The Troublesome LIFE AND REIGN OF King Henry the Third.  
Wherein five Distempers and Maladies are set forth.  
Viz. 

1. By the Pope and Church-mens extortions.  
2. By the places of best trust bestowed upon unworthy Members.  
3. By Patents and Monopolies for private Favourites.  
4. By needless expenses and pawning of jewels.  
5. By factious Lords and ambitious Peers.    
Suitable to these unhappy times of ours; and continued with them till the King tied his Actions to the rules of his great and good Council, and not to passionate and single advice.  
Imprinted at London for George Lindsey. 1642.   

A Short VIEW OF THE LIFE AND REIGN OF King HENRY the Third.  
Weary in the lingering calamities of civil arms, and affrighted at the sudden downfall of a licentious Sovereign, all men stood at gaze, expecting the event of their long desires, peace; and the issue of their new hopes, benefit. For in every shift of Princes, there are few either so mean, or modest, that pleasure not themselves with some probable object of preferment.  
To satisfy all, a child ascendeth the Throne, 
Hist. Maj▪ M. Paris.  mild and gracious, but easy of nature, whose innocence and natural goodness led him along the various dangers of his father's reign. 
Ra. de Wendover.  Happy was he in his uncle the Earl of Pembroke, the guide of his infancy; and no less for thirty years, whilst De Burgo the last servant of his fathers against the French, both in Normandy and England, with Bigot Earl of Norfolk, and others of like gravity and experience did manage the affairs. Five and no more were the distempers then in state, but such as are incident in all, the Commons greedy of liberty, as the Nobility of rule; and but one violent, raised by some old and constant followers of his fathers, ●ulio de Bren, 
Hist. Maj. M. Paris.  De Fortbus, and others, men that could only thrive by the wars, misliking those days of sloth (for so they termed that calm of King Henry's reign) and rather because the justice of quietness urged from them to the lawful owners, such lands and castles as the fury of war had unjustly given them: for finding in the uprightness of the King, that protection could not be made a wrong doer, 
Hist. Sancti Albani.  they fell out into the rebellion which ended their lives and competitions, professing their swords that had set the Crown upon the Sovereign, should now secure those small pittances, when Majesty and Law could not.  
Dangerous are too great benefits to Subjects of their Princes, when it maketh the mind capable only of merit nothing of duty.  
No other disquiet did the State after this feel, but such as are incident to all: Malice to authority, goodness and greatness may secure themselves from guilt, but not from envy: for highest in trust in public affairs are still shot at by the aspiring of those that see themselves less in employment than they deem in merit. Those vapours did ever and easily vanish, so long as the helm was guided by wise and temperate spirits, and the King tied his actions to the rules of good counsel, and not to young, passionate, and single advice.  
Thirty years now passed, and all the old guides of his youth dead, but De Burgo, 
Christ. de Dunst.  a man in whom nothing of worth was wanting, but moderation, whose length of days giving him the advantage of sole power, his own ambition and age gave him desire and art to keep out others. This bred to him the fatal envy of most, which the proud title of Earl, and offices then bestowed on him much increased. Sin by this had wrought, as in itself, so in the affection of the people, a revolution; the affection of their fathers forgotten, and the surfeit of long peace having led them perchance into some abuses. From thence the Commons (to whom every day's presence seem worst) commend the foregone ages they never remembered, and condemn the present, though they knew neither the disease thereof, nor the remedy. To this idle and usual humour falls in some noble spirits, warm and overweening, who being as truly ignorant as the rest, 
Christ: Lichfield.  first, by fulling the wisdom of the present and greatest Rulers, making each casual hap their error, seem to decipher every blemish in government, and then by holding certain imaginary and fantastical forms of Commonweal flatter their own beliefs and abilities, that they could mould any state to those general rules, which in particular applications will prove them gross and idle absurdities, confirmed in their own worths by Sommery and Spencer, 
Gual: Coven:  they take it a fit time to work themselves, into action and authority, now a thing they long desired and thought unwilling to seem to sue for.  
