Pushing his horse past Grey, Buckingham leaned forward and would have struck the Earl had not the calm tones of Gloucester stayed him in the very act.
"Hold! Stafford, you forget yourself—and you, Sir Earl, return your dagger."
"He shall answer me for those words," Buckingham exclaimed.
"I am at your service this very instant," returned Rivers, doffing his bonnet and bowing to his charger's neck.
"This very instant be it," cried the Duke, springing down and drawing sword.
Before the last word was spoken, Rivers was off his horse and confronting Stafford with bared weapon. But ere the blades could clash together, Gloucester swung between them and knocked up the Earl's sword with his own, which he had unsheathed with amazing swiftness.
"Cease this foolishness," he said sternly. "Buckingham, you forget yourself. Ratcliffe, arrest the Earl of Rivers and Sir Richard Grey."
The Master of Horse rode forward.
"Your sword, my lord," he said to Rivers.
For a moment the Earl hesitated; then hurled it far out into the river.