HISTORY OF KING HENRY VII. 287 



King Richard, John Dighton and Miles Forrest his 

 servants, the two butchers or tormentors, and the 

 priest of the Tower that huried them. Of which 

 four, Miles Forrest and the priest were dead, and 

 there remained alive only Sir James Tirrel and John 

 Dighton. These two the king caused to be com 

 mitted to the Tower, and examined touching the 

 manner of the death of the two innocent princes. 

 They agreed both in a tale, as the king gave out to 

 this effect : That King Richard having directed his 

 warrant for the putting of them to death to Brack- 

 enbury, the lieutenant of the Tower, was by him 

 refused. Whereupon the king directed his warrant 

 to Sir James Tirrel, to receive the keys of the Tower 

 from the lieutenant, for the space of a night, for the 

 king s special service. That Sir James Tirrel ac 

 cordingly repaired to the Tower by night, attended 

 by his two servants afore-named, whom he had 

 chosen for that purpose. That himself stood at the 

 stair foot, and sent these two villains to execute the 

 murder. That they smothered them in their bed ; 

 and, that done, called up their master to see their 

 naked dead bodies, which they had laid forth. That 

 they were buried under the stairs, and some stones 

 cast upon them. That when the report was made 

 to King Richard, that his will was done, he gave Sir 

 James Tirrel great thanks, but took exception to 

 the place of their burial, being too base for them that 

 were king s children. Whereupon, another night, 

 by the king s warrant renewed, their bodies were 

 removed by the priest of the Tower, and buried by 



