30 



knowledge, and over which everyone who brings a cutting has amazing 

 influence. It ia the business of the council, and of the president in 

 particular, to keep the ground in good order, and to promote as much 

 as possible the healthiness of the trees. As our garden of knowledge 

 has hitherto been gradually improving, so we may hope that it will 

 continue to flourish, and that every visit may become more and more 

 agreeable, both to those who contribute, and to those who only come to 

 smell our flowers and admire their beauty. 



A vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Dr. Inraan, for his 

 interesting inaugural address. 



The following communication from Richard Bkooke, Esq., F.S.A., 

 was then read by him in person : — 



A VISIT TO THE FIELD OF THE BATTLE OF BOSWORTH, 

 By EICHAKD BROOKE, Esq., F.S.A. 



On the 3rd of June, 1850, I visited the celebrated Field of the Battle 

 of Bosworth,* so called from its contiguity to the town of Market 

 Bosworth, in Leicestershire, which is in sight of, and little more than a 

 mile distant, from the Field. It is a locality of great interest from 

 being the place where Richard III., the last of the Plautagenet Kings," 

 lost his throne and life, on the 22nd of August, 1485, in battle; the 

 result of which placed his rival, Henry, Earl of Richmond,^ upon the 

 throne of England, by the title of Henry VII. 



' I also again visited it on the 22nd of Maj-, 1857. Its real name is Redmoor Plain, 

 so called from the colour of the soil. — " Hutton's Bosworth Field," Second Edition, by J. 

 Nichols, F.S.A., p. 68. 



* Richard III., the youngest sou of Richard, Duke of York, by Cecily, his wife, was 

 born at Fotheringay Castle, in Northamptonshire, on the 2Dd of October, 1452, and was 

 created Duke of Gloucester in 1461. He married Anne, daughter of Richard, Earl 

 of Warwick (the King Maker), and Widow of Edward, Prince of Wales, son of 

 Henry VI. His reign commenced on the 18th of June, he was proclaimed King on the 

 22nd of .Tune, was crowned on the 7th of July, 148.3, and was slain at t)ie Battle of Bos- 

 worth on the 22ud of August, 1485, bavinj^ raigued two years and two months. Queen 

 Anne died in the last year of his reign. He did not leave any issue, Edward, Prince of 

 Wales, his only child, by Queen Anne, having died before him. 



' Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, was the son of Edmund of Hadham, Earl of Rich- 

 mond, by his wife, Margaret, daughter of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, descended from 

 an illegitimate son of John of Gaunt, and was born at the Castle of Pembroke, about 1455. 

 His pretensions to the crown of England were founded upon his descent through the Beau- 

 forts, from John of Gaunt, fcurlh son of King Edward III. But nothing could be more wild 

 and contrary to the laws and constitution of England than such a claim, because he claimed 

 through his great grandfather, John Beaufort, Eail of Somerset, who was the son of John of 

 Gaunt, by Katharine Swinford, but born before their marriage; and although the issue were 

 declared legitimate for general purposes by a Charter of 20th Richard II. (which was con- 

 firmed by an Act of Parliament; see Rot. Pari. 20th Richard II., vol. 3, fo. 343, Sandford's 

 " Genealogical History," pp. 313, 314, Coke's Inst. vol. 4, p. 37, " Blackstone's Com." by 

 Stephens, 3rd Edit., vol. 2, p. 417), it coutaiued an express exception as to the royal dignities 



