but the insurgents forcibly took him from the officers, hurried him to the Standard, in Cheapside, and immediately smote off his head, which they placed on a pole and carried through the streets. His son-in-law, Sir James Cromer, was shortly afterwards seized and mercilessly beheaded, without judge or jury. On the third day the rebels attacked and plundered some of the splendid shops in Westcheap ; and the citizens, fearing similar depredations, on the next morning shut the gate on London Bridge against them. A severe battle now ensued. Lord Scales afforded powerful assistance to the citizens; six times the bridge gate was taken and retaken, but at the end of six hours the citizens prevailed, and a short truce was taken by mutual consent. The two archbishops, and the Bishop of Winchester, who were then in the Tower, seized the favourable moment, crossed the river, and by offering a free pardon under the great seal to all who would lay down their arms, prevailed on the insurgents to disperse and return in peace to their homes. Cade accepted the pardon, but repenting of it immediately afterwards, again unfurled his banner. His good stars, however, had deserted him. He found but few followers, and on retiring with these to Rochester, they quarrelled amongst themselves respecting the division of their plunder ; and Cade, upon whose head a rewrard of one thousand marks was set, fled for safety into Essex, where Alexander Iden, the sheriff of Kent, overtook him, and slew him. Margaret and Henry returned to London about the eleventh of July, and as the "public mind still continued in a state of feverish excitement, stringent measures were adopted to prevent another outburst. The chief of Cade's followers were arrested and brought to the scaffold, and by their dying confession they led the Queen to believe that the revolt had been instigated by the Duke of York, whom they declared they had intended to place on the throne. The Queen and the court took alarm, whilst York, at the close of August, raised the hopes of his party by quitting Ireland unbidden and unexpectedly, and with a retinue of four thousand men hastening towards London. On reaching the metropolis, York treated the King with insolence, and after exacting from him a promise that he would cab! a parliament without delay, retired to his castle of Eothcringay. At this crisis the Duke of Somerset returned from Erance ; the Queen hailed his arrival as a blessing, and he being the nearest of kin to Henry, the ties of relationship sanctioned her friendship towards him, and induced her to hope that his fidelity and services would prove an effectual check to the ambition of York. But unfortunately Somerset's name was connected with the loss of Normandy : he was one of those accused by the people of selling the inheritance of the Crown to the enemy, and the Queen shared his unpopularity by shielding him from the fury of the Parliament. The Commons petitioned the King to send him to the Tower ; to oblige them, Henry granted their request; but immediately the stormy session wras over, Margaret caused him to be released and elevated to the high office formerly enjoyed 'by the Duke of Suffolk. York, however, wras too aspiring, astute, and powerful to admit bis adversary to enjoy the distinguished favours of his Sovereign in peace. Raising forces in the marches of Wales, he assumed the position of a political dictator, and, as the Londoners shut their gates against him, proceeded to Dartford, in the hope of alluring the men of Kent to his standard. Henry, by the advice of Margaret, took the field against him, in January, 1452 ; but the King's horror of shedding human blood led him to avoid a battle. A conference took place; and by the advice of the Bishop of Winchester and Ely, the King forgave him for taking up arms, and, in compliance with his demands, agreed to appoint a new council, in which he should be included, and ordered Somerset into custody ; on which York disbanded his army, and came unarmed to confer with Henry in his tent. By the Queen's connivance Somerset was placed behind the hanging in the royal paviUon, where he could