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 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.

Croyland Chronicle 1461. 30 Dec 1460. After the conclusion of these matters, towards the close of the same year, it being the week of our Lord's Nativity, the said Richard, duke of York, incautiously engaged the northern army at Wakefield which was fighting for the king, without waiting to bring up the whole of his own forces; upon which, a charge was made by the enemy on his men, and he was without any mercy or respect relentlessly slain. There fell with him at the same place many noble and illustrious men; and countless numbers of the common people, who had followed him, met their deaths there, and all to no purpose.

Chronicle of Enguerrand de Monstrelet Volume 10 Chapter 8. 30 Dec 1460. This treaty was so contrary to the will and interests of the queen that she raised another army, of all who were inchned to her and her son the prince of Wales, and took the field, to offer battle to the duke of York, who had increased his army as strongly as possible, to defend his rights. On the first day of January, in this year, the battle took place, which was very bloody, and hardly contested; but this time, fortune turned against the duke, who was made prisoner, together with his second son and the earl of Salisbury. Shortly after, the queen had them beheaded, and their heads put on the points of three lances : and on the head of the duke was placed, by way of derision, a paper crown, to denote his eagerness to be king, and his having failed in the attempt. The earl of Warwick¹ found means to escape after the battle, and quit the kingdom, which he did in a small boat, with great danger, and arrived safely at his government of Calais.

Note 1. The earl of Warwick — was not present at this battle, for he and the duke of Norfolk had the charge of king Henry and of the city of London. It was from the second battle of St Alban's, that he fled to Calais.

Chronicle of St Albans by Abbot John Whethamstede. 30 Dec 1460. Battle of Wakefield.

Hearing this, the northerners, and their leaders, who always schemed and plotted, sat diligently, and often mixing honey with gall and sweet marjoram with bitterness, observed how the southerners were somewhat lax in their camps. The southerners wandered in search of provisions, not being always on their guard, and not fully prepared in arms against the enemy's ambushes and invasions. Then, contrary to the promised faith and before the appointed day of battle, they rushed upon them, overwhelming them with the weight of their multitude, causing many to fall in the field and some to flee from the field; they captured two of the said lords in battle and treated them, especially the Duke of York, with much mockery. For they set him upon a small anthill and made a humble wreath made of marsh grass and placed it on his head in the manner of a crown, just like the Jews did before the Lord, they bent their knees before him, saying mockingly, "Hail, king without rule. Hail, king without inheritance. Hail, duke and prince, without any people at all, and without possession." With these and various other disgraceful and reproachful words against him, they finally compelled him to relinquish the claim of his rightful justice through the severing of his head.

Audientes autem Boreales, eorumque duces, qui semper in dolo, semper in insidiis, studiose sederant, frequentiusque favum cum felle, marrubium quoque cum melle, propinare consueverunt, quomodo Australes se in castris paulisper remisse regerent, vagarenturque in partibus pro cumulandis victualibus, nec se redderent omni hora bene cautos, ac plene paratos in armis adversus insidias hostium, et invasiones; mox, contra fidem præstitam, et citra diem belli appunctuatum, irruerunt super eos, moleque suæ multitudinis ipsos opprimentes, coegerunt plures in campo cadere, nonnullos de campo fugere; duos vero Dominos dictos ceperunt in bello ipsosque, et præcipue Ducem Eboracensem, multum ludibriose intractavere. Nam statuentes eum super unum parvum formicarium colliculum, et quoddam sertum vile, ex palustri gramine confectum, imponentes per modum coronæ super caput suum, non aliter quam Judæi coram Domino, incurvaverunt genua sua coram ipso, dicentes illusorie, "Ave, rex, sine regimine. Ave, rex, absque hæreditate. Ave, dux et princeps, absque omni populo penitus, et possessione." Et hiis, una cum aliis variis, in eum probrose opprobrioseque dictis, coegerunt ipsum demum, per capitis abscissionem, clameum relinquere suæ justitiæ vendicationis.

Chronicle of England by Jean de Waurin Volume 6. Chapter 3.40. How the Duke of York (age 49) and the 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 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 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.

Chronicle of Robert Fabyan 1460. 30 Dec 1460. Wherof the quene with hyr lordys beynge ware, & hauynge with them a great strength of northerne, mette w^t the duke of Yorke vpon the. xxx. daye of December nere a towne in the northe callyd Wakefelde, were atwene them was foughten a sharpe fyght, in y^e whiche the duke of Yorke was slayen, w^t his sone callyd erle of Rutlande, & syr Thomas Neuyll, sone vnto the erle of Salesbury, with many other, & y^e erle of Salesbury was there taken on lyne with dyuerse other. Whan the lordys vpon the quenys partye hadde gotten this vyctory, anon they sent theyr prysoners vnto Pountfreyt, the whiche were after there behedyd, that is to meane, the erle of Salesbury, a man of Lodon, namyd lohn Harowe, and an other capytayne namyd Hanson, whose heddys were sent vnto Yorke, and there set vpon the gatys.

