XVI. CHAP. though not naturally cruel became callous and unpitying: he brooded over the means of removing a rival so long the object of his jealous fear, and with a mockery of justice which deepened his crime, endeavoured to screen himself from the opprobrium of Edward Plantagenet's murder by dragging his luckless prisoner to a public trial. The unfortunate prince confessed that he had attempted to escape from the Tower with a design to raise the retainers of his family in the support of Perkin Warbeck's pretended claim, and upon his own acknowledgment was condemned by a heartless tribunal of peers, Henry's too subservient ministers, who thus shared in their master's guilt. The Earl of Oxford, as lord steward, pronounced judgment, and the last, the most helpless and unoffending prince of the male line of Nov. 28, the Plantagenets, fell a bleeding sacrifice to the unconquerable hatred of the House of Lancaster. The illustrious name which had flourished in England for the space of three hundred and thirty-one years, from the accession of Henry II. was extinguished by this cruel outrage on the persecuted heir of Clarence. 1499. The public voice was raised in loud reprobation of Henry's inhumanity, and the king, though usually not unwilling to brave the censure incurred by measures which he deemed necessary for his own or for the nation's welfare, was upon this occasion anxious to exonerate himself by ascribing Warwick's execution to the King of Spain's earnest suggestions. Negociations for a marriage were now on foot between Arthur Prince of Wales, and the Princess Catherine of Arragon, and letters were shown from Ferdinand the intended bride's father, in which he said "that he saw no assurance of his (Arthur's) succession as long as the Earl of Warwick lived, and that he was loth to send his daughter to troubles and dangers."* Catherine long afterwards recollected the melancholy circumstances which had preceded her entrance into England, and attributed her subsequent misfortunes to the judgment of heaven against a marriage which had been sealed with blood. Warwick's death terminated the impostures of the Yorkists, and henceforward Henry's government was undisturbed by pretenders to the throne. * Bacon. CHAP. XVI. CHAP. XVII. CHAPTER XVII. Respect paid to Henry by foreign Princes-Henry's Attention to the national Interests-Act passed by the Parliament-Abolition of Badges-Rigid Enforcement of the Law-Change produced by Henry's Policy-Fortunate Events springing from his Alliances with Spain and Scotland-Infractions of the Scots-Proposals for a permanent Peace-Joy of the English People-Splendour of Margaret's Cavalcade-Magnificence of the Earl of Northumberland -Gallantry of James-Slender Portion given with the QueenArrival of the Princess Catharine of Arragon-Henry's unceremonious Visit-Bacon's Eulogium of Bishop Fox-The Entrance to London-The Pageant-Order of the Procession-Celebration of Mass-The Princess visits the Queen-Marriage of Arthur and Catharine-Magnificent Tournaments—and Disguisings—the Duke of York's Feat in the Darce-Costliness and Quantity of the King's Plate-Rich Dress of Lord Vaux-Suppositions concerning his Poetry-Death of Prince Arthur-Affliction of the King and Queen -Grief of the Court of Spain-Proposal for the second Marriage of the Princess. ENGLAND, under a monarch who studied its best and truest interests, attained a high rank amongst the nations of Europe; and Henry, though owing no part of his ascendance to foreign conquest, received the strongest and most flattering demonstrations of respect from surrounding potentates. The King of Scotland solicited an alliance which he had formerly declined. The Archduke of Austria saluting him as "father, patron and protector," pressed forward to hold the stirrup of his horse. The Pope Alex- CHAP. ander VI. invited him to head a new crusade; and XVII. Louis XII. of France, the successor of Charles VIII., eagerly ratified the treaty which his predecessor had signed, and agreed to pay the annual pension by which France became tributary to England.* Henry, though not a learned prince, knew the value of science, and encouraged it by the careful education which he bestowed upon his sons. In his long residence in Bretagne he had witnessed the immense advantages which are derived from commerce; and in all his foreign transactions he earnestly attended to the welfare of the trading portion of the community. England was also indebted to the first of the Tudors for some of its wisest and most beneficial statutes. "His laws," says Bacon, "are deepe and not vulgar: not made upon the spurre of a particular occasion for the present, but out of providence for the future, to make the estate of his people still more and more happy; after the manner of the legislators in ancient and more heroical times." In the repeated alternations of the crown between the rival roses, the vanquished of either party had been arraigned as traitors, and were placed at the mercy of the conqueror. Henry, though aware that the certainty of confiscation, and the peril of death, stimulated the exertions both of nobles and commons in the field, yet endeavoured to obviate the melancholy consequences which followed defeat, by the introduction of a new act, which declared that no person who should draw his sword in favour of + Parliament Rolls. • Bacon. CHAP. the reigning king should be subjected to the penalty mayneth to this day, a report that the king was on 6 1 |