On 05 Jan 1453 brothers [his brother] John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 22) and Thomas Neville (age 23), William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke (age 30), brothers Edmund Tudor 1st Earl Richmond (age 22) and Jasper Tudor 1st Duke Bedford (age 21) and Roger Lewknor were knighted by King Henry VI (age 31) at Greenwich, Kent [Map].

On or before 24 Aug 1453 Thomas Neville (age 23) and Maud Stanhope 4th Baroness Cromwell Baroness Willoughby of Eresby were married. Maud Stanhope 4th Baroness Cromwell Baroness Willoughby of Eresby was the niece and heiress of Ralph Cromwell 3rd Baron Cromwell (age 50) meaning traditional Percy lands would become Neville lands. The Percy's, being the older family, especially Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont (age 30), took umbrage with the ensuing two year feud known as the Neville Percy Feud. He the son of Richard Neville Earl Salisbury (age 53) and Alice Montagu 5th Countess of Salisbury (age 46). He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 24 Aug 1453 John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 22) was ambushed at Heworth Moor York by Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont leading a force of 700 or more men when returning with his brother's wedding party from Tattershall Castle [Map] to Sheriff Hutton [Map].

On 20 Oct 1453 [his brother] John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 22), and his brothers Thomas Neville (age 23) and [his brother] Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 24), met with Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland (age 60) and to negotiate peace.

On 31 Oct 1454 or 01 Nov 1454 [his brother] John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 23) and Thomas Neville (age 24) captured Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont (age 31) and Richard Percy (age 28) in a skirmish known as the Battle of Stamford Bridge. [Note. The second battle at Stamford Bridge [Map] with the first being in 1066]. The brothers were taken to Middleham Castle [Map]. Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont was subsequently fined £11,200 in damages which, with an income of £100, he was unlikely to ever pay. He was, therefore, taken to Newgate Prison, London [Map] in which he stayed until he escaped in 1456.

Hall's Chronicle 1459. [23 Sep 1459]. The lord Audeley (age 61), accordyng to his commission, assembled aboue. x. M. men, and knowyng by his espials whiche way therle [[his father] Richard Neville Earl Salisbury (age 59)] kept, approched nere to hym on a faire plain called Blore Heath, within a mile of the toune of Drayton, in the countrey of Salope, commonly called Shropshire. The erle perceiuing by the liuery of the souldiors, that he was circumuented and likely to be trapped with the quenes power, determined rather there to abide the aduenture, with fame and honor, then farther to flie, with losse & reproche: & so encamped hymself all the night, on the side of a litle broke not very brode, but somewhat depe. In the mornyng earely, beyng the daie of. s. Tecle, he caused his souldiors to shote their rliorhtes, towarde the Lorde Awdeleys company, whiche laie on the otherside of the saied water, and then he and all his company, made a signe of retraite. The lorde Awdeley, remembryng not onely the trust that he was put in, but also the Quenes terrible commaundement, (whiche was to bryng to her presence, therle of Salisbury, quicke or ded) blewe vp his trumpet, and did set furth his voward, & sodainly passed the water. Therle of Salisbury, whiche knewe the slaightes, stratagemes, and the pollecies of warlike affaires, sodainly returned, and shortly encountred with the Lorde Awdeley and his chief Capitaines, or the residewe of his armie could passe the water. The fight was sore and dreadfull. Therle desiryng thesauyng of his life, and his aduersaries couetyng his destruccion, fought sore for the obteinyng of their purpose, but in conclusion, the erles army as men desperate of aide and succor, so egerly fought, that thei slewe the lorde Awdeley, and all his capitaines, and discomfited all the remnaunt of his people. In this battail wer slain, xxiiij. C. persos, but the greatest plague lighted on the Chesshire men, because one halfe of the shire, was one the one part, and the other on the other part, of whiche numbre wer sir Thomas Dutton, sir Ihon Dunne, & sir Hugh Venables. But therles twoo sonnes, the one called sir [his brother] Ihon Neuell (age 28), and the other sir Thomas (age 29), wer sore woiided, whiche soberly iorniyng into the Northcountrey thinkyng there to repose them selfes, wer in their iorney appreheded, by the quenes frendes, and conueyed to Chester: but their kepers deliuered them shortly, or els the Marchemen had destroyed the Gayles. Such fauor had the commons of Wales, to the duke of Yorkes band and his 'affinitie, that thei could suffre no wrong to be doen, nor euil worde to be spoken of hym or his frendcs.

