are the victory with rivals and ancient enemies, who,
he foresaw, would, in case of success, claim the chief merit in the
enterprise.[**]

* Grafton, p. 702.

** Comines, liv. iii. chap. 7.

But while his jealousy was always directed towards that side, he
overlooked the dangerous infidelity of friends, who lay the nearest to
his bosom. His brother Montague, who had lately temporized, seems now to
have remained sincerely attached to the interests of his family: but
his son-in-law, though bound to him by every tie of honor and gratitude,
though he shared the power of the regency, though he had been invested
by Warwick in all the honors and patrimony of the house of York,
resolved to fulfil the secret engagements which he had formerly taken
with his brother, and to support the interests of his own family: he
deserted to the king in the night-time, and carried over a body of
twelve thousand men along with him.[*] Warwick was now too far advanced
to retreat; and as he rejected with disdain all terms of peace
offered him by Edward and Clarence, he was obliged to hazard a general
engagement. The battle was fought with obstinacy on both sides: the two
armies, in imitation of their leaders displayed uncommon valor; and the
victory remained long undecided between them. But an accident threw the
balance to the side of the Yorkists. Edward's cognizance was a sun; that
of Warwick a star with rays; and the mistiness of the morning rendering
it difficult to distinguish them, the earl of Oxford, who fought on the
side of the Lancastrians, was by mistake attacked by his friends, and
chased off the field of battle.[**] Warwick, contrary to his more usual
practice, engaged that day on foot, resolving to show his army that he
meant to share every fortune with them; and he was slain in the thickest
of the engagement;[***] his brother underwent the same fate; and
as Edward had issued orders not to give any quarter, a great and
undistinguished slaughter was made in the pursuit. There fell about one
thousand five hundred on the side of the victors.

The same day on which this decisive battle was fought,[****] Queen
Margaret and her son, now about eighteen years of age, and a young
prince of great hopes, landed at Weymouth, supported by a small body of
French forces.

* Grafton, p 700. Comines, liv. iii. chap. 7. Leland's
Collect. vol. ii. p. 505.

** Habington, p. 449.

*** Comines, liv. iii. chap. 7.