the Queen, his fifter, being very defirous of feeing her brother Rivers, who was now a widower, married to the young Dutchefs of Burgundy, daughter and fole heiress to Charles, Duke of Burgundy, fome overtures were made for that purpose; but they did not fucceed, for Earl Rivers had very powerful rivals, among whom was the Duke of Clarence; however, the young Dutchefs was at length married to Maximilian, Duke of Auftria.

On the 21st of January, 1479, a commiffion was granted to Earl Rivers, together with the Earl of Effex, the Bishops of Bath and Wells, and Ely, and others, to treat with Charles de Martigny, the Ambaffador of France; and thefe Commiffioners concluded a treaty on the 15th of the February following, which prolonged the truce and the payment of the annuity of fifty thousand crowns, for the term of an hundred years; and Lewis continued the regular payment of this annuity to the 5th of August, 1482; though he always evaded the proper ratification of this treaty.

In 1482, a treaty of marriage was fet on foot between Earl Rivers and the Princess Margaret, filler to James the Third, King of Scotland; and on the 22d of Auguft that year, a fafe conduct was granted for the Princefs to come into England, with three hundred perfons, to folemnize her intended nuptials with the Earl. And on the 14th of December, King Edward impowered the Bishop of Rochefter and Sir Edward Widville, to confent, in his name, to the marriage of Earl Rivers with the Scottish Princefs. But though every thing relative to this mar riage appeared to be fettled, it was never completed; which was, probably, partly owing to the mifunderstandings which at this time fubfifted between the two nations; but chiefly to the death of Edward, which happened on the 9th of April, 1483. Edward IV. was a Prince much addicted to his pleafures; but though he was often indolent and inactive in profperity, he posfeffed great courage, and exerted himfelf with great vigour and activity when his affairs required it. He is, however, defervedly cenfured, for many acts of cruelty and inhumanity, with which his reign was difgraced (e).

Before King Edward died, his fon the Prince of Wales had been fent to refide in Wales, under the tuition of his governor

(e) It is obferved that King Edward IV. endeavoured very much to maintain a good correfpondence with the city of London, and to conciliate the affections of the citizens; and he found the good effects of this, both in profperity and adverfity. Comines attributes to this, Edward's reftoration after the Earl of Warwick

and

had driven him out of his dominions.

But this Prince endeavoured to ob tain the attachment of another body of men, the Ec-lefiaftics, by a method which might, perhaps, be poli tic, in his fituation and ci.cumftances; but which, notwithstand. ing, we can by no means applaud.

and uncle Earl Rivers. It was fuppofed that the prefence of the young Prince might contribute to conciliate the affections of the Welih, and to restore the tranquillity of that country, which had been disturbed by fome late commotions. The perJon of the young Prince had been committed to the care of his uncle Rivers, not only on account of his affinity, but becaufe the Earl was one of the most accomplished Noblemen in Eng. land, having united an uncommon tafte in literature for that age, to great abilities in business, and valour in the field.

The Queen, upon the death of her husband King Edward, fent a meffenger to her brother Earl Rivers, with the news of this important event; and a letter, in which the defired him to affemble a body of troops in Wales, and with them to bring the young King immediately to be crowned at London. But the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Haitings, who had long been at variance with the Queen and her relations, confidered this procedure of the Queen's as intended to perpetuate the influence and authority of her and the Widville family. They, therefore, warmly oppofed the dengn of levying forces to escort the King to London, which they reprefented as the fignal for renew. ing a civil war in the kingdom. Lord Haftings threatened to depart immediately to his government of Calais; and others among the Nobility of the fame party feemed determined to oppofe force by force. And Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who Low affumed a great appearance of regard and affection both for the Queen and the young King, under pretence of pacifying the quarrel, declared against all appearance of an armed Power, which, he faid, might be dangerous, and was no way neceffary. The Queen, therefore, trufting to the fincerity of Gloucester's profeflions of friendship, and over awed by the vigour of the oppofition, immediately dispatched an order to Earl Rivers to difmifs

In 1462, he granted a charter to the Clergy of England, dated at Weftminster, Nov. 2, in which it was declared, that the not fuffering the Clergy to enjoy their privileges, was the reafon of the many and great calamities with which the nation had been fo long afflicted. For this reafon he ordered, that, for the future, no Royal Officer or Magistrate fhould concern themselves with the falamies, rapes, and other tranfgreffions of the Clergy: that every fuit com menced by the King's Judges, against any member whatfoever of the body of the Clergy, fhould be looked upon as void; and that in fuch case the injunctions of Chancery should be of

no effect, notwithstanding the fiatute of Premunire.Thus to anfwer their own private ends, did fome of our Kings render of no effect those wife precautions which were taken by the Parliaments, to hinder the exorbitant increase of the power of the Clergy.

