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SPRINGER BRIEFS IN PHYSICS

Silvia Viola Kusminskiy

Quantum
Magnetism,
Spin Waves, and
Optical Cavities
SpringerBriefs in Physics

Series editors
B. Ananthanarayan, Centre for High Energy Physics, Indian Institute of Science,
Bangalore, India
Egor Babaev, Amherst, MA, USA
Malcolm Bremer, Bristol, UK
Xavier Calmet, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sussex,
Brighton, UK
Francesca Di Lodovico, London, UK
Pablo D. Esquinazi, Institute for Experimental Physics II, University of Leipzig,
Leipzig, Germany
Maarten Hoogerland, Auckland, New Zealand
Eric Le Ru, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of
Wellington, Kelburn, Wellington, New Zealand
Hans-Joachim Lewerenz, Pasadena, CA, USA
James Overduin, Towson, MD, USA
Vesselin Petkov, Montreal, QC, Canada
Charles H.-T. Wang, Department of Physics, The University of Aberdeen,
Aberdeen, UK
Andrew Whitaker, Belfast, UK
Stefan Theisen, Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphys, Potsdam, Germany
Dario Narducci, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8902


Silvia Viola Kusminskiy

Quantum Magnetism, Spin


Waves, and Optical Cavities

123
Silvia Viola Kusminskiy
Max-Planck-Institute for the Science
of Light
Erlangen, Bayern, Germany

ISSN 2191-5423 ISSN 2191-5431 (electronic)


SpringerBriefs in Physics
ISBN 978-3-030-13344-3 ISBN 978-3-030-13345-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13345-0

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019931817

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019


This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether
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Contents

1 Electromagnetism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Basic Magnetostatics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Magnetic Moment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
1.3 Orbital Angular Momentum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.4 Spin Angular Momentum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.5 Magnetic Moment in a Magnetic Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.6 Magnetization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.7 Magnetostatic Maxwell Equations in Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.8 Demagnetizing Fields . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
2 Atomic Origins of Magnetism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.1 Basics of Quantum Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.2 Orbital Angular Momentum in Quantum Mechanics . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.3 Hydrogen Atom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.4 Addition of Angular Momentum and Magnetic Moment . . . . . . . . 21
2.5 Generalization to Many Electrons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
3 Magnetism in Solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.1 The Curie–Weiss Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.2 Exchange Interaction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.3 Hydrogen Molecule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.4 Heisenberg, Ising, and XY Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
3.5 Mean Field Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3.6 Ground State of the Ferromagnetic Heisenberg Hamiltonian . . . . . 38
3.7 Ground State of the Antiferromagnetic Heisenberg
Hamiltonian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 41
3.8 Ground State of the Classical Heisenberg Model . . . . . . . . ..... 42
3.9 Dipole–Dipole Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 44

v
vi Contents

4 Spin Waves and Magnons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45


4.1 Excitations of the Heisenberg Ferromagnet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.2 Equation of Motion Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.3 Holstein–Primakoff Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
4.4 Spin-Wave Approximation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
4.5 Magnon–Magnon Interactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
5 Magneto-Optical Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
5.1 Electromagnetic Energy and Zero-Loss Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
5.2 Permittivity Tensor and Magnetization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
5.3 Faraday Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
5.4 Magneto-Optical Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
6 Modern Topics: Cavity Optomagnonics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
6.1 Quantization of the Electromagnetic Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
6.2 Optical Cavities as Open Quantum Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
6.3 The Optomagnonic Hamiltonian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
6.4 Coupled Equations of Motion and Fast Cavity Limit . . . . . . . . . . 82
6.5 Linearized Optomagnonic Hamiltonian . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . 84
6.6 Prospects in Cavity Optomagnonics . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . 86
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Abstract

Both magnetic materials and light have always played a predominant role in
information technologies, and continue to do so as we move into the realm of
quantum technologies. In this course, we review the basics of magnetism and
quantum mechanics, before going into more advanced subjects. Magnetism is
intrinsically quantum mechanical in nature, and magnetic ordering can only be
explained by the use of quantum theory. We will go over the interactions and the
resulting Hamiltonian that governs magnetic phenomena, and discuss its elementary
excitations, denominated magnons. After that we will study magneto-optical effects
and derive the classical Faraday effect. We will then move on to the quantization
of the electric field and the basics of optical cavities. This will allow us to
understand a topic of current research denominated Cavity Optomagnonics.
This book is based on the notes written for the course I taught in the Summer
Semester 2018 at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität in Erlangen. It is intended for
Master or advanced Bachelor students. Basic knowledge of quantum mechanics,
electromagnetism, and solid state at the bachelor level is assumed. Each section is
followed by a couple of simple exercises which should serve as to “fill in the
blanks” of what has been derived and a couple of checkpoints for the main concepts
developed.

vii
Chapter 1
Electromagnetism

The history of magnetism is ancient: just to give an example, the magnetic com-
pass was invented in China more than 2000 years ago. The fact that magnetism is
intrinsically connected to moving electric charges (and not to “magnetic charges”),
however, was not discovered until much later. In the year 1820, Oersted experimen-
tally demonstrated that a current-carrying wire had an effect on the orientation of a
magnetic compass needle placed in its proximity. In the following few years, Ampere
realized that a small current loop generates a magnetic field which is equivalent to
that of a small magnet, and speculated that all magnetic fields are caused by charges
in motion. In the next few sections, we will review these concepts and the basics of
magnetostatics.

1.1 Basic Magnetostatics

As the name indicates, magnetostatics deals with magnetic fields that are constant in
time. The condition for that is a steady-state current, in which both the charge density
ρ and the current density j = I /As (As cross-sectional area) are independent of time

∂ρ
=0 (1.1.1)
∂t
∂j
= 0. (1.1.2)
∂t
From the continuity equation
∂ρ
∇ ·j+ = 0, (1.1.3)
∂t

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 1


S. Viola Kusminskiy, Quantum Magnetism, Spin Waves, and Optical Cavities,
SpringerBriefs in Physics, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13345-0_1
2 1 Electromagnetism

ds
r B
r
d
I

Fig. 1.1 The magnetic induction generated by a current I can be calculated using Biot–Savart’s
law, see Eq. 1.1.6. Ampere’s law (see Eq. 1.1.7) is always valid, but useful to calculate the B fields
only for cases of particular symmetry, e.g., an infinite straight wire

we moreover obtain
∇ ·j = 0. (1.1.4)

In these notes, we will call magnetic induction to B and magnetic field to H.1 In
free space, these two fields are related by

B = μ0 H (1.1.5)

being μ0 = 4π × 10−7 NA−2 the permeability of free space. We will use the SI units
system throughout these notes, and therefore B is measured in Teslas (T = V.s.m−2 )
and H in Amperes per meter (A.m−1 ).
The magnetic induction at point r due to a current loop can be calculated using
the Biot–Savart law
μ0 I r
dB = 2
d × , (1.1.6)
4πr r
where d points in the direction of the current I , see Fig. 1.1. Equivalent to the
Biot–Savart law is Ampere’s law, which reads

B · ds = μ0 I, (1.1.7)
C

where I is the current enclosed by the closed loop C, see Fig. 1.1. Ampere’s law is
general, but it is useful to calculate magnetic fields only in cases of high symmetry,
for example, the magnetic field generated by an infinite straight wire. Using Stoke’s
theorem, we can put Ampere’s law in differential form

∇ × B = μ0 j . (1.1.8)

1 Some authors call instead B the magnetic field and H the auxiliary field.
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1.1 Basic Magnetostatics 3

Ampere’s law together with the absence of magnetic monopoles condition

∇ ·B=0 (1.1.9)

constitute the Maxwell equations for magnetostatics. These equations give us indeed
time-independent magnetic fields, and if we compare the magnetostatic equations
with the full microscopic Maxwell equations

∇ ·B = 0 (1.1.10)
ρ
∇ ·E = (1.1.11)
ε0
∂B
∇ ×E = − (1.1.12)
∂t
 
∂E
∇ × B = μ0 j + ε0 (1.1.13)
∂t

(with ε0 = 8.85 × 10−12 Fm−1 the vacuum permittivity) we see that we have, more-
over, decoupled the magnetic and electric fields.
Check Points
• What is the magnetostatic condition?
• Write the magnetostatic Maxwell equations.

1.2 Magnetic Moment

The magnetic moment of a current loop is defined as

m = I An̂ , (1.2.1)

where A is the area enclosed by the loop and n̂ is the normal to the surface, with its
direction defined from the circulating current by the right-hand rule, see Fig. 1.2. m
defines a magnetic dipole in the limit of A → 0 but finite moment.
Using Eq. 1.1.6, we can calculate the magnetic induction generated by a small
current loop of radius R

μ0 I d × r
B(r) = (1.2.2)
4π r 3
  
μ0 I 1
=− d × ∇
4π r

with r = r − r (see Fig. 1.3). From Eq. 1.1.9, we know we can define a vector
potential A(r) such that B(r) = ∇ × A(r). By a simple manipulation of Eq. 1.2.2,
one can show that in the far-field limit (r  R),
4 1 Electromagnetism


A

Fig. 1.2 Magnetic dipole: the magnetic field induced by a small current loop is equivalent to that
of a small magnet

Fig. 1.3 Magnetic induction ẑ


due to a small circular
current loop: we use r
Biot–Savart to calculate the Δr = r − r′
B field. Seen from “far
away”, it is the field of a
magnetic dipole R r′
d
I

μ0 r̂
A(r) = m× 2 (1.2.3)
4π r
μ0 3(m · r)r − r 2 m
B(r) = , (1.2.4)
4π r5
which is the magnetic induction generated by a magnetic dipole. More generally, for
an arbitrary current density distribution j(r ), one can define [1, 2]

1  
m= d3 r r × j(r ) (1.2.5)
2

and Eq. 1.2.3 is the lowest nonvanishing term in a multipole expansion of the vector
potential (in the Coulomb gauge, ∇ · A = 0)

μ0 j(r )
A(r) = d3 r . (1.2.6)
4π |r − r |
1.2 Magnetic Moment 5

The energy of a magnetic dipole in a magnetic field is given by

E Z = −m · B (1.2.7)

and therefore is minimized for m  B. This is called the Zeeman Energy.


