fuch extraordinary notices. Thus equipped, fhe ordered all the foldiers to confefs theinfelves before they fet out, the displayed in her hand a confecrated banner, and affured the troops of certain fuccefs. Such confidence on her fide foon raised the spirits of the French army; and even the English, who pretended to despise her efforts, felt themfelves fecretly influenced with the terrors of their miffion, and relaxing in their endeavours, the fiege was raised with great precipitation.

From being attacked, the French now in turn became the aggreffors. One victory followed another, and at length the French king was folemnly crowned at Rheims, which was what Joan had promised should come to pafs.

A tide of fucceffes followed the performance of this folemnity; but Joan having thrown herself into the city of Compeign with a body of troops that was then befieging by the duke of Burgundy, the was taken prisoner in a fally which fle headed against the enemy, the governor fhutting the gates behind.

The duke of Bedford was no fooner informed of her being taken, than he purchased her of the count Vendome, who had made her his prifoner, and ordered her to be committed to clofe confinement. The credulity of both nations was at that time fo great that nothing was too abfurd to gain belief that coincided with their paffions. As Joan but a little before, from her fucceffes, was regarded as a faint, fhe was now upon her captivity confidered as a forcerefs, forfaken by the dæmon who had granted her a fallacious and temporary affistance; and accordingly being tried at Rouen, fhe was found guilty of herefy and witchcraft, and fentenced to be burnt alive, which was executed accordingly with the most ignorant malignity

From this period the English affairs became totally irretrievable. The city of Paris returned once more

to

to a sense of its duty. Thus ground was continually, though flowly, gained by the French. And in the lapfe of a few years Calais alone A. D. remained of all the conquefts that had been 1443. made in France, and this was but a fmall compenfation for the blood and treafure which had been lavished in that country, and which only ferved to gratify ambition with tranfient applaufe.

But the incapacity of Henry began to appear in à fuller light; and foreign war being now extinguifhed, the people began to prepare for the horrors of inteftine ftrife. In this period of calaniity a new interest was revived, which had lain dormant in the times of profperity and triumph. Richard duke of York, who was defcended, by the mother's fide, from Lionel, one of the fons of Edward the Third, whereas the reigning king was defcended from John of Gaunt, a younger fon of the fame monarch; Richard therefore flood plainly in fucceffion before Henry ; and he began to think the weaknefs and unpopularity of the prefent reign a favourable moment for ambition. The enfign of Richard was a white rofe, that of Henry a red; and this gave name to the two factions, whofe animofity was now about to drench the kingdom with slaughter.

Among the number of complaints which the unpopularity of the government gave rife to, there were fome which even excited infurrection; particularly that headed by John Cade, which was of the most dangerous nature. This man was a native of Ireland, who had been obliged to fly over into France for his crimes; but feeing the people upon his return prepared for violent meafures, he affumed the name of Mortimer; and at the head of twenty thousand Kentifh men advanced towards the capital, and encamped at Blackheath. The king being informed

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formed of this commotion, fent a message to demand the cause of their affembling in arms; and Cade, in the name of the community, anfwered that their only aim was to punish evil minifters, and procure a redrefs of grievances for the people. But committing fome abuses, and engaging with the citizens, he was abandoned by moit of his followers, and, retreating to Rochester, was obliged to fly alone into the Wolds of Kent, where a price being fet upon his head by proclamation, he was difcovered and flain.

In the mean time the duke of York fecretly fomented thefe difturbances, and pretending to efpoufe the caufe of the people, ftill fecretly afpired at the crown, and though he wished nothing fo ardently, yet he was for fome time prevented by his own fcruples from feizing it. What his intrigues failed to bring about, accident produced to his defire. The king falling into a diftemper, which fo far increased his natural imbecility, that it even rendered him incapable of maintaining the appearance of royalty. York was appointed lieutenant and protector of the kingdom, with powers to hold and open parliaments at pleasure.

Being thus invested with a plenitude of powA. D. er, he continued in the enjoyment of it for fome 1454. time; but at length the unhappy king recover

ing from his lethargic complaint, and, as if awaking from a dream,perceived with furprize that he was ftripped of all his authority. Henry was married to Margaret of Anjou, a woman of a masculine understanding, who obliged him to take the field; and in a manner dragged him to it, where both fides came to an engagement, in which the Yorkifts gained a complete victory. The king himself being wounded, and taking fhelter in a cottage, near the field of battle, was taken prifoner, and treated by the victor with great refpect and tenderness.

Henry

Henry was now but a prifoner treated with the fplendid forms of royalty; yet indolent and fickly, he feemed pleafed with his fituation, and did not regret that power which was not to be exercifed with out fatigue. But Margaret once more induced him to affert his prerogative. The contending parties met at Bloreheath, on the borders of Sept. 23. Staffordshire, and the Yorkists gained fome 1459. advantages; but Sir Andrew Trollop, who commanded a body of veterans for the duke of York, deserted with all his men to the king; and this fo intimidated the whole army of the Yorkists, that they fe parated the next day without striking a fingle blow. Several other engagements followed with various fuccefs. Margaret being at one time victorious, at another an exile, the victory upon Wakefield-Green, in which the duke of York was flain, feemed to fix her good fortune.

But the earl of Warwick, who now put himself at the head of the Yorkists, was one of the most celebrated generals of his age, formed for times of trouble, extremely artful and inconteftibly brave, equally skilful in council and the field, and infpired with a degree of hatred against the queen that nothing could fupprefs. He commanded an army, in which he led about the captive king to give a fanction to his attempts. Upon the approach of the Lancaftrians. he conducted his forces ftrengthened by a body of Londoners, who were very affectionate to his cause, and he gave battle to the queen at St. Alban's. In this however he was defeated. Above two thoufand of the Yorkifts perished in the battle, and the perfon of the king again fell into the hands of his own party; to be treated with apparent respect, but real contempt.

In the mean time, young Edward, the eldest fon of the late duke of York, began to repair the loffes his party had lately fuftained, and to give spirit to the Yorkifts. This prince, in the bloom of youth,

re

remarkable for the beauty of his perfon, his bravery, and popular deportment, advanced towards London with the remainder of Warwick's army; and obliging Margaret to retire, entered the city amidft the acclamations of the people. Perceiving his own A. D. popularity, he supposed that now was the time 1461. to lay his claim to the crown; and his friend Warwick,affembling the citizens in St. John's fields, pronounced an harangue, fetting forth the title of Edward, and inveighing against the tyranny and ufurpation of the houfe of Lancaster. Both fides at length met near Touton, in the county of York, to decide the fate of empire, and never was England depopulated by foterriblean engagement. Itwas a dreadful fight to behold an hundred thoufand men of the fame country engaged against each other; and all to fatisfy the empty ambition of the weakeft, or the worst of mankind. While the army of Edward was advancing to the charge, there happened a great fall of fnow; which driving full in the faces of the enemy, blinded them, and this advantage, feconded by an impetuous onfet, decided the victory in their favour. Edward issued orders to give no quarter; and a bloody flaughter enfued, in which near forty thousand of the Lancaftrians were flain.

The weak unfortunate Henry, always imprudent and always unfuccefsful, was taken prifoner, carried to London with ignominy, and confined in the Tower. Margaret was rather more fortunate; fhe contrived to efcape out of the kingdom, and took refuge with her father in Flanders.

Edward being now, by means of the earl of Warwick, fixed upon the throne, reigned in peace and fecurity, while his title was recognized by parA. D. liament, and univerfally fubmitted to by the 1464. people. He began, therefore, to give a loose to his favourite paffions; and a fpirit of gal lantry, mixed with cruelty, was feen to prevail in his

court