[Sidenote: Artillerie.]
[Sidenote: A good policie.]
They had great artillerie on both parts, but the earle was better
furnished therewith than the king, and therefore in the night time
they shot off from his campe in maner continuallie; but dooing little
hurt to the kings people, still ouershooting them, by reason they laie
much néerer than the earle or anie or his men did estéeme. And such
silence was kept in the kings campe, that no noise bewraied them where
they laie. For to the end it should not be knowne to the enimies, how
neere the king with his armie was lodged vnto them, the king, would
not suffer anie of his gunnes in all that night to be shot off, least
thereby they might haue gessed the ground, and so leuelled their
artillerie to his annoiance.
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall_.]
[Sidenote: The order of battell of both sides.]
Earelie on the next morning betwixt foure and fiue of the clocke,
notwithstanding there was a great mist that letted the sight of both
parts to discouer the fields, the king aduanced his banners, and caused
his trumpets to sound to the battell. On the other part, the earle of
Warwike, at the verie breake of the daie, had likewise set his men
in order of battell in this maner. In the right wing he placed the
marquesse Montacute, and the earle of Oxford with certeine horssemen,
and he with the duke of Excester tooke the left wing. And in the
middest betweene both, he set archers, appointing the duke of Summerset
to guide them as their chiefteine. King Edward had set the duke of
Glocester in the fore-ward. The middle-ward he himselfe with the duke
of Clarence, hauing with them king Henrie, did rule & gouerne. The lord
Hastings led the rere-ward, and beside these thrée battels, he kept a
companie of fresh men in store, which did him great pleasure before the
end of the battell.
[Sidenote: The valiancie of the earle of Oxford.]
Here is to be remembered, that aswell the king on his part, as the
earle of Warwike on his, vsed manie comfortable words to incourage
their people, not forgetting to set foorth their quarels as iust and
lawfull; the king naming his aduersaries traitors and rebels, & the
earle accounting him a tyrant, & an iniurious vsurper. But when the
time came that they once got sight either of other, the battell began
verie sharpe and cruell, first with shot, and after by ioining at
hand blowes. Yet at the first they ioined not front to front, as they
should haue doone, by reason of the mist that tooke awaie the sight
of either armie, and suffered the one not to discerne perfectlie the
order of the other; insomuch that the one end of the earle of Warwikes
armie ouer-raught the contrarie end of the kings battell which stood
westward, and by reason thereof (through the valiancie of the earle
of Oxford that led the earles voward) the kings people on that part
were ouermatched, so that manie of them fled towards Barnet, and so to
London, bringing newes that the erle of Warwike had woone the field.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 727._]
[Which report happilie might haue béene iustified and fallen out to
be true, had not preposterous fortune happened to the earle of Oxford
and his men, who had a starre with streames on their liueries; as king
Edwards men had the sunne with streames on their liueries: wherevpon
the earle of Warwiks men, by reason of the mist not well discerning the
badges so like, shot at the earle of Oxfords men that were on their
owne part, and then the earle of Oxford and his men cried treason, and
fled with eight hundred men.]
But touching the kings people which were pursued in the chase as they
fled, and were put to the worst, manie were wounded, and manie slaine
outright. But the residue of those that fought in other parts could not
perceiue this distresse of the kings people, bicause the thicke mist
would not suffer them to sée anie space farre off, but onelie at hand:
and so the kings battell that saw not anie thing what was doone beside
them, was nothing discouraged. For (a few excepted that stood next to
that part) there was not anie one that wist of that discomfiture; and
the other of the earle of Warwikes men, that fought in other places
somewhat distant from them, were nothing the more incouraged by this
prosperous successe of their fellowes, for they perceiued it not. And
in like case as at the west end the earles battell ouer-reached the
kings, so at the east end the kings ouer-reached the earls, and with
like successe put the earls people in that place to the worse.
[Sidenote: The manfull courage of the earle of Warwike.]