1. Exercise: derive Eqs. 1.2.3 and 1.2.4 (tip: use the “chain rule” and a multipole
expansion).
2. Exercise: show that Eq. 1.2.1 follows from 1.2.5 (tip: 1-D Delta-function dis-
tributions have units of 1/length).
Check Points
• How do you show the equivalence between the magnetic field of a small current
loop and that of a small magnet? A conceptual explanation suffices.

1.3 Orbital Angular Momentum

The magnetic moment m can be related to angular momentum. In order to do this,


we consider the limit of one electron e (with negative charge −e) orbiting around a
fixed nucleus, see Fig. 1.4. Note that here we get the first indication that magnetism
is a purely quantum effect: stable orbits like that are not allowed classically, and
we need quantum mechanics to justify the stability of atoms. Our argument here is
therefore a semiclassical one. The average current due to this single electron is
e eω
I =− =− , (1.3.1)
T 2π
where T is one period of revolution. The electron also possesses orbital angular
momentum L = m e r × v. Measured from the center of the orbit,

L = me R2ω
 (1.3.2)

and using Eq. 1.2.1, we obtain


e
m=− L. (1.3.3)
2m e

Therefore, we have linked the magnetic moment of a moving charge to its orbital
angular momentum. The coefficient of proportionality is called the gyromagnetic
ratio e
γL = − , (1.3.4)
2m e

which is negative due to the negative charge of the electron. Hence, in this case
the magnetic moment and angular momentum are antiparallel. In solids, electrons
are the primary source of magnetism due to their small mass compared to that of
6 1 Electromagnetism

Fig. 1.4 Semiclassical êy


picture used to calculate the v
orbital angular momentum of êz

an electron êx - e

r
R
+

the nucleus. Since m p ≈ 103 m e , the gyromagnetic ratio for the nucleus is strongly
suppressed with respect to the electronic one.
Check Points
• What is the gyromagnetic ratio?
• Why is the gyromagnetic ratio of the nucleus suppressed with respect to the elec-
tronic one?

1.4 Spin Angular Momentum

Although we performed a classical calculation, the result obtained for the gyromag-
netic ratio in Eq. 1.3.4 is consistent with the quantum mechanical result. We know,
however, that the electron posses an intrinsic angular momentum, that is, the spin S.
The total angular momentum of the electron is therefore given by

J = L + S. (1.4.1)

The spin has no classical analog and the coefficient of proportionality γS between
magnetic moment and spin
mS = γS S (1.4.2)

needs to be calculated quantum mechanically via the Dirac equation (see, e.g., Chap. 2
of Ref. [3]). The result is
e
γS ≈ − = 2γL , (1.4.3)
m
where the approximate symbol indicates that there are relativistic corrections (also
contained in the Dirac equation!) to this expression. The γS value agrees with exper-
imental observations.
1.4 Spin Angular Momentum 7

Fig. 1.5 A magnetic


moment in a B field
B
experiences a torque L sin θ êϕ
T = m × B. Remember: for
an electron, L and m point in θ
opposite directions êz êθ
L

mL τ

The total magnetic moment of the electron is therefore given by

mTOT ≈ γL (L + 2S) , (1.4.4)

and hence is not simply proportional to the total angular momentum! To understand
the relation between mTOT and J, given by the Landé factor, we need to resort to
quantum mechanics and the operator representation of angular momentum. We will
do that in the next chapter, where we discuss the atomic origins of magnetism.
Check Points
• What is the relation between the magnetic moment of an electron and the angular
momentum operators?

1.5 Magnetic Moment in a Magnetic Field

A magnetic moment in a magnetic field experiences a torque

T = m × B. (1.5.1)

Therefore, the classical equation of motion for the magnetic dipole (considering for
the moment only the orbital angular momentum) is

dL
= m × B = γL L × B . (1.5.2)
dt
Using the geometry depicted in Fig. 1.6, we obtain
8 1 Electromagnetism

Fig. 1.6 Coordinates used τ


for solving the equation of êϕ
motion Eq. 1.5.2 viewed
“from above”, in a plane
perpendicular to B
L(t)
θ
sin
L ϕ

êz

L̇ = L sin θϕ̇eφ (1.5.3)


γL L × B = |γL |L B sin θeφ . (1.5.4)

Hence, the magnetic moment precesses around B at a frequency

ωL = ϕ̇ = |γL B|, (1.5.5)

which is denominated the Larmor frequency. Therefore, the angular momentum will
precess around the B field at a fixed angle θ and with constant angular frequency ωL .
This is consistent with the energy expression defined in Eq. 1.2.7. The work per
unit time performed by the torque is given by the usual expression for the power

dW
= T · ω,
 (1.5.6)
dt
where the angular velocity vector is perpendicular to the plane of rotation and its
direction is given by the right-hand rule. We see therefore that there is no power
transfer in the Larmor precession, since ωL êz · T = 0. There is, however, an energy
cost if we want to change the angle θ of precession, since the resultant angular
velocity θ̇eϕ is collinear with the torque. Using (for simplicity we defined now θ as
the angle between m and B, see Fig. 1.7)

T = −m B sin θeϕ
ω
 θ = −θ̇eϕ , (1.5.7)

we find

T θ̇ = −m B sin θ (1.5.8)
dt
1.5 Magnetic Moment in a Magnetic Field 9

Fig. 1.7 Coordinate system


used to obtain Eq. 1.5.9
B
êϕ

êz θ
mL êθ

τ = mL × B

and therefore the work exerted to rotate m up to an angle θ is (up to a constant)



W =− m B sin θdθ = m · B = −E Z . (1.5.9)

We can therefore take the Zeeman energy E Z as the potential energy associated with
the necessary work required to rotate the dipole m with respect to an external B field.
We will see equations of motion in the form of Eq. 1.5.2 reappearing throughout
this course, even as we treat the angular momenta as quantum operators. The reason
is that, even though the total magnetic moment mTOT is not proportional to the total
angular momentum J (see Eq. 1.4.4), their quantum mechanical expectation values
are proportional to each other through the Landé factor g. We will see this more
formally when we start dealing with the quantum mechanical representation of the
angular momenta. For now, we assume that mTOT and J are related by

mTOT · J = gγL J · J (1.5.10)

from which we can obtain a classical expression for g, by replacing Eqs. 1.4.4 and
1.4.1 into 1.5.10 and noting that

1 2
L·S= J − L 2 − S2
2

from J 2 = (L + S)2 . One obtains

3 S2 − L 2
gcl = + , (1.5.11)
2 2J 2
where the superscript indicates this is a classical approximation for g, which coincides
with the quantum mechanical result in the limit J 2 , S 2 , and L 2 large [4].
10 1 Electromagnetism

Check Points
• Write the equation of motion for an angular momentum in the presence of a
magnetic field.
• What is the dynamics of an angular momentum in the presence of a magnetic field?
• What is the Larmor frequency?

1.6 Magnetization

Inside a material, the magnetic induction B indicates the response of the material to
the applied magnetic field H. Both vector fields are related through the magnetization
in the sample
B = μ0 (H + M) , (1.6.1)

where the magnetization is defined as the average magnetic moment per unit volume,

mV
M(r) = , (1.6.2)
V
and where the average indicates that we average over all atomic magnetic moments
in a small volume V around position r.2 In this way, a smooth vectorial function
of position is obtained. From Eq. 1.6.1, we see that the magnetization has the same
units as the magnetic field H (A.m−1 ). In Eq. 1.6.1, both B and H indicate the fields
inside the material, and hence H contains also the demagnetizing fields (that is, it is
not just the external applied field). We will see more on demagnetization fields in
the next section.
The response to the magnetic field of the magnetization and field induction are
characterized by the magnetic susceptibility χ and the permeability μ, respectively

M = χH (1.6.3)
B = μH , (1.6.4)

where we have written the simplest expressions for the case in which all fields
are collinear, static (that is, independent of time), and homogeneous in space (q =
ω = 0). In general, however, the response functions are tensorial quantities, e.g.,
Mi = j χi j H j , and depend on frequency ω and momentum q. Note that from
Eq. 1.6.1, we obtain
μ
μr = =1+χ (1.6.5)
μ0

again in the simple collinear case. μr is the relative permeability, is dimensionless,


and equals to unity in free space.

2 We average over a “microscopically large but macroscopically small” volume V .


1.6 Magnetization 11

The quantities defined in Eqs. 1.6.3 and 1.6.4 are still allowed to depend on tem-
perature T and magnetic field H. We will now consider qualitatively the dependence
on H. For linear materials, χ and μ are independent of H. A linear material with nega-
tive constant susceptibility is diamagnetic, whereas a positive susceptibility indicates
either paramagnetism (no magnetic order) or antiferromagnetism (magnetic order
with magnetic moments anti-aligned and zero total magnetization). In these cases,
the magnetization is finite only in the presence of a magnetic field. On the other hand,
if χ and μ depend on H, the relations Eqs. 1.6.3 and 1.6.4 are nonlinear. This is the
case for magnetically ordered states with net magnetization, namely, ferromagnets
(magnetic moments aligned and pointing in the same direction) and ferrimagnets
(magnetic moments anti-aligned but of different magnitudes, so that there is a net
magnetization). In these materials, the magnetization increases nonlinearly with the
applied field and saturates when all the magnetic moments are aligned. When decreas-
ing the magnetic field, there is a remanent, finite magnetization at zero field. This
process is called hysteresis and it is used to magnetize materials. As we learned in the
previous section, the magnetic moment, and hence the magnetic characteristics of a
material, are related to the total angular momentum of the electrons, and therefore
on the atomic structure. We will learn more about this in the next chapter.
Check Points
• What is the relation between magnetic moment and magnetization?

