1464. Argentre. Terms, like his Predeceffors. Francis II. his Succeffor made the fame Declaration, and Charles VII. received his Homage, though without approving his Proteftation. Matters flood thus between France and Bretagne, Lewis XI. when Lewis XI. came to the Crown. In all likelihood attacks the Lewis would have been no harder to please than Charles Duke of his Father, in the Point of the Duke of Bretagne's HoBretagne, whoforms mage, had he not, as has been faid, determined to bea League a- gin with him, in his grand Project of humbling all gainst him. thofe that might ftand in his Way to arbitrary Power. He had taken this Refolution the Moment he was feated in the Throne, and it may be before the Death of the King his Father; but it was not till 1464. that he was pleafed to enter upon the Execution of it. To that End, having firft ordered fome Troops into Anjou, he fent the Chancellor de Morvilliers to the Duke of Bretagne, to forbid him in his Name to affume any Right of Sovereignty in his Dukedom. Francis II. finding himfelf ill provided for his Defence, had recourse to Artifice, and demanded three Months time to confult his States. This Term being granted him, he made ufe of it to cabal in France among the great Men, and to form against Lewis a powerful League, called the League of the publick Good, of which there will be mention presently. Negotia tions be ward and Lewis XI. It was at the very time Lewis was thinking of attacking the Duke of Bretagne, that Edward fent the Earl of tween Ed- Warwick to demand Bona of Savoy his Sifter-in-law in Marriage. This Propofal could not but be very acceptable to him, fince he defired nothing more ardently than to make an Alliance with the King of England, in order to prevent him from concerning himfelf in the Quarrels he was quickly to have with the great Men of his Kingdom. But before the Conclufion of the Marriage, he was willing to be fure of reaping the Benefit he expected from it. To that End, he caufed the Bufinefs of the Marriage to be fpun out a little, whilft he ordered to be negotiated at London, and did negotiate himfelf with the Earl of Warwick, a perfonal Friend 518. ship between him and Edward. This appears by the Collection of Publick Ats, where we find feveral Things relating to this Negotiation. We fee there a full Power given by Edward to the Earl of Warwick to treat about a final Peace, an Alliance, or a Truce with Lewis XI. and another to conclude a Treaty of Amity and Friendship between the two Kings. The Defigns of Lewis went further ftill. With a View to deprive the Duke of Bretagne of all Protection, he would have got the Duke of Burgundy into the Alliance he intended to make with England. Upon which account P. 521. it was that he agreed with Edward and Philip upon having a Congrefs of Ambaffadors at Hesdin, which was afterwards removed to St. Omer. He managed his Mat- P. 512. ters at London by the Lord Lanoy Governor of Amiens, Whilft these things were in Agitation at London and Edward Paris, Edward concluded with Scotland a fifteen Years makes a Truce. John Kennet, a Lord of great Abilities, and Scotland, very zealous for his King and Country, thought he p. 514- could not, during the Regency, do a greater Service to 515. both, than to keep a good Understanding with the English. Otherwife it was next to impoffible to preferve Tranquillity in Scotland, becaufe, during the War, the This Affair being over, Edward offered to all that He grants had taken Arms against him an abfolute Pardon, ex- Henry's In 1464. He con cludes a In August this Year Edward received Ambaffadors from the Duke of Bretagne, who came to treat about a Peace with Truce. As the Duke found himself then hard preffed Bretagne. by the King of France, and as he was labouring to form A&t. Pub. the League of the publick Good, he was very glad to fecure himself from the Side of England. He obtained from Edward a Truce for one Year, which was figned the ift of October. XI. 53', 532. 1465. concludes About the fame time the See of York becoming vacant, George Nevil, Brother of the Earl of Warwick, was promoted to it by the King's Recommendation. In the mean while, the Earl of Warwick, who was The Earl of ftill at the Court of France, having preffed Lewis upon Warwick the main Business of his Embaffy, the Marriage of Edthe Fmg's ward with Bona of Savoy was at length made and conMarriage cluded. Prefently after Lewis appointed the Earl of with Bona Dammartin for his Ambaffador to Edward, to go and of Savoy. fettle with him what remained farther to be done in that Edward falls in love with Eliza beth Matter. But Love overturned all these Projects. What I am going to relate is not a Romance, but a true Story, which fhows how great a Share that Paffion has fometimes in the most important Revolutions: for this Affair was attended with great Confequences. Whilft the Earl of Warwick was haftning in France with all his Power the Conclufion of the Negotiation committed to his