Richard III: his life & character, reviewed in the light of recent research

Preface

There are periods of history when the greatest caution is called for in accepting statements put forward by a dominant faction. Very early in my life I came to the conclusion that the period which witnessed the change of dynasties from Plantagenet to Tudor was one of these. The caricature of the last Plantagenet King was too grotesque, and too grossly opposed to his character derived from official records. The stories were an outrage on common-sense. I studied the subject at intervals for many years, and in the course of my researches I found that I more or less shared my doubts with every author of repute who had studied the subject for the last three centuries, except Hume and Lingard. My own conclusions are that Kichard III. must be acquitted on all the counts of the indictment. , The present work is divided into two parts, the first narrating the events of his life and times, and the second examining the various accusations against him. I did not contemplate publication because I thought that in these days prejudices were too strong to make it possible that a fair and candid hearing should be given to the arguments. But I determined to consult vi some historical friends, and I was pleased to find that to a great extent I was mistaken.

In the first place, I wrote a full abstract of my arguments, for publication in the * Historical Review,' acting under the advice of my old schoolfellow, Professor Freeman, to whom I sent it in the first instance. It so happened that Mr. Freeman had given attention to part of the subject. He upset some odious fabrications of the chroniclers affecting the character of Margaret of Anjou, by proving that she was in Scotland at the time when the battle of Wakefield was fought. Freeman seldom wrote on so late a period of our history, and we owe this modern excursion to a visit to Mr. Milnes Gaskell at Thornes.

After reading what I sent him, Professor Freeman wrote on August 13, 1890 : ' Your abstract has set me a-thinking. It is only a Robert of Belleme who does that kind of thing. On your main point I will talk to Gardiner and Stubbs. Meanwhile, I have shown your manuscript to Sidney Owen, who read it and held it to be what lawyers would call considerable. Owen had been at those times, and holds Henry VII. to be at least capable of it.

1 It would be a self-denying ordinance in Gairdner if he accepted your view, for he has gone more straight at that time than anybody else. Gardiner has written to him, and he is a little fierce, as was to be expected, but if you are like me, no man's fierceness will hinder you from dining and sleeping as well as usual. The matter is at all events worth discussing.'

PREFACE vii

Professor York Powell read my manuscript, and wrote: 'I have read the manuscript and think there is something worth looking into. Henry's conduct to Tyrrell is exceedingly suspicious. Either Kichard or Henry might have put the boys to death, but it would be interesting for many reasons to know which it was. I am not convinced by Markham, but I do not think Gairdner has the right to be cocksure. The Morton suggestive idea is very ingenious and pretty, and quite probable. It has interested me much to read Markham's letter, for I remember my difficulties in the matter and the point I got to, that the great men did not, for a time, hold the now vulgate view of the murder of the princes. I should rejoice should Markham light upon additional evidence in favour of his thesis, which a priori is by no means unlikely. There is something about Eichard's character, ability, and reign which, I think, attracts every real student of history, and gives one a feeling that he has been unfairly dealt with.'

In 1891, the abstract of my work was published in the ' Historical Keview,' and Bishop Creighton, who was then the editor, wrote : 1 Thank you for your paper, which I have read with great interest. It certainly makes out a strong case.'

There were two rejoinders from Mr. Gairdner, which enabled me to recast and improve parts of my work by the light of his criticism.

I lost my adviser, Mr. Freeman, in 1892. One of the last things he did was to warn me of an objection viii

LIFE OF KICIIARD III taken by Miss Edith Thompson, which enabled me to meet it.1

After careful revision I showed my manuscript to the late Sir Archibald Milman, who had given close attention to those times. On December 27, 1897, he wrote : ' It is your bounden duty to tell your story of Eichard III., giving the date for every fact. It is only by sticking to dates that you get at truth in criminal causes, and the same method must be followed at the bar of history. It would be a pleasure to think that the last Plantagenet was not a cruel scoundrel. By giving dates and authorities for them, you render a great service. Kichard's loyalty and able administration in the north seem inconsistent with such ferocity. I was much interested in one of your facts, that, according to the story put forward by Henry VII., the bodies of the little princes were taken up from the place of hasty interment and placed in consecrated ground. But lo ! they remained under the staircase, where they were found in Charles II.'s reign.'

