but he had one secret care which corroded all his enjɔy ments. Although the family of Lancaster had been in a manner extirpated, one distant branch still remained. Henry Tudor, earl of Richmond, a grandson of Owen Tu dor, and descended, by his mother, from John of Gaunt was the only person now left alive, in whose veins ran any of the blood of the Lancasters. He was, therefore, con sidered as the representative of that family.

Richmond had been brought up in the court of the duke of Bretagne, who protected him from every attempt the king of England made to get him into his power. Edward promised to marry the young Richmond to his eldest daughter, and thus to unite the two houses of York and Lancaster; and by this promise the duke was prevailed on to send him to England. But no sooner was he set out, than the duke, beginning to doubt the sincerity of Edward's intentions, sent after Richmond and brought him back he thus probably saved him from destruction.

Clarence having spoken with imprudent A. D. 1478. freedom of the king, Edward appeared glad to seize the opportunity of getting rid of a brother whose fickleness and petulence were continually giving him offence. Clarence was impeached and condemned to die by the parliament; but, as a royal and brotherly favor, the king allowed him to choose the manner of his death. It is difficult to believe historians when they gravely tell us that he desired to be drowned in a butt of malm. sey. He left a son, who had the title of Warwick from his grandfather, and a daughter, afterwards countess of Salisbury.

Edward was chiefly employed during his A. D. 1483. latter years in making negotiations with foreign princes, most of which came to nothing. In his private life he was sunk in sloth and vice. He died April 9, in the forty-first year of his age, and the twenty-third of

Was one of the Lancasters living?

Where was the earl of Richmond, and why was he prevented from going to England?

On what account was the duke of Clarence impeached and condemn ed?

When did Edward IV die and what was his family?

his reign He married Elizabeth Wydviile, and left two sons and five daughters.

It is proper to mention in this place inat the most im portant benefit ever conferred by these useful arts upon mankind, was, during the reign of Edward IV., extended to England from the continent. This was nothing less than the art of printing.

The invention of printing is of uncertain origin, but is generally conceded to John Faust or Faustus, a citizen of Mentz in Germany The first book known to be printed by him was a bible in 1450.

The honor of introducing it into England is ascribed to William Caxton, an honest citizen and mercer of London, who, while following the business of his trade in Holland. had heard and seen much of this new discovery. Being very solicitous of making so valuable an art known in England, he established himself for some time at Cologne, for the purpose of learning it.

Though Caxton was in his fifty-seventh year, he applied himself so diligently to his new undertaking, that in 1471 he printed a book, entitled "The Recule of the History of Troy." He then came to England, and set up a printing press. Caxton lived till 1491, and printed nearly fifty different books, most of them translations by himself from the French. Caxton says of himself that he was a“ rude and simple man." Surely he was the greatest benefactor of his age and country!

It is delightful to think that while all the princes and nobles of the land were murdering each other without remorse, there was this excellent person, regardless of these destroyers and plagues of men, patiently introducing among that evil and unthankful generation, the greatest blessing divine Providence could grant them.

What important benefit was conferred upon England in the reign of Edward IV.?

Who invented printing, and when?

Who introduced printing into England?

What were the labors of Caxton, where did he die, and how should his memory be regarded!

CHAPTER XXII.

EDWARD V.

[Years after Christ, 1483.]

We are now come to the shortest reign and the most pathetic story in the annals of England. When Edward IV. died, his eldest son was about thirteen years old, and was at Ludlow castle, under the care of his uncle, lord Rivers, and his half-brother, lord Grey. The title of the family of York to the crown was now completely established, and no objection was made to the young Edward's being proclaimed.

But though the public willingly acknowledged the young prince, there was amongst his nearest relatives, one who had long marked the innocent boy for destruction. This person was his uncle Richard, duke of Gloucester, a prince of great bravery and ability, but a man of most execrable selfishness, deceitfulness, and cruelty. It was to him that the victories of Towton and of Barnet were prin cipally ascribed.

