TWO EARLY LONDON CHRONICLERS
It is probably too neat to say that Henry VII (father) built up political and economic capital during his reign and Henry VIII (son) spent it. It makes the 'spendthrift' years seem more exciting and leads the history reader to overlook the preceding years of good governance. Being careful is a bit dull. However, there exists at least a couple of contemporary London chroniclers whose writing suggests their relief at being able to get on with their lives during a period of relative calm. They seem to have been genuinely thankful for the first Tudor monarch and his rule of Quiet. Robert Fabyan wrote that, "consydering the contynuall peace and tranquylete whiche he kept thys his lande and comons in", the seventh Henry "ever ruled so Myghtly hys subgectes & mynystred to them such iustyce that ... they loved and drad hym .." It is an interesting feature of medieval kingship that a good king is to be regarded with love and dread. Real respect toward