1.7 Magnetostatic Maxwell Equations in Matter

To calculate the magnetic dipole moment m from Eq. 1.2.5, we have to know the
microscopic current density. In general, however, we are not interested in micro-
scopic, fast fluctuations. We already saw an example in which we considered the
average current I generated by one orbiting electron, to obtain semiclassically the
gyromagnetic ratio γL in Sec.1.3. We have also defined the magnetization M as a
macroscopic quantity which entails the average density of the microscopic m. In a
material, in general, we have access to the magnetization, which is due to bound
microscopic currents, and to the macroscopic current density due to free charges,
which we will denominate jF . This motivates defining a macroscopic vector poten-
tial A in terms of these two macroscopic quantities, and not the microscopic currents
as in Eq. 1.2.6

μ0 jF (r ) M(r ) × (r − r )
A(r) = d3 r 
+ . (1.7.1)
4π |r − r | |r − r |3

Note that this is simply rewriting Eq. 1.2.6, separating the bound- and free-current
contributions. The bound-current contribution, the second term in Eq. 1.7.1, is written
in terms of the magnetization and is equivalent to an averaged Eq. 1.2.3.
12 1 Electromagnetism

Equation 1.7.1 allows us to define an effective current density associated with the
magnetization, by noting that [1]
    
3  M(r) × (r − r ) 3   1
d r = d r M(r ) × ∇ (1.7.2)
V |r − r |3 V |r − r |
   
1 M(r ) × da
= d3 r ∇  × M(r ) + .
V |r − r | S |r − r |

We can therefore define an effective bound volume current density

jB = ∇ × M (1.7.3)

and an effective bound surface current density

KB = M × n̂, (1.7.4)

where the surface element is defined as da = dan̂. In the bulk, for a well-behaved
magnetization function, the surface integral vanishes and we obtain

μ0 jF (r ) jB (r )
A(r) = d3 r + . (1.7.5)
4π |r − r | |r − r |

The surface current KB enters usually through boundary conditions at interfaces.


If we now go back to Ampere’s Eq. 1.1.8 and separate the total current density
into free and bound contributions j = jF + jB , we obtain

∇ × B = μ0 (jF + ∇ × M) (1.7.6)

which defines the magnetic field H

1
H= B−M (1.7.7)
μ0

such that
∇ × H = jF . (1.7.8)

Therefore, the magnetic field H takes into account in an average way the bound
currents, and has as its only source the free currents. Equation 1.7.8 is equivalent to
Eq. 1.1.8, just rewritten in a more convenient form for macroscopic magnetostatics
in matter. Note that H is, on the contrary to B, not divergence-free:

∇ · H = −∇ · M . (1.7.9)

The magnetostatic Maxwell equations in matter (also known as “macroscopic”)


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1.7 Magnetostatic Maxwell Equations in Matter 13

∇ ·B=0
∇ × H = jF (1.7.10)

and have to be complemented by the constitutive equation B = μH in linear media


(taking μ as a constant, independent of H) or B = F(H) in nonlinear (e.g., ferro-
magnetic) media, where F is a characteristic function of the material.
We finish this section by stating the magnetostatic boundary conditions at an
interface between two different media 1 and 2

(B2 − B1 ) · n̂ = 0 (1.7.11)
n̂ × (H2 − H1 ) = KF , (1.7.12)

where KF is a free surface current density (usually 0).


1. Exercise: Prove Eq. 1.7.2.

Check Points
• What is the meaning of the magnetic field H?
• What are the magnetostatic Maxwell equations in matter?

1.8 Demagnetizing Fields

A crucial difference between magnetic and electric fields is the lack of free mag-
netic charges or monopoles.3 They are, however, a useful mathematical construction
in some cases, for example, to calculate the so-called demagnetization fields. In
finite systems, we can consider the magnetization as dropping to zero abruptly at the
boundary of the material, giving rise to an accumulated “magnetic charge density”
at the surface which acts as an extra source of magnetic fields inside of the material.
These fields in general oppose to an externally applied magnetic field and are there-
fore dubbed demagnetizing fields. A surface magnetic charge density is energetically
costly, and for finite magnetic systems at the microscale, it can determine the spa-
tial dependence of the magnetically ordered ground state, giving rise to magnetic
textures.
If we consider the special case of no free currents, jF = 0, Eqs. 1.7.10 imply that
we can define a magnetic scalar potential φM such that

H = −∇φM (1.8.1)

3 Magnetic monopoles, if they exist, have evaded experimental detection so far. They can, however,

emerge as effective quasiparticles in condensed matter systems, and have been detected in materials
which behave magnetically as a “spin ice” [5–7].
14 1 Electromagnetism

Fig. 1.8 Coordinate system êz


for the uniformly magnetized n̂
sphere problem

êθ

and using Eq. 1.7.9 we obtain a Poisson equation

∇ 2 φM = −∇ · M (1.8.2)

with solution
 
1 3 ∇ · M(r ) 1 n̂ · M(r )
φM (r) = − d r 
+ da  . (1.8.3)
4π V |r − r | 4π S |r − r |

Analogous to the case of the vector potential in Eq. 1.7.2, this allows us to define an
effective magnetic charge density

ρM = −∇ · M (1.8.4)

and an effective magnetic surface-charge density

σM = M · n̂ . (1.8.5)

We see that ρM can only be finite for a nonhomogeneous magnetization M(r), whereas
a finite σM indicates a discontinuity of M at the chosen surface S.
1. Exercise: Uniformly magnetized sphere
For a ferromagnet at saturation, the magnetization can be considered as given, so
we can in principle calculate the resulting magnetic field for a given geometry using
Eq. 1.8.3. We consider here as an example the case of a uniformly magnetized sphere
as depicted in Fig. 1.8.
(a) Choosing êz in the direction of M, we can write M = M0 êz . Calculate ρM and
σM and write the Poisson equation for φM .
1.8 Demagnetizing Fields 15

(b) Show that the scalar potential inside of the sphere is

1
M =
φin M0 z (1.8.6)
3

and find the magnetic field Hin and magnetic induction Bin inside of the sphere.
(c) The magnetic field Hin inside of the sphere opposes the magnetization and it is
therefore called a demagnetizing field. The proportionality coefficient between
Hin and M is called the demagnetizing factor N . What is the value of N in this
case? Demagnetization factors are geometry dependent and can moreover be
defined only in very special cases with simple geometries.4 Besides the sphere,
one can define demagnetization factors for an infinite plane, an infinite cylinder,
and a spheroid.
(d) Let us assume that now the sphere is placed in an external magnetic field H0 .
Using linearity, write the solution for Hin and Bin in this case.
(e) Let us now consider the case that the sphere is not permanently magnetized, but
we now the material has a permeability μ. From the constitutive equation

Bin = μHin , (1.8.7)

obtain the magnetization as a function of the external magnetic field Mμ (H0 ),


where the notation Mμ implies that in this case we consider the magnetization not
as given, but it depends on the permeability of the material. Show that Mμ (0) = 0,
and therefore the obtained expression is not valid for materials with permanent
magnetization.

Check Points
• Which is the origin of the demagnetization factors?

4 Thedemagnetizing fields are always present, but it is only in very simple geometries that one can
describe them with simple numerical factors.
Chapter 2
Atomic Origins of Magnetism

In the previous chapter, we reviewed the basic concepts of magnetism and mag-
netostatics using some semiclassical considerations. In particular, we attributed the
magnetic moment of atoms to “small current loops” and to the angular momentum
of electrons. In this chapter, we will put these concepts into more solid footing with
the help of quantum mechanics.

2.1 Basics of Quantum Mechanics

We first review some basic concepts of quantum mechanics. In quantum mechanics,


we describe a particle of mass m in a potential V by a wavefunction ψ(r, t) which
satisfies the Schrödinger equation

∂ψ(r, t) 2 2
i =− ∇ ψ(r, t) + V ψ(r, t) . (2.1.1)
∂t 2m

The probability of finding the particle at a time t in a volume element d3r around posi-
tion r is given by |ψ(r, t)|2 d3r . If the potential V is independent of time, ψ(r, t) =
ψ(r) f (t) and ψ(r) is an eigenfunction of the time-independent Schrödinger equation

2 2
− ∇ ψ(r) + V (r) ψ(r) = Eψ(r) (2.1.2)
2m
with energy E. Equivalently, we can write the eigenvalue equation for the Hamilto-
nian in Dirac notation
Ĥ |ψ = E|ψ, (2.1.3)

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019 17


S. Viola Kusminskiy, Quantum Magnetism, Spin Waves, and Optical Cavities,
SpringerBriefs in Physics, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13345-0_2
18 2 Atomic Origins of Magnetism

where the quantum state of the particle is represented by the ket |ψ, the respective
wavefunction is ψ(r) = r|ψ, and the Hamiltonian operator is

p̂ 2
Ĥ = + V (r̂). (2.1.4)
2m

In the position representation, p̂ → −i∇ so that, for example, r|p̂|ψ =


−i∇ψ(r).
In general, for any operator  we can write the eigenvalue equation Â|ψα  =
α|ψα , where |ψα  is an eigenstate with eigenvalue α. For a Hermitian operator,
† = Â, α is real and the eigenstates form a basis of the Hilbert space where the
operator acts. This is called an observable. The expectation value for  if the system
is in the eigenstate |ψα  then is simply ψα Â|ψα  = α. If we consider a second
operator B̂ acting on the same Hilbert space, it is only possible to find a common
basis of eigenstates of  and B̂ if and only if the two operators commute: [ Â, B̂] =
 B̂ − B̂  = 0. In this case, the two operators can be measured simultaneously to
(in principle) arbitrary precision. If the operators do not commute, then we run
into the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. The most well-known example is that of
the momentum and position operators, which satisfy [x̂, p̂] = i. How precise we
measure one of the operators will determine the precision up to which we can know
the value of the other: xp ≥ /2. In general,

1  

AB ≥ [ Â, B̂] , (2.1.5)
2

where A =  Â2  −  Â2 corresponds to the standard variation of  and analo-
gously for operator B̂.

