Aftar all thes things thus fallen, the Twesday in Estar weke, the xvj. day of Aprile, came certayn tydyngs to the Kynge how that Qwene Margaret, hir sonne Edward, callyd Prince of Wales, the Countese of Warwyke, the Priowr of Seint Johns, that tyme called Tresorar of England, the Lord Wenloke, and many othere knyghts, squiers, and othar of theyr party, whiche longe had bene nowt of the land with them, with suche also as, with the sayde Priowr of Seint Johns, had gon into Fraunce to fet them into England, were arryved, and landed in the west contrye, upon Estar day, at Waymowthe, aftar longe abydynge passage, and beyng on the sea, and landinge agayne for defawlte of good wynde and wethar. For, trewthe it is, that the Qwene, Edward hir sonne, with all theyr felowshipe, entendinge to passe out of Normandy into England, toke first the sea, at Humflew, in the monithe of Marche, the xxiiij. day of the same, and, from that tyme forthe wards, they cowlde nat have any stable wethar to passe with; for and it were one day good, anon it chaunged upon them, and was agaynst them, and fayne they were therefor to goo to land agayne. And so, at divars tymes, they toke the sea, and forsoke it agayne, tyll it was the xiij. day of Aprill, Estars Even. That day they passyd. The Countysse of Warwyke had a shippe of avaunctage, and, therefore, landyd afore the othar, at Portsmowthe, and, from thens, she went to Showthampton, entendynge to have gon towards the Qwene, whiche was landyd at Wemowthe. But beinge there, she had certayne knowledge that the Kynge had wonne the fielde upon her howsband, at Barnet, and there slayne hym, wherefore she would no fathar goo towards the Qwene, but, secretly, gat ovar Hampton-watar into the new forreste, where she tooke her fraunches of an abbey called Beawlew³⁷, whiche, as it is sayde, is ample, and as large as the franchesse of Westmynstar, or of Seint Martins at London.

Note 37. Beawlew. Beaulieu Abbey, founded by King John. (Vide Monasticon, V. 680.)

