which began the twentith of September, in the which were attainted of
high treason, Richard duke of Yorke, Edward erle of March his sonne and
heire, Richard earle of Warwike, Edmund earle of Rutland, Richard earle
of Salisburie, Iohn lord Clifford, lord Clinton, sir Thomas Harington,
sir Iohn Wenlock, Thomas Neuill & Iohn Neuill sons of the earle of
Salisburie, Iames Pickering, Iohn Coniers, Thomas Par, William Oldhall,
and Henrie Ratford knights; Iohn Bowser, Thomas Cooke, Iohn Claie,
Richard Giton, Robert Browne, Edward Bowser, Thomas Vaughan, Iohn
Roger, Richard Greie, Walter Deuoreux, Walter Hopton, Roger Kinderton,
Will. Bowes, Foulke Stafford, the lord Powis, and Alice countesse of
Salisburie, their goods and possessions escheted, and their heires
disherited vnto the ninth degrée, their tenants spoiled of their goods,
maimed and slaine; the towne of Ludlow, belonging to the duke of Yorke,
was robbed to the bare wals, & the dutches of Yorke spoiled of hir
goods.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The kings inclination to mercie.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl._]
But (saith another) when the king should come to giue his consent vnto
the acts passed in the same parlement, and that the clerke of the
parlement had read that statute of the attaindor of those lords; such
was the kings modestie and great zeale vnto mercie, that he caused a
prouiso to be put in, and added vnto the same statute, that it might
be lawfull vnto him at all times fullie without authoritie of anie
other parlement, to pardon the same noble men, and restore them againe
to their former estats, degrées, and dignities in all things, so they
would come in vnto him, and in the spirit of humblenesse beséech him
of grace and fauour. ¶ Wherin the king gaue euident testimonie, that
he was indued with those qualities of mind which the poet ascribed
vnto Cesar (namelie slow to punish, & sad when he was constreined to
be seuere: sith the one commended his lenitie, the other sauoured of
tyrannie) in this distichon of like termination:
[Sidenote: _Ouid. de Ponto. lib. 1._]
Est piger ad poenas princeps, ad præmia velox,
Cuíq; dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox.
[Sidenote: Osbert M[=o]tford esquier saith _Whethamsted_, who should
also haue gone ouer to Guines with fiue hundred souldiers to the aid of
the duke of Summerset.]
[Sidenote: The lord Fauc[=o]bridge was chiefe of this enterprise saith
_Whethamsted_.]
[Sidenote: Thirtéene beheaded at once.]
Herewith also order was taken for the defense of the hauens & landing
places alongst the sea coasts. Sir Simon Montford, with a great crew
of men, was appointed to kéepe the downes, and the fiue ports; and all
men passing into Flanders were vpon paine of death prohibited to passe
by Calis, least the lords there should borrow of them anie prest monie,
as they did latelie before of the merchants of the staple the summe
of eightéene thousand pounds. The lords were not ignorant of all the
kings prouisions made against them, but were ascertained dailie what
was doone euen in the kings priuie chamber: wherefore first they sent a
companie to Sandwich vnder the gouernance of the lord Fauconbridge, who
tooke the towne, & sir Simon or Osbert Montford within it, and sent him
with all his mates to Calis, where incontinentlie he with twelue of his
chiefe fellowes lost their heads on the sand before Risebanke.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 695, 698, 694, 695, 696, 697, in
Quart._]
¶ The earles at Calis sent to the archbishop of Canturburie, and to the
commons of England at large certeine articles in writing, beginning
thus: Worshipfull sirs, we the duke of Yorke, the earles of March,
Warwike, and Salisburie, sued and offered to haue come to the king our
souereigne lords most noble presence, to haue declared there afore him
for our dutie to God and to his highnesse, and to the prosperitie and
welfare of his noble estate, and to the common-weale of all his land as
true liege men, the matters following.
Articles sent from the duke of Yorke, and the earles, to the archbishop
of Canturburie and the commons.
In primis, the great oppression, extortion, robberie, murther, and
other violences doone to Gods church, and to his ministers thereof,
against Gods and mans law.
2 Item, the pouertie and miserie that to our great heauinesse our
souereigne lord standeth in, not hauing anie liuelod of the crowne of
England whereof he may kéepe his honorable houshold, which causeth the
spoiling of his said liege men by the takers of his said houshold,
which liuelod is in their hands that haue béene destroiers of his said
estate, and of the said common-weale.
