1464 Suppressing the Lancastrian Northern Resistance
1464 Suppressing the Lancastrian Northern Resistance is in 1461-1464 Edward IV takes the Crown.
Chronicle of Gregory 1462. Jul 1462. Thys year Quene Margarete (age 32) com owt of Frauns with lij [52] schyppys, with Freynysche men and some Engelysche men in the schyppys. And they londyd in Northe Humberlonde, it was vij dayes be-fore Alle Halwyn tyde. And there sche toke the castelle of Anwyke [Map] and put it full of Fraynyschemen. And then she retornyd in to Schotlonde by water. And there rosse suche a tempaste uppon her that she for soke her schippe, and a schapyd with the bote of þe schyppe. And the schyppe was drownyd with moche of her stuffe and iij [3] grete schippys moo. And iiij c and vj [406] Fraynysche men were take in the chyrche of Hooly Ylond [Map]. Thenn Kyng Edward (age 20) hyrde telle of thys, and made him redy towarde the Northe with many lordys, gentellys, and comyns with hym. And there he layde a sege to Anwyke Castelle [Map], and to the castelle of Bamborowe [Map], and to Dunsterborowe [Map]. Bamborowe [Map] and Dunsterborowe [Map] was kept by Syr Raffe Persy (age 37) and Syr Harry Bewforde (age 26), late Duke of Somersett, and the castelle of Anwyke [Map] with the Lord Hungerforde (age 31). And Bamborowe [Map] and Dunsterborowe [Map] were yoldyn be Syr Raffe Percy and Syr Harry Beuford, late Duke of Somersett, to the Kyngys wylle, whythe the condyscyons that the said Raffe Percy schulde have the kepynge of the ij castellys, Bamborowe [Map] and Dunstarborowe [Map]. The said Syr Raffe Percy and Syr Harry Beuforde, late Duke of Somersett, were sworne to be trewe and faythefulle as trewe lege men unto owre King and sovereign lord Edwarde the iiijthe. And they com to Derham [Map], and there they were sworne byfore owre King. And the King gaffe them his levery and grete rewardys. See 1464 Suppressing the Lancastrian Northern Resistance.
Battle of Hexham
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. 14 May 1464. Ande the xiiij daye of May nexte aftyr, my Lord of Mountegeue (age 33) toke his jornaye toward Hexham from the Newecastelle [Map]. And there he toke that fals Duke Harry Beuford of Somersett (age 28), the Lord Roos (deceased), the Lord Hungerforde (age 33), Syr Pylyppe Wenteworthe (age 40), Syr Thomas Fyndorne, whythe many o[t]yr; loo, soo manly a man is this good Erle Mountegewe, for he sparyd not her malysse, nor her falssenysse, nor gyle, nor treson, and toke meny of men and slowe many one in that jornaye.
Chronicle of England by Jean de Waurin Volume 6. [15 May 1464]. Chapter 4.30. Of a battle that took place quite near Newcastle upon Tyne where the Duke of Somerset (age 28) was captured, along with several other great lords captured and killed by the Earl of Northumberland (age 33).
It so happened around this time that between Scotland and Northumberland, the Duke of Somerset, the principal governor of Queen Margaret, had assembled a large force to raid and inflict damage upon the Kingdom of England, particularly targeting those loyal to King Edward. Although the said Duke of Somerset had recently received a pardon from the King and returned to his court, he could not hold himself back. Instead, he preferred to return to King Henry's side rather than remain with King Edward's party. He clearly recognized that King Henry's faction lacked the strength to resist against King Edward's power, who had previously shown him great honour and respect. Despite this, he abandoned King Edward's side to rejoin King Henry and support those who had no power to benefit him, as he had previously experienced.
It so happened that in that season, about fifteen miles from Newcastle upon Tyme or Tyne, the brother of the Earl of Warwick, then known as the Earl of Northumberland, accompanied by the Baron of Greystoke (age 50), the Lord of Crup, the Lord of Welles (age 36), and Sir John Buckingham, was informed that there were the Duke of Somerset, the Lord Ros (deceased), the Earl of Helmsley, Sir Thomas Fiderme, and the Lord of Talbot. They rode in that direction and encountered each other in such a way that there was a great slaughter and many men were killed. But eventually, the Earl of Northumberland, brother to the Earl of Warwick, led them all to complete defeat and on the same day captured the Duke of Somerset, who was promptly beheaded. Also captured were those from his party who were there at Newcastle upon Tyne, namely the Earl of Helmsley, the Lords of Ros and Talbot (age 49), along with Sir John Fiderme, in the year 1463.
