The Demise of George, Duke of Clarence

Lord of the North

III

George and Edward had never had a close relationship and over the years they had been at loggerheads with each other. It had been a close family secret that Edward had a different father, when Richard of York was away on a campaign at Rouen Cecily Duchess of York had an affair with a handsome blonde haired archer called Blaybourne. Edward was conceived before Cecily had gone to stay in Rouen to join her husband. Edward’s baptism was a rather private affair and according to Dominic Mancini, Cecily had also publicly declared when she heard that Edward had married Elizabeth Woodville that Edward was bastard born. George had resented Edward as he was the son of the Duke of York and that he should be the King. Over the years the relationship between the two brothers just got steadily worse since Edward had got married to Elizabeth Woodville and George intensely dislike to her family. Richard had known that things had got pretty ugly between the two brothers and did his best not to get involved. Written correspondence from both his brothers became grim reading. Anne had come increasingly concerned with her sister Isabel and how she must be coping with this friction between the two brothers. Isabel was expecting another child due early October; she had already had two children after her first distressing experience at childbirth. She had given birth to a girl whom they named Margaret and a son to whom they named Edward. To be a close relative to the king was not without its hazards from the Woodvilles and Richard had witnessed how sly and underhanded they could be and knew it was best to keep right out of their way. George had never made any secret that he loathed that family and he had seen them as freeloaders that wanted to control and manipulate to see what they can get. Clarence had become quite vocal about the validity of the marriage of the marriage of Elizabeth Woodville. The bishop of Bath and Wells had informed George that a certain lady of high breeding had caught Edward’s eye. She was not the type of lady that was going to lose her virtue not even to the King and the King had a private wedding ceremony before he had married Elizabeth Woodville and Robert Stillington, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, performed it. Having learnt about this information George had made sure that people were aware of this matter in Burgundy and it even reached the ears of Louis XI and James the III of Scotland. The Woodvilles had wanted these allegations quashed and had started to plot Clarence’s downfall as they had felt their positions were being and the heir to the throne was being threatened. Clarence had set himself up to the raft and revenge of the Woodvilles and it was a dish that always had served cold by Elizabeth Woodville. Isabel was heavily pregnant and was staying at Warwick Castle when a lady called Ankarette Twynyho said that she was a midwife and asked if they needed her services she came from Keyford, Somerset. All seemed pretty normal at first as Isabel had given birth to a baby boy who they both named Richard of York and was born on 6th of October 1476 the child was rather a sickly child and was a worry to both the parents. Isabel had seem to recover quite well after giving birth and the midwife had told them that she was good with herbs for healing and she told them that she could nurse the young child back to health. Both George and Isabel allowed the midwife to stay until Isabel suddenly fell sick after just drinking some ale, the midwife had fled and Isabel died in agony on Sunday 22nd of December 1476. The baby boy had soon followed her to the grave and died on the 1st of January 1477. George was grief stricken and was wanting revenge, as he knew his wife had been poisoned and he had started to find out where she lived. George had known that it was the work of Elizabeth Woodville that was behind it and he was determined to prove to all that Elizabeth Woodville was chief instigator behind his wife’s death. There is some written evidence of what had happen which was sent as a petition

“That whereas the said Ankarette on Saturday, 12th of April 17 Edward IV (1477), was in her manor at Cayford (ie Keyford, Somerset) and Richard Hyde late of Warwick, gentleman and Roger Strugg late of Bekehampton, co Somerset, towker, with drivers riotous persons to number of fourscore by the command of George, duke of Clarence, came to Cayford about two of the clock after noon and entered her house and carried her off the same day to bath and from thence on the Sunday following to Circeter (Cirencester) co. Gloucester, and from thence to Warwick, whither they brought her on the Monday following about eight of the clock in the after noon, which town of Warwick is distant from Cayforde seventy miles, and then and there took from her all her jewels, money and goods and also in the said dukes behalf, as though he had used King’s power, Commanded Thomas Delalynde, esquire, and Edith his wife, daughter of the said Ankarette, and their servants to avoid from the town of Warwick and lodged them at Stattforde upon Aven that night, six miles from thence and the said duke kept Ankarette imprison unto the hour of nine before noon on the morrow, to wit the Tuesday after the closing of Pasche (ie Easter) and caused her to be brought to the Guildhall at Warwick before divers of Justices of the peace in the County then sitting in sessions and caused her to be indicted by the name of Ankarette Twynyho, late of Warwick, widow, late servant of the duke and Isabel his wife, of having at on 10 October, 16 Edward IV, given to the said Isabel a venomous drink of ale mixed with poison, of which the latter sickened until the Sunday before Christmas, on which day she died, and the justices arraigned the said Ankarette and a jury appeared and found her guilty and it was considered that she should be led from the bar there to the gaol of Warwick and thence should be drawn through the town to the gallows of Myton and hanged till she was dead, and the Sheriff was commanded to do execution and so he did, which indictment, trail and judgement were done and given within three hours of said Tuesday, and juror for fear gave the Sheriff was verdict contrary to their conscience, in proof where of divers of them came to said Ankarette in remorse and asked her forgiveness, in consideration of the imaginations of and her good disposition, the King should ordain that the record, process, verdict and judgement should be void and of no effect, but that as the premises were done by the command of the said duke, the said justices and Sheriff and the under-Sheriff and their ministers should not be vexed, The answer of the king. So it fait come il est desire (“ Let it be done as the petitioner”) from wiki