The Kynge beynge at London, and havynge knowledge of all this theyr demeanyng from tyme to tyme, anon purveyed for the relevynge of his syck and hurt men, that had bene with hym at Barnet fielde, which were ryght many in nombar, what left at London, and what in the contrye, and sent to all partes to get hym freshe men, and, incontinent, prepared all things that was thowght behovefull for a new field; whiche he saw was imminent and comyng on. So purveyed he artilary, and ordinaunce, gonns, and othar, for the filde gret plentye. And Fryday, the xix. day of Aprille, he departyd out of London and went to Wyndsore, ther to thanke and honor God, and Seint George, where he kept also the feaste of Seint George, tarienge somwhat the longar there for that he had commaundyd all the people, and thos that wold serve hym in this iourney, to draw unto hym thithar, and from thens, suche way as shulde happen hym take towards his enemyes. And, for so moche as they at that season were in an angle of the land, and nedes they must take one of the two wayes, that is to say, eythar to come streight to Salisbery, and so, that way, towards London; or ells, alonge the sea-coaste into Hampshire, Sussex, and Kent, and so to London, to make in the way theyr people the mo in nombar; or els, they, nat thynkyng themselves to be puissaunce lykly to have a doo with the Kynge, and therefore, paradventure, wowlde drawe northwards into Lancasshyre and Cheshere, trustynge also to have in theyr way th'assystaunce of Walchemen, by the meane of Jasper called Erle of Penbroke³⁹, whiche, for that cawse, had bene afore sent into the contrie of Wales, to arays them, and make them redy to assyst that partye at theyr comynge; for whiche consyderations, the Kynge cawsed great diligence to be done by meane of espies, and by them he had knowledge, from tyme to tyme, of theyr purposes in that behalfe. Yf they would have taken estwards theyr way, his entent was to encountar them as sonne as he myght, and the farthar from London that shuld be to hym posseble, for th'entent that they shuld assemble no myght owt of eny contrye but where they then were, but, for so moche as he undarstode well they toke the othar waye, towards northwest, he hastyd hym, with his host, all that he myght, upon the purpos that he had taken to stope them theyr waye and passage into thos parties whereunto their desyre was to goo, and to make them the more myghty, whiche passagis of lykelyhode eythar, must be at Glowcestar, or els at Tewkesbery, or farthar of at Worcestar. And, algates⁴⁰, the Kynge lay so that, would they or no, he nedes shuld now recounter them, or stoppe them, and put them bake. They, in lyke wyse, thynkynge by theyr wysdomes that suche was, or of convenience muste be, the purpos of the Kynges party, therefore, put them greatly in devowre to abwse the Kyngs party in that behalfe, for whiche cawse and prupos they sent theyr aforerydars streight from Excestar to Shaftesbery, and aftarwards to Salisbery, and toke them the streight way to Tawnton, and to Glastonberye, to Wells, and there abouts, hovinge in the contrye; from whens, an othar tyme, they sent theyr forrydars to a towne called Yevell, and to a towne callyd Bruton, to make men undarstond that they would have drawne towards Redynge, and by Barkeshire, and Oxfordshire, have drawne towards London, or ells fallen upon the Kynge at some great advantage. Such mannar sendynge natheles servyd them of two thyngs; one was, to call and arays the people to make towards them for theyr helpe owt of all thos parties; an othar was, to have abusyd the Kynge in his approchyng towards them, but thanked be God, he was nat hereof unadertysed, but, by goode and sad advyse, purveyed for every way, as may appere in tellyng furthe his progres from Wyndsowr towards them; from whence he departyd the Wednesday, the morne aftar Saynt Georgis day, the xiiij. day of Aprell, so kepinge his iorney that he cam to Abyndon the Satarday next, the xxvij. day; Where he was the Sonday; and, on the Monday, at Cicestre; where he had certayne tydyngs that they wowld, on Twesday next, [be] at Bathe, as so they were; and that on the morne next, the Wedensday, they wowld com on streight towards the Kyngs battayle. For whiche cawse, and for that he would se and set his people in array, he drove all the people owt of the towne, and lodgyd hym, and his hoste, that nyght in the fielde, iij myle out of the towne. And, on the morow, he, having no certayne tydyngs of theyr comynge forward, went to Malmesbury, sekynge upon them. And there had he knowledge that they, undarstandynge his approchinge and marchinge neare to them had lefte theyr purpos of gevynge battayle, and turned asyde-hand, and went to Bristowe, a good and stronge wallyd towne, where they were greatly freshed and relevyd, by such as were the Kyngs rebells in that towne, of money, men, and artilarye; wherethrwghe they toke new corage, the Thursday aftar to take the filde and gyve the Kynge battayll, for whiche intent they had sent forrydars to a town ix mule from Bristow, callyd Sudbury, and , a myle towards the Kynge, they apoyntyd a grownd for theyr fielde at a place callyd Sudbury hill. The Kynge, heringe this, the same Thursday, first day of May, with all his hooste in array and fayre ordinaunce came towards the place by them appoyntyd for theyr fielde. Th'enemyes alsoo avauncyd them forthe, the same day, owt of Bristow, makynge semblaunce as thwoghe they would have comen streyght to the place appoyntyd, but, havynge knoledge of the Kyngs approochinge, they lefte that way, albe it theyr harbengars were come afore them as ferre as Sudberye towne; where they distressed certayne of the Kyngs partye, five or six, suche as neglygently pressed so ferre forwards, dredynge