EDWARD IV.-1460 To 1483. LETTER CLXII.—(I. vol. i. p. 217.) This letter gives a very curious and authentic account of the bloody battle of Towton (a village about 10 miles S. W. from York), fought on Palm Sunday, the 29th of March, 1461; within a month after Edward's possess. ing himself of the crown, and upon the fate of which his future hopes of retaining it depended. The facts here related are those sent by the king himself to his mother Cecily Duchess of York, widow of Richard Duke of York, daughter to Ralph Nevile, Earl of Westmoreland. To my master, John Paston, in haste. PLEASE YOU to know and weet of such tidings as my Lady of York hath by a letter of credence under the sign-manual of our sovereign lord King Edward; which letter came unto our said lady this same day Eastern even1 at xj o'clock, and was seen and read by me, William Paston. First, our sovereign lord hath won the field; and upon the Monday next after Palm Sunday he was received into York with great solemnity and processions. And the mayor and commons of the said city made their means to have grace by Lord Montagu3 and Lord Berners, which, before the king's coming into the said city, desired him of grace for the said city, which granted them grace. On the king's part is slain Lord Fitzwalter, and Lord Scroop sore hurt; John Stafford [and] Horne of Kent be dead, and 1 Eastern eve was this year on the 4th of April. 'Palm Sunday fell on the 29th of March. This account therefore from the king did not arrive in London till six days after the battle. John Nevile, Lord Montagu, was, in 1464, created Earl of Northumberland, and, on his resignation of that title, in 1470, Marquis of Montagu; he fell in the battle of Barnet in 1471, fighting against King Edward. Sir John Bourchier, Lord Berners, in the battle of St. Alban's, in 1450, fought on the part of Henry VI.; but after that time he and his family espoused the cause of the Yorkists: he died in 1474. It does not appear from our baronages that there was at this time a Lord Fitzwalter; our historians however mention such a nobleman, as commanding at Ferry Bridge for Edward IV., where he was defeated and killed a few days before this battle; and this letter confirms the existence of such a title. John Lord Scroop, of Bolton, died in 1494., Humphrey Stafford (and) William Hastyngs made knights, with others; Blount is knighted, &c. 12 11 On the contrary part, is dead Lord Clifford,' Lord Nevile, 10 Lord Welles, Lord Willoughby, Anthony Lord Scales, 13 Lord Harry, and by supposition the Earl of Northumberland, 15 Andrew Trollop, with many others, gentle and commons, to the number of twenty thousand. Item, King Harry, the queen, the prince, Duke of Somerset, 16 Duke of Exeter,17 Lord 7 John Stafford and Humphrey Stafford were both of the family of the Duke of Buckingham. 8 William Hastings was soon after created Lord Hastings, and in 1483 beheaded by the command of Richard III. 9 John Lord Clifford, killed at Ferry Bridge, the day before the battle of Towton, was the man who basely stabbed Edmund Earl of Rutland, immediately after the battle of Wakefield, in December 1460. 10 John Lord Nevile. 11 Lionel Lord Welles. 12 Richard Welles, a son of Lord Welles, in 1455 was summoned as Lord Willoughby in right of his wife, Joanna, heir of that great warrior Robert Lord Willoughby. 13 Anthony Widville, Lord Scales, was not killed in this battle, but became afterwards Earl Rivers, and died in 1491. This nobleman and Lord Montagu must have been created lords immediately on the accession of Edward IV. 14 Lord Harry:-query, Stafford? 15 Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, jointly commanded with the Duke of Somerset, and was then slain, being about the age of 36 years. 16 Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, was taken prisoner at the battle of Hexham in 1464, and beheaded by order of Edward IV. 17 Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter, took sanctuary at Westminster, after the battle of Barnet, in 1471; went hence privately abroad, where he lived in great poverty. Roos be fled into Scotland, and they be chased and followed, &c. We send no er [earlier]2 unto you because we had none certain till now; for unto this day London was as sorry city as might; and because Spordams had no certain tidings, we thought ye should take them a worth [at their worth]3 till more certain. Item, Thorp Waterfield is yielded as Spordams can tell you. And Jesu speed you; we pray you that this tidings my mother may know. By your brother, W. PASTON. TH. PLAYTERS. On a piece of paper pinned to the above letter, is a list of the names of the noblemen and knights, and the number of soldiers LETTER CLXIII.