At length after sore fight, and greater slaughter made on both sides,
king Edward hauing the greater number of men (as some write, though
other affirme the contrarie) began somewhat to preuaile: but the earle
on the other side remembring his ancient fame and renowme, manfullie
stucke to it, and incouraged his people, still supplieng with new
succors in places where he saw expedient, and so the fight renewed
more cruell, fierce, & bloudie than before, insomuch that the victorie
remained still doubtfull, though they had fought from morning till it
was now far in the daie. K. Edward therefore willing to make an end of
so long a conflict, caused new power of fresh men (which he had for
this purpose kept in store) to set on his enimies.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike slaine.]
The earle of Warwike was nothing abashed herewith, but vnderstanding
that this was all the residue of king Edwards power, comforted his men
to beare out this last brunt, and in so dooing the victorie was sure
on their side, and the battell at an end: but king Edward so manfullie
and valiantlie assailed his aduersaries, in the middle and strongest
part of their battell, that with great violence he bare downe all that
stood in his waie; for he was followed and assisted by a number of most
hardie and faithfull men of warre, that shewed notable proofe of tried
manhood in that instant necessitie. The earle of Warwike (when his
souldiers all wearied with long fight, and sore weakened with woundes
and hurts receiued in the battell) gaue little héed to his words (being
a man of an inuincible stomach) rushed into the middest of his enimies,
whereas he (aduenturing so farre from his companie, to kill and slea
his aduersaries, that he could not be rescued) was amongst the preasse
of his enimies striken downe and slaine.
[Sidenote: The marquesse Montacute slaine.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 727._]
The marquesse Montacute, thinking to succour his brother, was likewise
ouerthrowne and slaine, with manie other of good calling, as knights
and esquiers, beside other gentlemen. [But some saie that the said
marquesse, hauing agreed priuilie with king Edward, did weare his
liuerie, whome one of his brother the earle of Warwiks men espieng,
fell vpon him and killed him outright.] Some write that this battell
was so driuen to the vttermost point, that king Edward was constreined
to fight in his owne person, and that the earle of Warwike, which
was wont euer to ride on horse-backe from place to place, and from
ranke to ranke, comforting, his men, was now aduised by the marquesse
his brother, to leaue his horsse, and to trie the extremitie by hand
strokes, [which may be probable & likelie. But by the report of some
it séemeth that he was not slaine in the heat of the conflict, among
the rout of the fighting men, but afterwards in this sort. For when he
saw the kings power preuaile and his owne sore impaired and past hope
of good speed, with the slaughter of his adherents (gentlemen of name)
and himselfe in the verie mouth of the enimie in possibilitie to be
deuoured, he lept vpon a horsse to flie, and comming into a wood where
was no passage, one of king Edwards men came to him, killed him, and
spoiled him to the naked skin. Sir William Tirrell knight was killed on
the earle of Warwikes part.]
[Sidenote: The number slaine at Barnet field.]
On both parties were slaine (as Ed. Hall saith) ten thousand at the
least, where Fabian saith but fifteene hundred and somewhat aboue.
Other write that there died in all about three thousand. Vpon the kings
part were slaine, the lord Crumwell, the lord Saie, the lord Montiois
sonne and heire, sir Humfrie Bourchier sonne to the lord Berners, and
diuerse other knights, esquiers, and gentlemen. The battell indured
the space of thrée hours verie doubtfull by reason of the mist, and in
skirmishing and fighting, now in this place, now in that, but finallie
the victorie fell on the kings side; and yet it could not be estéemed
that his whole armie passed nine thousand fighting men (as some write)
where his aduersaries (as by the same writers appeareth) were farre
aboue that number. But bicause those that so write, séeme altogither to
fauor king Edward, we maie beléeue as we list.
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset and the earle of Oxford.]
[Sidenote: _Hall._]
[Sidenote: The duke of Excester.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
The duke of Summerset, and the earle of Oxford fled in companie of
certeine northerne men, which had béene at the battell; and (as some
write) the earle of Oxford kept foorth with them, and retired after
into Scotland. But yet as well the duke of Summerset, as the said earle
of Oxford, in fléeing toward Scotland, changed their purpose vpon the
waie, and turned into Wales to Iasper earle of Penbroke. The duke of
Excester being striken downe and sore wounded, was left for dead in
the field, amongst other the dead bodies, bicause he was not knowne,
and by reason thereof comming to himselfe, got vp, and in great danger
escaped vnto Westminster, and there tooke sanctuarie. [But some say,
that after hée had lien in the field, spoiled, wounded, and (to sée
to) void of life, from seuen of the clocke in the morning, till foure
at after noone, he was caried to a seruants house of his there by
(named Ruthland) where (after his wounds were searched and dressed by a
surgian) he was conueied into Westminster sanctuarie.]
