and the wife of our cousin Warwick have too much of hero-blood in
their blue veins to grow pale at the sight of heroes. Comrades in
arms! thus far towards our foe upon the frontier we have marched,
without a sword drawn or an arrow launched from an archer's bow. We
believe that a blessing settles on the head of a true king, and that
the trumpet of a good angel goes before his path, announcing the
victory which awaits him. Here, in the hall of the Earl of Warwick,
our captain-general, we thank you for your cheerful countenance and
your loyal service; and here, as befits a king, we promise to you
those honours a king alone worthily can bestow." He paused, and his
keen eye glanced from chief to chief as he resumed: "We are informed
that certain misguided and traitor lords have joined the Rose of
Lancaster. Whoever so doth is attainted, life and line, evermore!
His lands and dignities are forfeit to enrich and to ennoble the men
who strike for me. Heaven grant I may have foes eno' to reward all my
friends! To every baron who owns Edward IV. king (ay, and not king in
name, king in banquet and in bower, but leader and captain in the
war), I trust to give a new barony, to every knight a new knight's
fee, to every yeoman a hyde of land, to every soldier a year's pay.
What more I can do, let it be free for any one to suggest,--for my
domains of York are broad, and my heart is larger still!"

A murmur of applause and reverence went round. Vowed, as those
warriors were, to the earl, they felt that A MONARCH was amongst them.

"What say you, then? We are ripe for glory. Three days will we halt
at Middleham, guest to our noble subject."

"Three days, sire!" repeated Warwick, in a voice of surprise.