e
head of a true king, and that the trumpet of a good angel goes before
his path, announcing the victory which awaits him. Here, in the hall of
the Earl of Warwick, our captain-general, we thank you for your cheerful
countenance and your loyal service; and here, as befits a king, we
promise to you those honours a king alone worthily can bestow." He
paused, and his keen eye glanced from chief to chief as he resumed: "We
are informed that certain misguided and traitor lords have joined
the Rose of Lancaster. Whoever so doth is attainted, life and line,
evermore! His lands and dignities are forfeit to enrich and to ennoble
the men who strike for me. Heaven grant I may have foes eno' to reward
all my friends! To every baron who owns Edward IV. king (ay, and not
king in name, king in banquet and in bower, but leader and captain in
the war), I trust to give a new barony, to every knight a new knight's
fee, to every yeoman a hyde of land, to every soldier a year's pay. What
more I can do, let it be free for any one to suggest,--for my domains of
York are broad, and my heart is larger still!"

A murmur of applause and reverence went round. Vowed, as those warriors
were, to the earl, they felt that A MONARCH was amongst them.

"What say you, then? We are ripe for glory. Three days will we halt at
Middleham, guest to our noble subject."

"Three days, sire!" repeated Warwick, in a voice of surprise.

"Yes; and this, fair cousin, and ye, lords and gentlemen, is my reason
for the delay. I have despatched Sir William, Lord de Hastings, to
the Duke of Gloucester, with command to join us here (the archbishop
started, but instantly resumed his earnest, placid aspect); to the Lord
Montagu, Earl of Northumberland, to muster all the vassals of our shire
of York. As three streams that dash into the ocean, shall our triple
army meet and rush to the war. Not even, gentlemen, not even to the
great Earl of Warwick will Edward IV. be so beholden for roiaulme and
renown, as to march but a companion to the conquest. If ye were raised
in Warwick's name, not mine,--why, be it so! I envy him such friends;
but I will have an army of mine own, to show mine English soldiery how
a Plantagenet battles for his crown. Gentlemen, ye are dismissed to your
repose. In three days we march! and if any of you know in these fair
realms the man, be he of York or of Lancaster, more fit to command brave
subjects than he who now addresses you, I say to that man, tur