[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
[Sidenote: Prince Edward taken.]
[Sidenote: Nobles slaine.]
[Sidenote: Sir Richard Crofts deliuereth the prince in hope that his
life should haue beene saued.]
In the winning of the campe, such as stood to it were slaine out of
hand. Prince was taken as he fled towards the towne, by sir Richard
Crofts, and kept close. In the field and chase were slaine, the lord
Iohn of Summerset, called marquesse Dorset, Thomas Courtenie earle of
Deuonshire, sir Iohn Delues, sir Edward Hampden, sir Robert Whitingham,
and sir Iohn Leukener, with thrée thousand others. After the field
was ended, proclamation was made, that whosoeuer could bring foorth
prince Edward aliue or dead, should haue an annuitie of a hundred
pounds during his life, and the princes life to be saued, if he were
brought foorth aliue. Sir Richard Crofts, nothing mistrusting the kings
promise, brought foorth his prisoner prince Edward, being a faire and
well proportioned yoong gentleman; whom when king Edward had well
aduised, he demanded of him, how he durst so presumptuouslie enter into
his realme with banner displaied.
[Sidenote: Prince Edward murthered.]
Wherevnto the prince boldlie answered, saieng; "To recouer my fathers
kingdome & heritage, from his father and grandfather to him and from
him after him to me lineallie desended." At which words king Edward
said nothing, but with his hand thrust him from him, or (as some saie)
stroke him with his gantlet; whome incontinentlie, George duke of
Clarence, Richard duke of Glocester, Thomas Greie marquesse Dorcet, and
William lord Hastings that stood by, suddenlie murthered: for the which
cruell act, the more part of the dooers in their latter daies dranke of
the like cup, by the righteous iustice and due punishment of God. His
bodie was homelie interred with the other simple corpses, in the church
of the monasterie of blacke monks in Teukesburie.
After the victorie was thus atchiued, the king repaired to the abbeie
church there, to giue God thanks for that good successe, which it had
pleased him to blesse him with: and there finding a great number of his
enimies, that were fled thither to saue themselues, he gaue them all
his free pardon; albeit there was no franchise there for rebels, but
that he might haue commanded them to haue béene drawen foorth without
breach of anie liberties of that church. He granted also that the dead
bodies, as well of the lords as other, slaine in that battell, might
be buried in the same church, or else where it pleased their friends
or seruants, without anie quartering & heading, or setting vp heads
or quarters in any publike places. O the patience and clemencie of
this good king, who (besides the putting vp of wrongs doone to him by
violence of foes without vengeance) fréelie forgaue the offenders, and
did so honorablie temper his affections!
[Sidenote: The duke of Summerset & others beheaded.]
There were found in the abbeie and other places of the towne, Edmund
duke of Summerset, Iohn Lonstrother lord prior of S. Iohn, sir Thomas
Tressham, sir Gerueis Clifton, and diuerse other knights and esquiers,
which were apprehended, and all of them being brought before the
duke of Glocester, sitting as constable of England, and the duke
of Norffolke, as marshall in the middest of the towne, they were
arreigned, condemned, and iudged to die; and so vpon the tuesdaie,
being the seuenth of Maie, the said duke and the lord prior, with the
two forenamed knights, and twelue other knights, were on a scaffold,
set vp in the middle of the towne for that purpose, beheaded, and
permitted to be buried, without anie other dismembring, or setting vp
of their heads in anie one place or other.
[Sidenote: Quéene Margaret taken.]
The same tuesdaie, the king departed from Teukesburie towards
Worcester, and by the waie had knowledge that quéene Margaret was found
in a poore house of religion, not far from thence, into the which she
was withdrawen for safegard of hir selfe, on saturdaie in the morning,
being the daie of the battell. She was after brought to London as
prisoner, and so kept, till hir father ransomed hir with great summes
of monie, which he borowed of Lewes the eleuenth king of France. And
bicause he was not able to make repaiment thereof, he sold vnto the
said Lewes (as the French writers affirme) the kingdomes of Naples,
and both the Sicils, with the countie of Prouance. King Edward being
at Worcester, had aduertisements brought foorth of the north parts,
that the people there were about to assemble in armour against him, in
fauour of king Henrie: wherevpon he left the right way to London, and
rode to Couentrie, meaning to increase the number of his people, and so
with a puissant armie to go northwards.
Herevpon, comming to Couentrie the eleuenth of Maie, and remaining
there thrée daies, he well refreshed such as had béene with him at
Teukesburie field. Hither was brought to him queene Margaret, from
whence she was conueied to London, there to remaine in safe keeping (as
before you haue hard.) Whilest he was busie in sending abroad vnto his
friends to leauie an armie, he was aduertised that the commotion in the
north was pacified. For after it was knowen abroad, how he obteined the
victorie, as well at Teukesburie, as at Barnet, and in manner subdued
all his enimies, the capteins that had stirred the people to that
rebellion, began to quaile, and forsooke their companies.