3 Item, how his lawes be parciallie and vnrightfullie guided, and
that by them that should most loue and tender his said lawes, the
said oppression and extortion is most fauoured and supported; and
generallie, that all righteousnesse and iustice is exiled out of the
said land, and that no man dreadeth to offend against the said lawes.
4 Item, that it will please his said good grace to liue vpon his owne
liuelod, wherevpon his noble progenitors haue in daies heretofore liued
as honorablie and as worthilie as anie christian princes, and not to
suffer the destroiers of the said land, and of his true subiects, to
liue therevpon, and therefore to lacke the sustenances that should be
belonging to his said estate, and find his said houshold vpon his poore
commons, without paiement, which neither accordeth with Gods nor mans
law.
5 Item, how oft the said commons haue béene greatlie and maruellouslie
charged with taxes and tallages to their great impouerishing, whereof
little good hath either growne to the king or to the said land, and of
the most substance thereof the king hath left to his part not halfe so
much; and other lords and persons, enimies to the said common-weale,
haue to their owne vse, suffering all the old possessions that the king
had in France and Normandie, Aniou and Maine, Gascoine, and Guien,
woone and gotten by his father of most noble memorie, and other his
noble progenitors, to be shamefullie lost or sold.
6 Item, how they can not ceasse therewith, but now begin a new charge
of imposition and tallages vpon the said people, which neuer afore was
séene; that is to saie, euerie towneship to find men for the kings
gard, taking example therein of our enimies and aduersaries of France.
Which imposition & tallage, if it be continued to heire, heires, and
successors, will be the heauiest charge and worst example that euer
grew in England; and the foresaid subiects, and the said heires and
successors in such bondage, as their ancestors were neuer charged with.
7 Item, where the king hath now no more liuelod out of his realme
of England, but onelie the land of Ireland, and the towne of Calis,
and that no king christened hath such a land and a towne without his
realme; diuerse lords haue caused his highnesse to write letters vnder
his priuie seale, vnto his Irish enimies, which neuer king of England
did heretofore, wherby they may haue comfort to enter into the conquest
of the said land, which letters the same Irish enimies sent vnto me
the said duke of Yorke, and maruelled greatlie that anie such letters
should be to them sent, speaking therin great shame and villanie of the
said realme.
8 Item, in like wise the king by excitation and labour of the same
lords, wrote other letters to his enimies and aduersaries in other
lands, that in no wise they should shew anie fauour or good will to
the towne of Calis, whereby they had comfort inough to procéed to the
winning thereof. Considered also, that it is ordeined by the labour of
the said lords, that no where vittels nor other thing of refreshing
or defense should come out of England, to the succour or reliefe of
the said towne, to the intent that they would haue it lost, as it may
openlie appeare.
9 Item, it is déemed and ought greatlie to be déemed, that after the
same lords would put the same rule of England, if they might haue their
purpose and intent, into the hands and gouernance of the said enimies.
10 Item, how continuallie since the pitious, shamefull, and sorrowfull
murther to all England, of that noble, worthie, and christian prince
Humfreie duke of Glocester the kings true vncle, at Burie, it hath
béene laboured, studied and conspired, to haue destroied and murthered
the said duke of Yorke, and the issue that it pleased God to send
me of the roiall bloud, and also of vs the said earles of Warwike
and Salisburie, for none other cause but for the true hart that (God
knoweth) we euer haue borne, and beare to the profit of the kings
estate, to the common-weale of the same realme, and defense thereof.
11 Item, how the earles of Shrewesburie and Wilshire, and the lord
Beaumont, our mortall and extreme enimies now, and of long time past,
hauing the guiding about the most noble person of our said souereigne
lord, whose highnesse they haue restreined & kept from the libertie
& fréedome that belongeth to his said estate, & the supporters &
fauourers of all the premisses, would not suffer the kings said good
grace to receiue and accept vs, as he would haue doone, if he might
haue had his owne will, into his said presence, dreading the charge
that would haue béene laid vpon them, of the miserie, destruction, and
wretchednesse of the said realme, whereof they be causes, and not the
king, which is himselfe as noble, as vertuous, as righteous and blessed
of disposition, as anie prince earthlie.