Doubtless the surest of their aims was yet to become quiet instruments in serving the State, if they had been held worthy; but the King, taught by the new Earl, Consilia senum haste as juvenum esse; and that such wits, for so they would be styled, Novandis quam gerendis aptiores, fitter in being fietie to disorder, than to settle affairs, either delayed or denied their desires. For wise Princes will ever choose their Instrument, negotiis & non supra, creatures out of free election, that are only otherwise without freeness or power.  
Among this unequal medley there were of Nobility, Pembroke, Gloucester. 
Hist. major M. Paris.  Hartfield, Darlings of the multitude, some for the merits of their fathers, whose memories they held sacred, as pillars of public liberty, and oppresiours of encroaching Monarchy. Others of the Gentry, Fitz-Geffery, Bardolfe, Gruby, Mansell, and Fitz-Iohn, spirits of as much acrimony, and arrogant spleen, as the places from whence they were elected, Camp, Court, or Country could afford any. These by force would effect what by cunning the others did affect, but all impatient to see their ends thus frustrate, and that so long as the King followed the directions of the Earl of Kent, they had small hopes of their desires, they made often meetings, and as one saith of them, 
Hist. minor M: Paris.  Clam nocturnis colloquiis, an't flexa in vesperum diem. At last, Sommery and Spencer, two that were far in opinion with the rest, gentlemans that by foreign education and employment, were better qualified than usually men of those times, and that set upon their own deserts, the best places when the stream should turn, which some of them did unworthily obtain (for he died in actual rebellion justiciarius Angliae against his Majesty) advised that the surest means to remove that great and good obstacle, the Earl of Kent out of the way of their advancement, was by sifting into his actions, and siding with his enemy, Peter Bishop of Winchester, an evil man, but gracious with the King, aiming that the worthiest driven out by the worst, they should ever be able to match him with his own vices, which will be more visible, as he is more potent, and so remove him at pleasure, or else give over the King to such ministers, as losing him the hearts of the people, might smooth him a way to their bad desires: Honours quos quieta rep. despenant pertu bata consequi se posse arbitrantur.  
This counsel, heard and approved, and put in execution, the corrupt and ambitious Bishop is easily ensnared to their part, by money and opinion of greater power. Articles are in all hast forged and urged against the Earl, as sale of the Crown lands, waste of the King's treasure; and lastly, that which those doubtful times held capital, giving allowance to any thing that might breed a rapture between the Subjects and the Sovereign, as he had done in making way with the King to annihilate patents granted in his nonage, and enforced his Subjects to pay, as the Record saith, Non juxta singulorum facultatem sed quic quid justiciarius est imabat; Well he cleared himself of all but the last, and did worthily perish by it: For acts that fill Princes coffers, are commonly the ruin of first Inventors, bad times corrupt good counsels, and make the ministers yield to the lust of Princes, but this King cannot therefore pass blameless, that would so easily banish all former merits of so good a servant, for that himself was therein chief in fault; but Prince's natures are more voluable, and more sooner cloyed than others, more transitory their favours, and as their minds are large, so they easily overlook their first elections, having no further necessity in the fastness of their affections, than their own satisfaction.  
The Bishop now alone manageth the State, 
Cro. de Leich.  chooseth his chief instrument, Peter ae Rivallis, a man like himself, displaceth the Natives, and draweth Poytovins and Britons into offices of best trust and benefit, and the King into evil opinion of his people: for nothing is more against the nature of the English, than to have strangers rule over them. Of this man's time, Wendover an Author then living saith, judicia committuntur injustis leges ex legibus, pax discordan●ibus justicia injuriosis. Thus the plot of the tumultuous Baron's we●● clear, and had not the discreet Bishop calmed all with dutiful persuasions, and informing the King, the support of this bold man's power (whose carriage before lost his father Normandy, his treasure, and the love of his people, and in that the Crown) would as by his teaching the son, to reject in passion the just petition of his loyal Subjects, as of late the Earl Martial the due of his office, draw all the State into discontent, by his bad office and corrupt manners; and doubtless, the rebellious Lords had ended this distemper (as their designs) in a civil war.  
Denials from Princes must be supplied with gracious usage, that though they cure not the sore, yet they may abate the sense of it: best it is that all favours come directly from themselves, denials and things of bitterness from their ministers.  
