THE KING'S MALADY.
In the autumn of 1453 the queen was keeping her court at Clarendon;
the Duke of York was at Wigmore and at Ludlow, maintaining a state
befitting the heir of the Mortimers; the barons were at their moated
castles, complaining gloomily of Henry's indolence and Somerset's
insolence; and the people were expressing the utmost discontent at the
mismanagement that had, after a brave struggle, in which Talbot and
his son, Lord Lisle, fell, finally lost Gascony; when a strange gloom
settled over the countenances of the Lancastrians, and mysterious
rumors crept about as to the king's health. At length the terrible
truth came out, and the Yorkists learned that Henry was suffering from
an eclipse of reason, similar to that which had afflicted his maternal
grandsire, the sixth Charles of France. In this state he was slowly
removed from Clarendon to Westminster.
About a month after the king's loss of reason, there occurred another
event, destined to exercise great influence on the rival parties.
At Westminster, on the 14th of October, 1453, Margaret of Anjou,
after having been for eight years a wife, without being a mother,
gave birth to an heir to the English crown; and the existence of
this boy, destined to an end so tragic, while reviving the courage
of the Lancastrians, inspired the partisans of the White Rose with a
resolution to adopt bold measures on behalf of their chief.
At first, indeed, the Yorkists altogether refused to believe in the
existence of the infant prince. When, however, that could no longer
be denied, they declared that there had been unfair play. Finally,
they circulated reports injurious to Margaret's honor as a queen and
reputation as a woman; and rumor, which, ere this, had whispered light
tales of René's daughter, took the liberty of ascribing to Somerset
the paternity of her son. Such scandals were calculated to repress
loyal emotions; and the courtiers attempted to counteract the effect
by giving the child a popular name. Accordingly, the little prince,
who had first seen the light on St. Edward's Day, was baptized by that
name, which was dear to the people, as having been borne by the last
Anglo-Saxon king, and by the greatest of the Plantagenets. Nobody,
however, appears to have supposed that because the boy was named
Edward, he would, therefore, prove equal in wisdom and valor to the
English Justinian, or the conqueror of Cressy, or "the valiant and
gentle Prince of Wales, the flower of all chivalry in the world."
[Illustration: BIRTH OF EDWARD OF LANCASTER.]
The insanity of the king, naturally enough, brought about the recall
of York to the council; and when Parliament met in February, 1454, the
duke having, as Royal Commissioner, opened the proceedings, the peers
determined to arrive at a knowledge of the king's real condition, which
the queen had hitherto endeavored to conceal. An opportunity soon
occurred.
On the 2d of March, 1454, John Kempe, Primate and Chancellor of
England, breathed his last. On such occasions it was customary for
the House of Lords to confer personally with the sovereign, and,
accordingly, Henry being then at Windsor, twelve peers were deputed to
go thither for that purpose. Their reception was not gracious; but they
insisted on entering the castle, and found the king utterly incapable
of comprehending a word. Three several times they presented themselves
in his chamber, but in vain; and, returning to London, free from any
doubts, they made a report to the House which convinced the most
incredulous. "We could get," said they, "no answer or sign from him for
no prayer nor desire." At the request of the twelve peers, this report
was entered on the records of Parliament; and, ere two days passed,
Richard, Duke of York, was nominated Protector of England. His power
was to continue until the king recovered, or, in the event of Henry's
malady proving incurable, till young Edward came of age.
The duke, when intrusted by Parliament with the functions of Protector,
exercised the utmost caution; and, while accepting the duties of
the office, was careful to obtain from his peers the most explicit
declaration that he only followed their noble commandments. It is true
that one of his first acts was to intrust the great seal to the Earl
of Salisbury; but, on the whole, his moderation was conspicuous; and
the claims of Prince Edward, as heir of England, having been fully
recognized, he was created Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, and a
splendid provision was made for his maintenance.
With York at the head of the government, matters went smoothly till
the close of 1454; but in the month of December the king's recovery
threw every thing into disorder. About Christmas Henry awoke as from
a confused dream; and, on St. John's Day, he sent his almoner with an
offering to Canterbury, and his secretary on a similar errand to the
shrine of St. Edward.
The queen's hopes were now renewed and her ambitions stimulated. Having
in vain endeavored to conceal the plight of her husband from the
nation, she marked his restoration with joy, and presented the prince
to him with maternal pride. Henry was, perhaps, slightly surprised to
find himself the father of a fine boy; but, manifesting a proper degree
of paternal affection, he asked by what name his heir had been called.
The queen replied that he had been named Edward; and the king, holding
up his hands, thanked GOD that such was the case. He was then informed
that Cardinal Kempe was no more; and he remarked, "Then one of the
wisest lords in the land is dead."
The king's recovery was bruited about; and, on the morning after
Twelfth Day, William Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, paid the royal
invalid a visit. Henry spoke to him as rationally as ever he had been
capable of doing; declaring, moreover, that he was in charity with all
the world, and wished his lords were in the same frame of mind. The
bishop, on leaving the king, was so affected that he wept for joy; the
news spread from Thames to Tweed; and, from Kent to Northumberland, the
partisans of the Red Rose congratulated each other on the return of
good fortune.