12 Item, the earles of Wilshire and Shrewesburie, and the lord
Beaumont, not satisfied nor content with the kings possessions and his
goods, stirred and excited his said highnesse to hold his parlement
at Couentrie, where an act is made by their prouocation and labour,
against vs the said duke of Yorke, my sonnes March and Rutland, and
the earles of Warwike and Salisburie, and the sonnes of the said earle
of Salisburie, and manie other knights and esquiers of diuerse matters
falselie and vntrulie imagined, as they will answer afore almightie
God in the daie of doome; the which the said earles of Shrewesburie &
Wilshire, and the lord Beaumont prouoked to be made, to the intent of
our destruction and of our issue; and that they might haue our liuelod
and goods, as they haue openlie robbed and despoiled all our places and
our tenements, and manie other true men, and now procéed to hanging
and drawing of men by tyrannie, and will therin shew the largenesse of
their violence and malice as vengeablie as they can, if no remedie be
prouided at the kings highnes, whose blessednes is neither assenting
nor knowing thereof.
We therefore, séeing all the said michiefes, hearing also that the
French king maketh in his land great assemblie of his people, which is
greatlie to be dread for manie causes, purpose yet againe with Gods
grace to offer vs to come againe to the said presence of our said
souereigne lord to open and declare vnto him there, the mischiefes
aboue declared; and in the name of the land to sue, in as reuerent
and lowlie wise as we can, to his said good grace, to haue pittie and
compassion vpon his said true subiects, and not to suffer the same
mischiefs to reigne vpon them. Requiring you in Gods behalfe, and
praieng you in our owne, therein to assist vs, dooing alwaie the dutie
of liege men in our persons to our souereigne lord, to his estate,
prerogatiue, and preheminence, and to the suertie of his most noble
person, wherevnto we haue euer béene and will be as true as anie of his
subiects aliue, whereof we call God, our ladie saint Marie, and all the
saints in heauen to witnesse.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: The earle of Wilshire and other spoiled Newberie.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Wilshire stale ouer the seas.]
[Sidenote: Priuie seales for monie.]
In the meane time, the earle of Wilshire treasuror of England, the lord
Scales & the lord Hungerford went to Newberie, which belonged to the
duke of Yorke, and there made inquisition of all them that in anie wise
had fauoured the said duke; whereof some were found guiltie, and were
drawen, hanged, and quartered, and all the inhabitants of the towne
were spoiled of their goods. From thence the earle of Wilshire went to
Southampton; where, vnder colour to take the earle of Warwike, he armed
fiue great caracks of Iene with souldiers, taking vittels of the kings
price without paiment, and put a great part of his treasure into the
said caracks, and after sailed about in the sea, and at last stale into
Dutchland, sending backe againe his souldiers into England. Then were
the kings priuie seales directed to all bishops, abbats, priors, and
other states, to lend the king monie, therewith to wage souldiers to
kéepe the sea coasts.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
After the kings nauie was gained, and his capteins (as before yée haue
heard) on the sea taken; the lords lieng at Calis, being aduertised
from the lord Fauconbridge (who after the taking of Montford laie
still in Kent) that the people of that countrie and other parts were
altogither bent in their fauour [and no lesse addicted to doo them
seruice both with bodie and goods, than the Irishmen séemed to be at
their receiuing of the said duke of Yorke, and his yoonger sonne Edmund
earle of Rutland, whom they so highlie honoured, that they offered to
liue and die in their quarell] they conceiued therevpon so great hope
in their fréends within the realme, that they determined to passe the
sea, and therewith entring their ships with fiftéene hundred men landed
all at Sandwich.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 697._]
[Sidenote: The men of Kent sent to Calis for the earles.]
[But it is to be read in a late writer, that the commons of Kent
dreading the like vengeance towards them, as fell vpon them of
Newburie, sent priuilie messengers to Calis to the foresaid erles,
beséeching them in all hast possible to come to their succour.
