be

IV.

in the state. By the more ancient nobility their CHAP. rapid elevation was viewed with jealousy and resentment and their influence, though it appeared formidable, while it was supported by the favour of the king, proved in the sequel to very inconsiderable, and confined to the few families into which they had married. The marquess of Dorset, the queen's son by a former marriage, and her brother, the accomplished but unfortunate earl Rivers, possessed the first seats at the council board: but they were continually opposed by the lords Hastings, Howard, and Stanley, the king's personal friends, particularly the first, whom Edward had chosen for the companion of his pleasures, and who on that very account was the more odious to the queen. The monarch, during his health, had balanced by his prudence the rivalry, and silenced by his authority the dissensions, of the two parties: and on his death bed, warned by the unfortunate minority of Henry VI., had called them into his chamber, exhorted them to mutual forgiveness, and commanded them to embrace in his presence. They obeyed with apparent cheerfulness: but their hearts gave the lie to the sentiments which they uttered, and the lapse of a few days proved how treacherous were all such reconciliations, when he by whose order they had been made, no longer lived to enforce them.1

'More's Works, 38-40, edit. of 1557. For our knowledge of the events of this period we are chiefly indebted to the continuator VOL V.

Y

As soon as the king had expired, the council assembled, and resolved to proclaim his eldest son by the style of Edward V. But here their unanimity ended. The young prince, accompanied by his uncle earl Rivers, and his uterine brother lord Gray, had been sent to Ludlow in Shropshire, under the pretext that his presence would serve to restrain the natives of Wales; but in reality that by growing up under their tuition, he might become more attached to his maternal relatives. A suspicion was entertained, that, in imitation of Isabella, the mother of Edward III., the queen would aspire to a considerable share of authority during the minority of her son; and to defeat her designs, the enemies of the Wydeviles anxiously expected the arrival of the two first princes of the blood, the duke of Glocester the king's uncle, and the duke of Buckingham the lineal descendant of Thomas of Woodstock, the youngest son of Edward III. When Elizabeth proposed that

of the history of Croyland, and sir Thomas More. The first was a contemporary. His name is unknown; but it appears from his work that he was a doctor of canon law, sometime a member of the council under Edward IV., and occasionally employed by him as envoy to foreign powers (p. 557). He declares that he has written with truth and impartiality. Sine ulla scita intermixtione mendacii, odii, aut favoris, 575. Sir Thomas More was born in 1480. In 1513, when he was under-sheriff of London, he wrote his history of Richard III. from the accounts of contemporaries. In substance he generally agrees with the preceding writer: in circumstances of smaller import, he sometimes differs from him. In that case I prefer the authority of the continuator.

IV.

Rivers and Gray should conduct Edward from CHAP. Ludlow to the metropolis under the protection of an army, Hastings and his friends took the alarm. Glocester and Buckingham were still absent; the Tower was in possession of the marquess of Dorset: the king was surrounded by the queen's creatures: and the addition of an army would place her opponents at her mercy, and enable the Wydeviles to establish their authority. Where, they asked, was the necessity of an army? Who were the enemies, against whom it was to be directed? Did the Wydeviles mean to break the rconciliation, which they had sworn to observe? A long and angry altercation ensued: Hastings declared that he would quit the court, and retire to his command at Calais: the queen thought it prudent to yield: and in an evil hour the resolution was taken that the retinue of the young king should not exceed two thousand horsemen.o

Richard duke of Glocester was a prince of insatiable ambition, who could conceal the most bloody projects under the mask of affection and loyalty. Having the command of the army against the Scots, he was employed in the marches at the time of his brother's death: but the moment he heard of that event, he repaired to York with a train of six hundred knights and esquires dressed in mourning, ordered the ob

? Cont. Croyl, 565. More, 41.

Conduct

of Richard

duke of Gloces

ter.

IV.

CHAP. sequies of the deceased king to be performed with royal magnificence in the cathedral, summoned the gentlemen of the county to swear allegiance to Edward V.; and, to give them an example, was himself the first who took the oath. At the same time he dispatched letters to profess his affection and loyalty to his nephew, to condole with Elizabeth on the loss of her consort, and to offer his friendship to the earl Rivers, and the other lords of the queen's family. Having added to the number of his followers, he proceeded southward, avowedly for the purpose of assisting at the coronation, which had been fixed by the council for the fourth of May.3

He receives the king's relations.

With the secret messages which during this interval had passed between the duke, and Buckingham, and Hastings, we are unacquainted of their import we may form a probable conjecture from the events, which immediately April 29. succeeded. The young Edward had reached Stony Stratford on his road to London, on the same day on which his uncle arrived at Northampton, about ten miles behind him. The lords Rivers and Gray immediately turned back to welcome Glocester in the name of the king, and to submit to his approbation the orders, which had been framed for the royal entry into the metropolis. They were received with distinction, and invited to dine with the duke, who

Cont. Croyl. 565. More, 41.

lavished on them marks of his esteem and friendship. In the evening came the duke of Buckingham with a suite of three hundred horsemen. After supper Rivers and Gray retired to their quarters, highly pleased with their reception: the two princes, left to themselves, arranged the plan of their proceedings for the next day.

CHAP.

IV.

rests them.

In the morning it was discovered that every And aroutlet from the town had been strongly guarded during the night, for the purpose, it was said, of preventing any person from paying his re- April 30. spects to the king before the arrival of his uncle. The circumstance awakened suspicion: but the four lords rode in company, and apparently in friendship, to the entrance of Stony Stratford, when Glocester suddenly accused Rivers and Gray of having estranged from him the affection of his nephew. They denied the charge, but were immediately arrested, and conducted into the rear. The two dukes proceeded to the house where the king resided, and approached him bending the knee, and professing their loyalty and attachment. But after this outward demonstration of respect, they apprehended sir Thomas Vaughan, and sir Richard Hawse, his confidential servants, ordered the rest of his retinue to disperse, and forbade by proclamation any of them to return into the royal presence under the penalty of death. The prince, abandoned and alarmed, burst into tears: but Glo