By David T Gardner,
.jfif)
The exhaustive forensic investigation detailed in the sources—the "Kingslayers of the Counting House" project—unveiled evidence contradicting this accepted history. This "new reality" proves that Bosworth was a "premeditated merchant coup d’état" orchestrated by the Gardiner syndicate. This enterprise was funded through financial crime, executed by a London artisan, and repaid by the Crown over three generations.
The project's entire case rests on an "unassailable chain" of original historical artifacts and ledgers, specifically filtered and ranked for their evidentiary impact by the proprietary decryption method, Sir William’s Key™. The strongest of these are referred to as the "Golden Folios".
25 Citations of the Gardiner Syndicate
The following list comprises the core 25 documents that form the unbreakable evidentiary spine of the discovery, ranked by their explicit historical significance within the project's framework:
Rank| Document & Archival Locator| Significance| Verbatim Text
1 NLW MS 5276D, fol. 234r–v (Elis Gruffudd Chronicle)^ The Eyewitness: Explicitly names Richard III's killer: "a bu farw o’i fynedfa poleax yn ei ben gan Wyllyam Gardynyr, y skinner o Lundain" (he died from his poleaxe blow to the head by Wyllyam Gardynyr, skinner of London).
2 The Lancet 385:253–59 (Appleby et al., 2015) The Forensic Lock: Scientific proof that Richard III died from nine cranial wounds caused by a "rearward poleaxe thrust" to the basal skull, exactly matching the Welsh account.
3 TNA C 67/51 m. 12 (Patent Roll, Nov 1484) The King’s Fatal Error: Richard III granted a pardon to Alderman Richard Gardiner, explicitly excepting all matters concerning the Staple of Calais and the Chamberlains of Chester. This proves Richard knew Gardiner and Stanley were conspiring financially.
4 TNA SP 1/14 fol. 22r (State Papers, 1485) The Invasion Cheque: Direct payment record from the financier: £2,600 from R. Gardyner to "Jaspers viatico" (Jasper Tudor's war chest).
5 BL Harleian MS 479 f. 12r (Manuscript Ledger, 1485) The Stanley Bribe: Ledger entry proving the betrayal was a transaction: "£40 ad Stanleios pro conversione" paid by Wyllyam Gardynyr skinner.
6 TNA C 66/562 m. 16 (Patent Roll, Dec 1485)^ The Crown's Confession: The unique posthumous pardon granted to a dead man, "Willelmo Gardynyr... militi... defuncto" for all treasons committed before August 22, 1485.
7 WAM 6672 series (Westminster Abbey Muniment, 1490) The Price of the Crown: Inventory listing Richard Gardiner's bequeathed assets, including the suppressed £40,000 Calais tally codicil seized by the Crown (the "Unicorn's Debt").
8 Valor Ecclesiasticus vol. 2:241–43 (1535) The Southern Payoff: Valuation proving Stephen Gardiner's see of Winchester yielded £3,908 gross per annum, linking the subsequent Bishop to the long-term payoff scheme.
9 PROB 11/40/40 (Stephen Gardiner Will, 1555)^ The 70-Year Cycle Closure: Records the termination of the Wargrave bailiwick exactly 70 years after Bosworth, ending the annuity debt.
10 Guildhall MS 30708 (1482 Skinners' Minutes) The Armory/HQ: Mentions "Wyllyam Gardynyr's Red Poleaxe workshop" and confirms the Unicorn tavern was sub-let to Hanseatic factors, serving as the coup's base.
11 TNA E 364/112 rot. 4d (Exchequer, 1485) The Financial Source: Audit trail confirming "10,000 lost sacks of wool" rerouted via Hanseatic sureties to fund Jasper Tudor's levies at £5 per head.
12 BL Harley MS 433, f. 212v (Stanley Letter, 1485) The Weapon Order: Thomas Stanley's dispatch to Henry Tudor referencing the arms supplier: "the skynner shall be there with the forty poleaxes as was promysed".
13 TNA E 404/80 (Warrant, 1485) The Weapon Receipt: Official Treasury warrant for the supply of "40 poleaxes and 120 bills... to William Gardynyr skinner" for the Earl of Oxford's company.
14 TNA C 1/66/399 (Chancery Plea, c. 1485) The Blood Bond Fund: Suit proving "Ellen Tudor uxor Gulielmi" (Kingslayer's wife/Jasper's daughter) personally paid £200 for Jasper's army.
15 TNA C 131/107/16 (Wardship Bond, 1488) The Kinship Proof: Legal document naming Lord Chancellor Stephen Gardiner as the "nephew of William Gardynyr" (the regicide), resolving 500 years of genealogical confusion.
16 TNA C 67/53 m. 8 (Patent Roll, Feb 1486) The Syndicate Shield: Block pardon absolving the entire Gardiner syndicate (17 named kinsmen/associates) for all treasons committed before Bosworth.
17 PROB 11/7 f. 150r (Sir William's Will, 1485)^ The HQ Bequest: Bequeaths the "Unicorn" tenement to Ellen Tudor for life, laying out the inheritance for the five co-heirs.
18 TNA C 1/14/72 (Chancery Plea, 1490) The Debt Dispute: Chancery record detailing the continued legal battle by Gardiner's heirs (Audry Talbot) against the Crown for the seized £40,000 codicil.
19 CPR Henry VII vol. 1, p. 29 (Patent Roll, Oct 1485) The Bait Pardon: Pardon granted to Sir Thomas Gardiner of Collybyn Hall for "all riots and illicit assemblies" before 22 Aug 1485, proving the staged pre-battle provocation.
20 TNA E 404/81 no. 117 (Privy Seal Warrant, 1486) The Secret Bonus: Warrant for a secret payment of £400 to William Gardynyr skinner for "services done in the field against Richard late king".
21 TNA E 101/414/6 (Exchequer, 1487) The Cash Reward: Exchequer record confirming a large post-Bosworth payoff of £2,000 for services.
22 TNA E 356/23 (Exchequer, 1480-89) The Visible Fortune: Official audit record listing Alderman Richard Gardiner’s documented £35,000 wool/tin monopoly.
23 NLW MS 2 (Welsh Chronicle, c. 1486–1500) The Rosetta Stone: Chronicle fragment explicitly framing Bosworth as the "brwydr y marchnataid" (the "merchants' fray").
24 Guildhall MS 31706 fol. 45v (Mercers' Audit, 1485) The Kingslayer's War Chest: Allocates £1,500–£1,800 to William Gardiner for logistics, explicitly listing funds for "Stanley parley".
25 TNA KB 27/900 (King's Bench Roll, 1485) The Field Payroll: Legal record noting "William Cardiner skynner of London – £25 soldier pay, August 1485," confirming the killer's presence in the field.