no dangar, but only entendyng to have purveyed ther theyr masters lodgyngs; and so they changyd theyr sayd purpos, and toke theyr way streght to Berkley, travelyng all that nyght, and, from thens, towards the towne of Gloucestar. The Kynge, the same Thursday, sonne aftar none, came nere to the same grownd, called Sudbury hill, and, nat havynge eny certaynty of his enemys, sent his scowrers alabowte in the cuntrye, trustynge by them to have wist where they had bene. Aboute that place was a great and a fayre large playne, called a would, and dowbtfull it was for to pas ferther, to he myght here somewhate of them, supposynge that they were right nere, as so they myght well have bene, if they had kepte forthe the way they toke owt of Bristow. And, when he cowthe nat here any certayntye of them, he avaunced forwards his hoole battayle, and lodgyd his vaward beyonde the hill, in a valley towards the towne of Sudberye, and lodged hymselfe, with the remenaunt of his hooste, at the selfe hill called Sudbery hill. Early in the mornynge, sonne aftar three of the cloke, the Kynge had certayne tydyngs that they had taken theyre way by Barkley toward Gloucestar, as so they toke indede. Whereupon he toke advise of his counsell of that he had to doo for the stopynge of theyr wayes, at two passagys, afore namyd, by Gloucestar, or els by Tewkesberye, and, first, he purvayed for Gloucestar, and sent thethar certayne servaunts of his owne to Richard Bewchamp, sonne and heyre to the Lord Bewchampe, to whom afore he had comyttyd the rule and govarnaunce of the towne and castell of Gloucestar, commaundynge hym to kepe the towne and castle for the Kynge, and that he, in caas they woulde in any wise assayle them; as it was suppos they so would doo that same aforenone; lettynge them wete that he would have good espye upon them yf they do did. And, yf he myght know that they so dyde, he promised to come theyr rescows, and comforte. With this the Kynges message they were well receyvyd at Gloucestar, and the towne and castell put in sure and save kepinge of the sayd Richard, and the sayde Kyynges servaunts. Whiche message was sent and done in right good season, for certayne it is the Kyngs enemyes were put in sure hope, and determyned to have enteryd the towne, and ethar have kept it⁴¹ agaynst the Kynge, or, at the leaste, to have passed thrwghe the towne into othar contries, where they thowght [to] have bene myghtely assysted, as well with Welchemen, which they demed shuld have fallen to them in thos parties, in the company of Jasper, called Earle of Penbroke, as also for to have gotten into theyr companye, by the way-takynge, greate nombar of men of Lancashire and Chesshere, upon whom they muche trystyd. For whiche cawses they had greatly travayled theyr people all that nyght and mornynge, upon the Fryday, to the about ten of the cloke they were comen afore Gloucestar; where there entent was uttarly denyed them by Richard Bewchampe, and othar of the Kyngs servaunts, that, for that cawse, the Kynge had sent thethar. Natwithstandynge, many of the inhabytaunts of that towne were greatly disposed towards them, as they had certayne knowledge. Of this demenynge they toke right great displeasure, and made great manasys, and pretendyd as thowghe they wowlde have assaultyd the towne, and wonne it upon them, but, as well thos that kepte the towne as the sayde enemyes that so pretendyd, knewe well, that the Kynge with a myghty puisawnce was nere to them, and, yf eny affraye had there be made, he myght sone have bene upon them, and taken upon them ryght grete advantage; wherefore they in the towne nothynge dowbtyd, and they withoute durst not for feare begynne any suche werke; and, therefore, they shortly toke theyr conclusyon for to go the next way to Tewkesbery, withar they came the same day, about four aftar none. By whiche tyme they hadd so travaylled theyr hoaste that nyght and daye that they were ryght wery for travaylynge; for by that tyme they had travayleyd xxxvj. longe myles, in a fowle contrye, all in lanes and stonny wayes, betwyxt woodes, without any good refresshynge. And, for as mooche as the greatar parte of theyr hooste were fotemen, the othar partye of the hoste, whan they were comen to Tewkesbery, cowthe, ne myght, have laboryd any furthar, but yf they wolde wilfully have forsaken and lefte theyr fotemen behynd them, and therto themselves that were horsemen were ryght werye of that iorwney, as so were theyr horses. So, whethar it were of theyr election and good will, or no, but that they were veryly compelled to byde by twocawses; one was, for werines of theyr people, which they supposed nat theyr people woulde be eny longer endured; an other, for they knew well the Kynge ever approchyd towards them, nere and nere, evar redy, in good aray and ordinaunce, to have pursuyd and fallen uppon them, yf they wolde any ferther have gon, and, paradventure, to theyr moste dyssavantage. They therefore determyned t'abyde there th'aventure that God would send them in the qwarell they had taken in hand. And, for that entent, the same nyght they pight them in a fields, in a close even at the townes end; the towne, and the abbey, at theyr backs; afore them, upon every hand of them, fowle lanes, and depe dikes, and many hedges, with hylls, and valleys, a ryght evill place to approche, as cowlde well have bene devysed.

Note 39. Jasper, called Erle of Penbroke, had been afore sent into the contrie of Wales to arays them. -- A Commission to array the Welsh in the cause of Henry VI. and directed to the Duke of Clarence and the Earls of Pembroke and Warwick, was issued as early as the 30th January 1471. (Fœdera, XI. 680.)

Note 40. algates, i.e. always.

Note 41. ether have kept, othar have kept, in MS.