The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-05-06

earl of the house Of Lancaster-twO
families that had kept England in a
protracted warfare by their disputes
for the crown-the marriage would
unite the two families and end the
wars. Richmond was in France, but
he crossed the channel and landed in
England at the head of a French force.
The attempt, however, was a failure.
Richard with his accustomed energy
attacked him before the French and
English columns were prepared to
fight and defeated and routed them.
The Duke of Buckingham was captured
by Richard and Immediately beheaded.
A second landing was made by Rich
mond. and Richard again sprang forth
to his work.
On the kings way to the battle which
was to decide his fate he slept in an
inn called the Blue Boar Richard
took with him his own bed and had it
set up for him to sleep in the night be-
fore the battle. He had on his CON
science the crime of murder, his mobiles
were beginning to desert him, and
there was no one to whom he might
turn for comfort
In house not far away lived boy
under the care of a man who, though
he gave him every comfort and edu.
Gated him. told him that he was not
his father. The boys name was Rich
ard Plantagenet, and this is all he
knew of his parentage.
The night before the battle of Bos-
worth trooper rode up to the house
where the boy, Plantagenet, lived and
told him to come with him. They
went to the inn where the king was
lodged, and the boy stood in the royal
presence. Richard embraced him and
told him that he was his father, though
the lad had not been born in wedlock
Tomorrow" said the king, 81 fight
for my crown. If win ! will acknowl-
edge you, and you shall hereafter live
with me as my son."
Quite likely Richard contemplated
In case he won the fght-to force this
natural son upon the English people as
his successor Be this as it may, young
Piantagenet the next day took position
on hill overlooking the battlefield on
which was to be decided whether he
was to live the life of a royal person
age or that of an outcast
The king awoke in the morning
showing by his appearance that he was
under a terrific dread His face was
hvid, and he complained of having had
frightful dreams. The crime of muir
der being on his conscience, knowing
that he could not rely upon some of
the mobiles who had brought their re-
tainers to serve him, 1t Is likely that he
feared defeat and punishment
And what saw young Richard Plan
tagenet from the hilltop? When the
battle was well on, one of the mobiles
who formed a part Of Richards army
swung his troops to the other side
This was the signal for the detection
of others, and presently the greater
part of both armies were opposing the
king.
Then the boy saw his father make
marvellous dash to turn the tide in his
favor. The king saw the Earl of Rich
mond and, putting spurs to his horse.
followed by only a handful of retain
ers, made straight for his opponent
Coming near the earl, he struck down
single handed those who defended him.
But the struggle was too unequal A
soldier bore. down the king and dis
patched him.
History gives no definite account of
the subsequent life of the boy who
from the hilltop saw the dashing of
his hopes. But there is an account of
man who was bricklayer and who
at noontimes, when his fellow work
men were resting, would be found to
be reading On one occasion a person,
curious to know what he read, looked
at the book He found it to be written
in Latin.
This man was Richard Plantagenet.
who from a hill near Bosworth field
saw his father slain and his sudden
hope Of living the life of a prince go
out forever. This man afterward was
for many years known to be the nat
ural son of Richard Ill, king of Eng
land. On a tombstone over a grave
near by where he lived is his name.
Richard Plantagenet
The king being dead, the bedstead he
had slept in the night before his death
remained in the Blue Boar inn. One
day many years after these events hap
pened the landlady while cleaning the
room heard something drop on the floor
and roll away Picking it up, she saw
that it was gold coin bearing date
just previous to Richards death. The
bed was examined and found to have
a false bottom, which was full of mon
to carry treasure.
The victorious Earl of Richmond
went from Bosworth field to London.
where he was received by the people as
their sovereign. He married the Prin-
cess Elizabeth, thus uniting the families
of York and Lancaster and ending the
celebrated wars of the roses.
For four centuries the fate Of the
little King Edward V. and his brother
has stirred the sympathy Of all peoples.
Artists have chosen the children for
themes for pictures, and Shakespeare
made the deeds of King Richard the
subject Of one of his principal TRACE
dies. 1t was the last act in the real
tragedy, the wars of the roses, in
which multitudes persisted while kings
fought for a crown. But when the 9TH
er historic events shall have passed
into oblivion the murder of the royal
children will continue to excite the
sympathy Of the world