Wherevpon the said earles sent ouer into Kent the lord Fauconbridge,
to know if their déeds would accord with their words: so that anon
the people of Kent and the other shires adioining, resorted to the
said lord Fauconbridge in great number. Wherefore when the earles knew
the willing harts of those people, they prepared to come into this
land. Against whose comming, a long ballet was fixed vpon the gates of
Canturburie, made in fauour of the duke of Yorke and the said earles,
beginning thus: In the daie of fast and spirituall affliction, the
celestiall influence of bodies transitorie, &c.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: 1460]
Now as they passed through Kent, there came to them the lord Cobham,
Iohn Gilford, William Pech, Robert Horne, and manie other gentlemen;
so that before they approched to London, their number was estéemed
aboue fourtie thousand fighting men for the fame of their landing
being once knowen, gentlemen and yeomen resorted to them out of all
the south parts of the relme. Vpon which rumor, Thomas lord Scales, a
man in great fauour with the king & quéene, accompanied with the earle
of Kendall a Gascoigne, and the lord Louell, resorted to London with a
great companie of armed men, declaring to the maior, that their repaire
onelie was to defend and kéepe the citie from spoile of such traitors
as the king was credible informed were thither comming. To whom the
maior answered, that he néeded no fellow helper, either to defend or
gouerne the citie to him committed in charge. With which answer the
lord Scales and his associats nothing contented, entred into the Tower,
dailie deuising waies how to grieue the citizens, whom he perceiued to
fauour rather the duke of Yorks part than the kings.
[Sidenote: Couentrie the quéenes secret harbour.]
But shortlie after the earles of March and Warwike, and other of their
affinitie, came to London, and were of the maior and citizens ioiouslie
receiued, to whome resorted Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, the
bishops of London, Lincolne, Salisburie, Elie, and Excester, with manie
other prelats and religious persons: amongst whome also was the popes
legat to treat of peace, if néed so required. Vpon good deliberation
and aduise had and taken amongst these lords how to go forward with
their weightie enterprise, the earles of March and Warwike, William
lord Fauconbridge, Henrie lord Bourchier, called earle of Eu, with a
great number of men which came out of Kent, Essex, Surrie, and Sussex,
to the number (as some writers affirme) of fiue and twentie thousand
persons, departed from London toward the king lieng at Couentrie, then
called the quéenes secret harbour, leauing behind them to kéepe the
Londoners in their promised fréendship, the earle of Salisburie, the
lord Cobham, and sir Iohn Wenlocke, which tooke such order, and watched
the gates and entries on ech side so diligentlie, that no succours
might come to the lord Scales lodging in the tower; who tooke therewith
such displeasure, that he shot out his great ordinance against them
within the citie, and they likewise shot at him againe, to the hurt and
no pleasure of both parts.
[Sidenote: The quéene the better capteine.]
[Sidenote: _Wethamsted._]
The king hauing knowledge of all these dooings, assembled a great
armie, and accompanied with the duke of Summerset (latelie come from
Guisnes) and the duke of Buckingham, and diuerse other great lords that
tooke his part, came to Northampton; where the quéene perceiuing hir
puissance to be able to match in fight with the aduersaries, tooke vpon
hir to incourage hir fréends and well-willers: for the king studied of
nothing but of peace, quietnesse, and solitarie life. When the whole
hoast of the kings part was assembled, the same issued foorth of the
towne, and passing ouer the riuer of Tine, lodged in the new field
betwéene Harsington and Sandifford, stronglie fensing themselues about
with high banks, and déepe trenches. On the other part, the lords being
herewith aduanced verie néere the place where the kings people laie
without Northampton; the bishops that were there with them, by the
aduise and consent of the said lords, sent vnto the king the bishop of
Salisburie, to vnderstand his mind, and to mooue him vnto some treatie
of peace, and to admit the archbishop of Canturburie, and the other
bishops there present, to be mediatours in the matter, that some good
accord might be concluded betwixt the parties, so as an vniuersall
peace might be restored in all parts through the whole realme.
[Sidenote: The battell of Northampt[=o].]
[Sidenote: _Wethamsted._]
The bishop of Salisburie dooing this message not so circumspectlie as
had béene conuenient, returned without bringing anie towardlie answer;
but rather words of high despite and vtter defiance. For the lords that
were about the king, trusting in their warlike engines and strength of
place, in which they were incamped, though otherwise inferior in number
of men, purposed to abide the brunt of battell; and so led with the
spirit of rashnesse, sent none other answer backe againe by the bishop,
but contumelious words sounding greatlie to the reproch of their
aduersaries; who being sore offended therewith determined to séeke
reuenge with dint of sword. The earle of March as then being in the
floure of his lustie and most couragious youth, lieng betwéene Toucetor
and Northampton, determined to set on the kings armie without longer
delaie: and therevpon in the night season remooued his campe toward
Northampton, and in marching forward set his men in order of battell:
whereof the vant-ward was led by the earle of Warwike, which either by
strength or stealth wan a streict which the lord Beaumont kept, going
toward the kings campe; and herewith entring freshlie with his people,
began the battell about seauen of the clocke the ninth daie of Iulie.
