In consequence of the advantages which the King of France enjoyed in
having possession of Maine, he could organize his invading army in a
very effective manner. He crossed the frontier in great force, and
after taking a number of towns and castles, and defeating the English
army in several battles, he at last drove Somerset into Rouen, the
capital of the province--a very ancient and remarkable town--and shut
him up there.

After a short siege Rouen was compelled to capitulate, and, besides
giving up Rouen, Somerset was obliged to surrender several other
important castles and towns in order to obtain his own liberty.

[Sidenote: Normandy lost.]

Things went on in this way during the year 1449, from bad to worse,
until finally the whole of Normandy was lost. The town of Cherbourg,
which has lately become so renowned on account of the immense naval
and military works which have been constructed there, was the last
retreat and refuge of the English, and even from this they were
finally expelled.

[Sidenote: Rage of the English people.]

[Sidenote: The minister responsible.]

The people of England were in a great rage. The principal object of
their resentment was Lord Suffolk, who was now the first minister and
the acknowledged head of the government. During the progress of the
difficulties with Gloucester, Margaret had kept him a great deal in
the background, in order that the public might not associate him with
those transactions, nor hold him in any way responsible for them,
though there was no doubt that he was the queen's confidential friend
and counselor through the whole. After the death of Gloucester he had
been gradually brought forward, and he had now, for some time, been
the acknowledged minister of the crown, and as such responsible,
according to the theory of the British Constitution and to the ideas
of Englishmen, for every thing that was done, and especially for every
thing like misfortune and disaster which occurred.

[Sidenote: Suffolk in danger.]

There was, of course, a great outcry raised against Suffolk, and also,
more covertly, against the queen, who had brought Suffolk into power.
All the mischief originated, too, people said, in the luckless
marriage of Margaret to the king, and the cession of Maine and Anjou
to the French as the price of it. The French would never have been
able to have penetrated into Normandy had it not been for the
advantage they gained in the possession of those provi