Public School History of England and Canada/England/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
THE HOUSE OF YORK.
1. The Wars of the Roses, Continued.—The Wars of the Roses were not yet over. For ten years more the wretched struggle went on. In 1463, Margaret, aided by the French and the Scotch, sought to recover the throne for her husband and son, but was defeated at Hedgely Moor and Hexham. Then, in despair, she fled with her son to Flanders, and Henry VI. fell into the hands of Edward IV., who treated him kindly. Perhaps this would have ended the war had not Edward displeased his most powerful supporter, the Earl of Warwick, by marrying Elizabeth Woodville, the beautiful widow of Sir John Grey. Warwick wished Edward to marry a French princess, or a daughter of his own. He was angry, also, because Edward began to give good positions to his wife’s relations. On the other hand, Warwick's daughter married the Duke of Clarence, Edward’s brother, and this displeased Edward.
About this time a rising took place against Edward, which led to the battle of Edgecote (1469), in which many Yorkists were killed. Edward blamed Warwick and proclaimed him a traitor. Warwick thought it wise to leave the country, and he went to France where he met Margaret. Then an agreement was entered into that Margaret’s son, Edward, should marry Warwick’s daughter, Anne, and that Warwick should aid in placing Henry VI. once more on the throne.
Warwick and Margaret now returned to England, and Edward IV., finding himself unable to withstand them, fled to Flanders. Henry VI. was taken out of the Tower and once more became king. For six months he reigned supported by Warwick the “Kingmaker,” then Edward got help from his brother-in-law the Duke of Burgundy, and came back to recover his crown. He met Warwick at Barnet, and defeated and killed him. Then Margaret rallied her friends for the final struggle. At Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, she was totally defeated, and her son, Edward, was stabbed on the battlefield by Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Edward IV’s. brother. This battle was fought in 1471, and two weeks later the old king, Henry, died in the Tower, murdered it is thought by the command of Edward IV.
2. The New Monarchy.—And now England for a time had peace, and order was restored in the land. Edward was a handsome man, a good general, and a strong ruler; but he was selfish, cruel, and licentious. His base passions brought shame to many an English household. He loved power, and the people were so well pleased to have a strong government which could keep order, that they let him do much as he liked. Most of the nobles had been killed in the Wars of the Roses, for the war was carried on almost entirely by rival nobles and their personal followers or retainers. The farmers, tradesmen, and merchants had taken no part in the struggle, and went on their way as usual. Nevertheless, the almost constant fighting did much harm to the industries of the country, and so all classes were glad to have-peace restored. This Edward knew, and took advantage of it to demand money from merchants and rich people. This money was at first willingly paid as a “benevolence” or gift, but when the demands became frequent the people began to complain. They, however, could do nothing, as they were without leaders now that most of the nobles were killed, and Edward called his Parliament together only once in eight years. By means of ‘‘benevolences” and a pension from France in consideration of not invading that country, together with an income granted early in his reign, Edward could do without parliaments, and so rule absolutely. This way of ruling was a new thing in England, and it continued through several reigns. To distinguish it from the rule of the Plantagenets and the House of Lancaster it is known as the ‘‘New Monarchy.”
3. Caxton.—Edward’s love of power and his fear of treason led him to do many cruel things. He had his brother Clarence impeached and put to death. Clarence was fond of Malmsey wine, and Edward, in mockery of his taste, had him drowned in a butt of his favorite beverage.
It is pleasant to turn away from these quarrels between the King and his nobles, to Edward’s encouragement of William Caxton, the first English printer. Caxton was a native of Kent, who had gone to Flanders in his youth, where he learned the art of printing. In 1476 he came back to England with the first printing press, and opened a little shop near Westminster, where he advertised that he would do printing “right chepe.” Edward, Gloucester, and many nobles patronized him. He printed service books for the clergy, and histories of chivalry for the knights. The first book printed (1477) was the Dictes and Sayings of the Philosophers. He not only printed books but translated them from foreign languages. Books before his time were very dear and little read, for new copies had all to be written out by hand. Henceforth many could afford to buy books, and this helped to spread education among the people.
