and agréeth, that after his deceasse, or when it shall please his
highnesse to laie from him the said crownes, estate, dignitie,
and lordship, the said Richard duke of Yorke and his heires shall
immediatlie succéed him in the said crownes, roiall estate, dignitie,
and worship, and them then haue and inioie; anie act of parlement,
statute, or ordinance, or other thing to the contrarie made, or
interruption, or discontinuance of possession notwithstanding.
And moreouer, by the said aduise and authoritie, establisheth,
granteth, confirmeth, approueth, ratifieth, and accepteth the said
accord, and all things therein conteined, and therevnto fréelie and
absolutelie assenteth, agréeth; and by the same aduise and authoritie
ordeineth and establisheth, that if anie person or persons imagine or
compasse the death of the said duke, & probablie be attainted of open
déed doone by folks of that condition, that it be déemed and adiudged
high treason.
And furthermore ordeineth and establisheth by the said aduise and
authoritie, that all statutes, ordinances, and acts of parlement, made
in the time of the said king Henrie the fourth, by the which he and the
heires of his bodie, comming of Henrie late king of England the fift,
the sonne and heire of the said king Henrie the fourth, and the heires
of king Henrie the fift, were or be inheritable to the said crownes and
realmes, or to the heritage of the same, be annulled, repealed, damned,
cancelled, void, and of none effect.
And ouer this, the king by the said aduise, assent and authoritie,
ordeineth and establisheth, that all other acts and statutes made
afore this time by act of parlement, not repealed or annulled by like
authoritie, or otherwise void, be in such force, effect, and vertue,
as they were afore the making of these ordinances; and that no letters
patents, roialx of record, nor acts iudiciall, made or doone afore this
time not repealed, reuersed, ne otherwise void by law, be preiudiced or
hurt by this present act.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke proclaimed heire apparant & protectour of
the realme.]
[Sidenote: The parlem[=e]t at Couentrie made frustrat.]
This agréement put in articles, was ingrossed, sealed, and sworne
vnto by the two parties, and also enacted in the parlement. For ioy
whereof the king, hauing in his companie the duke of Yorke, road to the
cathedrall church of saint Paule in London, and there on the day of
all saints with the crowne on his head went solemnelie in procession,
and was lodged a good space after in the bishops palace, néer to the
said church. And vpon the saturdaie next insuing, Richard duke of
Yorke was by sound of trumpet solemnelie proclamed heire apparant
to the crowne of England, and protectour of the realme. After this,
the parlement kept at Couentrie the last yeare, was declared to be a
diuelish councell, and onelie had for destruction of the nobilitie,
and was indéed no lawfull parlement: bicause they which were returned,
were neuer elected according to the due order of the law, but secretlie
named by them which desired rather the destruction than the aduancement
of the common-wealth. When these agréements were enacted, the king
dissolued his parlement, which was the last parlement that euer he
ended.
The duke of Yorke, well knowing that the quéene would spurne against
all this, caused both hir and hir sonne to be sent for by the king. But
she as woont rather to rule, than to be ruled, and thereto counselled
by the dukes of Excester and Summerset not onelie denied to come, but
also assembled a great armie, intending to take the king by fine force
out of the lords hands. The protector in London hauing knowledge of
all these dooings, assigned the duke of Norffolke, and erle of Warwike
his trustie fréends to be about the king, while he with the earles of
Salisburie and Rutland and a conuenient number departed out of London
the second daie of December northward, and appointed the earle of March
his eldest sonne to follow him with all his power. The duke came to
his castell of Sandall beside Wakefield on Christmasse éeuen, & there
began to make muster of his tenants and fréends. The quéene thereof
ascertained, determined to cope with him yer his succour were come.
Now she, hauing in hir companie the prince hir sonne, the dukes of
Excester and Summerset, the earle of Deuonshire, the lord Clifford,
the lord Ros, and in effect all the lords of the north parts, with
eightéene thousand men, or (as some write) two and twentie thousand,
marched from Yorke to Wakefield, and bad base to the duke, euen before
his castell gates. He hauing with him not fullie fiue thousand persons,
contrarie to the minds of his faithfull councellors, would néeds issue
foorth to fight with his enimies. The duke of Summerset and the quéenes
part, casting vpon their most aduantage, appointed the lord Clifford
to lie in one stale, and the earle of Wilshire in another, and the
duke with other to kéepe the manie battell. The duke of Yorke with
his people descended downe the hill in good order and arraie, and was
suffered to passe on towards the maine battell.
