Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings

Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings

Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings (1442 – between January and 25 March 1504), was a noblewoman and a member of the powerful Neville family of northern England. She was one of the six daughters of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, and the sister of military commander Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known to history as Warwick the Kingmaker.

She was married twice. By her first husband William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington of Aldingham, she was the mother of Cecily Bonville, who became the wealthiest heiress in England following the deaths in the Battle of Wakefield of Katherine's husband, her father-in-law; and less than two months later, of William Bonville's grandfather, William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville who was executed following the Yorkist defeat at the Second Battle of St Albans. Katherine's second husband was William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, a powerful noble who was beheaded in 1483 on the order of King Richard III, who placed Katherine directly under his protection.

Lady Katherine Neville was born in 1442, one of the ten children and the fifth eldest daughter[1] of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Alice Montacute, suo jure 5th Countess of Salisbury. Her mother was the only child and heiress of Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury by his first wife Lady Eleanor Holland. Katherine's eldest brother was Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, 6th Earl of Salisbury, also known as "Warwick the Kingmaker". He was the most important and influential peer in the realm, and one of the principal protagonists in the Wars of the Roses. Her aunt, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York, mother of future kings and Katherine's first cousins, Edward IV and Richard III, was another key figure in the dynastic civil wars that dominated most of the latter half of 15th century England. Her niece, Anne Neville (youngest daughter of the "Kingmaker") would become Queen of England as the consort of Richard III; Katherine's sister Alice, Baroness FitzHugh, and her other niece, Elizabeth FitzHugh, were personally selected as Anne's chief ladies-in-waiting.[2] Her paternal grandparents were Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmoreland, a daughter of John of Gaunt by his third wife, Katherine de Roët, making her a direct descendant of Edward III.

Lady Katherine married her first husband, William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington of Aldingham in 1458. The Bonvilles were, like her own family, staunch adherents of the House of York. The marriage produced one daughter:

• Cecily Bonville, suo jure 2nd Baroness Bonville, 7th Baroness Harington of Aldingham (c.30 June 1460 – 12 May 1529), married on 18 July 1474, Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, by whom she had fourteen children.

Katherine's husband William along with his father, William Bonville, was executed on the battlefield after the Yorkist defeat at the Battle of Wakefield on 30 December 1460 by the victorious forces of Queen consort Margaret of Anjou who headed the Lancastrian faction. Both her father and first cousin, Edmund, Earl of Rutland were also executed after the battle, which had been commanded by Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset. Queen Margaret had not been present at Wakefield as she was in Scotland at the time raising support for the Lancastrian cause. Less than two months later, William's grandfather, William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville was decapitated on 18 February 1461 in an act of vengeance by Queen Margaret who was present and personally ordered his execution after the Yorkists suffered another defeat at the Second Battle of St Albans on the previous day.[3] Katherine's six-months old daughter succeeded to the titles of suo jure 2nd Baroness Bonville and suo jure 7th Baroness Harington of Aldingham, and inherited the vast Bonville and Harington estates, becoming the wealthiest heiress in England.[4]

Katherine was left a widow at the age of eighteen. She did not, however, remain a widow for long; shortly before 6 February 1462[5] her brother Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, arranged a marriage between her and William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, a powerful noble, and a close friend and Lord Chamberlain of Edward IV who had replaced Henry VI as king of England on 4 March 1461 when he was proclaimed king in London. The proclamation was followed by the decisive Yorkist victory on 29 March at the Battle of Towton in which Edward had served as commander of the Yorkist army and crushingly defeated the Lancastrians.

In addition to her own dowry, Katherine brought the wardship of her daughter Cecily to her new husband.[6] Together William Hastings and Katherine had six children:[5]

• Richard Hastings (1464 – 1465)
• William Hastings (1466 – 1466)
• Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings (26 November 1466 – 8 November 1506), married Mary Hungerford, Baroness Botreaux, by whom he had issue.
• Richard Hastings (born 1468)
• William Hastings (1470 – after 1540), married Jane Sheffield
• Anne Hastings (c.1471 – 1520), married before 27 June 1481 as his first wife George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, by whom she had eleven children, including Mary Talbot, Countess of Northumberland, and Elizabeth Talbot, Baroness Dacre, mother of Lady Magdalen Dacre.