Hall's Chronicle 1460. 30 Dec 1460. Therle of Salisbury and other his frendes, seing his corage, resolued theselfes to his opinion, & ordered their men, and set them furth in Warlike fashion, for their moste aduauntage. The Duke of Somerset and other of the queues part, knowyng perfidy, that if the Duke gat the victory, their daies wer rninished, and their liuynges left bare, like men quickened and exasperate, for the safegard of their lifes, and defence of their goodes, determined to abide the chaunce, and to espie their mo=te aduauntage, and so appointed the lorde Clifford (age 25), to lye in the one stale, and the Erie of Wilshire in the other, and thei theimselfes kept the mayne battaill. The duke of Yorke with his people, discended doune the hill in good ordre and array, & was suffered to passe foreward, toward the mayne battaill: but when he was in the plain ground betwene his Castle and the toune of Wakefelde, he was enuironed on euery side, like a fish in a net, or a deere in a buckestall: so that he manfully fightyng, was within halfe an houre slain and ded, and his whole army discomfited, & with hym died of his trusty frendes, his two bastard vncles, sir Ihon, & sir Hugh Mortimers, sir Dauy Halle his chief counsailor, sir Hugh Hastynges, sir Thomas Neuel, William and Thomas Aparre, bothe brethren, and twoo thousande and eight hundred other, wherof many wer young gentlemen, and heires of greate parentage in the Southe parte, whose linages reuenged their dealhes, within foure Monethes, next and immediatly insuyng. In this conflicte was wounded and taken prisoner, Richarde Erie of Salisbury, sir Richard Lymbrike, Raufe Stanley, Ihon Harow, Capitain Hauson, and diuerse other. While this battaill was in fightyng, a prieste prieste called sir Robert Aspall, chappelain and schole master to the yong erle of Rutland ii. sonne to the aboue named duke of Yorke, scace of y^e age of. xii. yeres, a faire gentletman, and a maydenlike person, perceiuyng y^t flight was more sauegard, then tariyng, bothc for him and his master, secretly conueyed therle out of y^e felde, by the lord Cliffordes bande, toward the towne, but or he coulde enter into a house, he was by the sayd lord Clifford espied, folowed, and taken, and by reson of his apparell, demaunded what he was. The yong gentelman dismaied, had not a word to speake, but kneled on his knees imploryng mercy, and desiryng grace, both with holding vp his handes and making dolorous countinance, for his speache was gone for feare. Saue him sayde his Chappelein, for he is a princes sonne, and peraduenture may do you good hereafter. With that word, the lord Clifford marked him and sayde: by Gods blode, thy father slew myne, and so wil I do the and all thy kyn, and with that woord, stacke the erle to y^e hart with his dagger, and bad his Chappeleyn here the erles mother & brother worde what he had done, and sayde. In this acte the lord Clyffbrd was accompted a tyraunt, and no gentelman, for the propertie of the Lyon, which is a furious and an vnreasonable beaste, is to be cruell to them that withstaride hym, and gentle to such as prostrate or humiliate them selfes before him. Yet this cruell Clifforde, & deadly bloudsupper not content with this homicyde, or chyldkillyng, came to y^e place wher the dead corps of the duke of Yorke lay, and caused his head to be stryken of, and set on it a croune of paper, & so fixed it on a pole, & presented it to the Quene, not lyeng farre from the felde, in great despite, and much derision, saiyng: Madame, your warre is done, here is your kinges raunsome, at which present, was much ioy, and great reioysing, but many laughed then, that sore lamented after, as the Quene her self, and her sonne: And many were glad then of other mens deaths, not knowing that their awne were nere at hande, as the lord Clifford, and other.

Holinshed's Chronicle 1460. 30 Dec 1460. Now she, hauing in hir companie the prince hir sonne the dukes of Excester and Summerset, the earle of Deuonshire, the lord Clifford, the lord Ros, and in effect all the lords of the north parts, with eightéene thousand men, or (as some write) two and twentie thousand, marched from Yorke to Wakefield, and bad base to the duke, euen before his castell gates. He hauing with him not fullie fiue thousand persons, contrarie to the minds of his faithfull councellors would needs issue foorth to fight with his enimies. The duke of Summerset and the quéenes part, casting vpon their most aduantage, appointed the lord Clifford to lie in one stale, and the earle of Wilshire in another, and the duke with other to kéepe the maine battell. The duke of Yorke with his people descended downe the hill in good order and arraie, and was suffered to passe on towards the maine battell. But when he was in the plaine field betweene his castell and the towne of Wakefield,The battell at Wakefield. he was inuironed on euerie side, like fish in a net, so that though he fought manfullie,The duke of Yorke slaine. yet was he within halfe an houre slaine and dead, and his whole armie discomfited: with him died of his trustie fréends, his two bastard vncles, sir Iohn and sir Hugh Mortimers, sir Dauie Hall, sir Hugh Hastings, sir Thomas Neuill, William and Thomas Aparre, both brethren; and two thousand and eight hundred others, whereof manie were yoong gentlemen, and heires of great parentage in the south parts, whose kin reuenged their deaths within foure moneths next, as after shall appeare.