In consequence of Sir A. Milman's letter I made another close scrutiny of dates given by various authorities for the same events with important results. I also went very carefully over the ground of the battlefields of Wakefield, Towton, Barnet, Tewkesbury, and Bosworth ; and I added some chapters to the work.

1 She pointed out that the titles of Norfolk and Nottingham, granted by Edward IV. to his second son Richard, were given by Richard III. to Lords Howard and Berkeley, and that, therefore, young Richard must have been dead. The answer is that the grants to Lords Howard and Berkeley were made on June 28, 1483, before it was even pretended that young Richard had been murdered.

PREFACE ix

The correspondence to which I have referred has led me to the conclusion that students of history are not, as I once believed, unwilling to reconsider the questions which form the subject of the present work, when they are presented from new points of view ; and that the well-known arguments which were supposed to suffice for the defence of the Tudor stories in the past are in these days insufficient. The numerous points now raised and submitted for the judgment of students are at all events worth discussing. The present work is about as complete as very frequent revision can make it.

Contents

PAGE

PREFACE v

CHAPTER I Description of Fotheringhay 1

Possessions of the Duke of York. Marriage 2, 3

Birth of Richard 3

Letter of Edward and Edmund to their father 4

Children of the Duke of York 6

Richard a prisoner of war aged 7 7

Refuge in John Paston's chambers 8

Chapter II Death Of Richard's Father And Brother At The Battle Of Wakefield

The Duke of York declared Heir-Apparent 9

The Duke and his family united at Baynard's Castle . . . 10

March to Sandal 11

Description of Sandal Castle and its neighbourhood . . . 12, 13 Battle of Wakefield. Death of the Duke . . . . 14, 15

Death of Edmund, Earl of Rutland 15, 16

Cruelty and inhuman folly of the Lancastrians .... 17

Edward's victory at Mortimer's Cross 18

George and Richard sent to Holland for safety ... 18, 19

Xll

Chapter III Pagk

Description of Edward IV 20

Edward proclaimed King 21, 22

March to the north. Yorkist leaders 23

Lancastrian leaders 24

Sir Andrew Trollope 25

Description of the country round Towton 26

Surprise at Ferrybridge 27

Chase and death of Clifford 28

Yorkists march to Saxton 29, 30

Marshalling of the Lancastrians 31

Battle of Towton 32, 33

Flight of Henry and his partisans. Edward at York . . . 34

Coronation of Edward IV 35

Edward's generous treatment of his foes 36

Chapel built by Richard at Towton 37

CHAPTER IV THE CROWN LOST AND WON — BATTLE OF BARNET Return of George and Richard from Holland 38

Their Dukedoms, Earldoms and Richard's K.G 38

Richard chief mourner at his father's obsequies . . . . 39

Military training under Warwick 40

Description of Richard 40

Treason of Warwick 41

Flight of Edward and Richard to Holland 42, 43

Expedition fitted out at Veere 44

Landing at Ravenspur 45

Edward's brilliant campaign 46, 47

Richard's negotiation with Clarence 48

Battle of Barnet 49, 52

CHAPTER V Birth and marriage of Margaret 53, 54

Birth of Edward 55

Adventures in the wars .... ... 56, 59

CONTENTS Xlll

PAGE

Home at Koeur-la-Petite 60

Edward's conversations with the Chief Justice . . . . 61, 66

Agreement with Warwick 67

Description of young Edward .68

CHAPTER VI Margaret and Edward land at Weymouth 69

Advance to Bristol 70

King Edward's plan of campaign 71

Description of the battle field 72

March of King Edward's army 73

Battle of Tewkesbury 74, 75

Death of Edward of Lancaster on the battle field .... 75

Execution of some leaders. 76

Pardon of the rest 77

Death of Henry VI 78

Bansom of Margaret. Her death 79

Chapter VII Married Life And Public Services Of Richard Duke Of Gloucester

Richard's march to Sandwich 80

Marriage of Richard and Anne Nevill 81, 82

Richard with his brother in France 82

Description of Middleham Castle 83

Home life at Middleham 82, 83, 84

Public duties. Frequent visits to York 84

Warden of the Marches. Scottish campaign . . . . 84, 86 Death of Edward IV. Lady Grey. Children ... 86, 87

