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Pliillippe de Commiues having beeu sent to Calais, by 

 the Duke of Burgundy, to treat with Vauclerc, reports 

 that Warwick was so popular, that every one wore his 

 badge, no man esteeming himself in the fashion who 

 was not adorned with the ragged staff; nor was any 

 door frequented that had not his cross painted upon it ; 

 and that Vauclerc himself wore in his hat a jewel, upon 

 which was a ragged staff, embroidered with gold. 



The Earl of Warwick's power, although then great, was 

 exceedingly transient ; for in a very few months another 

 revolution occurred, as sudden as the last. Edward 

 returned, with some few forces and friends, from the 

 Continent, lauded at Ravenspur, in Yorkshire, and 

 entered the city of York. He proceeded southward from 

 thence, his army greatly increasing on the way, and pre- 

 sented himself before Coventry, where Warwick was 

 strongly posted with his forces, awaiting the expected 

 arrival and junction of the troops under his brother, the 

 Marquis of Montague, and his son-in-law, the Duke of 

 Clarence. Warwick, under those circumstances, did not 

 then choose to engage in battle, and Edward marched on 

 towards London, which Warwick expected would hold 

 out until he could arrive to its relief; and he accordingly 

 commenced his march in that direction. Disastrotis 

 tidings, however, soon reached him. He soon received 

 the intelligence that Edward had been joyfully received 

 into London ; that Clarence had deserted the Lancastrian 

 party, and had gone over, with all his army, and joined 

 Edward near the town of Warwick ; and that Henry, 

 instead of being a King, was a prisoner. 



Warwick was now in a situation of great danger; he 

 was too far advanced to retreat, with much chance of 

 success ; was a considerable distance from any place of 

 safety ; and was in the face of a superior army ; and 

 although Clarence offered his mediation between Edward 

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