On 1 April 1454, Richard III presided over the opening of
Parliament with those assembled declaring their loyalty to the new monarch with
the Commons spontaneously shouting “Long Live the King!” to the annoyance of
some of the Lords. The King formally
declared Edward of Rouen his true son and heir then granting him the titles of
Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, and Earl of Chester. Parliament, with the
Commons particularly enthusiastic, proclaimed their support and loyalty to
Prince Edward. The King then announced
that his coronation take place 1 May before turning the session to more serious
matters. Richard III announced that Edmund
Beaufort, the Duke of Somerset, had been brought from the Tower and summoned
him to the presence of Parliament. The
King motioned to the Speaker who readout the accusations against Somerset that
included treason against his lawful sovereign, attempted to cause rebellion
amongst the King’s loyal commons, and attempting to usurp the throne for
himself. Parliament the trial commenced
immediately with the introduction of the proclamations in which Somerset styled
himself as Edmund I. Somerset was
allowed to make a speech in his defense; however his one chance to be
remembered in history for a memorable last speech was by all accounts a
disaster. As excepted Parliament
unanimously proclaimed Somerset guilty. Richard
III introduced an act of attainder depriving Somerset and his posterity of land
and titles that was unanimously passed by Parliament. The King pronounced a traitor’s death for
Edmund Beaufort, no longer Somerset, to be carried out immediately and recessed
Parliament for the day.
Since the time of his confinement in the Tower, Edmund
Beaufort had been a dead man walking and from his cell watched the construction
of the scaffold built especially for his execution on Tower Hill. Edmund after being led away from the presence
of the King and Parliament was forced to dress in a suit of motley then to walk
to his place of execution through the streets of London to the jeers of the populace. The King with all of Parliament following him
in procession had preceded Beaufort to Tower Hill crowded behind the scaffold
with only Richard III on his horse. As
Edmund was forced up the scaffold, the crowd was held back by numerous guards. The order of execution was read aloud then on
cue from the King, the head executioner produced a “crown”, a jester’s
three-pointed hat, which was strapped to Edmund’s head. The execution then proceeded as Edmund had a
noose placed around his neck before being prodded up a stool before it was
kicked out from under him resulting in his strangling to near death until the
rope was cut. Edmund was then hoisted
onto a table, his cloths torn open before his stomach was cut open, and then
groaned has his bowels were taken out before being burnt. Instead of his heart being taken out as well,
Edmund was taken off the table and thrown down onto the chopping block barely
coherent as blood gushed from his open bowel, the executioner then swung his
axe and separated head from body thus ending the life of Edmund Beaufort as the
crowd cheered. The executioner then grabbed
the jester’s hat and held up the severed head to the cheering crowd then to
Richard III who sat upon his stead without emotion. He nodded and motioned to which spike he
wanted the traitor’s head placed then spurred his horse back towards Westminster
Palace followed by the members of Parliament as the body was being
dismembered. By nightfall, the still
jester hat adorned head of Edmund Beaufort was overlooking the city from a
spike on the Tower while his body parts were being sent to various locations
throughout England.
