[1986] No care. 1563.
[1987] Flitting. 1563. Which appears intended to be altered, as in the faults escaped we are directed to read “her flitting frames.”
[1988] Her net. 1563.
[1989] Wee, misprint. 1587.
[1990] From me. 1563.
[1991] Him. 1563.
[1992] Fayned. 1563, 71.
[1993] The description of the person and the character of this frail, though not quite unamiable beauty, was faithfully delineated in her lifetime by the eloquent sir Thomas More, in the history of Richard III. That that description is now given from Hall’s Chronicle, ed. 1548, may need requiring the reader’s indulgence, as much apposite matter, less known, has been, of necessity, omitted in the notes, from the unusual size of the present volume, but the relation appeared too interesting to reject. After the execution of Lord Hastings, the historian says: “By and by, as it were for anger and not for coueteous, the protectoure sent sir Thomas Hawarde to the house of Shore’s wyfe (for her husbande dwelte not with her) whiche spoyled her of all that euer she had, aboue the valure of twoo or thre thousande markes, and sent her bodye to pryson. And the protectoure had layde to her for the maner sake that she was a counsaill with the lorde Hastynges to destroye hym. In conclusion, when no coloure could fasten vpon these matters, then he layed heynously to her charge that thyng that she could not denye, for all the world knewe that it was true, and that notwithstandyng euery man laughed to heare it then so sodeynly, so highly taken, that she was naught of her body. And for this cause as a godly continent prince cleane and fautlesse of hym selfe, sent out of heauen into thys vicious worlde, for the amendement of men’s maners, he caused the byshop of London to putte her to open penaunce, goyng before a crosse one Sondaye at procession with a taper in her hand. In the whiche she went in countenaunce and peace so womanly, and albeit she was out of all aray sauyng kyrtel only, yet went she so fayre and louely, and namely when the wondryng of the people cast a comely red in her chekes, of the whiche she before had most mysse, that her great shame wanne her much prayse amongest them that were more amorous of her body then curious of her soule, and many good folke that hated her liuyng and were glad to se synne corrected, yet pitied they more her penaunce then reioysed it, when they considered that the protector did more of corrupt mynd then any vertuous affection.
“This woman was borne in London, well frended, honestly brought vp and very well maryed, sauyng somewhat to sone, her husbande an honest and a yong citezen, godly and of good substaunc, but forasmuche as they were coupled or she were well rype, she not very feruently loued for whom she neuer longed, which was the thyng (by chaunce) that the more easily made her to encline to the kynge’s appetite, when he required her. Howbeit the respect of his royaltie, the hope of gaye apparell, ease, pleasure, and other wanton wealth, was hable sone to perce a softe tendre hart: but when the kyng had abused her, anone her husband beyng an honest manne and one that could his good, not presumyng to touche a kynge’s concubyne left her vp to hym altogether. When the kyng dyed, the lorde Hastynges toke her, whiche in the kynge’s dayes albeit that he was sore enamoured with her yet he forbare, either for a pryncely reuerence or for a certayne frendely faithfulnesse. Proper she was and fayre, nothyng in her bodye that you could haue chaunged, but yf you would haue wished her somewhat higher. This saye they that knewe her in her youthe, some sayed and iudged that she had bene well fauoured, and some iudged the contrary, whose iudgement seameth like as menne gesse the beautye of one long before departed, by a scaple taken out of a chanell house, and this iudgment was in the tyme of kyng Henry the eyght in the xviii. yere of whose reigne she dyed, when she had nothing but a reueled skynne and bone. Her beautye pleased not menne so muche as her pleasaunt behauoure, for she had a proper wytte and coulde both reade and wryte, mery in compaigny, redy and quicke of answere, neyther mute nor full of bable, somtyme tantyng without displeasure, but not without disporte. Kyng Edward would saye that he had thre concubines, which in diuerse proparties diuersly excelled, one the meriest, the other the wyliest, the thirde the holyest harlot in the realme as one, whom no man coulde get out of the churche to any place lightly, but if it were to his bed, the other two were somwhat greater personages then mastres Shore, and neuerthelesse of their humilitie were content to be nameles and to forbeare the prayse of these properties. But the meriest was Shore’s wyfe in whom the kyng therfore toke great pleasure, for many he had, but her he loued, whose fauoure to saye the trueth (for it were synne to lye on the deuil) she neuer abused to any man’s hurt, but to many men’s comforte and reliefe. For where the kyng toke displeasure, she would mitigate and apeace his mynde, where men were out of fauour, she would bryng them into his grace, for many that had highly offended, she obteyned pardon, and of forfeatures she gat remission; and, finally, in many weighty suites she stode many menne in great steade, either for none or very small rewarde: and those rather gaye then riche, either for that she was content with the dede well done, or for that she delighted to be sued vnto, and to shewe what she was able to do with the kyng, or for that that wanton women and welthy be not alwaies couetous, I doubt not some man wyl thynke this woman to be to slight to be written of emong graue and weyghtie matters, whiche they shall specially thynke that happely sawe her in her age and aduersite, but me semeth the chaunce so much more worthy to be remembred, in how much after wealth she fell to pouertie, and from riches to beggery vnfrended, out of acquaintance, after great substaunce, after so great fauour with her prince, after as great suite and sekyng to with all those which in those dayes had busynes to spede as many other men were in their tymes, whiche be now famous onely by the infamy of their euill deedes, her doynges were not muche lesse, albeit they be muche lesse remembred, because they were not euyll, for men vse to write an euyll turne in marble stone, but a good turne they wryte in the dust, which is not worst proued by her, for after her wealth she went beggyng of many that had begged them selfes if she had not holpen them, suche was her chaunce.” See Percy’s Reliques, 1794, Vol. II. p. 256. More’s Utopia, by Dibdin, Vol. I. p. lxxxiii.
[1994] Moved. 1563.