Ontario High School History of England . hpeople to the belief that it was absolutely necessary tohave a strong king, who could crush his enemies, and they were glad to see adespot over them. Thecrown becomes now theone strong power in thestate. Edward IV, tall,handsome, and pleasingand hearty in manners,was absolute and yetalways popular. Parliament still met, but itobeyed the king. At Edwards wish it sen-tenced to death, in 1475, his own brotherGeorge, Duke of Clarence, an incorrigibleplotter. It allowed Edward to plunder hissubjects mercilessly. He extorted from richmen what he called Benev
Ontario High School History of England . hpeople to the belief that it was absolutely necessary tohave a strong king, who could crush his enemies, and they were glad to see adespot over them. Thecrown becomes now theone strong power in thestate. Edward IV, tall,handsome, and pleasingand hearty in manners,was absolute and yetalways popular. Parliament still met, but itobeyed the king. At Edwards wish it sen-tenced to death, in 1475, his own brotherGeorge, Duke of Clarence, an incorrigibleplotter. It allowed Edward to plunder hissubjects mercilessly. He extorted from richmen what he called Benevolences —giftsof money. Having summoned them to his presence, hewould state how much he expected, and they found itprudent to pay. These levies on the; rich did not makeEdward unpopular. The great landowners had themselvesoften extorted money from the common people, who nowhad something akin to revenge in seeing the king plundertheir old oppressors. Edward used much of the moneyto tit out an army to invade France; then he secured more. THE STRUGGLE OF LANCASTER AND YORK 157 money by obtaining a pension from Louis XI of Franco toabandon the war. Edward had two sides to his possible dangers he was alert and suspicious; onthe other hand, he was a careless pleasure-seeker, givento drunkenness and evil living. His habits ruined his healthand he died, in 1483, when only forty-one years old. Edward V. 1483.—The reign of his son, a child, was tobring ruin to the House of York. Edward V was onlythirteen and his weak and foolish mother, ElizabethWooclville, asserted the right to be protector of thekingdom during her sons minority. There was, however,another who claimed thatplace. Richard, Duke of Gloucester,the only surviving brother of Edward IV, a prince thirty-three years old, had been named in Edwards will as theguardian of his heir. He was able and resolute, and hadtact and personal charm; he was, too, a brilliant soldier,and he had always been loyal to his bro
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