[Sidenote: The battell Wakefield.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Yorke slaine.]
[Sidenote: Onelie seauen hundred southerne men saith _Whethamsted_.]
But when he was in the plaine field betwéene his castell and the towne
of Wakefield, he was inuironed on euerie side, like fish in a net,
so that though he fought manfullie, yet was he within halfe an houre
slaine and dead, and his whole armie discomfited: with him died of
his trustie fréends, his two bastard vncles, sir Iohn and sir Hugh
Mortimers, sir Dauie Hall, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Thomas Neuill,
William and Thomas Aparre, both brethren; and two thousand and eight
hundred others, whereof manie were yoong gentlemen, and heires of great
parentage in the south parts, whose kin reuenged their deaths within
foure moneths next, as after shall appeare.
[Sidenote: The cruell murther of the yoong earle of Rutland.]
In this conflict was wounded and taken prisoner, Richard earle of
Salisburie, sir Richard Limbricke, Rafe Stanleie, Iohn Harow, capteine
Hanson, and diuerse others. The lord Clifford, perceiuing where the
earle of Rutland was conueied out of the field (by one of his fathers
chapleins, and scholemaister to the same earle) and ouertaking him,
stabbed him to the heart with a dagger as he knéeled afore him. This
earle was but a child at that time of twelue yeares of age, whome
neither his tender yeares, nor dolorous countenance, with holding vp
both his hands for mercie (for his speach was gone for feare) could
mooue the cruell heart of the lord Clifford to take pitie vpon him, so
that he was noted of great infamie for that his vnmercifull murther
vpon that yoong gentleman.
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
But the same lord Clifford not satisfied herewith, came to the place
where the dead corpse of the duke of Yorke laie, caused his head to be
striken off, and set on it a crowne of paper, fixed it to a pole and
presented it on the quéene, not lieng farre from the field, in great
despite, at which great reioising was shewed: but they laughed then
that shortlie after lamented, and were glad then of other mens deaths
that knew not their owne to be so néere at hand. ¶ Some write that the
duke was taken aliue, and in derision caused to stand vpon a molehill,
on whose head they put a garland in stéed of a crowne, which they had
fashioned and made of sedges or bulrushes; and hauing so crowned him
with that garland, they knéeled downe afore him (as the Iewes did vnto
Christ) in scorne, saieng to him; "Haile king without rule, haile king
without heritage, haile duke and prince without people or possessions."
And at length hauing thus scorned him with these and diuerse other the
like despitefull words, they stroke off his head, which (as yée haue
heard) they presented to the quéene.
[Sidenote: A purchase of Gods cursse with the popes blessing.]
[Sidenote: The prisoners beheaded.]
[Sidenote: 1461.]
[Sidenote: The earle of March now duke of Yorke.]
Manie déemed that this miserable end chanced to the duke of Yorke, as a
due punishment for breaking his oth of allegiance vnto his souereigne
lord king Henrie: but others held him discharged thereof, bicause
he obteined a dispensation from the pope, by such suggestion as his
procurators made vnto him, whereby the same oth was adiudged void, as
that which was receiued vnaduisedlie, to the preiudice of himselfe,
and disheriting of all his posteritie. After this victorie by the
quéene, the earle of Salisburie and all the prisoners were sent to
Pomfret, and there beheaded, whose heads (togither with the duke of
Yorkes head) were conueied to Yorke, and there set on poles ouer the
gate of the citie, in despite of them and their linage. The earle of
March, now after the death of his father, verie duke of Yorke, lieng at
Glocester, was woonderfullie amazed, when the sorrowfull newes of these
mishaps came vnto him: but after comfort giuen to him by his faithfull
louers and assured alies, he remooued to Shrewesburie, declaring to the
inhabitants of that towne, and to them of the other townes in those
parties the murther of his father, the ieopardie of himselfe, and the
present ruine of the common-wealth.
[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke.]
[Sidenote: The battell of Mortimers crosse.]
[Sidenote: The cognis[=a]ce of bright sunne.]
