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make the acquaintance of his cousins of whom Anne, the younger, was about two years younger than himself. It is not unlikely that from their close relationship, their daily intercourse, their common games and amusements there sprung up an intimacy, and tender affection of the young people which might perhaps have led to a betrothal, had they not been separated by circum- stances. There is, however, one instance known which seems to corroborate the intimacy that existed between Richard and his cousins. It is related that at the festivities celebrated at the installation of their uncle Neville to the archiepiscopal see of York(1465), the two young ladies were seated with Gloster in the seat of the royal family. Lady Anne was afterwards taken to France, and there betrothed to the Lancastrian Edward. The marriage was but to take place when Warwick should have restored Henry VI. to his throne. When Edward, her betrothed, had been killed, she was, for a time, kept as a prisoner, very likely in the house of her sister Isabel, the Duchess of Clarence. It is likely that now Gloster's old affection began to revive, that his brother Clarence pecame afraid of Gloster's marrying her, and that to prevent this he hid her away, as Croyland narrator says, at some London house as a kitchen maid. Clarence may have been brought to this by his fear that, if Gloster married Anne, he would also claim the half of his wife's immense property that he wished to keep. Gloster, at first, deeply engaged in political matters could not find time for the affairs of his own heart, but when he was free, he found her out in her disguise, put her for a time into the Sanctuary of St. Martin, asked for the consent of his royal brother, who gladly granted it, and very likely obtained the dispense of the pope because she was closely related to Richard, and had been betrothed to Edward, which at those times was thought as binding as marriage itself. When everything was duly prepared, the marriage was celebrated at Westminster. The exact date of it is not known, but it seems to have been in spring 1472. It has been said, that Gloster married her only on account of her immense wealth, but he might have got her property without marrying her because it had been forfeited by her father's defection. Had he been looking out only for a rich wife he might, in his position as the king's favorit prother, have wooed and won any heiress in the kingdom. But he wooed her because she was a very lovely young lady, and she gladly consented to marry him. Had she in any way ob- jected to Richard's suit, Clarence would not have allowed it to pass without taking advantage of it. The young couple withdrew at once from the court, and went to reside in the north, especially at Pomfret and Middleham castle, because Richard was seneshal of the duchy of Lancaster. Still in the same year he was appointed to the important office of high constable of England, and shortly after nominated to the lucrative situation of„keeper of all the king's forests beyond Trent for life“(Halsted, Richard III.). The quiet happiness of the young couple was increased in 1473 by the birth of a son, whom Shakespeare does not mention at all, and they continued residing in the north of England, and did not return to London till his brother Edward's death, and the circumstances connected with it called him there. And his life in the north gives him great credit. The records praise his talents and virtues, his wisdom, and his ability in administration and governement. He was very liberal to convents, and to the church, very attentive to the fulfillment of his religious duties, very kind to his attendants, very severe with offenders of the law, prudent and economical in the regulations of his household, just and compassionate to the poor, and this conduct endeared him to all that knew him, and made him beloved and respected by the inhabitants of the north, even beyond the


