On this day in 1460 King Henry knights ten of his men including Thomas Stanley and the five year old grandson of the Duke of Buckingham.Both would be heavily involved in the demise of Richard III, twenty four and twenty five years later The Yorkists send Heralds and Bishops to the Lancastrian camp to negotiate, still maintaining they do not want to fight, only talk with the King. A Yorkist Bishop changes sides and urges the King not to negotiate but fight.Buckingham declares The Earl of Warwick shall not come to the Kings presence and if he comes he shall die. Warwick finally replies At 2 oclock I will speak with the King or I will die. It would be the last time that any negotiations would precede an English battle. Coppini, the Papal Legate excommunicates the Lancastrians and forbids them to have a christian burial. Warwick orders either spare the commoners or spare Greys men (depending on the source). As Warwick approaches with his men a cavalry battle takes place with 1300-1400 Lancastrians which according to Waurin lasts over an hour. They are pushed back to the now lost St. Leonards Bridge and cut down. The Yorkists capture the bridge and the Lancastrian cavalry commander is captured and executed. The Yorkists advance on the Lancastrian position, it would be the only time a fortified camp was assaulted during all thirty-seven years of the wars. Several accounts say that the Lancastrian guns fail to fire. Although the guns might not have worked, they were not defenseless and shower the Yorkists with up to 100,000 arrows. Despite this William Lucy in Dallington hears gunfire and races to join the King (was this then Yorkist gunfire?) When Edward Earl of March (later King Edward IV) and his men reach the defences, Lord Grey of Ruthin commanding the Lancastrian left flank and his men start helping the Yorkists into the camp. Its all over for the Lancastrians. A fight takes place around the Kings tent in which Buckingham, Egremont, Beaumont and Shrewsbury are all killed. So too is Vaux from Northampton. The King is captured by the Yorkists. Many Lancastrians try to flee. With the bridge under Yorkist control and the river under flood plus a myriad of smaller waterways that flow east and west between the Abbey and the town, they can only go east and lots of miniature battles take place across the landscape. Many are recorded as dying as they try to cross the river (probably Rushmills). William Lucy arrives on the battlefield only to be met by his wifes Yorkist lover, who kills him with an axe. The two marry shortly after.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 08:32:35 +0000
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