VISIT OF CHARLES I. TO THE GUILDHALL. (_By Solomon J. Solomon, R.A._) " 582 STRAFFORD GOING TO EXECUTION. (_By Paul Delaroche_) " 604 [Illustration: _From the Froissart MS. in the British Museum._ _Reproduced by André & Sleigh, Ld., Buskey, Herts._ DEPARTURE OF ENGLISH AND FRENCH FROM GENOA IN 1390 TO CHASTISE THE BARBARY CORSAIRS. THE PERSONAGE IN THE PLACE OF HONOUR IN THE ROWING-BOAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE DUKE OF BOURBON. THE VESSEL IN THE CENTRE CONTAINS SEVERAL FRENCH KNIGHTS: IN THAT ON THE LEFT IS HENRY DE BEAUFORT (A NATURAL SON OF THE DUKE OF LANCASTER), WITH ENGLISH KNIGHTS AND SQUIRES.] [Illustration: ELTHAM PALACE, FROM THE NORTH-EAST. (_After an Engraving published in 1735._)] CASSELL'S ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF ENGLAND. CHAPTER I. THE WARS OF THE ROSES. Cade's Rebellion--York comes over from Ireland--His Claims and the Unpopularity of the Reigning Line--His First Appearance in Arms--Birth of the Prince of Wales--York made Protector--Recovery of the King--Battle of St. Albans--York's second Protectorate--Brief Reconciliation of Parties--Battle of Blore Heath--Flight of the Yorkists--Battle of Northampton--York Claims the Crown--The Lords Attempt a Compromise--Death of York at Wakefield--Second Battle of St. Albans--The Young Duke of York Marches on London--His Triumphant Entry. Henry the Sixth and his queen were plunged into grief and consternation at the extraordinary death of Suffolk in 1450. They saw that a powerful party was engaged in thus defeating their attempt to rescue Suffolk from his enemies by a slight term of exile; and they strongly suspected that the Duke of York, though absent in his government of Ireland, was at the bottom of it. It was more than conjectured that he entertained serious designs of profiting by the unpopularity of the Government to assert his claims to the crown. This ought to have made the king and queen especially circumspect, but, so far from this being the case, Henry announced his resolve to punish the people of Kent for the murder of Suffolk, which had been perpetrated on their coast. The queen was furious in her vows of vengeance. These unwise demonstrations incurred the anger of the people, and especially irritated the inhabitants of Kent. To add to the popular discontent, Somerset, who had lost by his imbecility the French territories, was made minister in the place of Suffolk, and invested with all the favour of the court. The people in several counties threatened to rise and reform the Government; and the opportunity was seized by a bold adventurer of the name of John Cade, an Irishman, to attempt a revolution. He selected Kent as the quarter more pre-eminently in a state of excitement against the prevailing misrule, and declaring that he belonged to the royal line of Mortimer, and was cousin to the Duke of York, he gave himself out to be the son of