Dick was astonished at so great a hunger after fame , expressed with so great vehemence of voice and language , and he answered very sensibly and quietly , that , for his part , he promised he would do his duty , and doubted not of victory if everyone did the like . By this time the horses were well breathed , and the leader holding up his sword and giving rein , the whole troop of chargers broke into the gallop and thundered , with their double load of fighting men , down the remainder of the hill and across the snow-covered plain that still divided them from Shoreby . CHAPTER II -- THE BATTLE OF SHOREBY The whole distance to be crossed was not above a quarter of a mile . But they had no sooner debauched beyond the cover of the trees than they were aware of people fleeing and screaming in the snowy meadows upon either hand . Almost at the same moment a great rumour began to arise , and spread and grow continually louder in the town ; and they were not yet halfway to the nearest house before the bells began to ring backward from the steeple . The young duke ground his teeth together . By these so early signals of alarm he feared to find his enemies prepared ; and if he failed to gain a footing in the town , he knew that his small party would soon be broken and exterminated in the open . In the town , however , the Lancastrians were far from being in so good a posture . It was as Dick had said . The night-guard had already doffed their harness ; the rest were still hanging -- unlatched , unbraced , all unprepared for battle -- about their quarters ; and in the whole of Shoreby there were not , perhaps , fifty men full armed , or fifty chargers ready to be mounted . The beating of the bells , the terrifying summons of men who ran about the streets crying and beating upon the doors , aroused in an incredibly short space at least two score out of that half hundred . These got speedily to horse , and , the alarm still flying wild and contrary , galloped in different directions . Thus it befell that , when Richard of Gloucester reached the first house of Shoreby , he was met in the mouth of the street by a mere handful of lances , whom he swept before his onset as the storm chases the bark . A hundred paces into the town , Dick Shelton touched the duke 's arm ; the duke , in answer , gathered his reins , put the shrill trumpet to his mouth , and blowing a concerted point , turned to the right hand out of the direct advance . Swerving like a single rider , his whole command turned after him , and , still at the full gallop of the chargers , swept up the narrow bye-street . Only the last score of riders drew rein and faced about in the entrance ; the footmen , whom they carried behind them , leapt at the same instant to the earth , and began , some to bend their bows , and others to break into and secure the houses upon either hand . Surprised at this sudden change of direction , and daunted by the firm front of the rear-guard , the few Lancastrians , after a momentary consultation , turned and rode farther into town to seek for reinforcements . The quarter of the town upon which , by the advice of Dick , Richard of Gloucester had now seized , consisted of five small streets of poor and ill-inhabited houses , occupying a very gentle eminence , and lying open towards the back . The five streets being each secured by a good guard , the reserve would thus occupy the centre , out of shot , and yet ready to carry aid wherever it was needed . Such was the poorness of the neighbourhood that none of the Lancastrian lords , and but few of their retainers , had been lodged therein ; and the inhabitants , with one accord , deserted their houses and fled , squalling , along the streets or over garden walls .
In the XXXXX , where the five ways all met , a somewhat ill-favoured alehouse displayed the sign of the Chequers ; and here the Duke of Gloucester chose his headquarters for the day .
Dick Gloucester Lancastrian Lancastrians SHOREBY Shelton centre footmen poorness storm