Chronicle of England by William of Worcester. On the [15th] day of the said month of May, John Lord Montagu, Barons Greystoke and Willoughby, with an armed force numbering four thousand, arrived in sight of the Duke of Somerset's army. Upon seeing this, the Duke and a large part of his army fled, and his entire army was dispersed. In the chase, the Duke was captured by servants of John Middleton, knight, and presented to the lords at Hexham. On the same day, he was beheaded and buried in the abbey there. Along with the Duke, Edward Fysshe, knight, Blake Jakes, John Bryce, Thomas Hunt were beheaded. Within the next three days, Thomas Lord Roos and Robert Lord Hungerford, hiding in a certain forest near Hexham, were captured and condemned before the said Lord Montagu at Newcastle and beheaded there, along with Thomas Fynderne, knight. Shortly after, William Tailboys, Earl of Kyme, was likewise captured there and beheaded. Of others captured at Hexham, John Boteler, esquire, from the county of Somerset, Robert Mirfyne, and twelve others were brought to York to the King, condemned by the Constable of England, and beheaded judicially, except John Nayler, a courtier of King Henry VI, who, although condemned, was later pardoned through the special efforts of a former clerk of the chancery, the then-resident chancellor of England, with Henry Upton, one of six chancery clerks.
die dicti mensis Maii Johannes dominus Mountagu, barones de Graystok and Whiloughby, cum gente armata, ad numerum iiij.m. venerunt in conspectu exercitus ducis Somersetiæ. Quo viso, dux cum magna parte sui exercitus fugit et totus exercitus suus diruptus est. Et in chacea dux per servientes Johannis Medelton, militis, captus et præsentatus est dominis apud Hexham, et eodem die decollatus est, et in abbatia ibidem sepultus. Cum dicto duce decollati sunt Edus. Fysshe, miles, Blake Jakes, Johannes Bryce, Thomas Hunt. Et infra tres dies sequentes Thomas dominus Roos et Robertus dominus Hungerford, in quadam silva prope Hexham absconditi, capti sunt, ac apud Novum Castrum coram dicto domino Mountagu damnati et [cum] Thoma Fynderne, milite, ibidem decollati sunt. Et cito post Willelmus Taylboys, comes Kyme, captus ibidem similiter decollatus est. Et de aliis captis apud Hexham, Johannes Boteler, armiger, de comitatu Somersetiæ, Robertus Mirfyne, ac ad numerum xij. personarum, adducti ad Eboracum ad regem, judicialiter coram constabulario Angliæ damnati et decollati sunt, Johanne Nayler, cursario cancellariæ Henrici VI., excepto, qui damnatus et, mediante postea cancellario Angliæ, perdonatus est per specialem laborem unius quondam clerici sui, dicto cancellario tunc temporis commorantis, cum Henrico Upetone, uno vj. clericorum cancellariæ.
Warkworth's Chronicle 1464. 15 May 1464. Also in the iiijth yere of the Kynge Edwarde, the monethe of Maij, the Duke of Somersett, the Lorde Roos (deceased), the Lorde Moleyns (age 33), Talboys the Earl [Baron] of Kyme (age 49), Sire Phylippe Wenterworth (age 40), Sire Thomas Fynderne, gadred a grete peple of the northe contre1. And Sere Jhon Nevelle, that tyme beynge Earl of Northumberlonde, with 10,000 men come uppon them, and there the comons fleede that were with them, and ther the forseide lordes were takene and afterward behedede3. But thenne the Lorde Montagu (age 33), the Earl of Warwick (age 35)s brothere, whiche the Kynge had made Earl of Northumberlonde, was mighty and strong by the same, &c. And for so moche as the Kynge and his counselle thought that he wolde holde with his Earl of Warwick, therfor the Kyng and his counselle made the countre to desire that they might have the ryghtfull heyre Percy, sonne to Henry Percy that was slayne at Yorke Feld, to be the Earl of Northumberlond, and so it was doone. And after this the Kynge made Lorde Montagu, Marquyus Montagu, and made his sonne (age 3) Duke of Bedford, whiche schulde wedde the princesse, the Kynges heldest doughter, whiche, by possibylite, schuld be Kynge of England, and so he hade many fayre wordys and no lordeschyppys, but alwey he promysed he wuld do, &c,
Note 1. Gadred a grete peple of the northe contre. The following very curious document is from a MS. in the College of Arms (L.9):— "Anno Edwardi quarti quarto et mensis Maij die xxvij. scilicet in die san[c]te Trinitatis.