As Clarence wanted the truth about who was behind his wife’s murder brought to justice, and he declared that he was refusing to eat meat and drink as if he suspected poison. News came though that Charles, the Duke of Burgundy had died on the 5th January 1477 and had left a daughter Mary. Mary was the greatest heiress of Europe and suitors were all expecting to be picked to be the next Duke of Burgundy. Different heads of states reacted differently as they had heard the news; Louis XI had seen his chance to invade Burgundy. As he had announced that the County and the Duchy of Burgundy had reverted to the Crown of France as he was preparing to launch his armies. Edward had taken the news badly and was hoping that he could keep his trade with the cities of Flanders.
It was at this time that Richard had received an urgent summons from King Edward. Middleham was in mourning at the time as they had heard about the death and the murder of Isabel, Duchess of Clarence and Richard was in no mood to attend Edward’s Court and face Isabel’s murders.
The King had summoned a Great Council to appear on the 13th of February and had declared that he would support the Duke Charles heiress as best as they could without openly opposing Louis XI. During this time Clarence was keeping busy writing to his sister the Dowager Duchess of Burgundy telling that someone who worked for the Woodvilles was poisoning his wife. As soon as he heard that the Duke of Burgundy had died and Mary was the new heiress he thought that he thought that he would be an ideal candidate. He made his proposal and he felt quite confident that he might be considered the thought of this made his position a lot stronger and safer. Margaret and Mary were very close to one and another and they had consulted about what to do now that the Duke had died. It was very clear they had to be very careful of Louis XI as he had his eye on Burgundy for a long time. It was clear that Mary knew she had to marry somebody that was powerful enough to keep Louis at bay. When Richard had turned up to the court the atmosphere was very tense between Edward and Clarence. It was clear that George wanted justice and wanted Elizabeth Woodville who had a hand in his wife’s murder to be charged under the charge of necromancy. It seemed that Edward was powerless to do anything about this. Richard had felt that he was wedged between the two and tried to tell Edward that they had to curb the Queens activities, but it seemed that he had given Elizabeth and family her to much power over charging her for working in Black Magic. George knew that it was hopeless trying to argue his case even though Richard was sympathetic to George’s case, there was nothing that Richard could do. George had left shouting that he was determined to get justice and he left Richard and Edward wondering what he was going to do next. Richard had never seen George so angry and upset, but deep Richard knew whatever George was going to do he would make sure that the country know that his wife was murdered by poisoning. Richard had decided to go back to Yorkshire, as much as he felt sorry for George’s lost even though he had caused Richard trouble over Anne, when Richard wanted to marry Anne. He had forgiven George for that and they had come closer as brothers as a result. Richard did not like the Woodvilles and had been very wary of them and he knew best to steer very clear from them.
It was not that long when before George had paraded Ankarette around several towns declaring that she had poisoned his wife. More stories came flooding though that Elizabeth Woodville was behind the plot to murder his wife. George was telling everyone that Elizabeth Woodville had practised black magic and bewitched the King into marriage. More stories came filtering the streets as it was declared that Edward had already been married before to a lady called Lady Eleanor Butler and was still alive when he married Elizabeth Woodville. George had declared that the marriage was nothing but a sham and the children were illegitimate. George had even broadcast about Edward’s birthright and he was not the true son of the Duke of York, but the son of an archer. The Woodvilles felt that their positions were being threatened and Elizabeth implored Edward that George had to be silenced for the sake of their children’s inheritance and the heir to the throne. As she had stated ’that her offspring by the King would never come to the throne, unless the Duke of Clarence were removed’. It was this that had sealed George’s fate. At first Edward was reluctant to against his brother, he did not care that much towards his wife or her family. But now George was making it personal towards Edward and his young family and he was pushing Edward to his limit of patience and he had decided to act. An Oxford clerk, John Stacey was accused of sorcery and he had made a confession by his own hand that another Oxford clerk Thomas Blake knew more about the sorcery charge and during Blake’s interrogation he broke down and confessed under duress that Thomas Burdett was guilty of sorcery. Thomas Burdett was a trusted member of Clarence’s household and he was arrested under the charge of disseminating treasonable writing and attempting to procure the King’s death by necromancy [in acts of black magic]. Thomas Burdett was tried before a commission of Lords and as he was condemned to death on 19th of may. He passionately pleaded his innocence at the charges that were brought about against him and it appeared that an innocent man had been executed on false charges. It was suppose to be a warning to George to be silent, but it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. Edward was holding court at Windsor; George went along to the Kings Council at Westminster, bringing along Dr John Goddard a preacher who was present at the execution of Thomas Burdett. Goddard had read out the confession and last words of Thomas Burdett. A few people had tried their best to warn him of the evils of the Woodvilles and that his life was going to be in danger, it was looking at someone with a self destruct button. He was not going to stop he had got his servants to spread the word around the country about the Queen practising the black arts and other secrets that the Woodvilles did not want the country to know about.
