Historie of the Arrival of Edward IV Part 4. 04 May 1471. Upon the morow followynge, Saterday, the iiij. day of May, [the Kynge] apparailed hymselfe, and all his hoost set in good array; ordeined three wards;displayed his bannars; dyd blowe up the trompets; sommytted his caws and qwarell to Almyghty God, to owr most blessyd lady his mothar, Vyrgyn Mary, the glroious martyr, Seint George, and all the sayts; and avaunced, directly upon his enemyes; approchinge to theyr filde, whiche was strongly in a marvaylows grownd pyght, full difficult to be assayled. Netheles the Kyngs ordinaunce was so conveniently layde afore them, and his vawarde so sore oppressyd them, with shott of arrows, that they gave them right-a-ahrpe shwre. Also they dyd agayne-ward to them, bothe with shot of arrows and gonnes, whereof noethes they ne had not so great plenty as had the Kynge. In front of theyr field were so evell lanes, and depe dykes, so many hedges, trees, and busshes, that it was right hard to approche them nere, and come to hands; but Edmond, called Duke of Somarset, having that day the vawarde, withar it were for that he and his fellowshipe were sore annoyed in the place where they were, as well with gonnes-shott, as with shot of arrows, which they ne wowld not durst abyde, or els, of great harte and corage, knyghtly and manly avauncyd hymselfe, with his fellowshipe, womewhat asyde-hande the Kyngs vawarde, and, by certayne pathes and wayes therefore afore purveyed, and to the Kyngs party unknowne, he departyd out of the field, passyd a lane, and came to a fayre place, or cloos, even afore the Kynge where he was enbatteled and, from the hill that was in that one of⁴² the closes, he set right fiercely upon th'end of the Kyngs battayle. The Kynge, full manly, set forthe even upon them, enteryd and wann the dyke, and hedge, upon them, into the cloose, and, with great violence, put them upe towards the hyll, and, so also, the Kyng's vaward, being in the rule of the Duke of Gloucestar.

Note 42. one of; on in, in MS.

Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 3 Chapter VII. 04 May 1471. As soon as King Edward had obtained this victory, he marched against the Prince of Wales, and there he had another great battle¹; for though the Prince of Wales's army was more numerous than the king's, yet King Edward got the victory; and the Prince of Wales², several other great lords, and a great number of common soldiers, were killed upon the spot, and the Duke of Somerset, being taken, was beheaded the next day. In eleven days the Earl of Warwick had gained the whole kingdom of England, or at least reduced it to his obedience. In twenty-one days King Edward recovered it again, but it cost him two great and desperate battles to regain it. And thus you have an account of the revolutions of England. King Edward caused numbers of persons to be put to death in many places, especially those that were guilty of any confederacy against him. Of all nations in the world, the English are most inclined to such battles. After this fight. King Edward enjoyed continual peace till his death, yet not without some troubles and afflictions of mind; but I shall forbear saying any more about English affairs, till I can do it more conveniently in another place.

Note 1. This battle was fought near Tewkesbury, in Gloucestershire, on the 4th of May, 1471.

Note 2. "Queen Margaret and her son," says Hume, " were taken prisoners, and brought to the king, who asked the prince, in an insulting manner, how he dared to invade his dominions? The young prince, more mindful of his high birth than of his present fortune, replied that he came thither to claim his just inheritance. The ungenerous Edward, insensible to pity, struck him on the face with his gauntlet: and the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, Lord Hastings, and Sir Thomas Gray, taking the blow as a signal for further violence, hurried the prince into the next apartment, and there despatched him with their daggers." Commines says erroneously that he fell on the field.