The Kyng lay in the Palois of York, and kept his astate solemply; and tho there create he Sir John Nevelle, Lord Mowntage, Earl of Northumberland. And than my lorde of Warrewike toke upon hym the jorney, by the Kynges commandement and auctoritee, to resiste the Rebellions of the Northe, acompanyed with hym my sayde Lorde of Northumberland his brother.
"Item, the xxiijti, day of Juyne, my saide Lorde of Warrewike, with the puissaunce, cam before the castelle of Alwike, and ad it delivered by appointement; And also the castell of Dunstanboroughe, where that my said Lord kept the feest of Saint John Baptist."
"Item, my said Lorde of Warrewike, and his broder Earl of Northumberland, the xxv. day of Juyn, leyede siege unto the Castelle of Bamburghe, there within being Sir Rauf Grey, with suche power as attendid for to keepe the said castelle ayen the power of the Kinges and my said Lord, as it apperith by the heroudes reporte, by the whiche my Lord sent to charge them to delyvere it under this forme, as ensewithe; Chester, the Kinges heroude, and Warrewike the heroude, had this commaundement, as foloweth, -to say unto Sir Rauf Gray, and to other that kept his Rebelliouse oppynyon, that they shule delivere that place contynent aftyr that summacion, and every man for the tyme being disposed to receyve the Kynges grace, my said Lord of Warrewike, the Kinges lieutenant, and my Lord of Northumbreland, Wardeyn of themarches, grauntith the Kyng['s] grace and pardon, body, lyvelodes, reservyng ij. persounes, is understoude, Sir Humfrey Neville and Sir Rauf Grey, thoo tweyn to be oute of the Kinges grace, without any redempcion. Than the answere of Sir Rauf Grey followithe unto the said heroudes, he clerely determynyng withinne hymself to liffe or to dye within the said place; the heroudes, according to my Lordes commandement, charged hym with all inconveniences that by possible might fall in offence ayenst Allemighty God, and sheding of bloode; the heroude saying in this wise, My Lordes ensurithe yow, upon their honour, to susteyne siege before yowe these vij. yeres, or elles to wynne yowe."
Item, my sayde Lorde Lieutenant, and my Lord Wardeyn, hath yeven us ferther comaundement to say unto yowe, if ye deliver not this Juelle, the whiche the king our most dradde soverain Lord hath so gretly in favour, seing it marcheth so nygh hys awncient enemyes of Scotland, he specially desirethe to have it, hoole, unbroken, with ordennaunce; if ye suffre any greet gunne laide unto the wal, and be shote and prejudice the wal, it shall cost yowe the Chiftens hede; and so proceding for every gunne shet, to the leest hede of any persoune within the said place. Than the saide Sir Rauf Grey deperted from the saide heroud, ant put hym in devoir to make deffence.
And than my Lorde lieutenant had ordennede alle the Kinges greet gonnes that where charged at oons to shute unto the said Castelle, Newe-Castel the Kinges greet gonne, and London the second gonne of irne; the whiche betyde the place, that stones of the walles flewe unto the see; Dysyon, a brasin gonne of the Kinges, smote thouroughe Sir Rauf Grey's chamber oftentimes; Edward and Richard Bombartell, and other of the Kinges ordennaunce, so occupied by the ordonnaunce of my said Lord, with men of armes and archirs, wonne the castelle of Bamburg with asawte, mawgrey Sir Rauf Grey, and tooke hym, and brought hym to the Kynge to Doncastre, and there was he execut in this fourme as followith. My lorde Earl of Worcestre, Connestable of Englond, sitting in jugement, told hym jugement, and remambrid hym, saying unto hym; "Sir Rauf Grey, thou hast take the ordir of Knyghthode of the Batthe, and any soe taking that ordir ought to kepe his faithe the whiche he makes; therfor remembre the[e] the lawe! wilt thou shall procede to jugement? thees maters shewith so evidently agayn the, that they nedithe not to examyn the of them, by certein persounes of the Kinges true subgettes, the whiche thou hast wounded, and shewithe here that thou canst not deny this; thou hast drawen the with force of armes unto the Kyng oure most natural soverain Lorde, the whiche tho wotest wele yave unto the suche trust, and in suche wise mynystred his grace unto the, that thou haddist his castels in the Northe partie to kepe; thou hast betraied Sir John Asteley Knyght, and brother of the gartier, the whiche remaignethe in the hand of the Kynges oure soverain Lord enemyes in Fraunce.
