Holinshed's Chronicle 1469

[24th July 1469] The king likewise assembled people to aid the erle of Penbroke, but before either part receiued succour from his freend or partaker, both the armies met by chance in a faire plaine, néere to a towne called Hedgecote, foure miles distant fiom Banberie, where there are thre'e hilles, not in equall quantitie, but liengin maner (although not fullie) triangle. The Welshmen got first the west hill, hoping to haue recouered the east hill also, which if they might haue obteined, the victorie had beene theirs, as their foolish prophesiers told them before. These northerne men incamped on the south hill; the earle of Penbroke and the lord Stafford of Southwike were lodged in Banberie, the daie before the field, which was saint lames daie, and there the earle of Penbroke put the lord Stafford out of an Inne, wherein he delighted much to be, for the loue of a damosell that dwelled in the house: and yet it was agreed betwixt lodging, should not be displaced.

The lord Stafford in great despite departed with his whole band of archers, leaving the earle of Penbroke almost desolate in the towne, who with all diligence returned to his host, lieng in the field unpurveied of archers. Sir Henrie Neuill, sonne to the lord Latimer, tooke with him certeine light horssemen, and skirmished with the Welshmen in the euening, just before their campe, where dooing right valiantlie, but a little too hardilie aduenturing himselfe, was taken and yeelded, and yet cruellie slaine. Which unmercifull act the Welshmen sore rued the next day yer night: for the northerne men sore displeased for the death of this nobleman, in the next morning valiantlie set on the Welshmen, and by force of archers caused them quicklie to descend the hill, into the vallie, where both the hoasts fought.

The earle of Penbroke did right valiantlie, and so likewise did his brother sir Richard Herbert, in so much that with his polax in his hand, he twise by fine force passed thorough the battell of his adversaries, and without anie hurt or mortall wound returned. But see the hap, even as the Welshmen were at point to haue obteined the victorie, lohn Clappam esquier, seruant to the earle of Warwike, mounted up the side of the east hill, accompanied onelie with five hundred men, gathered of the rascals of the towne of Northampton, and other villages about, having borne before them the standard of the earle of Warwike, with the white beare, crieng; A Warwike, a Warwike.

The Welshmen, thinking that the earle of Warwike had come on them with all his puissance, suddenlie as men amazed, fled: the northerne men them pursued, and slue without merci, so that there died of the Welshmen that daie, above five thousand, besides them that fled and were taken. The earle of Penbroke, and his brother sir Richard Herbert, with diverse gentlemen, were taken and brought to Banberie, where the earle with his brother, and other gentlemen, to the number of ten, that were likewise taken, lost their heads. But great mone was made for that noble and hardie gentleman, sir Richard Herbert, being able for his goodlie personage and high valiancie to have serued the greatest prince in christendome. [But what policie or puissance can either preuent or impugne the force of fate, whose law as it standeth upon an inevitable necessitie; so was it not to be dispensed withall; and therfore destinie having preordained the maner of his deth, it was patientlie to be suffered, sith puissantlie it could not be auoided, nor politikelie preuented, nor violentlie resisted: for sua quenq; dies ad funera raptat i.e. Fate seizes each man on his appointed day for the grave.]