Page:The Queens of England.djvu/273

 ELIZABETH OF YORK. 233 ence and Warwick returned to England, they endeavored to remonstrate with him, but sovereigns are seldom disposed to listen to advice, and least of all that coming from persons against whom they entertain any jealousy. Another insult was offered to Warwick in 1470, well calcu- lated to open old wounds and revive former animosities. The king, being in Hertfordshire, was invited by the Archbishop of York to an entertainment at More Park, which he accepted. Before supper, John Ratcliffe, afterwards Lord Fitzwalter, gave him private notice that one hundred armed men were in ambush to seize and carry him off; when the king secretly left the house, mounted his horse, and, attended only by a few followers, fled to Windsor. The information was utterly false, and that the king should credit and act on it, was an offense not to be overlooked by even a much less susceptible person than Warwick. The smoldering flames of animosity, kept down, but not extinguished, on this fresh provocation, burst out anew, and notwithstanding that the king's mother induced him, Warwick and Clarence to meet at Baynard's Castle, the peace there established between them resembled more a hollow truce than a sincere reconciliation. Shortly after the commo- tion in consequence of which Sir Robert Welles and Sir Thomas de la Saunde were beheaded, Edward, on suspicion of Warwick and Clarence being privy to the affair, published a proclamation offering a reward for the apprehension of the duke and his father-in-law of one hundred pounds a year in land forever, or one thousand pounds in money for the cap- ture of each. They were in the west of England at this time, and embarking at Dartmouth, sailed for Calais. Arrived in that harbor, no sooner did they attempt to approach the town than they were fired at and compelled to put to sea, and the Duchess of Clarence, being seized with the pangs of parturi- tion, gave birth to a son. Warwick had counted on a better reception from his lieutenant at Calais, a M. de Vauclere, a Gascon, in whom he placed great confidence ; but whether this person was more intent on securing his own safety, or was playing a double part, he so managed as to give every show of resistance to Warwick, who only, with difficulty, could ob- tain two flagons of wine for the refreshment of the ladies on board, who were extremely sick, and then sailed for Nor- mandy. Here, however, by the entreaties of Louis the Eleventh he was persuaded to a meeting with Margaret of Anjou, the