The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The king hearing that his best beloued familiar was thus apprehended, sent to the lords, requiring them to spare his life, and that he might be brought to his presence, promising withall that he would see them fullie satisfied in all their requests against him. Wherevpon the earle of Pembroke persuaded with the barons to grant to the kings desire, vndertaking vpon forfeiture of all that he had, to bring him to the king and backe againe to them, in such state and condition as he receiued him. When the barons had consented to his motion, he tooke the earle of Cornewall with him to bring him where the king laie, and comming to Dedington, left him there in sake keeping with his seruants, whilest he for one night went to visit his wife, lieng not farre from thence.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The same night it chanced, that Guie earle of Warwike came to the verie place where the erle of Cornwall was left, and taking him from his keepers, brought him vnto Warwike, where incontinentlie it was thought best to put him to death, but that some doubting the kings displeasure, aduised the residue to staie; and so they did, till at length an ancient graue man amongst them exhorted them to vse the occasion now offered, and not let slip the meane to deliuer the realme of such a dangerous person, that had wrought so such mischeefe, and might turne them all to such perill, as afterwards they should not be able to auoid, nor find shift how to remedie it. And thus persuaded by his words, they caused him streitwaies to be brought foorth to a place called Blackelow, otherwise named by most writers, Gauerslie heath, where he had his head smitten from his shoulders, the twentieth day of Iune being tuesdaie. A iust reward for so scornefull and contemptuous a merchant, as in respect of himself (bicause he was in the princes fauour) esteemed the Nobles of the land as men of such inferioritie, as that in comparison of him they deserued no little iot or mite of honour. But lo the vice of ambition, accomanied with a rable of other outrages, euen a reprochfull end, with an euerlasting marke of infamie, which he pulled by violent meanes on himselfe with the cords of his owne lewdnesse, and could not escape this fatall fall: for

Ad mala patrata sunt atra theatra parata.

Previous | Next