Читать книгу The Queens of England - Strickland Agnes - Страница 35
Оглавление(A.D. 1454–1485.)
Few women living only to the age of thirty-one, have known as much suffering and sorrow as came to the lot of Anne of Warwick in that limited space of time. The greater part of her childhood was passed at Calais, but she was in England with her father, the Earl of Warwick, at intervals during the struggles between the houses of York and Lancaster, in which he took such a prominent part, and fled with him in terror after Edward IV. escaped from his clutches. The misery and danger of that flight to France came to an end at last, and then succeeded a few months of genuine happiness for this young girl.
A.D. 1470. The treaty concluding her marriage with Edward of Lancaster having been duly concluded, Anne was united to him shortly after her return to France, only to be deprived of his beloved companionship within the year, for he was killed at the battle of Tewksbury, and she was left a widow at seventeen. The Duke of Gloucester, being Anne's cousin, had seen a great deal of her during her childhood, for they were nearly of the same age, and had shared each other's pastimes. But he had such a dreadful temper, and was, besides, so disagreeable, being humpbacked and ungainly, that Anne was not fond of him. He, on the contrary, was so much in love with her, that no sooner was she free to marry than he determined to make her his wife. Being under the same charge of treason that included her mother and Queen Margaret, after the Duke of Gloucester, had assumed the reins of government, she was in his power. But she tried hard to elude his attentions and even went so far as to take a situation in a house in London disguised as a cook. The wily humpback found her out, however, and placed her in a convent for safe-keeping. After a time she was permitted to seek the protection of her uncle, the Archbishop of York, but his arrest left her again exposed to the persecutions of her hated cousin, who, by a series of wicked deeds, forced her at last to marry him.
A.D. 1473. The ceremony took place at Westminster in 1473, and then poor Anne was more unhappy than ever. She lived at Middleham Castle in Yorkshire, where, for a time at least, she was rid of her hated tyrant of a husband, for he was engaged fighting the Scotch, and only returned after the death of Edward IV., as mentioned in the last reign.
In 1474 the son was born for whom the Earl of Gloucester had so foully steeped his soul in crime. This child was Anne's one source of comfort and joy, and on him she lavished all her affections.
A few days after his return from Scotland the Duke of Gloucester started, as we have seen, with a troop of soldiers to intercept his nephew, Edward V., on his way to London, and proceeded with the hapless boy in his charge.
Anne joined her husband after he had caused the murder of his two nephews in the Tower, and shared the coronation for which he had committed so many shameful and outrageous deeds. The very preparations that had been made for the coronation of Edward V. served to grace that ceremony when his cruel uncle usurped his rights, and the same day Gloucester's son, Edward, was created Prince of Wales.
A banquet succeeded, and every detail of the entire ceremony was conducted with great splendor. Then the royal couple, attended by the prince, passed through the metropolis in procession and took up their abode at Windsor Castle. Later they kept court in grand style at Warwick Castle for a week, and afterwards travelled through the kingdom. At York these new sovereigns were crowned once more, and soon after Richard III. was recalled to London on account of an insurrection headed by the Duke of Buckingham. Anne accompanied him, leaving her son under the protection of friends in the north, where she thought he would be safer than in London. She never beheld the child again, for he died during her absence. The shock caused by this sudden and dreadful calamity so crushed the unfortunate mother that her health began to decline.
When she was ill and suffering her wicked husband was more unkind to her than ever. He seemed anxious to be rid of her, and shed only a few hypocritical tears when she
In 1485 the heart-broken Anne of Warwick was buried at Westminster, not far from the altar.
Richard III. was killed at the battle of Bosworth within the year.
