Chapter I: The House of Lancaster, and Its Connection

WITH THE HOUSE OF TUDOR.

Catherine, sixth and youngest daughter of Charles VI. King of France, and Isabeau of Bavaria, was born at the Hotel, de St. Pol, Paris, Oct. 27th, 1401; and died at Bermondsey Abbey, London, Jan. 3rd, 1437. She was buried in Westminster Abbey, after many years of neglect, during which her corpse, dried to the appearance of a mummy, had been made a show to strangers. Surnamed The Fair. One historian tells us that she was a most devout woman, perpetually at prayer: but the excessively wayward, impulsive, selfish character of all her actions during her queenly life points to the conclusion that this refers exclusively to her later days: as otherwise we should be impelled to the unwelcome but unavoidable surmise that her prayers were allowed to have very little effect upon her conduct. She married--

(1) King Henry V. of England, eldest son of Henry IV. and Mary Bohun: born at Monmouth, Aug. 9th, 1387: married at Troyes Cathedral, June 3rd, 1420: died at Vincennes, of fever, Aug. 31st, 1432: buried in Westminster Abbey.

(2) Owain, surnamed Twdwr (often contemporaneously spelt Tydier), son of Meredith ap Twdwr and Margaret, daughter of David Vychan: born at Snowdon, date unknown: wardrobe-keeper to Queen Catherine, whom he married in 1428: beheaded, after the battle of Mortimer's Cross, at Hereford, Feb. 2nd, 1461: buried in Grey Friars' Church, Hereford.

ISSUE OF CATHERINE OF FRANCE. (A) By Henry V.:--

1. HENRY VI., surnamed _The Holy_, born at Windsor (in direct contravention of his father's orders) Dec. 6th, 1421: deposed Mar. 4th, 1461; restored, Oct., 1470; again deposed, Apr. 11th, 1471; died in the Tower, London, May 21 [? 27th--see text], 1471: buried first at Chertsey Abbey, afterwards in St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

Though to some extent weak in intellect, and subject, like his maternal grandfather, to occasional attacks of mental aberration, Henry was, on the testimony even of his enemies, one of the best men that ever lived. His strongest asseveration was "Forsooth," at a time when it was customary for men, and even women, to use profane language in the freest manner. He was "wholly given to prayer, Scriptures, and alms-deeds." A Bishop who was his confessor for ten years, bore witness that he had during that time, "never confessed a mortal sin." In person, Henry was not handsome, having the large, strongly-marked features of his Valois ancestors: but his hands and feet were extraordinarily small; so much so that a pair of his boots (still preserved) can only be worn by a woman of slender proportions. His hair and eyes were dark brown. He married--

MARGUERITE, second daughter of Rene of Anjou, King of Naples, and Isabelle of Lorraine: born at Pont a Mousson, Mar. 23rd, 1429, and baptized in Toul Cathedral: married by proxy, in St. Martin's Church, Tours, Apr. 10th [?], and in person at Titchfield Abbey, Hants, Apr. 22nd, 1445: died at Chateau Dampierre, near Saumur, in Normandy, Aug. 25th, 1482: buried in Angers Cathedral. The hope expressed in the text as to the Christian character of Marguerite is not a mere baseless imagination. There is evidence showing that in her later years at least, she possessed and was familiar with a French Bible: and in those days persons did not, as a rule, read the Scriptures in their own language as a mere matter of form or custom.

(B) By Owain Twdwr:--

2. Tacina (this singular name is authenticated by occurring on the Patent Roll, 32 B. VI.) born 1429-30, married Reginald, 7th Lord Grey de Wilton, and left issue.

3. Edmund, born at Hadham, 1431; created Earl of Richmond, Mar. 6th, 1453; died Nov. 1-3, 1456; buried, first at Caermarthen, afterwards at St. David's. Married--

Margaret, only child and heiress of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and Margaret Baroness Beauchamp of Bletshoe: born at Bletshoe, Apr. 1443: married, 1455: [remarried (2) Henry Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire, and (3) Thomas Stanley, Earl of Derby]: died at Westminster, July 5th, 1509 [the date usually given is June 29th; but her Inquisition gives July 5]: buried in Westminster Abbey. Generally known as Margaret Countess of Richmond. She is the "Lady Margaret," whose name has been given to professorships, lectures, streets, &c.

4. JASPAR, born at Hatfield, about 1432: created Earl of Pembroke, Nov. 23rd, 1452, and Duke of Bedford Oct. 28th, 1485: died Dec. 21st, 1495: bur. at Keynsham. According to some writers, his illegitimate daughter Helen married William Gardiner, squire and citizen of London, and was mother of Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester. He married (but left no legitimate issue),

Katherine, daughter of Richard Earl Rivers and Jaquette de St. Pol, and sister of Queen Elizabeth Widville: married at Court, in or before 1490-1.

5. Owain, born at Westminster, about 1434; monk in Westminster Abbey.

6. Katherine, or Margaret, born and died 1436.

ISSUE OF HENRY VI.:--

EDWARD, born at Westminster, Oct. 13th, 1453; created Prince of Wales, Mar. 15th, 1454; murdered after battle of Tewkesbury, on the field, May 4th, 1471: buried in Tewkesbury Abbey. Married--

ANNE, second and youngest daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury (and by courtesy of Warwick) and Anne Beauchamp, Countess of Warwick: born at Warwick Castle, 1454: married at Amboise, July or August, 1470: [re-married to King Richard III.]: died of consumption, at Westminster Palace, Mar. 16th, 1485: buried in Westminster Abbey. Some writers have endeavoured to show that the ceremony at Amboise was only a betrothal, and that the actual marriage never took place. The best authors, however, are of the contrary opinion: and the strongest evidence is afforded by the language of Warwick's own henchman, John Rous, who distinctly terms the Prince "_primus maritus prenobilissimae Dominae Annae_."

ISSUE OF EDMUND EARL OF RICHMOND:--

King HENRY VII., surnamed _Le Doyen des Rois_: born at Pembroke Castle, July 26th, 1456: died of gout, at Richmond, Apr. 22nd, 1509; buried at Westminster. An interesting portrait of Henry VII. is drawn for us by Humphrey Brereton, who on arriving at

"Beggrames Abbey in Little Britain,
Whereas the English Prince did lie,"

was obliged to inquire of the porter how he was to recognise the Earl of Richmond, to whom he brought letters and money from the Princess Elizabeth.

"He weareth a gown of velvet black,
And it is cutted above the knee,
With a long visage and pale and black--
Thereby know that Prince may ye:
A wart he hath (the porter said),
A little alsoe above the chinn,
His face is white, his wart is redd,
No more than the head of a small pinn."

King Henry VII. married--

Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Edward IV. [See next section.]