King Edward died on 9 April 1483; his son Edward V and kingdom were placed under the guardianship of his youngest brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester who was made Lord Protector of England. It was Katherine's husband William Hastings who advised Richard to take the young King Edward V into protective custody immediately following the death of Edward IV.[7]

It was about this time that Katherine's husband became the lover of Jane Shore, a former mistress of both the late King Edward and her son-in-law, Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset.[8] The latter had married her eldest daughter, Cecily in 1474. Hastings had confided to his mistress his concern that his considerable power and influence was on the wane under the protectorate of Richard. She encouraged him to enter into a conspiracy with the Woodville family against the Lord Protector. Richard, upon discovering Hastings' treachery ordered his immediate execution, which took place on 13 June 1483 at the Tower of London. Several weeks later, Richard sealed an indenture, swearing to take Katherine directly under his protection and to

• "secure for her the enjoyment of her husband's lands, goods, privileges, and the custody not only of their heir until the boy came of age but also the wardship of the young Earl of Shrewsbury who was married to their daughter, Anne".

Richard assured Katherine that Hastings would never be attainted, and that she would be defended against any attempt by intimidation or fraud to deprive her of her rights.[9]

Shortly after Hastings' death, on 22 June, Richard proclaimed himself King of England which was supported by an Act of Parliament known as Titulus Regius that declared his nephew King Edward V and his siblings illegitimate. He was crowned king on 6 July.

In spite of Richard's promise to uphold her interests, his close friend and ally, Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell claimed that the Hastings manors of Ashby and Bagsworth, and the Beaumont estates belonged to him, although these had been left to Katherine following her husband's execution. In order for Katherine to retain these properties, she was compelled to pay Lovell the sum of 200 marks in cash and give him lands totalling the same amount per annum. Richard made no move to curtail the avarice of his friend, who had assumed a powerful role in the government during the King's brief reign.[10] King Richard was killed at the Battle of Bosworth on 22 August 1485 and the Lancastrian victor, Henry Tudor subsequently ascended the throne as Henry VII. Katherine's eldest surviving son, Edward fought on the side of King Henry against Lovell at the Battle of Stoke in June 1487. This battle saw the final defeat of the House of York and Lovell, as one of the Yorkists' chief leaders, afterwards fled to Scotland; however, his eventual fate remains unknown.[11]

Katherine never remarried. She herself died on an unknown date in early 1504 having left a will dated 22 November 1503, arranging her burial within the Lady Chapel at the parish church of Ashby de la Zouche, Leicestershire. Katherine's will, along with many religious bequests, names her eldest daughter Cecily as one of her executors. It reads as follows:

• "Where I owe unto Cecilie [Cecily], Marquesse Dorset, certain summes of money which I borrowed of her at diverse times, I will that the said Cecilie in full contentation of all summes of money as I owe unto her, have my bed of arress [arras], tittor, tester, and counterpane, which she late borrowed of me, and over that I woll that she have my tabulet of gold that she now holds as a pledge, and the curtains of blew [blue] sarcionet, and three quistons of counterfeit arress [arras] with imagery of women, a long quiston, and the short of blew [blue] velvet, also two carpets" and she "makes and ordaines Cecilie, Marquis Dorset, widow," one of her executors.[12]

The will was proved on 25 March 1504, indicating that she had died before that date.[13]

