From Nottingham, however, Edward made good his retreat to a village
called Olney, which chanced at that time to be partially fortified
with a wall and a strong gate. Here the rebels pursued him; and
Edward, hearing that Sir Anthony Woodville, who conceived that the
fate of his father and brother cancelled all motive for longer absence
from the contest, was busy in collecting a force in the neighbourhood
of Coventry, while other assistance might be daily expected from
London, strengthened the fortifications as well as the time would
permit, and awaited the assault of the insurgents.

It was at this crisis, and while throughout all England reigned terror
and commotion, that one day, towards the end of July, a small troop of
horsemen were seen riding rapidly towards the neighbourhood of Olney.
As the village came in view of the cavalcade, with the spire of its
church and its gray stone gateway, so also they beheld, on the
pastures that stretched around wide and far, a moving forest of pikes
and plumes.

"Holy Mother!" said one of the foremost riders, "good the knight and
strong man though Edward be, it were sharp work to cut his way from
that hamlet through yonder fields! Brother, we were more welcome, had
we brought more bills and bows at our backs!"

"Archbishop," answered the stately personage thus addressed, "we bring
what alone raises armies and disbands them,--a NAME that a People
honours! From the moment the White Bear is seen on yonder archway
side by side with the king's banner, that army will vanish as smoke
before the wind."

"Heaven grant it, Warwick!" said the Duke of Clarence; for though