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
King Edward hauing got this victorie, refreshing himselfe and his
people a while at Barnet, returned the same daie vnto London, like
a triumphant conqueror, leading with him king Henrie as a captiue
prisoner: & so making a solemne entrie at the church of saint Paule,
offred his standard. The dead bodies of the earle and marques were
brought to London in a coffin, & before they were buried, by the
space of thrée daies laie open visaged in the cathedrall church of S.
Paule, to the intent that all men might easilie perceiue, that they
vnfeinedlie were dead. The common brute ran, that the king was not so
ioious of the erles death, as sorowfull for the losse of the marques,
whom he full well knew (and no lesse was euident to other) to be his
faithfull friend and well-willer; for whose onelie sake, he caused
both their bodies to be buried with their ancestors in the priorie of
Bissam.
[Sidenote: Quéene Margaret landeth with a power out of France.]
On the tuesdaie in Easter wéeke came knowledge to king Edward, that
quéene Margaret the wife of king Henrie, with hir sonne prince Edward
was landed vpon Easter day at Weimouth in Dorsetshire, accompanied
with Iohn Longstrother prior of saint Iohns, commonlie called lord
treasuror of England, who went ouer into France to fetch them; also
the lord Wenlocke, a man made onelie by king Edward, beside diuerse
other knights and esquiers, of whome part had béene long foorth of
the realme, and part newlie gone ouer thither to them, in companie of
the lord treasuror. They tooke their ships at Hunflue, the foure and
twentith of March (as before you haue heard) but through contrarie
winds and tempests, they were driuen backe, and constreined to abide
for conuenient wind.
[Sidenote: The countesse of Warwike taketh sanctuarie.]
Now, although it came sometimes about fit for their purpose, yet it
continued not long in that end; so as if therevpon they tooke the sea
at anie time, they were forced to returne backe againe to land yer they
could passe halfe the way ouer. And thus being diuerse times vnder
saile, in hope to passe the seas hither into England, they were still
driuen backe againe, till the thirtéenth of Aprill being Easter éeuen;
on which day the wind comming fauorablie about, they tooke the seas,
and sailed forward towards this land. The countesse of Warwike, hauing
a ship of aduantage, arriued before the other at Portesmouth, and from
thence she went to Southampton, meaning to haue gone to Weimouth, where
she vnderstood that the quéene was landed: but here had shee knowledge
of the losse of Barnet field, and that hir husband was there slaine.
Wherevpon she went no further towards the quéene, but secretlie got hir
ouer the water into the new forest, and tooke sanctuarie within the
abbeie of Beaulieu.
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset, and the earle of Deuonshire c[=o]fort
quéene Margaret.]
Quéene Margaret, and hir sonne prince Edward, with the other that
landed at Weimouth, went from thence to an abbeie néere by called
Ceerne. Thither came vnto them Edmund duke of Summerset, and Thomas
Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, with others, and welcommed them into
England, comforting the quéene in the best maner they could, and willed
hir not to despaire of good successe; for albeit they had lost one
field (whereof the queene had knowledge the same day being mondaie
in easter wéeke, the fiftéenth of Aprill, and was therefore right
sorrowfull) yet they doubted not but to assemble such a puissance (and
that verie shortlie) foorth of diuerse parts of the realme, as being
faithfull, and wholie bent to spend their liues, and shed the best
bloud in their bodies for hir sake, & hir sonnes, it should be hard for
king Edward to resist them with all the power he had or could make.
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
[Sidenote: The feare which quéene Margaret had for hir sonne.]
