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A. C. 1478, not concluded till the month of February in the following year. Edward would have willingly feent the confummation of the marriage-contract between the dauphin and his daughter Elizabeth, before the other tranfaction fhould be finished, and fent two ambaffadors to France to conclude that affair: but, by this time Lewis had fome other match in view for the dauphin, and, as that prince was not yet eight years age, he found an excu fe for delaying the affiancing ceremony. Yet, that Edward might not be chagrined at this procraftination, he payed part of the ranfom of Margaret of Anjou, which he had engaged to liquidate at different terms; and fent the bifhop of Elna to London to offer fecurity for the payment of the fifty thousand.crowns, for the long term to which the treaty had been lately extended. The fecurity which the prelate offered was the oath of Lewis, together with the bonds of the bank of Medicis, and letters patent confirmed by the eftates of France and the papal authority, denouncing excommunication in cafe of failure. Edward's conduct was now wholly influenced by Lewis, or rather by his own minifters, whom that prince had corrupted. The French king, not contented with having diverted him from affifting the dutchess of Burgundy, proposed that they should fhare between them the dominions of that princefs; and that Edward fhould have Flanders and Brabant. The propofal was accepted, on condition, that in exchange for thefe countries Lewis fhould cede Boulogne and fome other places in Picardy to the king of England. This was an article, however, which the French king would never have performed; and indeed his defign in propofing this partition was to amufe Edward, and engage him in a war with Maximilian, who might otherwife have brought him over to his intereft: but the English monarch was grown too indolent to undertake any enterprize that

that required perfonal activity; and he exerted him- A, C. 1478
felf in nothing but in negotiations with foreign
princes, whofe friendship might fecure his tran-
quillity.

The treaty with Denmark having been violated A. C. 1479.
in feveral refpects, was now renewed and confirmed;
and the two kings agreed that a congress should be
held at Hamburgh, to terminate all differences in
an amicable manner. Notwithstanding the pacifi-
cation with France, Edward agreed to a propofal
of Maximilian, importing, That his infant fon Phi-
lip fhould marry Anne, the third daughter of the
king of England; and this convention was ratified
by letters patent on both fides, in which the two
princes engaged, that for the space of three years
they should not, without the confent of each other,
bestow their respective children in marriage. At
the fame time Edward projected another match be-
tween his fourth daughter Catherine, and John in-
fant of Caftile and Arragon, fon of Ferdinand and
Ifabella; and fent ambaffadors to Spain to manage
the negotiation, which however, proved ineffectual.
Tired at length of the delays which retarded the mar-
riage of his eldest daughter, he appointed lord How-
ard, and Thomas Langton, treasurer of the church
of Exeter, as ambassadors extraordinary to demand
of Lewis in a peremptory manner the performance
of his promife; and that prince with all his cun-
ning, found it difficult to elude the pressing instances
of these envoys. He had already destined the dau-
phin for the princess Margaret, the new-born
daughter of Maximilian; but he did not think
proper to avow his defign, until he should be in a
condition to baffle the refentment of Edward. In
the mean time he ftill practifed his diffimulation;
and, as the lord Howard was in his intereft, found
means to evade the purport of the embaffy with
general promifes, and the punctual payment of the

annuity.

A&t. Pub.

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A. C, 1479 annuity. But, foreseeing that he fhould not be Inftigates able to amufe Edward much longer, he refolved to James III. of Scotland employ his attention in a different manner. By his zo break the ambaffador in Scotland he perfuaded James III. to

truce with

Edward.

Treaty between Edward and MaximiJian

break the truce with England, and invade the territories of Edward. He found no difficulty in this negotiation, as James was wholly governed by three venal upftarts, whom he had raised from the dust, in contempt of his antient nobility, who were extremely incensed at his conduct. These minifters being bribed with French gold, perfuaded their mafter to enter into the views of Lewis; and he began to make preparations which plainly indicated a defign againft England.

