a difguife, was apprehended and fent to London on horseback, with his legs tied to the stirrups, and committed to the Tower.

Edward's forces were defeated in 1469; after this, Edward was taken prisoner, and carried to Warwick Caftle, but he made his escape. The next year a great battle was fought, wherein Edward came off victo. rious. After this he was forced to fly beyond fea: his Queen Elizabeth ftole out of the Tower, and took fanctuary in Westminster, where she was delivered of a son, named Edward.

Henry was brought out of prison, where he had been almoft nine years; a parliament was called, by which Edward was declared a traitor, and his adherents guilty of hightreafon. The crown was fettled on Henry and the heirs of his body: but Edward returned with his army, marched to London, and the gates were fet open to him: then Henry became his prifoner again. A twelfth

battle

battle was foon fought on Eafler-Day, wherein ten thousand men are faid to have been flain; and not long afterwards, the laft battle was fought at Tewksbury, which left Edward in full poffeffion of the crown. Henry and his fon were both murdered.*

Edward died twelve years afterwards. He had by his queen, two fons, Edward his fucceffor, and Richard, Duke of York, and five daughters. Elizabeth, the eldeft, married with Henry VII.

Edward V. fucceeded his father in 1483, being about twelve years old. He reigned but three months; for his wicked uncle, Richard III. instead of protecting the Crown,

**

Happy had it been for Henry, had he followed the. example of Winceflaus, a Chriftian Duke of Bohemia, in the tenth century, who, when leading his army, out against Radillaus, (an infolent prince of Gurima) thought it an unjult thing to hazard the lives of fo many innocent men; and therefore agreed to attack Radiflaus himself in the fight of both armies, by which means he completed the victory.

Crown, made bold to invade it; and caufed his nephews, Edward V. and his brother Richard to be ftifled in their beds in the Tower.

Henry, Earl of Richmond, the next heir to the House of Lancaster, came from France with an army, and fought King Richard, and killed him in the field of battle, near Bofworth in Leicestershire.

CHAP.

CHAP. VI.

From the Death of Richard III. to the Reformation, including 51 Years.

IN

N the year 1485, Henry VII. fucceeded the ufurper, Richard III. Henry's claim to the crown was juft, he being of the House of Lancaster, by his mother's fide, Margaret, Countefs of Richmond, who was daughter and heir to John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, son of John, Earl of Somerset, fon of John Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the fourth fon of Edward III. His father was Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, defcended from Cadwallader, the last British king. This Henry VII. married with Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Edward IV. Thus the two houses of York and Lancaster became united together.

In this reign, the sweating fickness broke out, which carried off the young men in twenty

twenty-four hours. This king reigned twenty-four years, and left but one fon alive, Henry, his next fucceffor. He married Margaret, his eldest daughter, to James IV. king of Scotland, and the younger to Lewis XII. of France.

Henry VIII. heir to both Houses of York and Lancaster, fucceeded his father, A. D. 1509, being about eighteen years of age.

In the beginning of his reign, Luther began to dispute against Popery: afterwards he wrote to the perfecuted Waldenses in the kingdom of Bohemia, which borders on Germany.

In the note of a late divine on the words from the third to the tenth verfe of the eleventh chapter of the Revelation, are these words, “ It is added, that they should "be flain by the beast; and certainly this "must point out the cruel persecutions