[1] The newes of the taking of king Richard was anon bruted and blowne ouer all Germanie, where|vpon the emperour Henrie the sixt, the sonne of Fre|derike the first, sent in all hast vnto the duke, persua|ding him to deliuer the king into his hands, being a|ble to susteine and abide the malice of all them that would be offended with the taking and deteining of him prisoner, as the pope and others. The emperour well vnderstood the wealth and riches of England, and therefore hoped to make some good purchase by ransoming the king, if he might get him out of the dukes hands. The duke perceiuing also the empe|rours meaning, durst not well denie his request, and therefore he deliuered the king vnto them that were sent from the emperour,The king is deliuered to the emperor. Matth. Paris. who couenanted to giue vnto the said duke the summe of 6000. pounds of Cullen weight for the hauing of the said king. The emperour thus receiuing the king at the hands of the duke of Austrich, commanded that he should be committed to close prison, and would not doo so much as once speake with him. This he did, to cause the king vpon an indignation and wearinesse of that maner of life, to make speed in offering some large masse of monie for his libertie & deliuerance. ¶ Thus we sée how couetousnesse infected the hearts of the mightie, and what occasion the emperour and duke did take, to inrich themselues by the meanes of the king, whome they forced not to impouerish, so their owne greedie worme were serued. But this hath béene a disease not so generall as ancient, according to his words that said,

Vix ego Saturno quenquam regnante videbam,

Ouid. lib. Fast. 1. Cuius non animo dulcia lucra forent.