Beset of old by evil counsellors, the reign of Henry VI. was obscured,
and the weal of the realm endangered. Mine own wrongs seemed to me
great, but the disasters of my country not less. I deemed that in the
race of York, England would know a wiser and happier rule. What was, in
this, mine error, ye partly know. A prince dissolved in luxurious vices,
a nobility degraded by minions and blood-suckers, a people plundered by
purveyors, and a land disturbed by brawl and riot. But ye know not all:
God makes man's hearth man's altar: our hearths were polluted, our wives
and daughters were viewed as harlots, and lechery ruled the realm. A
king's word should be fast as the pillars of the world. What man ever
trusted Edward and was not deceived? Even now the unknightly liar stands
in arms with the weight of perjury on his soul. In his father's town
of York, ye know that he took, three short weeks since, solemn oath
of fealty to King Henry. And now King Henry is his captive, and King
Henry's holy crown upon his traitor's head. 'Traitors' calls he Us? What
name, then, rank enough for him? Edward gave the promise of a brave man,
and I served him. He proved a base, a false, a licentious, and a cruel
king, and I forsook him; may all free hearts in all free lands so serve
kings when they become tyrants! Ye fight against a cruel and atrocious
usurper, whose bold hand cannot sanctify a black heart; ye fight not
only for King Henry, the meek and the godly,--ye fight not for him
alone, but for his young and princely son, the grandchild of Henry of
Agincourt, who, old men tell me, has that hero's face, and who, I know,
has that hero's frank and royal and noble soul; ye fight for the freedom
of your land, for the honour of your women, for what is better than any
king's cause,--for justice and mercy, for truth and manhood's virtues
against corruption in the laws, slaughter by the scaffold, falsehood
in a ruler's lips, and shameless harlotry in the councils of ruthless
power. The order I have ever given in war I give now; we war against
the leaders of evil, not against the hapless tools; we war against our
oppressors, not against our misguided brethren. Strike down every plumed
crest, but when the strife is over, spare every common man! Hark! while
I speak, I hear the march of your foe! Up standards!--blow trumpets! And
now, as I brace my bassinet, may God grant us all a glorious victory,
or a glorious grave! On, my merry men! show these London l