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202 YORK.
The near relationship of Archbishop Neville to the
great Earl of Warwick involved him, more or less
closely, with the ambitious designs of the latter, and
present him in the light of a great temporal prince
engrossed with secular and political affairs, rather
than as the christian pastor of a great diocese. Yet
he was not altogether unmindful of the duties which
he owed to those who were under his spiritual charge.
A provincial council was held at York in 1466, at
which Neville promulgated certain constitutions. By
these he enjoined every parish priest to expound to
his people in their mother-tongue the fourteen articles
of faith,
the ten commandments, the two evangelical
precepts, the seven works of mercy, the seven deadly
sins, cum sua progenie, the seven principal virtues and
the seven sacraments of Grace : and he enters into a
long explanation of these several points, so that they
might know how to teach their people.
But this is a solitary instance. No other act appears
to connect him with the spiritual oversight of the
diocese. His name occurs perpetually in the records
of the time, but it is in connection with the varying
fortunes of the Red or White Rose. The battle of
Towton in 1461 appeared to have given a crushing
blow to the house of Lancaster, but the restless ambition
of Warwick aimed, ere many years were over, at
the removal of Edward IV. from his throne.
Warwick married his daughter to the Duke ofClarence.
At this marriage Archbishop Neville officiated. Warwick's
ulterior object was, no doubt, to place Clarence
on the throne. Insurrections took place in Yorkshire
and elsewhere, and Edward, who was left defenceless