However, more important matters concerned Richard here at hand, as he watched Edward use his intimidating strength to push away the guards and move his horse closer to the earl’s. “So what do you propose, cousin. That you take my place as king, or….” Suddenly Edward caught sight of George, skulking behind Warwick’s brother, the archbishop. Kicking his horse’s flanks viciously, he jostled Warwick and rode straight at George, purposely allowing his mount to rear up and stop a precise few inches from the startled duke of Clarence.

“Did Warwick promise you the crown, my lord duke?” Edward cried, and he slashed George across the face with his rein. “Over my dead body, traitor! My own brother. You are lower than the muck in a gong-farmer’s barrow. Aye, turn your face away in shame. I have no wish to see it ever again.” And he wheeled his courser around and rode back to Warwick, Richard, and Hastings. “Keep him from my sight, do you hear me, my lord.”

Warwick nodded and glanced at Richard. Despite his enmity towards Edward, the earl still felt an affinity for Richard, whose eyes spoke of betrayal and sadness as they held Warwick’s for a moment, and Warwick had the grace to lower his gaze and incline his head in a tacit understanding of the young man’s conflict.

“What do you intend to do with me, pray?” Edward was bold despite the danger. “Am I to suffer the same fate as my ancestors Richard of Bordeaux or the second Edward, shut away to be forgotten until discovered dead?”

“You are still the king, cousin,” Warwick assured him. “But your power will be greatly reduced—at least until I and my council believe that you have accepted our manifesto.”

“Pah!” Edward harrumphed. “So another Magna Carta. I think you overestimate your sway with my people, my lord.” He looked around hopefully at the soldiers but saw nothing but surly faces. Thus powerless, Edward gave himself up to the earl, who told him to choose from his retainers to accompany him to his confinement at Warwick castle, where, the earl assured the king, he would be housed in comfort.

Hastings moved his horse towards the king, but Edward gave an imperceptible shake of his head. “I trust you have no quarrel with my chamberlain or my brother, Gloucester?” Edward asked Warwick. “I will be content to have two gentlemen of the bedchamber and my secretary to take with me into this ‘confinement.’”

Warwick bowed. “As you surmise, Your Grace, we have no quarrel with Lord Hastings or Richard.” He emphasized Richard’s first name purposely. “They may go where they will. Fare you well, my lords.”