and traitorous minister, and
he said that if the king would deliver up Somerset to him, he would at
once disband his armies, and the difficulty would be all at an end.

[Sidenote: Reply.]

The reply sent to this was that the king declared that he would lose
both his crown and his life before he would deliver up either the Duke
of Somerset or even the meanest soldier in his army to such a demand.

[Sidenote: Attack on the town.]

[Sidenote: Terrible conflict.]

The Duke of York, on receiving this answer, immediately advanced to
attack the town. For some time Henry's men defended the walls and
gates successfully against him, but at length the Earl of Warwick,
who was the Duke of York's principal confederate and supporter in this
movement, passed with a strong detachment by another way round a hill,
and through some gardens, and thence, by breaking down the wall which
stood between the garden and the town, he succeeded in getting in. A
terrible conflict then ensued in the streets and narrow lanes of the
city, and the attention of the besieged being thus drawn off from the
walls and the gates, the Duke of York soon succeeded in forcing his
way in too.

[Sidenote: The king taken prisoner.]

King Henry's forces were soon routed with great slaughter. The Duke of
Somerset and several other prominent nobles were killed. The king
himself was wounded by an arrow, which struck him in the neck as he
was standing under his banner in the street with his officers around
him. When these his attendants saw that the battle was going against
him, they all forsook him and fled, leaving him by his banner alone.
He remained here quietly for some time, and then went into a shop near
by, where presently the Duke of York found him.

[Sidenote: The duke's demeanor.]

As soon as the Duke came into the king's presence he kneeled before
him, thus acknowledging him as king, and said,

"The traitor and public enemy against whom we took up arms is dead,
and now there will be no farther trouble."

"Then," said the king, "for God's sake, go and stop the slaughter of
my subjects."

[Sidenote: 1457.]

[Sidenote: The king conveyed to London.]

The duke immediately sent orders to stop the fighting, and, taking the
king by the hand, he led him to the Abbey of St. Alban's, a venerable
monastic edifice, greatly celebrated in the histories of these times,
and there caused him to be conveyed to his apartment. The next day he
took him to London.