he descendants of the royal blood of England.
There prevails a report that a chief source of the violent prosecution of
the Duke of Clarence, whose name was George, was a current prophecy that
the King's son should be murdered by one the initial letter of whose name
was G. It is not impossible but, in those ignorant times, such a silly
reason might have some influence; but it is more probable that the whole
story is the invention of a subsequent period, and founded on the murder
of these children by the Duke of Gloucester.

All the glories of Edward's reign terminated with the civil wars, where
his laurels, too, were extremely sullied with blood, violence, and
cruelty. His spirit seems afterward to have been sunk in indolence and
pleasure, or his measures were frustrated by imprudence and the want
of foresight. While he was making preparations for a French war he was
seized with a distemper, of which he expired, 1483, in the forty-second
year of his age and the twenty-third of his reign.

During the latter years of Edward IV the nation, having in a great
measure forgotten the bloody feuds between the two roses, and peaceably
acquiescing in the established government, was agitated only by some
court intrigues, which, being restrained by the authority of the King,
seemed nowise to endanger the public tranquillity. But Edward knew that,
though he himself had been able to overawe rival factions, many disorders
might arise from their contests during the minority of his son; and he
therefore took care, in his last illness, to summon together several of
the leaders on both sides, and, by composing their ancient quarrels, to
provide as far as possible for the future tranquillity of the government.
After expressing his intentions that his brother, the Duke of Gloucester,
then absent in the North, should be intrusted with the regency, he
recommended to them peace and unanimity during the tender years of his
son, and engaged them to embrace each other with all the appearance of
the most cordial reconciliation. But this temporary or feigned agreement
lasted no longer than the King's life; he had no sooner expired than the
jealousies of the parties broke out afresh; and each of them applied, by
separate messages, to the Duke of Gloucester, and endeavored to acquire
his favor and friendship.

This Prince, during his brother's reign, had endeavored to live on good
terms with both parties, and his high birth, his extensive abilities,