e in the sun, the shores
swarmed with armed crowds, not to resist but to welcome. From cliff to
cliff, wide and far, blazed rejoicing bonfires; and from cliff to cliff,
wide and far, burst the shout, when, first of all his men, bareheaded,
but, save the burgonet, in complete mail, the popular hero leaped to
shore.

"When the earl had taken land, he made a proclamation, in the name of
King Henry VI., upon high paynes commanding and charging all men apt or
able to bear armour, to prepare themselves to fight against Edward, Duke
of York, who had untruly usurped the croune and dignity of this realm."
[Hall, p. 82.]

And where was Edward? Afar, following the forces of Fitzhugh and
Robin of Redesdale, who by artful retreat drew him farther and farther
northward, and left all the other quarters of the kingdom free to send
their thousands to the banners of Lancaster and Warwick. And even as the
news of the earl's landing reached the king, it spread also through all
the towns of the North; and all the towns of the North were in "a great
rore, and made fires, and sang songs, crying, 'King Henry! King Henry! a
Warwicke! a Warwicke!'" But his warlike and presumptuous spirit forsook
not the chief of that bloody and fatal race,--the line of the English
Pelops,--"bespattered with kindred gore." [Aeschylus: Agamemnon] A
messenger from Burgundy was in his tent when the news reached him. "Back
to the duke!" cried Edward; "tell him to recollect his navy, guard the
sea, scour the streams, that the earl shall not escape, nor return to
France; for the doings in England, let me alone! I have ability and
puissance to overcome all enemies and rebels in mine own realm." [Hall,
p. 283.]

And therewith he raised his camp, abandoned the pursuit of Fitzhugh,
summoned Montagu to join him (it being now safer to hold the marquis
near him, and near the axe, if his loyalty became suspected), and
marched on to meet the earl. Nor did the earl tarry from the encounter.
His army, swelling as he passed, and as men read his proclamations to
reform all grievances and right all wrongs, he pressed on to meet the
king, while fast and fast upon Edward's rear came the troops of Fitzhugh
and Hilyard, no longer flying but pursuing. The king was the more
anxious to come up to Warwick, inasmuch as he relied greatly upon the
treachery of Clarence, either secretly to betray or openly to desert the
earl. And he knew that if he did the latter on the eve of a battle, it