Source.—Holinshed's Chronicle, Vol. III., p. 484. (London, 1808.)

Amongst other such monsters and limbs of the devil, there was one Sir Richard Simond, priest, a man of base birth and yet well learned, even from his youth. He had a scholar called Lambert Simnel, one of a gentle nature and pregnant wit, to be the organ and chief instrument by the which he might convey and bring to pass his mischievous attempt. The devil, chief master of such practices, put in the venomous brain of this disloyal and traitorous priest to devise how he might make his scholar the aforesaid Lambert to be reputed as right inheritor to the crown of this realm. Namely for that the fame went that King Edward's children were not dead, but fled secretly into some strange place, and there to be living: and that Edward, Earl of Warwick, son and heir to the Duke of Clarence, either was, or shortly should be put to death.

These rumours though they seemed not to be grounded of any likehood to the wise sort of men, yet encouraged this peevish priest to think the time come that his scholar Lambert might take upon him the person and name of one of King Edward's children. And thereupon at Oxford, where their abiding was, the said priest instructed his pupil both with princely behaviour, civil manners and good literature, declaring to him of what lineage he should affirm himself to be descended, and omitted nothing that might serve for his purpose. Soon after, the rumour was blown abroad, that the Earl of Warwick was broken out of prison. And when the priest, Sir Richard Simond heard of this, he straight intended now by that occasion to bring his invented purpose to pass, and changing the child's name of baptism, called him Edward, after the name of the young Earl of Warwick, the which were both of like years and of like stature.

Then he with his scholar sailed into Ireland, where he so set forth the matter unto the nobility of that country, that not only the Lord Thomas Gerardine, Chancellor of that land, deceived through his crafty tale, received the counterfeit earl into his castle with all honour and reverence, but also many other noble men determined to aid him (with all their powers) as one descended of the blood royal and lineage come of the house of York, which the Irish people evermore highly favoured, honoured and loved above all other. By this mean every man throughout all Ireland was willing and ready to take his part and submit themselves to him; already reputing and calling him of all hands king. So that now they of this sect (by the advice of the priest) sent into England certain privy messengers to get friends here.

Also they sent into Flanders to the Lady Margaret, sister to King Edward and late wife to Charles, Duke of Burgoyne, to purchase, aid and help at her hands. This Lady Margaret bore no small rule in the low countries, and in very deed sore grudged in her heart that the King Henry (being descended of the house of Lancaster) should reign and govern of the realm of England, and therefore though she well understood that this was but a coloured matter, yet to work her malicious intention against King Henry, she was glad to have so fit an occasion, and therefore promised the messengers all the aid that she should be able to make in furtherance of the quarrel, and also to procure all the friends she could in other places to be aiders and partakers of the same conspiracy.

King Henry, advertised of all these doings, was greatly vexed therewith, and therefore to have good advice in the matter he called together his council at the Charterhouse beside his manor of Richmond, and there consulted with them, by which means lest this begun conspiracy might be appeased and disappointed without more disturbance. It was therefore determined that a general pardon should be published to all offenders that were content to receive the same. This pardon was so freely granted that no offence was excepted, no not so much as high treason committed against the King's royal person. It was further agreed in the same council for the time then present that the Earl of Warwick should personally be shewed abroad in the city and other public places; whereby the untrue report falsely spread abroad that he should be in Ireland, might be among the community proved and known for a vain imagined lie.

When all things in this counsel were sagely concluded and agreed to the King's mind, he returned to London, giving in commandment that the next Sunday ensuing, Edward, the young Earl of Warwick, should be brought from the Tower through the most public streets in all London, to the cathedral church of St. Paul. Where he went openly in procession, that every man might see him, having communication with many noble men and with them especially that were suspected to be partakers of the late begun conspiracy, that they might perceive how the Irishmen upon a vain shadow moved war against the King and his realm. But this medicine little availed evil disposed persons. For the Earl of Lincoln, son to John de la Poole, Duke of Suffolk, and Elizabeth, sister to King Edward the Fourth thought it not meet to neglect and omit so ready an occasion of new trouble.

Wherefore they determined to uphold the enterprise of the Irishmen, so that consulting with Sir Thomas Broughton, and certain other of his most trusty friends, he proposed to sail into Flanders to his aunt, the Lady Margaret, Duchess of Burgoyne, trusting by her help to make a puissant army and to join with the companions of the new raised sedition. Therefore after the dissolution of the parliament which was then holden, he fled secretly into Flanders unto the said Lady Margaret, where Francis, Lord Lovell, landed certain days before. Here, after long consultation as how to proceed in their business, it was agreed, that the Earl of Lincoln and the Lord Lovell should go into Ireland, and there attend upon the Duchess her counterfeit nephew, and to honour him as a king with the power of the Irishmen to bring him into England.

Now they concluded, that if their doings had success, then the aforesaid Lambert (misnamed the Earl of Warwick) should by consent of the council be deposed, and Edward the true Earl of Warwick delivered out of prison and anointed king. King Henry supposing that no man would have been so mad as to have attempted any further enterprise in the name of the new found and counterfeit earl, he only studied how to subdue the seditious conspiracy of the Irishmen. But learning that the Earl of Lincoln was fled into Flanders, he was somewhat moved therewith, and caused soldiers to be put in readiness out of every part of his realm, and to bring them into one place assigned, that when his adversaries should appear, he might suddenly set upon them, vanquish and overcome them. Thus disposing things for his surety, he went towards St. Edmund's Bury, and being certified that the Marquis of Dorset was coming towards his majesty to excuse himself of things he was suspected to have done when he was in France, he sent the Earl of Oxford to arrest the said Marquis by the way, and to convey him to the Tower of London there to remain till his truth might be tried. From thence the King went forth to Norwich and tarrying there Christmas Day, he departed after to Walsingham, where he offered to the image of Our Lady, and then by Cambridge he shortly returned to London. In which mean time, the Earl of Lincoln had gotten together by the aid of the Lady Margaret about two thousand Almains, with one Martin Sward, a valiant and noble captain to lead them.

With this power the Earl of Lincoln sailed into Ireland and at the city of Dublin caused young Lambert to be proclaimed and named King of England, after the most solemn fashion, as though he were the very heir of the blood royal lineally born and descended. And so with a great multitude of beggarly Irishmen almost all naked and unarmed, saving skins and mantles, of whom the Lord Thomas Gerardine was captain and conductor, they sailed into England with this new found king and landed for a purpose at the pile of Fowdreie, within a little of Lancaster, trusting there to find aid by the means of Sir Thomas Broughton, one of the chief companions of the conspiracy. The King had knowledge of the enemies' intent before their arrival, and therefore having assembled a great army (over which the Duke of Bedford and the Earl of Oxenford were chief captains), he went to Coventry where he was advertised that the Earl of Lincoln was landed at Lancaster with his new king. Here he took advice of his counsellors what was best to be done, whether to set on the enemies without further delay or to protract time a little. But at length it was thought best to delay no time but to give them battle before they should increase their power, and thereupon he removed to Nottingham, and there by a little wood called Bowres he pitched his field. Shortly after this came to him the Lord George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, the Lord Strange, Sir John Cheyne, right valiant captains, with many other noble and expert men of war, namely of the counties near adjoining, so that the King's army was wonderfully increased. In this space the Earl of Lincoln being entered into Yorkshire passed softly on his journey without spoiling or hurting any man, trusting thereby to have some company of people resort unto him. But after he perceived few or none to follow him, and that it was too late now to return back, he determined to try the matter by dint of sword, and thereupon direct his way from York to Newark-upon-Trent.