few miles from London, in which Edward's party had been
completely victorious.

[Sidenote: Warwick killed.]

The Earl of Warwick had been killed. King Henry her husband had been
taken prisoner, and their cause seemed to be wholly lost.

[Illustration: Death of Warwick.]

[Sidenote: 1471.]

[Sidenote: Manner of Warwick's death.]

Warwick had gone into the battle on foot, in order the more
effectually to stimulate the emulation of his men, so that when, in
the end, his forces were defeated, and fled, he himself, being
encumbered by his armor, could not save himself, but was overtaken by
his remorseless enemies and slain.

[Sidenote: Margaret's despair.]

[Sidenote: Imminent danger.]

The terrible agitation and anguish that this news excited in the mind
of the queen it would be impossible to describe. She fell at first
into a swoon, and when at length her senses returned, she was so
completely overwhelmed with disappointment, vexation, and rage, and
talked so wildly and incoherently, that her friends almost feared that
she would lose her reason. Her son, the young prince, who was now
nearly nineteen years of age, did all in his power to soothe and calm
her, and at length so far succeeded as to induce her to consider what
was to be done to secure her own and his safety. To remain where they
were was to expose themselves to be attacked at any time by a body of
Edward's victorious troops and conveyed prisoner to the Tower.

[Sidenote: She seeks security.]

[Sidenote: The Countess of Warwick.]

There was another abbey at not a great distance from where Margaret
now was, which was endowed with certain privileges as a sanctuary,
such that persons seeking refuge there under certain circumstances
could not be taken away. The name of this retreat was Beaulieu Abbey.
Margaret immediately proceeded across the country to this place,
taking with her the prince and nearly all the others of her party.
Either on her arrival here, or on the way, she met the Countess of
Warwick, who, it will be recollected, had left Harfleur at the same
time that she did. The countess's ship had been driven farther to the
eastward, and she had finally landed at Portsmouth. Here she too had
learned the news of the battle of Barnet and of the death of her
husband, and, being completely overwhelmed with the tidings, and also
alarmed for her own safety, she had determined to fly for refuge to
Beaulieu Abbey too.

[Sidenote: Great reverse of f