The commons in parliament had acted in opposition to Henry the Sixth, as the laws they wrung from him tended to show, and it was a popular and trading party that came, as it were, into power under King Edward.

It is true that Edward was sufficiently arbitrary in himself; but a popular party will stretch as much as its antagonists in favour of despotism,--exercised, on its enemies.

And Edward did his best to consult the interests of commerce, though the prejudices of the merchants interpreted those interests in a way opposite to that in which political economy now understands them.

The second exception to the mere hostilities of individual chiefs and feudal factions has, not less than the former, been too much overlooked by historians.

But this was a still more powerful element in the success of the House of York.