126 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



abroad, whether by error, or the cunning of malcon 

 tents, that the king had a purpose to put to death 

 Edward Plantagenet closely in the Tower : whose 

 case was so nearly paralleled with that of Edward 

 the Fourth s children, in respect of the blood, like 

 age, and the very place of the Tower, as it did 

 refresh and reflect upon the king a most odious re 

 semblance, as if he would be another King Richard. 

 And all this time it was still whispered every where, 

 that at least one of the children of Edward the 

 Fourth was living : which bruit was cunningly 

 fomented by such as desired innovation. Neither 

 was the king s nature and customs greatly fit to dis 

 perse these mists, but contrariwise, he had a fashion 

 rather to create doubts than assurance. Thus was 

 fuel prepared for the spark : the spark, that after 

 wards kindled such a fire and combustion, was at the 

 first contemptible. 



There was a subtile priest called Richard Simon,* 

 that lived in Oxford, and had to his pupil a baker s 

 son, named Lambert Simnell, of the age of some 

 fifteen years, a comely youth, and well favoured, not 

 without some extraordinary dignity and grace of 

 aspect. It came into this priest s fancy, hearing 

 what men talked, and in hope to raise himself to 

 some great bishoprick, to cause this lad to counter 

 feit and personate the second son of Edward the 



* The priest s name was William Simonds, and the youth 



was the son of an organ-maker in Oxford, as the priest 



declared before the whole convocation of the clergy at Lambeth, 

 Feb. 17, I486. Vide Reg. Morton f. 34. MS. Sandcroft. 

 Note from a former but not the original edition. 



