A treatie for peace.
He lodged héere at Warwike, the rather (as was thought) to prouoke the earle to issue foorth of Couentrie to giue him battell, howbeit that deuise nothing auailed. But yet there came dailie diuerse persons on the earls behalfe to treat with the king about a peace, that some good composition might haue béene concluded; & the king for the aduancement of peace and tranquillitie within the realme, offered large conditions; as a frée pardon of life to the earle, and all his people, with manie other beneficiall articles on their behalfes, which to manie seemed verie reasonable, considering their heinous offenses. But the earle would not accept anie offers, except he might haue compounded so as it pleased himselfe, & as was thought in no wise to stand with the king honour, and suertie of his estate.
The duke of Clarence.
In this meane while, the earle of Warwike still looked for the duke of Clarence, who by the said earls appointment had assembled a power of men of war about London: but when the earle perceiued that the duke lingered foorth the time, and did not vse such diligence as was requisit, as one that had béene in doubt of warre or peace, he began to suspect that the duke was of his brother corrupted, and therein he was nothing deceiued. For true it is, that whilest the king was as yet beyond the seas, in the dominion of the duke of Burgognie, the duke of Clarence began to weie with himselfe the great inconuenience into the which as well his brother king Edward as himselfe and his yoonger brother the duke of Glocester were fallen, through the dissention betwixt them: (which had beene compassed and brought to passe by the politike working of the earle of Warwike and his complices.)
As first the disheriting of them all from their rightfull title to the crowne; secondlie the mortall and detestable war that could not but insue betwixt them, to such mischéefe, that to whether part the victorie inclined, the victor should remaine in no more suertie of his owne person or estate after the vpper hand got, than before; and thirdlie he well perceiued alreadie, that he was had in great suspicion, and not heartilie belooued of anie the lords and rulers that were assured partakers with king Henrie and the Lancastrian faction: insomuch they sticked not dailie to go about to breake and make void the appointments, articles, and couenants, made and promised to him, and of likelihood would dailie more and more intend thereto: for in truth he saw, that they purposed nothing so much as the destruction both of him and all his bloud.
Préests vsed for priuie messengers.
All which things throughlie considered, with manie other as they were laid afore him by right wise and circumspect persons, which in this behalfe had conference with him, he consented that by some secret waies and meanes a reconciliation might be had betwixt him and his brethren, the king and the duke of Glocester. The which to bring to some good and full effect, these honorable personages following became dealers therein. First of all the duches of Yorke their mother, the duches of Excester and the duches of Suffolke their sisters; the lord cardinall of Canturburie, the bishop of Bath, the earle of Essex; but most speciallie the duches of Burgognie their sister also, and diuerse other right wise and prudent personages, who wrought by mediation of certeine preests, and others, such as they vsed for messengers betwixt them.
K. Edward and his brother of Clarence reconciled vnwitting to the earle of Warwike.
Finallie, by the earnest trauell and diligence shewed by the said duches of Burgognie (who incessantlie sent to and fro such hir trustie messengers now to the king being on that side the seas, and then to the duke remaining héere in England) at length they were made fréends, and a perfect agréement concluded and ratified, with assurance betwixt them so stronglie as might be. To the furthering whereof the kings chamberlaine the lord Hastings failed not to doo his best, so as by his good diligence, it was thought the king was the sooner induced to with to ioine eftsoones in true fréendship with his said brother of Clarence. And as it well appeared, the duke of Clarence acquitted himselfe faithfullie therein.