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Neville,_Baroness_Hastings

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• Katherine Neville1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12
• F, #27433, b. circa 1435
• Father Sir Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, Lord Monthermer, Constable of Pontefract Castle & Portchester Castle, Great Chamberlain of England, Joint Chamberlain of the Exchequer, Lord Chancellor2,3,4,5,6,7,13,9,10,11,14 b. c 1401, d. 31 Dec 1460
• Mother Alice Montagu2,3,4,5,7,13,9,11,14 b. c 1406, d. bt 3 Apr 1462 - 9 Dec 1462
• Katherine Neville was born circa 1435 at of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. She married Sir William Bonville, 6th Lord Harington, son of William Bonville, Esq. and Elizabeth Harington, after 10 May 1459; Date of her father's will; they had 1 daughter (Cecily, wife of Sir Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset, & of Sir Henry Stafford, Earl of Wiltshire).15,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 Katherine Neville married Sir William Hastings, 1st Lord Hastings, Sheriff of Warwickshire & Leicestershire, Master of the Mint & Exchange in the Tower & Calais, Chamberlain of the Exchequer, son of Sir Leonard Hastings, Sheriff of Warwickshire & Leicestershire, Justice of the Peace for Leicestershire and Alice Camoys, before 6 February 1462; They had 4 sons (Sir Edward, 2nd Lord Hastings & Hungerford; Sir William; Sir Richard; & George) and 2 daughters (Anne, wife of Sir George Talbot, 4th Earl Shrewsbury; & Elizabeth).2,3,4,5,7,8,9,11,12 Katherine Neville left a will on 22 November 1503; Requesting burial at Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire.2,3,5,7,9,11 Her estate was probated on 25 March 1504.2,3,5,7,9,11
• Family 1 Sir William Bonville, 6th Lord Harington b. c 1442, d. 31 Dec 1460
• Child
  • Cecily Bonville+16,17,5,6,9,10 b. 1461, d. 12 Apr 1530 or 12 May 1530
• Family 2 Sir William Hastings, 1st Lord Hastings, Sheriff of Warwickshire & Leicestershire, Master of the Mint & Exchange in the Tower & Calais, Chamberlain of the Exchequer b. c 1431, d. 13 Jun 1483
• Children
  • Elizabeth Hastings18 b. c 1464
  • Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Lord Hastings, Constable of Leicester Castle, High Forester of Southwood+3,7,11 b. 26 Nov 1466, d. 8 Nov 1506
  • Richard Hastings18 b. c 1468
  • Sir William Hastings+18 b. c 1470
  • Anne Hastings+19 b. c 1472, d. a 4 Jan 1507
  • George Hastings18 b. c 1474
• Citations
• [S8503] Unknown author, Burke's Peerage, 1938, p. 1357; The Royal Descents of 500 Immigrants, by Gary Boyd Roberts, p. 136.
• [S5] Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 127.
• [S5] Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 385-386.
• [S5] Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 510-511.
• [S16] Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. I, p. 257.
• [S16] Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. II, p. 304-305.
• [S16] Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. II, p. 370-372.
• [S16] Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. III, p. 163.
• [S4] Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. I, p. 435.
• [S4] Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. III, p. 160-162.
• [S4] Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. III, p. 367-368.
• [S4] Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. IV, p. 125.
• [S16] Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. III, p. 161-162.
• [S4] Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. IV, p. 123-124.
• [S11568] The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, by George Edward Cokayne, Vol. VI, p. 320.
• [S5] Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 127-128.
• [S5] Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 359.
• [S61] Unknown author, Family Group Sheets, Family History Archives, SLC.
• [S11568] The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, by George Edward Cokayne, Vol. XI, p. 709.
• From: http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p913.htm#i... ________________
• Katherine Neville1
• F, #3313, d. before 22 November 1503
• Last Edited=18 Jan 2011
• Consanguinity Index=0.42%
• Katherine Neville was the daughter of Richard de Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury.1 She married, firstly, William Bonville, 6th Lord Harington, son of William Bonville and Elizabeth Harington, circa 1458.1 She married, secondly, Sir William Hastinges, 1st Lord Hastings, son of Sir Leonard Hastinges and Alice de Camoys, before 6 February 1461/62.1 She died before 22 November 1503.1
