`` My father , '' answered Dick , `` I am here upon an errand of expedition . Stay me not . I command here for my Lord of Gloucester . '' `` For my Lord of Gloucester ? '' repeated the priest . `` Hath , then , the battle gone so sore ? '' `` The battle , father , is at an end , Lancaster clean sped , my Lord of Risingham -- Heaven rest him ! -- left upon the field . And now , with your good leave , I follow mine affairs . '' And thrusting on one side the priest , who seemed stupefied at the news , Dick pushed open the door and rattled up the stairs four at a bound , and without pause or stumble , till he stepped upon the open platform at the top . Shoreby Church tower not only commanded the town , as in a map , but looked far , on both sides , over sea and land . It was now near upon noon ; the day exceeding bright , the snow dazzling . And as Dick looked around him , he could measure the consequences of the battle . A confused , growling uproar reached him from the streets , and now and then , but very rarely , the clash of steel . Not a ship , not so much as a skiff remained in harbour ; but the sea was dotted with sails and row-boats laden with fugitives . On shore , too , the surface of the snowy meadows was broken up with bands of horsemen , some cutting their way towards the borders of the forest , others , who were doubtless of the Yorkist side , stoutly interposing and beating them back upon the town . Over all the open ground there lay a prodigious quantity of fallen men and horses , clearly defined upon the snow . To complete the picture , those of the foot soldiers as had not found place upon a ship still kept up an archery combat on the borders of the port , and from the cover of the shoreside taverns . In that quarter , also , one or two houses had been fired , and the smoke towered high in the frosty sunlight , and blew off to sea in voluminous folds . Already close upon the margin of the woods , and somewhat in the line of Holywood , one particular clump of fleeing horsemen riveted the attention of the young watcher on the tower .
It was fairly numerous ; in no other quarter of the field did so many Lancastrians still hold together ; thus they had left a wide , discoloured wake upon the snow , and XXXXX was able to trace them step by step from where they had left the town .
Church Dick Holywood Lancaster Risingham Yorkist harbour noon row-boats watcher