time that the mandate was issued from
London commanding her to surrender herself a prisoner, she appeared in
the vicinity of the city of York, the largest and strongest city in
all the north of England, at the head of an overwhelming force.

[Sidenote: Movement of the duke.]

The Duke of York was astounded when this intelligence reached him in
London. There was not a moment to be lost. He immediately set out with
all the troops which he could command, and marched to the northward to
meet the queen. At the same time, he sent orders to the other leaders
of his party, in different parts of England, to move to the northward
as rapidly as possible, and join him there.

[Sidenote: Battle of Wakefield.]

[Sidenote: Death of the Duke of York.]

The duke himself arrived first in the vicinity of the queen's army,
but he thought he was not strong enough to attack her, and he
accordingly concluded to wait until his re-enforcements should come
up. The queen advanced with a much superior force to meet him. The two
armies came together near the town of Wakefield, and here, after some
delay, during which the queen continually challenged the duke to come
out from his walls and fortifications to meet her, and defied and
derided him with many taunts and reproaches, a great battle was
finally fought. Margaret's troops were victorious. Two thousand out of
five thousand of the duke's troops were left dead upon the field, and
the duke himself was slain!

Margaret's heart was filled with the wildest exultation and joy when
she heard that her inveterate and hated foe at last was dead. She
could scarcely restrain her excitement. One of the nobles of her
party, Lord Clifford, whose father had been killed in a previous
battle under circumstances of great atrocity, cut off the duke's head
from his body, and carried it to Margaret on the end of a pike. She
was for a moment horror-stricken at the ghastly spectacle, and turned
her face away; but she finally ordered the head to be set up upon a
pole on the walls of York, in view of all beholders.

[Sidenote: Murder of his son.]

A young son of the duke's, the Earl of Rutland, who was then about
twelve years old, was also killed, or rather massacred, on the field
of battle, after the fight was over, as he was endeavoring to make his
escape, under the care of his tutor, to a castle near, where he would
have been safe. This was the castle of Sandal. It was a very strong
place, and was in the po