them with commissions of array to levy forces
against the rebels; but these malecontents, as soon as they left the
court, raised troops in their own name, issued declarations against the
Government, and complained of grievances, oppressions, and bad ministers.
The unexpected defeat of Welles disconcerted all their measures; and
they retired northward into Lancashire, where they expected to be joined
by Lord Stanley, who had married the Earl of Warwick's sister. But as
that nobleman refused all concurrence with them, and as Lord Montagu
also remained quiet in Yorkshire, they were obliged to disband their
army and to fly into Devonshire, where they embarked and made sail
toward Calais.

The King of France received Warwick with the greatest demonstrations
of regard, and hoped to make him his instrument in overturning the
government of England and reestablishing the house of Lancaster. No
animosity was ever greater than that which had long prevailed between
that house and the Earl of Warwick. But his present distresses and the
entreaties of Louis made him hearken to terms of accommodation; and
Margaret being sent for from Angers, where she then resided, an agreement
was soon concluded between them. It was stipulated that Warwick should
espouse the cause of Henry and endeavor to restore him to liberty and to
reestablish him on the throne; that the administration of the government
during the minority of young Edward, Henry's son, should be intrusted
conjointly to the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence; that Prince
Edward should marry the Lady Anne, second daughter of that nobleman; and
that the crown, in case of the failure of male issue in that Prince,
should descend to the Duke of Clarence, to the entire exclusion of King
Edward and his posterity. The marriage of Prince Edward with the Lady
Anne was immediately celebrated in France.

Edward foresaw that it would be easy to dissolve an alliance composed
of such discordant parts. For this purpose he sent over a lady of great
sagacity and address, who belonged to the train of the Duchess of
Clarence, and who, under color of attending her mistress, was empowered
to negotiate with the Duke, and to renew the connections of that Prince
with his own family. She represented to Clarence that he had unwarily,
to his own ruin, become the instrument of Warwick's vengeance, and had
thrown himself entirely in the power of his most inveterate enemies;
that the mortal injuries which