The people on the marches of Wales, for the fauour which they bare
to the Mortimers linage, more gladlie offered him their aid and
assistance than he could desire the same; so that he had incontinentlie
a puissant armie, to the number of thrée and twentie thousand, readie
to go against the quéene, and the murtherers of his father. But when
he was setting forward, newes was brought to him, that Iasper earle
of Penbroke halfe brother to king Henrie, and Iames Butler earle of
Ormund and Wilshire, had assembled a great number of Welsh and Irish
people to take him: he herewith quickned, retired backe and met with
his enimies in a faire plaine, néere to Mortimers crosse, not far from
Hereford east, on Candlemasse daie in the morning. At which time the
sunne (as some write) appeared to the earle of March like thrée sunnes,
and suddenlie ioined altogither in one. Vpon which sight he tooke such
courage, that he fiercelie setting on his enimies, put them to flight:
and for this cause men imagined, that he gaue the sunne in his full
brightnesse for his badge or cognisance. Of his enimies were left dead
on the ground thrée thousand and eight hundred.
[Sidenote: Owen Teuther and other taken and beheaded.]
[Sidenote: _Whethamsted._]
The earles of Penbroke and Wilshire fled, but sir Owen Teuther father
to the said earle of Penbroke (which Owen had married king Henries
mother, as yée haue heard before) with Dauid Floid, Morgan ap Reuther,
and diuerse other were taken, and beheaded at Hereford. The quéene
neuer the lesse incouraged by hir late victorie, with a multitude of
northerne people, marched toward London, intending to vndoo all that
had béene ordeined in the last parlement. These northerne people, after
they were once passed ouer the riuer of Trent, spoiled and wasted the
countrie afore them, in maner as if they had béene in the land of
forren enimies. At length, they approched to saint Albons, hearing that
the duke of Northfolke, and the earle of Warwike, with other whome the
duke of Yorke had left to gouerne the king in his absence, had (by the
kings assent) assembled a great hoast, and were incamped néere to that
towne.
[Sidenote: The northern men enter into S. Albons.]
[Sidenote: They passe through it.]
Those northerne lords and other that were with the quéene, made
forward, and entring into S. Albons, meant to passe through the towne,
and so to coape with their enimies; but finding a sort of archers
ranged néere to the great crosse in the market place, to defend their
passage, they were receiued with such a storme of arrowes, which came
flieng about their eares as thicke as haile, that they were quicklie
repelled backe, and with losse driuen to retire in hast vnto the west
end of the towne; where by a lane that leadeth northwards vp to saint
Peters stréet, they made their entrie, and had there also a sharpe
incounter against certeine bands of the kings people. But after great
slaughter on both parts, they got through, and vpon the heath that
lieth at the north end of the towne, called Barnard heath, they had a
farre greater conflict with foure or fiue thousand of the kings armie,
that séemed as they had béene auant courrers.
[Sidenote: The second battell at S. Albons.]
[Sidenote: The kings part fléeth.]
These gaue the onset so fiercelie at the beginning, that the victorie
rested doubtfull a certeine time, so that if the easterne and southerne
men had continued as they began, the field had béene theirs; but after
they had stood to it a pretie while, and perceiued none of their
fellowes from the great armie to come and assist them, they began to
faint, and turning their backes, fled amaine ouer hedge and ditch,
through thicke and thin, woods and bushes, séeking so to escape the
hands of their cruell enimies that followed them with eger minds, to
make slaughter vpon them, namelie, the northern prickers, now in the
chase pursued most hotlie, and bare downe manie, and more had doone, if
the night comming vpon, had not staied them.
When the daie was closed, those that were about the king (in number
a twentie thousand) hearing how euill their fellowes had sped, began
vtterlie to despair of the victorie, and so fell without anie long
tarriance to running awaie. By reason whereof, the nobles that were
about the king, perceiuing how the game went, and withall saw no
comfort in the king, but rather a good will and affection towards the
contrarie part, they withdrew also, leauing the king accompanied with
the lord Bonneuille, & sir Thomas Kiriell of Kent; which vpon assurance
of the kings promise, tarried still with him, and fled not. But their
trust deceiued them, for at the quéenes departing from saint Albons,
they were both beheaded; though contrarie to the mind and promise of
hir husband. Sir Thomas Thorp, baron of the escheker, was also beheaded
the same daie, at Highgate, by the commons of Kent.
[Sidenote: 1916, as _Iohn Stow_ noteth.]
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Graie slaine.]
