nce at that time, but Margaret felt
some uneasiness in respect to his position there. He was the
representative and heir of the rival line; and while it was for her
interest to give him prominence enough under Henry's government to
prevent his growing discontented and desperate, it was not good policy
to exalt him to too high a position. She was accordingly somewhat at a
loss to decide what to do.

[Sidenote: Somerset.]

Soon after the death of Gloucester, Somerset, finding that he was an
object of suspicion, felt himself to be in danger, and he proposed to
Margaret that he should retire into Normandy for a time. Margaret
suggested that he should take the regency of Normandy in the Duke of
York's stead. To this he finally consented. The Duke of York was
recalled, and Somerset went to take command of Normandy in his stead.

[Sidenote: Suffolk's intentions.]

[Sidenote: Exposed frontier.]

At the time that Suffolk negotiated the marriage contract between
Henry and Margaret, a truce had been made with the King of France, as
has already been stated. Suffolk intended and hoped to conclude a
permanent peace, but he could not succeed in accomplishing this. The
King of France, as soon as the marriage was fairly carried into
effect, seemed bent on renewing hostilities, and as he had now the
territories of Maine and Anjou in his possession, with all the castles
and fortresses which those provinces contained, he could advance to
the frontiers of Normandy on that side with great facility, and
organize expeditions for invading the country in the most effective
manner.

[Sidenote: Pretext for war.]

He now only wanted a pretext, and a pretext in such cases is always
soon found. A certain company of soldiers, who had been dismissed from
some place in Maine in consequence of the cession of that province to
France, instead of going across the frontier into Normandy to join the
English forces there, as they ought to have done, went into Brittany,
another French province near, and there organized themselves into a
sort of band of robbers, and committed acts of plunder. The King of
France complained of this to Somerset, for this was after Somerset had
assumed the command as regent, or governor of Normandy. Somerset
admitted the facts, and proposed to pay damages. The king named a sum
so great that Somerset could not or would not pay it, and so war was
again declared.

[Illustration: Rouen.]

[Sidenote: Invasion of Normandy.]