stly against us, we are lost; on the other hand, if Clarence
join us, his defection will bring not only the men he commands, all of
whom are the retainers of the York lands and duchy, and therefore free
from peculiar bias to the earl, and easily lured back to their proper
chief; but it will set an example that will create such distrust and
panic amongst the enemy, and give such hope of fresh desertions to our
own men, as will open to us the keys of the metropolis. But Clarence,
I say, vacillates; look you, here is his letter from Amboise to King
Edward; see, his duchess, Warwick's very daughter, approves the promise
it contains! If this letter reach Warwick, and Clarence knows it is in
his hand, George will have no option but to join us. He will never dare
to face the earl, his pledge to Edward once revealed--"

"Most true; a very legal subtlety, my lord," said the lawyer Catesby,
admiringly.

"You can serve us in this. Fall back; join Sir Marmaduke; affect to
sympathize with him; affect to side with the earl; affect to make terms
for Warwick's amity and favour; affect to betray us; affect to have
stolen this letter. Give it to young Nevile, artfully effect his escape,
as if against our knowledge, and commend him to lose not an hour--a
moment--in gaining the earl, and giving him so important a forewarning
of the meditated treason of his son-in-law."

"I will do all,--I comprehend; but how will the duke learn in time that
the letter is on its way to Warwick?"

"I will seek the duke in his own tent."

"And how shall I effect Sir Marmaduke's escape?"

"Send hither the officer who guards the prisoner; I will give him orders
to obey thee in all things."

The invaders marched on. The earl, meanwhile, had reached Warwick,
hastened thence to throw himself into the stronger fortifications of
the neighbouring Coventry, without the walls of which Clarence was
still encamped; Edward advanced on the town of Warwick thus vacated;
and Richard, at night, rode along to the camp of Clarence. [Hall, and
others.]

The next day, the earl was employed in giving orders to his lieutenants
to march forth, join the troops of his son-in-law, who were a mile from
the walls, and advance upon Edward, who had that morning quitted Warwick
town, when suddenly Sir Marmaduke Nevile rushed into his presence, and,
faltering out, "Beware, beware!" placed in his hands the fatal letter
which Clarence had despatched from Amboise.

Never did blow mor