His plan was simple . He was to seize a quarter of the town of Shoreby lying on the right hand of the high road , and make his position good there in the narrow lanes until his reinforcements followed . If Lord Risingham chose to retreat , Richard would follow upon his rear , and take him between two fires ; or , if he preferred to hold the town , he would be shut in a trap , there to be gradually overwhelmed by force of numbers . There was but one danger , but that was imminent and great -- Gloucester 's seven hundred might be rolled up and cut to pieces in the first encounter , and , to avoid this , it was needful to make the surprise of their arrival as complete as possible . The footmen , therefore , were all once more taken up behind the riders , and Dick had the signal honour meted out to him of mounting behind Gloucester himself . For as far as there was any cover the troops moved slowly , and when they came near the end of the trees that lined the highway , stopped to breathe and reconnoitre . The sun was now well up , shining with a frosty brightness out of a yellow halo , and right over against the luminary , Shoreby , a field of snowy roofs and ruddy gables , was rolling up its columns of morning smoke . Gloucester turned round to Dick . `` In that poor place , '' he said , `` where people are cooking breakfast , either you shall gain your spurs and I begin a life of mighty honour and glory in the world 's eye , or both of us , as I conceive it , shall fall dead and be unheard of . Two Richards are we . Well , then , Richard Shelton , they shall be heard about , these two ! Their swords shall not ring more loudly on men 's helmets than their names shall ring in people 's ears . '' 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 .
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