[Sidenote: Rebellion in the north pacified.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Northumberland.]
Diuerse of them made sute to the earle of Northumberland, that it might
please him to be a mediator to the king for their pardon; so that now,
there was no rebellion in all the north parts, but that as well the
citie of Yorke, as all other places, were at the kings commandement,
readie in all things to obei him as true and loiall subiects. And this
was confirmed by the earle of Northumberlands owne mouth, who on the
fouretéenth of Maie came to the king, as yet remaining at Couentrie:
by reason whereof it was not thought néedfull, that the king should
trauell anie further northward at that time, either about the pacifieng
of the people, or to see execution doone vpon the offendors, sith all
was there in good tranquillitie and quiet.
[Sidenote: Thomas Nevill bastard Fauconbridge.]
But now when all things séemed to be at rest, and no rebellion after
so happie victories doubted, newes came to him before his c[=o]ming to
Couentrie, from the lords of his bloud, abiding at London, that one
Thomas Neuill, bastard sonne to that valiant capteine the lord Thomas
Fauconbridge (who had latelie before beene sent to the sea by the earle
of Warwike, and after fallen to practise pirasie) had spoiled diuerse
merchants ships, Portingals and others, in breach of the ancient amitie
that long had continued betwixt the realms of England and Portingale;
and furthermore, had now got to him a great number of mariners, out
of all parts of the land, and manie traitors and misgouerned people
from each quarter of the realme, beside diuerse also foorth of other
countries that delighted in theft and robberies, meaning to worke some
exploit against the king.
[Sidenote: The bastard Fauconbridge before London with an armie.]
And verelie, his puissance increased dailie, for hauing béene at Calis,
and brought from thence into Kent manie euill disposed persons, he
began to gather his power in that countrie, meaning (as was thought)
to attempt some great and wicked enterprise. After the kings comming
to Couentrie, he receiued aduertisements, that this bastard was come
before London, with manie thousands of men by land, and also in ships
by water, purposing to rob and spoile the citie. Manie Kentishmen
were willing to assist him in this mischieuous enterprise, and other
were forced against their wils to go with him, or else to aid him
with their substance and monie, insomuch that within a short time, he
had got togither sixtéene or seuentene thousand men, as they accomted
themselues.
With these he came before the citie of London the twelfe of Maie, in
the quarrell (as he pretended) of king Henrie, whom he also meant to
haue out of the Tower, & to restore him againe vnto his crowne & roiall
dignitie. And for that intent, he required to enter the citie with
his people, that receiuing king Henrie foorth of the Tower, they might
passe with him through the citie, and so to march streight towards
king Edward, whose destruction they vowed to pursue, with all their
vttermost indeuors. But the maior and aldermen of the citie would not
in anie wise agree to satisfie their request herein, vtterlie refusing
to receiue him or anie of his companie into the citie.
[Sidenote: Succours sent to the citie of London.]
King Edward from time to time by posts was informed of all these
dooings, & by aduise of his councell, the fouretéenth of Maie, sent
to the succors of the maior and aldermen fiftéene hundred of the
choisest souldiers he had about him, that they might helpe to resist
the enimies, till he had got such an armie togither as was thought
necessarie, meaning with all conuenient spéed to come therewith to the
rescue of the citie, and preseruation of the quéene, prince, and his
daughters, that were within the Tower, not in verie good safegard,
considering the euill dispositions of manie within the citie of London,
that for the fauour they had borne to the earle of Warwike, and desire
to be partakers of the spoile, cared not if the bastard might haue
atteined to his full purpose and wished intent.
[Sidenote: The bastards purpose to spoile the suburbs of London.]
On the sixtenth of Maie, king Edward set foorth of Couentrie towards
London. But here ye haue to vnderstand, that when the bastard could
not be receiued into the citie, neither by gentle persuasions, nor
gréeuous threatnings, he made semblance to passe ouer the Thames at
Kingston bridge, ten miles from London, and thitherwards he drew with
his whole power by land, leauing his ships afore saint Katharines and
thereabouts. His pretense was, to spoile and destroie Westminster, and
the suburbs of the citie on that side, and after to assault the citie
it selfe, to trie if he might enter by force, and so be reuenged of the
citizens that had refused to receiue him. [Notwithstanding all which
stirring of coles & proud port, with haughtinesse of hart & violence of
hand thinking to beare downe the people, as an inundation or flowing of
water streams dooth all before it: yet he came short of his purpose,
and pulled vpon his owne pate finall destruction: though he thought
himselfe a man ordeined to glorie, & was tickled with the like flatring
persuasion that one had in his hart, who said:
[Sidenote: _Prop. lib. 4._]