Such was the successe of this second battell fought at S. Albons, vpon
Shrouetuesdaie, the seuentéenth of Februarie, in which were slaine
thrée and twentie hundred men, of whom no noble man is remembred,
saue sir Iohn Graie, which the same daie was made knight, with twelue
other, at the village of Colneie. Now after that the noble men and
other were fled, and the king left in maner alone without anie power of
men to gard his person, he was counselled by an esquier called Thomas
Hoo, a man well languaged, and well séene in the lawes, to send some
conuenient messenger to the northerne lords, aduertising them, that
he would now gladlie come vnto them (whome he knew to be his verie
fréends, and had assembled themselues togither for his seruice) to the
end he might remaine with them, as before he had remained vnder the
gouernement of the southerne lords.
[Sidenote: Thomas Hoo esquier sent to the northerne lords.]
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
[Sidenote: Prince Edward made knight.]
According to the aduise and counsell of this esquier, the king thought
it good to send vnto them, and withall appointed the same esquier to
beare the message, who first went and declared the same vnto the earle
of Northumberland, and returning backe to the king, brought certeine
lords with him, who conueied the king first vnto the lord Cliffords
tent, that stood next to the place where the kings people had incamped.
This done, they went and brought the quéene and hir sonne prince Edward
vnto his presence, whome he ioifullie receiued, imbracing and kissing
them in most louing wise, and yéelding hartie thanks to almightie God,
whome it had pleased thus to strengthen the forces of the northerne
men, to restore his déerlie belooued and onelie sonne againe into his
possession. Thus was the quéene fortunate in hir two battels, but
vnfortunate was the king in all his enterprises: for where his person
was present, the victorie still fled from him to the contrarie part.
The quéene caused the king to dub hir sonne prince Edward knight, with
thirtie other persons, which the day before fought on hir side against
his part.
[Sidenote: The northern men spoile the towne of saint Albons.]
[Sidenote: The quéene sendeth to the maior of London for vittels.]
[Sidenote: Vittels sent by the maior and staid by the commons.]
This doone, they went to abbeie, where, of the abbat and moonks they
were receiued with hymnes and songs, and so brought to the high
altar, and after to the shrine, and so to the chamber in which the
king was woont to lodge. The abbat made sute that order might be
taken to restreine the northerne men from spoiling the towne: and
proclamation indéed was made to that effect, but it auailed not:
for they mainteined, that the spoile of things was granted them by
couenant, after they were once passed ouer the riuer of Trent: and so
not regarding anie proclamation or other commandement, they spared
nothing that they could laie hands vpon, if the same were méet for them
to carie awaie. The quéene, hauing thus got the victorie, sent to the
maior of London, commanding him without delaie to send certeine carts,
laden with Lenton vittels, for the refreshing of hir and hir armie. The
maior incontinentlie caused carts to be laden, and would haue sent them
forward; but the commons of the citie would not suffer them to passe,
but staied them at Criplegate, notwithstanding the maior did what he
could by gentle persuasions to quiet them.
[Sidenote: The quéene returneth northward.]
During which controuersie, diuerse of the northerne horssemen, came
and robbed in the suburbs of the citie, and would haue entred at
Criplegate; but they were repelled by the commoners, and thrée of them
slaine. Wherevpon, the maior sent the recorder to Barnet to the kings
counsell there, to excuse the matter; and the duches of Bedford, the
ladie Scales, with diuerse fathers of the spiritualtie, went to the
quéene, to asswage hir displeasure conceiued against the citie. The
quéene at this humble request, by aduise of hir councell, appointed
certeine lords and knights, with foure hundred tall persons, to ride to
the citie, and there to view and sée the demeanor and disposition of
the people: and diuerse aldermen were appointed to méet them at Barnet,
and to conueie them to London. But what man purposeth, God disposeth.
All these deuises were shortlie altered to another forme, bicause true
report came not onelie to the quéene, but also to the citie; that the
earle of March, hauing vanquished the earles of Penbroke and Wilshire,
had met with the earle of Warwike (after this last battell at saint
Albons) at Chipping Norton by Cotsold; and that they with both their
powers were coming toward London. The quéene hauing little trust in
Essex, and lesse in Kent, but least of all in London, with hir husband
and sonne, departed from saint Albons, into the north countrie, where
the foundation of hir aid and refuge onelie rested.
