Tom & Bill Stanley - were they all that bad?

Yes, they nest built and ducked and weaved during dangerous times, but
didn't everyone?

Had not Tom witnessed the shameful execution of Lord Hastings in June,
1483 and was he not beaten about the head and imprisoned temporarily
and for what reason? He was soon released, so why the aggro?

When Thomas Stanley with his steel grey eyes and noble face ( a bit of
Kendall style here) gazed onto Ambion Hill on that fateful day and saw
Richard (or his double) what did he think? Had not the country
suffered under the yoke of this tyrant and usurper for too long?
Should he abandon his cherubim Tudor step son & Lord Strange, cruelly
held captive & threatened by Richard the Terrible? Tom could see that
Tudor & Oxford were on side, that Northumberland was uncommitted and
Norfolk was doing badly, so he let it rip!

True, Bill Stanley had cause to regret his assistance to Tudor, who
could be a bit moody about his consideration of support for a Yorkist
pretender, but, on the day, it was Bill who rode to Tudor's rescue.

And they left us the beautiful Ballad of Lady Bessy also.

The fact that I'm related to the Stanley's on my maternal side should
not make you think that I'm in any way biased.