More’s cryptic reference explained?

In his unpublished semi-satirical volume, More has the Lord Protector and Defender of the Realm, Richard Duke of Gloucester who was also Lord High Constable of England for life, call for some strawberries before the Constable’s Court could pronounce sentence on William Lord Hastings. Many historians have struggled to understand the significance of the strawberries… Continue reading More’s cryptic reference explained?

A Yorkist chronicler under Henry VII’s nose?

“Hearne’s Fragment” is a relatively little-known source on late fifteenth century England. It is mysterious in origin, missing in part and not entirely accurate in detail, perhaps using old-style years? To begin with, it gives Edward IV’s birth year as 1440 and errs in those of his brothers as well, although there is another possible… Continue reading A Yorkist chronicler under Henry VII’s nose?

THE ANGLO SCOTTISH WAR 1480-82

  Richard duke of Gloucester – The King’s Lieutenant in the North “And he governed those countries very wisely and justly in time of peace and war and preserved concord and amity between the Scots and English so much as he could. But the breaches between them could not so strongly be made up to… Continue reading THE ANGLO SCOTTISH WAR 1480-82

Fabricating Precontracts: Richard III vs Henry VIII

On 10 and 11 June 1483, Richard duke of Gloucester wrote to his affinity in the North and asked for troops to support him against the Woodvilles who, he claimed, were plotting his destruction. On 22 June Ralph Shaa preached his “bastard slips” sermon, followed by similar speeches by the duke of Buckingham, and on… Continue reading Fabricating Precontracts: Richard III vs Henry VIII