.I. RICH. III. doctrinal despotism, and a diminution of its temporal CHAP. powers; and who would expect an usurped reign to be most adverse to antient bigotry. To favor the REIGN OF opponents of the possessioned church, was to ensure its enmity; and even his warlike brother, who at first inclined against it, had at length bent, from his love of ease and quiet, to its power. In September, he may have still hesitated; 57 but on the 2d of October 1484, he publicly shewed, that he had decided to uphold it; for he issued a mandate, commanding that twenty acres of pasture, which had been taken from the convent at Pomfret, should be restored to it; and he took the occasion to tell the nation in it, that he had called "to remembrance the dreadful sentence of the church against all those persons who wilfully attempt to usurp unto themselves, against good conscience, possessions or other things of right belonging to the church; and the great peril of soul which might ensue by the same.' It is extraordinary that he should so far forget his own usurpation as to suppose that this language could have any other effect than to make its readers indignant at its hypocrisy, or self-delusion, and to ensure its being contemptuously retorted upon himself. 2958 Whether he felt this result, cannot be affirmed ; but he seems to have paused awhile on this subject, tho he received the archbishop of Canterbury into his favor, in the December following.50 In February 1484, the clergy of England met in $7 On the 23d of September 1484, he seized on the bishop of Salisbury's temporalities. Harl. MS. p. 117. sa Harl. MS. 121. On the 8th of December 1484, he stated this to his grace's tenants, Ib. 128. and ordered them to pay him their rents. V. REIGN OF BOOK convocation; and from that addressed to him a petition, complaining that churchmen were cruelly, grievously, and daily troubled, vexed, indicted, and arrested; drawn out of church, and without due reverence, even from the altar, by malicious and evildisposed persons, notwithstanding all the censures, anathematizations and curses, yearly promulgated and fulmined by the holy father the pope, and in all the churches of England; so that they could not be resident on their benefices, to execute duly and devoutly their office.60 This complaint shews, that both the law and the laity were steadily attacking the ecclesiastical property and privileges. They proceed to express to him a most emphatical compliment, some months after the circulated account of his nephews' deaths, which, as coming from the dignified representatives of the whole body of the English clergy, becomes a kind of sacred testimony to his character; it must either have been a phrase of the most consummate hypocrisy, or must be allowed to counterbalance, in no small degree, the defamation that has pursued him. They say, "in eschewing whereof, seeing your MOST NOBLE AND BLESSED DISPOSITION IN ALL OTHER THINGS, we beseech you to take tender respect and consideration unto the premises, and of yourself, as a most catholic prince, to see such remedies, that under your most gracious letters patents, the liberties of the church may be confirmed, and sufficiently authorized by your high court of parliament, rather enlarged than diminished."" 60 See the document in these words, in Wilk. Concil. v. 3. p. 614. The convocation met on the 3d of February 1484. 01 Wilk. Con. v. 3. p. 614. 62 63 I. RICH. III. The clergy appear to have persuaded him to CHAP. become their patron and protector; for there is an official document addressed to them, declaring, that REIGN OF the king had confirmed all their liberties to them, as in their patent made by Edward IV. He also released the dean of York and others, from paying tenths or fifteenths, during their lives; but it was not till the 1st of March 1484, that he wrote to pope Sextus IV. promising to do him obedience, by the bishop of St. David's; and excusing his not having done it before, on account of the conspiracies he had to suppress, altho that of Buckingham's was ended in the October preceding. But now, having fixed his determination to uphold the church as it was, he sent the prelate to him, as the ambassador of his submission; and solicited the pontiff to give a cardinal's hat to his bishop of Durham.65 In the following December, he sent both these bishops to give his obedience to the new pope Innocent IV. Yet, while he offended all the liberalizing minds of the country, by upholding the superstitions and systems which so many wished to modify, he was soon compelled to alter his conduct; for in March 1485, we find him invading one of their most stoutly-claimed privileges, by issuing a warrant to take up sir Lewis Deyken, priest, for certain great murders, robberies, and other detestable offences, which he had committed;" and in May such differences had arisen between him and St. Peter's chair, that he signed a commission to 62 Harl. MS. 44. Rym. Fœd. 12. p. 214; and Harl. MSS. 65 Rym. Fred. 12. p. 216. 66 63 Harl. MS. 53. 66 Ib. p. 253: 67 Harl. MS. 210. This person seems to have escaped from Radnor castle; for there is a pardon to his keeper for it. Ib. 94. BOOK examine if the pope's bull, sent into Guernsey, was hurtful to his interests.as V. REIGN OF Richard had so turned the eye of public criticism upon his actions, that he could do nothing that would be deemed unobjectionable, or that would not be objected to. Other sovereigns, by indolence, retiring conduct, or by management, put all the public responsibility of their conduct on their ministers; but Richard, unfortunately for himself, was so personally active, and so fond of shewing that he was so, that he was supposed to do every thing; and therefore blamed for whatever occurred. He would have been more effectively and more safely the king, if he had striven less to be so; but he loved to feel his power, and to exert it himself, and to be seen to do so. He had too gross a sense of royalty. He did not confine himself to the interior and more exquisite enjoyment of it, which usually attends native and habitual greatness. He wanted the vulgar and animal gratification from it, which a man, raised suddenly from the dust to the throne, may be supposed to crave; but which the brother of a king, accustomed all his life to courtly splendor, ought neither to have valued nor demanded. Without stretching flattery so far, as to assert that he had a most blessed disposition, some new facts may be adduced, to shew that he was not an unnatural anomaly. His letter to his mother, after he became king, is expressed in an attentive and affectionate style." But the register of his official acts, "I recommend me to you as heartily as is to me possible, beseeching you, in my most humble and affectuouse wise, of your daily blessing, to my singular comfort and defence in my need. And, madam, I heartily beseech you, that I may often hear from you, to my comfort. And such it I. RICH. III. shews many personal civilities to the ladies of his CHAP. political enemies, from which, as they have never been noticed, he has not had his deserved praise. REIGN OF Altho lord Oxford was his implacable enemy his last breath, yet he granted his lady a pension of 100l. a year, during the earl's exile and hostility.7 To lady Hastings, the widow of the peer he had destroyed, he intrusted, with a generous magnanimity, the keeping of all her castles, and presented her with the wardship and marriage of her son and heir;" altho this latter must have been a most valuable pecuniary favor, that many were suing for; and tho gave her the power of educating her son with the revengeful spirit of hostility against him: from this youth he took off the attainder. Nothing could be a greater act of atoning kindness to her, and of liberal confidence, unless it was another official instrument, which he signed at Reading, on the 13th of July, a month after he had made her a widow, by which he covenanted to her to protect her and her children in all their possessions, wardships, and other just rights; to suffer none to do them wrong, and to assist them upon all occasions, as their good and gracious sovereign lord." Sir Thomas More says, that he loved Hastings. These documents prove an unusual regard, and great good feeling, that he should news as be here, my servant, Thomas Brian, this bearer, shall show you, to whom please it you to give credence unto. And, Madam, I beseech you to be good and gracious lady to my lord, my chamberlain, to be your officer in Wiltshire, in such as Colingbourne had. I trust he shall therein do you good service: and that, if it please you, by this bearer, I may understand your pleasure in this behalf. And pray God send you the accomplishment of your noble desires. Written at Pomfret, the 3d day of June, with the hand of I 70 Harl. MS. p. 53. "Your most humble Son, |