The presence of these noble men greatlie comforted hir, and relieued
hir of the sorrowes that in maner ouerwhelmed hir pensiue heart: for
she doubted sore the end of all these procéedings, the which they
concluded to follow vpon the aduancement of hir and hirs. Speciallie
it misgaue hir, that some euill should chance to hir sonne prince
Edward for shee greatlie weied not of hir owne perill (as she hir selfe
confessed) and therefore she would gladlie haue had them either to haue
deferred the battell till a more conuenient time: or else that hir
sonne might haue béene conueied ouer into France againe, there to haue
remained in safetie, till the chance of the next battell were tried:
but they being of a contrarie mind, and namelie the duke of Summerset,
she at length consented vnto that which they were resolued vpon.
Thus euerie man being bent to battell, gathered his power by himselfe,
first in Summersetshire, Dorsetshire, and part of Wiltshire, and
after in Deuonshire and Cornewall. For the better incouraging of
which countries to ioine with them in their quarrell, they repaired
to Excester. Here they sent for sir Iohn Arundell, and sir Hugh
Courtenie, and manie other in whom they had anie confidence. To be
short, they wrought so, that they raised the whole powers of Cornewall
and Deuonshire, and with a great armie departing foorth of Excester,
they tooke the right waie to Glastenburie, and from thence to Bath,
raising the people in all parts where they came: for those countries
had bene so laboured, first by the earle of Warwike, and after by the
duke of Summerset, and the earle of Deuonshire (which two noble men
were reckoned as old inheritors of the same countries) that the people
séemed there greatlie inclined to the fauor of king Henrie.
[Sidenote: K. Edward setteth forward against his enimies.]
King Edward, being at London, was dailie aduertised by faithfull
espials of all the dooings of his aduersaries, and was in no small
agonie, bicause he could not learne what waie his enimies ment to take;
for he purposed to incounter them in one place or other before they
should approch neere to London. And vpon such resolution, with such an
armie as he had got about London, furnished with all artillerie and
other prouisions necessarie, he set forward the nintéenth of Aprill,
and came to Windsor, where he staied a season, as well to celebrate
the feast of saint George, as to abide the comming of such bands as he
had appointed to repaire thither vnto him, making there his generall
assemblie.
The enimies to masker him the more, sent foorth their foreriders vnto
sundrie townes, both aswell to raise people in the countries about, as
to make the king beléeue that their purpose was to passe those waies,
where they ment not once to come. And herevpon when they departed from
Excester, they sent first their foreriders streight to Shaftesburie,
and after to Salisburie, and then they tooke the streight waie to
Taunton, Glastenburie, and after to Wels, where houering about in
the countrie, they sent another time their foreriders to a towne
called Yuell, and to Bruton, as if their meaning had béene to draw
towards Reading, and so through Barkeshire, and Oxfordshire to haue
marched streight to London, or else to haue set vpon the king at some
aduantage, if it were offered.
But king Edward, considering aduisedlie of the matter, perceiued well
that they being in an angle of the realme, if they ment to go to
London, they must either hold the streight waie foorth by Salisburie,
or else drawing vp to the sea side, passe alongst through Hampshire,
Sussex and Kent; or happilie if they mistrusted their owne strengths,
as not able to match with his puissance, they would then slip on
the left hand, and draw towards Chesshire, and Lancashire, there to
increase their forces, and peraduenture by the waie to ioine with a
power of Welshmen, vnder the leading of Iasper earle of Penbroke, who
had béene sent into Wales long afore, to frame and put in a readines
the people there to asist king Henries friends at their comming
thitherwards. And such was their purpose in deed, for they had great
confidence in such aid, as they trusted to haue of the Chesshire and
Lancashire men.
King Edward, meaning to approch néerer vnto them, that he might the
sooner make waie to stop them of their passage, on which hand soeuer
they drew, departed from Windesore the morrow after saint Georges
day, being the foure and twentith day of Aprill, kéeping foorth his
iournie, till on saturdaie the twentie and seuenth of Aprill he came to
Abington, where he laie sundaie all daie. On mondaie he marched forward
to Chichester, where he had sure aduertisement, that they intended to
be at Bath the next daie being tuesdaie, and on wednesdaie to come
forward to giue him battell. Wherevpon king Edward, desirous to sée his
people in order of battell, drew them foorth of the towne, and incamped
in the field three miles distant from thence, still busieng himselfe
about his necessarie affaires affording no time to idlenesse or
loitering: for he knew that there was no waie more expedite and readie
to tire him in trauell, than to be giuen to negligence and slouth, the
two weariers of well dooing, as the old saieng is:
Desidia pressus erit in studio citó fessus.