2.2 Orbital Angular Momentum in Quantum Mechanics

The orbital angular momentum operator expression in quantum mechanics is inher-


ited from its classical expression, L̂ = r̂ × p̂. In the position representation, it is
given by
L̂ = −ir × ∇ . (2.2.1)

From this expression, it is easy to verify that the different components of L̂ do not
commute with each other. Instead, one obtains

[ L̂ i , Lˆ j ] = ii jk L̂ k , (2.2.2)

where i jk is the Levi-Civita tensor and the Einstein convention for the implicit
sum or repeated indices has been used. Therefore, it is not possible to measure
simultaneously with arbitrary precision all components of the angular momentum.
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features, gave place to the calmest dignity. "If not mine," he said,
"let me yield the sway to the lady Peace: the name and presence of
a Plantagenet shall no longer sanction the devastation of his country.
I would rather be a cotter on your wild Highlands, than buy the
sovereignty of my fair England by the blood of her inhabitants."
The warm, though capricious heart of James, was quietly recalled
by the look and voice of his once dearest friend, to a sense of the
ungraciousness of his proceeding: he frankly stretched out his hand;
"I was wrong, cousin, forgive me, we will confer anon. Even now,
orders have been issued to recall the troops; a few words will
explain everything."
York bent his head in acquiescence. The king dismissed his
nobles, and committed to the care of one among them the reverend
D'Ayala. With a strong sentiment of self-defence, which was self-
accusation—a half return of his ancient affection, which acted like
remorse—James set himself to explain his proceedings. Fearful,
unaided by any of the natives, of proceeding with an inadequate
force farther into the heart of the country, he had set down before
the castle of Norham, which was defended undauntedly by the
bishop of Durham. He had wasted much time here; and now the
Cornish insurgents being quelled, the earl of Surrey was marching
northwards, at the head of forty thousand men. Surrey, Howard,
might he not be a masked friend? "who," continued James, "has
surely some personal enmity to your highness; for the reverend
Father D'Ayala, an ambassador from Spain, visited him on his
journey northward, and it seems the noble indulged in despiteful
language; saying, that he who could bring the fell Scot (I thank him)
into England, wore manifest signs of—I will not say—I remember not
his words; they are of no import. The sum is, my dear lord, I cannot
meet the English army in the open field; walled town—even those
paltry towers—I cannot win: with what shame and haste I may, I
must retreat over the border."
Many more words James, in the heat of repentant affection, said
to soothe his English friend. York's blood boiled in his veins; his mind
was a chaos of scorn, mortification, and worse anger against
himself. The insult inflicted by James before his assembled lords, the
bitter speech of Surrey; he almost feared that he deserved the one,
while he disdained to resent the other; and both held him silent. As
speedily as he might, he took leave of the king: he saw signs in the
encampment of the return of the foragers; they were laden with
booty: his heart was sick; to ease his pent-up burning spirit, when
night brought solitude, though not repose, he wrote thus to the Lady
Katherine:—

"Wilt thou, dear lady of my heart, descend from thy lofty state,
and accept an errant knight, instead of a sceptered king, for thy
mate? Alas! sweet Kate, if thou wilt not, I may never see thee more:
for not thus, oh not thus, my God, will Richard win a kingdom! Poor
England bleeds: our over-zealous cousin has pierced her with dismal
wounds; and thou wouldst in thy gentleness shed a thousand tears,
hadst thou beheld the misery that even now, grim and ghastly, floats
before my sight. What am I, that I should be the parent of evil
merely? Oh, my mother, my too kind friends, why did ye not conceal
me from myself? Teaching me lessons of humbleness, rearing me as
a peasant, consigning me to a cloister, my injuries would have died
with me; and the good, the brave, the innocent, who have perished
for me, or through me, had been spared!
"I fondly thought that mine was no vulgar ambition. I desired the
good of others; the raising up and prosperity of my country. I saw
my father's realm sold to a huckster—his subjects the victims of low-
souled avarice. What more apparent duty, than to redeem his crown
from Jew-hearted Tudor, and to set the bright jewels, pure and
sparkling as when they graced his brow, on the head of his only
son? Even now I think the day will come when I shall repair the
losses of this sad hour—is it the restless ambitious spirit of youth
that whispers future good, or true forebodings of the final triumph of
the right?
"Now, O sweetest Kate, I forget disgrace, I forget remorse; I bury
every sorrow in thought of thee. Thy idea is as a windless haven to
some way-worn vessel—its nest in a vast oak-tree to a tempest-
baffled bird—hope of Paradise to the martyr who expires in pain.
Wilt thou receive me with thine own dear smile? My divine love, I
am not worthy of thee; yet thou art mine—Lackland Richard's single
treasure. The stars play strange gambols with us—I am richer than
Tudor, and but that thy husband must leave no questioned name, I
would sign a bond with fate—let him take England, give me
Katherine. But a prince may not palter with the holy seal God affixes
to him—nor one espoused to thee be less than king; fear not,
therefore, that I waver though I pause—Adieu!"

CHAPTER XXXVI

TIDINGS FROM IRELAND

Yet noble friends, his mixture with our blood,


Even with our own, shall no way interrupt
A general peace.

FORD.

