Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 06.djvu/764

EDWARD IV. 666 EDWARD VI. EDWARD IV. ( e.l442-S:i I . Kinj; of Enillaiid from 14G1 to 14S3. He was the son of Richard, DuUe of York, and was born at Rouen in 1441 or 1442. His original title was that of Earl of March. After the death of his father, in the battle of Wakefield, Deccinlier :n. 14(>n. Edward became the liead of the Yorkist party, and as such speedily reestal)lislied the fortunes of his house. After routing the Koyal or Lancastrian forces, nnder the earls of Pembroke and Ormoud, at Mortimer's Cross, near Hereford, February "2, 1401, Edwanl marched toward London, which he entered on February 2(ith. He innncdialely laid his claim to the crown before Parliament, which admitted its validity, and on JIarch 14th he ascended the throne as Edward IV., amid the acclamations of the citizens of London, with whom he was a great favorite. His lirst victory as King over the Lancastrians was ol)tained at Towton, in Yorkshire, on ilarch 20. 1401. This was followed by minor successes, till finally, in May, 1404, by the victories of Lord Montague, the Lancastrians were completely crushed. On May 1, 1404. Ivlward nuuried Elizabeth Vood- ville, wid()w of Sir .John Grey. This marriage gave groat oflense to the Earl of Warwick, by far the most |>owerful of F'dward's adlierents, who was at that time engaged in negotiating a marriage between Edward and the sister-in-law of Louis XI. of France. The favors showered upon the Queen's relatives caused great discon- tent. In 1400 Warwick openly declared against lOdward, joined Queen Margaret, the wife of the liclpless Henry 'I. and the intrepid leader of the Lancastrians, and finally compelled Edward to flee the country. Henry VI. was released from the Tower, where he had been a prisoner for six years, and was once more invested with the royal authority. But in the spring of 1471 Edward landed at the Hiimber, jiroceeded to London, seizixl the person of Henry, and was again hailed King by the inliabitants. Warwick now gathered an army and hurried to encounter him. The two met at Barnet, where Warwick ivas defeated and slain, April 14, 1471. On May 4th Edward routed the Lancastrians at Tewkes- bury, (tapturing Queen Margaret. Her son. Prince "Edward, was either slain in battle or nnirdercd the day after the fight. Henry VI. died May 21, 1471, not without suspicion of murder. Though the later years of Edward's reign were peaceful and marked by few political incidents of any nio- inent, the period was one of great im])ortance in the development of the Englisli Constitution. Easy- going as he was, and fond of pleasure, the King steadily pursued his aim of aggrandizingthe crown at the ex])ense of Parliament, and by a ])olicy of silent but aggressive assertion he succeeded in laying the foundations for the absolute monarchy of the Tudors. Edward was brave and debonair, as his immense populai-ity shows, but he was dis- solute in the extreme. It was during his reign that printing and silk manufactures were intro- duced into Isngland. In law few notable changes occurred, but the practice of indirect pleading dates from tliis period, which is also illustrious for the names of distinguished h'gists. such as Littleton and Forteseue. Consult Crcen, Historii of the English People (London and New Y'ork, 1878). See Henry YT.; Rose.s, War of the; Wakwick, Richard Neville, Eabl of. EDWARD V. (1470-S.'?). King of England. The son of Edward IV., he was born in the 'estminstcr Sanctuary, November 4, 1470. When his father ilied he was tliirteen years old. He proceeded to London for liis coronation, which had been ap|iointed for May 14. 148.'^. but was removed from the care of his maternal relatives by his paternal uncle, Richard, Duke of (ilouces- ter. who in the same month had himself pro- claimed Protector of the Kingdom, and confined Edward and his younger brother, the Duke of York, in the Tower. The rumor of their death s])rcad. when a movement originated for their liberation, but was discredited. po|)ular opinion maintaining that they had been exiled. Twenty years later it transpired that Brackenbury, Con- stalile of the Tower, refused to slay the princes at Richard's command, and Sir .James Tyrrel, with two servants, gained adniittanie to their chamber while they were asleej), smothered them with jiillows, and liuried them at the foot of a staircase. The skeletons found at the foot of a staircase in the White Tower, in the reign of Cliarles II.. and buried at his command in West- minster Abbey, aie considered to have l)een those of the young princes. EDWARD VI. (15;!7-53). King of England from l,-)47 to i:>ry3. The son of Henry Vlll. by his third ^^•ife, .lane Seymour. Edward was born at Hampton Court, October 12, ir);!7. He suc- ceeded to the throne at his father's death, Janu- ary 28. lo47, his luule, Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, being chosen Protector and created Duke of Somerset. Edward received a careful education, and was a studious, religious, and precocious youth ; but he was too .young to exer- cise any ])ersonal influence on the important events of his reign. His religious convictions, however, were shared bv the Protector, who fa- vored the jirinciples of the Reformation, and dur- ing his rule great strides were made toward the establishment of Protestantism in England. The images were removed from the churches; the laitv were allowed the cup at the ceremon.v of the Lord's Supper; Henry's famous six articles (known as the Bloody Statute) were repealed; and a new service book, known as the First Praver Book of Edward Vl. { see Prayer Book, Common), was compiled by Cranmer and Rid- ley, assisted bv eleven other divines, and or- dered to be used. During the first vear of the ])riitcctorate Seymour invaded Scothuid, on ac- count of the refusal of the Scottish (iovernment to fulfill the contract into which it had entered with Henry VIII. that Marv Queen of Scots should many Edward. At the battle of Pinkie. September 10, 1547. the Scots were completely beaten ; but Se.Muour. before he could inflict other damage, was required at home, and re- turned to find that his brother, Lord Seymour, had been intriguing against him. Somersi't had him arrested, tried, and condemned for treason, and on .Man'h ."iO, 1,540, he was beheaded on Tower Hill. In the summer of the same year the Protector quelled an insurrection of the jiopulace headed by one Kett. a tanner; but a more dan- gerous adversary appeared in John Dudley, Earl of Warwick, whose party, by insinuations against Somerset, excited the nation against him and compelled the King to sign his deposition. In October, I;').')!. Somerset was placed in the Tower; and on December 1st he was tried before the House of Lords for treason, condemned, and executed, .Tanuarv 22, 1.5.52. Before Somerset's execution Dudley had been created Duke of