Opportunitie not to be neglected.
The earle of S. Paule.
In déed the time serued verie well for the Englishmen to atchiue some high enterprise in France at that present. For not onelie the duke of Burgognie as then made warre against the French king, but also manie great men within the realme of France, misliking the manners of their king, began to haue secret intelligence with the said duke; and namelie Lewes of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule constable of France, was secretlie confederate with the duke of Burgognie, intending verelie to bring the French king to some great hinderance, the better to haue his purpose accomplished in certeine weightie matters. King Edward vnderstanding all these things, was greatlie incouraged to make a iournie into France, and therevpon with all diligence prepared all things readie for the same.
A shift to recouer monie.
But bicause he wanted monie, and could not well charge his commons with a new subsidie, for that he had receiued the last yeare great summes of monie granted to him by parlement, he deuised this shift, to call afore him a great number of the wealthiest sort of people in his realme; and to them declaring his néed, and the requisite causes thereof, he demanded of euerie of them some portion of monie, which they sticked not to giue. And therefore the king willing to shew that this their liberalitie was verie acceptable to him, he called this grant of monie, A beneuolence: notwithstanding that manie with grudge gaue great sums toward that new found aid which of them might be called, A meleuolence. But the king vsed such gentle fashions toward them, with freendlie praier of their assistance in his necessitie, that they could not otherwise doo, but franklie and fréelie yéeld and giue him a reasonable and competent summe.
Abr. Flem. ex. Edw. Hall. fol. Ccxxvj.
Iohn Stow.
¶ But here I will not let passe a pretie conceipt that happened in this gathering, in the which you shall not onelie note the humilitie of a king, but more the fantasie of a woman. King Edward had called before him a widow, much abounding in substance, and no lesse growne in yeares, of whome he merilie demanded what she gladlie would giue him toward his great charges? By my trueth quoth she, for thy louelie countenance thou shalt haue euen twentie pounds. The king looking scarse for the halfe of that summe, thanked hir, and louinglie kist hir. Whether the flauor of his breath did so comfort hir stomach, or she esteemed the kisse of a king so pretious a iewell, she swore incontinentlie, that he should haue twentie pounds more, which she with the same will paied that she offered it. ¶ This yeare the duke of Excester was found dead in the sea betwéene Douer and Calis, but how he came there the certeintie could not be knowne.
1474.