n, and a member of the House of Commons,
had been appointed deputy in his stead. Sir Thomas Cook took fright
also, and ran away. [Fabyan.] The power of the city thus fell into the
hands of Ureswick, the Recorder, a zealous Yorkist. Great commotion,
great scorn, were in the breasts of the populace, as the Archbishop of
York, hoping thereby to rekindle their loyalty, placed King Henry
on horseback, and paraded him through the streets from Chepeside to
Walbrook, from Walbrook to St. Paul's; for the news of Edward's arrival,
and the sudden agitation and excitement it produced on his enfeebled
frame, had brought upon the poor king one of the epileptic attacks to
which he had been subject from childhood, and which made the cause of
his frequent imbecility; and, just recovered from such a fit,--his eyes
vacant, his face haggard, his head drooping,--the spectacle of such
an antagonist to the vigorous Edward moved only pity in the few and
ridicule in the many. Two thousand Yorkist gentlemen were in the various
Sanctuaries; aided and headed by the Earl of Essex, they came forth
armed and clamorous, scouring the streets, and shouting, "King Edward!"
with impunity. Edward's popularity in London was heightened amongst the
merchants by prudent reminiscences of the vast debts he had incurred,
which his victory only could ever enable him to repay to his good
citizens. [Comines.] The women, always, in such a movement, active
partisans, and useful, deserted their hearths to canvass all strong arms
and stout hearts for the handsome woman-lover. [Comines.] The Yorkist
Archbishop of Canterbury did his best with the ecclesiastics, the
Yorkist Recorder his best with the flat-caps. Alwyn, true to his
anti-feudal principles, animated all the young freemen to support the
merchant-king, the favourer of commerce, the man of his age! The city
authorities began to yield to their own and the general metropolitan
predilections. But still the Archbishop of York had six thousand
soldiers at his disposal, and London could be yet saved to Warwick, if
the prelate acted with energy and zeal and good faith. That such was his
first intention is clear, from his appeal to the public loyalty in King
Henry's procession; but when he perceived how little effect that pageant
had produced; when, on re-entering the Bishop of London's palace, he
saw before him the guileless, helpless puppet of contending factions,
gasping for breath, scarcely able to articulate, the hear