1897. Monument to Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York (age 49) on Manygates Lane [Map] at the location where he is traditionally thought to have been killed at the Battle of Wakefield.

Hall's Chronicle 1460. 31 Dec 1460. But surely, mans nature is so frayle, that thinges passed be sone forgotten, and mischiefes to come, be not forsene. After this victory by y^e Quene and her parte obteyned, she caused the erle of Salisbury, with all the other prisoners, to bee sente to Pomfret, and there to bee behedded, and sent all their heddes, and the dukes head of Yorke, to be set vpon poles, oner the gate of the citie of Yorke, in despite of them, and their lignage: whose chyldren shortly reuenged their fathers querell, both to the Quenes extreme perdicion, and the vtter vndoynge of her husband and sonne. This ende had the valeant lord, Rychard Plantagenet, duke of Yorke, & this fyne ensued of his to much hardines.

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 09 Jan 1461. Potenze Estere. Inghilterra. Milan Archives. 53. Francesco Coppino, Bishop of Terni, Papal Legate, to Francesco Sforza, Duke of Milan¹.

I trust all will be remedied, though the perils are great, the Earl of Warwick being here with the king, who, together with the neighbouring population, is well disposed towards my intention. I have recommended them in the meanwhile not to give battle to desperate enemies, who are, moreover, strong in consequence of this victory, but to remain on the defensive until Easter. In the meantime I am, with the consent of the majority, negotiating an agreement by fair means; and my reputation must receive support from Rome, my legation and Warwick requiring nothing else. For its attainment letters and commissions have been drawn up here in conformity with my wishes, as you will learn from Messer Antonio. I shall have effected wonders if the affair succeed. A large army is now being formed, and after despatching these matters, which will occupy but few days, the king will advance, being guided by one who has the wish, the victory being recent, although he did not indicate this openly to me: it will suffice for the accomplishment of our affair.

London, the 9th January, 1461.

[Italian.]

Note 1. Venetian Calendar, vol. i. No. 361; written between the lines of the letter to the Duke, dated the 11th January (below), in the bishop's own hand and in sympathetic ink.

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 11 Jan 1461. Potenze Estere. Inghilterra. Milan Archives. 56. Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, to Pope Pius II¹.

Your Holiness must not be troubled if you have heard of the events in England and of the destruction of some of my kinsmen in the battle against our enemies. With the help of God and the king, who is excellently disposed, all will end well. We shall obtain either a fair and sure peace or victory, especially if you confer the long-expected promotion on your legate. The people will then see that our adversaries, who daily scorn your authority and the legate's, and say the latter has no power and is no legate, adding marvellous falsehoods to make him unpopular, to the detriment of the Church and the king. If, according to your former letters, you value my allegiance and the allegiance of those who are conscientiously aiding the king and the legate (in conformity with the statement of Dom. Antonio della Torre, his Majesty's ambassador), it will be necessary so to deal with us and the legate that all may know such to be the fact, and that he may bear the cross which you sent him without envy and opposition on the part of our two archbishops and primates, as dom. Antonio, the bearer, can inform you. Be pleased to give him full credence, and do not desert me and the others, whom you formerly received as sons, for eventually you will see us end well and devoutly. The king sends his recommendations and desires certain concessions, which Antonio will declare.

London, the 11th January, 1461.

[Latin; copy.]

Note 1. Venetian Calendar, vol. i. No. 363.

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 01 Feb 1461. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. 62. Prospero de Camulio, Milanese Ambassador to the French Court to Cicho Symoneti, Secretary to the Duke of Milan.

The news from England is that the queen has recently fought Battle of Wakefield with the Duke of York and taken York, which is a fine city. The king and the Earl of Warwick thought that the forces of the duke and of the earl's father and brothers were sufficiently strong, but they were defeated, and there were slain the duke, his son, the Earl of Warwick's father and his two sons and 12,000 to 16,000 men. Many others, the numbers unknown, were slain in other battles subsequently; it is said to amount to thousands. When the king heard this he was much moved, although the Duke of York seems rather to have been slain out of hatred for having claimed the kingdom than anything else. It was decided that the Earl of Warwick should go to avenge the affront, and he has gone with 60,000 combatants; some say more. Things remain in the balance, and so the Dauphin considers that I must not at present think of going to do anything in England, and just the same with the Burgundians.

Ghent (Genepre), 1st. February, 1461.

[Italian; the words in italics deciphered.]