rone.
The claim of Henry VI comes through Lancaster, the fourth son of
Edward III--yours through Lionel, the second. His claim comes through
his father only--yours through both your father and mother. It is
a better claim and it is a double claim."

"That is true, my cousin of Warwick," replied the duke of York,
"but we must not plunge England into war."

"Surely not if we can help it," replied the earl. "Let us first
ask for reform. If the king heeds our petition, well and good.
If not I am determined, cousin of York, that you shall sit on the
throne of England instead of our insane sovereign."

A petition was soon drawn up and signed and presented to Henry.
It asked that Henry would do something which would make the people
contented.

The king paid no attention to it. Then a war began. It was the
longest and most terrible that ever took place in England. It lasted
for thirty years.

Those who fought on the king's side were called Lancastrians, because
Henry's ancestor, John of Gaunt, was the duke of Lancaster. The
friends of Richard were called Yorkists, because he was duke of
York. The Lancastrians took a red rose for their badge; the Yorkists
a white one. For this reason the long struggle has always been
called the "War of the Roses."

In the first great battle the Red Rose party was defeated and the
king himself was taken prisoner.

The victors now thought that the duke of York ought to be made king
at once. However, a parliament was called to decide the question,
and it was agreed that Henry should be king as long as he lived,
but that at his death the crown should pass to the duke of York.

II

Most people though this was a wise arrangement; but Queen Margaret,
Henry's wife, did not like it at all, because it took from her
son the right to reign after his father's death. So she went to
Scotland and the North of England, where she had many friends,
and raised an army.

She was a brave woman and led her men in a battle in which she
gained the victory. The duke of York was killed, and the queen
ordered some of her men to cut off his head, put upon it a paper
crown in mockery, and fix it over one of the gates of the city
of York.

Warwick attacked the queen again as soon as he could; but again
she was victorious and captured from Warwick her husband, the king,
whom the earl had held prisoner for some time past.

This was a great triumph for Margaret, for Henry became king once
more.

[Illustratio