[Sidenote: Sudburie. hill.]
On the morrow, hearing no certeintie of their comming forward, he
marched to Malmesburie, still seeking to incounter them: but héere
he had knowledge, that they hauing changed their purpose, meant not
to giue him battell; and therefore were turned aside, and gone to
Bristow, where they were receiued, reléeued and well refreshed by
such as fauoured their cause, as well with vittels, men, and monie,
as good store of artillerie. Wherevpon they were so incouraged,
that the thursdaie after they tooke the field againe, purposing to
giue king Edward battell indéed; and for the same intent had sent
their foreriders to a towne, distant from Bristow nine miles, called
Sudburie, appointing a ground for their field, a mile from the same
towne, toward the kings campe, called Sudburie hill.
The king heereof aduertised, the same thursdaie, being the first of
Maie, with his armie faire ranged in order of battell, came towards
the place by them appointed for their field: but they came not there.
For hearing that king Edward did thus approach vpon a new change of
resolution, they left that waie: albeit some of their herbingers were
come as farre as Sudburie towne, and there surprised fiue or six of the
kings partie, which were rashlie entred that towne, attending onelie to
prouide lodgings for their maisters. The lords thus hauing eftsoones
changed their purpose, not meaning as yet to fight with the king,
directed their waie streight towards Berkelie, trauelling all that
night. From Berkelie they marched forward towards Glocester.
The king in the meane time, on the thursdaie in the afternoone, came
to the same ground called Sudburie hill, and there staied a certeine
space, sending foorth scowriers, to hearken what they might vnderstand
of the enimies, whome he tooke to be somewhere at hand. But when he
could not heare anie certeintie of them, he aduanced forward, lodging
his vant-gard in a vallie beyond the hill, towards the towne of
Sudburie, and laie himselfe (with the residue of his people) at the
same place, called Sudburie hill. About thrée of the clocke after
midnight, he was aduertised, that his enimies had taken their waie by
Berkeleie, towards Glocester. Héerevpon, taking aduise of his councell
what was best to doo, he was counselled to send some of his seruants
with all spéed vnto Glocester, to Richard Beauchampe, sonne and heire
to the lord Beauchampe of Powike, to whome he had (before this present)
committed the rule and custodie of the towne and castell of Glocester.
The king sent therefore with all spéed vnto him, commanding him to
doo his best to defend the towne and castell against his enimies, if
they came to assaile the same, as it was supposed they intended: and
if they so did, he promised to come with his whole armie presentlie to
the rescue. The messengers did their diligence, and so being ioifullie
receiued into Glocester, the towne and castell, by the vigilant regard
of the said Richard Beauchampe, was put in safe keeping. And this
message was doone in good time, for true it is, there were diuerse in
the towne, that could haue béene well contented that the quéene, and
the lords with hir, should haue béene receiued there, and would haue
aduentured to haue brought it to passe, if they had not béene thus
preuented.
Againe, the quéene and the lords with hir had good intelligence, with
diuerse in the towne, so as they were put in great hope to haue entred
the same: wherevpon they trauelled their people right sore all that
night and morning, comming before the towne of Glocester vpon the
fridaie about ten of the clocke. And when they perceiued that they
were disappointed of their purpose, and their entrie flatlie denied,
they were highlie therewith displeased; for they knew verie well, that
diuerse within the towne bare their good willes towards them: but after
they had vsed certeine menacing braueries, and made a shew as if they
had meant to assalt the gates and walles, & so to haue entred by force,
they departed their waies, marching with all speed possible towards
Teukesburie.
[Sidenote: Glocester whie it was not assaulted.]
[Sidenote: A long march.]
