Page images
PDF
EPUB

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.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

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.)

2 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.

VI.

VII.

Treaty of Verger1

Death of the Duke of Brittany
Great Council at which the
Speech of Chancellor Morton
(p. 53) was made

Solemn Embassy from England
to France

Henry's third2 Parliament
First succours sent by Henry to
Brittany

Northern subsidy riot

Embassy from Charles VIII to
England

Third Parliament ends

Prince Henry (afterwards Hen.
VIII) born

Henry's fourth Parliament

Charles VIII marries Anne of
Brittany

Thanksgiving in St Paul's for the
Conquest of Granada

[blocks in formation]

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
Treaty of Estaples

6 Oct.

3 Nov.

Embassy of Poynings and War-
ham to Flanders

July, 1493.

IX.

18 Sep.

X.

[merged small][ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

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.

XI.

XII.

Henry's fifth Parliament

Warbeck arrives at Stirling
Commissioners sent from Flan-
ders to England (intercursus
magnus)

Intercursus magnus ratified
Henry VII ratifies the Italian
league

Great Council at Westminster
Cap of Maintenance sent from
the Pope

Henry's sixth Parliament
Subsidy granted

Cornish rebellion begins

Encampment on Blackheath

Battle of Blackheath

Lord Audley beheaded

The Scotch attack Norham

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Cabot's first voyage

July,

Warbeck leaves Scotland

6 July,

[blocks in formation]

17 Sept.

Treaty with Scotland concluded

30 Sept.

King Henry at Exeter

7 Oct.

Warbeck carried in procession in

London

20 Nov.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
« PreviousContinue »