1470 Warwick, being offended at the marriage of Edward IV, landed September 13th, with 60,000 men from France. Edward IV flies to the Duke of Burgundy, his brother-in-law, in Holland.
1471 King Edward, endeavouring to re-obtain the crown, encounters King Henry in a bloody battle, upon Gladmore heath, near Barnet, and King Henry taken prisoner a second time. On both sides were slain 10,000 men. King Henry’s Queen, in a battle with King Edward, was taken prisoner, 3,000 on her side were slain, and her son Edward killed; and soon after, King Henry himself was murdered by the hand of the crook-back’d Duke of Gloucester.
1472 A plague in England destroyed more than preceding fifteen year’s war.
1475 Margaret of Anjou, ransomed for £12,500.
1481 James, King of Scotland, caused one of his brothers to be murdered. Thomas Parr born this year, and lived 152 years. A remarkable act was passed in this reign, which enacted what sort of dress each class of men should wear. Another enacted that no peaked shoes should be worn.
1483 Gloucester conveyed the King to Northampton. Lords Hastings, Rivers, and Grey beheaded. The Lord Mayor, &c., at the instigation of the Duke of Buckingham, offered the crown to the Duke of Gloucester, who, with affected hesitation, accepted it, June 17th. King Edward V, and his brother, the Duke of York, murdered in the Tower. Jane Shore, concubine to King Edward IV, and afterwards to Lord Hastings, was obliged to do penance publicly in St. Paul’s. She was afterwards starved to death, no person being allowed to relieve her, and died in a ditch; to which circumstance, Shoreditch is said to owe its name. Edward V was born in Westminster Abbey, November 4th, 1470; reigning two months and eighteen days, was murdered in the Tower, and buried there privately. His remains were afterwards found in 1674, and removed to Westminster. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, (the English Nero,) proclaimed King of England. Post-horses and stages established. Earl of Richmond landed at Pool in Dorsetshire. Being nearly surprised by Richard, he embarked again, and returned to Picardy.
1484 Anne, the Queen of Richard, died March 16th. Richard treats with Laudais, the Duke of Bretagne’s prime minister, for surprising and delivering up the Earl of Richmond. Richmond, escaping from Bretagne, went to Angers, in Anjou.
1485 Lord Stanley raises 5000 men, and his brother 2000, with whom they joined Richmond. The sweating sickness, raged in London.
1486 King Henry, to balance the power of the Lords, found a way to raise that of the Commons, which ever since has carried a much greater sway than formerly in the government.
1487 Lambert Simnel, who personated the Duke of York, was made a scullion in the King’s kitchen. The star chamber instituted.