After him followed the earle of March with the banner of his father. ¶
Others write, that the earle of March led the fore-ward, the erle of
Warwike the middleward, and the lord Fauconbridge the rere-ward.
[Sidenote: The L. Graie of Ruthen.]
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
[Sidenote: The kings part discomfited.]
[Sidenote: The K. taken.]
Moreouer, that Edmund lord Greie of Ruthen who was on the kings side,
failed in the trust committed to him: for where the enimies could
not (without great danger) enter vpon the kings campe, by reason of
a mightie trench and rampire pight full of piles and sharpe stakes,
wherewith the campe was compassed about: the said lord Graie came with
his men, and with helping hands pulled the enimies vp, and receiued
them into the field where the battell was begun with great force &
violence. For being now entred the field, they set vpon the kings
people so fiercelie, that it séemed they ment either to obteine the
victorie, or to die for it, euen all the whole number of them. The
fight continued right fierse and cruell, with vncerteine victorie,
till the houre of nine: at which time the kings armie was discomfited,
and of the same slaine and drowned in the riuer, few lesse than ten
thousand; and the king himselfe left comfortlesse alone was taken by
the aduersaries, as a man in great miserie.
[Sidenote: The Tower deliuered to the earle of March.]
[Sidenote: The lord Scales slaine.]
At this battell fought at Northampton, were slaine Humfreie duke of
Buckingham, Iohn Talbot earle of Shrewesburie, a valiant person, and
not degenerating from his noble parents, Thomas lord Egremond, Iohn
viscont Beaumont, and sir William Lucie, which made great hast to come
to part of the fight, and at his first approch was striken in the head
with an ax. Besides these that were slaine, manie were taken prisoners,
bicause they left their horsses, alighting to fight on foot. The duke
of Summerset, and other, which narrowlie escaped, fled with the quéene
and prince into the bishoprike of Durham. The earles, hauing got the
victorie in this bloudie battell, conueied the king to London, and
lodged him in the bishops palace. After whose comming to the citie, the
Tower was deliuered to the erle of March, vpon a certeine composition;
but the lord Scales suspecting the sequele of the deliuerie thereof,
tooke a wherrie priuilie, intending to haue fled to the quéene; but he
was espied by diuerse watermen belonging to the earle of Warwike (which
waited for his foorth comming on the Thames) and suddenlie taken, was
shortlie slaine with manie darts & daggers, and his bodie left naked
and all bloudie at the gate of the clinke, and after was buried in the
church adioining.
[Sidenote: Thomas Thorpe.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 700._]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 39.]
Then were diuerse persons apprehended, and indited of treason, wherof
some were pardoned, and some executed. Thomas Thorpe second baron
of the escheker, was committed to the Tower, where he remained long
after, for that he was knowne to be great fréend to the house of
Lancaster. ¶ When quéene Margaret heard that the K. was taken, she
with hir sonne, and eight persons fled to the castell of Hardlagh in
Wales, and was robbed by the waie in Lancashire of all hir goods, to
the value of ten thousand markes: from thence she went into Scotland.
Thus you sée what fruits the trée of ciuill discord dooth bring foorth;
that euill trée, which whilest some haue taken paine to plant, and
some to proine and nourish, for others confusion (to whome they haue
giuen a taste of those apples which it bare, far more bitter than
coloquintida) themselues haue béene forced to take such share as befell
them by lot. For as it is not possible that a common fier, whose heat
& flame is vniuersallie spred, should spare any particular place (for
so should it not be generall) no more is it likelie that in ciuill
commotions, rebellions, insurrections, and partakings in conflicts
and pitched féelds (speciallie vnder ringleaders of great countenance
and personage, such as be the péeres and states of kingdoms) anie one
should, though perhaps his life, yet (a thousand to one) not saue
his bloud vnspilt, nor his goods vnspoiled.] During this trouble,
a parlement was summoned to begin at Westminster, in the moneth of
October next following.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke commeth foorth of Ireland.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
[Sidenote: A strange demeanor of the duke of Yorke.]