A. C. 1483. to the throne: even fuppofing their right had extended fo far, they could hardly have pretended to come in competition with the defcendants of the duke of Lancafter by his lawful marriage; who amounted to ten or twelve different princes and princeffes in Spain, Portugal, and Germany. These, however, feemed to be excluded from the crown, in the opinion of the English; and Richmond's right was tacitly acknowledged by the repeated ef forts which Edward IV. and Richard made to fecure his perfon. Had not the intereft of this nobleman been very great, and his title espoused by all the friends of the house of Lancafter, a man of Buckingham's ambition would in all probability have fet up for himself. for himself. At prefent he feems to have been actuated intirely by a spirit of revenge against Richard, though he coloured it with a more plaufible pretext; for we can hardly believe that a perfon of his character would engage in fuch a dangerous scheme, on a more laudable principle, The queen proves the fcheme. Be that as it will, he and the bifhop, after divers dowager ap- confultations, concluded that the whole hope of fuccefs in this enterprize depended upon the marriage between Henry and Elizabeth; and that they ought to fecure this alliance, as a neceffary preli minary to all their other measures. For this pur pofe they refolved to communicate their scheme to the old countefs of Richmond, that fhe might make her fon acquainted with the defign, and endeavour to obtain the confent of the queen dowager. The bishop, being intimately acquainted with Reginald Bray, one of the domeftics belonging to the countefs, fent for him to Brecknock, where he was entrufted with the fecret, and undertook to engage his mistress in the defign. This man was no fooner returned to the countefs with his embaffy, than the bishop defired the duke would permit him to retire to his diocefe; but Buckingham excufing himself by by faying fuch permiffion would roufe the fufpicion 4. C.1483. of Richard, the prelate found means to escape, and croffed the fea to Flanders, from whence he wrote an apology to the duke, encouraging him to proceed with his undertaking, and affuring him he could ferve the cause much more effectually on the continent than in England. Morton, knowing the duke's heat and precipitation, was afraid of being perfonally involved in some rash project, that might have coft him his life before their defign could be brought to maturity; and therefore he withdrew from his habitation. In the mean time the countefs of Richmond being informed of their plan, fent back Bray to the duke to fignify her approbation and gratitude; and affure him that he would, without lofs of time, endeavour to obtain the confent of the queen dowager to the projected marriage. She did not doubt of meeting with fuccefs in this negotiation, as the queen ftill continued in the fanctuary at Weftminster, deploring the untimely death of her two fons, and pouring forth imprecations against their inhuman butcher. The countefs employed her physician, whose name was Lewis, to visit Elizabeth in the way of his profeffion, and make her acquainted with the defign which was formed in behalf of her children against the inhuman ufurper; and the received the intimation with eagerness and joy. She affured him that all the friends of her late husband should join the earl of Richmond, but in the mean time fhe infifted upon that nobleman's engaging by oath to marry her daughter Elizabeth, or her younger fifter Cecilia, in cafe the other fhould die before the confummation of the marriage. A good understanding being thus established between the queen dowager, the countefs of Richmond, and the duke of Buckingham, each in particular, began to engage a number of adherents; N2 and The duke of ham levies Bucking forces in private. A.C. 1483 and they fucceeded even beyond expectation. Richard had by his cruelty rendered himself odious to the nation in general, and almost all the partifans of the house of York were incenfed against him on account of the murder of the two princes. All the Lancaftrians joyfully embraced a project that tended to re-establish a prince of that houfe on the throne of England; and moderate people, who had nothing in view but the good of their country, could not but favour a defign, the fuccefs of which would put an end to thofe civil diffenfions with which the realm had been fo long afflicted. The duke of Buckingham, as chief of the enterprize, employed his friends in Wales to enlift men privately, that he might be able to affemble an army all at once, when it fhould be found neceffary to declare their intention at the fame time he entered into engagements with the gentlemen of Dorfetfhire, Devonfhire, and Cornwall, who promifed to levy troops, and