ge
to Brougham Castle, which was put into a state of defence, for it was
quite certain there would soon be a great battle, and, if King Edward
should gain the day, there was but little doubt that the castle would be
besieged.

Lord Clifford was now with the king and queen in the city of York.
Their army amounted to sixty thousand men; and King Edward was coming
with about fifty thousand, so that the conflict was certain to be a very
great and terrible one. It took place at Towton, on Palm Sunday, just
four months after the battle of Wakefield, and amongst the many
thousands slain on that dreadful day was Lord Clifford, who was then
scarcely twenty-six years of age. It is needless to dwell on the grief
occasioned by these fatal tidings; it was sad to hear and sad to see.
The unhappy lady had now to think of providing for the safety of her
fatherless children, for although Rolf had promised to bring her word if
he saw they were in danger, there was no certainty of his being able to
do so, as it was possible he might have been killed himself, for she had
not heard of him. At last he came, but it was again in his adopted
character of a minstrel, and he would have had some difficulty in
gaining admittance, had it not been for the old seneschal, who guessed
his errand, and saw that he was allowed to enter, saying that, dismal as
the times were, it could be no harm to listen to a minstrel's lay.

With much caution he conducted him secretly to Lady Clifford's private
apartments, for he thought there might be some hazard in letting it
become known who he was or why he came, as among the many who were now
within the castle walls, who could say that all were true.

From Rolf's account it appeared that, after the defeat at Towton, the
queen had placed her husband, who was half imbecile, in a monastery at
Edinburgh, and fled with her son, Prince Edward, to France; while the
new king, Edward the Fourth, had taken full possession of the throne,
and was publicly acknowledged as sovereign of England. He had declared
his intention of seizing the estates of all those nobles who had fought
against him; and it was reported that he had said he would revenge the
murder of his brother, young Rutland, on Clifford's heir. Henry's life
was therefore now in danger, and Rolf had come to assist in saving him.

"Have you devised any plan, lady," said the faithful servant, "in case
of this extremity?"

"Yes, my good Rolf, I have thought of i