three miles distant. Early on the 19th, after shewing himself at Tamworth to his army, he had an interview with his fatherin-law lord Stanley at Atherstone, when measures were concerted for the future operations; and in the evening he was joined by sir John Savage, sir Bryan Sanford, sir Simon Digby, and many other experienced warriors. On the 20th, Richmond encamped at Atherstone; and on the 21st both armies were in sight of each other for the whole day.

Richard, despising the supposed weakness of his adversary, yet desiring effectually to crush him, led his army, on the 16th, in great regal state, from Nottingham castle to Leicester; which town he entered in open pomp, the crown-royal on his head; and, on the 17th, quitted it, in the same manner, expecting to meet his rival at Hinckley. That night he passed at Elmsthorpe, where

his officers slept in the Church. On the 18th he marched to Stapleton, where he pitched his camp on ground called The Bradshaws, where he continued till Sunday the 21st, when both armies came in sight of each other. In the evening Richard removed to Anbein hill, where "he pitched "his field, refreshed his soldiers, and took "his rest*." The next morning early,

* "Richard is thought to have despised his enemy "too much, and been too dilatory in his motions. "(See the Notes on the Paston Letters.) As the con"test was almost personal, the Royal Commanders "should in prudence have kept out of danger; but, "for the same reason, were obliged to encounter the 66 greatest, as they could not decently desire their "followers to do for them what they themselves "would not do for themselves, who alone were to be "benefited. It is the case of Cyrus and Artaxerxes: "only that the invader succeeded. In such cases "the judgment would be, to appoint a band of deter"mined men to lay by till they could see where the opposite Commanders were; with orders to fight

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bringing all his men out of the camp into the plain, he ordered both horsemen and footmen to be drawn up in a length of line, that their numbers might appear as large as possible. The archers were placed in the front, under the command of the duke of Norfolk and his son the earl of Surrey. This long vanguard was followed by Richard himself with a chosen band, supported on each

"neither with great nor small, but him only, as all "depends upon his death. It seems that Richard "attempted somewhat of this kind; but he should "not have been of the party himself, unless we suppose that Richard had alienated the minds of some "of his chief followers, as certainly was the case of "Stanley. His own known character as a soldier,

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his superiority in numbers, and, as one should sup

pose, better appointed, must have secured him the "victory; but, as Voltaire remarks, every invader of "England succeeds: luckily, the last proved an ex66 ception to the rule." G. ASHBY.-May all future attempts at invasion prove equally abortive!

side with wings of horsemen. The whole number exceeded 16,000.

The army of Richmond, which amounted not to 5000, was proportionally arranged by their gallant leader. The archers, in a narrow front, were led by the earl of Oxford; the right wing was entrusted to sir Gilbert Talbot, the left to sir John Savage. Richmond himself reserved a good company of horse, and a small number of foot.

On each side the leader addressed his troops with a splendid oration; "which was

scarcely finished," says an old Historian, "but the one army espied the other. Lord! "how hastily the soldiers buckled their "helms, how quickly the archers bent their "bows, and brushed their feathers how

readily the billmen shook their bills and "proved their staves*, ready to approach and

* So Shakspeare, "See that my staves be sound."

'join when the terrible trumpet should sound "the bloody blast to victory or death! Be"tween both armies there was a great morass, "which the earl of Richmond left on his right "hand for this intent, that it should be on "that side a defence for his part; and in so

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doing he had the sun at his back, and in "the faces of his enemies."

The first conflict of the archers being over, the armies met fiercely with swords and bills; and at this period Richmond was joined by lord Stanley, which determined the fortune of the day. In this battle (which lasted little more more than two hours) above one thousand persons were slain on the side of Richard. Of Richmond's army scarcely 100 were slain; among whom the principal

Churchyard, mentioning an action in which he was, says, "None of the English returned without having "broken two or three staves." In tilting I understand this, not in battle. G. ASHBY.

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person