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Modernized excerpts of the 1587 text of (Holinshed). This text takes its page numbering from .

While this busy search was diligently applied and put in execution, Humphrey Banastre (were it more for fear of lifeIn terror for his own safety. and loss of goods, or allured and provoked by the avaricious desire of the thousand pounds) he bewrayedExposed, revealed ( bewray, v. 3). his guest and master to John Mitton then sheriff of Shropshire; which suddenly with a strong power of men in harnessArmor. apprehended the duke in a little grove adjoining to the mansion of Humphrey Banastre, and in great haste and evil speed conveyed him appareled in a pilledMeager, miserable. black cloak to the town of Shrewsbury, where king Richard then kept his household. Whether this Banastre bewrayed the duke more for fear than covetiseExcessive greed ( covetise, n. 2.a)., many men do doubt: but sure it is, that shortly after he had betrayed the duke his master; his son and heir waxedIncreasingly became. mad, [and] so died in a boar’s sty; his eldest daughter of excellent beauty, was suddenly stricken with a foul leprosy; his second son marvelously deformed of his limbs, and made lame; his younger son in a small puddle was strangled and drowned; and he being of extreme age, arraigned, and found guilty of a murder, and by his clergy savedWas spared by proving his literacy. An accused offender who was able to prove their literacy by reading from the Bible could avoid the full weight of the law.. And as for his thousand pounds, king Richard gave him not one farthing, saying that he which would be untrue to so good a master, would be false to all other: howbeit some say that he had a small office or a farm to stop his mouthPrevent him from speaking the truth. withal. The duke being by certain of the king’s counsel diligently upon interrogatories examined, what things he knew prejudicial unto the king’s person, opened and declared frankly and freely all the conjurationConspiracy ( conjuration, n. 1.1)., without dissembling or glossing; trusting, because he had truly and plainly revealed and confessed all things that were of him required, that he should have license to speak to the king: which (whether it were to sue for pardon and grace, or whether he being brought to his presence, would have sticked him with a dagger as men then judged) he sore desired and required. But when he had confessed the whole fact and conspiracy, upon All Soul’s DayNovember 2., without arraignment or judgment, he was at Salisbury in the open market place, on a new scaffold beheaded and put to death.

This death (as a reward) the duke of Buckingham received at the hands of king Richard, whom he before in his affairs, purposes and enterprises had holpenAided, helped., sustained, and set forward, above all God’s forebode. By this all men may easily perceive, that he not only loseth both his labor, travel, and industry (and further staineth and spotteth his line with a perpetual ignominy and reproach) which in evil and mischief assisteth and aideth an evil disposed person, considering. for the most part, that he for his friendly favor should receive some great displeasure or importunate chance.

Wherefore in all speedy manner they galloped toward him, and him reverently saluted. Which meeting after great joy and solace, and no small thanks given and rendered on both parts, they advisedly debated and communed of their great business and weighty enterprise. In the which season the feast of the Nativity of our savior Christ happened, on which day all the English lords went with their solemnity to the chief church of the city, and there each gave faith and promise to other the earl himself first took a corporal oathAn oath sworn by placing the physical hand on a sacred object, such as a Bible ( corporal, n.3 5.a). on his honor, promising that incontinent after he should be possessed of the crown and dignity of the realm of England, he would be conjoined in matrimony with the lady Elizabeth, daughter to king Edward the Fourth. Then all the company swore to him fealty, and did to him homage (as though he had been that time the crowned king, and anointed prince) promising faithfully, and firmly affirming, that they would not only lose their worldly substance; but also be deprived of their lives and worldly felicityHappiness., rather than to suffer king Richard that tyrant longer to rule and reign over them.

Which solemn oaths made and taken, the earl of Richmond declared and communicated all these doings to Francis duke of Brittany, desiring and most heartily requiring him to aid him with a greater army to conduct him into his country, which so sore longed and looked for his return, and to the which he was by the more part of the nobility and communality called and desired.

In this troublous season, nothing was more marveled at, than that the lord Stanley had not been takenArrested, detained., and reputed as an enemy to the king; considering the working of the lady Margaret his wife, mother to the earl of Richmond. But for so much as the enterprise of a woman was of him reputed of no regard or estimation; and that the lord Thomas her husband had purged himself sufficiently to be innocent of all doings and attempts by her perpetrated and committed; it was given him in charge to keep her in some secret place at home, without having any servant or company: so that from thence forth she should never send letter or messenger unto her son, nor any of his friends or confederates, by the which the king might be molestedVexed, harassed. or troubled, or any hurt or prejudice might be attempted against his realm and communality. Which commandment was a while put in execution and accomplished, according to his dreadful commandment.

