"Edward ... to murder his own brother?"
"I know Edward well; he would reason that the death of one worthless man, obsessed by delusions of his own grandeur, was necessary in order to avert a civil war and the death of thousands. Edward was right in what he did, Anne. It is perhaps wrong to condone murder, but the life of one against those of thousands must be considered."
"And Stillington was sent to the Tower."
"Yes, because Clarence betrayed that the information came from him. Indeed, he was the only one from whom it could have come. You can imagine what happened. He was immediately imprisoned in the Tower, lest he should do more damage. Then Edward relented. I imagine he would go to see Stillington who would have been very contrite and swore he would never let the information pass his lips again, and possibly to deny it if it ever came to light through any other source. Edward was never vindictive. That has been shown again and again. He was always ready to forgive his enemies and live in peace with them. It may well be that he trusted Stillington so he was released and kept his silence."
"Until now."
"Yes, till now, when it cannot harm Edward."
"But it can harm Edward's family ... his son ... who is now king."
"I shall have to do my duty, Anne."
"You think the people will want that?"
"I must do what is right."
"You mean ... take the throne?"
"I think it is the only way. The king is but a boy. It is not good for a country to have a child king. A strong man on the throne gives stability to a country."
"You will be King Richard."
"And you will be my queen."
I closed my eyes. I was overwhelmed by foreboding.
Richard's first step was to call a meeting of the council and to lay the disclosures to them.
I waited at Crosby's Place to hear the result of that meeting. I soon heard that there was unanimous agreement that Richard must take the throne.
There was tension throughout the city. One could not help but be aware of it. The citizens knew that some great event was about to happen, though they were as yet unsure as to what it was.
There was much coming and going to and from Crosby's Place and Baynard's Castle. I hoped the Duchess of York was unaware of the slander which had been uttered against her, for I was sure that proud lady would have been incensed. Richard insisted that it was a slander and, in any case, what need was there to prove Edward's legitimacy now that he was dead? Suffice it that the young king and his brother were bastards. That was enough to displace them.
It was arranged that the news should be brought to the people on the following Sunday. The mayor, Sir Edmund Shaa, had a brother Ralph, who was a friar and well known to the people of London because he often preached at Paul's Cross in a most eloquent manner, and crowds flocked to hear him. It was suggested by the mayor that Friar Ralph should make the announcement.
Richard, with Buckingham beside him, and with all the noblemen and dignitaries of the city, rode in procession to Paul's Cross. Abandoning his customary robes of black, Richard wore purple velvet, for it was not fitting for a king to be attired in sombre black.
Crowds thronged the streets and there at Paul's Cross, Friar Ralph spoke. He based his words on the text: "Bastard slips shall not take root." Then he told the crowds that Edward the Fourth's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville had been no true marriage because he had pre-contracted himself to another lady, Dame Eleanor Butler, daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. That lady had been living albeit in a convent when Edward had gone through the ceremony of marriage with the Lady Elizabeth Woodville. Therefore that was no true marriage, and the children of the union were illegitimate. This meant that the boy whom they called king, and his brother, known as Richard, Duke of York, had no claim to the crown.
On the other hand, there was Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who, since his brother was dead and had left no legitimate offspring, was the next in line to the throne.
They had all witnessed the fine qualities of Richard. He had proved himself to be a serious man, a great ruler, and he was truly English. Of the sons of the late Duke of York now living, he was the only one who had been born in England. Did the people want an English king? Well, they had one in Richard the Third.
How I wished that I had been there then! Richard needed me. I could guess his feelings, for the people were deeply shocked by these revelations. They had loved their handsome Edward and were deeply touched by the little king, and ready to love him, too. They went quietly away, no doubt to discuss their thoughts on the new reign in the security of their own homes.
The people's reception of the news was disconcerting, and it caused Richard a good deal of anxiety.
"They said nothing," he told me.
"There was no sign of approval, or disapproval for that matter. They just seemed shocked. It was a most unusual reaction." "The news must have astounded them as it has us all. Perhaps it was that. But I wonder what it means."
"Richard, if this is true ... you must be the king."
"If only there were proof... documents ..."
"Edward would certainly have made sure that they were destroyed."
"Edward was notoriously careless about some things. He believed that people were sufficiently fond of him not to betray him. You see, it did not occur to him that Stillington would be a danger until he betrayed the secret to Clarence; and he was amazed when your father turned against him."
"Oh, Richard, if only Edward had never married Elizabeth Woodville!"
"Oh, it was the same pattern. Eleanor Butler would not submit without a contract and nor would Elizabeth Woodville. And when Edward desired a woman he forgot all else. It was that trait in him which brought so much trouble."
"What are you going to do, Richard?"
"Buckingham wants immediate action. He thinks that now Friar Ralph's announcement has been made there should be no delay." Buckingham was firmly beside Richard. He was wildly enthusiastic which was typical of Buckingham. He reminded me of Clarence, and I had learned to beware of such men.
He took immediate action. First he came to see Richard, who shortly afterwards told me what happened.
"Buckingham is going to the Guildhall with some of his followers, and he has primed them as to how they should act."
Heralds went through the streets, announcing that Buckingham would be at the Guildhall and had something of importance to tell them. The people crowded into the Guildhall where Buckingham's men were assembled in some force ... ranging themselves among the people.
There Buckingham spoke of Stillington's disclosures and made it clear who the real king was. He said they could not have a better. He was the man who had been chosen by his brother Edward to govern the kingdom and care for Edward's son. But we now knew that that young boy had no claim to the throne and he was not the legitimate heir of the House of York. But they had a king, a mature man, a man who had proved himself worthy to take the crown ... a man who had a right to it... a man who was entirely English: King Richard.
Then he cried in a loud voice: "Will you accept Richard of Gloucester as your King Richard the Third?"
I was glad I was not there. I was glad Richard was not there. The silence in that hall would have been unbearable.
One could say that the people had been taken by surprise, and their response was not immediate. They hankered for big golden Edward, and if they could not have him, they wanted their pretty little king. Then Buckingham's men began to shout: "Long live King Richard the Third, the rightful English king!"
The next day Parliament met and Richard's claim to the throne was raised before both Lords and Commons, who were together for this special occasion. The illegality of Edward's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was referred to and the conduct of the Woodvilles and the havoc they had wrought to the country was stressed. It was God's answer to a union which was repugnant to Him, for that union had been no true marriage and consequently Richard of Gloucester, the undoubted son of the Duke of York, was the true king.