—(II. vol. i. p. 223.) From hence we learn some further particulars relative to the battle of Towton, and of the proceedings after it; particularly of the besieging of a place where Henry VI. was, and from which he might have been easily stolen away. This account differs from that given by our historians, who say that the king, &c. fled directly into Scotland. [There seems no authority for the fact. It is indeed reported as hearsay only; nor is there any place in Yorkshire with a name like "Coroumbr," or at least none such able to stand a siege.] To my master, John Paston, Esq. PLEASE your mastership to weet, that I have spoken with Essex in the matter that ye weet of, and find him by his talking well disposed; notwithstanding he will not fall to no conclusion to engross up the matter till the chief baron be come to London, and that he be made privy to the matter; which we look after this same second Saturday after Easter. And as for Nottingham he is not yet coming to London. Item, as for tidings, it is noised and told for truth of men of worship and others, that the Earl of Wiltshire is taken, Doctor Morton and Doctor Makerell, and be brought to the king at York. Mast William 7 also spoke with a man that saw them. Item, Sir, I hear of Sir John Borceter 8 and Christopher Hanson that Harry the VIth is in a place in Yorkshire (which) is called Coroumber, such a name it hath, or much like. And there is siege laid about, and divers esquires of the Earl of Northumberland and (have) gathered them together a five or six thousand men, to byger (fight) with the siege, that in the mean while Harry the Sixth might have have been stolen 6 This number is less than that given by [some of our historians. 7 William Paston I believe is here meant. 8 Sir John Bourchier, query? 9 [Byger here is bicker, to skirmish, rather than to fight it occurs again a few lines below. The slaying of 4000 men out of 5000 seems an exaggerated state ment.] away at a little postern on the back side; at which byker be slain four thousand men of the north, Sir Robert of Ocle (q. if Ogle?), and Conyers lyeth the siege on our side, and they it is that have done this act. Some say the queen, Somerset, and the prince should be there. Item, it is talked now for truth the Earl of Northumberland1 is dead. Item, the Earl of Devonshire is dead justly. Item, my Lord Chancellor 2 is to York. Item, the king and the lords come not here before Whitsuntide as it is said. Item, Sir, soon upon the chief baron's coming I shall send you a letter with God's LETTER CLXIV.-(I. vol. iv. p. 3.) We have here a most curious account of the difficulties started, and the delays craved, in a suit at law, and we might easily mistake this for a modern letter from a solicitor to his client. It shows us likewise that the difference of manners nearly four hundred years ago and at present is not so great as we are too apt to think it. To my right reverend and worshipful John Paston, Esq., or to my mistress his wife. AFTER my most special recommendation, like your mastership (to) weet that the matter for you and my mistress your mother against Powtrell and Tanfield hath been called upon as diligently and as hastily this term as it might be, and alway days given them by the court to answer; and then they took small exceptions and trifled forth the court; and alway excused them because the bill is long, and his counsel had no leisure to see it; and they prayed hearing of the testament of my master your father," and thereof made another matter, and argued it to put them from it, because they had emparled to us (craved respite of us) before; and then Hillingworth, to drive it over this term, alleged variance betwixt the bill and the testament, that John By this account it appears that the Earl of Northumberland was not slain in the battle, but died of his wounds some days after. George Nevile, Bishop of Exeter, and Lord Chancellor. 3 Whitsunday, 20th of May. Thomas Playters was of a good family in the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, and at this time seems to have been an attendant about the court. In 1623 the family was honoured with the title of baronet. 5 Sir William Paston, the judge, who died in 1444. 6 [Emparled is the licence or privilege of a defendant, granted on motion, to have delay of trial, to see VOL I. Damme was named in the testament Joh Dawme, in which case now the court must have sight of the said testament, wherefore ye must send it up the beginning of the next term, or else we shall have no speed in the matter. And therefore, mistress, if my master be not come home, and ye have not the said testament in your keeping, that then it please you to speak unto my mistress your mother-in-law8 for the said testament, that I might readily have it here, and that it be sealed in a box and sent to me, and I shall keep it safe with God's grace. And as for tidings in good faith we have none, save the Earl of Wiltshire's head is set on London Bridge. Master William (Paston) is ridden him to if he can settle the matter amicably by talking to the plaintiff, and thus to determine what answer he shall make to the plaintiff's action.] 7 [This is a most curious objection to have made at a time when the orthography of the language was wholly unsettled, and when proper names were diversely written, even by their owners. In the originals of these letters variations are constantly occurring.] Dame Agnes Paston, the widow of the judge. 9 James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond, was taken at the battle of Towton, and soon afterwards beheaded. He had been twice Lord High Treasurer. K |