200 
and brought to Coventry, to grace the King’s triumphal march 
into London. 
With regard to the particulars I have given there is very 
little disagreement amongst the Chroniclers. 
The most difficult question for the historian to settle is 
“What became of the young Prince Edward ?” 
The commonly received account is, that he was taken 
prisoner by Sir Richard Crofts, and, on the King issuing a 
proclamation that the person who produced him would receive 
an annuity of £100, and that the Prince’s life would be spared, 
if he were yet alive, he was brought into the King’s presence. 
Then followed, we are told, the scene which Shakespeare has 
immortalized: the King haughtily inquired how he dared take 
up arms against his lawful sovereign ? and the young Prince as 
haughtily replied that he came to rescue a father from prison, 
and regain a crown which had been usurped. Whereupon the 
King struck him with his gauntlet, and Gloucester, Clarence, 
Dorset and Hastings hurried him from the royal presence and 
despatched him with their poignards. The deed is supposed to 
have been done in a house, since re-built, on the north side of 
High Street, near the Tolsey, now, or of late, occupied by Mr 
Webb, an ironmonger. 
There is certainly great doubt whether this story of the 
Prince’s assassination in the presence of the King is not alto- 
gether a fiction. 
Fabyan, who wrote in the time of Henry VII, describes the 
murder, but in no way inculpates Richard Duke of Gloucester. 
Polydore Vergil, who wrote in the next reign, is the first 
to tell the story as it has been commonly received. 
Of the contemporary Chroniclers Fleetwood’s “Chronicle ” 
says :—‘‘ In the wynnynge of the fielde such as abode hand- 
“stroks were slayne incontinent; Edward, called Prince, was 
“taken fleing to the townewards, and slayne in the fielde.” 
C.S., page 30. 
Warkworth says.—‘‘And ther was slayne in the felde 
“ Prynce Edward, whiche cryede for socoure to his brother-in- 
““lawe the Duke of Clarence.” 