It might be maruelled at, whie they attempted not the winning of
Glocester indéed, considering the freends which they knew they had
within it. But the cause which mooued them cheeflie to forbeare, was,
for that as well they without, as the other within the towne, knew
that king Edward approached at hand, and was readie to set vpon them
on the backes, if they had once begun to haue assaulted the towne; and
so, neither they within the towne that were the kings freends doubted
the enimies forces, nor the enimie indéed durst attempt anie such
enterprise against them. About foure of the clocke in the afternoone,
they came to Teukesburie, hauing trauelled that night last past, and
that daie, six and thirtie long miles, in a foule countrie, all in
lanes and stonie waies, betwixt woods, without anie good refreshing, so
that as well the men as the horsses were right wearie.
[Sidenote: The place where the lords incamped.]
And where the more part of their armie consisted of footmen, the
capteins could not haue gone anie further, except they would haue left
their footmen behind them, and so of necessitie they were driuen to
staie there, determining to abide the aduenture that God would send
them. For well they knew that the king followed them verie néere at
hand, so as if they should haue gone further, and left the most part
of their companie behind, as it could not otherwise haue chanced, he
would haue béene readie to haue taken the aduantage wholie, so to
distresse them. Héerevpon they pight their field in a close, euen hard
at the townes end, hauing the towne and the abbeie at their backes; and
directlie before them, and vpon each side of them, they were defended
with cumbersome lanes, déepe ditches, and manie hedges, beside hils and
dales, so as the place séemed as noisome as might be to approach vnto.
[Sidenote: The painfull march of king Edward with his armie.]
The king on this fridaie, verie erlie in the morning, aduanced his
standards and in good order of battell hauing diuided his armie into
thrée wards, marched through the plaines of Cotteswold. The daie was
verie hot, and hauing in his armie aboue thrée thousand footmen, he
trauelled with them and the residue thirtie miles and more. By all
which waie, they could find neither horssemeat, nor mans meat, no not
so much as water for their horsses, except one little brooke, of the
which they receiued no great reléefe; for what with the horsses and
carriages that passed thorough it, the water became so troubled, that
it serued them to no vse: and still all that daie king Edward with his
armie was within fiue or six miles of his enimies, he in the plaine
countrie, and they among the woods.
[Sidenote: Chiltenham.]
King Edward had euer good espials, to aduertise him still what his
enimies did, and which waie they tooke. At length he came with all
his armie vnto a village called Chiltenham, like a fiue miles distant
from Teukesburie, where he had certeine knowledge that his enimies
were alreadie come to Teukesburie, and were incamped there, purposing
to abide him in that place, and to deliuer him battell. King Edward
therevpon made no long delaie, but tooke a little refection himselfe,
and caused his people to doo the like, with such prouision of vittels
as he had appointed to be conueied foorth with him for the reléefe of
himselfe and his armie. This doone, he set forward towards his enimies,
and lodged that night in a field not past thrée miles distant from them.
[Sidenote: The ordering of king Edwards battell.]
On the morrow being saturdaie, and fourth of Maie, he drew towards his
enimies, and marshalled his armie, diuided into thrée battels in this
sort. He put his brother the duke of Glocester in the fore-ward, and
himselfe in the midle-ward. The lord Marques, and the lord Hastings
led the rere-ward. Heerwith he approached the enimies campe, which was
right hard to be assailed, by reason of the déepe ditches, hedges,
trées, bushes, and cumbersome lanes, wherewith the same was fensed,
both a front, and on the sides, so as the king could not well approach
them to anie aduantage: and to be the better in a readinesse to beat
backe the kings power, when he should come to assault them, they were
imbattelled in this order.
[Sidenote: The ordering of the lords hoast.]
[Sidenote: The duke of Glocester.]
[Sidenote: Teukesburie field.]
