Welsh Journals

but apparently, under pressure of public opinion, the plan was abandoned. Hall gives some additional details:- tydynges were 'brought to hym [Henry] that Kynge Richard beynge without children and now wydower, entended shortly to mary with Lady Elizabeth his brothers daughter He [Henry] tooke these newes as a matter of no small momente, and so all thynges considered it was of no less importaunce than he tooke it for. For this thyng only took awaie from all his compaignions their hope and courage that they had to obteine an happie enterprise. And therefore no marvell though it nypped hym at the verie stomacke when he thought that by no possibilitie he might attayne the mariage of any of Kynge Edwardes daughters, which teas the strongest foundation of his building. "Wherfore makynge not many of his Councell, after dyverse consultacions he determined not yet to setforwarde but to tary and attempte how to get more ayde, more frendes and more stronger succoures. And amongest all other, it was thought moost expedient to allure by affinite in his ayde as a compagnion in armes Sir Walter Herbert a man of an aunciente stocke and greate powre emongest the Welshmen, whiche had wyth hym a faire Ladye to his suster, of age mature and ripe to be coupled in matrimonie. And for the acheuynge of this purpose, messengers were secretely sent but the weies were so well narrowly watched and so many spies Jaide that the messenger proceded not in his journey and busynes The Earl of Richmond because he woulde no lenger lynger and weerry hys frends lyvynge continually betweene hope and feare, determyned in all conveniente haste to sett forward e ".2 The picture here of a plotter driven, by the collapse of his scheme, to a desperate enterprise is not one that accords with the character of the cool and cautious Henry, that" wonder for wise men If the marriage with Elizabeth was "the strongest foundation of his building" it is unlikely that a politician so shrewd and calculating would have proceeded with the expedition when this scheme collapsed. It is, it seems to me, indisputable that 1 Cont. Croyland, 571, 572. 2 Hall, Chronicle, pp. 409-410. 3 See Bacon's Henry VII.