24. What gave rise to the Wars of the Roses?
CHAPTER XII.
THE WARS OF THE ROSES.—1422 TO 1461.
EDWARD IV.
1. The civil wars may be said to have lasted thirty years, from the first battle at St. Alban’s, in 1455, to the battle of Bosworth, in 1485; for although there were intervals of peace, the quarrel between the house of York and Lancaster was not finally settled till the two families were united by the marriage of Henry the Seventh, who was heir of the House of Lancaster, with Elizabeth, the grand-daughter of Richard, Duke of York, and heiress of that family.
2. During that thirty years, the country was, as you may suppose, in a very unhappy condition. Every Baron wanted to collect as many men around him as he could, to defend his castle in case of siege; so the countrymen left their rural labors and went to enlist in the service of this or that nobleman, because they were sure of getting plenty to eat and drink.
3. Thus the castle halls were crowded, but the fields were left without sufficient laborers to plough and sow them, consequently the crops were generally bad, and bread was at times, so dear, that many poor families could get none at all, but were obliged to eat herbs and berries that they found in the woods, which did not nourish them, so that numbers died of want.
4. Many battles were fought in different parts of England, and the queen was present at some of them, for it was she who conducted the war, as the king was incapable of so much exertion, and Margaret could not bear to see her young son Edward deprived of his birthright.
5. Three victories had been gained by the Duke of York, when he was killed at the battle of Wakefield; but this event did not put an end to the contest, for his son Edward, who succeeded to his title, continued the war and, in the end, became king of England, while poor king Henry was kept a prisoner in the Tower, where he died in 1471.