y the title of the
Duchess of York. She lived at this time in an old family residence
called Baynard's Castle, which stood on the banks of the Thames.[L] As
soon as Richard arrived in London he went to see his mother at this
place, and afterward he often visited her there. How far he explained
his plans to her, and how far she encouraged or disapproved of them,
is not known. If she was required to act at all in the case, it must
have been very hard for her, in such a question of life and death, to
decide between her youngest son alive and the children of her
first-born in his grave. Mothers can best judge to which side, in such
an alternative, her maternal sympathies would naturally incline her.

[Footnote L: For a view of this castle, see engraving on page 273.]

As for the immediate members of the Woodville family, they were
already pretty well taken care of. The queen herself, with her
children, were shut up in the sanctuary. Her brothers, and the other
influential men who were most prominent on her side, had been made
prisoners, and sent to Pomfret Castle in the north. Here they were
held under the custody of men devoted to Richard's interest. But to
prevent the possibility of his having any farther trouble with them,
Richard resolved to order them to be beheaded. This resolution was
soon carried into effect, as we shall presently see.

There remained the party of nobles and courtiers that were likely to
be hostile to the permanent continuance of the power of Richard, and
inclined to espouse the cause of the young king. The nobles had not
yet distinctly taken ground on this question. There were, however,
some who were friendly to Richard. Others seemed more inclined to form
a party against him. The prominent man among this last-named set was
Lord Hastings. There were several others besides, and Richard knew
very well who they were. In order to circumvent and defeat any plans
which they might be disposed to form, and to keep the power fully in
his own hands, he convened his councils of state at different places,
sometimes at Westminster, sometimes at the Tower, where the king was
kept, and sometimes at his own residence, which was in the heart of
London. He transferred the public business more and more to his own
residence, assembling the councilors there at all times, late and
early, and thus withdrawing them from attendance at the Tower. Very
soon Richard's residence in London became the acknowledged
head-quarte