Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (4 of 9): Edward the Fourth, Earle of March, Sonne and Heire to Richard Duke of YorkeHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (3 of 6): England (4 of 9): Edward the Fourth, Earle of March, Sonne and Heire to Richard Duke of Yorke
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Edward IV, 1461-1483; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
My deere and welbeloued brethren, the incredible faithfulnesse, the
secret sobernesse, and the politike prudence that I haue euer by
long continuance of time experimented in you both, dooth not onelie
incourage my heart, yea and setteth me in great hope of obteining my
purpose, but also putteth me out of all dread and mistrust, firmelie
beléeuing, and suetlie iudging, that you both will with tooth and
naile endeuour your selues, to the vttermost of your power, to bring
to effect and purpose the thing that I now shall declare vnto you.
Suerlie, I would in no wise that you should thinke, that that which
I shall speake to you of king Edward and king Henrie, should rise of
any lightnesse or phantasie of my mind, or anie trifeling toie latelie
fallen into my imagination; but the true experience and iust iudgement
that I haue of them both, their qualities and conditions, in manner
compell and constraine me to saie as I say and to doo as I doo.
For suerlie, king Henrie is a godlie, good, and a vertuous person,
neither forgetting his freends, nor putting in obliuion anie benefit
by him of a meane person receiued, nor yet anie paine for his causes
susteined hath he left vnrewarded: to whome God hath sent a sonne,
called prince Edward, borne to be of great worthinesse and praise, of
much bountifulnesse and liberalitie, of whome men may manie laudable
things coniecture, considering the paine, labour, and trauell, that
he taketh to helpe his father out of captiuitie and thraldome. King
Edward on the contrarie side, is a man contumelious, opprobrious,
and an iniurious person; to them that deserue kindnesse he sheweth
vnkindnesse, and them that loue him he deadlie hateth, now detesting to
take anie paine for the preferment or maintenance of the publike wealth
of this realme, but all giuen to pastime, pleasure, and daliance;
sooner preferring to high estate men descended of low bloud and base
degree, than men of old and vndefiled houses, which haue both supported
him and the common-wealth of his realme.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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