CHAP.

II.

attainted,

Nov. 20

This bloodless victory was most gratifying to the merciful disposition of Henry, who the next morning granted an amnesty to the insurgents Yorkists abandoned by their leaders, and convoked a parliament to meet at Coventry. Its principal employment was to pass an act of attainder against the duke and dutchess of York, and their children the earls of March and Rutland, against the earl and countess of Salisbury, and their son the earl of Warwick, the lord Clinton, and a few other knights and esquires.191 It was with pain that Henry acquiesced in this act of severity. When it was read before him preparatory to the dissolution, he insisted on the addition of a clause enabling him to dispense with the attainder, whenever he thought proper; and entirely refused his assent to that part of it which confiscated the property of the lord Powis and two others, who had thrown themselves on his mercy the morning after the flight of their leaders.192

In this desperate situation the hopes and fortunes of the Yorkists rested on the abilities and popularity of the earl of Warwick, who by a most fatal error had been permitted to retain the command of the fleet with the government of Calais. He was now superseded in both, in the former by the duke of Exeter, in the latter by the duke of Somerset. But when Somerset prepared to enter the harbour, he was driven back

191 Rot. Parl. v. 345-351.

192 Ibid. 350. Whetham. 473.

II.

CHAP. by the fire from the batteries; and as soon as he had landed at Guisnes, his ships were carried off by his own mariners to their favourite commander at Calais. They were a most valuable acquisition to Warwick, who while Somerset and his veterans were uselessly detained in Guisnes, surprised two successive armaments fitted out by the royalists in the ports of Kent. He sailed even to Dublin to concert measures with the duke of York; and in his return was met by the duke of Exeter: but that commander, alarmed by symptoms of disaffection in his fleet, turned into Dartmouth, and Warwick rejoined his friends in Calais.193

1460. Jan, 1.

They raise

an army.

The result of the conference at Dublin was soon disclosed. Emissaries were sent to all the friends of the party to hold themselves in readiness for action: and reports were spread that Henry had not given his assent to the act of attainder: that he was still convinced of the innocence of the exiles; and that instead of being free, he was a reluctant captive in the hands of a faction. At the same time was circulated an appeal to the nation by the duke of York, enumerating all the grievances under which the

193 Wyrcest. 478, 479. Whethamstede, 476. In one of these expeditions the lord Rivers was surprised in bed.

66

"He was

brought to Calais and before the lords with eight score torches, "and there my lord of Salisbury rated him, calling him: Knave's son, that he should be so rude as to call him and those other "lords traitors: for they should be found the king's true liege men, "when he should be found a traitor." Fenn's Letters, i. 187.

II.

people were said to labour; accusing the earls CHAP. of Shrewsbury and Wiltshire and the lord Beaumont of guiding the king contrary to his own interests; complaining of the act of attainder against himself and his friends; asserting that letters had been sent to the French king to besiege Calais, and to the natives of Ireland to expel the English; and declaring that the fugitive lords were faithful subjects, and intended to prove their innocence before their sovereign.19 June 29. This manifesto was followed by the arrival of Warwick, who with fifteen hundred men landed in Kent, a county much attached to the house of York. He was joined by the lord Cobham with four hundred followers, by the archbishop of Canterbury, who owed his dignity to the favour of the duke during the protectorate, and by most of the neighbouring gentlemen. As he advanced his army swelled to the amount of twenty-five, some say of forty, thousand men: London opened July 2. its gates; and the earl going to the convocation, asserted his loyalty upon oath; and prevailed on five of the bishops to accompany him, for the purpose of introducing him to his sovereign. And make Henry had collected his army at Coventry, and advanced to Northampton, where he intrenched himself. The royalists seemed confident of the victory; but were betrayed by the lord Grey of Ruthyn, who instead of defending his post, in

194 Stow, 407, 408.

the king

prisoner.

CHAP. troduced the Yorkists into the heart of the camp.

II.

Though the combat lasted but a short time, the July 10. duke of Buckingham, the earl of Shrewsbury, the viscount Beaumont, the lord Egremont, with three hundred knights and gentlemen were slain.195 For it had long been and still was the policy of Warwick to direct his followers to sparethe people, but to refuse quarter to the nobility. Henry retired to his tent, where he received from the victors every demonstration of respect: his queen and her son fled towards Chester, and though they were rifled by their own servants, escaped into Wales, and thence after many adventures sailed to one of the Scottish ports. 196

The duke avows his claim to

The captive monarch was conducted to London. But though he entered the capital in great the crown, pomp, the earl of Warwick riding bareheaded and carrying the sword before him, he was compelled to give the sanction of his authority to such measures as the victors proposed to issue writs in approbation of the loyalty of those who had borne arms against him; and to call a parliament for the pretended purpose of healing the dissensions between the two parties. It had scarcely repealed all the acts passed by the last parliament at Coventry, 197 when the duke of York en

195 Wrycest. 481. Wethams. 479–481. 196 Wrycest. 481, 482: 197 Rot. Parl. v. 374. The reasons given are, that it was not duly summoned, and that many of the members were returned, some without due and free election, and some without any election at all. bid. How far this was true, in the present instance, we know not:

tered the city with a retinue of five hundred CHAP. horsemen, and riding to Westminster, passed through the hall into the house, and stood for a short time with his hand on the throne. To the spectators he appeared to wait for an invitation to place himself on it. But every voice was silent. He turned and surveyed the assembly, when the primate ventured to ask him if he would visit the king, who was in the queen's apartment. "I know no one in this realm," he replied, "who ought not rather to visit me:" and leaving the house, appropriated to himself that part of the palace which had been usually reserved for the accommodation of the monarch.198

This was the first time that the duke had publicly advanced his claim: but though he was really in possession of the royal authority, the people were not prepared to deprive Henry of the crown. The meek and inoffensive character of the king strongly interested the feelings of men in his favour. His family had been seated on the throne for three generations: he had filled it himself thirty-nine years: most of his opponents owed their honours, many of them

it should, however, be observed that the sheriffs prayed for a bill of indemnity, not because they had made false returns, as some writers have imagined, but for having held the elections in obedience to the writ after the year of their shrievalty was expired, contrary to the sta tute of the 23d of the king. Ibid. 367.

198 Whethams. 483. Wyrcest. 483.