Late Medieval Books, Chronicle of Jean Molinet
Chronicle of Jean Molinet is in Late Medieval Books.
1464 Marriage of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville
1478 Execution of George Duke of Clarence
1483 Dinner and Arrest of the Woodville Affinity
Late Medieval Books, Chronicle of Jean Molinet Chapter 94
[25 Mar 1483]. On the following Thursday, King Edward of England set off on a pilgrimage, as was his custom to hold court sessions; he became overheated and attempted to cool himself with a salad; he cooled off so much that he passed away on the fourth day after Easter.
Le jeudi absolu ensuivant, le roy Edouard d'Angleterre s'en alla faire un pélerinage, comme il avoit de coustume pour tenir les aveaux; il fut altéré de chaleur, et se cuida rafreschir d'une salade; et se refroidi tellement qu'il termina le quatrième jour après Pasques.
[01 May 1464]. He was Duke of York before his coronation, a very elegant figure, tall and upright; he married a widow named Elizabeth, a somewhat noble woman of a coutier, and took her out of desire; they had two sons and two daughters. The first son was Prince of Wales, named Edward, the other was called George [Richard]; one was fourteen years old, the other twelve years old; and they were very well instructed in the liberal arts. One of the daughters was named Catherine, the other Elizabeth, who later married the Earl of Ricmond, King Henry of England the seventh of that name.
Il estoit duc d'Yorck avant sa coronation, très élégant personnage, hault et droit; il espousa une veufve nommée Elisabeth, à demi noble femme d'un pensionnaire, et la prinst par concupiscence; il en eut deux fils et deux filles. Le premier fils fut prince de Galles, nommé Edouard, l'aultre se nommoit George; l'un avoit quatorze ans, l'aultre douze ans; et furent fort bien instruits ès arts libéraux. L'une des filles fut nommée Catherine, l'autre Elisabeth, qui depuis fut mariée au comte de Ricemont, roy Henri d'Angleterre septième de ce nom.
The said King Edward reigned for some time while King Henry the sixth of that name was a prisoner in the Tower of London, where he performed some miracles; and it was noted that Edward, along with his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, had imprisoned King Henry, who had been there for twenty years. The said Edward was ousted from his kingdom by the Earl of Warwick; he arrived at Sluys and pleaded his case to Duke Charles, his brother-in-law, who had married Lady Margaret, his sister. Duke Charles welcomed him and provided him with men and money, so much so that through the force of arms and with the help of some of his supporters in England, he reconquered his kingdom in less than eleven weeks. He defeated the Earl of Wervick, in battle, on Easter Day, and held him prisoner, and a few days later had his head cut off.
Ledit roy Edouard régna par aulcun temps que le roy Henri sixième de ce nom estoit prisonnier en la tour de Londres, où il fit aulcuns miracles; et fut celui Edouard noté, lui et son frère Richard , duc de Glocestre, d'avoir mis le roy Henri en prison, où il avoit esté l'espace de vingt ans. Ledit Edouard fut débouté de son royaulme par le comte de Wervick; il arriva à l'Ecluse, et fit ses doléances au duc Charles, son beau-frère, qui avoit espousé madame Marguerite sa sœur. Le duc Charles le recueillit et le furnit de gens et d'argent, tellement que par force d'armes et le moyen d'aulcuns ses adhérens en Angleterre, il reconquist son royaulme en moins de onze sepmaines. Il vaincquist le comte de Wervick, en bataille, le jour de Pasques, et le retint prisonnier, et peu de jours après lui fit trancher la teste. Il vaincquist le comte de Wervick, en bataille, le jour de Pasques, et le retint prisonnier, et peu de jours après lui fit trancher la teste.
[18 Feb 1478]. His brother, the Duke of Clarence (age 28), rebelled against his mother-in-law, and was defeated by trial, and sentenced to die, except by the grace of this king who would not grant him any other mercy, except to choose his preferred method of death; he prayed to die by drowning in a butt2 of Malvasia wine, and so it happened.
Son frère, le duc de Clarence, querella contre sa marastre, et fut vaincu par procès, et jugé à mourir, saulf la grâce d'icelui roy qui ne lui voulut faire aullre miséricorde, sinon de choisir telle mort qu'il lui plairoit; et pria qu'il peut mourir en une pippe plaine de malvoisie, et ainsi en advint.
