. Then live my son thus loved of thy friends, and for thy foes prepare to combat them. And lives George Standley? Then happy that I am to see him freed thus from a tyrants rage. Welcome my son, my sweet George welcome home.