Chronicle of Gregory 1459. 23 Sep 1459. Ande this year was done a grete jornaye at the Blowre Hethe by the [his father] Erle of Saulysbury (age 59) ande the Quenys galentys. And that day the King made vij knyghtys, first, Syr Robert Molyners, Syr John Daune, Syr Thomas Uttyng, Syr John Brembly, Syr Jon Stanley, Syr John Grysly, and Syr Rychard Hardon; and v of thes knyghtys were slayne full manly in the fylde, and many men of yemonry soore hurte, and a full nobylle knyght, the Lord Audeley (age 61), and Syr Thomas Hamdon, knyght, was the getynge of the fylde, and Thomas Squyer and Counteroller of the Pryncys house full sore hurte. And [the] batayle or jornay lastyd alle the aftyr none, fro one of the clocke tylle v aftyr non, and the chasse lastyd unto vij at the belle in the mornynge. And men were maymyd many one in the Quenys party. There were in the Quenys party vM [Note. 5000], and in that othyr party vC [Note. 500], a grete wondyr that evyr they might stonde the grete multytude not ferynge, the King beyng with yn x myle and the quene (age 29) with yn v myle at the castelle of Egyllyssale [Map]. But the Erle of Saulysbury hadde ben i-take, save only a Fryer Austyn schot gonnys [Note. shot guns] alle that nyght in a parke that was at the backe syde of the fylde, and by this mene the erle come to Duke of Yorke (age 48). And in the morowe they founde nothyr man ne ehylde in that parke but the fryer, and he said that for fere he a-bode in that parke alle that nyght. But in the mornyng, by-twyne the fylde and Chester, Syr John Dawne is son that was at home in his fadyrs place hadde worde that his fadyr was slayne; a-non he raysyd his tenantys and toke by-syde a lytyl towne i-namyd Torperlay [Map] Syr Thomas Nevyle (age 29), [his brother] Syr John Nevyle (age 28), and Syr Thomas Haryngdon (age 59), and brought them unto the castelle of Chester, ande there they a-boode tylle the batayle of Northehampton was done, &c.

Chronicle of Robert Fabyan 1459. 23 Sep 1459. And in processe of time after, as he was riding towarde [his father] Salysbury (age 59), or, after some, from his lodging toward London, the lord Audley (age 61), with a strong company, was assigned to meet with him, and as a prisoner to bring him unto London. Whereof the said Earl being warned, gathered unto him the more men, and keeping his journey, met with the said Lord Audley at a place callyd Blore Heth, where both companies ran together and had there a strong bickering; whereof in the end the Earl was victour, and slew there the Lord Audley and many of his retinue. At this skirmish were the. ii. sons of the said Earl sore wounded, named Sir Thomas (age 29) and Sir [his brother] John (age 28); the which shortly after, as they were going homewarde, were by some of the queen's party taken, and as prisoners sent unto Chester.

Chronicle of Gregory 1460. 30 Dec 1460. Ande the same year, the xxx [30] day of December, the Duke of Exceter (age 30), the Duke of Somersett (age 24), the Erle of Northehomberlond (age 39), the Lord Roos (age 33), the Lord Nevyle (age 50), the Lord ClyfForde (age 25), with many mo lordys, knyghtys, squyers, and gentyllys, and the commyns of the Quenys party, met with the Duke of Yorke (age 49) at Wakefylde [Map], and there they made a grete jorney a-pon the lord and Duke of Yorke, and toke him and the [his father] Erle of Saulysbury (age 60), the Erle of Rutlond (age 17), and the Lord Haryngdon (age 18), and Syr Thomas Nevyle (age 30), and Syr Thomas Haryngdon (age 60), and many mo knyghtys were take a slayne by syde alle the comyns. But this good Duke of Yorke with his lordys a-fore said loste her heddys; God have marcy on there soulys, for they loste in that jorneys the nombyr of xxvc [2500] men. And in the Quenys party were slay but ii c [200] men, &c.

Chronicle of England by Jean de Waurin Volume 6. Chapter 3.40. How the Duke of York (age 49) and the [his father] Earl of Salisbury (age 60) were defeated and killed through the treachery of Andrew Trollope and several other noble men.

