were much disposed to give it countenance. In order
to dis cover the secret source of the contrivance, and take measures
against this open revolt, he held frequent consultations with his
ministers and counsellors, and laid plans for a vigorous defence of his
authority, and the suppression of his enemies.

The first event which followed these deliberations gave surprise to the
public; it was the seizure of the queen dowager the forfeiture of all
her lands and revenue, and the close confinement of her person in the
nunnery of Bermondsey. The act of authority was covered with a very thin
pretence. It was alleged that, notwithstanding the secret agreement to
marry her daughter to Henry, she had yet yielded to the solicitations
and menaces of Richard, and had delivered that princess and her sisters
into the hands of the tyrant. This crime, which was now become obsolete,
and might admit of alleviations, was therefore suspected not to be the
real cause of the severity with which she was treated; and men believed
that the king, unwilling to accuse so near a relation of a conspiracy
against him, had cloaked his vengeance or precaution under color of
an offence known to the whole world.[*] They were afterwards the more
confirmed in this suspicion, when they found that the unfortunate queen,
though she survived this disgrace several years, was never treated with
any more lenity, but was allowed to end her life in poverty, solitude,
and confinement.

* Bacon, p. 583, Polyd. Virg. p. 571.

The next measure of the king's was of a less exceptionable nature.
He ordered that Warwick should be taken from the Tower, be led in
procession through the streets of London, be conducted to St. Paul's,
and there exposed to the view of the whole people. He even gave
directions, that some men of rank, attached to the house of York, and
best acquainted with the person of this prince, should approach him and
converse with him: and he trusted that these, being convinced of the
absurd imposture of Simnel, would put a stop to the credulity of the
populace. The expedient had its effect in England: but in Ireland the
people still persisted in their revolt, and zealously retorted on the
king the reproach of propagating an imposture, and of having shown a
counterfeit Warwick to the public.

Henry had soon reason to apprehend, that the design against him was
not laid on such slight foundations as the absurdity of the contrivance
seemed to indicate.