164 Constitutional History, [chap.
Proposal to member for Bristol, ventured to propose that the duke of York
declare the 1 1 ∙ι 1 ∙∣ 1 . x ɪ
duke of York should be declared heir to the crown ; and no small part of the
heir to the l _ . , . . 1 . _ .
crown. commons supported the proposal, which was resisted by the
king and the lords ɪ. Little was done however in the parlia-
ment, which sat until April 19 and met again on May 5 2. The
act of resumption passed in the last session was again enacted3,
Jack Cade and his followers were attainted4: an order was
given for the enforced payment of the subsidy granted at
Supplies. Leicester ; and the exigencies of the government were met by
assigning to the king a preferential payment of £20,000 on the
subsidies, to be expended on the defence of the realm, after the
maintenance of Calais was secured5. The result of the de-
Someisot liberations was to shake but not to overthrow Somerset. He
remains in . , . .
power. retained his influence with both king and queen ; the unpopular
abbot of Gloucester had already in December been made bishop
of Hereford ; Thomas Yonge was sent to the Tower 6.
There was still one chance open for the recovery of England’s
proud position on the continent. Normandy was lost, but
Guienne was not yet conquered ; and some show of energy
and promptness abroad might have saved the dynasty at home.
Lossof But the opportunity was lost. The French overran Gascony in
Guienne and ɪɪ j . *7
Gasconyin the summer of 145x ; Bourdeaux fell in June; Bayonne was
taken on August 25 ; before the winter all the country was in
Movements their hands, and Calais was again threatened. The duke of
of the duke , , °
of York. York believed himself fully warranted in making this a ground
of his renewed attack on the minister. He had failed to over-
come him by the constitutional procedure of parliament. He
determined now to follow up the formal remonstrance by such
a display of force as would bring the king to his senses 7.
1 W. Wore. p. 77°; Chr. Lond. p. 137: ‘ A parliament wherein all the
commons were agreed, and rightfully elected him (York) as heir apparent
of England, nought to proceed in any other matters till that were granted
by the lords, whereto the king and lords would not consent nor grant but
anon brake up the parliament.’
2 Rot. Park v. 213, 214. 3 lb. v. 217.
4 lb. v. 224. 5 lb, v. 2iι, 214.
c W. Wore. p. 770 ; Rot. Parl. v. 337.
7 i That year’ (1451), says Gregoiy, ‘ was competent well and peaceable
as for any rising among ourself, for every man was in charity, but some-
what the hearts of the people hung and sorrowed for that the duke of
XVIIi.] Iorkist Tlism<j. 165
348. On the oth of January, 1452, the duke wrote a formal Hededares
"z np . bis loyalty,
declaration of his loyalty, and offered to swear it on the Blessed
Sacrament before any two or three lords whom Henry should
appoint1. On the 3rd of February he published a letter to the
men of Shrewsbury in which he attacked the duke of Somerset, Feb. 1452.
accusing him of the loss of Normandy and Guienne, and com-
plaining of his constant attempts to prejudice the king against
him, labouring for his undoing, endeavouring to corrupt his
blood and to disinherit him and his heirs2. For these reasons,
which involved the speedy ruin of the nation, he declared him-
self to be about to proceed against Somerset, and begged the
men of Shrewsbury to take measures for the maintenance of
order in the contingent which they were to contribute to the
expedition. He was joined by the earl of Devonshire and lord ɪɪɑɪ^jɑæ8
Cobham3, and marched on London. Henry was not unpre-
pared ; he no doubt saw in the duke’s proceedings full con-
firmation of the designs which had been imputed to him in
14go ; he could no longer believe that the untoward events of
that year were unconnected with the policy of York, and
Somerset was by his side to keep all suspicions alive. On the Henry goes
16th of February Henry marched against his cousin4; and on
the г yth summoned lord Cobham to his presence 5. The duke
avoided an engagement, but was prevented by the royal orders
from entering the city, and, expecting aid from Kent, moved
on to Dartford with a force of not less than seventeen thousand
men6. The king thereupon marched to Blackheath and en- Meeting at
o ɪ Blackheath,
camped there, probably with a still larger force. A battle was Feb. I452.
prevented by the negotiation of the bishops and other lords,
among whom the chief were bishops Waynflete and Bourchier,
Gloucester was dead, and some said that the duke of York had great
wrong, but what wrong there was no man that durst say; but some
grounyd and some Iowryd and had disdain of other ; ’ Cliron. p. 198.
1 Stow, p. 393.
2 Cf. Hall, p. 225. The letter is printed in Ellis, Original Letters, 1st
Series, i. 11-13 ; Paston Letters, i. pp. lxxi, lxxii.
3 English Chron. ed. Davies, p. 69.
* Fabyan, p. 626. 5 Ordinances, vi. n6.
6 Whethamstede estimates the duke’s force at ten thousand ; and the
lung’s at three times that number; ɪ. ι6o, ι6ι. See however Paston
Letters, i, p. cxlviii.