Page:The Queens of England.djvu/256

218 THE QUEENS OF ENGLAND. by his uncle, who treated, him with every mark of homage and respect before the people, and lodged with the Bishop of Ely, whence, in order to have him more completely in his own keeping, the crafty Richard had him removed to the Tower. He then resolved to leave no effort untried to obtain possession of the person of the Duke of York, and even contemplated taking him by force from the Sanctuary, if his mother refused to deliver him up ; but the Archbishop of York undertook to induce her to resign her son, by the most solemn promises that the child should be in as safe keeping as her own. At last, after long hesitation and with great misgivings, the unfortunate queen was prevailed upon to yield up to them her remaining son, and, weeping bitterly, with kisses and bless- ings, they parted, to meet no more on earth. The little duke was taken at once to the Star Chamber, where the monster Richard hailed him with all appearance of affection and respect ; and he was then sent to rejoin the young king at the Tower. The next affliction that visited the wretched Elizabeth were the murders — for they can be called by no other name— °oi her brother, Anthony Woodville and her son, Richard Gray, who* were executed at Pontefract. She was then, at the council- table, accused by Gloucester of sorcery, and of having, in league with Jane Shore, withered his arm, which he showed to the persons present, all of whom were aware that it had, from his birth, been in that condition. Hastings, he declared, was the aider and abettor of these "witches ;" and, on his attempting to deny the charge, he had him dragged forth into the yard of the Tower, and beheaded on the spot. Notwithstanding these violent measures Gloucester did not yet venture to throw off the mask ; for, even while gradually removing the persons who like Hastings, were sincerely devoted to the rightful heirs of the throne, he continued to make pretended preparations for the coronation of Edward the Fifth ; but shortly after the mur- der of Hastings, a petition, got up by Richard's party, was pre- sented in parliament to exclude the sons of Edward the Fourtl from the succession, declaring that the marriage between him and Elizabeth was illegal, and the children consequently illegiti- mate ; and no sooner was this petition presented than Richard caused himself to be proclaimed king, which was done in June, 1483- The murders of the young princes, the details of which are too circumstantial, and the corroborative evidence, since pro-