ance, she had prudently retired northwards among her own
partisans. The same license, joined to the zeal of faction, soon brought
great multitudes to her standard; and she was able, in a few days, to
assemble an army sixty thousand strong in Yorkshire. The king and the
earl of Warwick hastened, with an army of forty thousand men, to check
her progress; and when they reached Pomfret, they despatched a body of
troops, under the command of Lord Fitzwalter, to secure the passage of
Ferrybridge over the River Are, which lay between them and the enemy.
Fitzwalter took possession of the post assigned him; but was not able
to maintain it against Lord Clifford, who attacked him with superior
numbers. The Yorkists were chased back with great slaughter; and Lord
Fitzwalter himself was slain in the action.[*] The earl of Warwick,
dreading the consequences of this disaster, at a time when a decisive
action was every hour expected, immediately ordered his horse to be
brought him, which he stabbed before the whole army; and kissing the
hilt of his sword, swore that he was determined to share the fate of the
meanest soldier.[**] And to show the greater security, a proclamation
was at the same time issued, giving to every one full liberty to retire,
but menacing the severest punishment to those who should discover any
symptoms of cowardice in the ensuing battle.[***] Lord Falconberg was
sent to recover the post which had been lost: he passed the river some
miles above Ferrybridge, and falling unexpectedly on Lord Clifford,
revenged the former disaster by the defeat of the party and the death of
their leader.[****]

* W. Wyrcester, p. 489. Hall, fol. 186. Holingshed, p. 664.

** Habington, p. 432.

*** Holingshed, p. 664.

**** Hist. Croyl. Contin. p. 532.

The hostile armies met at Touton; and a fierce and bloody battle ensued.
While the Yorkists were advancing to the charge, there happened a great
fall of snow, which, driving full in the faces of their enemies,
blinded them; and this advantage was improved by a stratagem of Lord
Falconberg's. That nobleman ordered some infantry to advance before the
line, and, after having sent a volley of flight-arrows, as they were
called, amidst the enemy, immediately to retire. The Lancastrians,
imagining that they were gotten within reach of the opposite army,
discharged all their arrows, which thus fell short of the Yorkists.[*]
After the quivers of the enemy were emptied