Warkworth's Chronicle 1471. 04 May 1471? And when the Kynge herd that thei were landede, and hade gaderede so myche peple, he toke alle his hoste, and went oute of Londone the wennysday in Ester weke, and manly toke his waye towarde them; and Prynce Edwarde herd therof; he hastede hym self and alle his oste towarde the towne of Glouceter, but he enteryd noʒt into the towne, but held forthe his wey to the towne of Teukesbury, and ther he made a felde¹ noʒt ferre from the ryver of Saverne; and Kynge Edwarde and his oste came uppone hym, the saturday the fourth day of Maij, the yere aforeseide of oure Lorde a M^l. cccclxxj., and the xj yere of Kynge Edwarde. And Edmunde Duke of Somersett, and Sere Hugh Curteneye, went oute of the felde, by the whiche the felde was broken; and the moste parte of the peple fledde awaye from the Prynce, by the whiche the feld was loste in hire party. ²And ther was slayne in the felde, Prynce Edward³, whiche cryede for socoure to his brother-in-lawe the Duke of Clarence. Also ther was slayne, Curteney the Erle of Devynschyre, the Lorde Jhon of Somersett, the Lorde Wenloke, Sere Edmunde Hampden, Sere Robart Whytyngham, Sere William Vaus, Sere Nicholas Hervy, Sere Jhon Delvis, Sere William Feldynge, Sere Thomas Fiztharry, Sere Jhon Leukenore, knyghtes; and these were taken and behedede afterwarde, where the Kynge hade pardoned them in the abbey cherche of Teukesbury, by a prest that turnyd oute at his messe and the sacrament in his handys, whanne Kynge Edwarde came with his swerde into the chirche, requyrede hyme by the vertu of the sacrament that he schulde pardone alle tho whos names here folowe; the Duke of Somersett, the Lorde of Seynt Jhones, Sere Humfrey Audeley, Sere Gervis of Clyftone, Sere William Gremyby, Sere William Cary, Sere Thomas Tresham, Sere William Newbrugh, knyghtes, Herry Tresham, Walter Curtenay, Jhon Florey, Lowes Myles, Robart Jacksone, James Gowere, James Delvis, sonne and heire to Sere Jhon Delvis; whiche, uppone trust of the Kynges pardone yevene in the same chirche the saturday, abode ther stille, where thei myght have gone and savyd ther lyves; whiche one monday aftere were behedede⁴, noʒtwhitstondynge the Kynges pardone⁵. And afterward these ladyes were takene, -Quene Margaret, Prynce Edwardes wyf, the secunde dowghtere of the Erle of Warwyke (deceased)s, the Countasse of Devynschire, Dame Kateryne Vaus. And these were taken, and noʒt slayne; Sere Jhon Fortescu, Sere Jhon Sentlow, Sire Herry Roos, Thomas Ormonde, Doctour Makerell, Edward Fulforde, Jhon Parkere, Jhon Bassett, Jhon Wallys, Jhon Thromere Throgmertone, and dyverse other men. And there was takene grete good, and many good horse that were brought frome beyond the see.

Note 1. And ther he made a felde. The place where the battle of Tewkesbury was fought is now called Glaston Meadow. - Rudder's History of Gloucestershire, p. 736. I have been further assured that this field is now called the Bloody-Field by the common people living near the spot.

Note 2. Cf. Memoires Olivier de la Marche. Edit. Brux. 1616, p. 502.

Note 3. And there was slayne in the felde Prynce Edward.- "[Slain at Tewkesbury by King Edward the Fourth.]. ”Rot. Harl. C. 7, Memb. 5.

Note 4. The prior of St. John's in Smithfield was among them.-MS. Arund. Coll. Arm. 5, fol. 171, vº.

Note 5. Noʒtwithstondynge the Kynges pardon. Edward's policy was despotic in the extreme; he told De Comines that it was his object to spare the common people, but cut off the gentry. The destruction of these noblemen and gentlemen was an awful example of his barbarity, as well as his deficiency of common honesty.

Archaeologia Volume 21 Section III Chapter IV. Here follow the Names of those who were hilled at the last Battle [Battle of Tewkesbury] which took place at Tewksbury, the 14th of May 1471.

First;

Edward, called Prince of Wales,

Sir John of Somerset,

The Lord of Weneloch,

Sir Edmund Hampden,

Sir John Wellenor,

Sir William Roos,

Sir John Delues,

Sir William de Vauby,

Sir William Fildind,

Sir Robert Wininguem,

Sir Nycolas Herby, and several others, making a thousand.

Here follow the Names of those who were beheaded. First

The Duke of Somerset,

Sir William Votary,

The Prior of St. John, called Sir John Longhenstod,

Sir Gervase Clifton,

Henry Tresham,

John Delues,

Walter Courtnay,

Loys Mills,

John Flory,

Robert Jackson,

John Sowen,

Sir Thomas Tresham,

Sir William Webingh,

Sir Hunerefry,

William Grynnsby, judged to death, and pardoned.