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removed. It was at length agreed, that the Duke of York fhould difmifs his army immediately; and that the Duke of Somerset should be put under arreft, till he' fhould be brought before the juftice of the enfuing Parliament. This was accordingly pretended to be done; and York was then prevailed upon to pay his refpects to the King in his tent; and on repeating his charge against Somerset, he was furprized to fee that Minifter step from behind the curtain, and offer not only to vindicate his own innocence, but to charge him with treasonable practices and defigns. The Duke of York now perceived that he was betrayed, and in the hands of his enemies; however, they did not think it prudent to attempt any violence against him; he retired, therefore, to his feat at Wigmore, on the borders of Wales. But he previously took an oath of allegiance to Henry, before a number of the Nobility, among whom were the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick.

It is faid, that Warwick's attachment to the York interest, was increased by a quarrel which happened between him and the Duke of Somerfet, and in which the Queen efpoufed the cause of the latter. However, the Duke of York's influence continued very much to increase; and in 1454, King Henry being afflicted with an illness, which rendered him unable to preferve even the appearance of royalty, the Duke of York was appointed Protector of the kingdom; before which he had procured Warwick's father, the Earl of Salisbury, who was a Nobleman of great ability, to be appointed Lord Chancellor of England; and foon after the Duke of Somerset was arrested, and fent to the Tower.

As to the Earl of Warwick, his influence and popularity every day encreased; and that to fuch a degree, that it is faid he was more univerfally beloved and efteemed, than any other man of that age. He was the richest Nobleman in England; and in the magnificence of his living, and his unbounded hofpitality, he excelled all his contemporaries. Whether he refided in town, or in the country, he always kept open house. At his house in London, we are told, fix oxen were generally eaten daily for breakfast. Every foldier might come into his kitchen, and take away whatever meat he could carry off upon the point of his dagger; which is not a stronger proof, it has been obferved, of the hofpitality of Warwick, than of the plain and fimple manners of the age in which he lived. And it is even faid by fome writers, that no lefs than thirty thousand perfons daily lived at his board, in the different manors and caftles which he poffeffed in England. But he acquired popularity, not only by his magnificence and hofpitality, but by the affability of his manners, and a certain franknefs and openness of behaviour, which charmed all who faw him; and to thefe qualifi cations were added an excellent understanding, and a bold and intrepid fpirit. A Nobleman of fuch a character, could not 2 F

5,

but

but give great weight to whatever caufe he fhould efpoufe; for, (as Mr. Guthrie obferves)" without being in the Government, he feemed the dictator of the people; and, howfoever power was vefted, authority remained with him and his father." King Henry being fo far recovered from his late diffemper, as to be able once more to affume the appearance of royalty, he was preffed by Queen Margaret, and her party, to refume his authority, to annul the regency of the Duke of York, and to releafe the Duke of Somerfet from his imprisonment in the Tower. Accordingly Somerfet was fet at liberty, and declared a faithful fubject; and the Government of Calais, which had been given to the Duke of York, was now taken from him, and given to Somerfet. In confequence of thefe proceedings, the Duke of York once more took up arms. Having concerted meafures with the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, and the other Noblemen who were connected with him, he again retired into Wales, where he levied a numerous army, with which he advanced towards the King, who had affembled his forces, and marched out of London to give him battle, attended by the Dukes of Somerfet and Buckingham, and many others of the Nobility. On the 22d of May, 1455, the royal army reached St. Alban's, while the Duke of York's army lay encamped at Hayfield. The Duke fent feveral meffages to the King, reprefenting the grievances and difgraces which the nation had fuffered under the miniftry of the Duke of Somerfet. He added, that he and his adherents were refolved not to lay down their arms till he was delivered up to juftice; in which cafe they were willing to difmifs their followers, and return to their feveral counties. But the King, who at this time affumed a fpirit which was very unufual to him, anfwered the Duke of York's meffengers, That he would deliver up his Crown as "foon as he would the Duke of Somerset, or the meaneft fol"dier in his army; and that he would treat like a traitor every "man who fhould prefume to fight him in the field."