Thus are the strangers all displaced and banished, 
Claus an. 37. H. 3. 〈◊〉. 26.  Rivallis extortions ransacked by many strike Commissions, and the Bishop himself sent disgraced to his See, finds now, nullam quaesitam scelere potentiam diuturnam, and that in Prince's favours there is no distance between mediocrity and precipitation; so dangerous are the ways of Majesty, and men still foolish to strive to run. The Faction still frustrate of their malicious ends, begin to sow upon their late grounds of the people's discontent, quaerelas & ambiguos de principe sermones turbulentia vulgi: and took it up a fashion, to endear and glorify themselves with the senseless multitude, by depraving the King's discretion and government, whose nature too gentle for such insolent spirits, was forced (as Trivet says) to seek as he presently did, advice and love among strangers, seeing no desert could purchase it at home, all bore themselves like Tutors and Controllers, few like Subjects and Counselors.  
God we see holdeth the hearts of Princes, 
10. Tailor Mon. de Berry.  and sends them such Counselors as the quality of the subjects meriteth; for Mounford a Frenchman became the next object of the King's delight, a Gentleman of choice blood, education, and feature. On this man's content the heady affection of the Sovereign did so much dote, that at his first entry of grace, in envy of the Nobility, he made him Earl of Leicester; and in no less offence of the Clergy, by violating the rights of holy Church. gave him his vowed veiled sister to wife, more of art than useful. Some have deemed this act of the Kings, making the tye of his dependency the strength of his assurance, so both at his will.  
Mountford made wanton with the dalliance of Majesty, forgetteth moderation; 
Aaron Fe de Bulgrave.  for seldom moderation in youth attendeth great and sudden fortunes: he draweth all affairs public into his hands, all favours must pass from him, preferments by him, all suits addressed to him, the King but as a Cipher set to add to his figure the more of number.  
Great was the Sovereign's error, when the hope of servants must recognite itself to the servant, which ought immediately to come from the goodness and good election of himself, though Princes may take above others some reposefull friend with whom they may participate their nearest passions; yet ought they so to temper the affairs of his favour, that they corrupt not the affairs of their Principality.  
The great and gravest men began to grieve, when the unworthy, without honour or merit, dealt thus alone in that which should pass their hands, and to over leap their years, to the greatest honours and offices; and therefore ran along with the rising grace of the King's half brethren (though strangers) hoping to divide so the possession of grace, which they saw impossible to break.  
Leicester confident of his Majesty's love, 
Cro. de Reading  and impatient either to bear Rival in favour, or partner in rule, opposeth them all; but findeth in his ebb of favour, the fortunes of others; for this King could as easily transfer over his love, as settle his affection: great we see must be the art and cunning of that man, that keeps him afloat the stream of Sovereign favour, since the change of Prince's wills (which for the most part are full of fancies, and so unsatiate) are hardly arrested, who so would this, must only intent the honour and safety of his Master, and despoiled of all other respects, transform himself to his inward inclination, work necessity of employment, by undergoing the offices of most secrecy, either of public service, or Prince's pleasures; beat down he must Competitors of worth by the hand of others, conceal his own greatness in public, with a feigned humility, and what in potency or government he affecteth, to let rather seem the work of others, than any appetite of his own.  
Now were the reins of rule fitly taken by this advantage, 
H. Knight Mon. Lest.  put alone into the hands of the King's half brethren, Adam, Guide, Gadtrey, and William; himself, as before, ex magna fortuna tantam licentiam usurpans; for to act his own part he was ever ready drawn, when he had such worthy servants, as would often for his honour urge it.  
These Ministers (as Walling fora terms them) tanta elati jactantia, 
Li. de Wallingford.  quod nec supertorem sibi intelligunt, nec parem melitis, & molitis adulationibus, animum regis pro libito voluntatis orationis tramite deliniaentes, do alone their list; they fill up the places of justice and trust with their Countrymen, put out the English, exact of whom and who they please, wast the treasure and Crown-lands on themselves and followers, set prices on all offices, and ruin the Law within the rule of their own breasts; the usual reply of their serservants to the plaints of the King's Subjects being: 
Guil. de ●●shan.  Quis tibi rectum faciet quod Dominus meus vult, Dominus Rex vult. These strangers seemed in their lawless carriage not to have been omitted, but to have entered the Land by Conquest: the great they enforced, not to obey, but serve; and the mean to live so, so as they might justly say, They had nothing, yet lest the King should hear the groans of his people, and greediness of his Ministers which good and able men would tell him, 
Li. Monast. de Ramsey.  they bar all aués, suspicion being the best preserver of their own defects, aimeth at those who have more of virtue than themselves, as fearing them most.  
