Richard shortly after showed his object. Lord Hastings was one of the
council who had voted to make him Lord Protector, but he was unwilling
to help him in his plot to seize the crown. While at the council
table in the Tower of London Richard suddenly started up and accused
Hastings of treason, saying, "By St. Paul, I will not to dinner till I
see thy head off!" Hastings was dragged out of the room, and without
either trial or examination was beheaded on a stick of timber on the
Tower green.
The way was now clear for the accomplishment of the Duke's purpose.
The Queen Mother (Elizabeth Woodville, widow of Edward IV) (S305) took
her younger son and his sisters, one of whom was the Princess
Elizabeth of York, and fled for protection to the sanctuary (S95) of
Westminster Abbey, where, refusing all comfort, "she sat alone, on the
rush-covered stone floor." Finally, Richard half persuaded and half
forced the unhappy woman to give up her second son to his tender care.
With bitter weeping and dread presentiments of evil she parted from
him, saying: "Farewell, mine own sweet son! God send you good keeping!
Let me kiss you once ere you go, for God knoweth when we shall kiss
together again." That was the last time she saw the lad. He and
Edward, his elder brother, were soon after murdered in the Tower, and
Richard rose by that double crime to the height he coveted.