did not appear, and the last of the Plantagenets went to his fate in gloom and shadow. "A black day will it be to somebody," muttered Richard, as he buckled on his armour while the showery mist dimmed the lustre of his steel as though tears were raining upon one who was doomed, "but what is that to me more than to Richmond? for the self-same heaven that frowns on me looks sadly upon him."

But if the day looked dark, the night had been full of terror for the King. When he had made all his preparations for the battle he had retired to his tent to snatch a few hours rest before the hour of midnight summoned him to arm for the conflict. He had never been able to enjoy sound sleep, for in the hours when the strong will was disarmed by slumber, conscience awoke to full vigour, and Richard was tortured with terrible dreams.

Now, in his last night upon earth, he tossed upon his bed, tormented by visions and dreams which shook his soul with terror, made his hair stand on end, and covered his face with cold perspiration. He thought the ghosts of all whom he had murdered came to him and prophesied disaster on the morrow. Prince Edward, Henry VI., Clarence, Rivers, Grey, Vaughan, Hastings, Edward V., young Richard of York, Lady Anne his own wife, and, last of all the awful line, Buckingham. As each pointed the finger at him, King Richard writhed upon his bed, and at last a scream burst from his lips, and with a convulsive leap he flung the coverings from him and sat upright, peering like a terror-stricken malefactor into the gloom of the tent. A lantern burned dimly on the table, and sombre figures seemed to be lurking in the shadows.

"Give me another horse: bind up my wounds.
Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft! I did but dream.
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What do I fear? myself? there's none else by :
Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.

Is there a murderer here? No.

Yes, I am :

Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why:
What, myself upon myself?

Lest I revenge

Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? for any good
That I myself have done unto myself?

O, no! alas, I rather hate myself
For hateful deeds committed by myself!
I am a villain: yet I lie, I am not.

Fool, of thyself speak well: fool, do not flatter.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain."

His scream had brought in his faithful attendant, Ratcliff. It was now cock-crow. Richard leaped from his bed, and when his favourite horse, White Surrey, was brought, he sprang into the saddle with all his old fire, but one who had the power to read might have seen the portent of death upon his face.

When the trumpets gave the signal for the onset Richard was first in the attack. Five brave knights he rolled in the dust, thinking that each one he killed was Richmond, his enemy. His horse was shot dead beneath him. He disengaged himself from the prostrate animal and sprang to meet a foeman whom he at last recognised to be the man he had so long sought in vain.

Richmond fought with the fury of one who realises that his foeman is skilled with the sword beyond ordinary men, and his associates hurried to his assistance, whereupon Richard was beaten down and slain. His crown, struck off his helmet, was found under a hawthorn bush by Lord Stanley, who placed it upon the head of Richmond, and a mighty shout arose, "God save King Harry! God save King Harry! Brakenbury, Ratcliff, Ferrers and Theobald died with Richard, and the army of the Yorkists melted away when the soldiers knew that the King was slain.

Later, King Henry VII. married the Lady Elizabeth of York, and thus the White and Red Roses were joined together and the long strife of ninety years came to an end. Richmond himself expressed the joy of the nation when he said:

66

O, now let Richmond and Elizabeth,

The true succeeders of each royal house,
By God's fair ordinance conjoin together!
And let their heirs, God, if thy will be so,
Enrich the time to come with smooth-faced peace,
With smiling plenty and fair prosperous days!
Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord,
That would reduce these bloody days again,

And make poor England weep in streams of blood!
Let them not live to taste this land's increase,

That would with treason wound this fair land's peace!
Now civil wounds are stopp'd, peace lives again :
That she may long live here, God say amen!

King Henry the Eighth

Ο

N the death of Richard III., Henry of Richmond ascended the throne and reigned some twenty-four years. Although by his marriage with Elizabeth of York he might be said to have united the two Houses, he always cherished animosity against the Yorkists, and dealt severely with any who opposed him. The rebellions under Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck caused him much disquiet and later movements led to the execution of young Richard of Warwick.

Henry reminded his first Parliament that his great victory at Bosworth Field was God's testimony to his just hereditary title. He was never popular with the people. His cold, selfish and oppressive dealings alienated many; while his ingratitude, as shown in the execution of Stanley, the noble who had placed the crown upon his head on the field of battle, chilled those who were in his service. He more than once declared war against France and against Scotland, but never proceeded to hostilities, and it was suspected that Henry and his ministers fomented misunderstandings in order to raise heavy subsidies, which were afterwards applied to his own purposes.

Two lawyers, Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley, became his favourites. They were experts in extortion, dexterously perverting existing laws and reviving

obsolete ones, so that while guilty people were heavily punished the most innocent were obliged to pay enormous fines for imaginary offences.

Having lost the Queen and his eldest son by death Henry tried to arrange a new marriage. In the midst of his scheming he was struck down by illness and died in April 1509. He had seven children. Arthur, the eldest son, married Katharine of Arragon but died a few months later. Three children died in infancy. The third daughter, Margaret, was married three times and became the grandmother of Mary, Queen of Scots. The fourth daughter, Mary, was married twice, and by her second marriage with Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, became grandmother of Lady Jane Grey.

Henry, his second son, ascended the throne as King Henry VIII. He was born at Greenwich 1491, and was created Duke of York, then Prince of Wales on the death of his brother. His first union in marriage was with his sister-in-law, Katharine of Arragon. This, though considered unlawful in its nature, was sanctioned by the authority of the Pope. Mary, who afterwards became Queen, was the only survivor of the children of this marriage.

Henry VIII. was a youth of nineteen when he ascended the throne. In person he was tall and stalwart with thick hair clustering about a fair round face. He excelled in all forms of athletic exercises and was famed for his skill with weapons, and excellence in hunting. He combined the genial strength of the Yorkist with the caution and ambitious self-restraint of the Lancastrian, and had the instincts of a soldier as well as of a statesman. Shrewd and far-seeing he was also proud and self-willed, and hid a good deal of his