Item, thou hast withstoud and maade fences ageynst the Kynges maiestie, and his lieutenant the worthy Lorde my broder of Warrwike; it apperith by the strookes of the greet gunnes in the Kyng walles of his castell of Bamburghe. For the[se] causes, dispost the to suffre thy penaunce aftyr the lawe. The Kyng had ordenned that thou shuldest have hadd thy sporys striken of by the hard heles, with the hand of the maister cooke, that whiche is here redy to doo, as was promysed at the tyme that he tooke of thy spurres; he said to yee, as ys accustumed, that 'And thou be not true to thy soverain Lord, I shal smyte of thy sporys with this knyf herd by the helys,' and so shewne hym the maistre cooke redy to doo his office, with apron and his knyff.
"Item, Sir Rauff Grey, the Kyng had ordenned here, thou maist see, the Kynge of armes and heroudes, and thine own propre cote of armes, that whiche they shuld teere of thy body, and so thou shuldist as wel be disgraded of thy worshipp, noblesse, and armes, as of the order of Knyghthode; and also here is an oder cote of thin armes reversed, the which thou shuldest have werne of thy body, going to that dethe warde, for that belongethe aftyr the lawe. Notwithstanding, of the disgrading of knygthode, and of thine armes, et noblesse, the King pardons that for thy noble grauntfader, the whiche suffrid trouble for the Kynges moost noble predecesseurs2. Than, Sir Rauf Grey, this shal be thy penaunce, -thou shalt goo on thy feet unto the towneseend, and there thou shalt be laide downe and drawen to a scaffold maade for thee, and that thou shalt have thyne hede smite of thi body, to be buriede in the freres; thi heede where it pleased the Kyng."
Note 2. Sir Ralph Grey, of Wark, Heton, and Chillingham (lineal ancestor of the Earls of Tankerville, as well as of the present Earl Grey) was the grandson of Sir Thomas Grey, beheaded at Southampton with the Earl of Cambridge, Aug. 5, 1415. See the whole sheet pedigree of Grey in Raine's North Durham. - J.G.N.
"Quintodecimo die mensis Maij, apud Exham, decapitati sunt Dux Somersett, Edmundus Fizthu miles, Brasdshaw, Wauter Hunt, Blac Jakis. Decimo-septimo die mensis Maii, apud Novum-Castrum, decapitati sunt Dominus de Hungarforde, Dominus Roos, Dominus Thomas Fynderum, Edwardus de la Mare, Nicholaus Massam. Apud Medetham, xviijo die mensis Maii, decapitati sunt Dominus Philippus Wentworth, Willielmus Penyngton, Warde de Topcliff, Oliverus Wentworth, Willielmus Spilar, Thomas Hunt, le foteman Regis Henrici. Apud Eboracum, xxvº die mensis Maii, decapitati sunt Dominus Thomas Husye, Thomas Gosse, Robertus Merfynn, Johannes Butlerus, Rogerus Water, janitor Regis Henrici, Thomas Fenwyke, Robertus Cocfeld, Willielmus Bryte, Willielmus Dawsonn, Johannes Chapman. Apud Eboracum, xxviijo die mensis Maii, decapitati sunt Johannes Elderbek, Ricardus Cawerum, Johannes Roselle, Robertus Conqueror. [On the fifteenth day of May, at Hexham, Northumberland [Map], the Duke of Somerset (age 28), Edmund Fizthu, Bradshaw, Wauter Hunt, and Black Jakis were decapitated. On the seventeenth day of May, at Newcastle, the Lord of Hungerford, Lord Roos, Lord Thomas Fynderum, Edward de la Mare, and Nicholas Massam were decapitated. At Middleham Castle [Map], on the eighteenth day of May, the Lord Philip Wentworth, William Penyngton, Ward of Topcliff, Oliver Wentworth, William Spilar, Thomas Hunt, the footman of King Henry, were decapitated. At York, on the twenty-fifth day of May, Lord Thomas Husye, Thomas Gosse, Robert Merfynn, John Butler, Roger Water, the doorkeeper of King Henry, Thomas Fenwyke, Robert Cocfeld, William Bryte, William Dawsonn, and John Chapman were decapitated. At York, on the twenty-eighth day of May, John Elderbek, Richard Cawerum, John Roselle, and Robert Conqueror were decapitated.]" — MS. Arundel, Coll. Arm. 5, fol. 170, rº.