Richard had long formed the project of usurping the crown, and had cloaked it with the most profound dissimulation. His first step, soon after his brother's death, was to impart to lord Hastings a wish to remove the lord Rivers and Grey from about the person of the young king. Hastings, a loyal and honest man, but who wore a bitter enmity to the queen and her relations, willingly agreed to second this design; and Richard accompanied by Hastings and by the duke of Buckingham, who was still deeper in his secrets, set out with a numerous train to meet the king, who was on his way from Ludlow to be crowned at London.

Who was the acknowledged successor of Edward IV. ?

Who had plotted the destruction of the prince, and what sort of man was ho?

Who were the complotters of Richard's criminal designs?

They met the king and his little party at Stony Stratford, where the lords Grey and Rivers waited on the duke of Gloucester, and passed the evening with him in convi. vial mirth and pleasantry, unsuspicious of the coming evil The next morning, they and two other gentlemen of the king's retinue were seized and sent to Pontefract, and all the rest of Edward's attendants were dismissed, and forbidden on pain of death to come near the court.

The young king, finding himself alone, and in the power of his uncle, whom he had been early taught by his mother to dread, was struck with grief and terror; but Gloucester falling on his knees, assured him with strong professions of loyalty and affection, that what he had done was for his preservation. Edward then suffered himself to be soothed into composure, and set off with his uncle towards London.

There the news of these violent measures arrived before Gloucester and the prince, and occasioned great alarm, for no one knew what to expect from such a strange beginning. The queen, fearing the worst, instantly fled into the Sanctuary at Westminster, taking with her the duke of York, then about seven years old, and her five daughters.

On the 4th of May, Gloucester conducted his nephew into London, riding before him bareheaded, and saying to the people," Behold your king!" Two days after, a great council was held, in which the artful duke was appointed Protector of the king and kingdom. Preparations were begun for Edward's coronation on the 22d of June: but on the 13th of May, during the meeting of the council at Westminster, the door of the hall was suddenly opened, and a party of armed men, the tools of the cruel duke of Gloucester, rushed in, crying out, "Treason! treason!"

The archbishop of York, Morton, bishop of Ely, and the lords Stanley and Hastings, who were all now hurried off to the Tower, and committed to close custody, except lord Hastings, whom Gloucester pronounced a traitor, and com

How were the young king and his relations treated?
Did Gloucester dissimulate with his nephew?

Whither fled the young king's mother and her children?

How were preparations for the coronation commenced and interrup ted?

How was Lord Hastings treated?

manded to be immediately put to death. He was only per mitted a few moments' delay to confess himself to a priest, and his head was cut off on a log of wood which happened to be on the spot.

On the same day, sir Thomas Ratcliffe, one of Richard's chief confidants, entered Pontefract with 5,000 men, and without any trial, beheaded lord Rivers and lord Grey, and their two fellow prisoners. The death of lord Rivers caused much lamentation, for he was the most accomplished nobleman of his time.

Gloucester, while committing these acts of violence, still kept on his mask of loyalty. He declared in council that it would be highly indecent to suffer the duke of York, dur ing the ceremony of his brother's coronation, to remain in the Sanctuary, a place where thieves and murderers found refuge. The archbishop of Canterbury was in consequence sent to require the queen to surrender her young son.

Having now got both the young princes into his power Gloucester declared to the people, that the late king had been married to another lady previously to his marriage with lady Elizabeth Wydville, therefore her son was not the legitimate king; and the citizens of London were thus persuaded to offer him the crown.

Richard at first affected to decline it, and said "his love of his brother's children was greater than his love of a crown :" but when the duke of Buckingham urged the suit, Richard pretended to overcome his reluctance, and accepted the offered gift. He was the same day proclaimed king, and was soon after crowned. The same preparations that had been made for the coronation of Edward V. served for that of Richard III.

It was long before the fate of the two unfortunate young princes was known with certainty, but they never appeared more. Some years afterwards two people owned themselves to have been concerned in their murder, and said that

Wha; were the next violent measures of Richard's adherents? Upon what pretence did Gloucester get the young king into his poe ression?

By what falsehood did Gloucester lay claim to the crown?

Dil Richard pretend to refuse the crown, and when was he crowned? What became of the young princes