Yet the wild worm of vengeance wavering in his head, could not be content with the death of diverse gentlemen suspected of treason; but also he must extend his bloody fury against a poor gentleman called CollingbourneWilliam Collingbourne, a London administrator, nailed his offending verse to the door of St. Paul’s, and for his trouble was hanged and drawn on December 1, 1484. While the chronicles focus on this verse as his primary crime, Collingbourne was a vocal advocate for Henry Tudor’s claim to the throne., for making a small rhyme of three of his unfortunate councilors, which were the lord Lovell, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, his mischievous minion, and Sir William Catesby his secret seducer, which meter or rhyme was thus framed: The Cat, the Rat, and Lovell our dog, Rule all England under an hog.

Meaning by the hog, the dreadful wild boar, which was the king’s cognizanceBadge or device of recognition ( cognizance, n. 3.5.a)., but because the first line ended in dog, the metricianPerson who writes in verse ( metrician, n. 1). could not (observing the regiments of meter) end the second verse in boar, but called the boar an hog. This poetical schoolmaster, corrector of briefs and longsBureaucrat. Collingbourne was an administrator, who served as sheriff and Commissioner of Peace in Wiltshire, with no evidence that he was actually a schoolmaster beyond chronicle reference to his verse., caused Collingbourne to be abbreviated shorter by the head, and to be divided into four quartersA common final punishment for traitors, often with the intention of displaying the pieces in multiple locations..

The messengers, being men both of wit and gravityInfluence, authority ( gravity, n. 1.1.a)., so persuaded the queen with great and pregnantMeaningful, significant. reasons, and what with fair and large promises, that she began somewhat to relent, and to give to them no deaf ear; insomuch that she faithfully promised to submit and yield herself fully and frankly to the king’s will and pleasure. And so she, putting in oblivionForgetting, ignoring. the murder of her innocent children, the infamy and dishonor spoken by the king her husband, the living in adultery laid to her charge, the bastarding of her daughters; forgetting also the faithful promise and open oath made to the countess of Richmond, mother to the earl Henry, blinded by avaricious affection, and seduced by flattering words, first delivered into king Richard’s hands her five daughters, as lambs once again committed to the custody of the ravenous wolf.

Within few days after the queenAnne Neville, queen to Richard III. departed out of this transitory life, and was with due solemnity buried in the church of St. Peter at Westminster. This is the same Anne, one of the daughters of the earl of Warwick, which (as you have heard before) at the request of Louis, the French king, was married to prince Edward, son to king Henry the Sixth. The king thus (according to his long desire) loosed out of the bonds of matrimony, began to cast a foolish fantasy to lady Elizabeth his niece, making much suit to have her aligned with him in lawful matrimony.

But because all men and the maiden herself most of all detested and abhorred this unlawful, and in manner unnatural copulation; he determined to prolong and defer the matter, till he were in a more quietness. For all that very season he was oppressed with great, weighty, and urgent causes, and businesses on every side; considering that daily, part of the nobility sailed into France to the earl of Richmond: other privilySecretly, stealthily. favored and aided certain of the conjuration, so that of his short end few or none were in doubt. And the common people (for the most part) were brought to such desperation, that many of them had rather be reputedConsidered as an enemy ( repute, v. 2.c). and taken of him in the number of his enemies, than to abide the chance and hazard to have their goods taken as a spoil of victory, by his enemies. In such hatred they had the wretch, wishing his heart in their hands with the hazard of their heads. For how can people say well or think well of tyrants, whose property it is to tear them in pieces with their claws, like a wolf let loose among a foldPen, enclosure. of sheep?

There also came Sir William Stanley accompanied with a few persons. And after that the earl and he had communed no long time together; he revertedReturned. to his soldiers whom he had assembled together to serve the earl: which from thence departed to LichfieldA cathedral city in Staffordshire., and lay without the walls in his camp all the night. The next morning be entered into the town, and was with all honor like a prince received. A day or two before, the lord Stanley, having in his bandTroop, company ( band, n.3 1.a). almost five thousand men, lodged in the same town. But hearing that the earl of Richmond was marching thitherward, gave to him place, dislodging him and his, and repaired to a town called AtherstoneA small market town in north Warwickshire., there abiding the coming of the earl. And this wily fox did this act, to avoid all suspicion on king Richard’s part.

