Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/78

54 am overwhelmed by ills of every kind, if I but bear them in patience they will add to my merit. Wherefore whatever by God's will I have to suffer, I will bear. Patience is not too long for those who have sinned. There is no evil in death, except what follows death. Death itself is not to be accounted an evil when it follows on a good life." These and such like thoughts, says André, the King constantly preached to his gaolers.

Shortly after the accession of King Henry VII the historian, Polydore Vergil, came to England and began to collect materials for his history of England. This work he undertook at the instance of the King himself. He was certainly most, diligent in collecting his information about recent events, and consequently what he has to say about the saintly King Henry VI may be taken as almost contemporary evidence. Of the death of the King he writes: " Henry VI, the most innocent of men, having shortly before been despoiled of his Kingdom, was put to death in the Tower. The persistent report is that Richard, Duke of Gloucester, killed him with a sword, so as to free his brother Edward then king from all