her, disguised as a kitchen maid, in one of his retainers’ houses in the City. The Croyland chronicler, who gives the only account of these events, tells us that ‘the craftiness of the Duke of Gloucester so far prevailed that he discovered the young lady’ and had her removed to the sanctuary at the church of St Martin-le-Grand. She had to spend several months there.
Richard’s more imaginative biographers infer that he looked on Anne as a childhood sweetheart. Sir Clements Markham claims, characteristically, ‘Richard III was the only one of our kings who made a true love match. His cousin Anne, the playmate of his childhood, was his first love.’ There is no evidence about how he regarded her, or even to indicate if their marriage was happy or unhappy. All we can say about Anne, apart from the fact that she was a great heiress, is that she was probably tubercular and that she had had some terrifying experiences. We know also that her ruthlessly determined suitor was virile enough and had already fathered at least two bastards – John of Gloucester and Katherine Plantagenet (though we do not know much about them, let alone the identity of their mother, or mothers). 1
Edward IV was naturally anxious to avoid a bitter quarrel between his formidable brothers. In the winter of 1471–2 he ordered them to discuss their differences before the Royal Council. The Croylandchronicler, who may well have been present, says that even the lawyers there were astonished by the acuteness of Richard’s and George’s arguments and their ability to find precedents; he adds that the three brothers were so gifted that if only they could have remained loyal to each other, they would have been invincible. The Council withheld judgement.
Clarence would not give way. In mid-February 1472 Sir John Paston writes that
Yesterday the King, the Queen, My Lords of Clarence and Gloucester went to Sheen to pardon [i.e., to Confession], men say not in all charity; what will fall men cannot say. The King entreateth My Lord of Clarence for My Lord of Gloucester and, as it is said, he answereth that he may well have My Lady his sister-in-law, but they shall part no livelihood, as he saith. So what will fall cannot I say.
So forceful and subtle a young man as Richard immediately seized the opportunity which George, perhaps in a fit of anger, had given him. He married Anne quickly. The wedding took place at Westminster, either at the end of February or in March 1472. Such was his haste that he did not wait for the Papal dispensation necessary for him to marry a cousin, though he negotiated a shrewd marriage settlement which gave him his wife’s lands should the marriage be annulled on grounds of consanguinity. He took Anne home to Middleham, which had by now become a favourite residence, and continued to bargain. He was clever enough to see that in the end Edward would have to decide the terms. He also knew that he must not show himself to be too greedy, like Clarence.
There were more quarrels between the two brothers, especially in the late autumn of 1472. But nothing was decided. The unfortunate dowager Countess of Warwick – whose late husband’s titles had now been appropriated by George – petitioned Parliament from her sanctuary at Beaulieu, asking for her lands to be returned to her. She wrote in her own hand, ‘in the absence of clerks’, not only to the King but to the Queen, to the Duchess of York and to many other royal and noble ladies. The poor woman also complained about the Abbot of Beaulieu’s ‘guard or strait keeping of her person, which was and isto her heart’s grievance’. The following year she was lured out of Beaulieu and, escorted by one of Richard’s men – Sir James Tyrell, of whom more will be heard – was taken north to Middleham. Rous says she went hoping to find refuge with her son-in-law, but that he kept her a virtual prisoner for as long as she lived. It is likely that he thought she really might
Richard’s more imaginative biographers infer that he looked on Anne as a childhood sweetheart. Sir Clements Markham claims, characteristically, ‘Richard III was the only one of our kings who made a true love match. His cousin Anne, the playmate of his childhood, was his first love.’ There is no evidence about how he regarded her, or even to indicate if their marriage was happy or unhappy. All we can say about Anne, apart from the fact that she was a great heiress, is that she was probably tubercular and that she had had some terrifying experiences. We know also that her ruthlessly determined suitor was virile enough and had already fathered at least two bastards – John of Gloucester and Katherine Plantagenet (though we do not know much about them, let alone the identity of their mother, or mothers). 1
Edward IV was naturally anxious to avoid a bitter quarrel between his formidable brothers. In the winter of 1471–2 he ordered them to discuss their differences before the Royal Council. The Croylandchronicler, who may well have been present, says that even the lawyers there were astonished by the acuteness of Richard’s and George’s arguments and their ability to find precedents; he adds that the three brothers were so gifted that if only they could have remained loyal to each other, they would have been invincible. The Council withheld judgement.
Clarence would not give way. In mid-February 1472 Sir John Paston writes that
Yesterday the King, the Queen, My Lords of Clarence and Gloucester went to Sheen to pardon [i.e., to Confession], men say not in all charity; what will fall men cannot say. The King entreateth My Lord of Clarence for My Lord of Gloucester and, as it is said, he answereth that he may well have My Lady his sister-in-law, but they shall part no livelihood, as he saith. So what will fall cannot I say.
So forceful and subtle a young man as Richard immediately seized the opportunity which George, perhaps in a fit of anger, had given him. He married Anne quickly. The wedding took place at Westminster, either at the end of February or in March 1472. Such was his haste that he did not wait for the Papal dispensation necessary for him to marry a cousin, though he negotiated a shrewd marriage settlement which gave him his wife’s lands should the marriage be annulled on grounds of consanguinity. He took Anne home to Middleham, which had by now become a favourite residence, and continued to bargain. He was clever enough to see that in the end Edward would have to decide the terms. He also knew that he must not show himself to be too greedy, like Clarence.
There were more quarrels between the two brothers, especially in the late autumn of 1472. But nothing was decided. The unfortunate dowager Countess of Warwick – whose late husband’s titles had now been appropriated by George – petitioned Parliament from her sanctuary at Beaulieu, asking for her lands to be returned to her. She wrote in her own hand, ‘in the absence of clerks’, not only to the King but to the Queen, to the Duchess of York and to many other royal and noble ladies. The poor woman also complained about the Abbot of Beaulieu’s ‘guard or strait keeping of her person, which was and isto her heart’s grievance’. The following year she was lured out of Beaulieu and, escorted by one of Richard’s men – Sir James Tyrell, of whom more will be heard – was taken north to Middleham. Rous says she went hoping to find refuge with her son-in-law, but that he kept her a virtual prisoner for as long as she lived. It is likely that he thought she really might
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