The state herald., 1920-06-15

'But grander and more awful than
all Individual interests were those a..
signed to the fortunes Of this battle,
so memorable IN the English annals
the ruin or triumph Of dynasty; the
fall of that warlike baronage, of which
Richard Neville was the personifica-
tion, the crowning flower, the greatest
representative and the last-associ-
ated with memories of turbulence and
excess, 1t is true, but with the proud
est and grandest achievements In our
early history; with all such liberty as
had been yet achieved since the Nor
man conquest; with all such glory as
had made the island famous-here
with Runnymede, and there with Cres.
sy; the rise Of crafty. plotting, i'm
-per.ous despotism, based upon the
growing sympathy of craftsmen and
traders. and ripening on the one hand
to the Tudor tyranny. the republican
reaction under the Stuarts, the slav-
cry and the Civil war, but on the 9TH
cr hand to the concentration of all the
vlgor and life Of genius into single
and strong government, the graces. the
arts, the letters of polished court,
the freedom. the energy. the resources
Of a commercial population destined
to rise above the tyranny at which It
had first connived, and give to the
emancipated Saxons the markets Of
the world. Upon the victory Of that
day those contending interests. this
vast alternative In the future, swayed
and trembled."
Despite the stilted language Of an
other day and the portly size Of the
volume, 'sThe Last of the Barons" IL
read today because the characters
who play so large Apart in one Of the
great human struggles toward liberty
puppets. The story IS one of intrigue
and of battle. centering nominally in
the Wars of the Roses and the strug-
giles of the two great houses of York
and Lancaster; yet the Interest is far
larger than a mere dynastic one; the
rise Of the middle class to power ut
the expense of the baronial. the
growth Of national spirit In place
Of mere individual loyalty to a feudal
chieftain. is the important thing In this
manlfestation Of ass-consciousness,
the plain people uniting with the trad.
ing townsmen against the nobies.
The great earl. who had made Ed.
ward tho -Fsarth king. found himself
for very personal reasons trying to
unseat that prince and to put In his
place another Edward. of the house Of
Lancaster. heir to Henry the SIXTH
whom Edward Of York was holding a
prisoner In the Tower. Yet warwick's
path was not an easy one: while his
Younger DAUGHTER was married to Ed
ward. of Lancaster. his other daughter
isabel, swaS 48s wife Of the kings
younssf bs6elas Dlarsnee. who was as
~. ths mals Aeis 70 he throne. How
,sssF 49, 1 4 80, . warwick might
s14S 1aI dt 2psS the throns Of Eng
laRA-f oas u ~ taks thsseht of
~ poasibilitSeo that lay hidded bsAind
tAs inscfutabjs' smile Of the kings
ysaAsest bsetAss. Richard, duke Of
0lseeestse. Bat Warwick was at
.least nght1Ruhe battis ee aristoeracy.
while t1e King was with tie current
wAIeA was coovssting IN agricultural
tpte t1dtnG populetioa. With War
'Yje6, was his powerful fighting broth
r., Aoptagu: with him-or against
hin, who could tellHwas his other
.Assehss. the faeile archbishop who
'asptred to be q pope. whose mansion
was at once a school for youth. court
for middle fife. an asylum for age,
whittier as to a Medicl Ned the let
tiers and the arts.
In the end Warwick found himself
In open battle against the king he had
placed upon the throne. The impe'u.
Gus and fiery temperament Of Edward
the Fourth was rendered yet more
fearful by the indulgence OF every In.
temperance. His very virtues strength,
ened his vices; his courage stllled ey.
cry whisper. 1t almost seemed as II
he loved to provoke danger for tho
pleasure II gave his brain TO battle OF
his hand to crush II. And yet he had
a shrcwd policy which perhaps drew
him hqpwingiy Into the quarrel with
warwslk. which merely his evil pas
sions seemed 70 provoke. II wish to
raise a fresh mobility" he said. "tt
counteract the pride Of the old: only
upon new nohles can a new dynasty
rely" This was the Yorkist principle
Of humbllng the bsronini and raising
| N" middle c'ssa II was easy Of exc