238
Constitutional History.
[chap.
attention also to the improvement of the fleet, with which,
notwithstanding some mishaps, he secured the final superiority
Sihome°y ɑɪɑ over the Scots at sea. By disafforesting certain
lands which Edward IV had enclosed, he gained some local
popularity1; and in the north of England he was certainly
Death of
the prince of
•Wales, 1484.
strong in the affection of the people2. Calamity, however,
never deserted the royal house; the prince of Wales died on
the 9th of April, 1484, and the queen fell into ill health,
which ended in her death in March 1485. Richard had to
recognise as his heir-presumptive John de la Pole, earl of
Lincoln, his nephew, son of the duke of Suffolk3.
Threatened Notwithstanding the constant exertions of the king, the
invasion by , ,
Richmond, submissive conduct of his parliament, and the success of his
foreign negotiations, the alarm of invasion from abroad never
for an instant subsided. At Christmas, 1484, it was known
that the earl of Richmond was preparing for an invasion at
Whitsuntide, and the king without hesitation betook himself
to the collection of benevolences4, notwithstanding the recent
Proposed act by which such exactions were prescribed. As soon as
Bichardand the queen died—and her death was, according to Richard’s
his niece. . _ 1 . -1 ,. 1 ,
enemies, the result oɪ his own cruel policy—he began to
negotiate for a marriage with his own niece, whose hand the
queen Elizabeth had held out as a prize for Richmond. He
even succeeded in inducing that vain and fickle woman to agree
to the incestuous bargain5. This proposition was opposed by
his most faithful advisers, and, under a threat that they would
desert him, he was obliged, in a council held before Easter, to
1 Ross, Hist. Reg. Ang. p. 2i6.
2 The number OfYorkshiremen employed by Richard, and the immuni-
ties bestowed on towns and churches in the north, are a sufficient proof of
this.
3 The prince had been appointed lieutenant of Ireland July 19, 1483 ;
the earl of Lincoln was nominated to succeed him Aug. 21,1484 ; Rot. Pat.
PP- 5°, 96.
1 Cont. Croyl. p. 572. Fabyan (p. 672) says that the king gave pledges
for the loans borrowed in the city of London. Orders issued for the more
hasty levy of money are in Gairdner,s Letters of Rich. Ill, i. 81-85 > but
they contain nothing that bears on this point. Another set of instructions
however (ib. pp. 85-87) shows that the commissions of array were again
used as an instrument of taxation as in 1482. See above, p. 224.
5 Cont. Croyl. p. 572 ; Hall, pp. 406, 407.
XVITT.]
Invasion of Richmond.
239
renounce it1. But the very rumour had served to promote
union among the opposing parties, and to inspirit the earl
of Richmond to greater exertions. The earl of Oxford had
escaped from Hammes and joined him. He had no doubt Richmond’s
• 1 ,, preparations.
promises of aid from England, and secret as well as open help
afforded him abroad. But it must ever remain a problem how
he was enabled to maintain his position on the continent so
long as he did ; the extent and permanence of his resources
seem even a greater mystery than his subsequent success.
362. The time was come at last: on the ɪst of AugustHeiands
, η∙ιη at Milford
Henry of Richmond, now twenty-seven years old, but a man Haven,
of experience and caution far beyond his years, sailed from ug' 7'1485
Harfleur2; having eluded the fleet which Richard had sent to
intercept him, he landed at Milford Haven on the 7th3. He
had with him at the most two thousand men, but he depended
chiefly on the promises of assistance from the Welsh, among
whom his father’s family had taken pains to strengthen his
interest, and he himself roused a good deal of patriotic feeling.
The lord Stanley, the present husband of Henry’s mother, was Advance of
indeed one of Richard’s trusted servants, and Sir William
Stanleyhis brother was in command in Wales; but the king
had alienated them by his mistrust, and had confined the lord
Strange, son of lord Stanley, as a hostage for his father’s
fidelity. Scarcely believing the formidable news of Henry’s
progress, the king moved to Nottingham, where he expected
to be able to crush the rebellion as soon as it came to a head.
Henry marched on, gathering forces as he went, and securing
fresh promises of adhesion. As he came nearer, the king
removed to Leicester, whence he marched out to meet the
invader at Market Bosworth, on the 21st of August. On Rattieof
the 22nd the battle of Bosworth was fought. The Stanleys Aug. 22,1485.
and the Earl of Northumberland went over to Henry, and
Richard was killed. Treachery, on which he could not have
counted, and which nothing but his own mistrust, his tyranny
1 Hall, p. 407.
3 Cont. Croyl. p. 573∙
3 Richard’s Proclamation against cHenry Tydder,’ dated June 23, 1485,
is in the Paston Letters, iii. 316-320.