The Duke of York, therefore, being retreated to Wakefield, upon hearing news that Queen Margaret was coming with a great force of armed men to fight him, accompanied by the Duke of Somerset, was greatly astonished, as he did not have sufficient troops at the moment to resist such great power. He and the Earl of Salisbury, along with others in their company, spoke together to conclude their affairs. They sent for men from all sides, fortifying themselves to the best of their ability within the town. However, all this was in vain because at the moment they were attacked, most of their men had gone out for foraging. Additionally, Andrew Trollope, who was a very cunning military man, told the Duke of Somerset that he knew well that they could not force the Duke of York out of the town without a great loss of men. He found a way throughout the night to dress his men in coats bearing the badge of the Ragged Staff, which belonged to the [his brother] Earl of Warwick (age 32) and were recognized as such, thus they appeared to be four hundred of the bravest men, well-instructed in what they had to do secretly. Their plan was to go straight to the town and tell the Duke of York that they came from the county of Lancashire to aid him.

When the Duke of York, who never suspected treachery, saw these companions approaching, he was very joyful and allowed them inside the town. That same night, the Duke of York ordered a strong guard because he knew well that the Duke of Somerset was in the fields, intending to confront him with all his might.

But when day broke, Andrew Trollope, accompanied by other soldiers all wearing the badge of the Ragged Staff, sent word to the Duke of York, without revealing his identity, that they were a large force come to his aid. The Duke was overjoyed and marched out of the town with the intention of engaging his enemies. At that moment, Andrew Trollope, the traitor, knowing that the Duke of Somerset was nearby, initiated the skirmish, and the Duke of Somerset, ready for action, charged fiercely upon the Duke of York and his men. Quickly, Andrew Trollope and his group, as well as those who had been sent by him into the town that night, turned against the Duke of York and his followers. In this battle, the Duke of York, the Earl of Rutland his son (age 17), the Earl of Salisbury, Sir Thomas Neville (age 30) his son, and many other noble men of their company were killed. This battle took place outside the town of Wakefield on the penultimate day of December in the year fourteen sixty. Queen Margaret was very joyful upon hearing this news, as were all those supporting her cause. On the other hand, the Earls of March and Warwick, who had lost their fathers in this battle, were deeply saddened and angered, but for the time being, they could not rectify the situation.

Chronicle of England by William of Worcester. On the 29th of December¹, at Wakefield, while the soldiers of the Duke of York (age 49) were wandering through the country seeking provisions, a dreadful battle occurred between the said Duke of Somerset (age 24), the Earl of Northumberland (age 39), and Lord Neville (age 50) with a large army, and the opposing party, where the Duke of York, Thomas Neville (age 30), son of the [his father] Earl of Salisbury (age 60), Thomas Harington (age 60), Thomas Parr, Edward Bourchier, James Pickering, and Henry Radford, as well as many other knights and esquires, and about two thousand commoners, were killed on the field. In the retreat after the battle, Lord Clifford killed, some say murdered, Lord Edmund, Earl of Rutland (age 17), son of the Duke of York, on the bridge at Wakefield [Map]. And on the same night, the Earl of Salisbury was captured by the servant of Andrew Trollope. On the next day, at Pontefract, the Bastard of Exeter killed the said Earl of Salisbury, where, by the counsel of the lords, the lifeless bodies of the Duke of York, the Earl of Salisbury, and Rutland, Thomas Neville, Edward Bowcher, Thomas Harington, Thomas Parre, James Pykeryng, and John Harrowe of London, mercer, were beheaded, and their heads were placed on various parts of York. They crowned the head of the Duke of York with a paper crown in mockery.

xxix. die mensis Decembris apud Wakfelde, gentibus ducis Eborum vagantibus per patriam pro victualibus quærendis, factum est execrabile bellum inter dictum ducem Somercetiæ, comitem Northumbriæ ac dominum Nevylle cum magno exercitu et partem aliam; ubi occubuerunt in campo dux Eboracensis, Thomas Nevil, filius comitis Sarum, Thomas Haryngtone, Thomas Parre, Edwardus Bowcher, Jacobus Pykeryng, et Henricus Rathforde, ac etiam multi alii milites et armigeri, et plebs ad duo millia. Et in fugiendo post campum super pontem apud Wakefelde dominus de Clyfforde occidit dominum Edmundum, comitem de Rutlande, filium ducis Eboraci. Et eadem nocte comes Sarum captus est per servientem Andreæ Trolloppe. Et in crastino apud Pountfrett bastardus Exoniæ occidit dictum comitem Sarum, ubi per consilium dominorum decollaverunt corpora mortua ducis Eboracensis, et comitis Sarum et Ruttland, Thomas Nevyle, Edwardi Boucher, Thomas Haryngton, Thomæ Parre, Jacobi Pykeryng, et Johannis Harrowe de London, mercer, posueruntque capita eorum super diversas partes Eboraci. Caput quoque ducis Eboraci in despectu coronaverunt carta.

Note. The Battle of Wakefield took place on the 30th of December 1460.