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EXECUTION OF LORD HASTINGS.-1483.

3. Another of his creatures, named Catesby, had endeavored to gain the support of Hastings; but this nobleman being found to be firm in his devotion to Edward's children, his destruction was determined upon. On the very day that the lords were murdered at Pontefract, Richard summoned the council to meet in the Tower. He appeared to be remarkably gay and good-natured, but left the council-chamber as if called out upon business.

4. He soon returned with an angry countenance, and demanded what those deserved who plotted against his life. Hastings replied, that "they should be treated as traitors." "These traitors," said the protector, "are the sorceress, my brother's wife, and another of his late friends. See to what they have reduced me by their witchcraft;" upon which he laid bare his withered arm.

5. The councillors, who knew that the arm had been so from his birth, looked at one another with amazement; but Hastings ventured to defend the late king's friend. "And do you reply to me," exclaimed Richard, "with your ifs and your ands? you are yourself the chief traitor; and I swear I will not dine before your head be brought to me!" On this he struck his hand on the table, and armed men

rushed in, who seized Hastings, and instantly beheaded him in the presence of the council.

2. What did Gloncester's partisans do? 3, 4, 5. Relate the circumstances which occurred

RICHARD USURPS THE CROWN.-1483.

205

6. Richard's next object was to get the young Duke of York into his power. He declared that it would be highly improper to suffer the duke to remain in the sanctuary, a place where thieves and murderers found refuge. He sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had no suspicion of his evil designs, to persuade the queen to surrender her young son.

7. Although she had not heard of the bloody deed at Pontefract, she had begun to suspect the designs of Richard. She knew that her son would be taken from her by force if she refused her consent to his departure. Clasping him to her breast, she took leave of him with a shower of tears. The young king was delighted to see his brother, hoping long to enjoy his company.

8. Having now both the young princes in his power, Gloucester began to act more openly. He employed a popular preacher to harangue the people in his favor; but he met with little success. The Duke of Buckingham then undertook to address them. After describing the miseries of the last reign, and the unfitness of the young king to govern, he enlarged upon the virtues of the Duke of Gloucester.

9. He expressed his apprehensions that the protector could not be prevailed upon to accept the crown, but he hoped that the people would take every method to persuade him to do so. He concluded by desiring every man to speak his real sentiments, and to declare, without fear, whether he would have for king the young prince, or the virtuous protector.

10. A silence for some time ensued; at length some of the duke's

in the council-chamber. 6. What was Richard's next object? How did he effect it?

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FATE OF THE TWO YOUNG PRINCES.

own servants, who had slipped among the crowd, cried out, "Long live King Richard!" A few of the mob joined in the cry, and the duke, taking advantage of the faint approbation, found means to induce the mayor and aldermen to accompany him to the palace of the protector, and to offer him the crown.

11. Richard pretended to be very much surprised at seeing such a concourse of people. When he was informed that their business was to offer him the crown, he declined accepting it, saying, that "his love of his brother's children was greater than his love of a crown." But he at length suffered himself to be persuaded by Buckingham, and declared his acceptance.

12. He was at once proclaimed king, and the same preparation which had been made for the coronation of Edward V. served for that of Richard III. It was long before the fate of the two young princes was known with certainty; but they never were seen again. Some years afterwards, two persons confessed themselves to have been their murderers, and said that their bodies were buried at the foot of a staircase in the Tower.

13. The story was not believed at the time, it being supposed that it was fabricated for political effect; but it was confirmed in an extraordinary manner two hundred years afterwards; when, in altering a staircase in the Tower, a chest was found buried under it, in which were the bones of two children, answering in size to the ages of Edward and his brother. Edward V. was in his thirteenth year when his father died, and reigned not quite three months.

8, 9, 10. What bold step was next taken? 11. How did Richard behave when offered the crown? 12, 13. What was the fate of the young princes?

HENRY TULOR.-1484.

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CHAPTER CXIV.

A Plot is formed for placing Henry Tudor on the Throne, which is for the present defeated.

1. As soon as Richard had obtained the crown, he sought to secure the future support of those who had assisted him, by bestow ing upon them liberal rewards. The Duke of Buckingham, having the greatest claim, received the largest share of his favors.

2. Ample as was the compensation, however, it was not enough to satisfy the avarice or the ambition of this nobleman, and we very soon find him engaged in a conspiracy to depose Richard, and to place Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, on the throne. In order to supply the defects of this prince's title, it was agreed that he should marry Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Edward IV., who, after her brothers, had the best right to the crown.

3. Richard, whose vigilance did not suffer the tempest to gather unperceived, assembled an army, and then summoned Buckingham to attend him. This nobleman replied only by taking the field with some troops he had collected in Wales. With these he advanced towards England.

4. When he arrived near the river Severn, an extraordinary flood, such as had never been known before, and which was long remembered as Buckingham's flood, prevented his crossing. His Welsh troops, impelled partly by superstition, and partly by famine, deserted him and returned home. The officers, finding themselves abandoned by their men, either fled from the country or took refuge in sanctuaries.

5. Buckingham, thinking he could rely upon the fidelity of a dependent of his own, named Bannister, sought refuge in his house; but this man could not resist the temptation of the large reward offered for his master's apprehension, and betrayed him to the sheriff of Shropshire, who found him in the disguise of a peasant, hidden in an orchard behind Bannister's house. He was taken to London, and there executed.

6. Richard, whose heart seemed callous to the sufferings of others, was himself vulnerable in one point. Edward, his only child, died April 9th, 1484, and we are told that the king's grief was so excessive that he almost " run mad." The grief of the queen was not less violent, and her death, a few months afterwards, is generally ascribed to it, though some assert that she was poisoned by her husband.

7. Richard now sought to gain the favor of the widowed queen of Edward IV. He succeeded so well as to induce her to consent to his own marriage with the Princess Elizabeth, although he was her uncle, and had murdered her two brothers and other relations.

8. The king, notwithstanding all his spies, does not seem to have been aware that Richmond, who was supposed to be all the while in

CXIV.-1, 2. What of Buckingham? How was Richmond's title to be strengthened? 3. What did Richard do? 4. What of Buckingham's flood? 5. What was the fate of

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BATTLE OF BOSWORTH-FIELD.-1485.

France, did in fact pass great part of his time in Wales, making himself friends among his countrymen; for the Tudors were a Welsh family.

9. Once he was so near being discovered by Richard's spies, that he escaped only by jumping out of a back window and getting through an opening, which is still called the king's hole. On his return to France he heard the report of Richard's intended marriage. He therefore hastily collected the English exiles, and a few French soldiers, in all about 3000 men, and landed at Milford Haven, August 7th, 1485.

CHAPTER CXV.

Battle of Bosworth-field.-Death of Richard III.-Singular Story of

his Bedstead.

1. WHEN Richard heard how small a number of persons accompanied the earl, and what a ragged, beggarly crew they were, he despised so weak an enemy. But when he found that his numbers were fast increasing, and that some Welsh troops, who were sent against him, actually joined him, he began to think the danger more urgent. He might still have quelled it, had he known in whom to confide.

2. The chief agents in his wicked schemes were Ratcliffe, Catesby.

Buckingham? 6. What domestic misfortune befell Richard? 8, 9. Where was Richmond all this time?

CXV.-1. What is said of Richard's feelings when he heard of Richmond's invasion?