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FRANCIS LANCELOTT, ESQ. Queens of England. Vol.1.

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FRANCIS LANCELOTT, ESQ.
Queens of England. Vol.1.
page 131



strong heir of England and his wellmounted cavalry pursued them with great and merciless slaughter for nearly five miles from the battle-field, all the time vehemently shouting, " The devil's curses on the traitors that dared to menace their Queen ! cut them down ! cut them down ! kill the cowardly rebels !" The carnage was terrible ; three thousand Londoners were slain, and many more wounded. But when the wearied victors returned from the pursuit, both armies had disappeared. After traversing the field, bestrewed with the dead and the dying, Prince Edward learned, to his sorrow, that the royalists, deprived of the support of his cavalry, had suffered a complete defeat, and his father, together with bis uncle, Richard, King of the Romans, and other mighty personages were taken prisoners. This victory prostrated the royal power at the feet of Leicester ; and Edward, having no other resource, signed the "mise of Lewes" and surrendered himself to his mighty foeman. Eleanora, who during her husband's captivity ostensibly resided in France, but paid occasional visits to England, lavished her wealth and exerted her utmost energies against Leicester and his supporters. On learning that Wallingford Castle, where Prince Edward was confined, was but feebly guarded, she sent word so to the royalists, who immediately attacked it by surprise, with a view to release the Prince. For a time the besieged boldly braved the attack, but being greatly worsted, they at length called out to the assailants, "I f you do not instantly raise the siege, we will shoot Prince Edward to you from the mangonel !" This murderous purpose of his captivators so alarmed the Prince, that he obtained permission to address his friends, and mounting the wall, begged of them, for his very life's sake, to desist and retire, which they accordingly did, but with great vexation, as they had made sure of victory. Unsuccessful in this effort, the Queen found a woman whose wit accomplished what manly valour had failed to effect. The wife of Lord Mortimer sent through a third party a swift steed to Edward, with secret instructions to make his es cape. Accordingly, having feigned ill ness, Edward obtained permission to take the air on horseback without the walls of Hereford. Attended by his keepers, he rode to Widmarsh, and passed the afternoon in riding races and other sports. At eventide a horseman appeared on Tulingtou Hill, waving his cap. The prince knew the signal, mounted the steed presented to 1dm by Lady Mortimer, and galloped oft' at full speed, shouting, " Hoa, fellows! com mend me to my sire, the King ; say I go to fight for his liberty and rights, and to bow to the dust the usurper Leices ter!" The keepers followed in all haste, hut the Prince's horse outdistanced theirs, and soon Mortimer, with a band of armed followers, issued from a copse, received Edward with acclamations of triumph, and conducted him safely to his castle of Wigmore, where " There was joy ar.d bliss enough when he came thither, To the lady of that castle, Damo Maud tie Mortimer." Meanwhile, Eleanora collected together a powerful army at Bamme, in Flanders, "which," says Matthew of Westminster, " was commanded by so many dukes and earls as seemed incredible, and those who knew tho number and strength of that army, affirmed that if they had once landed they would certainly have subdued the whole kingdom. But God in his mercy ordered it otherwise ;" for whilst the Queen and her foreign forces were detained by adverse winds in the vicinity of Damme, Leicester was slain, and his power crushed at the decisive battle of Eversham, won by her brave son, Prince Edward. During his captivity, Henry wrote several letters to Eleanora, assuring her of his happiness and well-being, and desiring her not to interfere with the existing state of matters, and exhorting her to prevent her heir from opposing the baronial party against his will. These letters, evidently dictated by the ambitious Leicester, did not dyceive the affectionate Queen. Like a good and true wife, she, in this hour of trouble.


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