VISCOUNT

See also:

• FRANCIS
• FRANCIS (FRarrcols) OF SALES, ST (1567-1622)
• FRANCIS (Lat. Franciscus, Ital. Francesco, Span. Francisco, Fr. Francois, Ger. Franz)
• FRANCIS, SIR PHILIP (174o-1818)

FRANCIS

See also:

• VISCOUNT FRANCIS LOVELL LOVELL (1454-1487)

LOVELL LOVELL (1454-1487)  , sup- porter of Richard III., was son of John, 8th Baron Lovell . As a young man he served under Richard of Gloucester in the expedition to Scotland in 1480 . After the death of Edward IV. he became one of his patron's strongest supporters . He had been created a viscount on the 4th of January 1483, and whilst still Protector Richard made him Chief Butler . As soon as Richard became king, Lovell was promoted to be Lord Chamberlain . Lovell helped in the suppression of Buckingham's rebellion, and as one of Richard's most trusted ministers was gibbeted in Collingbourne's couplet with Catesby and Ratcliffe:— " The catte, the ratte and Lovell our dogge Rulyth all England under a hogge." He had command of the fleet which was to have stopped Henry Tudor's landing in 1485, but fought for Richard at Bosworth and after the battle fled to sanctuary at Colchester . Thence he escaped next year to organize a dangerous revolt in York-shire . When that failed he fled to Margaret of Burgundy in Flanders . As a chief leader of the Yorkist party he had a foremost part in Lambert Simnel's enterprise . With John de la Pole, earl of Lincoln, he accompanied the pretender to Ireland and fought for him at Stoke on the 16th of June 1487 . He was seen escaping from the battle, but was never afterwards heard of; Bacon relates that according to one report he lived long after in a cave or vault (Henry VII., p . 37, ed .

Lumby) . More than 200 years later, in 1708, the

skeleton of a man was found in a secret chamber in the family mansion at Minster Lovell in Oxfordshire . It is supposed that Francis Lovell had hidden himself there and died of starvation . Collingbourne's couplet is preserved by Fabyan, Chronicle, p . 672 . For the discovery at Minster Lovell see Notes and Queries, and ser. i. and 5th ser. x . (C . L .