Note 1. "marastre". Typically step-mother, or bad-mother. In this context this appears to refer to his mother-in-law Anne Neville who had been declared legally dead so that George could enjoy the benfit of the estates and wealth of the Earldom of Warwick.
Note 2. A French "pipe" or is an English "butt", which holds 108 gallons, around, 500 litres, half a Tun. Typicially around 125cm aka 4ft high.
He [King Edward IV] ruled powerfully, magnificently, and with great wealth; he went to Calais to invade France with a large army, as mentioned earlier, then ended his days as aforementioned; and entrusted his two sons to the care of his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, the elder of whom was the Prince of Wales, hoping that he would have him crowned, but he treated them both quite miserably, as will be revealed later.
régna puissamment, magnifiquement et plein de grandes richesses; il descendit à Calais pour soi fourrer en France à grande armée, comme il est récité cy-dessus, puis finit ses jours comme dit est; et recommanda ses deux enfans masles au duc de Glocestre, son frère, souverainement l'aisné, qui estoit prince de Galles, espérant qu'il le feroit couronner, mais il les traita l'un et l'autre assez pitoyablement, comme il apperra cyprès.
Late Medieval Books, Chronicle of Jean Molinet Chapter 100
The extinction of the two sons of King Edward of England, and the coronation of King Richard
L'extinction des deux fils du roy Édouard d'Angleterre, et le couronnement de roy Richard.
King Edward of England, the fourth of that name, recommended, before his passing, his two sons, Edward and George, to his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, so that Edward, the Prince of Wales, his eldest son, aged fourteen, would succeed to the throne as his true heir. His brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, promised to do his best, and remained regent, taking his two nephews into his guardianship. He, pretending to want to fight and invade the French, assembled a great deal of money and a sufficient army to do so, and arrived in London on the night of St. John the Baptist; and from then on, he began to rise in pride; he became a half-tyrant.
Le roy Édouard d'Angleterre, quatrième de ce nom, recommanda, avant son trespas, ses deux fils, Edouard et Georges à son frère Richard, duc de Glocestre, afin que Édouard, prince de Galles, son fils ainé, eagé de quatorze ans, succédast à la couronne, comme son vrai héritier. Sondit frère Richard, duc de Glocestre, proumit de faire son possible, et demoura régent, et print en sa tutelle les deux enfans ses nepveux. Icelui, faindant vouloir debeller et envahir les François, assembla grande pécune et suffisante armée pour ce faire, et arriva à Londres la nuict Sainct-Jehan-Baptiste; et commença dès lors à monter en orgueil; si devint à demityran.
[01 May 1483]. The Queen of England, recognizing the audacity of his courage, withdrew and took her children to a safe place called Westminster, so that the said Gloucester would not harm them. However, those from Wales, the princes of the blood, and relatives of King Edward, endeavored to crown the Prince of Wales, and headed towards London to do so; and the Duke of Gloucester at one point pretended to be joyful about this coronation, and at another time held completely opposite views; and he put so many obstacles in the way that the matter failed. He found a way, through some accusations, to dispatch the Lord Scales (age 26)1, nephew of the said children, and Lord Rivers (age 43), along with Thomas Vaughan (age 73); 
La reine d'Angleterre cognoissant la protervie de son courage, se tira arrière et emmena ses enfans en une place franche nommée Vastremoustre (Westminster), afin que ledit de Glocestre ne leur fit quelque moleste. Néautuioins ceulx de Galles, les princes du sang et parenté du roy Edouard se mirent en peine de couronner le prince de Galles, et tirèrent vers Londres pour ce faire; et ledit duc de Glocestre l'une fois se faindoit estre joyeux de ce couronnement, l'aultre fois tenoit terme tout au contraire; et y mit tant d'entraves, que la chose suschey. Il trouva façon par aulcunes accusations de soi despescher du seigneur d'Escales nepveu desdits enfans, et seigneur de la Rivière, ensemble de Thomas Vayant;
Note 1. The Chronicler her appears to confuse Richard Grey (age 26) with Lord Scales i.e. Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers (age 43), who was also known as Lord Scales since his wife was Elizabeth de Scales, 8th Baroness Scales.
