Help us create a biggest collection of medieval chronicles and manuscripts on line.
#   A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z 
Medieval chronicles, historical sources, history of middle ages, texts and studies

FRANCIS LANCELOTT, ESQ. Queens of England. Vol.1.

DOWNLOAD THE ONLY FULL EDITIONS of

Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of England, France, Spain and the Ajoining Countries from the latter part of the reign of Edward II to the coronation of Henry IV in 12 volumes 

Chronicles of Enguerrand De Monstrelet (Sir John Froissart's Chronicles continuation) in 13 volumes 

 
 
 
  Previousall pages

Next  

FRANCIS LANCELOTT, ESQ.
Queens of England. Vol.1.
page 303



fixed on his back. At Islington he was met by Warwick, who by proclamation forbid the people from shewing him respect, degraded him by tying his legs to the stirrups as a prisoner, and leading .him thrice round the pillory, and then conducted him, with every mark of insult, to the Tower, where, although placed in rigorous confinement, he was treated with kindness and humanity. The news of her husband's captivity overwhelmed Margaret with grief, and she waited with anxiety for an opportunity to avenge the insult, and, if possible!, restore him to liberty. In 1470 that opportunity appeared at hand. Since Edward's injudicious marriage, jealousies and dissensions gradually sprung up between him and Warwick. In 1467 one of Margaret's emissaries, taken when Hardlough Castle was sacked by the Yorkists, informed the King that Warwick was a secret partizan of the red rose. The Earl refused to quit hia castle, and, although confronted with his accuser at Middleham, and pronounced guiltless of the charge, two years later he took up arms to dethrone Edward and restore Henry. Unsuccessful in his efforts, Warwick, with his family, the Duke of Clarence and others, quitted England in April, 1470, and being denied admittance at Calais, sailed to Harfleur, where he was received with distinguished honour by the authorities of France. Louis the Eleventh, perceiving the advantage to bo derived from the arrival of Warwick, who now offered to transfer his valuable aid from the house of York to that of Lancaster, welcomed the Earl and his friends to his court at Angers, where they met Margaret, her father, and several of her relations. A deadly hostility had existed between Margaret and the Earl, but mutual misfortunes and the promptings of interest induced them to overlook their former animosity and unite against their powerful adversary, Edward the Fourth. The French King acted as mediator between Margaret and Warwick, and it was only after many earnest entreaties that the deeply-wounded feelings of the Queen would suffer her to pardon the Earl and accept his proffered oaths of allegiance to herself, her husband, and her son. The Earl of Oxford, a Lancasterian at heart, but who had been driven by force of circumstances to abandon the red for the white rose, also renewed his homage, Margaret at the same time declaring that as he had suffered severely for King Henry's sake, she cheerfully pardoned him. To cement the friendship between the Queen and Warwick, it was agreed that the Prince of Wales should marry his daughter Anne, and that Margaret should henceforth hold him for a truo and faithful subject, and never reproach him with the past ; and that the probable discontent of Clarence might be averted, the crown was to descend to that Duke, should there be no issue by the marriage. Tbe terms of this reconciliation satisfying Louis the Eleventh, he furnished Warwick with two thousand French archers and forty-six thousand crowns. In July, 1470, the Prince of Wales, then in his eighteenth year, was married to Anne of Warwick; and, in August, Warwick departed, with all the adherents of the red rose, who had rallied round their exiled Queen, to measure sw'ords with the Yorkists in England. Margaret, with her son, his bride, and tho Countess of Warwick, remained at the court of France, where they were entertained with regal magnificence till the news that Warwick had landed, released Henry, and restored him to his regal dignity, induced Margaret and her suite to recross the channel. As before, the elements conspired against her ; adverse winds detained her for a week at Harfleur. Py some the foul weather was attributed to magic, and all viewed it as an evil omen ; but the resolute Queen, intent only on securely seating her husband on his tottering throne, disregarded tho promptings of superstition, and, after three unsuccessful attempts, at last put to sea on the twenty-fourth of March. The stormy, unpropitious voyage occupied sixteen days, and when she, at length, landed, it was only to learn that at the fatal battle of Barnet the Lancastcrians had suffered an irrecoverable reverse ; Warwick, and, in fact, all tbe leaders of the red rose, except Scmer u 2


  Previous First Next