In treating of ages long gone by, the pen, while it endeavours to be faithful to truth, should be ever impartial. The historic page is too frequently clouded with error; and though some facts are conspicuous to conviction; by agreeing authors, or well preserved manuscripts, all the events we read of are not to be too implicitly credited. It is not the intention / of the writer of the present essay to speak of the transactions of the house of York, after it became secure by its union with that of Lancaster, in enjoying that repose from scenes of slaughter which had so long desolated the kingdom; but to give a sketch of the private life of Edward the IV. and his court, before the death of Henry the VI. till whose demise he could certainly not be said to enjoy the crown in perfect security, though there is every reason to style him The Heir Apparent to the throne of England. His right to that throne, and the legality of his descent, have been so well treated of by various writers of veracity, that it is unnecessary to weary the reader with genealogical discussions: but this history commences at that period of Edward's youth, when the dreadful contentions between the two houses depopulated the / country, and bereft her of many of her bravest defenders.

A noble author has said, that ‘Edward's good qualities were courage and beauty; his bad qualities, every vice.’ This expression is too strong; for through vice certainly predominated in the character, he yet gave evident and frequent proofs of the goodness of his heart: But, misled by evil counsellors during his minority, he plunged into every species of dissipation; amongst which, inebriety, that disgusting vice, unhappily took the lead, and promised, long before his coming to the crown, to undermine that beauty, for which he was so particularly famed.