... then he had the said prince, his nephew, sent to the Tower of London. And because it seemed that he could not accomplish anything of value unless he had the second son of his nephew, aged twelve, in order to quell the dispute, he had him summoned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, uncle of the said children, who told the widowed mother of King Edward that her son George [Richard] should come hastily to the coronation of his brother; he would then see the honors that would be bestowed there in order to always learn. The queen, fully aware of her brother-in-law's deceptions, greatly mistrusted him; nevertheless, she confided in the said archbishop.
... puis fit bouter ledit prince son nepveu en la tour de Londres. Et pour ce qu'il sembloit qu'il ne povoit faire chose de valeur, s'il n'avoit le second fils son nepveu, eagé de douze ans, afin de anéantir la querelle, il le fit mander par l'arcevesque de Cautorbie, oncle desdits enfans, lequel dit à la mère vefve du roi Edouard, que son fils Georges vint hastivement au couronnement de son frère; si verroit les honneurs qui se feroient illecq afin de tousjours apprendre. La reine, toute apprinse des déceptions de son beau-frère, l'accordoit fort enuis; nonobstant elle se confioit audit arcevesque.
[Aug 1483]. The second son of King Edward, named George [Richard] (age 9), as previously mentioned, was brought and placed in the Tower of London with his elder brother; the Duke Richard had them given a state which greatly diminished. The elder son was simple and very melancholic, somewhat aware of the wickedness of his uncle, and the second son was very joyful and witty, evident and quick in dances and amusements, and said to his brother, wearing the Order of the Garter: 'My brother, learn to dance.' And his brother replied: 'It would be better for you and me to learn to die, for I believe we will not be in this world for much longer.' They were imprisoned for about five weeks; and by the captain of the tower, the Duke Richard secretly had them put to death and eliminated.
Some say he had them thrown into a great pit, and enclosed there without food or drink. Others say they were extinguished between two cushions, lying in the same room. And when it came to the execution, Edward, the elder son, was asleep, and the younger was awake, who perceived the malice, for he began to say: 'Oh, my brother, wake up, for they come to kill you!' Then he said to the apparitors, 'Why do you kill my brother? Kill me and let him live!' Thus one after the other were executed and extinguished, and the bodies thrown into some secret place; then they were collected, and after the death of King Richard, they were given royal obsequies.
Le second fils du roi Edouard, nommé Georges, comme dit est, frit rendu et bouté en la tour de Londres avecq son frère aisné; le duc Richard leur fit donner estât qui fort diminua. L'aisné fils estoit simple et fort mélancolieux, cognoissant aulcunement la mauvaisetié de son oncle, et le second fils estoit fort joyeux et spirituel, appert et prompt aux danses et aux esbats, et disoit à son frère, portant l'ordre de la Jarretière: "Mon frère, apprenez à danser."Et son frère lui répondit: "Il vauldroit mieux que vouset moi apprinsions à mourir, car je cuide bien sçavoir que guaires de temps ne serons au monde." Ils furent environ cinq sepmaines prisonniers; et par le capitaine de la tour, le duc Richard les fit occultement mourir et estaindre.
Aulcuns disent qu'il les fit bouter en une grande huge, et enclorre illec sans boire et sans manger. Aultres disent qu'ils furent estains entre deux quieutes, couchants en une mesme chambre. Et quant vint à l'exécution, Pierre , l'aisné fils, dormoit, et le jeune veilloit, lequel s'appercutdo malice, car il commença à dire: "Ha, mon frère, esveillez-vous, car l'on vous vient occir! Puis disoit aux appariteurs, Pourquoi tuez-vous mon frère? tuez-moi et le laissez vivre! Ainsi doncques l'un après l'autre furent exécutés et estaincts, et les corps rués en quelque lieu secret; puis furent recueillis, et après la mort du roy Richard eurent royaux obsecques.
