The plain Englishman's historian, or, A compendious chronicle of England from its first being inhabited to this present year 1679 but more especially containing the chief remarques of all our Kings and Queens since the conquest, their lives and reigns, policies, wars, laws, successes, and troubles : with the most notable accidents, as dearths, tempests, monstrous births, and other prodigies that happened in each of their times respectively / by H.C.

CHAP. XIX. King Richard the Third.

THis cruel man having thus usurp'd the Crown, never enjoy'd it with any quiet of mind, but seem'd alwayes haunted with the Furies of Hell, and to bring him to destruction, some misunderstanding soon happens between him and his old friend the Duke of Buckingham, who being retired to his Castle of Brecknock, where, at that time, the Bishop of Ely (a discreet States∣man) was Prisoner, they laid a plot to put down King Richard, and bring in the Earl of Richmond, who was fled for safety to the Earl of Britain. This Earl, only Heir of Lancaster, they design to marry to the Lady Elizabeth eldest Daughter of King Edward the Fourth, and so Ʋnite the two Houses of Lancaster and York: But this contrivance was not carried so privately, but King Richard had an inkling of it, and the Duke of Buck∣ingham, betrayed by one of his Servants, is beheaded; However, the Design still goes on. To frustrate which, King Richard, that scrupled nothing that might serve or secure his Ambition, uses means to marry the said

Lady Elizabeth, and (strange to say) the Queen Dowager, her mother, is prevailed with to give her consent. Nay more, to smooth the way, King Richard's present Wife is suddenly sent out of the World, and now he resolves by a Rape on the young Lady, if fair means cannot effect it, to bring her to his Bed. But whilst these things are hatching, the Earl hastened by this news, arrived at Milford Haven, with not above 2000 men, but soon encreased by the coming in of the Country. To meet them King Richard, with what Forces he could, marches forwards, and at Bosworth in Leicestershire, on the twenty second of Au∣gust, 1485. the Armies Engaged, where King Richard desperately fighting was slain, his Body stript stark naked, thrown upon an Horse behind a Pursivant all besprinkled with Dirt and Mire, was brought to Leice∣ster, and there buried, and his Crown found amongst the spoil of the Field, set upon the Earls head, who succeeded, as by right of Inheritance was his due.