The treatment which the daughters of Edward IV. experienced from the hands of King Richard has been the subject of learned discussion, according to the opposite views taken of the character of this monarch. It cannot be imagined, however, that the period of their abode in the palace of the supposed murderer of their brothers, and the usurper of their own rights, could be otherwise than one of melancholy anxiety to those among the princesses, who were old enough to comprehend the peculiarities of their position. The Lady Cecilia, in particular, had the mortification of seeing her former plighted spouse, Prince James of Scotland, betrothed to her cousin, Ann de la Pole, daughter of her aunt, the Duchess of Suffolk³. "Here," writes the chronicler, Hall, "may well be noted, the unnatural love and disordered affection which this kind kinsman (Richard III.) showed to his blood; for he, not remembering the tyranny that he had executed against his brother's sons, the wrong and mani- fest injury that he had done to his brother's daughters, both in taking from them their dignity, possessions, and living, thought it would greatly redound to his honour and fame if he promoted his sister's child to the dignity of a queen, rather than to prefer his brother's daughter, whom he had untruly, and by force disinherited."

Note 3. Buck's Rich. IIL, p. 33. More's Life of Rich. III., 12mfe» Chitwick, 1821, p. 186. Feeders, vol. v., pt. iv., pp. 149, 153-4. The marriage negotiations between the royal families of England and Scotland, during the reigns of Edward IV., Ricliard III., and Henry VII., form a curious episode in the history of matrimonial diplomacy. In the first place, it was proposed that Edward IV. himself should marry Mary of Gueldres, the widowed queen of James II. of Scotland. Next a double marriage was projected between Margaret, widowed Duchess of Burgundy, Edward's sister, and Alexander, Duke of Albany, brother of James III., and also between George, Duke of darence, Edward's brother, and a sister of the Scottish monarch; a letter from Edward IV. to the papal legate on the subject of this twofold alliance is inCott. MS., Vesp.C. xvi., f. 121, in which he sends thanks to the King of Scotland for the proposal, but adds that, "forasmuch as after the old usage of this royaulme none estate ne person honourable commnneth of marriage within the year of their dole (widowhood) we therefore as yet cannot conveniently speak in this matter. Natheless, when we shall find time convenable, we shall feel their dispositions, and thereupon shew unto him the same, in all goodly haste." The Duke of Clarence and Duchess of Burgundy were both widowed in 1477, which fixes the date of this letter, since the death of the duke took place in February 1478. Next came negotiations for the marriage of the princess Cecilia with James, Prince of Scotland, or with the Duke of Albany, whichever might wear the royal coronet. These being set aside by the death of Edward IV., Richard III. betrothed his niece, Anne de la Pole, to Prince James. Henry VIL, on his accession, proposed the union of the dowager-queen, Elizabeth of Woodville, with James III., then a widower— of Prince James, with one of the younger daughters of the late King Edward, Cecilia being already married,— and of her youngest sister, Catherine, with his second son Alexander, Marquis of Ormond. Last of all, the often-proffered hand of Prince James,' now James IV., was plighted to the Lady Margaret, eldest daughter of Henry VII. This contract, the only one in the numerous category that was completed, led eventually to the happy union of the sister kingdoms.