Thus is the capacity of government in a King, when it falleth to be a prey to such lawless Minions, the ground of infinite corruption in all the members of the State: all take warrant generally from Prince's weakness of licentious liberty, and greatness makes profit particularly by it: and therefore gives way to increase ill, to increase their gains.  
A famine accompanieth these corruptions, and that so violent, as the King is enforced to direct writs to all Shires, Ad pauperes mortu●s sepeliend●s famis inedia dificientes: Famine proceedeth, & secutus est gladius tam terribilit, ●● nemo inermis securè possit per provincias per vagace. For all the villages of the Kingdom were left a prey to a lawless multitude, who, per divisas parts i●●nerantes velut per consensum abiorum, as the Record said, did imply that the factious Lords suspected that the King had given some heart to this commotion. Ambitious Peers bring ever fuel to popular fires, nor was the Church without a busy part in this tragic work; 
Guil. de Rishanger.  for Walter Bishop of Winchester, and Robert of Lincoln, to Mountford and his faction, pracordialiter adhaerebant, and were far engaged; in such designs Churchmen are never wanting, and the distaff of present government, as well in Church as in Commonweal, will ever be a knot of strength for such unquiet spirits, who always frame to themselves some other form than the present, as well in Religion as in temporal estates, being that which with the giddy multitude winneth the best opinion, and did at this time fitly suit the people's humours, so much distasting the new Courts of the Clergy, their pomp, their greediness, and the Pope's extortions.  
A fair pretext it was to the factious Bishops, to use their bitter pens and speeches so far against some religious Orders, ceremonies, and state of the Church, that one of them incurred the sentence of excommunication at Rome, 
M. Paris.  and treason at home: for he enjoined the Earl of Leicester, in remissione peccatorum, ut causam illam (meaning the rebellion) usque ad mentem assumerat ass rens pacem ecclesiae Anglicanae sine gladio materiali nunquam firmare posse: it was not the best doctrine this man could plant by liberty and war, when the first Church risen by patience and prayer: true piety bindeth a subject to desire a good Sovereign with a bended knee, rather in time to desire abatement than to resist Authority: Churchmen therefore ought not always to lead us in the rules of loyalty, but knowledge of our own duty in difficult points of Religion, where an humble ignorance is a secure knowledge we may rely on them. To suppress these troubles, and supply the King's necessities, a Parliament was called, much to the liking of these Lords, who as little meant to supply the King as he did desire to acquit the State, their ends at this time being only to open at home the poverty of their Master, to lessen his reputation abroad, and to brave out their own passions freely, which these times of liberty permits, here they began to tell him, he had wronged the Public in taking to his private election the Justice Chancellor and Treasurer, it should be only by the common counsel of the Realm, commending the Bishop of Chichester for denying the delivery of the great Seal, but in Parliament, where he received it.  
