again replied : " If they have committed such a crime, they deserve punishment." "/// " exclaimed the Protector, with a loud voice ; " dost thou answer me with if s ? I tell thee they have conspired my death, and thou too, traitor, art an accomplice in their crime." Thus having said, he struck his fist upon the table. A voice at the door cried out " treason !" and a body of armed men rushing into the room, arrested Hastings, Stanley, the Archbishop of York, and the Bishop of Ely. The three last were hurried to prison, but Hastings was compelled to make a short confession to the first priest who offered himself, the Protector crying out, "By St. Paul ! I will not dine till I have seen his head off." He was accordingly hurried on to the little green before the Tower chapel, where a log of wood, that accidentally lay there, served for the block on which he was beheaded. On the same day, and by a decree of the same council, now in such danger themselves, Rivers and Grey were beheaded at Pontefract castle : a plot against the King was the pretext for their execution, but in reality they died as being the greatest obstacles to prevent his destruction. CHAPTER III. Elizabeth's marriage with Edward the Fourth pronounced illegal, and their children illegitimate—Gloucester seizes the throne—Is crowned Richard the Third— Edward the Fifth and his brother murdered—The news overcomes Elizabeth—She invokes lieaven to curse the usurper and his progeny—Shortly afterwards, his only child dies—She conspires with Buckingham and others to espouse the Frincess Royal to Richmond, and place him on the throne—Richard defeats the project, and beheads Buckingham — His cruel revenge—He resolves himself to marry the Princess Royal—Prevails on Elizabeth with her children to come out of sanctuary—Coerces her into joining her interests with his—Richmond lands; defeats Richard, who is slain in the Battle of Bosworth ; and ascends the throne by the title of Henry t/te Sevmth—Deplorable condition of the people—Décline of Chivalry. •vf^ HE Protector's parti l-i-Kr zans now strenuously strove to prove Elizabeth's marriage with Edward the Fourth illegal, and her children illegitimate. Dr. Shaw preached to this effect at St. Paul's Cross, from the Scriptural text, " Bastard strips shall not strike deep roots;" and as his malicious harangue failed of its purpose, the Duke of Buckingham addressed the citizens at Guildhall, on the following Thursday, and prevailed on the mayor and corporation to accompany him on the following day, and present an address to the Protector. This address, after exaggerating the miseries of the late reign, thus proceeds : " Also we consider how the pretended marriage between the above-named King Edward and Elizabeth Grey was made of great presumption,without the knowing and assent of the lords of this land, and also by sorcery and witchcraft committed by the said Elizabeth, and her mother, Jaquetta, Duchess of Bedford, as the common opinion of the people and the public voice, and fame is throughout all this land and hereafter, if, and as the case shall require, shall be proved sufficiently in time and place convenient ; and here also we consider how that the said pretensed marriage was made privily and secretly, without edition of banns, in a private chamber, a profane place, and not openly in the face of the church after the law of God's church, but contrary thereunto, and the laudable custom of the church of England, and how, also, that at the time of the contract of the said pretensed marriage, and before and long after the said King Edward was