Pedro D'Ayala was ambassador from Ferdinand and Isabella to the


king of England. There was something congenial in the craft and
gravity of this man with the cautious policy of Henry. When the latter
complained of the vexation occasioned him by the counterfeit
Plantagenet, and the favour he met with in Scotland, D'Ayala offered
to use his influence and counsel to terminate these feuds. He found
James out of humour with York's ill success among the English,
weary of a siege, where impregnable stone walls were his only
enemies, uneasy at the advance of Surrey; pliable, therefore, to all
his arguments. A week after D'Ayala's arrival, the Scots had
recrossed the Tweed, the king and his nobles had returned to
Edinburgh, and York to Katherine.
Richard's northern sun was set, and but for this fair star he had
been left darkling. When the English general in his turn crossed the
Tweed, and ravaged Scotland, he was looked on by its inhabitants as
the cause of their disasters; and, but that some loving friends were
still true to him, he had been deserted in the land which so lately
was a temple of refuge to him. The earl of Huntley exerted himself
to prevent his falling into too deep disgrace in the eyes of Scotland,
and was present at the consultations of the exiles to urge some new
attempt in some other part of King Henry's dominions. York was
anxious to wash out the memory of his overthrow; so that this
check, which seemed so final to his hopes, but operated as an
incentive to further exertions. Yet whither should he go? the whole
earth was closed upon him. The territory of Burgundy, which had so
long been his home, was forbidden. France—Concressault, who was
his attached friend, dissuaded him from encountering a mortifying
repulse there. Even his own Spain would refuse to receive him, now
that D'Ayala had shown himself his enemy; but, no, he was not so
far reduced to beg a refuge at the limits of civilization; still he had
his sword, his cause, his friends.
A stranger came, an unexpected visitant from over the sea, to
decide his vacillating counsels. The man was aged and silver-haired,
smooth in his manners, soft-voiced, yet with quick grey eyes and
compressed lips, indications of talent and resolution and subtlety.
Frion saw him first, and, deceived by his almost fawning manners
into an idea of his insignificance, asked his purpose and name. The
stranger with the utmost gentleness refused to disclose his object to
any but the prince; and Frion, with great show of insolence, refused
to introduce him to his presence. "Then without thy leave, sir
knave," said the old man calmly, "I must force my way."
Astley, the poor scrivener of Canterbury, was present. This
honest, simple-hearted fellow, had shown so much worth, so much
zeal, so much humbleness with such fidelity, that he had become a
favourite in York's court, and principally with the Lady Katherine.
Frion hated him, for he was his opposite, but pretended to despise
him, and to use him as an underling. Astley meekly submitted, and
at last gained a kind of favour in the Frenchman's eyes by the
deference and respect of his manner. The stranger, with the
readiness of one accustomed to select agents for his will, addressed
him, bidding him announce to his highness a gentleman from
Ireland. "And be assured," he said, "the duke will ill-requite any
tardiness on thy part."
An angry burst from Frion interrupted him. This man, rarely off
his guard, but roused now by recent mortifications, forgot himself in
the violence he displayed, which strangely contrasted with the soft
tranquillity of the stranger, and Astley's modest, but very determined
annunciation of his resolve to convey the message to the prince.
Frion, from loud words, was about to proceed to acts, when Lord
Barry entered—Barry, who felt Scotland as a limbo of despair, who
was for ever urging Richard to visit Ireland, to whom the court life of
the English was something like a trim-fenced park to a new caught
lion. Barry saw the stranger—his eyes lighted up, nay, danced with
sudden joy: with no gentle hand he thrust Frion away, and then bent
his knee, asking a blessing of the prior of Kilmainham; and in the
same breath eagerly demanded what had brought the venerable
man from Buttevant across the dangerous seas.
Keating's presence gave new life to York's councils: he brought an
invitation from Maurice of Desmond to the duke. The earl had, since
Richard's departure, been occupied in training troops, and so
fortifying himself as to enable him to rise against Poynings, whose
regular government, and above all, whose predilection for the
Butlers, caused him to be detested by the Geraldines. Hurried on by
hatred and revenge, Desmond resolved to do that which would be
most dreaded and abhorred of Henry—to assume the badge of the
White Rose, and to set up the pretensions of young Richard. The
tidings were that York was a loved and honoured guest in
Edinburgh; and the impetuous Desmond feared that he would hardly
be induced to abandon King James's powerful alliance, for the
friendship of a wild Irish chieftain. The very invitation must be
committed to no mean or witless hands: the difficulties appeared so
great, that the measure was on the point of being abandoned, when
the prior of Kilmainham, who, in the extreme of age, awoke to fresh
life at a prospect of regaining his lost consequence, offered himself
to undertake the arduous task. His views went far beyond the earl's:
he hoped to make the king of Scotland an active party in his plots,
and to contrive a simultaneous invasion of England from the north
and from the west. Already his turbulent and grasping spirit saw
Irish and Scotch meeting midway in England, and with conjoined
forces dethroning Tudor, and dictating terms to his successor. He
came too late: he came to find a peace nearly concluded between
James and Henry; the White Rose fallen into disregard; and his
arrival looked, upon as the best hope, the last refuge of his fallen
party.
Richard on the instant accepted his invitation. To a generous
heart the feeling of enforced kindness succeeding to spontaneous
affection, is intolerable. The very generosity of his own disposition
made him recoil from exacting a reluctant boon from his sometime
friend. To live a pensioner among the turbulent, arrogant Scots, was
not to be thought of. The earl of Huntley, in fond expectation of his
daughter's greatness, would have despised him had he remained
inactive. Even Katherine was solicitous to leave Scotland—she knew
her countrymen; and, ready as she was to give up every exalted
aim, and to make her husband's happiness in the retired quiet of
private life, she knew that insult and feud would attend his further
tarrying among the Scotch.
York had been for nearly a year the guest of King James; twelve
months, in all their long-drawn train of weeks and days, had paced
over the wide earth, marking it with change: each one had left its
trace in the soul of Richard. There is something frightful, to a spirit
partly tired of the world, to find that their life is to be acquainted
with no durable prosperity; that happiness is but a modification of a
train of events, which, like the fleeting birth of flowers, varies the
year with different hues. But York was still too young to be aweary
even of disappointment; he met the winter of his fortunes with
cheerful fortitude, so that a kind of shame visited James, inspired by
the respect his injured friend so well merited.
The capricious, but really noble heart of the Scottish king was at
this time put to a hard trial. One of the preliminaries of peace, most
insisted upon by Henry, was, that his rival should be given up to
him:—this was, at the word, refused. But even to dismiss him from
his kingdom, seemed so dastardly an act towards one allied to him
by his own choice, that the swelling heart of the cavalier could not
yet tame itself to the statesman's necessity. Some of his subjects,
meanwhile, were ready enough to cut the Gordian knot by which he
was entangled. Tudor had many emissaries in Edinburgh; and Lord
Moray, Lord Buchan, and the dark Both well, whose enmity had
become fierce personal hate, were still egged on by various letters
and messages from England to some deed of sanguinary violence.
Sir John Ramsay was sought out by Frion. That goodly diplomatist
must have entertained a high opinion of his mollifying eloquence,
when he dared encounter the hot temper of him he had dishonoured
in the eyes of the English prince, and of his own countryman
Hamilton. But Frion knew that in offering revenge he bought pardon:
he was of little mark in Ramsay's eyes, while the man he had
injured, and whom he consequently detested beyond every other,
survived to tell the grating tale of the defeated villany of the
assassin, and the godlike magnanimity of him who pardoned.
Frion's own feelings, which had vacillated, were now fixed to
betray the prince. He had wavered, because he had a kind of
personal affection for the noble adventurer. Somehow he managed
to fancy him a creature of his own: he had worked so long, and at
one time so well for him, that he had fostered the vain belief that his
dearest hopes, and best pretensions, would vanish like morning
mist, if he blew unkindly on them. It was not so: James had been his
friend; Huntley had given him his daughter without his interference;
and the Irish project, with Keating at its head, who treated Frion
with galling contempt, filled up the measure of his discontents. If
anything else had been needed, the Lady Katherine's favour to
Astley, and some offices of trust, in which York himself had used
him, sufficed to add the last sting to malice. "If they will not let me
make, they shall rue the day when I shall mar; learn shall they, that
Frion can clip an eagle's wings even in its pride of flight."
It is common to say that there is honour among thieves and
villains. It is not honour; but an acknowledged loss of shame and
conscience, and a mutual trust in the instinctive hatred the bad must
bear the good, which strongly unites them. In spite of the
Frenchman's former treachery, Balmayne felt that he could now
confide, that his guilt would stretch far enough to encircle in its
embrace the very act he desired; and he again trusted, and used
him as the chief agent of his plots.
The earl of Surrey was ravaging Scotland; and King James, with
the chivalrous spirit of the times, challenged him to single combat.
The earl, in answer, refused to place his master's interests at the
hazard of his single prowess, though ready for any other cause to
accept the honour tendered him. The herald that brought this reply,
Frion reported to Richard to be charged with a letter to him. Its
purpose was to declare, that though, while aided and comforted by
the enemies of England, the earl warred against him, yet the
Howard remembered the ancient attachments of his house; and
that, if the White Rose, wholly renouncing the Scotch, would trust to
the honour of the representative of a race of nobles, the army now
in the field to his detriment should be turned to an engine of
advantage. "Time pressed," the letter concluded by saying—"and if
the duke of York were willing to give his sails to the favouring wind,
let him repair with a small company to Greenock, where he would
find zealous and powerful friends."
At first this intimation filled the prince with exultation and delight.
The time was at last come when he should lead the native nobility of
England to the field, and meet his enemy in worthy guise. There was
but one check; he could not join Surrey, while Surrey was in arms
against his once generous friend; so that, by a strange shifting of
events, he now became anxious for peace between Scotland and
England; eager that the seal should be set that destroyed the
alliance and amity which had so lately been the sole hope of his life.
Neville and Plantagenet entered into his views; and while, seemingly
at the bottom of Fortune's scale, a new spirit of gladness animated
this little knot of Englishmen.
For one thing young Richard was not prepared: the preliminaries
of peace he knew were arranged, and he was aware that its
conclusion would take the sword out of James's hand. They had
rarely met lately; and this, while it lessened the familiarity, rather
added to the apparent kindness of their interviews. There was in
both these young princes a genuine warmth of heart, and brightness
of spirit, that drew them close whenever they did meet. James
honoured the integrity and the unconquered soul of the outcast
monarch, while his own genius, his vivacity, and polished courtesy, in
spite of his caprice and late falling off, spread a charm around that
forced admiration and affection even from him he injured. It was at
this period, that, notwithstanding their real disunion, Richard felt it
as strange to find his royal host confused in manner, and backward
of speech. They had been at a hunting party, where Lord Moray's
haughty glance of triumph, and the sneer that curled the earl of
Buchan's lip, would have disclosed some victory gained by them, had
York deigned to regard their aspects. At length, after much
hesitation, while riding apart from his peers, James asked—"If there
were any news from the Lady Margaret of Burgundy?"
"Sir Roderick Lalayne returned to her a month ago," replied York,
"and with him went my dear and zealous Lady Brampton, to urge
fresh succour for one, to whom fortune has so long shown a wintry
face, that methinks spring must at last be nigh at hand, herald of
bright, blossoming summer."
"What promises then my lady duchess?" said the king, eagerly.
"Alas! her promises are as blank as her power," replied Richard.
"Even when the old dukes of Burgundy were as emperors in
Christendom, they were but as provosts and city-magistrates in the
free towns of Flanders; and these towns resolve on peace with
England."
"It is the cry of the world," said James, with a sigh; "this Tudor is
a mighty man. Why, even I, a Scot, a warrior, and a king, am forced
to join the universal voice, and exclaim, 'Peace with England,' even
though my honour is the sacrifice."
"Your majesty imparts no strange truth to me," said York. "I have
long known that this must be; but surely you speak in soreness of
spirit, when you speak of the sacrifice of honour. I thought the terms
agreed on were favourable to Scotland?"
"King Henry demanded, in the first place, the delivery of your
highness into his hands." James blushed deeply as he said these
words.
"Or he will come seize me," rejoined the duke, with a laugh. "In
good hour I will deliver myself, if he will walk through the bristling
lances, and set at naught the wide-mouthed cannon that will bellow
in his path."
"Have you then new hopes?" cried the king; "oh! say but so; and
half my shame, and all my sorrow vanishes. Say that you have hope
of speedy good in some other country; for I have sworn, ere April
wear into May, Scotland shall be made poor by your highness's
absence."
A long pause followed these words. James felt as if he had given
words to his own concealed dishonour, and struck his iron-girdled
side with the bitter thought. "O! spirit of my father, this may not
atone; but I must pay also in shame and torturous self-contempt for
my heavy guilt." A sudden blow, a precipitous fall when unaware his
feet had reached the crumbling brink of a beetling precipice, would
not have made such commotion in Richard's heart, as the forced and
frightful conviction that the friend he had trusted heaped this insult
on him. For the first time in his life, perhaps, pride conquered every
other feeling; for reproach had been more friendly, than the spirit
that impelled him, with a placid voice, and a glance of haughty
condescension, to reply:—"Now that your majesty dismisses me, I
find it fittest season to thank you heartily for your many favours.
That you deny me to the suit of your new ally, and send me forth
scathless from your kingdom, is the very least of these. Shall I forget
that, when, a wanderer and a stranger, I came hither, you were a
brother to me? That when an outcast from the world, Scotland
became a home of smiles, and its king my dearest friend? These are
lesser favours; for your love was of more value to me than your
power, though you used it for my benefit; and, when you gave me
the Lady Katherine, I incurred such a debt of gratitude, that it were
uncancelled, though you cast me, bound hand and foot, at Tudor's
footstool. That I am bankrupt even in thanks, is my worst misery;
yet, if the eye of favour, which I believe Fortune is now opening on
me, brighten into noon-day splendour, let James of Scotland ask,
and, when England shall be added to his now barren name, Richard
will give, though it were himself."
"Gentle cousin," replied the king, "you gloss with horrid words a
bitter pill to both; for though the scath seem yours, mine is the
punishment. I lose what I can ill spare, a kinsman and a friend."
"Never!" cried York; "Scotland bids a realmless monarch, a beggar
prince, depart: the king of Scotland, moved by strong state
necessity, is no longer the ally of the disinherited orphan of Edward
the Fourth: but James is Richard's friend; he will rejoice, when he
sees him, borne with the flowing tide, rise from lowness to the
highest top at which he aims. And now, dear my lord, grant me one
other boon. I am about to depart, even of my own will; dismiss then
every rankling feeling; lay no more to your generous, wounded
heart, a need, which is even more mine than yours; but let smiles
and love attend your kinsman to the end, unalloyed by a deeper
regret, than that fate wills it, and we must separate."
CHAPTER XXXVII

TREACHERY

I am your wife,
No human power can or shall divorce
My faith from duty.

FORD.

——With
My fortune and my seeming destiny,
He made the bond, and broke it not with me.
No human tie is snapp'd betwixt us two.

SCHILLER'S WALLENSTEIN.

