Great Britain -- History -- Richard III, 1483-1485; Richard III, King of England, 1452-1485
Clarence was convinced by these representations, and soon afterward,
watching his opportunity, he made his way to England, and there
espoused his brother's cause, and was received again into his service.
In the mean time, tidings were continually coming to King Edward from
his friends on the Continent, warning him of Warwick's plans, and
bidding him to be upon his guard. But Edward had no fear. He said he
wished that Warwick would come.
"All I ask of my friends on the other side of the Channel," said he,
"is that, when he does come, they will not let him get away again
before I catch him--as he did before."
Edward's great friend across the Channel was his brother-in-law, the
Duke of Burgundy, the same who, when Count Charles, had married the
Princess Margaret of York, as related in a former chapter. The Duke of
Burgundy prepared and equipped a fleet, and had it all in readiness to
intercept the earl in case he should attempt to sail for England.
In the mean time, Queen Margaret and the earl went on with their
preparations. The King of France furnished them with men, arms, and
money. When every thing was ready, the earl sent word to the north of
England, to some of his friends and partisans there, to make a sort
of false insurrection, in order to entice away Edward and his army
from the capital. This plan succeeded. Edward heard of the rising,
and, collecting all the troops which were at hand, he marched to the
northward to put it down. Just at this time a sudden storm arose and
dispersed the Duke of Burgundy's fleet. The earl then immediately put
to sea, taking with him Margaret of Anjou and her son, the Prince of
Wales, with his wife, the Earl of Warwick's daughter. The Prince of
Wales was now about eighteen years old. The father, King Henry,
Margaret's husband, was not joined with the party. He was all this
time, as you will recollect, a prisoner in the Tower, where Warwick
himself had shut him up when he deposed him in order to place Edward
upon the throne.
All Europe looked on with astonishment at these proceedings, and
watched the result with intense interest. Here was a man who, having,
by a desperate and bloody war, deposed a king, and shut him up in
prison, and compelled his queen and the prince his son, the heir, to
fly from the country to save their lives, had now sought the exiles in
their banishment, had married his own daughter to the prince, and was
setting forth on an expedition for the purpose of liberating the
father again, and restoring him to the throne.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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