• Her married name became Bonville. From before 6 February 1461/62, her married name became Hastings.1
• Child of Katherine Neville and William Bonville, 6th Lord Harington
  • Cecilia Bonville, Baroness Bonville and Harington+ b. c 1461, d. 12 May 1529
• Children of Katherine Neville and Sir William Hastinges, 1st Lord Hastings
  • Anne Hastings+2
  • Richard Hastings2 b. 1464, d. 1465
  • William Hastings2 b. 1466, d. 1466
  • Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Lord Hastings+2 b. c 1467, d. bt 4 Nov 1506 - 15 Nov 1506
  • Richard Hastings+3 b. 1468
  • Sir William Hastings+3 b. 1470, d. a 1541
• Citations
• [S8] BP1999 volume 1, page 17. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S8]
• [S37] BP2003 volume 2, page 2004. See link for full details for this source. Hereinafter cited as. [S37]
• [S3470] Marian Hastings, "re: Hastings Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 31 Deember 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Hastings Family."
• From: http://www.thepeerage.com/p332.htm#i3313 ___________________________
• Catherine NEVILLE (B. Ashby-Zouche)
• Born: ABT 1435, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
• Died: 22 Nov 1503 / AFT 25 Mar 1504
• Buried: Ashby de la Zouche
• Notes: left a widow at the age of eighteen. She did not, however, remain a widow for long; shortly before 6 Feb 1462 her brother Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, arranged a marriage between her and William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, a close friend of Edward IV. On 9 Apr 1483, King Edward died; his son Edward V and kingdom were placed under the guardianship of his youngest brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester. It was Catherine's husband William Hastings who advised Richard to take the young King Edward V into protective custody immediately following the death of Edward IV. It was about this time that Catherine's husband became the lover of Jane Shore, a former mistress of both the late King Edward IV and her son-in-law, Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset. She encouraged him to enter into a conspiracy with the Woodville family against Gloucester. Richard, upon discovering Hastings' treachery ordered his immediate execution, which took place on 13 Jun 1483 at the Tower of London. Several weeks later, Richard sealed an indenture, swearing to take Catherine directly under his protection and to "secure for her the enjoyment of her husband's lands, goods, privileges, and the custody not only of their heir until the boy came of age but also the wardship of the young Earl of Shrewsbury who was married to their daughter, Anne". Richard assured Catherine that Hastings would never be attainted, and that she would be defended against any attempt by intimidation or fraud to deprive her of her rights. Shortly after Hastings' death, on 22 Jun, Richard proclaimed himself King of England. Catherine never remarried.
• Father: Richard NEVILLE (1° E. Salisbury)
• Mother: Alice MONTAGUE (C. Salisbury)
• Married 1: William BONVILLE (2° B. Bonville and 6° Harrington) (b. ABT 1442 - d. 30 Dec 1460) (son of William Bonville, 1° B. Bonville, and Elizabeth Harrington) BEF 1458
• Children:
  • 1. Cecily BONVILLE (M. Dorset) (b. 30 Jun 1460 - d. 12 May 1529) (m.1 Thomas Grey, 1° M. Dorset - m.2 Henry Stafford, 3º E. Wiltshire) (See her Biography)
• Married 2: William HASTINGS (1° B. Ashby-Zouche) 6 Feb 1461, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
• Children:
  • 2. Ralph HASTINGS (b. ABT 1463)
  • 3. Elizabeth HASTINGS
  • 4. Edward HASTINGS (2º B. Ashby-Zouche)
  • 5. Richard HASTINGS (b. ABT 1468)
  • 5. William HASTINGS
  • 7. Anne HASTINGS (C. Shrewsbury)
  • 8. George HASTINGS (b. ABT 1472)
• From: http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/NEVILLE2.htm#Catherine NEVILLE (B. Ashby-Zouche) __________________
• Katherine de Neville Hastings
• Birth: 1442 Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
• Death: 1504, England
• Katherine de Neville Bonville Hastings
• Fifth daughter and one of ten children of Richard de Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Alice Montagu. Granddaughter of Sir Ralph de Neville and Lady Joan de Beaufort (the daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet), Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury and Eleanor de Holland. Katherine was born in 1442 at Salisbury.
• Wife of Sir William Bonville, 6th Lord Harington, son of Sir William Bonville and Elizabeth Harington. They were married in 1458 and had one daughter, Cecily, who married Sir Thomas Grey. Sir William was a Yorkist, captured and beheaded on the battlefield at the Battle of Wakefield along with his father 31 Dec 1460, making Katherine one of the wealthiest heiresses of all England at age eighteen.
