ughter, introduced "the art preservative of all arts," and
preservative of liberty no less[1] (S322).

[1] "Lord! taught by thee, when Caxton bade
His silent words forever speak;
A grave for tyrants then was made,
Then crack'd the chain which yet shall break."
Ebenezer Elliott, "Hymn for the Printers'
Gathering at Sheffield," 1833

307. King Edward's Character.

The King, however, cared more for his pleasures than for literature or
the welfare of the nation. His chief aim was to beg, borrow, or
extort money to waste in dissipation. The loans which he forced his
subjects to grant, and which were seldom, if ever, repaid, went under
the name of "benevolences." But it is safe to say that those who
furnished them were in no very benevolent frame of mind at the time.

Exception may perhaps be made of the rich and elderly widow, who was
so pleased with the King's handsome face that she willingly handed him
a 20 pounds (a large sum in those days); and when the jovial monarch
gallantly kissed her out of gratitude for her generosity, she at once,
like a true and loyal subject, doubled the donation. Edward's course
of life was not conducive to length of days, even if the times had
favored a long reign. He died early, leaving a son, Prince Edward, to
succeed him.

308. Summary.

The reign was marked by the continuation of the Wars of the Roses, the
death of King Henry VI and of his son, with the return of Queen
Margaret to France. The most important event outside of the war was
the introduction of the printing press into England by William Caxton.

Edward V (House of York, White Rose)--1483

309. Gloucester appointed Protector.

Prince Edward, heir to the throne, was a lad of twelve (S307). His
position was naturally full of peril. It became much more so, from
the fact that his ambitious and unscrupulous uncle, Richard, Duke of
Gloucester, had been appointed Lord Protector of the realm until the
boy should become of age. Richard protected his young nephew as a
wolf would protect a lamb.

He met the Prince coming up to London from Ludlow Castle, Shropshire,
attended by his half brother, Sir Richard Grey, and his uncle, Lord
Rivers. Under the pretext that Edward would be safer in the Tower of
London than at Westminster Palace, Richard sent the Prince there, and
soon found means for having his kinsmen, Grey and Rivers, executed.

310.