Both armies were at this time drawn out in order of battle, and the van-guard of the Yorkifts was commanded by the Earl of Warwick. But when the Earl heard the King's meffage, he was fo incenfed at it, that, without waiting for the Duke of York's orders, he attacked the royal army with fuch irrefiftible fury, that it was fpeedily thrown into confufion. And York, advancing in the mean time, attacked them in flank with great courage and fuccefs; fo that the King's army was totally de'feated, with the lofs, as it is faid, of five thousand men. "This

:

was the first blood (fays Mr. Hume) fpilt in that fatal quar "rel, which was not finished in less than a courfe of thirty years, which was fignalized by twelve pitched battles, which "opened a scene of extraordinary fiercenefs and cruelty, is computed to have coft the lives of eighty Princes of the blood, and almost entirely annihilated the antient Nobility of

England.

"England." The Duke of Somerfet, and feveral other Noblemen of diftinction, fell in this action; and the King himfelf (who seems not to have been deficient in perfonal courage, though from principles of confcience he was averfe to fighting,) was wounded in the neck with an arrow, but was nevertheless the laft to retire from the field, and then took refuge in an adjacent hut (a).

But notwithstanding the Duke of York's victory, he behaved with great moderation. When he was informed of the fituation 2 F 2

of

plication of the money raised for the defence of it. To prove the truth of our affertion, we refer to the articles of impeachment themselves at large, and to all the historians. Mr. Hume also, speaking of the opinions which Richard and his Counfellors found means to obtain from the Judges at Nottingham, and for which those Judges have been, by, the generality of our hiftorians, defervedly branded with infamy, fays, Richard "pro

"which thefe Lawyers, either from "the influence of his authority, or "of reafon, made no fcruple of an"fwering in the way he defired;" and afterwards he adds, “ there want

not reasons of apology for the opi"nions of thefe Judges." It is, however, worthy of remark, that amongst the opinions given by these Judges at this time, it is declared, in answer to the King's eighth query, that

(a) Mr. Hume, in introducing his account of the wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster, obferves, that" the English were now to pay the fevere, though late penalty, of their turbulence against Richard II. and of their levity in violating, without any neceffity or just reason, the lineal fucceffion of their Monarchs." If we could admit this ingenious hiftorian's account of the reign of Richard II. to be a fair and impartial one, we might then ac-"pofed to the Judges fome queries, knowledge the justice of this reflection; but we believe that no man who will take the pains to compare Mr. Hume with other hiftorians, can poffibly think his account of that Prince's reign a just one. He has taken great pains to fet, the character both of Richard and his Minifters in the most favourable light, and has reprefented in the most disadvantageeus manner the characters and ac, tions of those who opposed him. In if any one should impeach in his account of the profecution of "Parliament any of the King's Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, "Judges, or Officers, without his he obferves, (bist. vol. iii. p. 17.) that "confent, he who should impeach "nothing can prove more fully the "them might be legally punished as "innocence of Suffolk, than the fri-a traitor" and in answer to his "volousness of the articles objected "against him." And, indeed, if the reader contents himself with this hiftorian's account of these articles, he will be inclined to be of the fame opinion. But it is a very obfervable circumstance, that Mr. Hume in his account of the charge against Suf-, folk, takes not the leaft notice of two of the most material articles of impeachment, the 34 and 7th, in which he is charged with mifapplying the public money, raised and directed by the Parliament to be employed for the defence of the kingdom; and alfo with having occafioned the lofs of the city, of Ghent, by the misap,

fixth query, "that if any one should "prefume in Parliament to treat of "other matters than thofe propofed "by the King, and contrary to his "pleasure, they might be punished

as traitors." What reasons of apology can be given, for Judges who could give fuch opinions, we own ourselves utterly at a lofs to determine. However, we believe no im. partial man, who thinks refiftance to Sovereigns in any cafes lawful, will think it any just reproach upon our ancestors, or any indication of unreasonable turbulence or levity, that they oppofed fuch tyranny as that of Richard 11, and his Ministers.

of the King, he entered the place with great fubmiffion, and, with the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick at his back, threw himself at Henry's feet, and declared, that as the enemy of the public was now dead, he and his affociates were ready to obey him in all his lawful commands. The next day the victorious Lords attended the King to London; and fome time after the Duke of York was appointed by the Parliament, Protector of the Realm, till fuch time as the Prince of Wales fhould be at years of difcretion. And among other determinations which were made in Parliament, in order to confirm the prefent fyftem of government, it was refolved," That no perfon or perfons fhould judge, or report, that the Duke of York, or the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, were guilty of rebellion or treason, in coming in a warlike manner against the King at St. Alban's, fince the action was neceffary, and taken in hand to free the King from captivity, and bring peace and fafety to the nation."