Chapter VIII Accession Of Richard III

Conspiracy of the Woodvilles 88 1

Richard made Protector by his brother's will . . . 89 \

Arrest of Rivers and his colleagues . . . . . . . 90

Queen Dowager in sanctuary . 91 j

Richard and his mother 92 I

Disclosure of Bishop Stillington ... ... 93 i xiv LIFE OF RICHARD III

PAOB

Account of Bishop Stillington 94-95

Foundation of the College at Acaster 96

Children of Edward IV. illegitimate 97

Hastings-Woodville conspiracy 98, 99

Execution of Rivers and his colleagues 99, 100

Richard's title to the crown 101

Accession 102

CHAPTER IX Results of the Lancastrian usurpation 103

Effects of the Wars of the Roses 104

No destruction of the nobility . 105

Scenery. Country life 106

Castles 107

Hunting and hawking 108

The Peerage 109

Town residences 110

Magnificence of the Court Ill

Wealth of merchants. City Companies 112

Introduction of printing 113

Caxton's works 114, 115

Literary noblemen 115, 116

Education 117

Bishops. Clergy. Monasteries. Pilgrimages . . . 118-119

Judges 119

Lawlessness 120

Manor houses. Cultivation 121

Prices 123

Chapter X Reign Of Richard III

1 Description of the King . 124 Treatment of his nephews 125 Coronation 126-127

Claim of Buckingham 128

Royal Progress 129-130

Rebellion of Buckingham 131-132

CONTENTS XV

PAGE

List of traitors . 132-133 }

Parliament . 134

Reforms. Revenue. Navy 135

Convocation. Agreement with the Queen Dowager . . . . 136 ,

Death of the Prince of Wales. His tomb 137

Edward Earl of Warwick made Heir- Apparent 138

King Richard's popularity 139

Conspiracy of Henry Tudor 140

The King assembled troops at Nottingham 141

Proclamation against Henry Tudor 143

Peerage of Richard III 143

Ministers of Richard III 144 \

Commissioners for Peace with Scotland 145

Judges and Law Officers 145

Bishops 146

Knights of the Garter 146 )