They blame him there to have bestowed the best Places of trust and benefit on Strangers, 
Io. de Wallinge.  and to leave the English unrewarded to have undone the trade of merchandise by bringing in mults and heavy customs, and to hurt the common liberty by non obstantes in his Patents to make good monopolies for private favourites that he had taken from his subjects, Qui quid habuerunt in osculentis & poculentis rusticorum entm bigas equos viva, victualia ad libitum caepit, that is, Judges were sent in Circuit under the pretext of Justice to fleece the People, Causis fictis quaecunque poterant deripuerunt. And that Sir Robert de Purslan had wrong from the borderers of his Forests, 
Cro. sis. Albani.  under pretence of encroachment or Assarts great sums of money, and therefore they wonder he should demand relief from his so peeled and poled Commons that by these former extremities, 
Gual. de Coventry.  Et per auxilia prius data ita dipanperentur ut parum aut nihil habeant in bonis: advising him withal, that since his needless expenses postquam rex regnt coepit esse, were summed up to be by them above 800000. l. it were fitting to pull from his favourites, who had gleaned the treasure of the Kingdom and shared the old Lands of the Crown, some one of whom the Lords described, to be Miles literatus, or Clericus militaris, that had in short space from the inheritance of avarice grown to the possession of an Earldom; and Mansel another inferior Clerk, that risen to dispend in annual revenues 4000 m. whereas more moderate fees would have become a penman no better qualified than with the ordinary fruits of a writing-school, yet told if a moderate supply would suit with his occasions, they were content to perform so far relief in obedience as the desert of his carriage should merit towards them: 
Reg. Reff.  and so as the Record saith, Dies data fuit in tres septimanus, ut interius rex excelsus suos corrigeret, & magnatet ejus obtemperarent voluntati at which day upon new grant of the great Charter admittance to his Counsel (some persons elected by the Commons) and promise to rely upon the Natives, and not on strangers, for advice hereafter they spare him such a pittance, as must force him again to their devotion for a new supply.  
Thus the Parliaments that were ever before a medicine to heal up any rapture in the Prince's fortunes are now grown worse than the malady, since malignant humours began to rule more than well composed tempers. The King by this experience of the intents of his rebellious subjects, finding the want of treasure was the way whereby they enthralled his Majesty, gins to play the good husband, closeth his hand of waste, and resolved himself (too late) to stand alone.  
Experience is pernicious to the private, and dangerous to the good of State when it never learns to do but with undoing, and never seethe order but when disorder shows it; yet still alas, such was his flexibility, when he came to be pressed by his French minions, that he could not hold his hands any longer from their vast desires and endless wastes, so that an Author then living saith it became a byword, Our inheritance is converted to strangers and our houses to aliens. 
Gual. de Rishang.  Followers to a King excessive in gifts, are excessive in demands, and cut them not out by reason but by examples, favours past are not accounted, we love no bounty but what is mere future, the more that a Prince weakeneth himself in giving the poorer he is in friends, for such prodigality in the Sovereign ever ends in the spoil and rapine of the Subject. Yet before the King could again submit himself as he had the last Parliament to so many brave and strict inquirers of his disloyal subjects, he meaneth to pass thorough all the shifts that extremity of need which greatness could lay before him.  
He beginneth first with the sale of Lands, and then of Jewels, pawneth Glascony, and after his Imperial Crown, and when he had neither credit to borrow (having so often failed the trust he had made) nor mortgage of his own, he than layeth to pawn the Jewels of Saint Edward's shrine, and in the end not having means to defray the debts of Court, was enforced to break up house, and as Paris sayeth, 
Guil. de Rishang.  with his Queen and Children, cum abatibus & prtoribus humilia satis hospitia quaerunt & prandia.  
This low ebb that again the King's improvidence had brought him unto gave great assurance to the rebellious Lords that they should now at last have the Sovereign Power left a prey to their ambitious designs; and to bring it faster on, they desire nothing more than to see the King's extremity constrain a Parliament, for at such times Princes are ever less than they should, Subjects more.  
To hasten on the time, and apt the means, there are some certain seditious humours that the King's necessity must repair itself upon the fortune, and liberty of the People, that having nothing of his own, he might and meant to take of others, for Kings may not want as long as Subjects have means to supply.  
This took effect just to their minds, and wrought a little moving in the State, which doubtless had flamed higher if the King had not assuaged it by Proclamation wherein he declared, Quod quidem malevoli sinistra praedicantes illi falso suggesserunt illum vel eos indebitè gravari, ac jura & libertates regni subvertere, ut per suggestiones dolesas & omnino falsas eorum corda à sua dilectione & fidelitate averterent. But desireth then, that Hujusmodi animorum suorum purturbatoribus ne fidem adhiberent. For that he was ever ready to defend them from the oppressions of the great Lords, Et omnia iura & consectudines eorum debitas bonas & consuetas in omnibus & per omnia plemius observare: and that they may rest off, that Securè de voluntate liberaliteras suas fecit patentes.  