Charge, Edward rendered it of no EfWoodville. fect in England by mere Chance. Happening to be in Northamptonshire near the Manor of Grafton, he had a mind to go and vifit Jaquelina of Luxemburg, Dutchefs of Bedford, who had efpoufed in fecond Marriage Sir Richard Woodville. By him fhe had among other Children a Daughter called Elizabeth, who had been Wife to Sir John Grey, [of Groby] and upon his Death was returned to her Father's Houfe. She had the Affliction to fee her Hufband's Eftate confifcated, on account of his adhering to the Lancastrian Interest, in the Service of which he had loft his Life. The King's Vifit appearing to this young Lady to be a favourable Opportunity, fhe came and threw herself at his Feet, befeeching him to reftore the Lands of her deceased Husband, and in treating treating him to have pity upon her Children. Edward, who was young and exceeding amorous, no fooner beheld the charming Widow at his Feet, but he fell defperately in love with her. He immediately gave her hopes, as he raised her from the Ground, that he would grant her Request. He even let her know, that it was not in his Power to refufe her any thing. Afterwards, in his private Conversation with her, he would fain have perfuaded her to purchase the Favour at a very high Rate. All the Hiftorians agree, that he was the best made Man in England, and the moft proper to win the Affections of the fair Sex. As he knew this, he did not queftion but he should find the fame eafy Accefs to this Lady's Heart, as he had found to those of many others. But the plainly gave him to understand, that although The thought her felf unworthy to be a Queen, she had too honest a Heart to take up with the Title of Miftrefs. This Declaration, which denoted fo much Virtue in Elizabeth, made fo deep an Impreffion on the King's Mind, that defpairing of being able to attain his Ends any other way, he offered her Marriage. The Tender of fuch a Heart as Edward's, together with a Crown, could hardly be rejected. The young Lady, agreeably furprized at fo advantagious a Propofal, accepted it immediately in fo refpectful and grateful a Manner, as completed the Conqueft of the young Monarch's Heart. Mean while, as he was unwilling to difoblige the Dutchess of York his Mother, he could not think of proceeding any farther without acquainting her with his Intention. The Dutchefs furprized at this hafty Refolution, used all her Endeavours to diffuade him from it. She reprefented to him the Injury he would do the Earl of Warwick, to whom he owed fo many Obligations, and who, it was to be feared, would highly refent it: That by the Affront he was going to put upon the King of France, he would make him his mortal Enemy, and render a Peace between them impracticable: That the Nobles of England would behold with Grief and Jealoufy the Woodville Family raised fo high above them, and that their Difcontent might be attended 1465. 1465. attended with fatal Confequences. In fine, that he was going to marry a Woman with nothing, his Subject, and one that had Children by another Man. Edward replied in a few Words, that it was uncertain whether the Earl of Warwick would look upon his Change as an Injury; but that, as for him, he was fure of his Affection: That the King of France was like to have Bufinefs enough upon his Hands to divert him in all probability from all Thoughts of Revenge: That a King's taking to Wife one of his Subjects, would be fo far from giving Offence to the Nobility, that on the contrary, it would be very pleafing to them, fince for the future all the noble Families might afpire to the fame Honour. Laftly, That a Dowry ought to be of no weight in a King's Marriage; and that his Love and her Virtue whom he pitched upon for his Wife, made up to him whatever he might expect befides. The Dutchefs perceiving that the King was not fwayed by her Arguments, fhe added another which to her feemed of much greater Force. She remonftrated to him, that he had plighted his Faith to the Lady Elizabeth Lucy, and that he could not in Confcience take another Wife. Edward pofitively denied that he was engaged to that Lady. Nevertheless, either for the Satisfaction of the Dutchefs his Mother, or for fear this pretended Contract might one Day furnish a Handle to difpute the Validity of his Marriage, he confented that Elizabeth Lucy fhould be examined by fome Bifhops. Upon her Examination, fhe confeffed that the King had not made her a pofitive Promife: but however, fhe faid fhe fhould never have yielded to his Defires, had the not been perfuaded that he intended to marry her. This Anfwer making appear that there was no abfolute Promife on the King's Part, the Bishops were of Opinion that the King might marry another with a fafe Conscience. Accordingly, Edward efpoufed Elizabeth Woodville in the Prefence of a few Perfons, fo that his MarFebruary. riage was not divulged but by the Orders which were given to prepare for the Coronation of the new Queen, And mer ries her. The |