ort would have been of great service to her. It seems that when
the English were driven out of Normandy, many families and some whole
villages remained of people who were too poor to return. These
people were now in a very low and miserable condition. They mourned
continually the hard necessity by which they had been left without
friends or protection in a foreign land; and they understood, too,
that the first beginning of the abandonment of their possessions in
France by the English was the cession of certain provinces by the
government of Henry VI. at the time of that monarch's marriage with
Margaret of Anjou, and that all the subsequent misfortunes of their
countrymen in France, by which, in the end, the whole country had been
lost, had their origin in these transactions.

[Sidenote: Margaret at the inn.]

[Sidenote: Riot at the inn.]

Now it happened that Margaret, on her journey from Rouen to Anjou,
stopped the first night at one of these villages. The people, seeing a
party of strangers come to town, gathered round the inn at night from
curiosity to learn who they might be. When they were informed that it
was Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England, who had been banished from
the kingdom, and was now returning home, they were excited to the
highest pitch of anger against her as the author of all their
sufferings. They made a rush into the house to seize her, and, if they
had been successful, they would doubtless have killed her upon the
spot. But some of the gentlemen who were in her party defended her
sword in hand, and kept the mob at bay until she gained her apartment.
They guarded her there until they could send for the authorities, who
came and dispersed the mob. Margaret immediately returned to Rouen,
willing enough now to accept of an escort. A proper guard was provided
for her, and under the protection of it she set out once more on her
journey, and this time went on in safety.

[Sidenote: Margaret arrives in Anjou.]

[Sidenote: Her father.]

When Margaret at last reached her native country of Anjou, she was
received very kindly by her father, and went to live with him in a
castle called the castle of Reculee, situated about a league from
Angers, the capital of the province.

Here she remained about four years. It was a very pleasant place. The
castle was situated upon the bank of a river, and yet in a commanding
situation, which afforded a pretty view of the town. There was a
beautiful garden attache