wisely laid hold of the opportunity to enter
into treaty with them. In order to open the door for negotiation,
he sent them a herald; whom Aske, their leader, received with great
ceremony; he himself sitting in a chair of state, with the archbishop
of York on one hand, and Lord Darcy on the other. It was agreed that
two gentlemen should be despatched to the king with proposals from the
rebels; and Henry purposely delayed giving an answer, and allured them
with hopes of entire satisfaction, in expectation that necessity
would soon oblige them to disperse themselves. Being informed that his
artifice had in a great measure succeeded, he required them instantly
to lay down their arms, and submit to mercy; promising a pardon to all,
except six whom he named, and four whom he reserved to himself the power
of naming. But though the greater part of the rebels had gone home for
want of subs stence, they had entered into the most solemn engagements
to return to their standards in case the king's answer should not
prove satisfactory. Norfolk, therefore, soon found himself in the same
difficulty as before; and he opened again a negotiation with the leaders
of the multitude. He engaged them to send three hundred persons to
Doncaster with proposals for an accommodation; and he hoped, by intrigue
and separate interests, to throw dissension among so great a number.
Aske himself had intended to be one of the deputies, and he required a
hostage for his security: but the king, when consulted, replied, that he
knew no gentleman, or other, whom he esteemed so little as to put him in
pledge for such a villain. The demands of the rebels were so exorbitant,
that Norfolk rejected them; and they prepared again to decide the
contest by arms. They were as formidable as ever, both by their numbers
and spirit; and notwithstanding the small river which lay between them
and the royal army, Norfolk had great reason to dread the effects of
their fury. But while they were preparing to pass the ford, rain fell
a second time in such abundance, as made it impracticable for them to
execute their design; and the populace, partly reduced to necessity by
want of provisions, partly struck with superstition at being thus again
disappointed by the same accident, suddenly dispersed themselves. The
duke of Norfolk, who had received powers for that end, forwarded the
dispersion by the promise of a general amnesty; and the king ratified
this act of clemency. He publish