15.1. The ansvver of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
The ansvver of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
_COosine, we haue séene the bill that ye tooke vs late, and also vnderstand the good humble obedience that ye in your selfe shew vnto vs, as well in word as in deed: wherefore our intent is, the more hastilie to ease you of such things as were in your said bill. Howbeit, that at our more leasure we might answer you to your said bill, yet we let you wit, that for the causes aforesaid, we will declare you now our intent in these matters: sith it is that a long time among the people hath béene vpon you many strange language, and in especiall anon after your disordinate and vn|lawfull slaieng of the bishop of Chester, diuerse and manie of the vntrue shipmen and other said (in their maner) words against our estate, making manace to our owne person by your saiengs, that ye should be fetched with manie thousands, and ye should take vpon you that, which ye neither ought, nor as we doubt not, ye will not attempt: so farre foorth that it was said to our person by diuerse, & especiallie we re|member of one Wasnes, which had like words to vs.
And also there were diuerse of such false people, that went on and had like language in diuerse of our townes of our land, which by our subiects were taken and dulie executed. Wherefore we sent to diuerse of our courts and places, to hearken and to take héed if anie such maner comming were; and if there had béene, for to resist it: but comming into our land our true subiect as ye did, our intent was not that ye, nor lesse of estate of our subiects, nor none of your seruants should not haue beene letted nor warned, but in goodlie wise receiued: howbeit that peraduen|ture your sudden comming, without certeine war|ning, caused our seruants to doo as they did, conside|ring the causes aboue said. And as to the indictement that ye spoke of, we thinke verelie, and hold for cer|teine warning, caused our seruants to doo as they did, considering the causes aboue said. And as to the indictement that ye spoke of, we thinke verelie and hold for certeine, that there was none such. And if ye may trulie prooue that anie person was thereabouts, the matter shall be demeaned as the case shall re|quire: so that he shall know it is to our great dis|pleasure. Upon this, for the easing of your heart in all such matters, we declare, repute, and admit you as our true and faithfull subiect, and as our faithfull coosine.
15.1. Richard duke of Yorke to king Henrie againe.
Richard duke of Yorke to king Henrie againe.
_PLease it your highnesse tenderlie to consi|der, that great murmur and grudging is vniuersallie in this your realme, in that iu|stice is not dulie ministred to such as trespasse and of|fend against you lawes, and in especiall of them that be indicted of treason, and other being openlie noised of the same; whereby great inconueniences haue fal|len, and great is like to fall hereafter in your said realme, which God defend: but if by your highnesse prouision conuenable be made for due reformation and punishment in this behalfe. Wherefore I your humble subiect and true liegeman, Richard duke of Yorke, willing as effectuallie as I can, and desiring the suertie and prosperitie of your most roiall person, and the welfare of this your noble realme, counsell and aduertise your excellencie, for the conseruation of good tranquillitie and peaceable rule among all o|ther subiects, for to ordeine and prouide, that true iu|stice be had, against all such that so be indicted, or o|penlie named: wherein I offer my selfe, and will put my indeuour for to execute your commandement in the premisses, for the punishing of such offendors, and redresse of the said misrules, to my might and power. And for the hastie execution hereof, like it your highnesse, to addresse these letters of priuie seale and writs to your officers and ministers, to doo, take, and arrest, all such persons so noised and indic|ted, of what estate, degree, or condition soeuer they be, and them to commit to the Tower of London, and to other of your prisons, there to abide without baile or maineprise, vntill the time they be vtterlie tried, and determined after the course of your lawes.
15.1. The ansvver of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
The ansvver of king Henrie to the duke of Yorke.
_COosine, as touching your bill last put vp to vs, we vnderstand well that ye (of good heart) counsell and aduertise vs to the setting vp of EEBO page image 639 iustice, and to the speedie punishing of some persons indicted or noised, offering your seruice to be readie at commandement in the same, sith it is that for ma|nie causes moouing vs to haue determined in our soule, to stablish a sad, and a substantiall councell, gi|uing them more ample authoritie and power than e|uer we did before this, in the which we haue appointed you to be one. But sith it is not accustomed, sure, nor expedient, to take a conclusion & conduct by aduise or counsell of one person by himselfe for the conserua|tion, it is obserued that the greatest and the best, the rich and the poore, in libertie, vertue, and effect of your voices be equall. We haue therfore determined within our selfe to send for our chancellour of Eng|land, and for other lords of our councell, yea and all other, togither within short time ripelie to common of these and other our great matters. In which com|munication, such conclusion (by the grace of God) shall be taken, as shall sound to his pleasure, the weale of vs and our land, as well in these matters as in anie other.