cubine of her husband, and now lived on the fame A.C. 1483: footing with the lord Haftings, who was the queen's profeffed enemy. This nobleman could not help expreffing his doubts about the truth of the information, by faying, if they were guilty, they deferved to be punished. "How! (cried the pro"tector with great emotion) do'st thou answer me “with an If, as if I had forged the accufation? I "tell thee they have plotted against my life, and, "thou thyfelf art one of their accomplices." So faying, he ftruck the table twice, and immediately the hall was filled with armed men: then, turning to Haftings, he said, "I arreft thee for the crime

of treafon." Who, me, my lord !" replied that unfortunate nobleman. "Yes, thee, thou traitor," exclaimed the protector, and ordered him to be feized by the foldiers. This arreft occafioned a tumult in the apartment, during which one of the foldiers attempted to cleave the head of lord Stanley with a battle-ax, on pretence of keeping the peace, but he miffed his aim; and Stanley, by creeping under the table, faved his life at the expence of a dangerous wound. Nevertheless, he was arrested, together with the archbishop of York, and the bishop of Ely but, as for Haftings, Richard was fo bent upon his deftruction, that he fwore he would not dine, until his head fhould be fevered from his fhoulders; fo that he had juft time to confess himself to the first priest that could be found, and then was beheaded on a log of timber.

does public

penance.

Richard, knowing how much Haftings was be- Jane Shore loved by the citizens of London, thought it neceffary to use some pretext for this precipitate execution, and fent a meffage to the mayor and aldermen, defiring to fee them immediately. In the mean time he and Buckingham cafed themselves up in rufty armour; and when the magistracy of London repaired to the Tower, in obedience to

M 3

his

A.C. 1483 his meffage, he told them that the lord Haftings, and fome others had confpired againft his life. He faid he had not been informed of their defign till ten in the morning, when the proofs appeared fo plain, that the king and council thought it abfolutely neceffary to execute Haftings without delay, as they understood a great number of people were ready to rife in his favour; that, in fuch a preffing emergency, he was fain to put on the first armour he could find, for the fecurity of his perfon; and that he had fent for them to be witneffes of the truth, that they might inform the people, and prevent or appease the tumults which ill defigning perfons might raife in the city. The mayor and aldermen faw through the pretext; they durft not, however, fignify their real fentiments, but promised to obey his orders, and withdrew. Immediately after this conference, a proclamation was published in the king's name, declaring, that, as the lord Haftings had entered into a confpiracy to feize his majesty's perfon, and flay the protector and the duke of Buckingham, that he might govern the realm according to his own pleasure, the king, for the prevention of this wicked defign, had, by the advice of his council, punished him without delay that no perfon was ever more deferving of the death of a traitor than Haftings, who had advifed the late king to take fo many fatal fteps contrary to the liberty and privileges of the people that he had been the conductor and companion of Edward's debauchery: and that he had fpent the last night with Jane Shore, the accomplice of all his crimes, and of that in particular for which he fuffered. This proclamation contained many other afperfions calculated to diminish the affection which the people had always expreffed for lord Haftings, and anticipate their compaffion; but it did not produce the defired effect. Jane

Shore

Shore being apprehended and brought before the A. C. 1483.
council, the duke of Gloucefter accused her of
having practifed witchcraft, and entered into the
confpiracy of Haftings against his life. But fhe
made her innocence appear fo plain, that they could
not, with any shadow of juftice, condemn her up-
on this accufation: then the was profecuted for the
irregularities of her life, which he could not deny;
and being delivered to the ecclefiaftical jurisdiction,
was condemned to do public penance in St. Paul's
church, and to walk in proceffion before the cross,
barefoot, half naked, and a burning taper in her
hand.