[Sidenote: The great hope of the people conceiued of the erle of March.]
The duches of Yorke, séeing hir husband and sonne slaine, and not
knowing what should succéed of hir eldest sonnes chance, sent hir
two yonger sonnes, George and Richard, ouer the sea, to the citie of
Utrecht in Almaine, where they were of Philip duke of Burgognie well
receiued; and so remained there, till their brother Edward had got the
crowne and gouernement of the realme. The earles of March and Warwike,
hauing perfect knowlege that the king & quéene, with their adherents,
were departed from S. Albons, rode straight to London, entring there
with a great number of men of warre, the first wéeke of Lent. Whose
c[=o]ming thither was no sooner knowne, but that the people resorted
out of Kent, Essex, and other the counties adioining, in great numbers,
to sée, aid, and comfort this lustie prince and flower of chiualrie,
in whome the hope of their ioy and trust of their quietnesse onelie
consisted.
[Sidenote: The earle of March elected king.]
This prudent yoong prince, minding to take time when time serued,
called a great councell, both of the lords spirituall and temporall,
and to them repeated the title and right that he had to the crowne,
rehearsing also the articles concluded betwéene king Henrie and his
father, by their writings signed and sealed, and also confirmed by
act of parlement; the breaches whereof he neither forgat, nor left
vndeclared. After the lords had considered of this matter, they
determined by authoritie of the said councell, that because king Henrie
had doone contrarie to the ordinances in the last parlement concluded,
and was insufficient of himselfe to rule the realme, he was therfore to
be depriued of all kinglie estate: and incontinentlie was Edward earle
of March, sonne and heire to Richard duke of Yorke, by the lords in
the said councell assembled, named, elected, and admitted for king and
gouernour of the realme.
[Sidenote: The lord Fauconbridge.]
On which daie, the people of the earles part, being in their muster in
S. Iohns field, and a great number of the substantiall citizens there
assembled, to behold their order; the lord Fauconbridge, who tooke
the musters, wiselie anon declared to the people the offenses and
breaches of the late agréement, committed by king Henrie the sixt; and
demanded of the people, whether they would haue him to rule and reigne
anie longer ouer them? To whome they with whole voice answered; Naie,
naie. Then he asked them, if they would serue, loue, honour, and obeie
the erle of March, as their onlie king and souereigne lord: To which
question they answered; Yea, yea: crieng (king Edward) with manie great
shouts & clapping of hands in assent and gladnesse of the same.
[Sidenote: The earle of March taketh vpon him as king.]
The lords were shortlie aduertised of the louing consent which the
commons frankelie and fréelie had giuen. Whervpon incontinentlie,
they all with a conuenient number of the most substantiall commons
repaired to the erle at Bainards castell, making iust and true report
of their election and admission, and the louing assent of the commons.
The earle, after long pausing, first thanked God of his great grace
and benefit towards him shewed; then the lords and commons for their
fauour and fidelitie: notwithstanding, like a wise prince, he alleged
his insufficiencie for so great a roome and weightie burthen, as lacke
of knowledge, want of experience, and diuerse other qualities to a
gouernour appertaining. But yet in conclusion, being persuaded by the
archbishop of Canturburie, the bishop of Excester, and other lords
then present, he agréed to their petition, and tooke vpon him the
charge of the kingdome, as forfeited to him by breach of the couenants
established in parlement:
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
¶ Thus farre touching the tragicall state of this land vnder the rent
regiment of king Henrie, who (besides the bare title of roialtie and
naked name of king) had little appertaining to the port of a prince.
For whereas the dignitie of princedome standeth in souereigntie;
there were of his nobles that imbecilled his prerogatiue by sundrie
practises, speciallie by maine force; as séeking either to suppresse,
or to exile, or to obscure, or to make him awaie: otherwise what should
be the meaning of all those foughten fields from time to time, most
miserablie falling out both to prince, péere, and people? As at saint
Albons, at Bloreheath, at Northampton, at Banberie, at Barnet, & at
Wakefield; to the effusion of much bloud, and pulling on of manie a
plage, which otherwise might haue béene auoided. All which battels,
togither with those that were tried betwéene Edward the fourth, after
his inthronization; and Henrie the sixt after his extermination (as at
Exham, Doncaster, and Teukesburie) are remembred by Anglorum prælia in
good order of pithie poetrie, as followeth: