XLI. TOO MUCH BENEATH.

KING Henry the Seventh was much troubled (as he was wont to say) with idols, scenecal royaletts, poor, petty, pitiful persons, who pretended themselves princes.

One of these was called Lambert Simnel, whom the king at last, with much care and cost, some expense of blood, but more of money, reduced into his power and got his person into his possession. Then, instead of other punishment, he made him a turn-broach, and afterwards (on his peaceable behaviour) he was preferred one of the king’s under-falconers,⁴⁵⁴⁵Lord Bacon, in the Life of King Henry VII. and, as one tartly said, a fit place for the buzzard, to keep hawks, who would have been an eagle.

The king perceived that this Lambert was no daring, dangerous, and designing person, and therefore he would not make him, who was contemptible in himself, considerable for any noble punishment imposed upon him.

Royal revenge will not stoop to a low object; some malefactors are too mean to be made public examples. Let them live, that the pointing of people’s fingers may be so many 281arrows to pierce them. See, there goes ingratitude to his master; there walks, &c.

Such a life will smart as death; and such a death may be sanctified for life unto them: 1 mean, may occasion their serious sorrow, and cordial repentance, whereby God’s pardon and their eternal salvation may be obtained; which ought to be the desire of all good Christians, as well for others as themselves.