CONTINUATION OF THE WAR.-1456. 189 8. But he left a very able and zealous friend in England. This was his wife's brother, Nevil Earl of Warwick, commonly called, from subsequent events, The King-maker. This nobleman was the richest subject in the kingdom. On his different estates he maintained 30,000 people,―a very great number, when we remember that the whole kingdom did not probably at that time contain more than 2,300,000. 9. Stow, a writer of that day, describes Warwick coming into London with a train of 600 men, all in red jackets, embroidered on the sleeves with the bear and ragged staff, the badge of his family. He lodged in his house in Warwick Lane, and six fat oxen were often consumed in it for one breakfast. 10. Not only his own people were fed at his cost, but all persons who had any acquaintance with those of his household might come and carry off as much boiled and roasted meat as they could bear away on their dagger; so that it is no wonder that he was very popular. CHAPTER CVII. Continuation of the War between the Two Roses.-Death of the Duke of York.-His Son proclaimed King by the title of Edward IV. 1. WARWICK, having assembled an army, met the royalists at Northampton, where he obtained so decided a victory over them, that was the consequence of the duke's declaring his intentions? 8. What is said of War. wick's style of living? 190 DEATH OF THE DUKE OF YORK.-1460. they fled in all directions. The queen and her son with great difficulty escaped into Scotland. The king was found sitting alone in his tent, and carried by Warwick in triumph to London. 2. The Duke of York now returned to England, and laid before parliament his claim to the crown. There was no doubt that he was the direct heir of Edward III., but the parliament was unwilling to dethrone the reigning king. It was therefore determined that Henry should remain king during his life, but that on his death, the Duke of York and his heirs should succeed. 3. But Margaret was not of a disposition calmly to see her son thus set aside. By great exertions she collected a body of 20,000 men, who were induced to enter her service by the promise of giving them the plunder of the fertile lands of England. 4. With these she advanced towards London, and at Wakefield was met by the Duke of York, who, ignorant of the number of her forces, had with him only 5000 men. He wished to wait until his son, Edward, should arrive with a reinforcement; but by the advice of his generals he changed his plan, and on the 30th of December, 1460, marched to meet the enemy; a fatal determination, for his little army was entirely defeated. 5. He himself was among the first who fell, and the spot where he was slain is still fenced off in the corner of a field near Sandal. What CVII.-1. What did Warwick do? What became of the queen and her son? of the king? 2. What is said of the Duke of York? 3. How did Margaret receive the parliament's decision? By what promise did she collect an army? 4. What of the battle of Wakefield? 5. What was the fate of the Duke of York? 6. How many children BATTLE OF ST. ALBANS.-1461. 191 He possessed many great and good qualities, and his death was sincerely lamented by all who had taken up his cause. 6. He left three sons, Edward, George, and Richard, and three daughters. Another son, Edmund, a beautiful boy of twelve years of age, was killed on the same day with his father, being murdered in cold blood by Lord Clifford on Wakefield hedge, where a small chapel, which is still standing, was afterwards built, to perpetuate the memory of the bloody deed. 7. Margaret, sanguinary and merciless, caused the head of the Duke of York to be cut off and fixed on the gates of York, with a paper crown, in derision of his claims; she also caused the most noble and valiant of the prisoners to be beheaded without any form of trial. 8. The queen then set forward to London; and her followers fully availed themselves of the liberty to plunder, for they pillaged and burnt every church and dwelling, marking their way by fire and devastation. The Earl of Warwick hastened with his forces to meet her, taking with him the poor, passive king. 9. The two armies met, on the 17th of February, 1461 and S. Albans was the scene of a second bloody battle. The Lancastrians obtained the victory, and Warwick fled, leaving the king behind. did he leave? 7, 8. What did Margaret do after the battle? 9. What is said of the second battle of St. Albans? What of the conduct of the citizens of London towards Margaret? 10. What towards young Edward? who rejoiced to be restored to his wife and son. But the queen's triumph was of short duration; the city of London was firm in the interests of the Yorkists; and besides, the citizens feared to admit her tumultuous army, and refused to open their gates. 10. Margaret was therefore compelled once more to retire to the north. Edward, the young Duke of York, having collected the remains of Warwick's army, entered London on the 3d of March, amidst the acclamations of the multitude. Warwick then assembled the people, and presenting the young duke to them, demanded whether they chose to have him or Henry for their king. 11. Shouts of "A York! a York!" resounded from all sides, and the new king was at once proclaimed by the title of Edward IV. The next day he went in solemn procession to Westminster Hall, and, taking his seat on the throne, received the homage of a great number of nobles and bishops. 12. Thus ended the reign of Henry VI., who, while in his cradle, had been proclaimed King of England and France, and who began his life with the most splendid prospects. His ruin is to be attributed to his want of capacity, and to the misconduct of his queen and her favorites. FAMILY OF RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK. WIFE. Anne, daughter of Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. SONS. Edward, afterwards King of England. George, Duke of Clarence, executed. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards King Richard III. DAUGHTERS. Anne. CHAPTER CVIII. Edward IV.-The Civil War continues.-Adventures of Henry and his Queen.- Wretched Condition of the Lancastrians. 1. EDWARD was scarcely nineteen years old, when he found himself, almost beyond his own expectation, placed upon the throne. He was brave, active, and enterprising, with a capacity far beyond his years. Comines, an old historian, tells us, that "he was tall of person, fair of face, of a most princely presence, and altogether the goodliest man that ever mine eyes beheld." 2. But one almost regrets to find these brilliant qualities in a prince whose character is blackened by the worst vices. In peace CVIII.-1, 2. What of Edward IV.? 3, 4. Where was the first battle fought? What THE CIVIL WAR CONTINUES.-1461. 193 he revelled in every kind of self-indulgence, and in war was sanguinary beyond all who had gone before him. 3. The first battle, after he became king, was fought at Towton. Never did two armies encounter each other with more inveterate hatred; and the orders of the commanders on each side were to take no prisoners, and give no quarter. 4. The battle lasted from early in the morning till late in the evening, and was one of the most bloody ever fought in Britain. The snow fell thickly, but the Yorkists had their backs to the storm, while the Lancastrians, who faced it, were greatly incommoded by it. The latter were defeated with great slaughter. Henry and his family waited the result at York, and, as soon as they heard of it, fled with the utmost precipitation to Scotland. 5. Edward now satiated his revengeful temper by many bloody executions, and every Lancastrian who fell into his hands was condemned as a traitor. To strengthen his own party, he conferred honors and titles on all his friends. Indeed, it had become quite necessary to make new peers, since the late exterminating battles, and the executions which followed them, had greatly reduced the numbers of the nobility. 6. These reverses of fortune seemed only to increase the energy of Margaret. She made two voyages into France, in hopes of obtaining aid from thence. At last, by her untiring exertions, she raised an army, with which she invaded England by the way of Scotland. She is said of it? 6. What's said of Margaret's energy? 7. What of the defeat at Hexham ? |