4. Edward V.—Edward IV., worn out by his vices, died in 1483, and at once a struggle for power began between the queen and her friends on the one hand, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and his followers on the other. Richard said that Edward, Prince of Wales, and Richard, Duke of York, the sons of Edward, were not legitimate, because their father had been betrothed to another woman before he married their mother, Elizabeth Woodville. But before he put forward his own claim he seized young Edward, and after a short time placed him in the palace in the Tower. Richard was appointed Protector, and the queen and her second son took refuge in the sanctuary at Westminster. Richard forced the queen to give up the Duke of York, and he was placed in the Tower with his brother. Then Richard suddenly turned on his former friend, Lord Hastings, and charging him in the Council with plotting against him, called in his men, who hurried Hastings out and beheaded him on a log of timber near at hand. A few days later Richard caused himself to be proclaimed King, on the ground that Edward V. and his brother were illegitimate.
5. Richard III.—Richard began his reign with the execution of Earl Rivers and Sir Richard Grey, uncle and half-brother of Edward V. This he followed up with the murder of his nephews in the Tower. It was said that he caused them to be smothered, while sleeping, with pillows. Richard III. was a brave man, a great warrior, and in some respects a good king. His enemies described him as deformed and repulsive, and called him the “Hunchback.” His deformity consisted in one shoulder being somewhat higher than the other, and in one arm being partially shrunken. He had a thoughtful, delicate countenance, with good manners and tastes. If one half the stories told about him are true, he must have been very cruel. We must, however, remember that these tales are told by the enemies of his family.
Richard tried to rule well, passing a law against “benevolences,” protecting commerce, and summoning parliaments. Nevertheless he was hated for his murder of his nephews, and his own peace of mind had departed with the cruel deed. Soon plots began to be formed against him, and the Duke of Buckingham, for taking part in one of them, was beheaded. Richard continued to rule till 1485, when Henry Tudor, Duke of Richmond, a descendant of John of Gaunt, on his mother’s side, and Owen Tudor, a Welsh gentleman on his father’s side, landed at Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire, and claimed the crown. His title was a very weak one, but the Lancastrians joined him, and so did the Welsh, also many of Richard’s most powerful subjects. Richard hastened to meet him, and the opposing armies met on Bosworth Field. When the battle began, Lord Stanley and Earl Percy deserted Richard, who, brave to the last, rushed into the thickest of the fight, eager to exchange blows with his rival. He was soon stricken down, and died on the field. His crown was found in a hawthorn bush, and placed by Stanley on Henry’s head.
With the Battle of Bosworth Field, in 1485, ended the Wars of the Roses. With it, too, began the famous line of kings and queens known as the House of Tudor. Henry VII., soon after his coronation, married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward IV., and although the marriage was not a happy one, it united in the reigning family the claims of both the Lancastrians and Yorkists, and so helped to bring peace to the distracted nation.
6. End of Medieval History.—With the reign of Henry VII., we pass into modern history. A great change now began to come over the people of Europe. Their knowledge of the earth was greatly increased by the discovery of America by Columbus, and by the many voyages to the new world that followed. Navigators made their way to India by sailing round the Cape of Good Hope. The knowledge of other planets was now extended by great scientific discoveries; and men’s minds were aroused by the study of Greek literature, the ‘‘New Learning,” brought to Italy from Constantinople by exiles from that city. The printing press was doing its work in making books cheap and thus spreading knowledge. But with all these changes for the better there was also the growth of the power of kingship. Nearly all the nobles had been killed in the Wars of the Roses, and the middle and lower classes had not yet learned to fight their own political battles. Gunpowder had come into use, and as the king had nearly all the cannon, he could batter down the strong walls of the castles of the nobles, and so keep them in subjection. So for several reigns we shall find that there was very little control over the king.