MARGARET BEAUFORT AND WIMBORNE MINSTER. 223 



her efforts to gain the release of her son, Lady Margaret at last 

 consented to countenance measures for obtaining by force of 

 arms the justice to which he was entitled. A secret compact 

 was entered into by the Duke of Buckingham, the Bishop of Ely, 

 and the Lady Margaret for the escape of the Earl of Richmond 

 from France on the understanding that he would marry the 

 Princess Elizabeth of York, daughter of the late King 

 Edward IV. ; and, after many vicissitudes and misfortunes, 

 the Earl of Richmond in August, 14.85, landed in England 

 with French troops, and on the 22nd of that month the Battle 

 of Bosworth was fought, in which King Richard was killed, and 

 the Earl of Richmond was proclaimed King Henry VII. on the 

 battlefield, and was soon after restored to his mother after a 

 separation of 14 years, and was married to the Princess 

 Elizabeth about a year afterwards. By this union the two 

 Houses of York and Lancaster were united, and the unhappy 

 Wars of the Roses came to an end. 



The Countess of Richmond seems to have retired from all 

 matters connected with public life after this time, and to have 

 devoted herself entirely to literary pursuits. She died in 1509 

 in the 6gth year of her age, having survived her son by three 

 months. 



About the time that Lady Margaret erected this tomb she 

 founded the Chantry, wherein she ordained Mass to be daily 

 celebrated for the souls of herself, her son Henry VII., and her 

 parents. She also founded a Free School at Wimborne, and 

 procured Letters Patent from her son for its endowment, 

 bequeathing an annual stipend to a priest to teach grammar 

 free to all who should demand it according to the customs of 

 the schools of Eton and Winchester, enjoining the residence of 

 the Chaplain in a house set apart for that purpose and forbid- 

 ding all perquisites from the scholars, or any fees, but such as 

 were derived from the endowment. 



The foundation of the school was afterwards considerably 

 enlarged and benefited by her great granddaughter Queen 

 Elizabeth. 