• Her brother, Richard 'the Kingmaker' arranged her next marriage to Sir William Hastings, the son of Sir Leonard Hastings and Alice de Camoys. They were married by 1462 and had six children:
  • Richard Hastings (1464 - 1465)
  • William Hastings (1466 - 1466)
  • Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings (1466 - 1506)
  • Richard Hastings (born 1468)
  • William Hastings (a470 - after 1540)
  • Anne Hastings (c.1471 - 1520) married George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
• Sir William was charged with treason and beheaded 13 June 1483. Katherine was taken under the protection of Richard II, but lost many of her properties despite his promises.
• Katherine did not remarry and left a will dated 22 Nov 1503, proven 25 March 1504, but her exact death is unknown.
• Thank you Anne Shurtleff Stevens for all this information.
• Family links:
• Parents:
• Richard Neville (1400 - 1460)
• Alice Montagu Neville (1406 - 1462)
• Spouses:
• William Hastings (1431 - 1483)
• William Bonville (____ - 1460)*
• Children:
  • Cecily Bonville de Grey (1460 - 1530)*
  • Edward Hastings (1466 - 1506)*
  • Anne Hastings Talbot (1471 - 1520)*
• Siblings:
• Thomas Neville (____ - 1460)*
• Joan Nevill Fitzalan (____ - 1462)*
• Cicely de Neville Beauchamp Tiptoft (1424 - 1450)*
• Richard Neville (1428 - 1471)**
• John De Neville (1431 - 1471)*
• Eleanor de Neville Stanley (1438 - 1464)*
• Katherine de Neville Hastings (1442 - 1504)
• *Calculated relationship
• **Half-sibling
• Burial: St Helen Churchyard, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, North West Leicestershire District, Leicestershire, England
• Find A Grave Memorial# 59232931
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=59232931 __________________
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 25
• Hastings, William by James Gainsborough Fotheringham ?
• HASTINGS, WILLIAM, Lord Hastings (1430?–1483), was son of Sir Leonard Hastings, who was descended from a younger son of William Hastings, steward to Henry II, and was a retainer of Richard, duke of York; his mother was Alice, daughter of Lord Camoys. He was born about 1430, and on the death of his father succeeded to the family estates in Leicestershire and Warwickshire, and was named sheriff of both counties. He received an annuity from the Duke of York on condition that he should serve him before all others, and at all times, his allegiance to the king alone excepted. He was highly recommended by the duke to his son, afterwards Edward IV. Edward, on his accession to the throne, rewarded Hastings's services in the civil war by appointing him receiver of the revenues of the duchy of Cornwall (1463), master of the mint (1461), grand chamberlain of the royal household (1461–1483), chamberlain of North Wales (1461–1469), and lieutenant of Calais (1471). In the last capacity he is several times alluded to in the ‘Paston Letters,’ about the years 1474 and 1477. He was made a baron in 1461, and received large grants of the forfeited estates of the Lancastrians. In right of his wife Katherine, daughter of Richard Neville, earl of Salisbury, and widow of Lord Bonville, he obtained additional gifts of estates in Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, and Suffolk. He was present at the king's coronation at Westminster in 1461; next year he accompanied Edward in his expedition to the north, and was one of the lords sent to Carlisle in July to receive the Queen of Scots (Paston Letters, ii. 110). He undertook the siege of Dunstanburgh with a force of ten thousand men. On 21 March 1462 he was installed knight of the Garter, and in 1464 was joined in a commission with the Earl of Warwick and the Earl of Northumberland to treat with James III of Scotland for a truce between the two countries. While master of the mint he introduced the coinage of gold nobles worth 100d., and two other gold pieces worth 50d. and 25d. respectively. On 28 March 1465 he was deputed, together with Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, to treat with the representatives of Charles the Bold for an alliance, and in May Warwick, Hastings, and five others were directed to treat with the ambassadors of Philip, duke of Burgundy, for mercantile intercourse, and also to treat with Francis of Brittany, Lewis of France, and Charles the Bold (Fœdera, xi. 541–3). In 1466 he was one of the ambassadors to treat with Burgundy as to commercial relations, and to negotiate marriages between Margaret, sister of Edward