Margaret was so wrapped up in her baby, and so worried on account of her husband's condition, that she took no part in these political changes, but her party insisted on her having absolute power as queen regent. York objected, and had the Duke of Somerset put under arrest.
A few months later the king's consciousness suddenly returned, and he seemed as though awakening from a deep sleep. His child was then shown to him, and he noticed
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the boy for the first time, although he was more than a year old. the news of the cardinal's death brought tears to his eyes, and he said 'that he never knew of it till this time,' and 'that one of the wisest lords in the land was dead.'
There was great rejoicing over the king's recovery, and Margaret immediately took measures to have him restored to power. Though still weak, he attended parliament and replaced Somerset in office. But this triumph of the queen's party did not last long, for the Duke of York raised an army and marched towards London, intending to take the king by surprise.
Henry had courage, but he could not bear to shed the blood of his subjects; however, there was no help for it now, so he made his headquarters at St. Albans, with not more than two thousand men. The Earl of Warwick commenced the attack, and the battle, which lasted only one hour, was a desperate one, large numbers being slain on both sides. The king was wounded in the neck, but continued to fight until left alone under the royal banner. He then walked coolly to a baker's shop close by to have the wound attended to. The Duke of York followed him, and falling on his knees before the sovereign, said: "Rejoice! for the traitor, Somerset, is slain." Henry replied: "For God's sake stop the slaughter of my subjects." York then took the wounded king by the hand and led him to his apartments in the abbey of St. Albans. On the following day they went together to London.
At the approach of the Duke of York's army Margaret had retired to Greenwich with her ladies and the little prince, where she awaited the result of the battle of St. Albans with great anxiety; and when the news came of the defeat of her party, and the death of so many of her brave friends, she fainted and remained in a stupor for several hours. The king's wound was so serious that, added to the excitement of the battle, it brought a return of his disease. He was not in a condition to attend the next parliament, so the Duke of York appeared in his name.
This was a parliament made up of the queen's enemies, who naturally found great fault with her management of public affairs. They petitioned the king to appoint the Duke of York protector of the realm, and urged him so often and strongly to this step that at last he consented. No sooner was this done than the queen was advised to withdraw to some quiet spot with her husband and child. She was glad to comply, for her mind was so filled with these objects of her care that she did not feel capable of any other duties. She removed to Greenwich Palace, where she devoted herself to the nursing of the king and the education of her boy. But while there she received frequent visits from the princes of the Lancaster family and the young Tudors, Henry's half brothers. Besides these, a band of brave young nobles and gentlemen gathered around her, panting to avenge the blood of their fathers who had fallen at St. Albans. These so strengthened the Red Rose party that as soon as the king's health improved Margaret felt it her duty to present him again at parliament. She therefore held a meeting of her friends and made all the arrangements for this step.