fvlO 



ENGLAND. 



IkatkH 



umbers to his standard, tliat, in a few days, his 

 army was swelled to ()0,000 men. Edward hastened 

 southward to oppose him, and the hostile armies mrt 

 \ottiiighaiu. The rapidity of Warwick's m.rch 

 had prevented Clarcnec from executing his intentions 

 in favour of Edward, and Montague was the first to be* 

 tray his trust. Having M-CUIV 1 Ins adherents, Montague 

 took arms in the night, and hastened to the king's quar- 

 ters. Edward, alarmed at the I. i-iea-trian cry of war, 

 flic* to Hoi- started from his bed, and being informed ot'his danger 

 land- l>y Lord Hasting, who urged him to make his escape, 



A. 1). 1470. |, e fl^j w ;,|, ., Mna ll retinue to l.ym-i-, in Norfolk, 

 w here he embark.-,!. ;:nd landed in 1 1 -Mich was 



the pre, with which he left England, that he 



had carried nothing of value along with him. and could 

 only reward tlk; captain of the vessel with a robe lined 

 witli sa!' 



The flight of Edward left the kingdom entirely at 

 Warwick's disposal. That nobleman hastened to I^on- 

 don ; and summoning a parliament at Westminster, 

 And Henry the unfortunate Henry was released from prison, and 

 is restored, restored to his throne. Being declared, however, in- 

 capable of governing, Warwick and Clarence were 

 entrust. d with the regency during the minority of 

 young Edward ; and, in failure of that prince's issue, 

 - appointed successor to the crown. Many 

 of the Yorkists fled beyond seas, others concealed them- 

 selves in London, and the Earl of Worcester was the 

 only nobleman that suffered upon the restoration. But 

 tlie triumph of the Lancastrians was of short duration, 

 and they were soon compelled in their turn to seek tor 

 refuge and protection from the fury of Edward. 



The Duke of Burgundy had endeavoured to conci- 

 liate tlie friendship of tlie reigning party, by refusing 

 all succours to his brother-in-law ; but, finding that 

 Warwick had engaged in an alliance with the King of 

 France, aud had even sent over 4000 troops to Calais 

 to make inroads into his territories, he resolved to as- 

 sist Edward in recovering tlie crown of England. He 

 secretly equipped a small squadron in the ports of Zea- 

 land, in which, with 2000 men, Edward, after an ab- 

 Edwsti! re- sence of nine months, proceeded to England to try his 

 fortune in the field of war. He landed at liavenspur 

 in Yorkshire; but being coldly received, he pretended 

 that he came not to disturb the peace of the kingdom, 

 but merely to claim the inheritance of the house of 

 York ; when the adherents of his party flocked to him 

 from all quarters. Warwick having assembled an army 

 at Leicester, hastened to give him battle ; but Edward 

 taking another road, passed him unmolested, and pre- 

 sented himself before the gates of London. Here he 

 was admitted without hesitation, and was even joined 

 by the Archbishop of York, Warwick's brother. The 

 feeble Henry was again taken from his throne, and 

 carried back to his old prison in the Tower Finding 

 himself now in a condition to face the enemy, Edward 

 met Warwick at Barnet, in the neighbourhood of the 

 capital. Warwick had been reinforced by his son-in- 

 law the Duke of Clarence, and his brother the M;ir- 



quis of Montague ; but the former deserted to his bro- 



f Clarence, ther Edward during the night with 12,000 men. This, 

 however, did not discourage the brave Warwick. He 

 had advanced too far to retreat ; and, disdaining all 

 the terms offered him by the enemy, he resolved to 

 stake his fortune upon the issue of a battle. The en- 

 gagement began early in the morning. The two mo't 

 renowned generals of the age headed the contending 

 armies, and their example inspired their followers with 

 more than ordinary valour. Victory or death seemed 



And U ad- 

 mitted to 

 (he capital. 



