theringay. The bodies were conveyed | great chamber, in Westminster; the high from Pontefract, their dishonourable Princess of the Feast had there her burial-place, to Fotheringay church, in minstrels, and all ladies and gentleNorthamptonshire, with great pomp and women, lords, knights, and esquires, state, the chief mourner being the Duke fell to dancing merrily. Then came the of Gloucester, afterwards Richard the king of arms, to announce to the PrinThird. On the flight of Edward the cess of the Feast, on whom devolved the Fourth, in 1470, his Queen fled with duty of bestowing the rewards of the her family to the sanctuary at West- tourney, the names of those whose vaminster, where she remained for more lour had merited them. The child who than six months, and where the birth received this chivalric homage being so of Prince Edward removed Elizabeth, young, the Princess Elizabeth had been for a period, from her dangerous proxi- appointed to assist her, and a council of mity to the throne. ladies was held to consider the share each should take in the ceremony. The prizes were golden letters, A, E, and M, initials of Anne, Elizabeth, and Mowbray, set in gems, and were delivered to Elizabeth by the kings of arms. Clarencieux presented the A, set with a diamond, saying, "Right high and excellent Princess, here is the prize which "Item; We will that our daughter, you shall award to the best jouster of the Elizabeth, have ten thousand marks to-jousts royal;" Norrey similarly presented wards her marriage, and that our daughter, Mary, likewise have ten thousand marks, so that they be ruled and governed by our dearest wife, the Queen. But, if either of our said daughters do marry themselves without such advice and consent, so as they be thereby disparaged (as God forbid), then she, so marrying herself, shall have no payment of her ten thousand marks." Although King Edward the Fourth more than once endeavoured to conciliate his enemies by deceitful offers of Elizabeth's hand in marriage, he was particularly desirous that his children should form alliances suitable to their rank, as will be seen by the following extract from his will, dated 1475. In 1478, Elizabeth took a prominent part at the betrothment of her brother, Richard, to Anne Mowbray. The ceremony was performed with great pomp. The infant bride was entitled Princess of the Feast, and, although only five years old, was escorted by the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham, and took her seat at the head of the table, and gave largess. The marriage was solemnized on the fourteenth of January, and four days afterwards,jousts in honour of it were held at Westminster. The whole of the royal family, and many foreign ambassadors were present, and not the least distinguished spectator was my lord of Richmond, afterwards Henry the Seventh. At the close of the gallantly run jousts, the Princess of the Feast, with all estates of ladies and gentlewomen, withdrew them to the King's her with the E, of gold, set with a ruby, for the best runner in harness (armour), and March with the M, of gold, set with an emerald, for the best swordsman. The first prize was then delivered by Elizabeth to her young sister-in-law, who, with her assistance, gave it to Thomas Fynes, the first of the successful competitors, on which the king of arms and heralds cried out: "O yes! O yes! Oyes! Sir William Truswell jousted well, William Say jousted well, Thomas Fynes jousted best, for the which, the Princess of the Feast awarded the prize of the jousts royal, that is to say, the A, of gold, to him,' quoth Clarencieux. In this manner the other prizes were distributed, greatly to the glory of the successful competitors, and the delight of the noble company, who immediately afterwards separated, each going the way he preferred. About four years previous to this marriage, Elizabeth was contracted to the Dauphin of France, and her father, believing in the sincerity of the astute French monarch, dowered her with Guienne, and other possessions, and had her taught to read and write English in the best manner, and to write and speak both French and Spanish. When she had completed her thirteenth year, it was hoped that Louis the Eleventh | with every outward demonstration of would have kept his engagement by kindness, by King Richard, and with sending for her, and settling on her the real affection by his Queen, Anne of stipulated annuity of sixty thousand Warwick. But their mother, the Queen francs. But instead of so doing, Louis of Edward the Fourth, was separated put the matter off by plausible excuses, from her family, and placed under the and after a delay of about four years, strict surveillance of John Nesfield, him suddenly married the Dauphin to Mar- whose vigilance had starved the royal garet, heiress of Burgundy, without as- ladies out of sanctuary. Elizabeth was signing any reason for his conduct, which consigned to the care of Anne of Warwick, so chagrined Edward, that the agitation who treated her with all the affection of a hastened his demise, which took place in sister; nor is this surprising, as ElizaApril, 1483. Thus was Elizabeth, while beth, besides being niece to Richard, was yet in her teens, deprived of her father one of her nearest relations. The Prinand protector; and to add to her misfor- cess was lodged at Westminster palace, tunes, on the usurpation of Richard the where, meeting with her father's old Third, she was again obliged, with her friend, Lord Stanley, now steward of mother, and little brothers and sisters, the royal household, a post he had filled to find a shelter in the sanctuary of in the reign of Edward the Fourth, she Westminster. earnestly implored him to assist her in the recovery of her rights. At first, Stanley refused her, declaring that he could not violate the oath he had taken to serve King Richard. But her tears and entreaties at last prevailed; Stanley assured her he had long contemplated doing as she wished, but although his friends in the north-west would rise at his bidding, he could not go thither without raising the suspicions of the usurper, and he dared not trust a scrivener to indite his intentions in letters. This difficulty being obviated by Elizabeth's ability to write, Stanley called upon her the next morning with his trusty esquire, Humphery Brereton, when, after the letters had been written by the Princess, and sealed by Stanley, Brereton was dispatched with them with all speed. On receiving the letters, Stanley's friends hastened to London, and held secret councils. Elizabeth attended these councils, which were held at a retired inn, near Islington, and in due time dispatched Brereton to the Earl of Richmond, with a ring of betrothal, and a letter, informing him of the adherents that were favourable to the union of York and Lancaster, and requesting him to immediately return to England, and win the crown and his bride. It was after the murder of her young brothers, in the Tower, that the treaty of marriage between Henry of Richmond and Elizabeth of York was entered into. Although Elizabeth was heiress to the crown, not one of the adherents of the house of York attempted to place her on the throne, as sole sovereign. However, the Duke of Buckingham, in conjunction with Morton, Bishop of Ely, and other Yorkists, having resolved to depose King Richard, and, in the event of success, to place Henry of Richmond upon the throne, and afterwards to unite him in wedlock to Elizabeth, took up arms in September, 1483. But the project failed, and Dorset, Elizabeth's half brother, and Lionel Woodville, her uncle, were compelled to fly to France. Elizabeth and her mother keenly felt the loss of these two relations, whose protection they had enjoyed in the sanctuary, previous to the Buckingham rebellion. They, however, resisted the efforts of Richard the Third, to drive them from their privileged home, till the spring of 1484, when starvation forced them to surrender themselves; Elizabeth and her sisters being pronounced illegitimate by an act of parliament, passed in the previous January, by the desire of the hunchback despot. On quitting the sanctuary, Elizabeth and her sisters were received at court, Richmond received the tempting summons with his characteristic caution. For more than a fortnight he remained in doubt; but, on learning that Richard, |