The Wars of the Roses; or, Stories of the Struggle of York and LancasterEdgar, John G. (John George)
History
The Wars of the Roses; or, Stories of the Struggle of York and Lancaster
Edgar, John G. (John George)
Great Britain -- History -- Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485
At this point mystery again settles over Exeter's history. It appears,
however, that the ill-fated duke escaped to the Continent, and that the
duchess seized the opportunity to break the last link that bound her
to a husband so unfortunate. In November, 1472, nearly two years after
the battle of Barnet, the Plantagenet lady, at her own suit, procured
a divorce, and soon after married Sir Thomas St. Leger, Knight of the
Body to King Edward. The duchess survived this event for three years.
According to Sandford, she breathed her last in 1475; and "St. Leger
surviving her," says Dugdale, "in 21 Edward IV. founded a perpetual
chantry of two priests to celebrate divine service daily within the
Chapel of St. George in Windsor Castle." Exeter's only daughter, who
had been betrothed to the Marquis of Dorset, died before her mother,
and Elizabeth Woodville secured the heiress of Bonville as bride for
her son.
Meanwhile the plight of Exeter became deplorable, and in Flanders he
was reduced to absolute beggary. Comines relates that, on one occasion,
he saw the impoverished magnate running after the Duke of Burgundy, and
begging bread for GOD'S sake. In the hapless mendicant, in rags and
misery, Burgundy did not recognize the once proud chief of the house
of Holland--his cousin by blood and his brother-in-law by marriage.
On being afterward informed, however, that the ragged mendicant was
the banished Duke of Exeter, great-grandson of John of Gaunt, the king
of Portugal's kinsman and his own, and formerly Lord High Admiral of
England, owner of broad baronies, and husband of Anne Plantagenet,
Charles the Rash was touched, and induced to bestow on Exeter a pension
to save him from farther degradation.
Dugdale presumes that this scene occurred "after Barnet Field;" and,
if so, Burgundy's bounty was not long enjoyed by the unfortunate
recipient. Sometime in 1474 Exeter's earthly troubles ended. His body
was found floating in the sea between Dover and Calais, but how he came
by his death was never ascertained.
"In this year," says Fabyan, "was the Duke of Exeter found dead in the
sea, between Dover and Calais, but how he was drowned the certainty is
not known."
CHAPTER XXXVII.
LOUIS DE BRUGES AT WINDSOR.
In the autumn of 1472, while Oxford was being secured in the Castle of
Hammes, and Edward was striving to get Pembroke and Richmond into his
power, a guest, whom the king delighted to honor, appeared in England.
This was Louis de Bruges, who had proved so true a friend in the hour
of need; and right glad was Edward of York to welcome the Lord of
Grauthuse to the regal castle which still stands, in the nineteenth
century, a monument of the Plantagenets' pride in peace and prowess in
war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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