The New Murrey and Blue blog

Henry Tudor certainly didn’t have it all his own way after Bosworth, although his incredible luck held – as it did throughout his life, except for losing his wife and eldest son. He didn’t replace the first, but had a spare for the second. Richard III had not had that luxury.

But in 1486, during a time of Yorkist uprisings against him, Henry escaped an assassination attempt. Oh, if only it had succeeded! His luck interceded yet again, and not a whisker of him was harmed. Unfortunately for his foes, they either had to flee the country or were captured and paid the price. Francis Lovell had been holed up in sanctuary in Colchester and eventually escaped to the continent (it is thought) but Sir Humphrey Stafford was drawn, hanged and quartered. A horrible fate. I’m equally horrible enough to wish it had befallen Henry.

The paragraph above is clearly only touching the surface of what went on at this vital time. The Yorkists weren’t organised enough to carry those days, and all Henry suffered was a terrible, gnawing fear that remained with him for the rest of his life. This link that follows is concerned with Desmond Seward’s excellent book The Last White Rose: The Secret Wars of the Tudors, which is always worth dipping into. Very readable. So to find out more about these abortive rebellions, and Henry’s almost devilishly good fortune, have at this book!