Characters of Clarence and Richard.--Embarrassing situation in which Clarence was placed.--Richard made Lord High Admiral of England.--His real character.--Requisites of a good soldier.--Young Edward formally acknowledged heir to the crown.--Forlorn condition of Lady Anne.--Her sister Isabella.--Clarence's views in respect to the property.--Richard's plan.--His early acquaintance with Anne.--The banquet at the archbishop's.--Clarence conceals Lady Anne.--Richard finds her at last.--His marriage.--Measures for securing the property.--Difficulty about the division of the property.--The quarrel becomes serious.--It is at last settled by the king.--Richard's child is born.--Anne becomes more contented. When the affairs of the kingdom were settled, after the return of King Edward to the throne, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the subject of the present volume, was found occupying a very exalted and brilliant position. It is true, he was yet very young, being only about nineteen years of age, and by birth he was second to Clarence, Clarence being his older brother. But Clarence had been so wavering and vacillating, having changed sides so often in the great quarrels, that no confidence was placed in him now on either side. Richard, on the other hand, had steadily adhered to his brother Edward's cause. He had shared all his brother's reverses, and he had rendered him most valuable and efficient aid in all the battles which he had fought, and had contributed essentially to his success in all the victories which he had gained. Of course, now, Edward and his friends had great confidence in Richard, while Clarence was looked upon with suspicion and distrust. Clarence, it is true, had one excuse for his instability, which Richard had not; for Clarence, having married the Earl of Warwick's daughter, was, of course, brought into very close connection with the earl, and was subjected greatly to his influence. Accordingly, whatever course Warwick decided to take, it was extremely difficult for Clarence to avoid joining him in it; and when at length Warwick arranged the marriage of his daughter Anne with the Prince of Wales, King Henry's son, and so joined himself to the Lancaster party, Clarence was placed between two strong and contrary attractions--his attachment to his brother, and his natural interest in the advancement of his own family being on one side, and his love for his wife, and the great influence and ascendency exerted over his mind by his father-in-law being on the other. Richard was in no such strait. There was nothing to entice him away from his fidelity to his brother, so he remained true.