on Sept. 9, 1492 (p. 100), and the failure of all assistance from Maximilian, as well as the conclusion of a peace between Ferdinand and Charles, made the overtures of peace from the French king and the conditions therein contained appear, as Bacon has it, "to the king's taste." The treaty of Estaples was concluded on Sunday, Nov. 3, 1492. For the better appreciation of the sequence of events throughout the reign a table is appended of the principal events of the reign of Henry VII, ranged according to the regnal years of the king, which are so frequently alluded to in the text without the date A.D. being given. Of course it will be seen that as the reign of Henry commenced Aug. 22nd, 1485, his first regnal year did not end till Aug. 21st, 1486, and therefore an event in his first year may have occurred in the latter half of 1485, or in the former half of 1486, and so for every other year. It will also be observed that between the 1st of January and the 25th of March in any year the date is given with double figures; thus: Marriage of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, Jan. 18th, 1485-6. The reason for this notation is, that the historical year has for a very long period begun on January 1st, but the calculation of years used in ecclesiastical and legal documents made the year to commence on March 25th, until the two beginnings of the year were brought into conformity on Jan. 1st, 1753. In the date above quoted, of Henry's marriage, the historical entry thereof would speak of it as having taken place Jan. 18th, 1486, but the ecclesiastical year 1486 had not yet commenced, and therefore in the registers of the Church or of the courts of law this day would be entered as part of the year 1485. To express this the form 1485-6 is used. It will be seen that in the notes large use has been made of the Latin translation of the Life of Henry VIIth, which was certainly made under Bacon's supervision, and perhaps partly by himself (as is indicated in the dedication which precedes the Sermones Fideles), and was designed to make the history accessible to foreigners who knew no English. It appeared that no better method could be adopted for explaining the language of our author, than this use of what may be called his own commentary on the work. 1 It is worth notice that August 21 (the day before the battle of Bosworth) is mentioned as the first day of the King's reign, in the act concerning those attainders spoken of in the text, p. 16. 1. 19. Whether this be an accident or an intentional ante-dating of Henry's reign it is impossible to discover. (See Statutes at large 1 Hen. VII. c. 6.) The acts of this parliament are confused in Bacon's narrative with those of the third Parliament (see notes). He seems to have had no information about this parliament of 1487. IV. V. Treaty of Verger1 21 Aug. 1488. at which the Death of the Duke of Brittany Speech of Chancellor Morton Solemn Embassy from England Henry's third 2 Parliament Northern subsidy riot Embassy from Charles VIII to Third Parliament ends Prince Henry (afterwards Hen. Henry's fourth Parliament Charles VIII marries Anne of Thanksgiving in St Paul's for the VI. VII. Pope Innocent VIII died 25 July, Pope Alexander VI elected II Aug. VIII. English troops sent over to France 9 Sept. Henry VII goes over to France 6 Oct. 3 Nov. Embassy of Poynings and War- July, 1493. IX. 18 Sep. X. Commerce with Flanders for- Raid by the Scots on the North- Poynings made Lord Deputy of Execution of Sir William Stanley King Henry visits his mother at Warbeck on the coast of Kent Nov. 13 Sep. 1494. .25 March, 1495. 25 June, 3 July, 1 This was the treaty under which the hostile operations of France against Brittany were terminated till after the death of the Duke of Brittany. 2 This parliament was prorogued on 23rd February and met again on the 14th October following. |