53 



him a aside from his uprightnesse ; but stoode firm (w ch I must 

 speak w th admiration) to the dislocated King, and when he 

 seemed stripped of prosperity by the ouerdaring hand of a pre- 

 uailing adversary, he took in good part the communication of 

 affliction, and went arm in arm w th his distressed prince into the 

 house of deiection. 



P resen tly> a f ter r encounters of Towton, w ch may welbe called 

 the English Pharsalian bataile, he accompanied Queene Margett 

 (a woman extraordinary for witt and courage aboue her sex ; yea, 

 an heroine virago of her time), w th her sonne, Prince Edwarde, 

 into ffrance, desiring if it were possible, to meete w th some better 

 fortune in a forren nation. From that time he neuer returned 

 into England all the while King Henry was keept prisoner in 

 the tower, until! that day of terrour called Barnet feild, wherein 

 such was the rage and fury of their impetuous assaulting one 

 another, y* 1 it was not disputable amoungst them whoe should 

 Eaigne but whoe should live. 



After the fight, and y* now the Lancastrian forces weare dissi- 

 pated and ouercome, yea all Kinge Henries frindes as it weare 

 thrust into the house of slaughter. 



korton re- Edward the 4 was glorified w th the victory and sweetenesse of 



|'o 1 Ed. e 4 d faJ a new establishment, but yet (if I may say soe) the conquest of 



j made Bis- ^ s Passion and affection exceeded the glory of that triumph, for 



n lopof Ely ' upon the consideration of Morton's vertues and fydelity, being 



induced by many worthy examples of his well deseruing, he not 



only pardoned the fault for being his opposite, but tooke him 



to fauour and mercy, and not long after, as it weare, rauished 



w th his plausible demeanour, aduaunced him to the Bishopricke 



of Ely, a place in those days (besides the great reuenewes and 



wealth belonging to the same) of Kingly prerogatiue, as hauing 



annexed unto it the dignity of a Count Palatine, w ch Hen 8, his 



nephew from Elizabeth his daughter, repining at, and desirous 



to drawe all authority into his owne hands, by act of parlament 



dissolved, and as it wear, cut of by the head. 



After this King Ed. soe sat in the chaire of quietnesse and 

 peace, that not only the seeds of his ciuill dissentions weare 



