Reminding the council of his lifelong loyalty to his brother, and in accordance with Edward’s decree that he be protector, Richard sent a firm letter to Westminster in which he asserted his continued loyalty to the young king, his nephew, and requested that, any new government be conducted according to the laws of the land. His inference was clear. Legally, once a king died, his councilors were no longer a valid body. The new king would then appoint his own advisors. But it seemed this council had conveniently forgotten the custom and were acting as though Edward still lived—the queen merely taking her husband’s place. Richard must make sure he was the one to advise the young king on his appointments to the council, not Elizabeth Woodville.

Richard went about his usual business of leaving his own affairs in his administrators’ capable hands during his absence. “Not knowing how long I shall be gone, I beg you consult with her grace, the duchess, who will remain here.”

Then he went to the small private chapel tucked in the castle wall and prayed for guidance. He thanked God—and his brother—for the existence of a suitable heir. Young Edward was an upright lad, he had heard, and Richard had only to hold his leading strings for two or three years until the young king could take his proper place at the head of the government as an adult. “Give me the patience, the steadfastness, and the justice to discharge my duty to my nephew with integrity,” he pleaded, “and let me choose my council wisely.” Jack Howard would be at the top of the list, followed by Rob Percy, Lovell and Ratcliffe. He would add Northumberland and a couple of churchmen, like Canterbury and Lincoln, and Stanley would back him, Richard was sure of it.

Then Hastings’ face floated into his mind and he hesitated. Aye, the man was as loyal a friend to Edward as could be found; he was intelligent and understood the workings of government; and hadn’t he been the first to send for Richard and keep him abreast of the queen’s deeds? But the baron had also led Edward into gluttony, drunkenness, and debauchery. Not surprisingly, the first item on Richard’s list as protector would be to clean up his brother’s court. It was no place for a twelve-year-old boy, he had decided. His hardest task was how to deal with Elizabeth and her family, but he would wait until he reached London and could see the look of things for himself.

By the time he rode out of the castle and onto the road to York a few days later, he was satisfied he was prepared for the new role his brother had bequeathed him.