Margaret was so wrapped up in her baby, and so worried on account of her husband's condition, that she took no part in these political changes, but her party insisted on her having absolute power as queen regent. York objected, and had the Duke of Somerset put under arrest. A few months later the king's consciousness suddenly returned, and he seemed as though awakening from a deep sleep. His child was then shown to him, and he noticed {297} [Illustration: 0301] {299}the boy for the first time, although he was more than a year old. The news of the cardinal's death brought tears to his eyes, and he said "that he never knew of it till this time," and "that one of the wisest lords in the land was dead." There was great rejoicing over the king's recovery, and Margaret immediately took measures to have him restored to power. Though still weak, he attended parliament and replaced Somerset in office. But this triumph of the queen's party did not last long, for the Duke of York raised an army and marched towards London, intending to take the king by surprise. Henry had courage, but he could not bear to shed the blood of his subjects; however, there was no help for it now, so he made his headquarters at St. Albans, with not more than two thousand men. The Earl of Warwick commenced the attack, and the battle, which lasted only one hour, was a desperate one, large numbers being slain on both sides. The king was wounded in the neck, but continued to fight until left alone under the royal banner. He then walked coolly to a baker's shop close by to have the wound attended to. The Duke of York followed him, and falling on his knees before the sovereign, said: "Rejoice! for the traitor, Somerset, is slain." Henry replied: "For God's sake stop the slaughter of my subjects." York then took the wounded king by the hand and led him to his apartments in the abbey of St. Albans. On the following day they went together to London. At the approach of the Duke of York's army Margaret had retired to Greenwich with her ladies and the little prince, where she awaited the result of the battle of St. Albans with great anxiety; and when the news came of the defeat of her party, and the death of so many of her brave friends, she fainted and remained in a stupor for several hours. The king's wound was so serious that, added to {300}the excitement of the battle, it brought a return of his disease. He was not in a condition to attend the next parliament, so the Duke of York appeared in his name.