Biography of John Brooke 7th Baron Cobham 1447-1512

On 22nd May 1455 the Wars of the Roses commenced with the First Battle of St Albans. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York [aged 43] commanded with Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury [aged 26], Richard Neville Earl Salisbury [aged 55], Edward Brooke 6th Baron Cobham [aged 40] and Walter Strickland [aged 44].

The Lancastrians...

Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 49] was killed. His son Henry [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Somerset, 2nd Marquess Dorset, 5th Earl Somerset, 2nd Earl Dorset. Note his father is frequently incorrectly referred to as the second Duke and Henry as the third Duke. His father's Dukedom, however, was a new creation.

Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland [aged 62] was killed. His son Henry [aged 33] succeeded 3rd Earl of Northumberland, 6th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 14th Baron Percy of Topcliffe. Eleanor Poynings Countess Northumberland [aged 33] by marriage Countess of Northumberland.

Thomas Clifford 8th Baron Clifford [aged 41] was killed. His son John [aged 20] succeeded 9th Baron de Clifford, 9th Lord Skipton. Margaret Bromflete Baroness Clifford [aged 21] by marriage Baroness de Clifford.

William Cotton [aged 45] and Richard Fortescue [aged 41] were killed.

Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 52] was wounded and captured.

King Henry VI of England and II of France [aged 33], John Sutton 1st Baron Dudley [aged 54] and Edmund Sutton [aged 30] were captured.

Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset was wounded. James Butler 1st Earl Wiltshire 5th Earl Ormonde [aged 34] and John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 55] fought.

Richard Cotton of Hampstall Ridware [aged 51] and his son William Cotton of Connington in Huntingdonshire [aged 27] were killed.

On 10th July 1460 the Yorkist army led by the future King Edward IV of England [aged 18] and including Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury [aged 31], Archbishop George Neville [aged 28], William Neville 1st Earl Kent [aged 55], [his father] Edward Brooke 6th Baron Cobham [aged 45] and John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton [aged 22] defeated the Lancastrian army at the 1460 Battle of Northampton.

Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent [aged 43] had started the day as part of the Lancastrian army but did nothing to prevent the Yorkist army attacking.

King Henry VI of England and II of France [aged 38] was captured.

Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 57] was killed. His grandson Henry [aged 5] succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 7th Earl Stafford, 8th Baron Stafford.

John Talbot 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 42] was killed. His son John [aged 11] succeeded 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl Waterford, 8th Baron Furnivall, 12th Baron Strange Blackmere, 9th Baron Talbot.

Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont [aged 37] was killed. [Baron Egremont of Egremont Castle in Cumberland extinct. Some authoirities state, however, that he left a son, Sir John Percy, who never assumed the title.]

John Beaumont 1st Viscount Beaumont [aged 50] was killed. His son William [aged 22] succeeded 2nd Viscount Beaumont, 7th Baron Beaumont.

William Lucy [aged 56] was killed apparently by servants of a member of the Stafford family who wanted his wife Margaret Fitzlewis [aged 21].

Thomas Tresham [aged 40] fought.

William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont and William Norreys [aged 19] were knighted.

Thomas "Bastard of Exeter" Holland was executed following the battle.

The battle was fought south of the River Nene [Map] in the grounds of Delapré Abbey.

On 17th April 1483 the coffin of Edward IV [deceased] was carried to Westminster Abbey [Map] by Edward Stanley 1st Baron Monteagle [aged 21], John Savage [aged 39], Thomas Wortley [aged 50], Thomas Molyneux [aged 38], probably John Welles 1st Viscount Welles [aged 33] who had married Edward's daughter Cecily), John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne [aged 41], Walter Hungerford [aged 19], Guy Wolston [aged 50], John Sapcote [aged 35], Thomas Tyrrell [aged 30], John Risley, Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 15], John Norreys, Louis de Bretelles and John Comyn 4th Lord Baddenoch.

Those in the procession included:

Thomas St Leger [aged 43], widow of Edward's sister Anne.

William Parr [aged 49].

John Astley.

William Stonor [aged 33].

Henry Ferrers [aged 40].

James Radclyffe [aged 43].

George Browne [aged 43].

Gilbert Debenham [aged 51].

John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 58] walked in front of the coffin with Edward's personal arms.

John Marlow Abbot Bermondsey followed by:

Bishop Thomas Kempe [aged 93].

Bishop John Hales [aged 83] (Bishop of Chester?).

Bishop Robert Stillington [aged 63].

Bishop Edward Story.

Bishop Richard Bell.

Bishop James Goldwell.

Bishop William Dudley [aged 58].

Bishop John Russell.

Cardinal John Morton [aged 63] (as Bishop of Ely).

[his uncle] Bishop Edmund Tuchet [aged 40] (as Bishop of Rochester).

Bishop Peter Courtenay, and.

Bishop Lionel Woodville [aged 36].

Archbishop Thomas Rotherham [aged 59] brought up the rear.

Cardinal Thomas Bourchier [aged 65], then Archbishop of Canterbury, took no part due to infirmity.

John de la Pole Earl Lincoln 1st [aged 21]; the King's nephew,.

William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 52].

Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset [aged 28].

William Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Huntingdon [aged 32] (some sources say Earl of Huntingindon?).

William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 57].

Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 48].

Richard Fiennes Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 68].

John Sutton 1st Baron Dudley [aged 82].

[his brother-in-law] George Neville 4th and 2nd Baron Abergavenny [aged 43].

John Tuchet 6th Baron Audley, 3rd Baron Tuchet [aged 57].

Walter Devereux Baron Ferrers of Chartley [aged 51].

Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle [aged 51].

Henry Lovell 9th Baron Marshal 8th Baron Morley [aged 7].

Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 30].

John Brooke 7th Baron Cobham [aged 35].

Richard Hastings Baron Willoughby [aged 50].

John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 45].

Thomas Bourchier.

Thomas Bourchier.