In Edward the Fourth's reign died JOHN HARDING, the Hiftorian and Poet. He was born in the North of England; and was, we are told, an Efquire of an eminent parentage. He was a man addicted both to arms and arts: his firft military exploit was under Robert Umfreville, Governor of Roxborough caftle; and he greatly diftinguished himself

againft

difmifs his troops, that they might give no caufe of offence to

the nation.

Accordingly Lord Rivers complied with this injunction; and foon after fet out with the King for London, accompanied only by his ordinary attendants. The Duke of Gloucester, in the mean time, fet out from York, attended by a numerous train; and when he reached Northampton, he was joined by the Duke of Buckingham, with whom he had before held private confultations, and who was alfo attended by a fplendid retinue. Gloucefter understood that the young King was expected to come that way, and therefore waited his arrival, under pretence of conducting him in perfon to London. When Edward and his attendants were arrived at Northampton, Gloucefter ob ferved, that as that town was crowded, and but ill fupplied with provifions, the King would be better accommodated at Stony Stratford, about twelve miles further on the road to London. His propofal being approved of, the King proceeded to the propofed place; and Gloucefter and Buckingham invited Earl Rivers to spend the evening with them at Northampton; which invitation he readily accepted, in hopes of encreafing their friendship and confidence. Accordingly, they paffed a good part of the night with great feeming harmony and friendship. But when they were gone to bed, Gloucefter and Buckingham feized the keys of the inn in which they were, and fecured Lord Rivers's fervants, and fet guards upon the road between Northampton and Stony Stratford. But the Earl receiving information of their proceedings, went immediately to the Duke of Gloucester's chamber; where he found him and Bucking ham, and others, in confultation together; upon which, ea quiring into the meaning of their behaviour, they reproached him with a defign of keeping them at a diftance from the King's perfon, and with endeavouring to promote difcord; and then, without further ceremony, they caufed Lord Rivers to be feized by their adherents, and put into confinement.

Earl Rivers being thus fecured, Gloucester and Buckingham posted to Stony Stratford, where they found the young King ready

against the Scots, carrying arms against them in feveral expeditions. He collected out of all our hiftories, whatever might tend to the proof of the antient vaffalage of Scotland to the Crown of England; and hearing there were in Scotland records that put the matter beyond difpute, he went thither with great hazard in difquife, and by his courteous and infinuating behaviour, fo far ingratiated himself into the favour of the great men, that he procured the privilege of looking into their records

and original letters. Accordingly we are told, that he procured copies from the Scotch records, of all the homages paid by the Kings of Scot land to thefe of England, from the reign of Athelftan, grandfon to King Alfred, and which he prefented to Edward IV. which greatly recom mended him to that Prince's favour He wrote a chronicle in verfe of all the Kings of England from Brute to Edward IV. and was of a very ade vanced age when he died.

ready to take horfe, and in expectation of his Governor.

For fo well had the attendants of the two Dukes guarded all aveBues to his lodging, that he was entirely unacquainted with what had happened at Northampton. But he was foon undeceived; for after Gloucester and Buckingham had faluted Ed ward with great appearance of humility, they immediately, before his face, feized his companion, and half-brother, the Lord Richard Gray, together with Sir Thomas Vaughan; and then they difmiffed all the King's retinue from about his perfon. It was in vain for the young King, by his tears and intreaties, to intercede for perfons fo near to him in blood, and fo dear to his tender years. The two Dukes pretended, that the Marquis of Dorfet, Earl Rivers, Lord Gray, and their party, had refolved to destroy all the Lords of the late King Edward's blood, and to rule the kingdom according to their will. The young King faid, that he would not undertake to vindicate the conduct of the Marquis of Dorfet, of which he was entirely ignorant, but that he would anfwer for the innocency of his uncle Rivers and his brother Richard, who had always attended him fince his father's decease. All this, however, availed nothing; the King was carried back to Northampton, and the next day Earl Rivers, Lord Richard Gray, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, were conveyed as prifoners to the caftle of Pontefract.

