First Battle of St Albans
First Battle of St Albans is in 1453-1458 Wars of the Roses: First War.
Chronicle of Gregory 1451-1460. 22 May 1455. Ande that yere there was a batayle at Synt Albonys by-twyne Kyng Harry the VI (age 33). and the Duke of Yorke (age 43), and thys batayle was the weke be-fore Whytte Sonday. And Kyng Harry (age 33) was in harnys hys owne propyr person, and was hurte with the shotte of an arowe in the necke. And the Duke of Yorke (age 43) brought hym unto London as kynge and not as a presener. The Erle of Wyltschyre (age 34) bare the kyngys baner that day in the batayle, for he was at that tyme namyd but Syr Jamys Urmon;b and thys sayde Jamys (age 34) sette the kyngys baner agayne an howse ende and fought manly with the helys, for he was a feryd of lesynge of beute, for he was namyd the fayryd knyght of thys londe. And with yn a lytyl whyle aftyr was made the Erle of Wyltschyre.
On 22 May 1455 the Wars of the Roses commenced with the First Battle of St Albans. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke York (age 43) commanded with Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 26), Richard Neville Earl Salisbury (age 55), Edward Brooke 6th Baron Cobham (age 40) and Walter Strickland (age 44).
The Lancastrians ...
Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke Somerset (age 49) was killed. His son Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke Somerset (age 19) succeeded 2nd Duke Somerset, 5th Earl Somerset. Note his father is frequently incorrectly referred to as the second Duke and Henry as the third Duke. His father's Dukedom, however, was a new creation.
Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland (age 62) was killed. His son Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland (age 33) succeeded 3rd Earl of Northumberland, 6th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 14th Baron Percy of Topcliffe. Eleanor Poynings Countess Northumberland (age 33) by marriage Countess of Northumberland.
Thomas Clifford 8th Baron Clifford (age 41) was killed. His son John "Butcher" Clifford 9th Baron Clifford (age 20) succeeded 9th Baron de Clifford, 9th Lord Skipton. Margaret Bromflete Baroness Clifford (age 21) by marriage Baroness de Clifford.
William Cotton (age 45) and Richard Fortescue (age 41) were killed.
Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 52) was wounded and captured.
King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 33), John Dudley 1st Baron Dudley (age 54) and Edmund Dudley (age 30) were captured.
Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke Somerset (age 19) was wounded. James Butler 1st Earl Wiltshire 5th Earl Ormonde (age 34) and John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 55) fought.
Richard Cotton of Hampstall Ridware (age 51) and his son William Cotton of Connington in Huntingdonshire (age 27) were killed.
Archaeologia Volume 20 Section VIII. An Account of the First Battle of St. Albans from a contemporary Manuscript. Communicated by Joun Baytey, Esq. F.S. A. of His Majesty's Record Office in the Tower; in a Letter to Henry Extis, Esq. F. R. S. Secretary.
Read 19th December 1822.
His Majesty's Record Office, December 12, 1822.
DEAR SIR,
I inclose a curious Account of the first Battle of St. Albans, which may prove interesting to the Society of Antiquaries: it is copied from a manuscript, in a co-eval hand, found in the Tower, among a large quantity of private letters and accompts of Sir William Stonor, Knt [William Stonor (age 5)?] who, from his correspondence, appears at that time to have been much about the Court, and was also a Steward of the Abbot of St. Albans. The original is written in a book consisting of a few leaves of a small quarto size, and, on comparing the writing with some of the other papers, it seems to be in the hand of Sir William himself.
I remain, dear Sir, your's very faithfully,
JOHN BAYLEY.
To Henry Ex is, Esq &c. &c. &c.