London. It is known that, John Lord Howard, one of the bravest and best accomplished Knights of his time, was the personal friend of the bloody Richard, and in the end, laid down his life for his pefidious master, upon the blood-stained field of Bosworth. The particulars attending this last event, are worthy of record here. On the 22d day of August, 1485, the memorable battle of Bosworth, which restored the Lancasterian branch to the throne, was fought. On that day, the Duke of Norfolk-for Richard soon bestowed that title upon his loving subject-led the van of Yorkists, and found himself opposed in arms to his second cousin John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who had espoused the opposite cause, and whose mother was of the Howard family. The shock of the contending parties under the leadership of these powerful men was dreadful, and to crown all, in the melee, Oxford, and Howard, found themselves at swords' point with each other. True to the cause which they had severally adopted, they entered upon combat, and after breaking their spears in the assault, drew their swords, and continued the personal engagement with great impetuosity. It is recorded, that the first blow with the last named weapon was struck by Norfolk, which glancing from the helmet of Oxford, wounded his left arm and shoulder. This advantage was returned by Oxford, who, with the spirit and strength of a lion, cut the beaver from the helmet of his adversary, and left his face exposed to any future attack. Here, however, the chivalrous feeling of Oxford, would not allow him to take advantage of Norfolk's unequal position, and he retired a few paces from his adversary in order to parley. But the hand of fate had marked the moment of Norfolk's end, and upon the very instant of Oxford retiring, an arrow struck the defenceless head of the former, and penetrating to the brain, he expired upon the spot. 66 A braver Knight there did not fall, Than Howard in red Bosworth's brawl. A better man, a closer friend, God, upon earth did never send. Though John, to York's foul cause did stick, And fouled his hand for Bloody Dick." These lines are a portion of a contemporary tribute to his memory, which, still extant, speaks of his virtues highly, and his errors lightly. As a proof how much the adhesion of the Duke of Norfolk to the bad cause of Richard, was the subject of regret among the opposite party, the old lines. "Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold, For Dickon, thy master, is bought and sold," May be quoted, as shewing the prevalent wish to dissuade him from joining in the battle, and the desire to acquaint him with the fact, that Richard was a man upon whose stability no dependence could be placed. Most writers of the period make him a favourite of the hunch-back, tyrant; and Shakspeare, in his play of Richard III, places him in a prominent position with the Monarch, upon many occasions. In the last act of that drama, we find the following: "Richard. Here pitch our tent, even here, in Bosworth field. My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad? Surrey. My heart is ten times lighter than my looks. Norfolk. Here, most gracious liege. Richard. Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we not? Richard. Up with my tent; here will I lie to night." Again, in the Tent scene ; "Richard. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; use careful words; choose trusty sentinels. Norfolk. I go, my Lord. Richard. Stir with the lark, to morrow, gentle Norfolk. We also find that Norfolk is the nobleman upon whom reli- Various other passages from the same play, may also be gleaned, shewing the close connection of Norfolk with Richard III., and the great dependence placed upon him during the progress of the eventful struggle of the two Houses of York and Lancaster. The Duke was interred in the Abbey of Thetford; his possessions were attainted, as well as his son Thomas, Earl of Surrey; and Framlingham Castle, with Peasen hall, Hacheston, Trimley, Kelsale, and Ives Hundred, were bestowed upon the Earl of Oxford. The brave Surrey, who made himself as conspicuous in the cause of Richard as his father, after being subjected to five years persecution, was at length restored to his titles and lands, by the Monarch against whom he fought-Henry V11. The eldest daughter of Surrey, whose father immediately after the battle of Flodden, was made Duke of Norfolk, marrying Sir Thomas Bullen or Boleyn, became the mother of that peerless rose of the English Court, Anna Boleyn, who fell a sacrifice to the demoniac passions of Henry VIII. Such was the necessity of adhering to state policy, during the proceedings instituted against the unfortunate victim, that her uncle, the succeeding Duke to her father in the Norfolk title, was under the necessity of presiding at her trial, in performance of his duty, as Lord High Steward of England. The mockery of Justice during the enquiry-the wicked