Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley would both earn themselves the reputation as Henry VII's hatchet men -- which is fair enough; but in addition they would be characterised by Polydore Vergil and others to characterize as extortioners... on Henry VII's death in 1509, Dudley was a fall guy for what was essentially his master's policy. He was tried in London in July 1509 and convicted of treason; the ludicrous accusation was that he planned to "hold, guide and govern the King and his Council" with a force of men. He probably did assemble a force of men given the political...