Frion believed that he held the strings, which commanded the


movements of all the puppets about him. The intrigues of party, the
habitual use of ill means to what those around him deemed a good
end, had so accustomed him to lying and forgery, that his
conscience was quite seared to the iniquity of these acts; truth to
him was an accident, to be welcomed or not according as it was or
was not advantageous to his plots.
King James prepared a fleet for the conveyance of the prince; and
the earl of Huntley, as a matter of course, promised to entertain his
daughter royally, until, in a palace in Westminster, she should find
her destined title and fit abode. The Lady Katherine thanked him,
but declared that she was nothing moved from her bridal vow, and
that she never would desert Richard's side. All that her father urged
was of no avail. State and dignity, or their contraries, humiliation and
disgrace, could only touch her through her husband; he was her
exalter or debaser, even as he rose or fell; it was too late now to
repine at degradation, which it ill beseemed the daughter of a
Gordon to encounter; it was incurred when she plighted her faith at
the altar; wherever she was it must be hers. As a princess, she was
lost or redeemed by her husband's fortunes. As a woman, her glory
and all her honour must consist in never deviating from the straight
line of duty, which forbade her absence from his side.
The earl disdained to reason with a fond doting girl, as he called
the constant-minded lady, but applied to the king, representing how
it would redound to his discredit, should a princess of his blood
wander a vagrant beggar over sea and land. James had passed his
royal word to Katherine, that she should have her will on this point;
and when, at her father's suit he tried to dissuade her, he was at
once silenced by her simple earnest words; "Ask me not," she said,
"to place myself on the list of unworthy women: for your own
honour's sake, royal cousin, permit your kinswoman to perform a
wife's part unopposed. You and my father bestowed me, a dutiful
subject, an obedient daughter, according to your will; you
transferred my duty and obedience; and truly as I paid it to you, so
will I keep it for my lord."
"What can we reply, my good earl marshal," said James, turning
to Huntley, "I rebelled against the religion through which I reign, did
I deny our sweet Kate free allowance to follow the dictates of her
generous heart. Nor let us grudge the White Rose this one fair
bloom. Love, such as Katherine feels, love, and the dearest, best gift
of God—alas! too oft denied to poor humanity, and most to me—
self-complacency, arising from a good conscience, will repay her
every sacrifice."
Huntley retired in high indignation; his will was opposed; his
word, which he deemed a law, had but a feather's weight. The blood
of the Gordon was stirred to rage; and he broke forth in fierce and
cruel expressions of anger, calling his daughter ingrate—her lord
base, and a traitor. Such muttered curses were reported to Lord
Buchan: in the scheme on foot, they had somewhat dreaded to incur
Huntley's displeasure and revenge, knowing how dearly he prized
the hope of royalty for his daughter; but now they fancied that they
might draw him in ere he was aware to approve their deed. The
crafty Frion was set on to sound him; the iron was hot, most easily
to their eyes, it took the desired form.
Huntley was a Scot, cunning even when angry—cautious when
most passionate. The first intimations of the conspiracy were
greedily received by him. He learnt the falsehood of the letter
pretending to come from the earl of Surrey; and the use that was to
be made of this decoy to seize on the duke of York's person. He did
not scruple to promise his assistance; he reiterated his angry
imprecations against his unworthy son-in-law; he thanked Frion with
cordial warmth for affording him this opportunity for revenge; he
declared his gratitude towards the confederate nobles; and the
Frenchman left him, with the full belief that he was ready to lend his
best aid to deliver over the English prince to ignominy and death.
Such was the end of King Henry's last scheme to obtain
possession of his too noble, too excelling rival, by means of Scottish
fraud, and the treason of York's dependants. The earl of Huntley
conducted the whole affair with the utmost secrecy. Apparently he
acted the part designed for him by the conspirators. He reconciled
himself to the prince; he urged an instant compliance with Surrey's
invitation. The English had asked for some guarantee of Surrey's
truth. Huntley obviated this difficulty. Through his intervention a new
and sufficing impulse was given. Richard appointed the day when he
should repair to Greenock, there to meet the envoy who was to lead
him to Lord Surrey's presence. In the harbour of Greenock rode the
bark which was to convey him to his English prison. King Henry's
hirelings were already there: Frion conducted the victims blindfold
into the net: they had meant to have gathered together a troop of
ruffian borderers to prevent all resistance; but Huntley promised to
be there himself with a band of Highlanders. The whole thing only
seemed too easy, too secure.
The wily secretary had overshot his mark in taking so readily for
granted Huntley's assent to the ruin of the duke of York. He had
come upon him in his angry hour: his honied words were a dew of
poison; his adjurations for peace, oil to fire. Then, as the noble
strode through the hall, imprecating vengeance, he slid in words that
made him stop in full career. Men are apt to see their wishes
mirrored in the object before them; and, when the earl bent his grey
eyes upon the Provençal and knit his time-furrowed brow in
attention and interest, Frion saw the satisfaction of a man on the
brink of dear revenge. He was far a-field. The very rage in which the
earl had indulged, by a natural reaction, softened him towards his
children; and when the traitor spoke of schemes ripe to deliver York
into his adversary's hands, he recoiled at once from the path of
vengeance opened before him, and listened with horror to the detail
of a conspiracy which would tear the very shadow of a diadem from
his daughter's brow; yet he listened, and his words still enticed the
over-wily Frion. "Balmayne," said the earl, "all must succeed even to
the death. Where he intermeddles, he is ruthless;" thus ran his
comments: "My good Lord Buchan, what the foul fiend makes him
so busy? English gold! Yes: Buchan loves the gilding better than the
strong iron that it hides. The honour of the royal house, my most
reverend uncle! Is his animosity so stirring? Oh! priests are your only
haters. So Richard's tale is told. The chroniclers will speak of Duke
Perkin, of the canker that ate out the heart of Gordon's fair rose, the
gibbet, instead of a throne, to which she was wed; a fair eminence!
My Kate will hardly ascend it with him: she must halt at the gallows'
foot." These words, said with bitterness, seemed to Frion the boiling
sarcasm of an exasperated parent. The man's vanity was the trap in
which he was caught: he could not believe that a savage Scot, an
untaught Highlander, could enter the lists with one nurtured in the
subtle atmosphere of Provence, with the pupil of Louis the Eleventh;
a man schooled in eastern lore, who had passed a whole life of
contrivance and deceit.
The Scottish nobles, Moray, Buchan, and Bothwell, were satisfied
in having given their countenance to the English hirelings; and now
that the more powerful Huntley promised to watch over the
execution of their designs, they were glad enough to withdraw from
the rude and inhospitable act. Huntley had everything in his own
hands. He, with a party of Highlanders, escorted the duke and
duchess of York, with their friends and attendants, to Greenock.
Frion had never shown himself so humble or so courteous; he
seemed afraid that any one of his victims should escape: he was
particularly anxious to entice his old enemy, the prior of Kilmainham,
into the snare. His readiness and vivacity were remarked by all: it
was attributed to the high hopes he entertained of his royal master's
success through the alliance of the earl of Surrey; and, while York
expressed his affectionate approbation, he smiled blandly, and
painted every feature in the very colouring he wished it to wear.
The vessel rode at anchor; the English sailors, on the arrival of
York, went on board, got her under weigh, and dropped down the
coast. With the dawn Lord Howard of Effingham, with a chosen
troop, was, according to the false hopes of Richard, to arrive at the
rendezvous, a wood about two miles south of the town, bordering
the sands of the sea. Here the English emissaries were congregated,
and here a score of Highlanders were in ambush, to assist in the
capture of the White Rose. Hither, even before dawn, the wakeful
Frion came, to announce the speedy arrival of his lord. He found his
English friends in some anxiety. Clifford, who, under the name of
Wiatt, had been chief among them, was seized with panic or
remorse, and had gone on board the vessel, which had east anchor
but a few furlongs from the shore. The others were mean
underlings: Frion's presence gave them courage; he was elated; his
laugh was free; he had neither doubt nor scruple; no, not even
when he turned from the vulgar, brutalized countenances of these
ruffians, to behold the princely victim in all the splendour of
innocence, with one beside him so lovely, that the spirit of good
itself had selected her form for its best earthly bower; or to see
Edmund, whose dark eyes beamed with unknown joy, and Neville,
whose haughty glance was exchanged for a glad smile. The man's
sole thought was exultation at his own cleverness and success, in
having inveigled so many of the noble and the brave to this dark
fate.
"What tidings of Effingham?" asked York.
"Are ye ready?" cried Huntley.
"All!" replied Frion; "all save him ye name Wiatt. Sir Robert,
forsooth, is but half a man, and never does more than half deed,
though that half makes whole crime. All is ready. I hear the sound of
oars; the boat nears the shore."
Through the tall bare trunks of the trees, a glimpse of the beach
might be gained; the roaring of the surges was distinct, now mingled
with the cry of sailors.
"Then lose we no time," said Huntley. "My lord of York, these
words sound strange. You expected a noble countryman to lead you
to victory; you find nameless fellows, and the prince of knaves, most
ready and willing to lead you to everlasting prison. Lo, the scene
shifts again! Never be cast down, Master Frion; you are as subtle as
any of your race—only to be outwitted by a niggard Scotchman, who
can ill read, and worse write; except when villany is blazoned in a
man's face, and his sword indites a traitor's fate. Your clerkship will
find none among us learned enough to afford you benefit of clergy."
Huntley drew his sword; and at the signal his Highlanders arose
from their ambush. Prion was seized and bound. None, who even a
moment before had seen the smooth-faced villain, could have
recognized him; he was pale as the snow on Ben Nevis. A
Highlander, an adept in such acts, dexterously threw a knotted rope
over his head, and cast his eye up to the trees for a convenient
branch. Such had been the orders; such the summary justice of the
earl.
Richard meanwhile looked on the blanched visage and quailing
form of his betrayer in mere compassion. "Is it even so, Etienne!" he
said; "and after long companionship we part thus."
The trembling craven fell on his knees, though he tightened the
halter by the movement, so that when Richard turned away, saying,
"I had thought better of thee: Jesu pardon thee as readily as I—
farewell!" he had scarce voice to cry for mercy.
"Aye," cried the Gordon; "such mercy as we grant the wolf and
thievish fox. Short shrift be thine, Master Secretary!"
"By Our Lady's grace, stay!" said Katherine; "do not kill the false-
hearted knave. He is a coward, and dares survive his honour; let him
live."
Richard looked sternly on the kneeling slave. To the good there is
something awful in the sight of a guilty man. It is a mystery to them
how the human heart can be so perverted. Is it a spirit from hell that
incorporates itself with the pulsations of our mortal bosom; a
darkness that overshadows; a fiendish essence that mingles with the
breath God gave to his own image? York felt a shrinking horror.
"Thou hast pursued me since my youth," he said, "forcing thyself
into my councils; sometimes as a wily enemy; at others befriending
me in seeming, raising my soul, that flagged beneath the world's
unkind ministry; dropping balm by thy words into a wounded heart;
to end thy office thus! Was this thy purpose ever; or what demon
whispered thee to betray? Die! oh no! too many, the good, the
great, the true, have died for me; live thou a monument—a mark to
tell the world that York can pardon, York can despise—not so base a
thing as thee—that were little, but even thy employer. Go, tell my
sister's husband that I bear a charmed life; that love and valour are
my guards. Bid him bribe those, nor waste his ill-got crowns on such
as thee. Unbind him, sirs; make signal to the boat; let him on board;
the wind stands fair for England."
The fall of many a hope, roused by the forgery on Surrey's name,
was forgotten by Richard, as he sickened at this other mark of man's
wickedness and folly. He was surely the dear sport of fortune, a tale
to chronicle how faithless friends may be. If such thoughts, like
summer clouds, darkened his mind, they vanished, driven by the
winds of life that bore him onward. This was no time for mere
gloomy meditation. Though he was obliged to return to his forgotten
Irish scheme, and to dismiss the glorious anticipation in which he
had indulged, of leading the chivalry of England to the field; though
no real defeat had ever visited him so keenly as this mockery of one;
yet he was forced to forget himself, and to apply himself to console
and rouse his downcast friends; but his skill was well repaid, and
soon he again awoke to those feelings of buoyant hope, unwearied
energy, and unshaken confidence which were the essence of his
character.
In this last trial he felt how much good he might derive from the
sweetness and constant spirit of the Lady Katherine. She hoped for
none of the world's blessings, except they came in the shape of
loves from him to whom she was united; happiness—all hers as
centred in her blameless affections; and her confidence was placed
in the belief and knowledge, that by devoting herself to her lord, to
the wandering outcast who so dearly needed her sacrifice, she
fulfilled her destiny upon earth, and pleased "the great Task Master,"
who for happiness or misery, but certainly for good, had given her
life. All her gentle eloquence was spent in dissuading Richard from
those unkind thoughts towards his species, which the treason of
these base men, the caprice of James, the harsh sentence (for this
was again brought home to him by disappointment) of Surrey,
awakened in his bosom. It proved no hard task; soon the princely
adventurer, with eagle flight, soared from the sad prostration of
spirit, the birth of his disasters, to fresh hopes and lofty resolves.
It was necessary immediately to prepare for his departure. The
earl of Huntley, struck by his magnanimity, no longer opposed his
daughter's wish. The English exiles were eager for a new, and, they
believed (for untired is hope in man), for a prosperous career.
Scotland grew rude, confined, and remote in their eyes. In Ireland
were placed for them the portals of the world, to be opened by their
swords; the dancing sea-waves invited them; the winds of heaven
lent themselves to their service. "My friends," said Richard, "dear
and faithful partners of my wayward fortunes, I would fondly believe
that we are favoured of Heaven. We are few; but the evil and the
treacherous are no longer among us. And does old Time in all his
outworn tales tell any truer, than that the many, being disunited, and
so false, have ever been vanquished by the loving, bold, and heroic
few? That a child may scan with its fingers our bare arithmetic, will
therefore be to us the source of success, as assuredly it will be of
glory. The English were few when they mowed down thickly-planted
French at Cressy and Poictiers. Which among us, armed as we are in
the mail of valour, but would encounter ten of Tudor's scant-paid
mercenaries? For me! I do believe that God is on my side, as surely
as I know that justice and faith are; and I fear no defeat."
It is thus that man, with fervent imagination, can endue the
rough stone with loveliness, forge the misshapen metal into a
likeness of all that wins our hearts by exceeding beauty, and breathe
into a dissonant trump soul-melting harmonies. The mind of man—
that mystery, which may lend arms against itself, teaching vain
lessons of material philosophy, but which, in the very act, shows its
power to play with all created things, adding the sweetness of its
own essence to the sweetest, taking its ugliness from the deformed.
The creative faculty of man's soul—which, animating Richard, made
him see victory in defeat, success and glory in the dark, the
tortuous, the thorny path, which it was his destiny to walk from the
cradle to the tomb.
Oh, had I, weak and faint of speech, words to teach my fellow-
creatures the beauty and capabilities of man's mind; could I, or
could one more fortunate, breathe the magic word which would
reveal to all the power, which we all possess, to turn evil to good,
foul to fair; then vice and pain would desert the newborn world!
It is not thus: the wise have taught, the good suffered for us; we
are still the same; and still our own bitter experience and heart-
breaking regrets teach us to sympathize too feelingly with a tale like
this; which records the various fortunes of one who at his birth
received every gift which most we covet; whose strange story is
replete with every change of happiness and misery; with every
contrast of glorious and disgraceful; who was the noble object of
godlike fidelity, and the sad victim of demoniac treason; the mark of
man's hate and woman's love; spending thus a short eventful life. It
is not spent; he yet breathes: he is on the world of waters. What
new scene unfolds itself? Where are they who were false, where
those who were true! They congregate around him, and the car of
life bears him on, attended by many frightful, many lovely shapes, to
his destined end. He has yet much to suffer; and, human as he is,
much to enjoy.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

