An Advertisement to the Reader.  
THis Book was written some Years since, by an Eminent and Learned Gentleman; and having been perused by some Judicious Persons, they have advised the Publication of it, as very seasonable to the present State of Affairs.   

The whole EXAMINATION BIRTH Of the Pretended Prince of Wales, AND THE True MOTHER OF THAT Notorious Counterfeit and Impostor Fully Discovered and Proved, Before the LORDS and COMMONS of England, for the public Satisfaction of the whole KINGDOM.  
OF all the Cheats, Frauds, and Impositions put upon Mankind, since Melten Calves were set up, and Adored for Gods, the World can hardly parallel this horrid Impostor obtruded upon the Imperial Crown of England, for the Enslaving of a Nation.  
The Arts, the Labour, the Plottings and Cabals (as shall be here made out) and indeed all the Engines and Engineers set at Work, through the whole Management, are such a complicated Mass of Villainy, as cannot be repeated without Horror and Astonishment: Considering not only the Impudent falsifying with Men, whilst their mistaken Homage and Veneration, due only to the Imperial Sacred Blood of Princes, has been extorted from them, and paid to Dirt and Rubbish; but also the prevaricating even with God himself, whilst public Prayers, and Solemn Thanksgivings, and all, alas but so many mere mock Oblations have been made so considerable and indeed so shameful a part of the Pagean●●y●▪  
When we read the dreadful anathemas pronounced against the general Class of Hypocrites, to what frightful Apprehensions of the more than common Bolts and Vials or Divine Wrath, due to the unexampled Authors and Complotters of so amazing a Delusion, must our serious Reflections lead us▪ A Delusion so truly Tremendious, that the fatal Consequences of it, (had not the Hand of Providence been even a miraculous Deliverer) were almost unimaginable. For Instance:  
After Heaven had Commissioned the great Henry Earl of Richmond, (afterwards Henry the Seventh) to Execute its own particular Mandate, in the Death of the Bloody Richard the Third; a Tyrant, that had himself been the Executioner of King Henry the Sixth, (that Innocent Prince) with his own hands, the contriver of the Death of the Duke of Clarence his Brother, and the Murderer of his Nephews, the two young Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower (one of them his Lawful King) by the Hands of his Ruffians and Hirelings: The Uniting of the White Rose, and the Red (a Dispute that had so often cost so much English Blood) by the Marriage of the King, the Heir of the Lancastrian, and Elizabeth of the House of York; seemed to have laid a lasting Foundation for the future Peace of England. Nevertheless, as restless Spirits, and Ambitious Minds, are never wanting to disturb the Quiet, even of the most Halcyon Reign; it is almost impossible, even in the highest Dispensations of Humane Blessings, and a National Felicity, to have all Men satisfied.  
Henry upon his Accession to the Crown, by a State Jealousy, a natural Disease in Crowned Heads, had taken Edward Plantagenet, Son and Heir of George-Duke of Clarence, a Male Remnant of the House of York, formerly by King Richard's Commandment, detained in in safe Custody, in a Castle in Yorkshire; and kept him close Prisoner in the Tower.  
The severity used to this young Prince begat a public Rumour, that King Henry was copying after his Predecessor Richard's Original, and that this Princely youth had either already run the Fate of the poor Lamented young Princes before Murdered there, or at least that he was speedily threatened with the same untimely End.  
However this popular Impression was not so Universal, but another part of mankind, were of an Opinion in the contrary extreme, viz. that even young Edward, and his Brother Richard; both, or at least one of them were alive still; notwithstanding the known Barbarity of their Inhuman Uncle Richard: Nor was their Credulity in that point so much to be wondered at; that two young Princes privately Butchered within the Tower, only by four Assassinates, might in the popular Faith be believed alive still: When a later Unfortunate Gentleman, that lost his Head at Noon day, upon the open Tower-bill, before Four times Four thousand Eye-witnesses, can hardly be believed Dead yet.  