About this time the Earl of Warwick was made Governor of Calais. This feems to have been confidered as the most confiderable military poft now under the English Government; it had been lately held by the Dukes of York and Somerfet. He was alfo appointed High Admiral of England. And it appears that the Earl of Salisbury, in conjunction with his fon the Earl of Warwick, had a grant of 90831. 65. 8d. per annum, out of the Customs. But towards the beginning of the year 1456, the Parliament being affembled, the King was prevailed upon, by Queen Margaret and fome of his Minifters, to appear in it, and declare his intention of refuming the Administration of Government; at the fame time he pronounced the Duke of York's commiflion as Protector to be vacated; to which the Parliament agreed, and the Duke foon after received a writ, notifying his fufpenfion from the Protectorship.

The Duke, however, quietly acquiefced in this; and foon after the Queen's party contrived to remove the Court to Coventry, under the pretence of recovering the King's health, and of amufing him with rural diverfions; and at this place the Duke of York, with the Earls of Salisbury and Warwick, were invited to attend the King's perfon. Accordingly they all fet out for Coventry; but received certain information on the road, that their enemies had a defign to arreft them on their arrival. Upon this they all immediately feparated; the Duke of York withdrew to his caftle of Wigmore, on the marches of Wales, the Earl of Salisbury to the caftle of Middleham in Yorkshire, and the Earl of Warwick to his government of Calais (b). As it was generally apprehended in the nation, that this rup ture would be of very dangerous confequences, many perfons of diftinction,

(b) About this time the French made a defcent on the coaft of Kent, and landed eighteen hundred men about two miles from Sandwich,

whither they had orders to march by land, while the Admiral attacked it by fea. The inhabitants of Sandwich defended themselves with great

valour ;

diftinction, and in particular the Archbishop of Canterbury, exerted their endeavours to reconcile the contending parties. In confequence of which, it was agreed that the great leaders on both fides should meet in London, and be folemnly reconciled. Accordingly the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury arrived in London with numerous retinues; and the Earl of Warwick came over from Calais, with a fplendid retinue of hundred men, who were all cloathed in red coats, with white ragged ftaves embroidered before and behind, which was Warwick's badge (c). He took up his refidence in Black Friars. The different parties came at length to feveral articles of agreement; it was agreed that there should be a general pardon for all who were concerned in the late disturbances, and that all animofities fhould be buried in oblivion; and, among other things, it was agreed, that the Duke of York, with the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury, fhould fettle forty pounds a year upon the abbey of St. Alban's, in order that maffes might be faid for the fouls of thofe who had been flain near that place; and a pecuniary fatisfaction was to be made to fome of their heirs, particularly the Earl of Warwick agreed to pay two thoufand marks for the benefit of the younger brethren of the Lord Clifford. After the terms of agreement were adjusted, in order to notify the accommodation to the people, a folemn proceffion to St. Paul's was appointed, in which the Duke of York led Queen Margaret, and the other leaders of the different parties walked hand in hand, in token of friendship; particularly the Duke of Somerset, fon of him who was killed at St. Alban's, walked with the Earl of Salisbury, and the Duke of Exeter with the Earl of Warwick.

We have already taken notice of the Earl of Warwick's being appointed High Admiral. He foon evidenced his diligence in that office, and his regard for his country's honour, by fitting out feveral fquadrons for the public fervice, to the feveral officers of which he gave fuch inftructions as he thought proper. But foon after the accommodation between the Yorkits and their opponents, he had an opportunity of fignalizing himself upon the fea in perfon. Returning to his government of Calais, with thirteen large fhips under his command, he fell in with a large fleet belonging, as it is faid by the historians, to different powers,

they carried with them the booty of the town.

valour; they difputed every inch of ground with the enemy; and, in flead of furrendering, either fold their (c) We are told, as a proof of lives dear, or gained the neighbour- the univerfal eftimation in which ing fields, with a refolution of reco- Warwick was held, that no man vering the town, as foon as they were esteemed himself gallant who did not reinforced by the neighbouring mili- wear his ragged staff; nor was any tia. This accordingly they at length houfe well-frequented, that had not effected, and the French were at over the door his White Cross length obliged to embark, though painted.

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