Power superior to Justice. in every form. Devoted to Lady Elizabeth alone, amongst women, he built for her a sumptuous pavilion; a fairy palace of art and elegance; and, while the nation was drained of its wealth to support the expences of civil and of foreign wars; while a loyal people distressed themselves, by giving up a part of their substance, to support their prince, and pay the debts contracted through his prodigality; while modest worth and merit pined in indigence, " and poor misfortune felt the lash of vice;" he caused a stable to be erected, equal in gorgeous expence to that of ivory, which was built by the Emperor Caligula. Those barbarous times of cruelty and oppression were not free from the shafts of ridicule; and the wits and witlings of the age, as they revelled at the banquet, would give round their flowing cups, Power superior to Justice. "To the princely stable and the favourite Grey mare" the old and trite maxim of such being the better horse, was long prior to those days; and was applicable to the woman who completely governed the prince. And well might they compare their Edward's establishment to a stable, while ridiculing his expence, who passed his inebriate moments in the low company of horse dealers, prize-fighters, mimies, and buffoons. The Princess Bona still continued to pine in obscurity: a deserted mistress, a bride affianced and neglected, no other prince could seek her in marriage. The tears she shed in solitude were supposed, by her enemies, to flow for the unfortunate Warwick; and whenever she went into public, a momentary gaiety was construed into apathy, or the pleasing prospect of Power superior to Justice. having made some new conquest. Thus the most virtuous of her sex was stigmatized with the character of a female libertine. This cruel calumny having reached her ears, she submitted to an impartial public a defence, which, from party intrigues, we are sorry to say, is irrecoverably lost: for Edward, aided by his female mentor, entirely suppressed its publication. The confessor of Lady Elizabeth, bribed by the golden lure which she held out to him, and which was to be the reward of his artful machinations, contrived to urge fresh reasons for Edward's aversion to the princess. No art was left untried to blacken her character, traduce her personal charms, depreciate her exalted virtue, and call her moral purity, the effect of native coldness or consummate hypocrisy. Power superior to Justice. Edward, who never really loved her, was now become too much the infatuated slave of Lady Elizabeth Grey, and his mind too much vitiated, by continued licentiousness, to harbour a virtuous attachment. As years rolled over his head, the nation saw, with heartfelt sorrow, no hopes of that reform, which they vainly flattered themselves might succeed to the ardent season of youth. The alienation of their affection became the result: and the young, though deep penetrating and thoughtful Earl of Richmond, built his virtuous foundation on the vices and follies of the house of York. A Character. CHAP. XX. A CHARACTER. From his cradle he was a scholar, And a ripe and good one; Exceeding wise, fair spoken, and persuading; SHAKESPEARE. HENRY, Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII. had full right, according to the claims of Lancaster, by his mother's side, to the English throne. When yet a youth, he had captivated the affections of Henry VI.; who, it is said, |