Tretehery 



to be the only alternative that was left them; and the History, 

 battle continued long unabated and doubtful. But > ""~Y"^ 

 owing to a -light mi-t. the army of Warwick having '' 

 nii.-t-iken a party of their friends for the enemy, fell w ),j 

 upon them with such fury, that they drove them otf ick i 

 i in- li. Id. Thin error turned the fortune of the day ; tUin. 

 and Warwick having in vain attempted to retrieve the A - " 117I< 

 mistake, at last re~olv.il to sell his life as dear as pos- 

 sible, and rushing into the thickest of the enemy, fell 

 covered with wounds. His brother Montague perished 

 with him; and as orders had been given by Edward to 

 give no quarter, the slaughter was dreadful. 



On this fatal day, Queen Margaret and the Prince Arrival of 

 of Wales landed at Weymouth with a small body of Queen M- 

 French forces ; but, instead of meeting with the con- Kmrct> 

 gratulntions which she expected, she was confounded 

 by the intelligence of the death of Warwick, and the 

 captivity of her husband. Her magnanimity, which 

 had formerly supjwrted her under so many trials and 

 disasters, now failed her ; and foreseeing the dismal con- 

 sequences of so fatal a reverse, she took sanctuary in 

 the abbey of Beaulieu. Here, however, her spirit* 

 were revived, by the appearance of the Earl of Pem- 

 broke, the Duke of Somerset, ami other powerful bo- 

 rons, who exhorted her still to hope for success, and 

 offered her their lives and fortunes to support the cause 

 of her family. Yielding to their encouragements, and 

 flattered with the prospect of regaining her authority, 

 she advanced into the heart of the kingdom, while 

 Pembroke went to levy forces in Wales. Her army 

 daily increased as she proceeded ; but the determined 

 r.dward overtook her at Tewksbury. The Duke of Is ( i c f eate( j 

 Somerset, a man of valour and abilities, but rash and m Tcwks- 

 impetuous, commanded the Lancastrians. He repul- bury, 

 sed the first attack of Edward with such vigour, that 

 the Yorkists retired with precipitation ; and following 

 up his success, he ordered Lord Wenlock to supjKirt 

 him in the charge. But Wenlock disobeyed his com- 

 mands ; and Somerset wiis overpowered by numbers. 

 Enraged at his loss, and transported with fury at be- 

 holding Wenlock still inactive, he ran up to the cow- 

 ard, and with one stroke of his battle-axe dashed out 

 his brains. 



About 3000 were slain on the side of the Laneas- Anil takcm 

 trians, and Margaret and the Prince of Wales fell into prisoner, 

 the hands of the victors. Somerset, and about twenty 

 persons of distinction, having taken refuge in a church, 

 were dragged thence, and immediately beheaded. Pem- 

 broke, when he heard of the defeat of his friends at 

 Tewksbury, disbanded the troops which he had col- 

 lected, and fled into Brittany with his nephew, the 

 young Earl of Richmond. When Margaret and her 

 son were brought to Edward, that monarch insultingly 

 demanded ot' the young prince, how he dared to invade 

 his dominions. That noble youth, then about eighteen The prince 

 years of age, appeared undaunted by the presence of ' ; <v.>K~ 

 his victorious enemy ; but, unmindful of his situation, murdtrci!. 

 he boldly replied : " I have entered the dominions of 

 my father, to revenge his injuries, and to redress my 

 own." Tlie barbarous Edward, enraged at his intrepid 

 spirit, struck him on tlie face with his gauntlet ; and 

 his brothers, the Dukes of Clarence and ('loucc.-tcr, 

 with Lord Hastings and Sir Thomas Cray, taking this 

 as a signal for his death, hurried him into the next 

 apartment, and dispatched him with their daggers. 

 Th.s tragedy was followed by the death of King Henry, Heath of 

 who died n lew days after in confinement j but it was Henry VI. 

 generally believ.il, that he was murdered in cold blood 

 by the hand of Gloucester. Margaret was thrown in- 



