Chronicle of Gregory 1461. Ande the xvij day nexte folowynge Kyng Harry (age 39) roode to Synt Albonys [Map], and the Duke of Northefolke (age 45) with hym, the [his brother] Erle of Warwycke (age 32), the Erle of Arundelle (age 43), the [his brother] Lorde Bouser (age 30), the Lorde Bonvyle (age 68), with many grete lordys, knyghtys, and squyers, and commyns of an C [Hundred] Ml men. And there they hadde a grete batayle whythe the Quene (age 30), for she come ever on fro the jornaye of Wackefylde tylle sche come to Synt Albonys, with alle the lordys a fore sayde; and hyr mayny and every lorde ys men bare hyr lordys leverey, that every man myghte knowe hys owne feleschippe by hys lyverey. And be-syde alle that, every man and lorde bare the Pryncys (age 7) levery, that was a bende of crymesyn and blacke with esteryge ys fetherys. The substance that gate that fylde were howseholde men and feyd men. I wene there were not v Mlmen that fought in the Quenys party, for [t]emoste parte of Northeryn men fledde a-way, and sum were take and spoylyd owte of hyr harnysse by the way as they fledde. And sum of them robbyd evyr as they yede, a petyffulle thynge hit ys to hyre hit. But the day before that batayle there was a jornay at Dunstapyl [Map]; but the kyngys mayny lackyd good gydyng, for sum were but newe men of warre, for the chevyste captayne was a boucher of the same towne; and there were the kyngys mayny ovyr throughe only by the Northeryn men. And sone aftyr the bocher, for schame of hys sympylle gydynge and loste of the men, the nombyr of viij C, for very sorowe as hyt ys sayde, hynge hym selfe; and sum men sayde that hyt was for loste of hys goode, but dede he ys-God knowythe the trought.

And in the myddys of the batayle Kynge Harry (age 39) wente unto hys Quene (age 30) and for-soke alle hys lordys, ande truste better to hyr party thenne unto hys owne lordys. And thenn thoroughe grete labur the Duke of Northefolke (age 45) and the Erle of Warwycke (age 32) a schapyd a-waye; the Byschoppe of Exceter (age 29), that tyme Chaunceler of Ingelond, and brother unto the Erle of Warwycke, the Lorde Bouser (age 30), whythe many othyr knyghtys, squyers, and comyns fledde, and many men slayne in bothe partys. And the Lorde Bonevyle (age 68) was be-heddyd, the comyn sayynge that hys longage causyd hym to dye. The Prynce (age 7) was jugge ys owne sylfe. Ande ther was slayne that manly knyght Syr Thomas Keryel (age 65). The nomber of ded men was xxxv C an moo [t]at were slayne. The lordys in Kyng Harrys (age 39) party pycchyd a fylde and fortefyd hyt fulle stronge, and lyke unwyse men brake hyr raye and fyld and toke a-nothyr, and or that they were alle sette a buskyd to batayle, the Quenys parte was at hond whythe hem in towne of Synt Albonys [Map], and then alle [t]yng was to seke and owte of ordyr, for hyr pryckyers come not home to bryng no tydyng howe ny that the Quene (age 30) was, save one come and sayd that she was ix myle of. And ar the goners and borgeners couthe levylle hyr gonnys they were besely fyghtyng, and many a gynne of wer was ordaynyd that stode in lytylle a-vayle or nought; for the burgeners hadde suche instrumentys that wolde schute bothe pellettys of ledde and arowys of an elle of lenghthe with vj fetherys, iij in myddys and iij at the othyr ende, with a grete myghty hedde of yryn at the othyr ende, and wylde fyre with alle. Alle thes iij thyngys they myght schute welle and esely at onys, but in tyme of nede they couthe not schut not one of thes, but the fyre turnyd backe a-pon them that wold schute thys iij thyngys. Also they hadde nettys made of grete cordys of iiij fethem of lengthe and of iiij fote brode, lyke unto an haye, and at every ij knott there was an nayl stondyng uppe ryght, that there couthe no man passe ovyr hyt by lyckely hode but he shulde be hurte. Alle so they hadde pavysse bore as a dore i-made with a staffe foldynge uppe and downe to sette the pavys where the lykyd, and loupys with schyttyng wyndowys to schute owte at, they stondyng by hynde [t]e pavys, and the pavys as fulle of iijdnayle aftyr ordyr as they myght stonde. And whenn hyr schotte was spende and done they caste the pavysse by-fore hem, thenn there myght noo man come unto them ovyr the pavysse for the naylys that stode up-ryghte, but yf he wolde myschyffe hym sylfe. Alle so they hadde a thynge made lyke unto a latysse fulle of naylys as the net was, but hit wolde be mevyd as a man wolde; a man myght bryse hyt to-gedyr that the lengythe wolde be more then ij yerdys long, and yf he wolde he myght hale hyt a brode, thenn hit wolde be iiij square. And that servyd to lye at gappys there at horsemen wolde entyr yn, and many a caltrappe. And as the substaunce of men of worschyppe that wylle not glose nor cory favyl for no parcyallyte, they cowthe not undyrstond that alle thys ordenaunce dyd any goode or harme but yf hyt were a mong us in owre parte with Kyng Harry (age 39). There fore hyt ys moche lefte, and men take hem to mallys of ledde, bowys, swyrdys, gleyvys, and axys. As for speremen they ben good to ryde be-fore the foote men and ete and drynke uppe hyr vetayle, and many moo suche prety thyngys they doo, holde me excusyd thoughe I say the beste, for in the fote men ys alle the tryste.

