ain from all injury against the princess, but to devote
himself entirely to her service.[*] By his means she dwelt some time
concealed in the forest, and was at last conducted to the sea-coast,
whence she made her escape into Flanders. She passed thence into her
father's court, where she lived several years in privacy and retirement.
Her husband was not so fortunate or so dexterous in finding the means
of escape. Some of his friends took him under their protection, and
conveyed him into Lancashire, where he remained concealed during a
twelvemonth; but he was at last detected, delivered up to Edward, and
thrown into the Tower.[**] The safety of his person was owing less
to the generosity of his enemies, than to the contempt which they had
entertained of his courage and his understanding.

The imprisonment of Henry, the expulsion of Margaret, the execution and
confiscation of all the most eminent Lancastrians, seemed to give
full security to Edward's government; whose title by blood, being now
recognized by parliament, and universally submitted to by the people,
was no longer in danger of being impeached by any antagonist. In this
prosperous situation, the king delivered himself up, without control,
to those pleasures which his youth, his high fortune, and his natural
temper invited him to enjoy; and the cares of royalty were less attended
to than the dissipation of amusement, or the allurements of passion. The
cruel and unrelenting spirit of Edward, though inured to the ferocity
of civil wars, was at the same time extremely devoted to the softer
passions, which, without mitigating his severe temper, maintained a
great influence over him, and shared his attachment with the pursuits of
ambition and the thirst of military glory. During the present interval
of peace, he lived in the most familiar and sociable manner with his
subjects,[***] particularly with the Londoners; and the beauty of his
person, as well as the gallantry of his address, which, even unassisted
by his royal dignity, would have rendered him acceptable to the fair,
facilitated all his applications for their favor.

* Monstrelet, vol. iii. p. 96.

** Hall, fol. 191. Fragm. ad finem Sproti.

*** Polyd. Virg. p. 513. Biondi.

This easy and pleasurable course of life augmented every day his
popularity among all ranks of men: he was the peculiar favorite of
the young and gay of both sexes. The disposition of the English little
addicted to jea