[Sidenote: The sumptuous araie of the earle of Northumberland.]
The ladie Margaret the kings daughter, affied (as yée haue heard) to the king of Scots, was appointed to be conueied into Scotland, by the earle of Surrie: and the earle of Northumberland, as warden of the marches, was commanded to deliuer hir at the confines of both the realmes. And so héerevpon, after hir comming to Berwike, she was conueied to Lamberton kirke in Scotland, where the king of Scots, with the flower of all the nobles and gentlemen of Scotland, was readie to receiue hir: to whome the earle of Northumberland (according to his commission) deliuered hir. The said earle of Northumberland that daie, what for the riches of his coat being goldsmithes worke, garnished with pearle and stone, and what for the gallant apparell of his Henchmen, and braue trappers of his horsse, beside foure hundred tall men well horssed and apparelled in his colours, was estéemed both of the Scots and Englishmen more like a prince than a subiect.
[Sidenote: The mariage betwéene the K. of Scots & ladie Margaret king Henries eldest daughter.]
From Lamberton, the foresaid ladie was conueied to Edenburgh, and there the daie after, king Iames the fourth, in the presence of all his nobilitie espoused hir, and feasted the English lords, and shewed iusts and other pastimes verie honourable, after the fashion of that countrie. And after all things were finished according to their commission, the erle of Surrie with all the English lords and ladies returned into their countrie. In this yeare the king kept his high court of parlement, in the which diuerse acts estéemed necessarie for the preseruation of the common-wealth were established: and amongst other, it was enacted, that théeues and murtherers duelie conuicted by the law to die, and yet saued by their books, should be committed to the bishops custodie. After this, a subsidie was granted, both of the temporaltie, and spiritualtie, and so that parlement ended.
[Sidenote: The king couetous in his old age.]
[Sidenote: Richard Empson & Edmund Dudleie.]
But the king now drawing into age, and willing to fill his chest with abundance of treasure, was not satisfied with this onelie subsidie, but deuised an other meane how to inrich himselfe, as thus. He considered that the Englishmen little regarded the kéeping of penall lawes, and pecuniall statutes, deuised for the good preseruation of the common-wealth. Whereof he caused inquisition to be made of those that has transgressed anie of the same lawes, so that there were but few noble men, merchants, farmers, husbandmen, grasiers, or occupiers, that could cléerlie prooue themseiues faultlesse, but had offended in some one or other of the same lawes. At the first, they that were found giltie were easilie fined. But after, there were appointed two maisters and surueiors of his forfeits, the one sir Richard Empson, and the other Edmund Dudleie.