But seeing still that Majesty and Right subsist not without means and power, and himself had of neither so much as would stop the present breach in his own wants or his Subjects loyalties he flieth to the bosom of his People for relief and counsel at Oxford they met in Parliament, where his necessities met with so many undutiful demands, that he was forced to render up unto rebellious wills, his regal power; here the Commons knowing that cum eligere inciperent, they were loco libertatis, stood with the King to have the managing of the State, put to the care of 24. whereof 12. by their election, whereto they look strictly, the other by him, who in all things else was left a cipher, and in this, either by fear or advice filled up his number with Mountford, Gloster, and Spencer, which beside the weakening of his own part, won to these his late opposites and opinion of great interest, they had got into his favour. He hath now neither left him election of public Officer nor private attendance, his half brethren and their followers he must despoil of all fortunes and exile by proscription under his own hand, commanding the process Pro transfectatione fratrum suorum, to be directed to the Earl of Hartford and Surrey, and not to pass either money, arms, or ornaments Nisi informa quam dicti comites inquirerent, and after departure enjoined the men of Bristol that they should not permit any stranger Sive popenquos regis applicare in portu, but so to behave themselves therein that as well the King quam magnaies sui eos merito commendare debeant.  
Thus we see how easily men's estates do change in a moment, and how hard it is to make good use of things ill gotten; and thus changing solid power into the rules of power, and these by popular elections, made the State believe that by this form of limited policy they had utterly suppressed the mind of mankind, for ever dreaming upon the imaginary humours of licentious sovereignty.  
But it fell out nothing so, for now every man began to estimate his own worth, and to hammer his head upon all designs, that might enlarge his power and command, than began the great men to pull from the body of the country and regal sovereignty, such royal suitors as neighboured any of their own seats, whereunto they enforced the service, and as the Record saith, Ad sectas indebitas & servitutes intolerabiles subditos regis compulerunt. Thus raising indeed Manors to become great Honours, and rending asunder the Regal Justice made themselves of so many subjects while they lived in duty, 
Cro. sti. Albani.  totidem tyrannos, as the book of Saint Alban saith, when they had left their loyalty Magnas duxerunt magnates regni super subditos regis servitutes & oppressiones, which they bore patiently, for excess of misery having no ease but custom, made men willing to lay the foundation of servitude by the length of sufferance, which found no other ease nor end until the quiet of this King's Reign.  
Mountford, 
Io. de .  Gloster, and Spencer, the heads of this rebellious plot, having by the late provision drawn to the hands of their 24. Tribunes of the People, the entire managing of the State, and finding this power too much dispersed, to work the end of their desires forced again the King at London to call a Parliament, where they delivered over the Authority of the 24. unto themselves, and created a Triumvirate, Non constituendo reip. causa: (as they first pretended for their own ends) but to make a speedier way to one of them as it fatally did to become dictator perpetuus.  
Ambition is never so high but she thinks still to mount, that station that lately seemed the top is but a step to her now, and what before was great in desiring seems little now in power.  
These three elect new Counsellors, 
Ord. in Inter rec: Civ. Lord.  and appoint quod tres ad minus alternatim semper in curia sint, to dispose of the custody of Castles, & de alus omnibus regni negotiis. The chief Justice Chancellor and Treasurer with all Officers, maiores & minores, they reserve themselves the choice, and bind the King to this hard bargain, upon such strange security, that he is contented under the great Seal, and Oath, to loosen to them the knot of legal duty, whensoever he assumed to himself his regal Dignity. Liceat omnibus de regus nostro contra nos insurgere & ad gravamen nostrum opem & operam dare ac si nobis in nulla tenerentur.  
This prodigy of fortune in whom she had set a pitiful example of her inconstancy, finding no part of his Sovereignty left, but the bare title, and that at their leaves beggeth secure of urban the fourth against his disloyal Subjects: the Pope by Bull cancelleth his Oath and Contract, and armeth him with Excommunications against all those that turn not with speed to their due and old obedience; since, promises made by men that cannot say they are at liberty are light, and force hath no power to make just interest. These Lords on the other side that had imped their wings with the eagle's feathers, and like no gain, but what was raised out of the ashes of Monarchy made head against their Sovereign, and to mate him the better called in some I rench forces.  