For the lord Stanley was afraid, least if he should seem openly to be a fautorSupporter, adherent ( fautor, n. 1). or aider to the earl his son in law, before the day of the battle, that king Richard, which yet utterly did not put in him diffidence and mistrust, would put to some cruel death his son and heir-apparent George lord Strange, whom king Richard (as you have heard before) kept with him as a pledge or hostage, to the intent that the lord Stanley his father should attempt nothing prejudicial to him. King Richard at this season keeping his house in the castle of NottinghamRichard used Nottingham castle as a centrally-located base prior to departing for Leicester., was informed that the earl of Richmond, with such banished men as were fled out of England to him, were now arrived in Wales, and that all things necessary to his enterprise were unprovided, unpurveyedUnexpected ( unpurveyed, adj. 1)., and very weak, nothing meet to withstand the power of such as the king had appointed to meet him.

These cheerful words he set forth with such gesture of his body, and smiling countenance as though already he had vanquished his enemies, and gotten the spoil. He had scantlyScarcely, barely ( scantly, adv. 1.a). finished his saying, but the one army spied the other. Lord how hastily the soldiers buckled their helms, how quickly the archers bent their bows and frushedStraightened, set upright ( frush, v. 6). their feathersAdditions to the base of an arrow to aid in flight., how readily the billmenSoldiers armed with weapons of war ( billman, n. a). shook their bills, and provedTested. their staves, ready to approach and join, when the terrible trumpet should sound the bloody blast to victory or death! Between both armies there was a great marsh then (but at this present, by reason of ditches castDug, shoveled, ploughed ( cast, v. 4.28.a)., it is grown to be firm ground) which the earl of Richmond left on his right hand; for this intent, that it should be on that side a defense for his part, and in so doing he had the sun at his back, and in the faces of his enemies. When king Richard saw the earl’s company was past the marsh; he did command with all haste to set upon them. Then the trumpets sounded, and the soldiers shouted, and the king’s archers courageously let fly their arrows. The earl’s bowmen stood not still, but paid them home again.

The terrible shot once passed, the armies joined and came to hand strokes, where neither sword nor bill was spared. At which encounter, the lord Stanley joined with the earl. The earl of Oxford in the mean seasonIntervening time, meantime ( mean, adj. 2)., fearing lest while his company was fighting, they should be compassedSurrounded. and circumvented with the multitude of the enemies, gave commandment in every rank, that no man should be so hardy, as to go above ten foot from the standard. Which commandment once known, they knit themselves together, and ceased a little from fighting. The adversaries suddenly abashed at the matter, and mistrusting some fraud and deceit, began also to pause and left striking; and not against the wills of many, which had rather had the king destroyed, than saved, and therefore they fought very faintly, or stood still.

The earl of Oxford, bringing all his band together on the one part, set on his enemies freshly again. The adversaries perceiving that, placed their men slender and thinSparingly. before, but thick and broad behind, beginning again hardily the battle. While the two forewardsFirst lines of battle ( foreward, n.2 1). thus mortally fought, each intending to vanquish and convince the other; king Richard was admonished by his exploratorsScouts, spies ( explorator, n. 1.a). and espialsReconnaissance., that the earl of Richmond (accompanied with a small number of men of arms) was not far off. And as he approached and marched toward him, he perfectly knew his personage by certain demonstrations and tokens, which he had learned and known of others that were able to give him full information. Now being inflamed with ire, and vexed with outrageous malice, he put his spurs to his horse, and rode out of the side of the range of his battle, leaving the vanguardLeading group of soldiers. fighting; and like a hungry lion ran with spear in rest toward him. The earl of Richmond perceived well the king furiously coming toward him, and because the whole hope of his wealth and purpose was to be determined by battle, he gladly proffered to encounter with him body to body, and man to man.

