A.D. 1456. When King Henry entered the House of Lords, and addressed them in a calm, dignified speech, telling them that since by the blessing of God his health was so far restored that the kingdom no longer needed a protector, they were so taken by surprise that they immediately consented to his resuming the reins of government. The Duke of York had not heard of this new move of Queen Margaret's, and happened to be absent. When an order reached him next day, signed by the king, requesting him to resign his office, he was so chagrined that he retired to the country. Henry Beaufort, heir to the late Duke of Somerset, was then appointed prime minister.
The poor queen had her hands full, for not only was she obliged to keep constantly prompting her husband how to act, but she took great pains to amuse him and to preserve in him a calm, peaceful state of mind. Minstrels were gathered from all parts of the country, and well paid for reciting and playing to him, and daily requests came from nobles and other subjects for leave to go on pilgrimages to the different shrines to pray for his health. This had a very soothing influence and filled King Henry's mind with hope.
Margaret showed a great deal of wisdom and prudence in the way she exercised her power at this time, and feeling a desire to know whether she was popular with her subjects, she resolved to travel with the king and the little prince through some of the midland counties and spend a short time at Coventry. Everywhere the royal party were received with great enthusiasm, and processions were got up in their honor. Margaret won her way to all hearts that were not prejudiced against her, and during her stay at Coventry the citizens became so devoted to her that the name of their town was changed to "Margaret's Safe Harbor."
Now the French and Scotch thought that as there were two parties in England it was a good time to attack them, but they made a great mistake, for although the nation were divided among themselves, they became one as soon as a foreign power dared to attack them. A general congress of the two parties was called, and presided over by the lord-mayor, who was appointed guardian of the public peace. A treaty was formed after two months of debate and quarrel, when the king and queen made a public entry into London. The feast of the Annunciation was kept as a day of public thanksgiving for the peace that reigned between the houses of York and Lancaster, and when the procession was formed to march to St. Paul's Cathedral, the earls who had been the deadliest foes headed it, walking arm in arm. The king followed alone, and just behind him came the Duke of York, leading Margaret by the hand. All appeared to be on the most loving terms, and the happiness of the citizens of London manifested itself in their cheering, bonfires and other signs of rejoicing. This patched-up, make-believe peace lasted only a short time, for the Duke of York was at that time lord admiral of the whole English navy, and with so much power he was not likely to remain long inactive.
A.D. 1459. The following year the queen made a tour through some of the counties of England with her husband, for the benefit of his health, as she said, though her real object was to gain favor for her son, then a most engaging child of six years. So well did she succeed that at the battle of Bloreheath, which was fought shortly after, ten thousand men wore the Prince of Wales' livery. King Henry was dangerously ill when this battle was fought. The Yorkists were victorious, and their leader boldly asserted his right to the crown.
But Margaret was not crushed by defeat; on the contrary, her energies were aroused, and she determined to take up arms herself to fight the cause of her husband and son. The warlike blood of Charlemagne was thrilling in her veins, and she was the countrywoman of Joan of Arc, who had proved herself such a successful warrior. She went to Coventry, where she succeeded in getting together another army. By this time the king's health had so far improved that she persuaded him to march to Ludlow and meet the Duke of York on the battle-field.
In the meantime Margaret had so increased her popularity that many of the Yorkist soldiers refused to fight against her husband. The duke was taken aback at this, and circulated a report of the king's death, and caused a mass to be sung in camp for the repose of his soul. Hearing of this, the queen caused a pardon to be proclaimed in the king's name for all who would return to their allegiance. The Yorkist leaders did not believe in this offer of pardon until Henry, urged on by his courageous wife, advanced to the very gates of Ludlow Castle and proclaimed it again. Then so many soldiers of the other side deserted that the duke made his escape and went to Calais, leaving his wife and her two younger sons to defend the castle. They were taken prisoners, and the whole town was destroyed.
Margaret was delighted with the success of her first campaign, but she did not enjoy her triumph very long, for the Earl of Warwick, who was a more determined enemy than York, brought a band of experienced soldiers from Calais, and gathering all his forces, made a tremendous charge on the Lancaster troops, killing ten thousand of them in two short hours, and capturing King Henry. The queen was stationed near enough to receive the dreadful news within an hour, and made her escape with her son to a fortress in the north of Wales, where she was honorably received and protected by a courageous chieftain of that country. Nobody knew where she was hidden, not even the king, who was taken to London and carefully guarded.
As soon as York heard of the victory of his party he entered the city of London at the head of five hundred horsemen, with a sword of state borne before him. He rode straight to Westminster, and, entering the House of Lords, walked to the throne, and laid his right hand on it with a look around among the peers that implied he awaited an invitation to take his seat there. Not a word was spoken. At length the Archbishop of Canterbury broke the dead silence, and asked him, "if he would be pleased to visit the king."
"I know of no one in the realm who ought not rather to visit me," he replied, haughtily, and left the house.