ccessible to
affection, might have really loved his early playmate, even while his
ambition calculated the wealth of the baronies that would swell the
dower of the heiress and gild the barren coronet of his duchy. [Majerns,
the Flemish chronicler, quoted by Bucke ("Life of Richard III"),
mentions the early attachment of Richard to Anne. They were much
together, as children, at Middleham.]

"God's truth!" said Warwick, as he lifted his eyes from the scroll
in the king's writing, "ye know well, princely cousin, and thou, my
brother, ye know well how dearly I have loved King Edward; and the
mother's milk overflows my heart when I read these gentle and tender
words which he deigns to bestow upon his servant. My blood is hasty and
over-hot, but a kind thought from those I love puts out much fire. Sith
he thus beseeches me to return to his councils, I will not be sullen
enough to hold back; but, oh, Prince Richard! is it indeed a matter past
all consideration that your sister, the Lady Margaret, must wed with the
Duke of Burgundy?"

"Warwick," replied the prince, "thou mayest know that I never looked
with favour on that alliance; that when Clarence bore the Bastard's
helmet, I withheld my countenance from the Bastard's presence. I
incurred Edward's anger by refusing to attend his court while the Count
de la Roche was his guest. And therefore you may trust me when I say now
that Edward, after promises, however rash, most solemn and binding, is
dishonoured forever if he break off the contract. New circumstances,
too, have arisen, to make what were dishonour danger also. By the death
of his father, Charolois has succeeded to the Duke of Burgundy's diadem.
Thou knowest his warlike temper; and though in a contest popular in
England we need fear no foe, yet thou knowest also that no subsidies
could be raised for strife with our most profitable commercial ally.
Wherefore we earnestly implore thee magnanimously to forgive the past,
accept Edward's assurance of repentance, and be thy thought--as it has
been ever--the weal of our common country."

"I may add, also," said the archbishop, observing how much Warwick was
touched and softened,--"that in returning to the helm of state, our
gracious king permits me to say, that, save only in the alliance with
Burgundy, which toucheth his plighted word, you have full liberty
to name conditions, and to ask whatever grace or power a monarch can
bestow."

"I name none but my prince's confide