King Richard set on so sharply at the first bruntBlow, attack ( brunt, n.1 1.1)., that he overthrew the earl’s standard, and slew Sir William Brandon his standard bearer (which was father to Sir Charles Brandon, by king Henry the Eighth created duke of Suffolk) and matched hand to hand with Sir John Cheney, a man of great force and strength, which would have resisted him: but the said John was by him manfully overthrown. And so he making open passage by dint of sword as he went forward, the earl of Richmond withstood his violence, and kept him at the sword’s point without advantage, longer than his companions either thought or judged: which being almost in despair of victory, were suddenly recomfortedHeartened, inspired ( recomfort, v. 2.a). by Sir William Stanley, which came to his succorsReinforcement, physical aid ( succour, v. 2). with three thousand tall men. At which very instant, king Richard’s men were driven back and fled, and he himself manfully fighting in the middle of his enemies, was slain, and (as he worthily had deserved) came to a bloody death, as he had led a bloody life.

In the mean season, the earl of Oxford with the aid of the lord Stanley, after no long fight, discomfitedFrustrated, thwarted ( discomfit, v. 2). the foreward of king Richard, whereof a great number were slain in the chase and fight: but the greatest number which (compelled by fear of the king, and not of their mere voluntary motion) came to the field, gave never a stroke, and having no harm nor damage, safely departed, which came not thither in hope to see the king prosper and prevail, but to hear that he should be shamefully confounded and brought to ruin. In this battle died few above the number of a thousand persons: and of the nobility were slain John duke of Norfolk, which was warned by divers to refrain from the field, in so much that the night before he should set forward toward the king, one wrote this rhyme upon his gate: Jack of Norfolk be not too bold, For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.

Yet all this notwithstanding, he regarded more his oath, his honor, and promise made to king Richard, like a gentleman; and as a faithful subject to his prince, absented not himself from his master; but as he faithfully lived under him, so he manfully died with him, to his great fame and laud. And therefore, though his service was ill-employed in aid of a tyrant (whom it had been more honorable to have suppressed than supported) yet because he had upon his fealty undertaken to fight in his quarrel, he thought it less loss of life and living than of glory and honor: so that he might have said, in respect of his loyalty and promised truth testified with constancy to the death that before us be our enemies; and on either side of us be such, as I neither surely trust, nor greatly believe; backward we cannot flee; so that here we stand like sheep in a fold, circumvented and compassed between our enemies and our doubtful friends.

There were slain beside him, Walter lord Ferrers of Chartley, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and Robert Brakenbury, lieutenant of the Tower, and not many gentlemen more. Sir William Catesby, learned in the laws of the realm, and one of the chief counselors to the late king, with divers other, were two days after beheaded at Leicester. Amongst them that ran away, were Sir Francis, viscount Lovell, and Humphrey Stafford, and Thomas Stafford his brother, which took sanctuary in Saint John’s at Gloucester. Of captives and prisoners there were a great number. For after the death of king Richard was known and published, every man in manner unarming himself, and casting away his habilimentsWeaponry, armor ( habiliment, n. 3.a). of war, meekly submitted themselves to the obeisanceAuthority, subject of homage ( obeisance, n. 2.a). and rule of the earl of Richmond: of the which the more part had gladly so done in the beginning, if they might have conveniently escaped from king Richard’s espials, which having as clear eyes as lynxAn animal noted for its keenness of sight., and open ears as MidasKing Midas was said to have disagreed with the outcome in a musical contest between Pan and Apollo, and as a result was endowed the large ears of an ass. Midas-eared has since become a phrase to describe someone with the incapacity to appreciate something ( Midas, n. 1.1.a)., ranged and searched in every quarter.

King Richard (as the fame went) might have escaped and gotten safeguard by fleeing. For when they, which were next about his person, saw and perceived at the first joining of the battle the soldiers faintly and nothing courageously to set on their enemies; and not only that, but also that some withdrew themselves privily out of the press and departed; they began to suspect fraud and to smell treason; and not only exhorted, but determinately advised him to save himself by flight. And when the loss of the battle was imminent and apparent, they brought to him a swift and a light horse, to convey him away. He which was not ignorant of the grudge and ill-will that the common people bore toward him, casting away all hope of fortunate success and happy chance to come, answered (as men say) that on that day he would make an end of all battles, or else there finish his life. Such a great audacity and such a stomach reigned in his body.

