The Palace and Park by Phillips, Forbes, Latham, Owen, Scharf, and Shenton

[Born 1456. Died 1509. Aged 53.] A monarch whose greatest vice was avarice. He was inordinately fond of money. He had 14,000_l._ a-year allowed him by his first Parliament for his Household expenses, and 2000_l._ a-year for his wardrobe; yet he left behind him a sum equivalent to 16,000,000_l._ at the present day. With no worse quality than avarice, he had no quality that can be called great. He was brave, politic, attentive to business, reserved, suspicious. His chief merit consisted in closing the civil wars, and securing peace and order in the country. He died at Richmond, and was buried in the magnificent chapel at Westminster, erected by himself. He also built “The Great Harry,” the first ship in the English Navy, ships before this time having been hired or pressed from merchants. It cost 14,000_l._ The King seems to have had remorse for his rapacity on his death-bed. He issued a general pardon for all offences, released all debtors, himself paying the debts of many; converted the Palace of the Savoy into an hospital; built several religious houses; and ordered restitution to be made to all men whom he had wronged by his extortions. It is unnecessary to state that his successor being his son, Henry VIII., not the slightest effect followed from the “restitution” clause.