[13 Jun 1483]. That same day arrived at the Tower of London, the Duke of Buckingham (age 28), who was accused of having extinguished and killed the said children, because he claimed to have a right to the crown; and the Lord of Hastings (age 52), the Great Chamberlain of England, captain of Calais, and guardian of the said children, had his head severed on a block, as he was suspected of intending to betray the king in the said tower. The king inhumanely caused the Lord of Saint-Bove1 to die, to whom he had his genitals cut off, his heart and entrails pulled from his body, and had them burned in a pan full of fire before him; and he was asked if he wanted to drink, and he replied: 'If I drink, who will receive it?'2
Ce mesme jour arriva en la tour de Londres, le duc de Boucquinghen, lequel fut mecreu d'avoir estainct et occis lesdits enfants, à cause qu'il prétendoit avoir droict à la couronne; et le seigneur de Hastingues, grand chambellan d'Angleterre, capitaine de Calais, et nourrisseur desdits enfants, eut la teste tranchée sur un blocq, car il fut suspicîonné à vouloir trahir le roy en ladite tour. Lequel roy fit mourir inhumainement le seigneur de Sainct-Bouve, auquel il fit copper les gènitoires, tirer le cœur et les entrailles de son corps, et les fit brusler en une payelle plaine de feu devant lui; et il lui fut demandé s'il vouloit boire, et il répondit: "si je bois qui le recepvra!"
Note 1. Possibly Thomas St Leger (age 43) who was executed in November 1483 for his part in Buckingham's rebellion.
Note 2. A reference to his no longer having a stomach.
He brought to court the elder daughter [Elizabeth] of his brother, King Edward, a young girl and exceedingly beautiful; and there was news of marrying her to the Dauphin of France. He promised her that she would be close to his wife, the queen: he impregnated her and had a child with her. He was accused and declared by the church portals to have caused the death of his wife, the queen, because she was pregnant, and to have deflowered his niece; and to disguise the murder of his two nephews and cover his deed, he brought his mother before the full council of England, who admitted that of the three male children she had borne, only King Richard, her true legitimate son by the Duke of York, was among them, the others were children of the Friars Minors.
Il fit venir à la cour la fille aisnée de son frère, le roi Edouard, jeune fille et belle oultre mesure; et fut nouvelle de la marier au daulphin de France. Il lui promit qu'elle seroit prochaine de la reine sa femme: il l'engrossa et en eut enfant. Il fut accusé et déclaré par les portaux des églises avoir faict mourir la reine sa femme, pour ce qu'elle esfoit grosse, et d'avoir desfloré la petite fille sa niepce; et pour coulorer le meurtre de ses deux nepveux et couvrir son faict, il fit venir la mère en plein conseil d'Angleterre, laquelle cogneust que de trois enfants masles qu'elle avoit eus, n'y avoit que le roy Richard son vrai fils légitime du duc d'Yorck, elles anitres estoient enfants des frères-myneurs.
Because of the said murder of his two nephews, and for other enormous and execrable cases, the princes and nobles of England, especially those of the Church, rose up against him and unfurled the banner of Saint Gilbert, bishop; and several barons and knights who had assembled to go down to France, made efforts to find the bodies of the said children, who were born of royal blood. And after they were found, they were honorably buried in the church of the Dominicans in London; and this done, they entered the royal palace and made the Duke Richard a prisoner; but he spoke so sweetly and promised such beautiful gifts that he escaped from the hands of his enemies. Then afterwards, more by force than by love, he was crowned king of England by the princes of his faction, on the day of Saint Michael, in the year fourteen hundred and eighty-two [1483]. He ruled with great cruelty, plundering the churches.
A cause dudit meurtre de ses deux nepveux, et pour aultres enormes et execrables cas, les princes et nobles d'Angleterre, souverainement ceulx de l'église, s'élevèrent contre lui et desployèrent la bannière Sainct-Ghibert, évesque; et plusieurs barons et chevaliers qui s'estoient assemblés pour descendre en France, se mirent en payne de trouver les corps desdits enfants, estans procréés de sang royal. Et après qu'ils furent trouvés, furent honorablement ensepvelis en l'église des Prescheurs de Londres; et ce faict,entrèrent au palais royal et firent prisonnier le duc Richard; mais il parla tant doulcement et proumit tant de beaux dons, qu'il eschappa de la main de ses ennemis. Puis après, plus par force que par amour, fut par les princes de sa bande, couronné roi d'Angleterre, le jour de Saint-Michel, l'an mil quatre cents quatre-vingt et deux. Il régna en grande crudélité, expoliant les églises.