Edward perceived his drift, and iffued orders for levying an army for the defence of the kingdom; and now for the first time began to open his eyes to the perfidy and diffimulation of Lewis, against whom he vowed vengeance: but in the mean time he determined to combat him with his own weapons A. C. 1480. of fraud and artifice. He renewed and confirmed the treaty of alliance which had fubfifted between him and the late duke of Burgundy; and engaged to furnish Maximilian and Mary with a reinforcement of fix thousand men; while the archduke obliged himself to pay fifty thoufand crowns yearly to Edward, in cafe Lewis fhould withdraw his penfion. The marriage-contract between young Philip and the princess Anne of England was concluded, on condition that the nuptials fhould be folemnized as foon as the parties fhould be marriageable; and that Edward should bestow one hundred thousand crowns as a dowager upon his daughter. The king likewife promised to mediate a truce between Lewis and Maximilian; to offer his own arbitration for terminating their quarrel; and fhould that be refufed, to declare war against the French monarch. This treaty

1

treaty being ratified, he fent a new embaffy to France, A. C. 1480. to prefs the accomplishment of the marriage between the dauphin and his daughter Elizabeth; and Lewis ftill declining the performance of that contract under various pretences, he ordered a fleet to be equipped, and fent it under the command of John Middleton to the affiftance of his new allies. His next care was to fecure his frontiers from the irruption of the Scots, and to employ certain emiffaries to conclude an alliance in his name with the earl of Rofs lord of the Ifles, who engaged to make a diversion in his favour, fhould James attempt to invade England. That prince, though, hated by A. C. 1481 his nobility and people, found means to affemble a body of forces, which entered England and com. mitted fome ravages, before Edward's army was levied but they foon returned without having attempted any thing of confequence.

duke of

The king of England was not very eager to Edward enmarch against this enemy, because he maintained alliance a correfpondence with the Scottish nobility, and wh the knew that James would foon find it neceffary to retagne. liften to terms of accommodation. This Edward paffionately defired, that he might be more at liberty to profecute his revenge against Lewis; for which purpose he renewed his alliance with the duke. of Brittany, and ratified a contract of marriage between the prince of Wales and Anne eldest daughter of that duke. The treaty imported, that the prince fhould marry, in cafe of her death before confummation, her younger fifter Isabel, on condition, that of the male children of the marriage, the se cond fhould fucceed to the dutchy of Bretagne ; that if a fon fhould be born to the duke in wedlock, he should efpouse one of Edward's daughters; that in cafe of war between the French king and the duke, Edward fhould affift the latter with three thoufand auxiliaries; and that the duke should supNUMB. XLIV. L

ply

A. C. 1482. ply him with the fame number in the like circum ftances.

Rymer.
A private

treaty with

the duke of Albany,

James king

Immediately after this tranfaction, Alexander duke of Albany, brother of James king of Scotland, efcaped from a caftle in which he had been brother of imprifoned at the inftigation of the miniftry; and of Scotland. repairing to London, implored the protection of Edward. His brother John had already fallen a facrifice to the jealous tyranny of James; and he himself was so provoked by the danger and diftreffes he had undergone, that he breathed nothing but vengeance against his fovereign. He was cordially received by the king of England, who not only promised to gratify his revenge, but also flattered his ambition by undertaking to raise him to the throne of Scotland. A private treaty was concluded between them; in which Alexander affumed the title of king of Scotland, and promised to do homage to England for his crown. He likewise engaged to break the antient alliance between France and Scotland, and affociate with Edward against Lewis; to furrender Berwick to England; to espouse Edward's daughter Cecilia, already affianced to the prince of Scotland, provided he could obtain a divorce from his prefent wife; but should that be found impracticable, to match his fon with fome princefs of the royal family of England. This treaty being ratified, Edward sent an army against Scotland, under the command of his brother Glou cefter, whom the duke of Albany accompanied; and a fleet was ordered to attend his motions, under the conduct of Robert Radcliff.

Rymer.

The Scottish noble

men put to

death their favourites.

king's three

The Scottish monarch, finding himself unable to resist such an armament, fummoned his nobility to attend him with their vaffals; and they affembled accordingly at the place of rendezvous, called Lauder, not far from Edinburgh, There finding themfelves neglected as ufual, and even excluded from

the

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