Clarence, George, Duke of, 1449-1478

The fifth but third surviving son of Richard Duke of York, Prince George was the younger brother of King Edward IV. According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, "In 1468 he approved an ordinance that would have made his household the largest and most expensive known for any medieval nobleman. There were to be 399 staff, 188 in the riding household, and the annual cost was £4500. This was considerably grander even than Edward IV's lavish endowment, so much more generous than that of earlier kings towards their brothers". In 1478 Clarence was tried for treason, covicted, and executed by drowning in a butt of malmsey wine.

From the description of The Stablishments and Ordinances made at Waltham Abbey the xth day of December the yere of oure Lord God MCCCCLXVIII [December 10, 1468] ... for the Rule, Ordinance and Guiding of the Householde of the Right High and Mighte Prince the Duke of Clarence, (followed by) "The Order of a Nobleman's House as Duke, Marques, Earle," undated. (Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens). WorldCat record id: 773298051