On 15 May 1464 a Yorkist army commanded by John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 33) defeated a Lancastrian army commanded by Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset (age 28) at Hexham, Northumberland [Map] during the Battle of Hexham.
Those fighting for York included John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 36), John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton (age 26) and Richard Welles 7th Baron Welles, Baron Willoughby (age 36).
Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset was beheaded following the battle. The general pardon which he has previously received was annulled. Duke Somerset, Marquess Dorset, Earl Somerset and Earl Dorset forfeit for the second time. His son Edmund Beaufort 3rd Duke of Somerset (age 25) was styled by supporters of the House of Lancaster as Duke of Somerset but had not right to do so.
Philip Wentworth (age 40) was executed at Middleham [Map].
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. 15 May 1464. The xv day of May folowynge this good Lord Mountegewe (age 33) let to be smete of the heddys of thes men, the whyche that her namys here folowyn in wrytyng: Henry Beaufort Duke of Somerset (age 28), Edmon Fysche, knyght, Edmon Bradschawe, Water Hunte, Blacke Jakys.
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. 17 May 1464. At the Newecastelle [Map], the xvij day of May, he let to be smete of the heddys, as the namys of them done appere here aftyr in wrytynge: first, the hedde of the Lord Hungerforde (age 33), the Lord Roos (deceased), Syr Thomas Fyndorne, Barnarde de la Mare, Nycholas Massam.
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. Around 18 May 1464. Ande be syde Newecastelle [Map], the same monythe, [t]er was i-take Taylbosse (age 49) in a cole pyt, and he hadde moche mony with hym, bothe golde and sylvyr, that schulde have gon unto Kyng Harry: and yf [it] had come to Harry, lat King of Ingelonde, it wolde have causyd moche sory sorowe, for he had ordaynyd harneys and ordenance i-nowe, but the men wolde not go one fote with him tylle they had mony. And they waytyd dayly and howrely for mony that this Taylebosse shulde have send unto them or brought it; the summa was iijMl [Note. 3000] marke. And the lordys mayny of Montegewe were sore hurte and seke, and many of his men wer slayne by for in the grete jornays, but this mony was departyd a-monge hem, and was a very holsum salfe for hem. And in the day folowyng Taylebosse loste his hedde at Newecastelle [Map].
Nowe take hede what love may doo, for love wylle not nor may not caste no faute nor perelle in noo thyng.
On 18 May 1464 Robert Hungerford 3rd Baron Hungerford 1st Baron Moleyns (age 33) was executed at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland [Map] having been captured at the Battle of Hexham. He was buried at the Hungerford Chapel at Salisbury Cathedral [Map]. His daughter Mary Hungerford Baroness Hastings, 4th Baroness Hungerford, 5th Baroness Botreaux and 2nd Baroness Moleyns became the ward of William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings (age 33) whose son Edward Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings Baron Botreaux, Hungerford and Moleyns she subsequently married.
On 26 May 1464 William Tailboys 7th Baron Kyme (age 49) was beheaded at Sandhills, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland [Map] having been captured after the Battle of Hexham. He was buried at Greyfriar's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne [Map]. His son Robert Tailboys 8th Baron Kyme (age 13) succeeded 8th Baron Kyme. Elizabeth Heron Baroness Kyme (age 11) by marriage Baroness Kyme.
On 27 May 1464 John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 33) was created 1st Earl of Northumberland as a reward for successfully suppressing the Lancastrian resistance in the North. The Ealdom of Northumberland traditionally held by the Percy family with whom the Neville family had been feuding for generations.
Chronicle of Gregory 1464. 18 May 1564. Ande the xviij day of May he let to be smyte of at Mydlam [Map] the hedys of thes men that her namys folowyn here in wrytynge: Syr Phylippe Wentworthe, knyght, Wyllam Penyngton, Warde of Copclyffe1, Olyver Wentworthe, Wylliam Spyller, John Senyer, of Yorke, Thomas Hunte, foote man.
Note 1. Should read Topcliffe.