DEPRESSION

One moment these were heard and seen; another


Past, and the two who stood beneath that night,
Each only heard, or saw, or felt the other.

SHELLEY.

The hour had now arrived when Richard took leave of Scotland.
The king was humbled by the necessity he felt himself under, of
sending forth his friend and kinsman into the inhospitable world; and
he felt deep grief at parting with his lovely cousin. She grew pale,
when for the last time she saw the friend of her youth. But Katherine
looked upon life in a mode very different from the usual one: the
luxuries and dignities of the world never in her mind for a moment
came in competition with her affections and her duty; she saw the
plain path before her; whatever her father's or her royal cousin's
idea had been in giving her to the duke of York, she knew that,
being his, her destiny upon earth was to share his fortunes, and
soothe his sorrows. This constant looking on, giving herself up to,
and delighting in one aim, one object, one occupation, elevated her
far above the common cares of existence. She left

——"All meaner things,


The low ambition and the pride of kings,"

—to shroud herself in love; to take on herself the hallowed state


of one devoting herself to another's happiness. Cleopatra, basking in
sunny pomp, borne, the wonder of the world, in her gilded bark,
amidst all the aroma of the east, upon the gently-rippling Cydnus,
felt neither the pride nor joy of Katherine, as, on the poor deck of
their dark weather-beaten skiff, she felt pillowed by the downy spirit
of love, fanned by its gentle breath.
The duke of York was more depressed; he thought of how, since
his miserable childhood, he had been the sport of Fortune and her
scorn. He thought of the false, the cold, the perished: a dark wall
seemed to rise around him; a murky vault to close over him:
success, glory, honour, the world's treasures, which he had been
brought up to aspire to as his dearest aim, his right, were
unattainable; he was the defeated, the outcast; there was a clog in
his way for ever; a foul taint upon his name. Thus seated on the
deck, his arm coiled round a rope, his head leaning on his arm, while
the stars showered a dim silvery radiance, and the sparkling sea
mocked their lustre with brighter fires; while the breeze, that swelled
his sail, and drove him merrily along, spent its cold breath on him;
he, painting all natural objects with the obscure colouring suggested
by his then gloomy spirit, distorting the very scenery of heaven and
vast ocean into symbols of his evil fate, gave himself up to the very
luxury of woe,—meanwhile the shadow of a lovely form fell on him,
soft fingers pressed the curls of his hair, and Katherine asked, "Are
the nights of Andalusia more glorious than this?"
At the voice of the charmer the demon fled; sky and sea cast off
the dim veil his grief had woven, and creation was restored its native
beauty. Hitherto the halls of palaces, the gaiety of a court, the
council-chamber, had been the scenes in which the princely pair had
lived together; linked to an engrossing state of things, surrounded
by their partisans, they had been friends, nay lovers, according to
the love of the many. But solitary Nature is the true temple of Love,
where he is not an adjunct, but an essence; and now she alone was
around them, to fill them with sublime awe, and the softest
tenderness. In Richard's eyes, the kingdom of his inheritance
dwindled into a mere speck; the land of her nativity became but a
name to Katherine. It sufficed for their two full hearts that they were
together on the dark wide sea; the bright sky above, and calm upon
the bosom of the deep. They could ill discern each other in the
shadowy twilight; a dream-like veil was cast over their features, as
sleep curtains out the soul, so that we look on the beloved
slumberer, and say, "He is there, though the mystery of repose
wraps me from him;" so now darkness blinded and divided them:
but hand clasped hand; he felt that one existed who was his own,
his faithful; and she rejoiced in the accomplishment of the master-
sentiment of her soul, the desire of self-devotion, self-annihilation,
for one who loved her. The passion that warmed their hearts had no
fears, no tumult, no doubt. One to the other they sufficed; and, but
that the trance is fleeting, Happiness, the lost child of the world,
would have found here her home; for when love, which is the
necessity of affectionate hearts, and the sense of duty, which is the
mystery and the law of our souls, blend into one feeling, Paradise
has little to promise save immortality.
For many days this state of forgetful ecstasy lasted. Plantagenet
and Neville spoke of wars in England; Lord Barry and Keating of their
Irish schemes—the prince listened and replied; but his soul was far
away—Oh, that for ever they might sail thus on the pathless,
shoreless sea!—Nothing mean or trivial or ignoble could visit them;
no hate, no care, no fear—this might not be, but to have felt, to
have lived thus for a few short days, suffices to separate mortal man
from the groveling part of his nature—no disgrace, no despair can so
bring him back to the low-minded world, as to destroy the sense of
having once so existed. And Richard, marked for misery and defeat,
acknowledged that power which sentiment possesses to exalt us—to
convince us that our minds, endowed with a soaring, restless
aspiration, can find no repose on earth except in love.

CHAPTER XXXIX

SIEGE OF WATERFORD

"Now for our Irish wars!"

SHAKSPEARE.