Warkworth's Chronicle 1464. 01 May 1464. And whiles the seyde Erle of Warwyke (age 35) was in Fraunce, the Kynge was wedded to Elisabethe Gray (age 27)¹, wedow, the qwiche Sere Jhon Gray that was hyre housbonde was slayne at Yorke felde¹ in Kynge Herry partye, and the same Elisabeth was doughtere to the Lorde Ryvers, and the weddynge was prevely in a secrete place, the fyrst day of Maye the yere above seide. And when the Erle of Warwyke (age 35) come home and herde hereof, thenne was he gretely displesyd withe the Kyng, and after that rose grete discencyone evere more and more betwene the Kyng and hym, for that and other, &c, And thenne the Kyng put oute of the Chaunceler-schepp the Bysshope of Excetre (age 32)², brother to the Erle of Warwyke (age 35), and made the Bysshoppe of Bathe (age 44)³ Chaunceler of Englonde, After that the Erle of Warwyke (age 35) toke to hyme in fee as many knyghtys, squyers, and gentylmenne as he myght, to be stronge, and Kyng Edwarde dide that he myght to feble the Erles powere⁴. And yett thei were acorded diverse tymes, but thei nevere loffyd togedere aftere.

Note 1. The Kynge was wedded to Elizabethe Gray. See a most quaint narrative of this marriage in William Habington's Historie of Edward the Fourth, fol. 1640, pp. 33-35. I find it stated in one place (MS. Harl. 2408.) that Edward's mother attempted to hinder the marriage, by causing "another contract to be alleadged made by him with the Lady Elizabeth Lucy, on whom he had begot a child befor." She seems, indeed, to have been most hostile to this imprudent and unpopular connexion:

Married a woman? married indeed!

Here is a marriage that befits a king!

It is no marvaile it was done in hast:

Here is a bridall, and with hell to boote,

You have made worke."

Heywood's First Part of Edward IV. Sig. A. ij.

The author of Hearne's fragment, however, speaks in praise of the marriage, "Howbeit that lewde felow that drew this last brent cronicles, abusid himsel gretely in his disordrid wrizting for lakke of knowlege." (P. 293.)

Note 1. Slayne at Yorke felde. Sir John Grey² was slain at the second battle of St. Alban's, fought on the 17th Feb. 1460-1. - J.G.N.

Note 2. The Bysshope of Excetre. George Neville (age 32), made Chancellor the 25th July 1460. He was translated to the archbishopric of York, 17th June 1465. - J.G.N.

Note 3. The Bysshope of Bath. Robert Stillington (age 44). He did not receive the seal until the 8th June 1468, previously to which Robert Kirkham had been Keeper. - J.G.N.

Note 4. Kyng Edwarde dide that he myght to feble the Erles powere. We have, however, in an act passed subsequently to this period, an especial clause that the same act "be not prejudiciall or hurtyng unto Richard Neville, Erle of Warrewyk.” — Rot. Parl. 4 Edw. IV.

