The duke of Clarence retires from court "; Thomas Burdett and John Stacy, dependants of his, are executed on frivolous charges v. Clarence returns, and asserts

their innocence before the council.

A.D. 1478. The circulation of Irish money in Eng

land forbidden, [17 Edw. IV. c. 1].

The exportation of coin or plate without the king's licence, declared felony [Ibid.].

Clarence is committed to the Tower, Jan. 16; brought to trial, when the king pleads personally against him, and condemned to death, Feb. 7; he is found dead in the

"His duchess and his youngest son, Richard, had died shortly before, and John Thursby and Ankerett Twinnewe were convicted before the judges in Warwickshire, of having poisoned them, at the instigation of Sir Roger Tocotes, another member of the duke's household; Sir Roger's trial was removed into the court of King's Bench, but he was either acquitted or pardoned. He was concerned in the risings against Richard III., and was attainted, but eventually received a pardon.

▾ Burdett was charged with having, in confederacy with Stacy, procured Thomas Blake, a clerk, to calculate the nativities of the king and his eldest son. This was in November, 1474, according to the indictment afterwards found against them. Stacy and Blake "worked and calculated by art magic, necromancy and astronomy, the death and final destruction of the king and prince.... although according to the determinations of holy Church, and the opinions of divers doctors, it is forbidden to any liegeman thus to meddle concerning kings and princes in manner aforesaid, without their permission." In May, 1475, they are said to have treacherously made known to many persons that they had ascertained that the king and prince would shortly die, "to the intent that the cordial love of the people might be withdrawn from the king, and the king, by knowledge of the same, would be saddened thereby, so that his life would be thereby shortened.' Burdett was further charged with "dispersing and disseminating divers seditious and treasonable bills and writings, rhymes, and ballads, containing complaints, seditions, and treasonable arguments." The prisoners were tried and found guilty by a special commission, July 19, and Burdett and Stacy were the next day executed at Tyburn, but Blake obtained a pardon, at the intercession of the bishop of Norwich, (James Goldwell).

Tower, Feb. 18; many of his estates are granted to Anthony Woodville, earl Rivers, the queen's brother.

A.D. 1479. England ravaged by a pestilence.

A.D. 1480. Louis XI. refuses to abide by the treaty of 1475".

War breaks out with Scotland; the duke of Gloucester makes an unsuccessful attempt on Berwick.

A.D. 1481. The English fleet sails into the Frith of Forth, but effects little.

The English and Scottish armies face each other for a considerable time on the borders, and then withdraw without a battle.

A.D. 1482. The duke of Albany comes from France, styles himself king of Scotland, and by treaties (dated at Fotheringhay, June 10 and 11,) engages to hold the kingdom of Scotland as a fief of England, to break off all alliances with France, to surrender Berwick and the frontier districts of Annandale, Eskdale and Liddisdale, and to marry Cicely, Edward's daughtery.

Berwick is invested by the dukes of Gloucester and Albany, in July.

James of Scotland raises an army, and marches towards the border. Archibald, earl of Angus, seizes the royal favourites and hangs them2, when the king is carried a prisoner to Edinburgh, and his army disbands itself.

See p. 87.

He declared the king to be illegitimate.

This princess, a child, was already engaged to his nephew, prince James; and he himself had two wives (one, the daughter of the earl of Orkney, he had abandoned) living, and a family by each.

Their names have been preserved: Cochrane, an architect, Rogers, a musician, Preston, Hommel, Torfefan, and Leonard, whose occupations do not appear. The only gentleman, John Ramsay,

was spared.

The dukes leave the siege of Berwick, and capture

Edinburgh.

The king and Albany are apparently reconciled, and the English army retires, early in August.

Berwick is captured by the duke of Gloucester.

A.D. 1483. Louis XI. of France breaks off a marriage contract which had been formed between his son and the king's daughter Elizabeth. Edward, in consequence, prepares for war.

An act passed conferring many important trading privileges on the town of Berwicka, [22 Edw. IV. c. 8].

The duke of Albany renews his alliance with the English, by treaty dated Feb. 11.

Edward dies, April 9; he is buried in St. George's chapel, Windsor, April 19, his nephew, the earl of Lincoln, attending as chief mourner.

a The trade with Scotland is ordered to be shared between Carlisle and Berwick, and the burgesses of the latter town are to nave, exclusively, the farm of the salmon fishings in the Tweed, and the trade in the fish.

This circumstance is worthy of remark as shewing the approaching fall of the Woodvilles.

EDWARD, the fourth child but eldest son of Edward IV., was born in the Sanctuary at Westminster, during his father's brief exile, Nov. 4, 1470. He was soon after created prince of Wales, and in 1479 also earl of Pembroke; in 1482 he was sent to keep a mimic court at Ludlow, in the marches, being under the guardianship of Anthony Woodville, earl Rivers, his maternal uncle, and attended by Sir Richard Grey, his half-brother, Sir Thomas Vaughan, and others of the Woodville party. The death of his father on the 9th of April, 1483, called him to the throne, but after a mere nominal possession of less than three monthsd, he and his brother, Richard,

Used also in the latter part of the reign of Edward IV. d According to a memorandum in the Red Book of the Exchequer, his reign "ceased" on June 22, the day that had been appointed for his coronation, and the same on which his uncle's claim was publicly brought forward; from that day to the 26th of June was an interregnum.

duke of York, both disappeared, and nothing is known as to their fate.

A.D. 1483. Edward is proclaimed king, April 9. The queen-mother endeavours to obtain the regency, but is foiled by the union of the dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham, Lord Hastings, and others, who resolve to depress the Woodvilles.

The young king, being sent for to London, is met at Stony Stratford by the dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham, April 30, when they seize Rivers, Grey, Vaughan, and Hautef, and send them prisoners to the north, and bring Edward to London, where he arrives May 4.

The queen-mother takes sanctuary at Westminster, with the duke of York and her daughters, May 1.

e

William, lord Hastings, was the son of Leonard Hastings, a favourite esquire of Richard, duke of York,

who through the duke's influence obtained the shrievalty of Warwick and Leicester. William was equally favoured by Edward IV., received a large share of the Lancastrian forfeitures, was employed on embassies, held the posts of master of the mint, captain of Calais, constable of many other castles, and chamberlain. He was, however, on bad terms with the Woodvilles, although made by the queen guardian of her son Thomas, and hence he readily joined with Richard, duke of Gloucester, against them. From some cause which has never been clearly ascertained, Hastings was seized at the council board, by order of the Protector, and immediately beheaded in the Tower, June 13, 1483. He left, by his wife Katherine, the widow of Lord Bonville, and sister of the earl of Warwick, a son, Edward, who succeeded him, and became, in right of his wife, Lord Hungerford, and whose son was created by Henry VIII. earl of Huntingdon. f Commonly, but wrongly, called Hawes.

Arms of Lord Hastings.

Her brother, Sir Richard Woodville, and her son, the marquis of Dorset, attempted to seize on the Tower, and to raise a fleet, but