HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 409 



whom there is infused, for the preservation of mo 

 narchies, a natural desire to discharge their princes, 

 though it be with the unjust charge of their coun 

 sellors and ministers, did impute this unto cardinal 

 Morton and Sir Reginald Bray, who, as it after ap 

 peared, as counsellors of ancient authority with him, 

 did so second his humours, as nevertheless they did 

 temper them. Whereas Empson and Dudley 

 that followed, being persons that had no repu 

 tation with him, otherwise than by the servile fol 

 lowing of his bent, did not give way only, as the first 

 did, but shape him way to those extremities, for 

 which himself was touched with remorse at his 

 death, and which his successor renounced, and 

 sought to purge. This excess of his had at that 

 time many glosses and interpretations. Some 

 thought the continual rebellions wherewith he had 

 been vexed, had made him grow to hate his people : 

 some thought it was done to pull down their sto 

 machs, and to keep them low : some, for that he 

 would leave his son a golden fleece : some suspected 

 he had some high design upon foreign parts : 

 but those perhaps shall come nearest the truth, that 

 fetch not their reasons so far off : but rather impute 

 it to nature, age, peace, and a mind fixed upon no 

 other ambition or pursuit. Whereunto I should add, 

 that having every day occasion to take notice of the 

 necessities and shifts for money of other great princes 

 abroad, it did the better, by comparison, set off to 

 him the felicity of full coffers. As to his expending 

 of treasure, he never spared charge which his affairs 