IV and Charles the Bold, and between George, duke of Clarence, and Mary, daughter of Charles; and in this year he was again directed to conduct negotiations with the French king (ib. xi. 562–6). In 1467 he was once more negotiating for the marriage between Charles and Margaret (ib. xi. 590). Upon Edward's escape from Middleham Castle to London in 1469, Hastings aided him in raising new forces. He was at this time reappointed chamberlain of North Wales. Upon Warwick's invasion in 1470 Hastings informed the king of the danger, urged him to escape, and accompanied him on horseback to Lynn in Norfolk, whence Edward sailed to Holland. During Edward's absence Hastings was active in stirring up the zeal of the Yorkists. A bond (preserved in Dugdale's Baronage, although dated four years later) was probably first entered into at this juncture. It is signed by two lords, nine knights, and forty-eight esquires, who engage to aid Hastings against all persons within the kingdom, and to raise as many men as they can, to be armed at the expense of Hastings. Upon Edward's return in March 1471 Hastings was instrumental in bringing over Clarence to his side, and was present at their first interview thereupon at Banbury. At the battle of Barnet Hastings commanded the third division, which was opposed to that of Montague, and included three thousand mounted horsemen. He is said to have taken part in the death of the Lancastrian Prince Edward after the battle of Tewkesbury. In 1475 Hastings was sent to France with an invading force. A treaty of peace followed. The French and English kings met at Picquigny, near Amiens, and Hastings received from Louis a yearly annuity of two thousand crowns. He was apparently the only English noble present, who made some difficulty about receiving the money, and he formally refused to grant any receipt for it, alleging as a reason that he did not wish it to be said that the chamberlain of England was a pensioner of the king of France. He was less scrupulous with the Duke of Burgundy, from whom he received a yearly annuity of a thousand crowns. Comines, who says that he first introduced Hastings to Charles and afterwards to Louis, knew Hastings well, and describes him as a person of singular wisdom and virtue, in great authority with his master, whom he had served faithfully. Comines states that Louis XI gave Hastings on one occasion a service of plate of the value of ten thousand marks. Hastings was one of the lords who swore fealty to King Edward's eldest son. Hastings was on bad terms with the queen, who had been offended by his appointment to the governorship of Calais, which post she desired for her brother Earl Rivers. But he had been able to maintain a high position, on account of his well-known tried fidelity to the king. The king on his deathbed entreated him to be reconciled to the queen. When she afterwards proposed to the council that her son, Edward V, should be escorted to London with a strong army, Hastings passionately demanded whether the army was intended ‘against the people of England or against the good Duke of Gloucester.’ He threatened to retire to Calais if Rivers approached with an army. When, however, Gloucester tried by means of William Catesby [q. v.] to bring Hastings into his designs, Hastings seemed disposed to join the queen's party. He attended the council in the Tower (14 June 1483) in spite of a warning from Stanley. The scene which followed is described by Sir Thomas More, who heard of it from Cardinal Morton, then bishop of Ely, an eye-witness (Gairdner, Richard III, p. 81). More's account is dramatised by Shakespeare. Gloucester charged Hastings with treason, and he was immediately taken out and beheaded on a block of timber at the Tower. His body was buried in the north aisle of the chapel of St. George's in Windsor Castle, near the tomb of Edward IV. Edward, his son and heir, who was seventeen years of age at this time, was father of George Hastings, first earl of Huntingdon [q. v.] Hastings also left two younger sons, Richard and William, and a daughter Anne, married to George, earl of Shrewsbury. There are many slight references to Hastings in the ‘Paston Letters,’ including two letters by Hastings to John Paston (iii. 96, 107).
• [Stow's Annals; Holinshed; Dugdale's Baronage, i. 580; Rymer's Fœdera, orig. ed.; De Comines' Mémoires; Paston Letters, ed. Gairdner; Doyle's Official Baronage.]
• From: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Hastings,_William_(DNB00) ___________________
• Links
• http://genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00107597&tree=LEO

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