xile, and
Buckingham was to raise forces in Wales, where the Welsh Tudors were
popular, whilst other counties were to rise simultaneously. The
rebellion came to nothing. Heavy rains caused a flood of the Severn,
and Buckingham, in Shropshire, was cut off from his army in Wales.
Buckingham was betrayed to Richard, and on November 2 was beheaded at
Salisbury.

18. =Murder of the Princes. 1483.=--At some time in the summer or
autumn the princes in the Tower ceased to live. There had been
movements in their favour in some counties, and there can be no
reasonable doubt that Richard had them secretly killed. It was only by
degrees that the truth leaked out. Wherever it was believed it roused
indignation. Murders there had been in plenty, but the murdered as yet
had been grown men. To butcher children was reserved for Richard
alone.

19. =Richard's Government. 1484--1485.=--As long as the last tale of
murder was still regarded as doubtful, Richard retained his
popularity. In a Parliament which met in January =1484= he enacted
good laws, amongst which was one declaring benevolences illegal. In
the summer he was welcomed as he moved about, yet he knew that danger
threatened. Richmond was preparing invasion and the hollow friendship
of the English nobility was not to be trusted. In vain Richard
scattered gifts in profusion amongst them. They took the gifts and
hoped for deliverance. The popular goodwill grew cooler, and in the
winter Richard, needing money, and not venturing to summon another
Parliament, raised a forced loan. A loan not being a gift, he did not
technically break the statute against benevolences though practically
he set it at naught. Domestic misfortunes came to add to Richard's
political troubles. His only son, Edward, died in =1484=. His wife,
Anne, died in =1485=. Richard was now eager, if he had not been eager
before, to marry his niece, Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward
IV. This monstrous proposal was scouted by his own supporters, and he
had reluctantly to abandon the scheme. If there could be queens in
England, Elizabeth was on hereditary principles the heiress of the
throne, unless, indeed, Richard's argument against her mother's
marriage (see p. 340) was to be accepted. Richmond was naturally as
anxious as Richard could be to win her hand, and his promise to marry
her was the condition on which he obtained the support of those
Yorkists who were Richard's enemies.

20. =Richard Defeated and S