After a Coronation that remains one of the best attended in history, the newly-crowned Richard III left Windsor Castle to go on a royal progress. His queen, Anne, would meet him at Warwick…his so-called friend, Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, was conspicuously absent, reasons unknown, for the first week.
The initial stop on the progress was Reading, famous for its abbey which held the remains of Henry I, followed by Oxford where he visited Magdalen College and listened to several debates on philosophy and theocracy. He enjoyed himself so much that he returned the next day to hear some more! He paid the debaters well and the college registers about his stay finish with the words, ‘May the King Live Forever. From there, he journeyed on to Woodstock, the palace and one-time pleasure gardens used by Henry II’s mistress, Rosamund Clifford, staying for a night or two, before travelling the short distance to the beautiful manor at Minster Lovell, home of his friend and supporter Francis Lovell, where he stayed the night, after much revelry, in a newly built tower overlooking the River Windrush. It was here Richard received a mysterious letter about an ‘enterprise’ and subsequent trial in London; no one knows what it was about to this day, though various theories about the ‘Princes’ abound!
By now, Buckingham had joined the party…but not for long. Once they reached Gloucester, the Duke suddenly left the progress and travelled to his castle at Brecon in Wales. No one knows why; some sources imply the two men had a fierce argument. Richard continued his stay in Gloucester by presenting the town with a sword, which still can be viewed in the museum today.
From there, he visited Tewkesbury, where he had fought alongside his brother, Edward IV, that saw the heir of Lancaster slain on the field and the crown firmly Edward’s. The great abbey was also the burial site of Richard’s brother George, who had been executed for treason by Edward, some say by drowning him in a vat of malmsey wine. George’s underground vault still exists and at certain times, visitors can enter—there is a box of bones from about four different people attached to the wall inside, some of which might belong to George and his wife Isabel.
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| Rous Roll: Richard III & Anne Neville. Public domain. |
The king’s company progressed to Worcester and then on to Warwick, where Queen Anne was waiting. The couple stayed there for almost a week before moving off to Coventry, then Leicester, then Nottingham and created his young son Edward Prince of Wales. The investiture would not take place yet, however; instead, it would be done in York.
Having written to many lords while in Nottingham, Richard now headed north to the massive castle at Pontefract, sometimes described as the ‘Windsor of the North’…here he was met by the lords, knights, and bishops he had summoned…and also by his son Edward, who had been brought in a litter or chariot (a carriage that was rather like a covered wagon) from Richard’s long-term home, Middleham Castle.
On August 29, the company continued toward York, with young Prince Edward now mounted on a horse. The sheriff and city official arrived to greet to royal party and guide them in through Micklegate where once the severed heads of Richard’s father and brother Edmund had stood on spikes. All along the route, there were pageants showing scenes from the Bible and other celebrations.
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| Rous Roll: Edward, Prince of Wales |
At York Minster the royal party was given a reception by the Dean, Dr Robert Booth, and the King and Queen were sprinkled with holy water. Richard himself went into the church, knelt and recited a Paternoster; some suggest this was the first time an English king led the congregation in prayer. Following were more prayers, songs for choir and the Te Deum, with the organ thundering. After the service was complete, Richard and his family headed to the Archbishop’s palace, where they would stay.
Richard now began to plan his son’s investiture, sending to the Wardrobe in London for an array of clothing in satin, cloth of gold, black velvet, heraldic garb, banners, and 13,000 Boar Badges to be handed out. On Sunday, September 7th, the celebrations for the upcoming investiture began with actors performing the Creed Play before the King, and York’s mayor, aldermen and council. The following day, Richard and Anne, both wearing their crowns, processed to the Minster for Mass. Prince Edward was with them, and all the other lords, clergymen and dignitaries. At the high altar, silver statues of the Twelve Apostles stood gleaming in the candlelight. Richard himself brought various relics and gilt adornments to place upon the altar.
The Mass continued into the early evening, then the King, Queen and Prince, went back to the Archbishop’s Palace. There, before the feasting began, Richard girded Prince Edward with a sword, gave him a golden rod and a ring, and placed a coronet upon his head. Then the royal family sat down to a four-hour feast, after which he created several new knights, including his illegitimate son, John of Gloucester.
Richard and his family remained in York until the 20th, a stay of around three weeks; from there, it was back to Pontefract and then on to Gainsborough in Lincolnshire.
The long hot summer of 1483 was drawing to a close, and soon, at summer’s bitter end, new troubles would begin for Richard—rumours that the Princes in the Tower were dead, and the unexpected betrayal of his supposed friend, Henry, Duke of Buckingham, who raised a rebellion to dethrone him.
As for young Prince Edward, he would not live to see another summer, dying of unknown causes sometime in April 1484. He is the only Prince of Wales with no known grave.
Further reading/sources:
Hammond/Sutton, Road to Bosworth
The Itinerary of Richard III by Rhoda Edwards
1483. King Edward IV is dead. The Woodvilles have the Great Seal—and the treasury.
In the north Richard Duke of Gloucester receives word of his brother’s unexpected death from Lord Hastings, who advises him to get to London and take possession of the new young King.
Riding into Northampton, Anthony Woodville, guardian of Edward V, is implicated in a plot to ambush Richard upon the road. He is arrested and Edward V taken into care by Gloucester and the flamboyant and persuasive Duke of Buckingham.
Once they reach London, Buckingham glibly suggests that the young King be sent to the Tower of London ‘for his own safety.’
Plans for the Coronation progress as expected—and then Bishop Stillington comes to Richard with a shocking revelation.
What the Bishop imparts will set the Wheel of Fortune spinning, dooming a young boy and setting Richard of Gloucester on the road to Kingship…and tragedy at Bosworth Field.
Born in Canada, J.P. Reedman has been a UK resident for the past 30 years. She has been writing since the age of 5, and preferred genres are fantasy and historical (or a mixture of both.)
Interests are British history and prehistory, especially the neolithic and bronze ages, archaeology, anthropology and features of the countryside.
She is author of the Stonehenge Saga, a novel that places the legends of King Arthur back into the bronze age, and a number of works about King Richard III, including the epic, I RICHARD PLANTAGENET, written from Richard's first-person perspective.
She is also the author of the bestselling medieval novel, MY FAIR LADY, about the little-known Queen, Eleanor of Provence, and a subsequent series about lesser-known medieval noblewomen.
Great article, Janet and fascinating detail. When I last visited Minster Lovell, it was hauntingly beautiful and I could imagine the merrymaking -- and yet there still had to be an air of caution over the entire progress. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHaving just finished Elizabeth St. John's "The Godmother's Secret," I was eager to read this post. Marvelous detail, many unanswered questions.
ReplyDeleteThere really is...and there apparently is some more important finds which will be revealed around November/December.
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