Warkworth's Chronicle 1473. 25 Apr 1472. Also this yere, or a lytelle before, George the Archebysshoppe of Yorke (age 40), and brother to the Erle of Warwyke, was withe Kynge Edwarde at Wynsoure, and huntede, and hade there ryghte good chere, and supposid he hade stonde in grete favour with the Kynge: for the Kynge seid to the sayde Archebyschope that he wuld come for to hunte and disporte withe hyme in his manere at Moore; whereof he was ryghte glade, and toke his leve and went home to make purvyaunce therfore; and fett oute of Londone, and dyverse other places, alle his plate and othere stuffe that he hade hyde after Barnet felde and Teukysbury feld; and also borowede more stuff of other menne, and purveyde for the Kynge for two or iij. dayes for mete and drynke and logynge, and arayed as rychely and as plesauntly as he coude. And the day afore the Kynge schulde have comyne to the Archebysshoppe, to the seid manere of Moore, whiche the saide Archebisshoppe hade purchasshed and byllede¹ it ryghte comodiusly and plesauntly, the Kynge send a gentylman to the seide Archebisshoppe, and commaundyd him to come to Wyndsoure to hyme; and asone as he came he was arested and apeched of hye treysone, that he schuld helpe the Erle of Oxenforde; and anone ryght he was put to warde. And forthewithe Sere William of Parre, knyghte, and Thomas Vaghan, squyre, withe othere many dyverse gentilmenne and yomen, were sent to the seide manere of Moore; and ther by the Kynges comawndement seysede the seid manere into the Kynges handes, and alle the good that was therin, whiche was worthe xx. M^l. or more, and alle other lordschippes and landes that the seid bysshoppe hade withein Englonde, and alle his stuff and rychesse withein alle his lordschippes; and sent the same bisschoppe overe the see to Caleis, and from thens to the castelle of Hammys, and ther he was kepte presonere many a day; and the Kynge alle that seasone toke the prophete of the Archebysshopperyche, &c. And anone after the Kynge brake the seyd Archebysschoppes mytere, in the whiche were fulle many ryche stones and preciouse, and made therof a croune for hyme self. And alle his other juels, plate, and stuff, the Kynge gaff it to his eldest sonne and heyre Prynce Edward: for the sayd Archebisshoppe hade be Chaunselere of Englond many dayes, and he and his brotheres hade the reule of the lande, and hade gaderyde grete rychesse many yeres, whiche in one day was lost; and alle be the hye jugement of ryghtwisnes (as many manne seide be hym) for his grete covetousenes, and had no pyte of Kynge Harry menne, and was cause of many mannys undoynge for Kynge Edwardys sake, if he myghte gete any good by hym. Wherefore suche goodes as were gaderide with synne, were loste with sorwe. And also menne supposid for cause he was duble to Kynge Herry, and kepte hym in Londone, where he wulde a be at Westmynstere, he hade a lettere send frome Kynge Edward to kepe hym oute of sanctuary, and he hade his charture send hym; where he had be a trewe manne to Kynge Herry, as the comons of Londone were, Kynge Edward hade not comene into Londone afore Barnet felde, &c.

Note 1. Hade purchased and byllede. Moor Park in Hertfordshire, now the seat of the Marquess of Westminster. Clutterbuck (History of Hertfordshire, i. 191) states that the Archbishop had license to inclose 600 acres of pasture and land in Rickmersworth and Watford for a park, and to embattle the site of the manor of Moor in Rickmersworth; and quotes for authority Pat. 9. H. VI. m. 10; but George Neville was then unborn, and on further inquiry we find that the grant was made five years earlier, to Henry (Beaufort) Bishop of Winchester: "Quod Henr' Ep'us Winton' et alii possint kernell' manerium suam de More in Rickmansworth, ac imparcare sexcent, acras terræ, & c. ac liber' warrenn [That Bishop Henry of Winchester and others may enclose their manor of More in Rickmansworth, and impark six hundred acres of land, etc., and have free warren there].' ib'm " 2 Pat. 4 Hen. VI. m. 10.-J.G.N.