43 



ago, a sword hilt upon the field of battle, which was afterwards given 

 to Mr. Stuart. 



There are also a few relics of the battle preserved in the public 

 museum at Leicester. 



Persons desirous of visiting the field of battle will find it expedient to 

 go from Atherstone to Shenton ; and soon after passing that village, 

 instead of pursuing the road to Market Bosworth, to turn off to the 

 right, by the road which leads from Shenton to Sutton Cheney, until 

 they arrive at a large farm on the left, called Sutton Field Farm, occu- 

 pied by Mr. Cooper, a considerable farmer. They should then turn off 

 to the light into a field road (which is passable in a carriage, but is not 

 a good one for that purpose, and, therefore, walking is preferable), which 

 ascends the northward side of Amyon Hill, frequently mentioned before, 

 and cross its summit, and on the slope of the hill, on its southward side, 

 is Amyon Hill Farm (which is upon the field of battle), and close to it, 

 in an adjoining field, is King Ilichard's Well. It is covered in with a 

 small pyramid built of rough stones, but is open on its south front, and 

 on the inner wall, opposite to the open part, is the following inscription, 

 cut in small Roman characters, from the pen of the reverend and 

 learned Dr. Parr : — 



AQVA EX HOC PVTEO HAVSTA 



SITIM SEDAVJT 



BICAEDVS TERTIVS REX ANGLIAE 



CVM HENRICO COMITE DE RICHMONDIA 



ACEEIIIME ATQVE INFENSISSIME PRAELIANS 



ET VITA PARITER AC SCEPTRO 



ANTE NOCTEM CARITVRV3 



XI KAL. SEPT. A.D. MCCCCLXXXV. 



The Battle of Bosworth is often called the last of the wars of York 

 and Lancaster. That is an error. The last battle in those wars, was 

 the Battle of Stoke, fought in 1487. 



It is a lamentable fact, that deeds of violence and bloodshed on a large 

 scale, did not cease in England with the death of the last Plantaganet 

 king. During the reign of the two first Tudor kings, the crimes and 

 offences disclosed by history, are so shocking as to make us amazed at 

 the wickedness and cruelty of man. 



Although the habits and characters of Richard III. and of Henry 

 VII. were widely different, each was sufficiently iniquitous in its 

 way, and it would be a task of great difficulty for any well-read 

 historian to decide which of those two men was the most wicked.-^ 



' Mr. nutton's contrast of their characters contains much truth — "But, were I 

 allowed to treat royalty witli plaitmoss, Richard was an accomplished rascal, and 

 Henry not one jot better." — Ilutton's " IJosworth Field," p. 73. 



