the first days of that affembly were fpent by the A. C. 1454. commons in preparing an impeachment against Somerset, for the lofs of Normandy by his misconduct. On the fecond day of April, the great feal was committed to the charge of the earl of Salifbury. Next day the parliament appointed the duke of York protector of the realm, defender of the church, and first counsellor of the king, during the minority of Edward prince of Wales. York, being thus invefted with the whole power of the adminiftration, deprived his rival of the government of Calais, which he himself affumed by virtue of a commiffion in the name of Henry; and every body believed that the impeachment of Somerset would be carried on with equal vigour and dispatch: but it dragged on to the end of the year, and was delayed, in all probability, for want of fufficient evidence. In the beginning of the next year, the king Rot. Parl. recovering from his tedious diftemper, the autho- A. C. 14554 rity which had been vested in the duke of York ceased of course; and he did not as yet think his affairs ripe enough to difpute his majesty's pleasure. The adminiftration therefore returned into its former channel; and the duke of Somerset was dif charged from his confinement. gains his in As he had been committed by a fimple order of the He is releafcouncil, he might have been enlarged by the fame ed, and reauthority, had not the impeachment of the com- fluence in mons intervened: fo that he was obliged to find the council. fecurity; and the duke of Buckingham, with the earl of Wiltshire, and two knights, became his fureties; though they were afterwards discharged from their obligation, by a ftretch of the prerogative contrary to the laws of the kingdom. The duke of York and his partifans now loft all their influence in the council, which reverted to the queen and Somerfet, by virtue of the king's recovery. Some noblemen, dreading the fatal confequences of an open AC. 1455 open rupture between the dukes of York and Somer fet, interpofed their good offices towards an ac commodation. As it was the intereft of both to keep terms with the public, they agreed to refer their dispute to arbitration, and bound themselves to fubmit to the decifion of the arbiters, in the pe nalty of twenty thousand marks, provided the fentence fhould be pronounced by the twentieth of Act. Pub. June. While this affair was depending, the duke of Somerset reprefented to the king, that, as he had been deprived of the government of Calais on a fimple accufation, the particulars of which had never been proved, it was not just that his adversary fhould continue poffeffed of his fpoils, before the difference between them fhould be determined. The king, upon this remonftrance, divefted the duke of York of this command, though his commiffion had been made out for the term of feven years; and, on pretence of obferving a perfect neutrality between the two competitors, declared himself governor of Calais. The duke of the earls of Salisbury and Warwick, take the field. This tranfaction gave fuch umbrage to York, York, with that he retired from court, where he had nothing to expect but difgrace and oppofition from the queen and Somerset, whom he refolved to attack in a more effectual manner than that of political intrigues. The release of his rival from the Tower, fo contrary to law and the inclinations of the people, was a pretext which he hoped would engage the public in his intereft; and this he ufed with all the fuccefs he could have expected. He repaired to Wales, where he levied a body of forces, and in a little time found himself at the head of a numerous army, with which he advanced towards the king, who had affembled his troops, and marched out of London to give him battle. The duke of York was accompanied by the earls of Salisbury and Warwick. Thefe noblemen fent a letter from Royston to the king, containing strong profeffions of zeal and at- A. C1455. tachment, demanding admiffion to his prefence, that they might vindicate themselves from the calumnies of their enemies, and inform him of the misconduct of his minifters, who they defired might be tried and acquitted, or punished according to their innocency or demerit. This letter was inclosed in another to Thomas Bouchier, who had lately fucceeded Kemp in the archbishopric of Canterbury; and this prelate fent it by a particular meffenger to the king, but it was intercepted by Somerfet, and Thomas Thorpe, lately created chancellor of the exchequer. St. Alban's. York and his affociates renewed their requeft, The king is when they arrived on the twenty fecond day of defeated at May in the neighbourhood of St. Alban's; but it was rejected with difdain, and they were threatened with the penalties of high treafon. The earl of Warwick, who commanded the van