As foon as the queen was apprized of thefe proceedings, the at once conceived the whole defign of the Duke of Gloucefter, and confidering her brother and two fons as totally loft, fled for refuge to Weltminfter-Abbey, accompanied by the Duke of York, who was about nine years of age, and her five daughters. The Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham did, however, bring the young King with great folemnity to London, where he was met by the Lord Mayor, and five hundred of the citizens, on the 4th of May, 1483, before whom, and the Nobility, and Lords of the Council, the Duke of Gloucefter behaved himfelf with fuch reverence to the King, that they had not the leaft fufpicion of his treachery; fo that he was declared Protector of the King's perfon and kingdom. Richard having thus far gained his ends, the next point which he had in view was, to get the young Duke of York into his hands; and for this purpofe he complained to the Council of the Queen's obftinacy, in detaining the Duke of York difhonourably as a prifoner in a fanctuary, to the fcandal of the Government, and the discouragement of the young King, who fo much defired his brother's company. Accordingly he prevailed upon the Council to fend Cardinal Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury (f), at the head

(f) HENRY BOURCHIER was the fon of William Bourchier, Earl of Ewe in Normandy, and the

Countefs of Stafford, and brother to Henry, Earl of Effex; and it is fuppofed that he was born at Hawfted

head of a deputation of Lords, to require the Queen to give up the Duke of York. It was with great difficulty that they brought the Queen to deliver up her fon; nor could the Archbishop prevail upon her, till he had told her that the Council had come to a determination to take him from the fanctuary by open force. When the Queen had, at length, with the utmoit grief and reluctance, delivered up the Duke of York to the Archbishop of Canterbury, that Prelate, who had not the most diftant fufpicion of Gloucefter's defigns, carried the young Prince to him; upon which the Protector eagerly embraced and kiffed his nephew, protesting, upon his foul, that nothing was fo dear to him as this child, except his brother the King; to whom he brought him, and with great ftate conveyed them both to the Tower, pretending that he did that for their better safety. However, Gloucester now imparted to Buckingham, who was a Nobleman of bad principles, his defign upon the Crown; and Buckingham, upon Gloucefter's making him very liberal promifes, engaged to support him in all his enterprizes. Richard's next point was to bring over Lord Haftings into his measures; but he found, upon trial, that notwithstanding that Nobleman's readiness to act in oppofition to the Widville family, he was yet warmly attached to the intereft of the late King's children. Gloucefter, therefore, immediately doomed him to deftruction.

in Effex, one of the family feats of the Bourchiers. He had his education at Oxford, and was Chancellor of that University three years, viz. from 1434 to 1437. His firft dignity in the Church was that of Dean of St. Martin's in London; from which, in 1434, he was advanced by Pope Eugenius IV. to the See of Worcester; but his confecration was. deferred till the following year, on account, as is fuppofed, of a defect in point of age. He had not fat a full year, before he was elected by the Monks of Ely Bifhop of that See, and confirmed therein by the Pope; but the King refufing his confent, Bourchier did not dare to comply with the election, for fear of incurring the cenfure of the laws, which forbad, under very severe penalties, the receiving the Pope's Bull without the King's leaye. Nevertheless, feven or eight years after, the See of Ely ftill continuing vacant, and the King confenting, he was tranflated thither in 1443. This Prelate has been charged with great misbehaviour

The

during his refidence on that See. Among other things, it is faid, that he never once celebrated mafs, or di vine service, in his cathedral church, excep on the day of his installation. However, he at length mounted to the pinnacle of church preferment, being elected Archbishop of Canterbury, in the room of John Kemp, in 1454; and the concurrence of Pope Nicholas V. being readily obtained, he was installed with great folemnity. At the clofe of the fame year, he received the red hat from Rome, being created Cardinal-Priest of St. Cyriacus in Thermis. The next year he was made Lord High Chancellor of England, but refigned that office in October the year following. He prefaded over the Church thirty-two years in the most troublesome times of the English Government; being Archbishop of Canterbury in the fucceffive reigns of Henry VI. Edward IV. Edward V. Richard III. and Henry VII. And it appears that Bourchier enjoyed the Prelacy fiftyone years from the time of his first confecration;