The opening of I. THE WARS OF THE ROSES
Cade's Rebellion--York comes over from Ireland--His Claims and the Unpopularity of the Reigning Line--His First Appearance in Arms--Birth of the Prince of Wales--York made Protector--Recovery of the King--Battle of St. Albans--York's second Protectorate--Brief Reconciliation of Parties--Battle of Blore Heath--Flight of the Yorkists--Battle of Northampton--York Claims the Crown--The Lords Attempt a Compromise--Death of York at Wakefield--Second Battle of St. Albans--The Young Duke of York Marches on London--His Triumphant Entry.
Henry the Sixth and his queen were plunged into grief and consternation at the extraordinary death of Suffolk in 1450. They saw that a powerful party was engaged in thus defeating their attempt to rescue Suffolk from his enemies by a slight term of exile; and they strongly suspected that the Duke of York, though absent in his government of Ireland, was at the bottom of it. It was more than conjectured that he entertained serious designs of profiting by the unpopularity of the Government to assert his claims to the crown.