Thus the Commonwealth turned again her sword into her own bowels, and invited her ancient enemies to the funeral of her liberty, so that it was not a wonder she did not at this time pass under a foreign servitude, and though those men were more sensible of their disgrace, than others miseries, yet found they no better pretext for private interest than that of the public, and therefore at the entry into this war, they cried liberty, although when they came ne'er to an end, they never spoke once of it. At Lewis the Armies met where the King endeavoured a reconciliation, but in vain, for persuasions are ever unprofitable, when Justice is inferior to force, the sword decided the difference, and gave the two Kings and their eldest sons prisoners.  
The person aswell as the regal power being thus in the hands of Mountford, and Gloster, found neither bond of security, nor expectation of liberty, but what the emulous competition of greatness, which now began to break out betwixt these mighty Rivals gave hope of, for Leifter meaning (by encroaching by his partner to himself, the person of the King and his followers the best portion of the Spoil, and to draw more fruit from this advantage, than it should in fellowship yield, dissolved the knot of their amity.  
Equal Authority with the same power is overfatall we see to great actions, for to fit minds to so equal a temper, that they should not have some motions of dissenting is impossible.  
Mountford having thus broke all faith with his confederate, and duty to his Sovereign, leaves the path of moderation and wisdom to come to the King by that of pride and distrust.  
To him he telleth that his aims and ends had no other object ever, but order of the State and ease of the People, that he did not in this carry affection against duty, but well knew how to rein his desires to his just power, and so no less to his Majesty's content if he would be ruled, which was to command the Castles and Forts of his now opposites Gloster and the rest into his hands, it was hard to this King thus to take a Law from his inferior. But necessity in sovereign affairs doth often force away all formability, and therefore those poor Princes who now at the victor's discretion seemed to have been only raised to show the inconstancy of fortune and vanity of man, suited himself with incomparable wisdom to the necessity of the time: neither did humility now wrong Majesty, when there was no other means to contain spirits so insolent, but dissembling.  
He therefore summoneth in his own person the Forts of his fastest friends to yield to his greatest enemies,  
These he intreateth in show to his lodging, but in effect his prison, and saw himself forced to arm against his friends, and to receive new Law from him to whom he lately thought to give it. Thus Leicester is become the darling of the common rout, who easily change to every new master, but the better durst not sail along his fortune, by the light of his glory. Crystal that fairly glistereth doth easily break, and as the assent of usurped Royalty is slippery, so the top is shaking, and the fall fearful; to hold this man then happy, at the entry of his false felicity, was but to give the name of the image to the metal that was not yet molten. For by this the imprisoned Prince was escaped, and fast assured of Gloster, by the knot of his great mind and discontent, and both with the torn remainder of the royal Army, united, and by speedy march arrived (unlooked for) near Eversham, to the armed troops of the secure Rebels, whom they instantly assail, for it was no fit season to give time, when no time did assure so much as experience did promise.  
Spencer and other Lords of the faction made towards the Prince with the best speed of march, but could not break out, being hurried along the storm of the giddy multitude. Public affection depends on the conduct of fortune private on our carriage, we must beware therefore of running down steep hills with weighty bodies: they once in motion, subferuntur pondere, steps are then voluntary. Leicester at that instant with the King, and out of the tempest might have escaped if his carriage and hope had not made him more resolute by misfortune, so that he could neither forsake his followers nor his ambition. Thus making adversity the exercise of his virtue, ran and fell. Private cogitations make more or less of fortune, but thoughts we see once raised to the height of rule, are no more in our own power, having no mean to step upon between the highest of all and precipitation.  
The King by this happy accident freed and obeyed, began to search the ground of his former miseries, and why that virtue and fortune that had settled and maintained so long under his ancestors, the glory of his Empire had cast him in his time off, and conspired with her enemies to her almost ruin, as if the genius of the State had quite forsaken her.  
Here he finds his wasteful hands had been too quick both over the persons and estates of his People, the griping avarice of his civil Magistrates, and lawless liberty of his martial followers, 
Ro. Pat. 53. H. 3.  the neglect of grace, and breach of his word, to have left the Nobility at home and necessity, his reputation abroad, 
Crosti. Albani  making merchandise of peace and war as his last refuge; so leaving his old allies became enforced to betake himself to persons doubtful, or injured, and that by giving over himself to a sensual security, and referring all to base, greedy, and unworthy ministers, whose counsel was ever more subtle than substantial: he had thrown down those pillars of sovereignty and safety, 
Io. de Tax●ter.  reputation abroad, and reverence at home.  