The duke of Summerset, and his brother the lord Iohn of Summerset
led the fore-ward. The middle-ward was gouerned by the prince, vnder
the conduct of the lord of saint Iohn, and the lord Wenlocke (whome
king Edward had aduanced to the degrée of a baron.) The rere-ward
was appointed to the rule of the earle of Deuonshire. Thus may yée
perceiue, that king Edward was put to his shifts, how (to anie
aduantage) to assault his enimies. Neuerthelesse, he being well
furnished with great artillerie, the same was aptlie lodged to annoie
the enimies, that they receiued great damage thereby; and the duke of
Glocester, who lacked no policie, galled them gréeuouslie with the shot
of arrowes: and they rewarded their aduersaries home againe with like
paiment, both with shot of arrowes, and great artillerie, although they
had not the like plentie of guns as the king had. The passages were so
cumbersome, that it was not possible to come vpon anie euen hand, to
ioine at handblowes.
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset.]
The duke of Glocester, vpon a politike purpose (as some haue written)
reculed backe with all his companie, which when the duke of Summerset
perceiued, either mooued therewith, or else bicause he was too sore
annoied with the shot in that place where he and his fore-ward stood,
like a knight more couragious than circumspect, came out of his
strength with his whole battell, and aduanced himselfe somewhat aside
slips the kings voward, and by certeine passages aforehand, and for
that purpose prouided (to the kings part, although vnknowne) he passed
a lane, and came into a faire open close right before the king, where
he was imbattelled, not doubting but the prince and the lord Wenlocke,
with the midle-ward, had followed iust at his backe. But whether the
lord Wenlocke dissembled the matter for king Edwards sake, or whether
his hart serued him not, still he stood, and gaue the looking on.
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
[Sidenote: The politike foresight of the king.]
The king, or (as other haue) the duke of Glocester, taking the
aduantage that he aduentured for, turned againe face to face vnto the
duke of Summerset his battell, and winning the hedge and ditch of
him, entred the close, and with great violence put him and his people
vp towards the hill from whence they were decended. Héere is to be
noted, that when the king was come before his enimies, yer he gaue the
onset, he perceiued that vpon the right hand of their campe there was a
parke, and much store of wood growing therein; and doubting least his
aduersaries had laid an ambush within that wood, he chose foorth of
his companies two hundred speares, commanding them to kéepe a stale,
like a quarter of a mile from the field, to attend vpon that corner
of the wood out of the which the ambush, if anie were, was to issue,
and to incounter with them, as occasion serued: but if they perceiued
that there was no ambush at all, then to imploie their seruice as they
should see it expedient and behouefull for the time.
[Sidenote: The v[=a]tgard of the lords distressed.]
This politike prouision for danger that might haue insued (although
there was none that waie foorth) serued yet before the end of the
battell, to great good purpose. For when those speares perfectlie
vnderstood that there was no ambush within the wood, and withall saw
conuenient time to imploie themselues, they came and brake with full
randon vpon the duke of Summerset and his voward a flanke, in so
violent wise vpon the sudden, that where they had before inough to doo
with those with whom they were first matched, now with this new charge
giuen on them by those two hundred speares, they were not a little
dismaied; and to conclude, so discouraged, that streightwaie they tooke
them to flight. Some fled into the parke, other into the meadow there
at hand, some into the lanes, & some hid them in ditches, each one
making what shift he could, by the which he hoped best to escape: but
manie neuerthelesse were beaten downe, slaine, and taken prisoners.
[Sidenote: A terrible stroke.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
The duke of Summerset séeing this vnfortunate chance, as some write,
turned to the midle-ward, and there finding the lord Wenlocke standing
still, after he had reuiled him, and called him traitor, with his ax
he stroke the braines out of his head. The duke of Glocester pursuing
after them that fled with the duke of Summerset to their campe, where
the rest of their armie stood, entred the trench, and after him the
king, where he bare himselfe so knightlie, that therevpon the quéenes
part went to wracke, and was put to flight; the king and other falling
in chase after them, so that manie were slaine, but especiallie at a
mill in the meadow fast by the towne a great sort were drowned. Manie
ran towards the towne, some to the church, and diuerse to the abbeie,
and other to other places, where they thought best to saue themselues.
[This was the last fought field or pight battell tried betwéene the
potentats of this land in king Edward the fourths daies (which chanced
on the fourth of Maie, being saturdaie, in the eleauenth yeare of his
reigne, and in the year of Lord, 1471) as Anglorum prælia affirmeth,
saieng: