WARWICK IN EXILE
The adventures of Warwick after the army of York broke up have luckily
been preserved to us in some detail. He and his father, together with
the Duke and his two sons Edward and Edmund, fled southwards together
with a few score of horse, hotly pursued by Sir Andrew Trollope and
his men. So close was the chase that John and Thomas Neville, who
lingered behind their brother and father--both having been wounded at
Blore Heath--were taken prisoners. Presently the party was forced to
break up by the imminence of their peril. The Duke of York and his
second son Edmund turned off into Wales, with the design of taking
ship for Ireland. Salisbury, Warwick, and Edward Plantagenet, the
young Earl of March, York's eldest son and Salisbury's god-child and
nephew, accompanied by Sir John Dynham and only two persons more,
fled across Herefordshire by cross-roads, avoiding the towns, and
then by a hazardous journey through Gloucestershire and Somersetshire
reached the coast of Devon, apparently somewhere near Barnstaple. There
the fugitives turned into a fishing village, where Sir John Dynham
bought for two hundred and twenty-two nobles--the sum of the party's
resources--a one-masted fishing-smack. He gave out that he was bound
for Bristol, and hired a master and four hands to navigate the little
vessel.
When they had got well out from land Warwick asked the master if he
knew the seas of Cornwall and the English Channel. The man answered
that he was quite ignorant of them, and had never rounded the Land's
End. "Then all that company was much cast down: but the Earl seeing
that his father and the rest were sad, said to them that by the favour
of God and St. George he would himself steer them to a safe port. And
he stripped to his doublet, and took the helm himself, and had the sail
hoisted, and turned the ship's bows westward," much to the disgust, we
doubt not, of the master and his four hands, who had not counted on
such a voyage when they hired themselves to sail to Bristol town.
It was not for nothing that Warwick had ranged the Channel for two
years. He now proved that he was a competent seaman, by navigating
the little vessel down the Bristol Channel, round the Land's End, and
across to Guernsey. Here they were eight days wind-bound, but putting
forth on the ninth ran safely up the Channel and came ashore at Calais
on November 3rd, just twenty days after the rout of Ludford. Counting
the crew, they had been eleven souls in the vessel.
Warwick found Calais still safe in the hands of his uncle Fauconbridge,
whom he had left in charge of the town and of his own wife and
daughters when he went to England two months before. Overjoyed at the
news, Fauconbridge came to meet him on the quay, and fell on his neck.
"Then all those lords went together in pilgrimage to Notre Dame de St.
Pierre, and gave thanks for their safety. And when they came into
Calais, the Mayor and the aldermen and the merchants of the Staple came
out to meet them, and made them good cheer. And that night they were
merry enough, when they thought they might have found Calais already in
the hands of their enemies."
Such indeed might well have been their fortune, for the Duke of
Somerset was already at Sandwich, with some hundreds of men-at-arms.
The King had appointed him Captain of Calais, and he was on his way
to remove Fauconbridge and get the town into his own keeping. But the
south-west wind which blew Warwick up from Guernsey had kept Somerset
on shore.
That very evening the wind shifted, and late at night Somerset's herald
appeared before the water-gate to warn the garrison that his master
would arrive to take command next day. "Then the guard answered the
herald that they would give his news to the Earl of Warwick, who was
their sole and only captain, and that he should have Warwick's answer
in a few minutes. The herald was much abashed, and got him away, and
went back that same night to his master."
No one in England knew what had become of Warwick or Salisbury, and
Somerset's surprise was as great as his wrath when he found that
they had anticipated him at Calais. Next morning he set sail with
his forces, of which the greater part were comprised of Sir Andrew
Trollope's soldiers, making for Guisnes, with the intention of
attacking Calais from the land side. But a tempest rose up while he was
at sea, and though he and most of his men came ashore at Guisnes, the
vessels that contained their horses and stores and armour were driven
into Calais harbour for safety, and compelled to surrender to Warwick.
The Earl "thanked Providence for the present, and not the Duke of
Somerset," and was much pleased at the chance, for his men were greatly
in want of arms. He had the prisoners forth, and went down their ranks;
then he picked out those that had been officers under him and had sworn
the oath to him as Captain of Calais and threw them into prison, but
the rest he sent away in safety, saying that they had but served their
King to the best of their knowledge; only Lord Audley, Somerset's
second in command, son to the peer whom Salisbury had slain at Blore
Heath, was not permitted to depart, and was consigned to the castle.
But the men who had broken their oath to Warwick were brought out into
the market-place next day, and beheaded before a great concourse of the
citizens.
Somerset and Sir Andrew Trollope had been received into Guisnes, and
made it their headquarters. But for some time they could do nothing
against Calais, because they were in want of arms and horses. It was
not till they had got themselves refitted by help of the French of
Boulogne that they were able to harm Warwick. Meanwhile they were
practically cut off from England, for Warwick's ships held the straits,
and neither news nor men came across to them. Presently Somerset set
to work to intercept Warwick's supply of provisions, which was drawn
mainly from Flanders, and the Earl had to arrange that every market-day
parties of the garrison should ride out to escort the Flemings and
their waggons. It might have gone hard with Calais if this source of
supply had been cut off, but Warwick had concluded a secret agreement
with Duke Philip, by which the introduction of food into the town was
to be winked at by the Flemish officials, notwithstanding any treaties
with England that might exist. Neither Somerset nor Warwick got much
profit out of the continual skirmishes that resulted from the attempts
of the Lancastrians to cut off the waggon-trains from Dunkirk and
Gravelines.
So passed the months of November and December 1459, with no stirring
incidents but plenty of bickering. But Christmastide brought with it
abundant excitement: the Queen had at last taken measures to reinforce
Somerset, and Lord Rivers with his son Sir Antony Woodville had
come down to Sandwich with a few hundred men to take the first safe
opportunity of crossing to Guisnes. But the time was stormy and the
troops mutinous; they got little or no pay, and scattered themselves
over the neighbourhood to live at free quarters, so that Rivers lay in
Sandwich almost unattended.
"So at Christmastide the Earl called together his men-at-arms, and
asked whether it was not possible to get back his great ship that he
had used when he was admiral, for it lay at Sandwich in Lord Rivers'
hands with several ships more. And Sir John Dynham answered 'yea,' and
swore to take it back with God's aid if the Earl would give him four
hundred men to sail with him. So the Earl bade his men arm, and fitted
out his vessels, and he gave the charge of the business to Sir John
Dynham, and Sir John Wenlock that wise knight, who had done many feats
of arms in his day." They set out at night, and arrived off Sandwich
before dawn. Waiting for the tide to rise, they ran into the harbour
at five in the morning. No one paid any attention to them, for the men
of Sandwich thought they were but timber-ships from the Baltic, as all
the men-at-arms were kept below hatches.
There was no stir in the town, and Wenlock was able to seize the ships
and fit them out in haste, while Dynham swept the streets and caught
Lord Rivers' men-at-arms as they turned out to see what was the matter.
Sir Antony Woodville was captured one hour later, as he rode into the
town from London, whither he had gone to ask the Queen for a supply of
money. Lord Rivers himself was found, still asleep, in his bed at the
Black Friars, and carried on board his own ship before he could realise
what was happening.
The men of Sandwich, like the rest of the Kentishmen, had no desire
to harm the Yorkists, so that there was no fighting, and Dynham and
Wenlock sailed home at their ease, without striking a single blow, with
their prisoners and all the war-ships in the port save the _Grace Dieu_
alone, which was found quite unready for the sea.
That evening they were again in Calais, and landed in triumph to
deliver their spoils to Warwick. A quaint and undignified scene
followed when the prisoners were brought out. "So that evening Lord
Rivers and his son were taken before the three Earls, accompanied by a
hundred and sixty torches. And first the Earl of Salisbury rated Lord
Rivers, calling him a knave's son, that he should have been so rude as
to call him and these other lords traitors, for they should be found
the King's true lieges when he should be found a traitor indeed. And
then my Lord of Warwick rated him, and said that his father was but
a squire, and that he had made himself by his marriage, and was but a
made lord, so that it was not his part to hold such language of lords
of the King's blood. And then my Lord of March rated him in like wise.
Lastly Sir Antony was rated for his language of all three lords in the
same manner."
If Rivers had any sense of humour, he must have felt the absurdity of
being rated by the Nevilles--who more than any other race in England
had risen by a series of wealthy alliances--for having "made himself
by his marriage." But probably anger and fear were sufficient to keep
him from any such reflections. We could wish that Warwick had been less
undignified in the hour of his triumph; but if his words were rough his
actions were not: Rivers and his son were sent to join Lord Audley in
the castle, but they were well treated in their captivity and came to
no harm. Before many months were out they joined their captor's cause.
It would have been hard for the actors in the scene to foresee the
changes that ten years were to make in their relations to each other.
By 1470 Rivers was destined to find himself the father-in-law of the
young Earl of March, who was now exercising his tongue against him in
imitation of the Nevilles, and to lose his life in the service of the
house of York. Warwick, on the other hand, was to become the deadly
enemy of the young Prince whom he was now harbouring and training to
arms, and to adopt the Lancastrian cause which Rivers had deserted.
The months of January and February passed in continual skirmishing with
Somerset and the garrison of Guisnes, which led to no marked result;
but about the beginning of Lent news arrived at Calais that the Duke of
York, of whom nothing definite had been heard since October, was now
in great force in Ireland, where he had got possession of Dublin, "and
was greatly strengthened by the earls and homagers of that country."
Warwick at once resolved to sail to Ireland to concert measures with
his uncle, and to learn if it would be possible to invade England; for
it was obvious that unless some vigorous offensive action were taken in
the spring, the Lancastrians would finally succeed in bringing enough
men across to form the siege of Calais, and then the town could not
hold out for ever.
Accordingly, though the storms of March were at their highest, Warwick
equipped his ten largest ships, manned them with one thousand five
hundred sailors and men-at-arms, "the best stuff in Calais," and sailed
down the Channel for Ireland. The voyage was undisturbed by the enemy,
but terribly tempestuous and protracted. However, the Earl reached
Waterford at last, and found there not only York and his son Rutland,
but his own mother, the Countess of Salisbury, who had fled over to
Ireland when she heard that her name was inserted among the list of
persons attainted by the Lancastrian Parliament which met at Leicester
in December 1459.
Warwick found the Duke in good spirits, and so hopeful that he was
ready to engage to land in Wales in June with all the force that could
be raised in Ireland, if Warwick would promise to head a descent on
Kent at the same moment. This plan was agreed upon, and the Earl set
sail to return about May 1st, taking with him his mother, who was
anxious to rejoin her husband whom she had not seen for nearly a year.
Meanwhile the news of Warwick's departure for Ireland had reached the
Lancastrian government, and the Duke of Exeter, Warwick's successor
in the office of admiral, had sworn to prevent him from returning to
Calais. Accordingly Exeter "with the great ship called the _Grace
Dieu_, and three great carracks, and ten other ships all well armed and
ordered," was now besetting the Channel. When Warwick was off Start
Point the vessel which sailed in advance of his squadron to reconnoitre
the way returned in haste, with the news that a squadron was lying off
Dartmouth and that some fishing-boats, with whom communication had been
held, reported the Duke of Exeter to be in command.
Warwick was resolved to fight, though the enemy was considerably
superior in force. He sent for his captains on board his carvel "and
prayed that they would serve him loyally that day, for he had good
hope that God would give him the victory," to which they answered that
they were well disposed enough for a fight and that the men were in
good heart. Accordingly the Earl's ten ships formed line and bore down
on the Duke's fourteen. A fight appeared imminent, when suddenly the
whole Lancastrian fleet went about, and fled in disorder into Dartmouth
harbour, which lay just behind them. This unexpected action was caused
by mutiny on board. When the Duke had given orders to prepare for
action, his officers had come to him in dismay, to announce that the
men would not arm to fight their old commander, and that if he came
any nearer to the Earl, the crews would undoubtedly rise and deliver
them over to the enemy. Accordingly Exeter gave orders to retire into
harbour.
Warwick, however, could not know of the cause of the enemy's retreat,
and having a good west wind behind him and a great desire to get back
to Calais, from which he had now been absent more than ten weeks,
pursued his journey without attempting anything against Dartmouth. He
reached Calais in safety on June 1st, and was proud to restore his
mother, "who had suffered grievously from the sea during her voyage,"
to his father's arms. Salisbury and Fauconbridge had been much alarmed
at the length of his absence, and the more faint-hearted of the
garrison had begun to murmur that he had deserted them for good, and
had fled to foreign parts to save his own person.
Now, however, all was stir and bustle in Calais, for Salisbury and
Fauconbridge thoroughly approved of the plan of invasion which had
been concerted at Dublin. The news from England indeed was all that
could be desired. The reckless attainting of all the Yorkists by the
Parliament of Leicester had met with grave disapproval. The retainers
of the Lancastrian lords had been committing all sorts of misdoings,
chief among which was the unprovoked sack of the town of Newbury by the
followers of Ormond Earl of Wiltshire. London was murmuring savagely at
the execution of seven citizens who, in company with a gentleman of the
house of Neville, had been caught in the Thames on their way to Calais
to join the Earls. The "unlearned preachers" whom the Government put up
to preach against York at Paul's Cross were hooted down by the mob. The
Commons of Kent were signifying in no doubtful terms their willingness
to join the Earls, the moment that the banner of the White Rose should
be unfurled in England. A fragment of a ballad hung by an unknown hand
on the gate of Canterbury in June is worth quoting as an expression of
their feelings.
Send home, most gracious Jesu most benigne,
Send home the true blood to his proper vein,
Richard Duke of York thy servant insigne,
Whom Satan not ceaseth to set at disdain,
But by thee preserved he may not be slain.
Set him 'ut sedeat in principibus' as he did before,
And so to our new song Lord thyne ear incline,
Gloria, laus et honor tibi sit Christe redemptor!
Edward the Earl of March, whose fame the earth shall spread,
Richard Earl of Salisbury, named Prudence,
With that noble knight and flower of manhood
Richard Earl of Warwick, shield of our defence,
Also little Faulconbridge, a knight of grete reverence,
Jesu! restore them to the honour they had before!
Nor was it only the Commons that were ready to join in a new appeal
to arms. The partisans of York among the great houses, who had not
definitely committed themselves at the time of the rout of Ludford,
and so had escaped arrest and attainder, let it be known at Calais
that they were ready for action. Chief among them were the Duke of
Norfolk and the two brothers Lord Bourchier and Bourchier Archbishop of
Canterbury, who pledged themselves to put their retainers in motion the
moment that Warwick should cross the sea.
It was in no spirit of recklessness then that Warwick resolved to cross
into Kent in the last week of June, with every man that could be spared
from Calais. As a preliminary to his advance, he had resolved to clear
away the only Lancastrian force that was watching him--a body of five
hundred men-at-arms which had been sent down to Sandwich, to replace
Lord Rivers' troops and to endeavour to communicate with Somerset
at Guisnes. This body was commanded by Osbert Mundeford, one of the
officers of the Calais garrison who had deserted Warwick in company
with Sir Andrew Trollope.
Accordingly, on June 25th Sir John Dynham, the captor of Rivers, sailed
over to Sandwich for the second time, and fell on Mundeford's force.
There was a hot skirmish, for on this occasion the Lancastrians were
not caught sleeping; but again the Yorkists won the day. Dynham indeed
was wounded by a shot from a bombard, but his men stormed the town,
routed the enemy, and took Mundeford prisoner. He was sent over to
Calais, where he was tried for deserting his captain, as the prisoners
of November 3rd had been, and beheaded next day outside the walls.
On the 27th Warwick himself, his father, the Earl of March, Lord
Fauconbridge, Wenlock, and the rest of the leaders at Calais, crossed
over to Sandwich with two thousand men in good array, leaving in the
town the smallest garrison that could safely be trusted with the duty
of keeping out Somerset. They had published before their landing a
manifesto, which set out the stereotyped Yorkist grievances once
more--the weak government, the crushing taxes, the exclusion of the
King's relatives from his Council, the diversion of the revenue into
the pockets of the courtiers, the misdoings of individual Lancastrian
chiefs, the oppression of the King's lieges, and all the other
customary complaints.
The three Earls had only been in Sandwich a few hours when, as had been
agreed, the Archbishop of Canterbury came to join them with many of
the tenants of the see arrayed in arms. They then moved forward, with
numbers increasing at every step, for the Kentishmen came to meet them
by thousands, and no one raised a hand against them.
The Lancastrians had been caught wholly unprepared. They seem to have
been expecting raids from Warwick on the eastern coast, not on the
southern, and except Mundeford's routed force there was no one in arms
south of the Thames. The King and Queen were at Coventry, and most of
the Lancastrian lords scattered each in their own lands. Lord Scales
and Lord Hungerford were in command of London, where there were present
a few other notables--Lord Vesey, Lord Lovell, and John de Foix titular
Earl of Kendal. These leaders endeavoured to fortify the city, posting
guns on London Bridge and placing their retainers in the Tower. But
the aspect of the citizens was threatening, and Warwick was known to
be coming on fast. The landing had taken place on the 27th, and on
July 1st the three Earls and the Archbishop of Canterbury were already
before the walls of London. They had marched over seventy miles in four
days, taking the route of Canterbury, Rochester, and Dartford, and were
at hand long before they were expected.
When the Archbishop's herald summoned the town there was some attempt
made by the Lancastrian lords to offer resistance, but the mob rose and
drove them into the Tower, while a deputation of aldermen went forth to
offer a free entry to the Yorkist army.
On July 2nd the three Earls entered London in state, conducted by the
Archbishop and a Papal Legate, a certain Bishop of Teramo who had been
sent by Pius the Second to endeavour to reconcile the English factions
and to get them to join in a crusade. He had allowed himself to be
talked over by Warwick, and did all in his power to further the cause
of York.
The Earls rode to St. Paul's and there before a great multitude, both
clerical and lay, Warwick "recited the cause of their coming in to
the land, how they had been put out from the King's presence with
great violence, so that they might not come to his Highness to excuse
themselves of the accusations laid against them. But now they were come
again, by God's mercy, accompanied by their people, for to come into
his presence, there to declare their innocence, or else to die upon
the field. And there he made an oath upon the Cross of Canterbury,
that they bore true faith and liegeance to the King's person, whereof
he took Christ and His Holy Mother and all the Saints of Heaven to
witness." We shall see that this last promise was not an entirely
unmeaning formula in Warwick's mouth, and that his oath was not like
the deliberate perjuries to which others of his contemporaries--notably
Edward the Fourth--were prone.