At this time (as indeed at all times) there was a subtle Priest (for such they most are) called Richard Simon: This Priest had to his Pupil, a youth of about 15 years of Age, Named Robert Simnel; by his Original, Born of the Body of a Baker's Wife, and possibly begotten too, by the honest Pie crust-Raiser the Baker; though in reality so well favoured, and of that extraordinary Dignity, and Grace of Aspect, as probably might Entitle him to some more Gentleman like Derivation, than the courser Veins of his reputed Father, the Drudge at the Oven could give him. But of the more sure Mother side, Dame Simnel more certainly claimed her maternal propriety in him.  
It came into this Priest's Fancy (as Embroiling of Kingdoms, are seldom out of their Fancies) to set up this Lad, for a Prince of Wales, or a Duke of York; either for the first or second Son of King Edward the Fourth, before Murdered; though by Vulgar Tradition received for Living. This projection was first Hammered, and resolved upon; but an Accident happening, made him change his first measures, and afterwards designed him to personate Edward Plantagenet, the  present Prisoner in the Tower. And why? because about this time a General Bruit arose, that Edward Plantagenet had prevented King Henry's: Bloody purpose, by an Escape from the Tower; and thereby finding him so much beloved amongst the People, and such rejoicing at his reported Deliverance, the cunning Priest changed his first Copy; the young Plantagenet being more in the present Speech, and Votes of the People; and so it pelced better, and followed more close and handsomely to appear a Plantagenet, after a Resurrection from so many Years lying Buried in Prison walls; then an Edward, or a Richard now almost forgotten.  
Accordingly the Ghostly Prince-maker, big with wondrous hopes of preferment, by the Idol he resolved to set up. expecting to be a Bishop at least, if his Game was once played out; began to instruct his young Pupil, in all the magisterial Graces and Behaviours of his intended Sovereignty, and what by his own, and the Queen Dowagers Assistanee, from whom this Action had the principal source and motion; they held the Book so well, and and so prompted him in the whole Stage-play, that they equipt him for a complete true Royal-Born immediately; and furnished him with all and all manner of Answers fitted to all Questions and Interrogatories.  
And indeed there was very good Reason for a more than ordinary care and caution, in acting so critical a part. For alas, our new made Prince was not to personate one that had been long before taken out of his Cradle, or conveyed away in his Infancy, and so almost unknown, or at least forgotten, but a youth that till the Age of almost Ten years, had been brought up in a Court, where infinite Eyes had been upon him.  
However as bold a Masquerader as this Attempt would make him, the Hazard shall be no Bar to the Design. For that enterprise must be very hardy indeed, where the Forehead of a Priest shall redden at the undertaking.  
However, for the  Reasons it was not thought convenient that he should make his first Entry upon the English Stage, lest the too curious English Optics, should pry a little too narrowly, and too near into the Disguise; and therefore 'tis Decreed to give him his first start in Ireland; where not only the distance would give Credit to the Figment, but also the strong Bend of the Irish Inclination to the House of York, would yield him the more favourable Countenance and Reception.  
Accordingly our Priest, and his Imperial Nursling, Embarked for Ireland, where th●● no sooner Landed, but all things were so ready prepared for Revolt and Mutiny (the Natural Distemper of the Clime) as if his Success and Triumph, had been the Study, not the Lottery of his good Fortune: all things seemed Plotted before hand. Simon● First Address was to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, before whose Eyes, and Irish Understanding, our Prince-looked Puppet cast such a Mist, as joined perhaps with some inward Vapours of Ambition, left him fully possessed that it was the true Plantagenet. The Deputy communicated the Matter to the Irish Nobles, and finding their Pulses beat so exactly with his own, they resolved to take a taste of the People's Inclinations. But if the more Noble Irish Grandees were in so much forwardness, no wonder that the meaner Teague, those thinner Sold Dear Joys, were all Fury, and Transport: Insomuch, that with a marvellous consent and applause, this counterfeit Plantagenet was brought with great Solemnity to the Castle of Dublin, and there Saluted, Served, and Honoured as King; and in a few Days after Proclaimed in Dublin, by the Name of King Edward the Sixth; there being not one Sword drawn in King Henry's Quarrel.  
