Humphrey Stafford, Catesby, and about twenty other gentlemen who
had fought on Richard's side in the battle of Bosworth. How men could be
guilty of treason by supporting the king in possession against the
earl of Richmond, who assumed not the title of king, it is not easy to
conceive; and nothing but a servile complaisance in the parliament could
have engaged them to make this stretch of justice. Nor was it a small
mortification to the people in general, to find that the king, prompted
either by avarice or resentment could, in the very beginning of his
reign, so far violate the cordial union which had previously been
concerted between the parties, and to the expectation of which he had
plainly owed his succession to the throne.

The king, having gained so many points of consequence from the
parliament, thought it not expedient to demand any supply from them,
which the profound peace enjoyed by the nation, and the late forfeiture
of Richard's adherents, seemed to render somewhat superfluous. The
parliament, however, conferred on him during life the duty of tonnage
and poundage, which had been enjoyed in the same manner by some of his
immediate predecessors; and they added, before they broke up, other
money bills of no great moment. The king, on his part, made returns
of grace and favor to his people. He published his royal proclamation,
offering pardon to all such as had taken arms, or formed any attempts
against him, provided they submitted themselves to mercy by a certain
day, and took the usual oath of fealty and allegiance. Upon this
proclamation many came out of their sanctuaries; and the minds of men
were every where much quieted. Henry chose to take wholly to himself
the merit of an act of grace so agreeable to the nation, rather than
communicate it with the parliament, (as was his first intention,) by
passing a bill to that purpose. The earl of Surrey, however, though he
had submitted, and delivered himself into the king's hands, was sent
prisoner to the Tower.

During this parliament, the king also bestowed favors and honors on some
particular persons who were attached to him. Edward Stafford, eldest son
of the duke of Buckingham attainted in the late reign, was restored
to the honors of his family, as well as to his fortune, which was very
ample. This generosity, so unusual in Henry, was the effect of his
gratitude to the memory of Buckingham, who had first concerted the plan
of his elevation, and who by his o