farce of annulling the marriage contract performed by Archbishop Cranmer, and the hurried execution furnish a picture of the times, and the relentless and uncharitable character of the King, which no other era or Sovereign can parallel. Thomas Howard, third Duke of Norfolk, was of a noble character. By the instigation of Cardinal Wolsey, he was sent to subdue a rebellion which was raging in Ireland, on purpose to avoid the natural opposition which might be expected from him in accomplishing the ruin of the Duke of Buckingham, whose daughter he had married. The tables, however, were soon turned upon the "poor butcher's, sone of Ipswiche," for upon the fall of the overgrown favourite, the Duke, with Charles Brandon, were appointed to wait on Wolsey, and take the great seal out of his custody. Whether it be that Norfolk rendered any other important services of the same nature to Henry we know not; but it is certain, that upon the breaking up of the College, founded by the Cardinal at Ipswich, one of the monasteries bestowed by the King for its support-that of Felixtowe --was granted in free gift to Norfolk and his heirs for ever. Howard, blinded by the brilliancy of a throne, and reaping no wisdom from the fate of Anna Boleyn, permitted the crowned monster, Henry, to feast his eyes upon the person of his neice Catherine. To obtain her advancement in the favour of the King, the repudiation of Ann of Cleves, was looked upon with complacency, and Thomas Cromwell, one of the best and most unshaken friends that Henry ever bound to his side, was sacraficed with impunity, because he attempted to stem the torrent of lust and murder on which the Monarch seemed disposed to ride. Retribution, however, fell on the head of the Duke with a heavy hand. The elevation of Catharine Howard, to the dignity of Queen was short, and like her predecessor and relative, Anna Boleyn, she felt that sharp medicine for all ills-the axe. The fury of the King also fell upon the Duke and his family. The Earl of Surrey fell a victim to the King's displeasure, and the Duke his father, was saved only by the intervention of the death of Henry-the warrant for his execution having been signed; but those to whom it was directed avoided putting it in execution, not wishing to stain the first moment of the new reign with an event of blood. Here we must pause, for the Earl of Surrey now mentioned is he of the "glowing line"-the poet who touched thousands of hearts with tender sentiments-the elegant-the brave-the delicate-the virtuous-the noble Surrey. Too manly and open to stoop to the performance of the meannesses of a wicked Court, he soon became a mark at which enmity, malevolence and detraction shot their arrows, The mind of Henry was excited against him, but so free from serious fault was his life, though likely to be betrayed into some inconsiderate act by the liveliness of his disposition, that his enemies were obliged to resort to a fictitious charge in order to compass his death. He was charged with high treason in bearing the arms of the Confessor in conjunction with his own quarterings, although he held the right from the circumstance of Edward the Confessor having granted permission to several of the Barons, who were descended from royal blood to bear his heraldic shield. Out of this were construed certain offences affecting his fidelity to the King. He denied the truth of the charges, and desired to be brought to public trial, claiming to prove the baseness of the accusation by combating his accuser in his shirt. A trial was at length granted him. One of the arraignments against Surrey, was, that he had traitorously and openly caused the arms of the King, with three silver labels, to be painted in conjunction with his own proper arms, thereby intending to repress, destroy, annihilate, and scandalize the true and undoubted title of the now King to the crown of England. Bess Holland, a woman of notoriously loose and immoral character deposed against him. Although Surrey defended himself with consummate skill and great eloquence, he was found guilty, and eight days after his conviction, he was deprived of life, by being beheaded. Thus perished the celebrated Earl of Surrey, in the thirtieth year of his age. Genius-bravery, the accomplishments of a true Knight, availed him not, in an age when talent and worth were as dust in the balance of a monarch's whims and caprices. How many noble natures have perished thus. Surrey, Raleigh, Sydney, Russell, each paid the forfeit of existence-not for their crimes, but the possession of talent, daring and virtue. Kingly tyranny, or party malevolence, happily, however, cannot dim their bright names, or cloud their memories. Their virtues and their prowess, speak from the grave, and animate succeeding generations of men, to imitate their examples. How true is the application of the glowing words: "Oh Time! the beautifier of the dead, And only healer when the heart has bled; Ꭰ |