e throne.

But the crimes of Richard were so horrid, and so shocking to humanity,
that every person of probity and honor was earnest to prevent the sceptre
from being any longer polluted by that bloody and faithless hand which
held it. All the exiles flocked to the Earl of Richmond in Brittany, and
exhorted him to hasten his attempt for a new invasion, and to prevent the
marriage of the princess Elizabeth, which must prove fatal to all his
hopes.

The Earl set sail from Harfleur, in Normandy, with a small army of about
two thousand men; and after a navigation of six days he arrived at
Milford Haven, in Wales, where he landed without opposition. He directed
his course to that part of the kingdom, in hopes that the Welsh, who
regarded him as their countryman, and who had been already prepossessed
in favor of his cause by means of the Duke of Buckingham, would join his
standard, and enable him to make head against the established government.
Richard, who knew not in what quarter he might expect the invader, had
taken post at Nottingham, in the centre of the kingdom; and having
given commissions to different persons in the several counties, whom he
empowered to oppose his enemy, he purposed in person to fly, on the first
alarm, to the place exposed to danger.

Henry, advancing toward Shrewsbury, received every day some reenforcement
from his partisans. The two rivals at last approached each other at
Bosworth, near Leicester, Henry at the head of six thousand men, Richard
with an army of above double the number; and a decisive action was every
hour expected between them. Stanley, who commanded above seven thousand
men, took care to post himself at Atherstone, not far from the hostile
camps; and he made such a disposition as enabled him on occasion to join
either party.

The van of Richmond's army, consisting of archers, was commanded by the
Earl of Oxford; Sir Gilbert Talbot led the right wing; Sir John Savage
the left; the Earl himself, accompanied by his uncle the Earl of
Pembroke, placed himself in the main body. Richard also took post in
_his_ main body, and intrusted the command of his van to the Duke of
Norfolk; as his wings were never engaged, we have not learned the names
of the several commanders. Soon after the battle began, Lord Stanley,
whose conduct in this whole affair discovers great precaution and
abilities, appeared in the field, and declared for the Earl of Richmond.
This measure, which was unexpected t