Again the duke of York approached the rocky entrance of the


Cove of Cork, again he passed through the narrow passage, which
opening, displayed a lovely sheet of tranquil water, decked with
islands. The arrival of his fleet in the harbour was hailed with joy.
Old John O'Water had returned to his civic labours, and had
contrived to get himself chosen mayor for this year, that he might be
of greater assistance to the White Rose in his enterprise.
As soon as the arrival of his ships off the coast was known,
O'Water despatched messengers to the earl of Desmond, and busied
himself to give splendour to Richard's entrance into Cork. Tapestry
and gay-coloured silks were hung from the windows; the street was
strewn with flowers—citizens and soldiers intermixed crowded to the
landing-place. York's heart palpitated with joy. It was not that thence
he much hoped for success to his adventure, which required more
than the enthusiasm of the remote inhabitants of the south of
Ireland to achieve it: but Cork was a sort of home to him; here he
had found safety when he landed, barely escaped from Trangmar's
machinations—here he first assumed his rightful name and title—
here, a mere boy, ardent, credulous, and bold—he had seen
strangers adopt his badge and avouch his cause. Five years had
elapsed since then—the acclaim of a few kind voices, the display of
zeal, could no longer influence his hopes as then they had done, but
they gladdened his heart, and took from it that painful feeling which
we all too often experience—that we are cast away on the
inhospitable earth, useless and neglected.
He was glad also in the very first spot of his claimed dominions
whereon he set foot, to see the Lady Katherine received with the
honours due to her rank. Her beauty and affability won the hearts of
all around, and O'Water, with the tenderness that an old man is so
apt to feel towards a young and lovely woman, extended to her a
paternal affection, the simplicity and warmth of which touched her,
thrown as she was among strangers, with gratitude.
Lord Desmond arrived—he was struck by the improvement in
York's manner, still ingenuous and open-hearted: he was more
dignified, more confident in himself than before—the husband of
Katherine also acquired consideration; as an adventurous boy, he
might be used according to the commodity of the hour—now he had
place—station in the world, and Desmond paid him greater
deference, almost unawares.
But the earl was sorely disappointed; "Reverend Father," said he
to Keating, "what aid does Scotland promise? Will they draw Tudor
with his archers and harquebusiers, and well-horsed knights, to the
north, giving our Irish kern some chance of safe landing in the
west?"
"Peace is concluded between Scotland and England," replied
Keating.
Desmond looked moody. "How thrives the White Rose over the
water? How sped the duke, when he entered England? Some aid
somewhere we must have, besides yonder knot of wanderers, and
our own hungry, naked kerns."
"By my fay!" replied Keating, "every budding blossom on the
Rose-bush was nipped, as by a north-east wind. When Duke Richard
sowed his hopes there, like the dragon's teeth of Dan Cadmus, they
turned into so many armed men to attack him."
"Sooth, good prior," said the earl, with a sharp laugh, "we shall
speed well thereby: would you a re-acting of the gleeful mime at
Stowe?"
"Wherefore," said Keating, "fix your thoughts on England? The
dark sea rolls between us, and even the giants of old broke their
causeway, which in the north 'tis said they built, ere it laid its long
arm on the English shore. The name of Ireland reads as fair as
England; its sons are as brave and politic, able to defend, to rule
themselves: blot England from the world, and Ireland stands free
and glorious, sufficing to herself. This springal, valorous though he
be, can never upset Tudor's throne in London; but he can do more
for us by his very impotence. He is the true lord of Ireland: we are
liegemen in maintaining his right. Plant his banner, rally round it all
men who wish well to their country; drive out the good man
Poynings; crush the Butlers—aye, down with them; and when
Richard is crowned King of Erin, and the Geraldines rule under him,
our native land will stand singly, nor want England for a crutch—or,
by'r Lady! for a spear to enter her heart, while she leaneth on it; so
the wars of York and Lancaster may free us from the proud,
imperious English; and the Irish, like the Scotch, have a king and a
state of their own."
Desmond's eyes flashed for a moment, as Keating thus presented
before them the picture he most desired to behold; but they grew
cold again. "The means, reverend prior, the arms, the money, the
soldiers?"
"A bold stroke brings all: strike one blow, and Ireland is at our
feet. We must not tarry; now the Butlers and their party are asleep
in their security; gather men together; march forward boldly; strike
at the highest, Dublin herself."
"Father," replied the earl, "long before I were half way there, my
litter would be abandoned even by its bearers, and we left alone
among the bogs and mountains, to feed as we may, or die. If there
be any sooth in your scheme, it can only prove good, inasmuch as
we secure Connaught to ourselves, and turn this corner of the island
into a kingdom; but neither one word, nor one blow, will gain
Dublin. You are right so far,—something must be done, and speedily;
and, if it be well done, we may do more, till by the aid of the blessed
St. Patrick and white-tooth'd Bridget! we tread upon the necks of the
Butlers."
This one thing to be undertaken, after much consultation among
the chieftains, was the siege of Waterford: it had been summoned to
acknowledge Duke Richard as its lord, and had refused: Keating was
very averse to spending time before a fortified town. "On, on, boutez
en avant!" He reminded Lord Barry of his device, and strove to
awaken ambition in him. The prior of Kilmainham had spent all his
life in Dublin, a chief member of the government, a seditious,
factious but influential man: the capital to him was all that was
worth having, while, to these lords of Munster, the smallest victory
over their particular rivals, or the gaining a chief city in a district,
which was their world, appeared more glorious than entering London
itself victoriously, if meanwhile Waterford, or any one of the many
towns of Ireland, held out against them.
On the fifteenth of July, 1497, the duke of York, the earl of
Desmond, and the other many chief of many names, some
Geraldines, all allied to, or subject to them, as the O'Briens, the
Roches, the Macarthys, the Barrys, and others, assembled at
Youghall, a town subject to the earl of Desmond, and situated about
midway between Cork and Waterford, at the mouth of the river
Blackwater.
On the twenty-second of July the army was in movement, and
entered the county of Waterford; the chiefs, at the head of their
respective followers, proceeded to the shrine of St. Declan at
Ardmore, to make their vows for the success of their expedition. The
church at Ardmore, the round tower, the shrine, and healing-rock,
were all objects of peculiar sanctity. The countess of Desmond, and
her young son, and the fair duchess of York, accompanied this
procession from Youghall. After the celebration of mass, the
illustrious throng congregated on the rocky eminence, on which the
mysterious tower is built, overlooking the little bay, where the calm
waters broke gently on the pebbly beach. It was a beauteous
summer-day; the noon-day heat was tempered by the sea breeze,
and relieved by the regular plash of the billows, as they spent
themselves on the shore. A kind of silence—such silence as there
can be among a multitude, such a silence as is preserved when the
winds sing among the pines—possessed the crowd: they stood in
security, in peace, surrounded by such objects as excited piety and
awe; and yet the hopes of the warrior, and, if such a word may be
used, a warrior's fears, possessed them; it was such a pause as the
mountain-goat makes ere he commits himself to the precipice. A
moment afterwards all was in motion; to the sound of warlike
instruments the troops wound up the Ardmore mountains, looking
down on the little fleet that stemmed its slow way towards the
harbour of Waterford. The ladies were left alone with few
attendants. The young duchess gazed on that band of departing
warriors, whose sole standard was the spotless rose; they were soon
lost in the foldings of the hills; again they emerged; her straining
eye caught them. That little speck upon the mountain-side contained
the sole hope and joy of her life, exposed to danger for the sake of a
little good; for Katherine, accustomed to the sight of armies, and to
the companionship of chiefs and rulers, detected at once the small
chance there was, that these men could bring to terms a strongly
fortified city; but resignation supplied the place of hope; she
believed that Richard would be spared; and, but for his own sake,
she cared little whether a remote home in Ireland, or a palace in
England received them. She looked again on the mountain path; no
smallest moving object gave sign of life; the sunlight slept upon the
heathy uplands; the grey rocks stood in shadowy grandeur;
Katherine sighed and turned again to the chapel, to offer still more
fervent prayers, that on this beauteous earth, beneath this bright
genial heaven, she might not be left desolate: whatever else her
fortune, that Richard might be hers.
The army which the earl of Desmond led against Waterford, did
not consist of more than two thousand men. With these he invested
the western division of the city. Richard, with his peculiar troop, took
his position at the extremity of this line, nearest Passage, close to
Lumbard's Marsh, there to protect the disembarkment of troops from
the fleet.
Neither party failed in zeal or activity. The first days were actively
employed in erecting works and bringing the cannon to play upon
the town. On the third, in the very midst of their labours, while the
earl in his litter was carried close under the walls among the
pioneers, and Lord Barry in his eagerness seized a spade and began
to work, signals of attack were made from the town, and the troops
poured out from the nearest gate. The advanced guard were too few
to contend with them; they were driven back on the entrenchments.
The citizens were full of fury and indignation; they rushed forward
with loud cries, and created a confusion, which Desmond and Lord
Barry were not slow to encounter; they brought a few regular troops
to stand the assault; a well pointed cannon from the town swept the
thin lines; they fell back; a yell of victory was raised by the men of
Waterford; it reached the outpost of Duke Richard: he, with a score
of men, five among them, with himself, being cavaliers armed at all
points, were viewing a portion of the walls that seemed most open
to assault; the roar of cannon and the clash of arms called him to
more perilous occupation; he galloped towards the scene of action;
and, while still the faltering men of Desmond were ashamed to fly,
yet dared not stand, he, with his little troop, attacked the enemy on
their flank. The white steed, the nodding plume, the flashing sword
of York were foremost in the fray; Neville and Plantagenet were
close behind; these knights in their iron armour seemed to the half-
disciplined Irish like invulnerable statues, machines to offend,
impregnable to offence; twenty such might have turned the fortunes
of a more desperate day: their antagonists fell back. The knight of
Kerry led on at this moment a reinforcement of Geraldines, and a
cannon, which hitherto had been rebel to the cannoneer's art,
opened its fiery mouth with such loud injurious speech, that for
many moments the dread line it traced remained a blank. Richard
saw the post of advantage, and endeavoured to throw himself
between the enemy and the city: he did not succeed; but, on the
contrary, was nearly cut off himself by a reinforcement of townsmen,
sent to secure the retreat of their fellows. Those who saw him fight
that day spoke of him as a wonder: the heart that had animated him
in Andalusia was awake; as there he smote to death the turbaned
Moor, so now he dealt mortal blows on all around, fearless of the
pressing throng and still increasing numbers. While thus hurried
away by martial enthusiasm, the sound of a distant trumpet caught
his ear, and the echo of fire-arms followed; it came from the east—
his own post was attacked: now, when he wished to retreat, he first
discerned how alone and how surrounded he was; yet, looking on
his foes he saw, but for their numbers, how despicable they were; to
a knight, what was this throng of half-armed burghers and naked
kerns, who pell-mell aimed at him, every blow ineffectual? But again
the loud bellow of distant cannon called him, and he turned to
retreat—a cloud of missiles rattled against him; his shield was struck
through; the bullets rebounded from his case of iron, while his sword
felled an enemy at every stroke; and now, breaking through the
opposing rank on the other side, his friends joined him—the citizens
recoiled. "Old Reginald's tower," they averred, "would have bled
sooner than these Sir Tristans—they were charmed men, and lead
and good arrowheads were softer than paper-pellets on their sides."
The first movement of panic was enough; before their leaders could
rally them again to the attack, the English knights were far, riding at
full speed towards the eastern gate.
Here Richard's presence was enough to restore victory to his
standard—flushed, panting, yet firm in his seat, his hand true and
dangerous in its blows, there was something superhuman in his
strength and courage, yet more fearful than his sharp sword. The
excess of chivalrous ardour, the burning desire to mingle in the
thickest fight, made danger happiness, and all the terrible shows of
war entrancing joys to York. When reproached for rashness by his
cousin, his bright eye was brighter for a tear, as he cried, "Cousin, I

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