1 10 HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 



of his own mind, presently cast the die ; and the in 

 conveniences appearing unto him on all parts, and 

 knowing there could not be any interreign, or 

 suspension of title, and preferring his affection to 

 his own line and blood, and liking that title best 

 which made him independent ; and being in his 

 nature and constitution of mind not very apprehen 

 sive or forecasting of future events &quot;afar off, but an 

 entertainer of fortune by the day ; resolved to rest 

 upon the title of Lancaster as the main, and to use 

 the other two, that of marriage, and that of battle, 

 but as supporters, the one to appease secret discon 

 tents, and the other to beat down open murmur and 

 dispute : not forgetting that the same title of Lan 

 caster had formerly maintained a possession of three 

 descents in the crown ; and might have proved a 

 perpetuity, had it not ended in the weakness and 

 inability of the last prince. Whereupon the king 

 presently that very day, being the two and twen 

 tieth of August, assumed the style of king in his own 

 name, without mention of the lady Elizabeth at all, 

 or any relation thereunto. In which course he ever 

 after persisted : which did spin him a thread of many 

 seditions and troubles. The king, full of these 

 thoughts, before his departure from Leicester, dis 

 patched Sir Robert Willoughby to the castle of 

 Sheriff Button, in Yorkshire, where were kept in 

 safe custody, by King Richard s commandment, both 

 the lady Elizabeth, daughter of King Edward, and 

 Edward Plantagenet, son and heir to George, duke 

 of Clarence. This Edward was by the king s war- 