Knights of the Bath 147 •

CHAPTER XI THE BATTLE OF BOSWORTH Treachery of the Stanleys explained 148, 149 \

King Richard's military talent 150

English pluck displayed by Richard 150

Loyal men flocking to the King's standard 151

Description of the country round Bosworth 152

Positions of the two armies 153

King Richard leads his men to the encounter .... 154

Treachery of Lord Stanley 155

The King's gallant charge 155

Death of the King 155-156-157

Richard buried at Leicester. Memorials 158

Character of King Richard 159

His generosity. Arbitrations 160

Able administration. Building operations 161

Literary tastes. Founded the Heralds' College .... 162

Comparison of Richard and the Tudors 162, 163

His married life 164

Contemporary Sovereigns . 165 i xvi LIFE OF RICHARD III

Chapter I The Authorities Page

The Plantagenet Dynasty 166

Character and position of the accusers 167

Extravagance of their caricature .... . 167

Writers in the pay of the Tudors .... . . 168

The notorious pamphlet by Morton 168-171

Bernard Andr<§ 171

Polydore Virgil 171-172

Bous 173

Fabyan 174

Wark worth 175

Continuators of the Croyland Chronicle .... 175-178

Official documents 179

Hall, Grafton, Holinshed, Stow, Buck 179

Reaction. Modern authors 181

Miss Halsted 182

Upholders of the Tudor stories 182-183

Chapter II Examination Op The Charges Against Richard III

Reckless profusion of abuse 184

Deformity. Statement of Rous and Morton 185

Object of the calumny 187

Tewkesbury. The truth told by all contemporaries . . 188-189

Fable by Fabyan 190

Polydore Virgil 190

Subsequent embellishments 190

Silence of Morton and Rous 191-192

Henry VI. Insinuations 193

Warkworth and Fabyan 194-195

The Croyland Monk 195

Polydore Virgil contradicts 193

All unworthy of credit 196

Evidence of the accounts 197

CONTENTS xvii

PAGE

Henry VI. {continued) —

Evidence of a contemporary writer 198

Marriage. Richard and Anne really attached 200

Attack of Miss Strickland, a specimen of the sort of arguments used 201

Countess of Warwick. False statement of Rous . . . . 201

Death of Clarence. Charge absolutely groundless . . . . 202

Another specimen of argument 203

Chapter III Fuethek Charges Against Richard III

Some account of Morton, the chief accuser . . . 205-207

Misrepresentation of events 208-210

Cunning misrepresentations respecting Hastings . . . 210-212

Falsification of dates 215-217

The accession. The true claim 219

Attempt of Henry VII. to destroy the evidence . . . . 218

Polydore Virgil's version 220

Morton's version 221

Fabyan . 222

Further falsification of dates 223

Buckingham's treason. False reason given for his discontent . 223

Morton's account of conversations 225, 226

Second coronation. Statement disproved 227

Death of the Queen. Slanders of Polydore and Rous . . . 228

Elizabeth of York. Absurd rumour spread 229

Elizabeth's letter to the Duke of Norfolk . . . . 229-230

Intrigues of Henry's mother 231

Lord Strange. The truth 232

Chapter IV The Main Charge Against Richard III

Rests on the truth or falsehood of previous crimes . . . 233

Richard's antecedents 234

Nothing to fear from his nephews 235

a xviii LIFE OF RICHARD III

PAGE

Treatment of others in the same position 236

His nephews were probably members of his household . . . 236

Bill, in March 1485, for the elder nephew 237

Conduct of the mother and sister 238-239

Alleged rumours 240-242

Assertion of the French Chancellor 242

Statements of Fabyan, Eous, Polydore, Andr6 244

Sir William Stanley's conduct 244

Baseless rumours promulgated by Henry 245

Chapter V Henry Tudor In The Dock

Description of Henry VII . 246

His lawless executions after Bosworth 247

Responsible for the lives of royal children 248

Henry's character 249

Necessity to strengthen his position 250

His Parliament of outlaws. Unjust attainders 251

Loyal men attainted 252

Silent about the late King's nephews. Were they missing? . . 253 If alive, Henry's marriage necessitated their deaths . . . 254

Henry's treatment of other victims in his way 255

The fate of the princes, if alive, was sealed by the marriage . . 256

Imprisonment of the Queen Dowager 257

Henry put forward a story, in Polydore Virgil .... 258 A more detailed story, published by Rastell and Grafton . 260-263 Rewards alleged to have been given by Richard to murderers 264, 265

Confession of Tyrrel and Dighton fabricated 267

Genesis of these stories 267

Some account of Sir James Tyrrel 268

Henry's grant to John Green 269

Tyrrel taken into favour. His two pardons 269

Murder of the two Princes 269

Relations silenced 270-271

Hush money to « Black Will ' 271

Reward to Dighton 272

Rewards and employments for Tyrrel 272

Treacherous arrest and hurried execution of Tyrrel . . . . 273

Dighton to reside at Calais 274

The story put forward and generally accepted 274

CONTENTS xix

PAGE

Judicial murder of the Earl of Warwick 275

Henry's remorse 276

Elizabeth saw the cruel treatment of her mother and cousin.

Her death 277

Henry's design to kill the Earl of Suffolk 277

His death. Successful as this world counts success . . . 278 Things unexplained 279, 280