guard, was so exasperated at this contemptuous treatment, that, without waiting for the duke's directions, he attacked the king's army fo furiously, that it was foon thrown into confufion, notwithstanding all the efforts of Somerfet. York, advancing in the mean time, charged with equal impetuofity in flank; fo that they were totally routed with the lofs of five thousand men. The duke of Somerset, the earl of Northumberland, the earl of Strafford, eldest fon of the duke of Buckingham, the lord Clifford, and feveral officers of diftinction, were flain upon the fpot. The duke of Buckingham being wounded, retired from battle in the beginning of the engagement; and his retreat increased the diforder of the royalifts. The king himself, having received an arrow in his neck, was abandoned by his army, and retired into a little house, where he was immediately invefted. But the duke of York and his confederates were no fooner informed 7 4. C. 1455 formed of his fituation, than they ran thither, and falling on their knees before him, declared that the enemy of the public being now dead, they were entirely devoted to his fervice, and ready to obey his commands. The violence of Henry's fear was in fome measure allayed by this declaration; and he begged, in the name of God, that they would put an end to the carnage. The duke immediately ordered a retreat to be founded, and proclamation to be made for preventing the further effufion of blood. Then they conducted Henry to St. Alban's, from whence they accompanied him to London. Stowe. The duke of tector. At their defire writs were iffued for calling a clared pro- parliament, which met on the ninth day of July, when Henry declared from the throne, that hé looked upon York, Salisbury, and Warwick, as his faithful lieges; and their late conduct was justified by the authority of both houses. They decreed, that the nation had been mifgoverned by the queen and the duke of Somerfet, who had abufed the goodness and confidence of his majefty; that the late duke of Gloucefter had been unjustly accufed ; that all alienations of eftates belonging to the crown, which had been made fince the first year of the king's reign, fhould be revoked; and that the mischief occafioned by the battle of St. Alban's fhould be imputed to Somerset and his adherents, who had concealed from his majefty the letter which would have prevented the engagement. The king was petitioned to nominate a protector, becaufe his own indifpofition hindered him from managing the affairs of the public; and this addrefs was several times repeated, without their receiving any answer from Henry. At length the parliament was prorogued till the twelfth day of November; and by that time the king had figned a patent, expreffing that, having been frequently intreated by both houses to appoint a protector, he had pitched upon the duke of York for for that important office, until he fhould be dif- A. C. 1455 charged of it by parliament, or the young prince of Wales attain to the years of difcretion. This feffion lafted a month, and then the parliament was prorogued till the fourteenth day of January. While the duke of York thus enjoyed his triumph, the queen did not behold his fuccefs with idle refignation. The interest of herself and family was too deeply concerned to admit of fuch indifference. Henry the new duke of Somerset, son of him who fell at St. Alban's, glowed with impatience to revenge the death of his father; the duke of Buckingham breathed nothing but vengeance for the loss of his fon, who perished on the fame occafion; and all the princes and noblemen, allied or attached to the house of Lancaster, perceiving the duke of York taking long ftrides towards the throne, refolved to exert all their endeavours to ftop his progrefs. Notwithstanding this oppofition, he lived in fuch A. C. 1456, feeming fecurity as aftonifhed his enemies. He thought he should run too great a risk in pretending openly to the crown, which had remained fix and fifty years in the house of Lancaster; and therefore he waited for fome favourable opportunity to broach his pretenfions. His chief aim was to acquire the favour of the people, without which he forefaw all his efforts would prove ineffectual; and that they might fee his conduct was not influenced by paffion or intereft, he left the king and queen at perfect liberty to act as they fhould think proper. He did not imagine it was in their power to divest him of the dignity of protector, which, according to his patent, could not be revoked but by the parliament: but the queen was too active and enterprizing, to be deterred from her purpose by such flender obftacles. The king having recovered his health, the enemies of the duke refolved to feize this opportunity to deprive him of his protectorfhip. The parlia No. 41. |