ham, where he was keeping his court, to Leicester. Aa gust 22d, he left Leicester with great pomp, wearing a crown on his helmet, but with a countenance indicating a troubled mind, and encamped at the abbey of Merivalle, not far from Bosworth, where Richmond had arrived the night before. The two armies were placed so near together, that during the night many deserted from the royal army and joined Richmond.

The next morning the forces on both sides were drawn out in line of battle. The battle began, but no vigor or spirit was displayed in the royal army; and, when lord Stanley suddenly turned and attacked it, Richard saw that all was lost, and exclaiming "Treason! treason! treason!" rushed in the madness of rage and desperation into the midst of the enemy, and made his way to the earl of Richmond, hewing down all before him.

The earl rather shrunk back at the approach of such a desperate antagonist; but his attendants gathered round Richard, who fought like a wild beast at bay, till at last he fell covered with wounds. His helmet was so beaten in by the blows it had received, that its form was quite destroyed. Scarcely any persons of note fell on this memorable field.

years, and was He fell near a The dead body

Richard reigned little more than two slain in the thirty-fifth year of his age. brook which runs through Bosworth field. of the king was treated like that of a malefactor, and thrown neck and heels across a horse, and carried to Leicester, where it was buried in the church of the Grey Friars. But his bones were not permitted to rest in this humble bed; for at the destruction of the religious houses by Henry VIII., they were torn from their burying-place. His coffin was afterwards used as a drinking trough for horses at an inn in Leicester.

The consequences of the battle of Bosworth were of great importance, not only to the individuals who were engaged in it, but to the whole nation. Indeed, no battle

How did Richard demean himself in the battle of Bosworth field? How did Richmond meet Richard, and how fell Richard? How long did Richard III. reign, and how was his dead body treated? What were the consequences to the English nation of the battle of Bosworth?

since that of Hastings, had been productive of such material changes. The battle of Hastings brought in the feudal system in its most oppressive form; and the battle of Bosworth put an end to it, and also to the long line of Planta genet kings, who had governed England for 330 years,

There were fourteen Plantagenet kings: Henry the Second, and thirteen descendants. Four of these, John, Henry III., Richard II., and Henry VI., were feeble monarchs. The rest inherited all the abilities and bravery of their great ancestor : but they were one and all of them ignorant of what may be called a Christian policy,―ignorant that it is the duty of princes to seek the improvement and happiness of their subjects, rather than the increase of territory, or the triumph of arms. But, in despite of the false notions of their kings, the English nation was gradually becoming more free, intelligent, and virtuous during these successive reigns.

Edward I. son of Henry III.

Edward II. of Carnarvon, son of Edward I.
Edward III. son of Edward II.

Richard II. of Bordeaux, grandson of Edward III.

grandson of Edward III.

Henry V. of Monmouth, son of Henry IV.

Henry VI. of Westminster, son of Henry V.

Edward IV. of York, third cousin to Henry VI

great great grandson of Edward III.

Edward V. son of Edward IV.

Richard III. Crookback, uncle of Edward V. and the last of the Plantagenets.

Who were the Flantagenet kings and what their general chat actor?

Henry IV. of Lancaster, cousin to Richard II.

King Richard was the last man slain on the field of Bosworth, and his death was the signal victory to Henry of Richmond. The soldiers who had engaged in pursuit of the fugitives were recalled by hearing the shouts of "Long live King Henry!" and, returning to the field of battle, they saw sir William Stanley placing on Henry's head the battered crown that had been struck off from the helmet of Richard.

Henry was at this time thirty years old, and two ruling passions, swayed his conduct from the first hour of his reign, to the end of his life. These were his avarice, and his hatred to the house of York. The first command he Issued, even before he had left the bloody field where he had been proclaimed king, was that persons should be sent into Yorkshire, to seize young Edward Plantagenet,

When was Henry of Richmond crowned king of England?
What were the ruling passions of Henry VII. ?

earl of Warwick, the son of the duke of Clarence, and to convey him to the Tower.

But, notwithstanding Henry's rooted dislike to the house of York, he soon found he could not maintain himself on the throne without allying himself to it He therefore renewed an agreement he had formerly made to marry the princess Elizabeth ; but his reluctance to the marriage was so great, that he put it off till the following year. He had so much jealousy of its being supposed that he derived through her his right to the crown, that he would not permit the queen's name to be mentioned in the act of parlia ment that was passed for settling the succession.

Henry's conduct towards all those who A. D. 1487. had been connected with the late royal family naturally irritated them against him, and a scheme was contrived, which, though it failed in the end, had many abettors, and gave him for a time much trouble and vexaion. Lambert Simnel, the son of a baker of Oxford, was instructed to personate the young earl of Warwick, who, it was pretended, had made his escape from the tower.

Richard Simon, a priest, had the chief management of this plot. He took Simnel into Ireland, where the house of York had many friends; and there, the credulity of the people coinciding with their wishes, he was proclaimed at Dublin by the title of Edward VI. When Henry heard of this pretended earl of Warwick, he caused the real earl to be taken from his prison, and carried in procession hrough London.

This measure, though it satisfied the people of England, did not convince those of Ireland, who asserted that Henry had exhibited an impostor, while they were in possession of the true Plantagenet. Whether the duchess of Burgundy was really of the same opinion, or whether she was glad of an opportunity to disturb Henry, does not appear; but she certainly assisted Simnel with a body of troops under the command of Martin Swartz, an experienced leader

Whom did Henry marry, and how did he regard the queen?
What impostor appeared in England 1487?

What measures did Henry take to expose this impostor?
Who assisted Simnel?

The earl of Lincoln, son of the countess de la Polo eldest sister to the duchess, also joined Simnel in Ireland. Leaving Ireland with a force of eight thousand men, they landed in Lancashire, expecting to be joined by the inhabitants. But they were mistaken in this expectation, and penetrated as far as Stoke, near Newark, without receiving any addition to their numbers. Here they were met, June 16, 1487, by Henry, with a considerable force, and defeat ed after a fierce engagement.

Lord Lincoln and Swartz were slain. Simnel, and his protector Simon, were taken prisoners, and received better treatment than they could have expected; for Henry contented himself with imprisoning the priest for life, and with degrading the new-made king to be one of the sculions of his kitchen.

Another impostor started up, in a youth A. D. 1493. called Perkin Warbeck, who had been secretly instructed to personate Richard duke of York, the young brother of Edward V., who, it was pretended, had escaped from the Tower, by the connivance of the ruffians who had murdered his brother. This youth had a strong resemblance to the Plantagenets, and acted his part so well that many persons were actually convinced that he was the prince.

Warbeck presented himself at the duchess of Burgundy's court at Brussels, and claimed her protection, as being her brother's son. The duchess appeared at first to doubt his story, and then, as if suddenly convinced by his answers to her questions, she embraced him with a transport of joy, exclaiming that he was indeed her long lost nephew. She then appointed a guard of soldiers to attend him, and treated him as the head of the house of York.

The news of this extraordinary circumstance brought numbers of people to Brussels: and the answers of Warbeck were so extraordinary, that all who saw and convers ed with him were persuaded of the truth of his story

Where was Simnel defeated?

What became of Simnel and his chie. abettors?
Who pretended to be the duke of York?

What princess encouraged Warbeck?

How did Henry prove the imposture of Warbeck?