He therefore now maketh sweetness and clemency the entrance of regained rule, for the faults of most of the Rebels he forgot▪ A gracious kind of pardoning, not to take knowledge of offences, others he forgave that they might but live to the glory of his goodness, for the fewer killed the more remain to adorn his trophy. Tyrant's shed blood for pleasure, Kings for necessity; yet lest his justice and power might so much suffer in his grace and mercy. Some few he punished by small fines, some by banishment as the guiltless, yet unpitied sons of the arch-traitor. Treason so hateful is to the head, that it draweth (we see) the carriage of the innocent children into a lasting suspect, and what is suspicion in others is guilt in them.  
Upon the constant followers of his broken fortunes he giveth, 
Claus. an. 52. H. 3. m. 29.  but with more wary hand than before the forfeitures of his enemies. Immoderate liberality he had found but a weak means to win love, for it left more in the gathering than it gained in the getting▪ and his bounty bestowed without respect was taken without grace, discredited the receiver, detracted from the judgement of himself, blunted the appetites of such as carried their hopes out of virtue and service.  
Thus at last he learned that reward and reprehension justly laid do balance government, and that it much importeth a Prince if the hand be equal that holdeth the scale. In himself he reform the natural errors of his youth for Prince's manners, though a mute Law have more of life and vigour than those of letters, and though he did sometimes touch upon the verge of vice he forbore to enter the circle. 
Cro. de Dunst.  The Courts wherein at this time the faults of good men did not only by approbation but imitation receive true comfort and authority, for their crimes were now become examples and customs he purged severely, since from thence proceeds the regular or irregular conditions of the common state. Expense of house service he measured by the just rule of his proper revenues, and was heard often to say that his errors of waist had been the issue of the Subjects blood. The insolency of his Soldiers made lawless by the late liberty of civil arms he spendeth in foreign expeditions, having seen that the quiet spirits underwent all the former calamities, and the others were never satisfied but in the miseries of innocents', and would if they had no other enemy abroad seek out one at home, as they had done before.  
The rigour and corruption of these judicial Officers, he examineth and redresseth by strict commission for the seem of their security became a murmur of his own cruelty.  
The seats of judgement and council he filleth up with men nobly borne, for such attract with least offence the generous spirits to respect and reverence, the inabilities he measureth not by the favour of private information as before but general, for every man may in particular deceive and be deceived, but no one can all, nor all one. And to discover his own capacity now and show what part he meaneth to leave hereafter in all deliberate expeditions, he sitteth himself in council daily, and disposeth the affairs of most weight in his own person.  
Councillors be they never so wise or worthy, are but as accessaries, not principal in sustentation of the State, their Office must be subjection not fellowship in consultation of moment, ability to advise, not authority to resolve: for as to live the Prince must have a particular soul, so to rule his proper and intern Council, without the one he cannot demur truly, without the other he can never securely be a Prince; for it offendeth as well the minister of merit as the people, to force obedience to one uncapable of his own greatness and unworthy of his fortune.  
This wondrous change to the general State so helpless lately to recover their former liberty that they sought now for nothing, but the mildest servitude brought them home again to his devotion and their duty.  
He that will lay (we see) the foundation of greatness upon popular love must give them ease and justice, for they measure the bond of their true obedience by the good always received.  
This peace ever after attended his age and house, and he happily lived to fashion his successor, and to make him partner of his experience and authority, whose down hard education trained him from that intemperance which makes man inferior to beasts, and framed him to affect glory and virtue which made him superior to men. So that all the actions of his future Reign were exact grounds of discipline and policy, who as he was the first of his name since the Conquest, so was he the first that settled Laws and State, deserving to wear the stile of England's justir, and the proud title to have freed the Crown from the subjection and wardship of his Peers, showing himself in all his actions ever after capable to command, not the Realm only, but the whole world. Thus do the wrong of our enemies more than our own discretions, make us sometimes both wise and fortunate.  
FINIS.