He rendered him all external tokens of homage and
obedience by the way, but still virtually the king was his prisoner.

[Sidenote: Margaret's despair.]

Poor Queen Margaret was all this time at Greenwich, waiting in the
utmost suspense and anxiety to hear tidings of the battle. When, at
length, the news arrived that the battle had been lost, that the king
had been wounded, and was now virtually a prisoner in the hands of her
abhorred and hated enemy, she was thrown into a state of utter
despair, so much so that she remained for some hours in a sort of
stupor, as if all was now lost, and it was useless and hopeless to
continue the struggle any longer.

[Sidenote: The king's wound.]

[Sidenote: The queen and the prince.]

She however, at length, revived, and began to consider again what was
to be done. The prospect before her, however, seemed to grow darker
and darker. The fatigue and excitement which the king had suffered,
joined to the effects of his wound, which seemed not disposed to heal,
produced a relapse. The Duke of York appears to have considered that
the time had not yet come for him to attempt to assert his claims to
the throne. He contented himself with so exhibiting the condition of
the king to members of Parliament as to induce that body to appoint
him protector again. When he had thus regained possession of power, he
restored the king to the care of the queen, and sent her, with him and
the little prince, into the country.

[Sidenote: Grand reconciliation.]

[Sidenote: 1458.]

[Sidenote: Mutual distrust.]

One of the most extraordinary circumstances which occurred in the
course of these anxious and troubled years was a famous reconciliation
which took place at one time between the parties to this great
quarrel. It was at a time when England was threatened with an invasion
from France. Queen Margaret proposed a grand meeting of all the lords
and nobles on both sides, to agree upon some terms of pacification by
which the intestine feud which divided and distracted the country
might be healed, and the way prepared for turning their united
strength against the foe. But it was a very dangerous thing to attempt
to bring these turbulent leaders together. They had no confidence in
each other, and no one of them would be willing to come to the
congress without bringing with him a large armed force of followers
and retainers, to defend him in case of violence or treachery.
Finally, it was agreed to appo