Biography of Henry Neville 1437-1469

Warkworth's Chronicle. 24th July 1469. And Robyne of Riddesdale came uppone the Walschemenne in a playne byyonde Banbury toune¹, and ther they faughthe strongly togedere, and ther was the Earl of Penbroke takene, and his brother withe hym, and two M^l, Walschmenne slayne, and so the Walschmen loste the felde the xxvj, day of Juylle the same yere. The names of the gentylmen that were slayne² of Walsche party in the same batelle, -Sere Rogere Vaghan, knyght, Herry Organ sonne and heyre³, Thomas Aprossehere Vaghan, squyere, William Harbarde of Breknoke, squyere, Watkyn Thomas, sonne to Rogere Vaghan, Yvan ap Jhon of Merwyke, Davy ap Jankyn of Lymmeryke, Harry Done ap Pikton, John Done of Kydwelle, Ryse ap Morgon ap Ulston, Jankyn Perot ap Scottesburght, John Eneand of Penbrokeschire, and Jhon Contour of Herforde, And of the north party ther was slayne Sere Herry Latymere (age 32)⁴, sonne and heyre to the Lorde Latymere, Sere Rogere Pygot, knyghte, James Conya[r]s (age 36)⁵, sonne and heyre to Sere Jhon Conya[r]s (age 58), knyght, Olivere Audley⁶, squyere, Thomas Wakes sonne and heyre, William Mallerye, squyere, and many othere comyners, &c.

Note 1. A playne byyonde Banbury toune. Danesmoor is in the parish of Edgecote, near three hills of unequal size, and in their relative position approaching a triangle;" the spot now called Danesmoor is a small plantation of a few acres, but the name at this period had doubtless a much more extended application." - Baker's Northamptonshire, I. 500. This battle is commemorated in "Marwnad Thomas ab Rhosser, arglwydd Herast" of Lewis Glyn Cothi. Three things ought to be remarked, viz. that Herbert, who was beheaded, only made a codicil to his will, and not a new one, as commonly stated; that the battle took place on the Monday:

"Dyw Llun y bu waed a lladd:"

and that Herbert and his fellow captives were executed on the Wednesday-

"Marchog a las ddyw Merclur,"

as Gutto Glyn remarks in his poetical language. Cf. MS. Cotton. Otho, B. XIV. fol. 221, vo, where an erroneous date is given to the battle, - in quo cœsi multa milia [in which many thousands were slain]. In MS. Tann. Bodl. 2, fol. 104, vo. we find the field called "prelium ad Hegecote, seu Danysmore, prope Banburiam, dictam Banbery-Feld, seu Hegecote-Fyld [The battle at Hedgecote, or Danesmoor, near Banbury, called Banbury Field, or Hedgecote Field]." Hearne's fragment informs us that the land on which the battle was fought belonged to a person named Clarell. In the valuable collection of manuscripts at the seat of W. Ormsby Gore, Esq. are some verses in the Welsh language on this battle; see Sir Thomas Phillipps's Catalogue of these Manuscripts, p. 1.

Note 2. The names of the gentylmen that were slayne. See another and more extensive list in Itinerarium Willelmi de Worcestre, p. 120.1, although the major part of this catalogue differs from his. Worcester says that at least 168 of the nobility and gentry of Wales fell in this battle, and 1500 men on the English side.

Note 3. Herry Organ. sonne and heyre, i.e. the son and heir of Henry Organ.

Note 4. Sere Herry Latymere. Rather Sir Henry Neville, paternally a cousin-german of the great Earl of Warwick, and whose mother was Lady [his mother] Elizabeth Beauchamp (age 52), half-sister to the heiress [his aunt] Anne (age 43), whom the Earl of Warwick married. Leland, in describing the Beauchamp Chapel at Warwick, says: "There lyeth buried (as some saye) in the west end of our Lady Chapell one of the Nevilles L. Latemer, slayne at Edgcote field by Banbury (as some suppose), but there is neither tombe nor scripture seene. This was Sir Hen. Neville, sonne and heire of George Neville, Lord Latemer. But he was never Lord, for he dyed before his father. This Henry Neville was grandfather to the Lord Latemer now livinge." The fact of Sir Henry Neville, and of his brother-in-law John Dudley (age 42), also slain in the same battle, having been buried in the Beauchamp Chapel, is proved by the will of his mother Lady Latimer, who on the field of Edgcote lost her only son and the husband of her daughter. Before the close of the same year, (on the 30th Dec.) her husband died insane, Nichols's Beauchamp Monuments, 4to. p. 40. - J.G.N.

Note 5. Sir John Conyers of Hornby, com. Ebor. Kt.

Note 6. Olivere Audley, squyere. For Audley read Dudley. He was a son of John Lord Dudley, K.G. and brother of that John who was grandfather of John Duke of Northumberland. Beauchamp Monuments, p. 39.-J.G.N.

Chronicle of Edward Hall [1496-1548]. 26th July 1469. The Northern men incamped themself on the Southe hill. The erle of Penbroke and the lorde Stafford of Southwike (age 30), wer lodged at Banbery the daie before the feld whiche was sainct James daie, and there the erle of Pembroke, putte the Lorde Stattorde out of an Inne wherein he delighted muche to be, for the loue of a damosell that dwelled in the house: contrary to their mutuall agrement by them taken, whiche was, that whosoeuer obteined first a lodgyng, should not be deceiued nor remoued. After many great woordes and crakes, had betwene these twoo capitaines, the lorde Stafford of Southwyke, in greate dispite departed with his whole compaignie and band of Archers, leauyng the erle of Pembroke almoste desolate in the toune, whiche, with all diligence returned to his host, liyng in the feld vnpurueied of Archers, abidyng suche fortune as God would sende and prouide. Sir Henry Neuell (deceased) sonne to the [his father] Lorde Latimer (age 62), tooke with hym certain light horssemen, and skirmished with the Welshemen in the evenyng, even before their Campe, where he did diverse valiaunt feates of armes, but a litle to hardy, he went so farre forward that he was taken and yelded, and yet cruelly slain: whiche vnmercifull acte, the Welshemen sore ruled the next daie or night. For the Northren men beyng inflamed, & not a litle discontented, with the death of this noble man, in the mornyng valiauntly set on the Welshemenne, and by force of archers, caused theim quickely to descende the hill into the valey, where bothe the hostes fought. Therle of Penbroke behaued hymself like a hardy knight, and expert capitain, but his brother sir Richarde Herbert so valiauntly acquited hymself, that with his Polleaxe in his hand (as his enemies did afterward reporte) he twise by fine force passed through the battaill of his aduersaries, and without any mortall wounde returned. If euery one of his felowes and compaignions in armes, hud doen but halfe thactes, whiche he that daie by his noble prowes achiued, the Northremen had obteined neither sauetie nor victory.