The King alarmed with this unexpected Accident, amongst several other Councils, to Ward against this growing Danger, caused the true Edward to be released from his long Confinement, and showed in the most public manner that could be devised, to disabuse and sedate the mistaken part of Mankind, and convince them of their Error and Frenzy and, thereby expose the Levity and Imposture of the proceed in Ireland. Hereupon the true Plantagenet was upon a Sunday brought, throughout the principal Streets of I●●nd●●, to be seen of the People; and from thence in Solemn procession conducted to St. Paul's Church; the King having taken care, that those of the Nobility that he most suspected, as also those that knew the person of Plantagenet best, should hold Communication with the Young Gentleman by the way; which in effect much marred the Irish Pageant with the Subjects here. Nevertheless in Ireland it wrought little, or rather no effect at all; but on the contrary, what with their Irish Intellects, and Irish Impudence together, they turned the Imposture back upon the King; audaciously charging him with tricking up a false Plantagenet, to Defeat the true Inheritor.  
The Rebels in Ireland continuing still obstinate to Reason, so privily transacted with several English Nobles, as to draw them off to their party. But that which chief supported the Reputation of this Impostor, was the countenance It received from France, from the Lady Margaret of Bergundy, the most inveterate Enemy of the Lancastrian Family. The Earl of Lincoln, with others the Confederate English Lords retiring into Flanders, and succoured with some Thousands of Forces from the Lady Margaret, immediately Embark for Ireland, where upon this new accession of Power, the Irish proceed to Grown their new King in the Cathedral Church of Dublin; and after several Debates, it was resolved to Transport their Army, and assert His Right, and make Their Fortunes in England,  
In the mean time the King of England finding the Impostors cause upheld by such powerful Abettors, provides and prepares accordingly, by making Levies suitable to oppose so formidable an Enemy.  
The Irish in the mean time, headed by their Lord Deputy, the Earl of Lincoln, the Lord Lovel, etc. Landed at Fouldrey in Lancashire; and from thence took their March towards York; but were much deceived in their Expectation of the Country's Concourse to them; nevertheless they resolved to give the King Battle, being now past Hopes of a Retreat.  
The King and his Party with all alacrity, came to the Decision upon the Plains near Newark; where the Battle was on both sides desperately fought. Nevertheless the Divine Providence was pleased to carry Victory to the Rightful Cause. The King's Conquest was complete; nor did the Irish and their Allies fail in Courage or Fierceness: There died upon the place all the Chieftains of the Rebels, viz. the Earl of Lincoln, Earl of Kildare, Francis Lord Lovel, Martin Swart, commander of Two thousand Almains, all dying without giving Ground. Of the Irish fell 4000 and amongst the Prisoners taken, was the Counterfeit Plantagenet, now plain Lambert Simnell again, and the crafty Priest his Tutor. As for Lambert, the King disdained to take his Life, both out of magnanimity, as taking him but as an Image of Wax, that others had tempered and moulded; and also as much out of policy, as thinking by his Execution he would be forgotten too soon; but being kept alive would be a continued Subject of the people's Laughter and Derision, and consequently a kind of Spell, or Antidote against all future Frenzies and Infatuations. For which Reason he very prudently took him Into service in the Court, and posted him in the Office of a Scullion in the King's Kitchen. Thus by a Caprice of Fortune, poor Simnel comes from wielding a Sceptre to turning a Spit; where behaving himself a quieter Subject, than he had reigned a Prince, he had the Honour afterwards to advance to the preferment of one of the King's Falconers.  
The overthrow of such a Villainous Imposture, was that National Deliverance, as is not a little worthy the English Remembrance; and the same sort of Artifices and Machinations formed and practised in this present Age, we have just Reason to believe, by the same overruling Providence are and shall be as fully, and as happily detected, frustrated, and defeated.  
With Allowance,   

London, Printed for E. B. 1689.