STORIES FROM ENGLISH HISTORY, 55 
from a bush, and, turning to those who were near 
him, said, “He who will stand by me in this 
quarrel, let him pluck a white rose with me, and 
wear it in his hat.” "Then the other lord tore a 
red rose from a bush, and said, “ Let him, who will 
stand by me, pluck a red rose, and wear it as his 
badge.” 
2. Now this quarrel in the Temple Garden was 
a very sad thing indeed, for it led to a great civil 
war, that is, a war in which people of the same 
nation fight one against the other. It was called 
the “War of the Roses,” for every soldier wore a 
white or red rose on his helmet, to show what side 
he fought for. 
3. The king, Henry the Sixth, and his wife, Queen 
Margaret, sided with the “ Red Roses,” and it was 
a sad sight to see the king and all the great lords 
trying to kill each other. You will read some 
day of all the great battles that were fought, and 
all the eruel deeds that were done during those 
dreadful times; but I shall tell you now one story 
of the war, to show you what an awful thing 
war 18. 
4. In a battle fought at Hexham, by the river 
Tyne, the king’s side was beaten, and Queen Mar- 
garet, with her little son, had to fiy for her life. 
She had not gone far from the battle-field when 
she was met by a band of savage robbers. They 
stopped her, and took all her rich jewels from her, 
and tore the gold rings from her fingers ; and, holding 
a drawn sword over her head, swore they would kill 
her if she dared to stir,