=Source.=--Ingulph's _Chronicles_, pp. 485-90. (Bohn Edition.)
The body of the deceased King [Edward IV.] being accordingly interred
with all honour in due ecclesiastical form, in the new collegiate
Chapel of Windsor, which he had erected of the most elaborate
workmanship from the foundations; all were most anxiously awaiting the
day of the new King's coronation, which was to be the first Lord's
day in the month of May, which fell this year on the fourth day of
the said month. In the meantime the duke of Gloucester wrote the most
soothing letters in order to console the queen, with promises that
he would shortly arrive, and assurances of all duty, fealty, and due
obedience to his King and lord Edward the Fifth, the eldest son of
the deceased King, his brother, and of the queen. Accordingly, on his
arrival at York with a becoming retinue, each person being arrayed in
mourning, he performed a solemn funeral service for the King, the same
being accompanied with plenteous tears. Constraining all the nobility
of those parts to take the oath of fealty to the late King's son, he
himself was the first of all to take the oath. On reaching Northampton,
where the duke of Buckingham joined him, there came thither for the
purpose of paying their respects to him, Antony, earl of Rivers, the
King's uncle, and Richard Grey, a most noble knight, and uterine
brother to the King, together with several others who had been sent
by the King, his nephew, to submit the conduct of everything to the
will and discretion of his uncle, the duke of Gloucester. On their
first arrival, they were received with an especially cheerful and
joyous countenance, and, sitting at supper at the duke's table, passed
the whole time in very pleasant conversation. At last, Henry, duke
of Buckingham, also arrived there, and, as it was now late, they all
retired to their respective lodgings.
When the morning, and as it afterwards turned out, a most disastrous
one, had come, having taken counsel during the night, all the Lords
took their departure together, in order to present themselves before
the new King at Stony Stratford, a town a few miles distant from
Northampton; and now, lo and behold! when the two dukes had nearly
arrived at the entrance of that town, they arrested the said earl of
Rivers, and his nephew Richard, the King's brother, together with some
others who had come with them, and commanded them to be led prisoners
into the north of England. Immediately after, this circumstance being
not yet known in the neighbouring town where the King was understood
to be, they suddenly rushed into the place where the youthful King was
staying, and in like manner made prisoners of certain others of his
servants who were in attendance on his person. One of these was Thomas
Vaughan, an aged knight and chamberlain of the prince before-named.
The duke of Gloucester, however, who was the ringleader in this
outbreak, did not omit or refuse to pay every mark of respect to the
King, his nephew, in the way of uncovering the head, bending the
knee, or other posture of the body required in a subject. He asserted
that his only care was for the protection of his own person, as he
knew for certain that there were men in attendance upon the King who
had conspired against both his own honour and his very existence.
Thus saying, he caused proclamation to be made, that all the King's
attendants should instantly withdraw from the town, and not approach
any place to which the King might chance to come, under penalty of
death. These events took place at Stony Stratford on Wednesday, on the
last day of April, in the year above-mentioned, being the same in which
his father died.
These reports having reached London on the following night, queen
Elizabeth betook herself, with all her children, to the sanctuary at
Westminster. In the morning you might have seen there the adherents
of both parties, some sincerely, others treacherously, on account of
the uncertainty of events, siding with the one party or the other. For
some collected their forces at Westminster in the queen's name, others
at London under the shadow of the lord Hastings, and took up their
position there....
... On the Monday following, they came with a great multitude by
water to Westminster, armed with swords and staves, and compelled the
cardinal lord archbishop of Canterbury, with many others, to enter the
sanctuary, in order to appeal to the good feelings of the queen and
prompt her to allow her son Richard, duke of York, to come forth and
proceed to the Tower, that he might comfort the King his brother. In
words, assenting with many thanks to this proposal, she accordingly
sent the boy, who was conducted by the lord cardinal to the King in the
said Tower of London.
From this day, these dukes acted no longer in secret, but openly
manifested their intentions. For, having summoned armed men, in fearful
and unheard-of numbers, from the north, Wales, and all other parts then
subject to them, the said Protector Richard assumed the government
of the kingdom, with the title of King, on the twentieth day of the
aforesaid month of June; and on the same day, at the great Hall at
Westminster, obtruded himself into the marble chair. The colour for
this act of usurpation, and his thus taking possession of the throne,
was the following:--It was set forth, by way of prayer, in an address
in a certain roll of parchment, that the sons of King Edward were
bastards, on the ground that he had contracted a marriage with one
Lady Eleanor Boteler, before his marriage to queen Elizabeth; added
to which, the blood of his other brother, George, duke of Clarence,
had been attainted; so that, at the present time, no certain and
uncorrupted lineal blood could be found of Richard duke of York, except
in the person of the said Richard, duke of Gloucester. For which
reason, he was entreated, at the end of the said roll, on part of the
lords and commons of the realm, to assume his lawful rights. However,
it was at the time rumoured that this address had been got up in the
north, whence such vast numbers were flocking to London; although, at
the same time, there was not a person but what very well knew who was
the sole mover at London of such seditious and disgraceful proceedings.
These multitudes of people, accordingly, making a descent from the
north to the south, under the especial conduct and guidance of Sir
Richard Ratcliffe; on their arrival at the town of Pomfret, by command
of the said Richard Ratcliffe, and without any form of trial being
observed, Antony, earl of Rivers, Richard Grey, his nephew, and Thomas
Vaughan, an aged knight, were, in presence of these people, beheaded.
This was the second innocent blood which was shed on the occasion of
this sudden change.
After these events, the said Richard, duke of Gloucester, having
summoned Thomas, the cardinal archbishop of Canterbury, for the
purpose, was on the sixth day of the month of July following anointed
and crowned King, at the conventual church of Saint Peter at
Westminster, and, on the same day and place, his queen, Anne, received
the Crown. From this day forward, as long as he lived, this man was
styled King Richard, the third of that name from the Conquest.