Historic%20Yorkshire

THE BATTLE OF WAKEFIELD. 103
to go to the Duke ofYork, if living, or to his next heir.
The Duke was in the lifetime of Henry to be Protector
and Regent of the kingdom. The methods by which
Henry might risk the forfeiture of his Crown was the
endeavouring to break or alter the agreement, or "to
compass or imagine " the death of the Duke of York or
his line. This agreement was enacted in the High Court
of Parliament, and signed and sealed by the two parties
upon the vigil of All Saints' Day. Upon All Saints' Day
King Henry, accompanied by the Duke of York, rode to
St. Paul's Cathedral, in the city of London, and there
walkedin procession with the royal diadem on his head,
and was lodged for a considerable space of time afterwards
in the Bishop's Palace, adjoining the cathedral.
Upon the Saturday following All Saints' Daythe Duke
of York was solemnly proclaimed, by the sound of
trumpet, the Heir Apparent to the throne and Protector
of the realm. Thus far all went as well as the Yorkist
faction could wish,but speedily a different complexion
was put upon the aspect of affairs by the news of the
arrangements in the south arriving at Scotland, where
Queen Margaret had taken refuge after the defeat of St.
Albans and the capture of her husband. High-spirited
and ambitious as Henry was weak-minded and yielding,
any settlementof the questionwhich excluded the succession
ofher son,Edward,Prince of Wales, was littlelikely
to be receivedby her with equanimityor resignation. So
it is not surprising to find that immediately on receiving
the unwelcome news the Queen
made all speed to
England, where,from her favourite counties in the north,
she soon gatheredan army 20,000 strong,and preparedto
march down upon the capital. The Duke of York was
then in London, where the tidings of Margaret's operations
werenot long inreachinghim, though the accounts
of the number of her adherents were far below the truth.
Hence he did not think it necessary to muster a larger
force than oneof about 5,000 men,with which numberhe
left London on the 2nd ofDecember,thinking to intercept