join the earl of Richmond at his landing. This was likewife his own defign; while others of his adherents were inftructed to excite infurrections in different parts of the country, in order to divide Richard's forces, and diftract his attention. The marquis of Dorfet, who had lately quitted the fanctuary, his brother Sir Richard Wideville, the bifhop of Exeter, his brother Sir Edward Courtenay, and several other persons of distinction, engaged in this affociation. The countefs of Richmond fent two meffengers to her fon in Brittany, by different ways, to inform him of the refolution which had been taken in his favour, and the conditions on which he was invited to land in England. He then refided at Vannes, where he had been kept feveral years a kind of prifoner at large, in confequence of the convention fubfifting between the duke and the fourth Edward. " The ! earl of The earl was not more rejoiced at the steps which A. C. 1483. were taken in his favour by his friends in England, The duke of than embarraffed about the means of returning in promiles to Brittany a fuitable manner to his native country. He was affift the not ignorant of the agreement between Edward IV. Richmond. and the duke of Brittany, touching the confinement of his perfon; and he knew that Richard had made advances to the duke on the same subject: but, as he could not pretend to take the advantage of his good fortune without the concurrence of that prince, he frankly communicated to him every cir cumftance of the plan, and follicited his friendship and affiftance. He found the duke very well difpoied to favour his enterprize. He had not engaged in any treaty with Richard, whom he detefted for his tyranny and inhuman difpofition; and he had fome pretenfions to the earldom of Richmond in England, which his ancestors had poffeffed, and which he did not defpair of retrieving, provided the earl fhould by his means afcend the throne of England. This is faid to have been the principal article of their agreement, in confideration of which the duke engaged to affift him with troops and veffels. Henry having fecured this point with the duke of Brittany, dispatched a meffenger with letters to his mother, and the duke of Buckingham, informing them of the progrefs he had made, and defiring they would be ready to receive him in the beginning of October. By thefe tidings all the confpirators were put in motion; and each individual repaired to the poft affigned to him, in order to levy troops, or excite infurrections. Holingfhed. tween the Notwithstanding all their precautions, thefe fteps Open rupcould not be taken with fuch fecrecy as to elude ture bethe vigilance of Richard, who discovered that fome king and the plot was formed against him, though he was ftill duke of ignorant of the quarter from which the ftorm im- ham, pended. He forthwith advanced from York toN 3 wards Bucking A A. C. 1483 wards the center of his kingdom; and iffued orders into different parts, directing the troops to be in readinefs to march at the firft notice. His reflexion foon pointed out to him the duke of Buckingham as the author of those commotions, as he had retired from court in difguft; was the only nobleman in England, who by his genius, wealth, and influence, could form and execute any scheme of fuch importance; and the escape of the bishop of Ely bore all the marks of the duke's connivance. Alarmed by these fufpicions, he fent for the duke to court, that he might confult him on fome affairs of confequence; and Buckingham excused himself, on pretence of indifpofition. The king being more and more confirmed in his conjectures, by this eva, fion, infifted upon feeing him, by a peremptory order that would admit of no apology; and to this the duke answered, that he did not choose to truft his perfon with his mot inveterate enemy, on whom he neither could, nor would, for the future, place the fmallest dependence. After this declaration, he knew there was no medium to be observed, He immediately affembled his troops, and began his march towards the weftern provinces, where the earl of Richmond intended to land, and where he expected to be joined by the reft of the confederacy. The duke ham is de put to death. Though Richard was not a little furprised to of Bucking- find the duke fo well prepared, he had taken fuch ferted, be precautions as enabled him to bring an army into trayed, and the field without delay; and he appointed the rendezvous at Leicefter, refolving to go in queft of the enemy, and engage him before he should be reinforced. He would have found it difficult, however, to prevent the junction of the confederates, had they not been kept afunder by an unforeseen accident. The duke of Buckingham advanced by long marches to the fide of the Severne, in his way to |