Howsoeuer the matter went, truth it is, that the duke of Yorke, the first of March, dissolued his armie, brake vp his campe, & came to the king's tent, where contrarie to his expectation, & against promise made by the king (as other write) he found the duke of Summerset going at large and set at libertie, whome the duke of Yorke boldlie accused of treason, briberie, oppression, and manie other crimes. The duke of Summerset not onelie made answer to the dukes obiections, but also accused him of high treason, affirming, that he with his fautors and complices had consulted togither, how to come by the scepter and regall crowne of this realme. By meanes of which words the king remooued streight to London, and the duke of Yorke (as prisoner) rode before him, and so was kept a while.
The king assembled togither a great councell at Westminster to heare the accusations of the two dukes, the one obiecting to the other manie heinous and gréeuous crimes. But the duke of Summerset, which now conceiued in his mind the thing that shortlie followed, incessantlie exhorted the councell, that the duke of Yorke, by compulsion or otherwise, might be driuen to confesse his offence, that so being attainted of treason, he might suffer execution, and his children to be taken as aduersaries to their natiue countrie; to the intent that by the extinction of him and his sequeale, all ciuill warre and inward diuision might ceasse and be repressed: beséeching almightie God, that so great an enimie to the king and his bloud, might neuer escape punishment, nor continue long in life.
Destinie cannot be auoided.
The duke of Summerset set foorth this matter the more vehementlie, bicause he knew perfectlie, that the duke of Yorke dailie imagined with himselfe, how to get the crowne, and to depose and destroie both the king and him. But destinie cannot by anie mans deuise be letted, and manie things (to appearance) declared the duke of Yorkes innocencie in this case. First, his frée and voluntarie comming to the king, without constreint, when he was partlie of puissance able to haue incountred with the kings whole power. Secondlie, his humble submission, and reasonable requests, as well on his owne behalfe, as for the poore commons: which might argue that he sought for no souereigntie.
1452
Occasion that set the duke of Yorke frée.
Whilest the councell treated of sauing or dispatching of this duke of Yorke, a rumor sprang through London, that Edward earle of March, sonne and heire apparent to the saide duke, with a great armie of Marchmen, was comming toward London: which tidings sore appalled the quéene and the whole councell. Beside this, the verie same daie came ambassadours from the chéefe citizens and magistrats of the citie of Burdeaux: whereof the chéefe were, the earle of Kendale, and the lord de Lesparre; which signified to the councell, that if they would send an armie into Gascoigne, the people of the countrie would reuolt from the French part, and eftsoones become English. These two things sore troubled the heads of the councell, which, least inward sedition might hinder outward conquests, set the duke of Yorke at libertie, and permitted him to go to his castell of Wigmore, in the marches of Wales, by whose absence the duke of Summerset rose in such high fauour, both with the king and quéene, that his word onelie ruled, and his voice alone was heard.
Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 671, 672, in Quart.
¶ Neuerthelesse the said duke of Yorke had first made his submission, and tooke his oth to be true, faithfull, and obedient subiect to king Henrie the sixt king of England, in saint Pauls church at London, there being present the king, and most of his nobilitie, that is to saie, the dukes of Buckingham, Northampton, and Summerset: the earls of Warwike, Arundell, Salisburie, Shropshire, Deuonshire, Wiltshire, Northumberland, Stafford and Dorset, vicounts of Beaumont and Welles: barons, Fitz Warren, Sainmound, Cobham, Dowglas, and others: bishops, the cardinall, archbishop of Yorke and Canturburie, Winchester, Elie, and London, in these words following.