Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/555

Rh her, and of rescuing the king her husband from captivity.

But her triumph, though glorious, was of short duration, and not altogether complete. Warwick was still in possession of London, on which she made an unsuccessful attempt; and Edward, eldest son of the late duke of York, having gained an advantage over the Lancastrians at Mortimer's Cross, near Hereford, advanced upon her from the other side, and was soon in a condition to give her battle with superior forces. She was sensible of her danger in such a situation, and retreated with her army to the north; while Edward entered the capital amidst the acclamations of the citizens, where he was soon proclaimed king, under the title of Edward IV.

Young Edward, now in his twentieth year, was of a temper well fitted to make his way in these times of war and havock. He was not only bold, active, and enterprizing, but his hardness of heart rendered him impregnable to all those movements of compassion, which might relax his vigour in the prosecution of the most bloody designs against his enemies. Hence the scaffold, as well as the field, during his reign, incessantly smoked with the noblest blood in England. The animosity between the two families was become implacable, and the nation, divided in its affections, took different party symbols. The adherents of the house of Lancaster chose, as their mark of distinction, the red rose; those of York assumed the white: and these civil wars were thus known all over Europe by the name of the "Quarrel between the Two Roses."

Queen Margaret, as I have observed, had retired to the north. There great multitudes flocked to her