Louis had sent Edward a letter in early June; it seemed that someone had informed Louis that Clarence had sought the hand the hand of Mary of Burgundy only as a means of seizing the English throne. On learning this Edward had summoned Clarence under guard to appear before him at the place of Westminster. In the presence of the Lord Mayor of London, he accused his brother of subverting the laws of the realm and presuming to take justice into his own hands. Edward had called onto his guards and he was escorted to the tower.
At the same time as when this happening, Richard and Anne were celebrating the Corpus Christi Guild of the North. When a messenger brought had brought news that Clarence was locked up in the tower and as Richard had read the charges. Richard had realised George had walked right into the Woodvilles trap and he was at the mercy of the King. It seemed so wrong that the Woodvilles had got what they wanted and now he was in the tower. Even when he was under lock and key his life would have been under threat by the Woodville poison. Richard had sent Edward a letter asking if he could have his own trusted servants to look after him in the tower and he had also asked Edward if he could look after George’s children. The permission was readily granted and Richard had begun his journey towards Warwick.
George had two children that had survived childhood Margaret who was at the time three years old and Edward one and half years old. He dispatched George’s most trusted couple of servants to the tower and a lady of Isabel had asked if she could be with the children as she had been mother to those poor children. Middleham was the best place for those children as their son could have company of other children.
By October Richard decided to plead on behalf of Clarence as he had heard that the Woodvilles were daily asking Edward to sign the death warrant. He loathed going, but he had to it been his brother’s life that was on the line as Richard had asked for permission to speak to George. Richard was just hoping that George would beg Edward for forgiveness and promise that he would never go against Edward ever again. It was strange to George in the tower; the servants were there to make sure that he was safe. George had at least was pleased that Richard had not forgotten him and that his children at Middleham. It was a very emotional meeting as the two brothers talked about the past and the downfall that had happened, but it was clear to Richard that George was prepared to die than beg forgiveness to the Woodville family. Richard had pleaded with Edward that he would convince Edward that he could get George to forgive Edward and the Woodvilles as a way to buy more time for his brother. Edward did like the situation anymore than Richard like this dire state of family affairs and promise Richard that he would not sign the death warrant.
Richard had stayed with Edward during the celebration of Christmas; it was hard not to get angry with the gloating Woodvilles. Anthony Woodville seemed to be proud of his achievement in getting book printed by William Caxton. Anthony had just translated Dictes and Saying of the Philosophers, by Louis de Bretaylle. It seemed that Anthony Woodville had more of say about the education and the future of the Kings family and he had just arranged a marriage between Richard, Edward’s second eldest son who was 4 years old and Anne de Mowbray Countess of Norfolk who was 5 years old. Richard had still visited Clarence in the tower bringing him some food, George had become a shadow of the man that he was. There was something that Richard had admired in his brother was he had stayed by his convictions on how he felt about the Woodvilles and George had told Richard that he rather die than live in a country with that family.
Richard had continued to plea for George’s life, but pleas were left unanswered. As on the evening on the 18th of February 1478 a priest had come to George’s cell and asked him if he wanted to make a confession. George then knew what was going to happen next as one of Anthony’s men was lurking in the shadow’s waiting to murder George. Death had come quickly to George as he was garrotted and stuffed in a vat and was taken out of the tower of London. Elizabeth had told Edward that George was dead and told him where the body was. Edward and Richard were stunned when they had seen George’s body dumped without any respect and rigger mortis had just set in. Richard could hardly could control his emotions as his hatred for that family had deeply swept over him. George was no saint, but he was his flesh and blood and they grew up together.
A coffin was found and he lay in state and Richard had made arrangements that he could be in the Vault with his wife and youngest child at Tewkesbury Abbey.
The Woodvilles did not profit from any estates of Clarence’s and three days after Clarence had been murdered. Richard had founded two collages, one at Bernard Castle and one at Middleham in honour to George, The Duke of Clarence’s life. He had left stating he would never go back to Edward’s Court and wanted nothing more to do with such vile courtiers. He was staying in the North where he was amongst people who he could trust. He was back with his dearly beloved ones back in Middleham in Yorkshire.