Thofe executions at London and Pontefract,
without form and procefs, together with the im-
prifonment of the archbishop of York, the bishop
of Ely, and the lord Stanley, left the people no
reason to doubt but that the protector had a defign
upon the crown; and the whole kingdom was
filled with confternation. This was a juncture at
which he refolved to manifeft his intention; but,
as he defired to have the approbation of the Lon-
doners, he confulted with his confident the duke of
Buckingham, about means for procuring this ad-
vantage. They refolved to redouble their induftry
in perfuading the people that the children of Ed-
ward were bastards, on the fuppofition that those
whom their emiffaries could not convince, would
be deterred from attempting to undeceive their
neighbours. Doctor Ralf Shaw, the mayor's bro- Dr. Shaw'
ther, preached a fermon at St. Paul's crofs, in fermon in
which he not only enlarged upon Edward's pre- Richard.
vious marriage with Elizabeth Lucy, which render-
ed his other children illegitimate, butalfo expatiated
upon the bastardy of Edward himself and his bro-
ther Clarence, who he affirmed were begotten by
perfons whom the dutchess of York admitted to
her bed in the abfence of her husband: then he
made

M 4

praise of

A. C. 1483 made a tranfition to the duke of Gloucefter, whom he reprefented as the true fon of York, whom he perfectly refembled in his features as well as in his virtues, and poured forth an extravagant panegyric on this prince, during which he intended to have prefented himself to the people, in hope that, moved by the eloquence of the preacher, they would have faluted him as king. The duke, however, did not arrive until the doctor had exhausted his encomium, and began to difcufs another fubject. Neverthelefs, feeing the protector approach, he repeated his praife with the most fulfome exaggeration, while Richard walked through the crowd to his place. But, instead of hearing the acclamation of " Leng live king Richard !" he faw the audience hang their heads in profound filence, detefting the venality of the preacher, who forfeited all his popularity by this fhameful proftitution of his talent, and concealed himself in retirement, where he foon died of forrow and remorfe.

The duke

ham ha.

at Guild

hall.

Shaw's fermon having been fo unfavourably reof Bucking ceived, the duke of Buckingham, who was famed rangues the for his elocution, undertook to harangue the peoLondoners ple on the Tuefday following at Guildhall; there the aldermen and common council being affembled by the lord mayor, the duke refumed the topics which doctor Shaw had handled fo unsuccessfully. He told them, the lords in council and commons of the kingdom, had declared that no baftard fhould fit upon the throne of England, and infifted upon the crown's being adjudged to the duke of Gloucefter, the only fon of the late duke of York: he faid there was reafon to fear that magnanimous prince would reject the offer; but he hoped that if all the people, efpecially the citizens of London, would unite in their folicitations, Richard might be perfuaded to bear the weighty burthen of government, which was too heavy for

an

an infant's fhoulders. He therefore defired, in his A. C. 1483.
own name, and that of the council, they would
declare their opinion; and here he paused, in ex-
pectation of hearing them exclaim "King Richard!
"King Richard!" But, to his great furprize,
an universal filence prevailed. He repeated his ha-
rangue with fome variation; and ftill they con-
tinued mute and melancholy. He then expreffed
his displeasure to the mayor, who told him, that
the people were not used to be harangued by any
perfon but the recorder, who was the city orator.
This officer being ordered to fpeak, on the fame
fubject, recapitulated all that the duke had faid;
and concluded with defiring they would answer
pofitively, whether or not they would have the duke
of Gloucefter for their king. A confused murmur
ran through the multitude; and fome of the duke's
domeftics, having infinuated themselves among
the croud, cried, " Long live king Richard!"
A few burghers, who had been previously corrupt-
ed, joined in this acclamation; and the apprentices
and populace who flood at the gate threw up their
caps in honour of the duke of Gloucefter. Buck-
ingham, commanding filence, told them, he was
rejoiced to find his propofal met with fuch univerfal
approbation; and defired they would meet him next
day at the fame time and place, that they might
go together and present an humble fupplication to
his highnefs, befeeching him to mount the throne,
and govern the people as his own fubjects.

Rot. Pail.

crown.

The citizens were difmiffed for that day. On Richard ac◄ the morrow, the duke of Buckingham, with the cepts the mayor, aldermen, and a multitude of the protector's adherents, repaired to Barnard's Caftle, where he refided, in order to prefent an address, in the name of the three eftates, declaring the bastardy of Edward's children; and intreating him to affume the crown, which was his true inheritance. Richard.