For surely, he knew that to be the day, in the which it should be decided and determined whether he should peaceably obtain and enjoy his kingdom during his life, or else utterly forgo and be deprived of the same. With which too much hardiness he being overcome, hastily closed his helmet, and entered fiercely into the hard battle, to the intent to obtain that day a quiet reign and regiment; or else to finish there his unquiet life, and unfortunate governance. And so, this miserA miserable, wretched person ( miser, n.1 B.1). at the same very point had like chance and fortune, as happeneth to such which in place of right justice and honesty, following their sensual appetite, love, and use to embrace mischief, tyranny, and unthriftinessProdigality, wastefulness ( unthriftiness, n. 1).. Surely these be examples of more vehemency, than man’s tongue can express, to fear and astonish such evil persons, as will not live one hour vacant from doing and exercising cruelty, mischief, or outrageous living.

When the earl had thus obtained victory, and slain his mortal enemy, he kneeled down and rendered to almighty God his hearty thanks, with devout and godly orisons; beseeching his goodness to send him grace to advance and defend the catholic faith and to maintain justice and concord amongst his subjects and people, by God now to his governance committed [and] assigned. Which prayer finished, he replenished with incomparable gladness ascended up to the top of a little mountain, where he not only praised and lauded his valiant soldiers; but also gave unto them his hearty thanks, with promise of condignWorthy, deserving ( condign, adj. 2.a). recompense for their fidelity and valiant factsDeeds, actions., willing and commanding all the hurt and wounded persons to be cured, and the dead carcasses to be delivered to the sepultureBurial ground, place of interment.. Then the people rejoiced, and clapped their hands, crying up to heaven; King Henry, King Henry!

When the lord Stanley saw the goodwill and gladness of the people, he took the crown of king Richard which was found amongst the spoil in the field, and set it on the earl’s head; as though he had been elected king by the voice of the people, as in ancient times past in divers realms it hath been accustomed: and this was the first sign and token of his good luck and felicity, I must put you here in remembrance, how that king Richard (putting some diffidenceMistrust, misgivings. in the lord Stanley) had with him as an hostage the lord Strange, his eldest son, which lord Stanley (as ye have heard before) joined not at the first with his son-in-law’s army, for fear the king would have slain the lord Strange his heir.

When king Richard was come to Bosworth, he sent a pursuivantWarrant officer, messenger of state ( pursuivant, n. 2.a). to the lord Stanley, commanding him to advance forward with his company, and to come to his presence; which thing if he refused to do, he swore by Christ’s passion, that he would strike off his son’s head before he dined. The lord Stanley answered the pursuivant that if the king did so, he had more sons alive; and as to come to him, he was not then so determined. When king Richard heard this answer, he commanded the lord Strange incontinent to be beheaded; which was at that very same season, when both the armies had sight each of other. But the counselors of king Richard pondered the time and cause, knowing also the lord Strange to be innocent of his father’s offense, and persuaded the king that it was now time to fight, and no time to execute.

Besides that, they advised him to keep the lord Strange as prisoner till the battle were ended, and then at leisure his pleasure might be accomplished. So (as God would) king Richard breakBroke. his holy oath, and the lord was delivered to the keepers of the king’s tents, to be kept as prisoner. Which, when the field was done, and their master slain, and proclamation made to know where the child was, they submitted themselves as prisoners to the lord Strange, and he gently received them, and brought them to the new proclaimed king, where, of him and of his father he was received with great joy. After this the whole camp removed with bag and baggage.

The same night in the evening, king Henry with great pomp came to the town of Leicester; where as well for the refreshing of his people and soldiers, as for preparing all things necessary for his journey toward London, he rested and reposed himself two days. In the mean season the dead corpse of king Richard was as shamefully carried to the town of Leicester, as he gorgeously (the day before) with pomp and pride departed out of the same town. For his body was naked and despoiled to the skin, and nothing left about him, not so much as a clout to cover his privy members, and was trussed behind a pursuivant of arms, one blanch-sanglier, or white boar, like a hog or calf, his head and arms hanging on the one side of the horse, and his legs on the other side, and all besprinkledSpattered. with mire and blood he was brought to the Greyfriars church within the town, and there lay like a miserable spectacle.

But surely considering his mischievous acts and ungracious doings, men may wonder at such a caitiffWretch, villain ( caitiff, n. 3.a)., who although he deserved no burial place either in church or churchyard, chapel or chancel, but otherwise to have been bestowed: yet in the said church he was with no less funeral pomp and solemnity interred, than he would to be done at the burial of his innocent nephews, whom he caused cruelly to be murdered, and unnaturally killed.