The subjects continued to be drawn in large measure from the Bible and from legends of the saints.  They served to instruct men in Scripture history, in an age when few could read.  The instruction was not, however, always taken to heart, as profane swearing was so common that an Englishman was called on the Continent by his favorite oath, which the French regarded as a sort of national name before that of “John Bull” came into use.

SEVENTH PERIOD[1]

“God’s most dreaded instrument,
 In working out a pure intent,
 Is man—­arrayed for mutual slaughter.” 
                        Wordsworth

The Self-Destruction of Feudalism

Baron against Baron

The Houses of Lancaster and York (1399-1485)

House of Lancaster (the Red Rose)       House of York (the White Rose)
Henry IV, 1399-1413                     Edward IV, 1461-1483
Henry V, 1413-1422                     +Edward V, 1483
Henry VI, 1422-1461                    Richard III, 1483-1485

[1] Reference Books on this Period will be found in the Classified List of Books in the Appendix.  The pronunciation of names will be found in the Index.  The Leading Dates stand unenclosed; all others are in parentheses. Henry VI, deposed 1461; reinstated for a short time in 1470. +Edward V, never crowned.

279.  Henry IV’s Accession.

Richard II left no children.  The nearest heir to the kingdom by right of birth was the boy Edmund Mortimer, a descendant of Richard’s uncle Lionel, Duke of Clarence.[2] Henry ignored Mortimer’s claim, and standing before Richard’s empty throne in Westminster Hall (S257), boldly demanded the crown for himself.[3]

[2] See Genealogical Table on page 140. [3] “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, I, Henry of Lancaster, challenge this realm of England and the Crown, with all the members and the appurtenances, as that I am descended by right line of blood, coming from the good King Henry III, and through that right that God of his grace hath sent me, with help of kin and of all my friends to recover it, the which realm was in point to be undone by default of government and undoing of the good laws.”

The nation had suffered so much from the misgovernment of those who had ruled during the minority of Richard, and later by Richard himself, that they wanted no more boy kings.  Parliament, therefore, set aside the direct line of descent and accepted Henry.  But the air was full of tumultuous passion.  The Lords were divided in their allegiance, some stood by the former King, others by the new one.  No loess than forty noblemen challenged each other to fight, and civil war seemed imminent.[1]

[1] J.F.  Bright’s “History of England,” I, 276.

280.  Conspiracy in favor of Richard.

The new King had hardly seated himself on the throne when a conspiracy was discovered, having for its object he release and restoration of Richard, still a prisoner in Pontefract Castle.  The plot was easily crushed.  A month later Richard was found dead (S257).