DREADFUL is the fituation of a

ple, when that martial fpirit, which Thould only be exerted to repel an invader, is divided against itself; when instead of fhedding the blood of an enemy, they fhed their own.

The Houfe of Anjou furnished to this country, a numerous race of Kings, of heroes, and of favages. The princes of this house, being poffeffed of abilities, but having no ideas of right, had the address to divide the kingdom, and direct one part to butcher the other. But happy had it been for the nation, could they have united, and expelled that neft of vipers, who diffused their poifon, to the deftruction of thoufands. Something like this really happened at the extinction of the Stuart race. A leffon to future ages.

The quarrel between the roses, is one of the most interesting stories in History, but perhaps none is fo defectively related; and the reafon is, as Sir John Fenn justly obferves, that the art of printing being newly discovered, people neglected to multiply their manuscripts, and being anxious to preferve the hiftory of past times, forgot the prefent.

Perfuaded that the latter part of this important quarrel, the battle of Bosworth, is fuperficially represented, I have taken some pains in a minute research. This little work will nearly comprehend the history of Richard's fhort reign.

Whatever omiffions I may be charged with, want of affiduity, and enquiry are not of the number. My purfuits, as might be expected, were attended with difficul

ties. I could not even examine the wood in Bofworth Field, without being repeatedly fet faft in the mire; though poffeffed of two feet, I could fometime ufe neither. If in searching the rubbish of antiquity, I found an imaginary prize, it appeared fo cankered with the ruft of time, as to baffle the judgment. I have more than once put a whole family into filent amazement, by the fingularity of my errand; by opening a fubject, which though conftantly under the eye, they had never noticed. I frequently perceived embarraffment, at being unable to give me that information of their own premises, which a ftranger might reafonably expect; and have myself stood in an awkward light, while I folicited a gentleman to teach me what he had never learnt. But if I could not always find an answer to my enquiries, I always found civility. Authentic

b 4

Authentic information, of fo remote a pe

riod, is procured with as much difficulty, by the antiquary, as water in Arabian deferts by the traveller. I have treated my friend with a letter, and myself with a journey, yet all the intelligence derived from both, has been comprized in fix words; this evinces, that a work, though fmall, may be expensive, and that literary emoluments are no part of my purfuit.

As the life of Richard, prior to his fovereignty, is but little known, and that little to his difadvantage, I have given a sketch, in an introduction, chiefly extracted from our best authors, as Hollingshead, Grafton, Buck, Dugdale, Rapin, Carte, Walpole, Fenn, &c. plain motives.

Actions beft ex

THE

INTRODUCTION.

The LIFE of RICHARD the THIRD, till be afcended the THRONE.

F we furvey the house of Anjou, it will

IF

be found, one of the most extraordinary in history. The females poffeffed the fpirit of men, the males, that of heroes: as ripe at fifteen, as the generality of youth at twenty. Active, revengeful, prolific, and daring; they feldom arrived at old age, but feemed willing to destroy each other, when fortune neglected to deftroy them.

All agree that the name of Plantagenet fignifies a broom-plant; and Buck tells us that Folk, head of the family, about a cen