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Pursuit
It is usual form to follow Hall’s narrative even though many have cast dispersions upon it. The weather, Lord Fauconberg ordering his men to loose one flight of arrows to tempt royal archers to retaliate knowing full well that their sheaves would not reach the Yorkist lines, are both part of the legend. The apparent turning point in the battle was the timely arrival of Norfolk’s troops just as Edward’s were beginning to wilt. It is usually suggested that as the Duke of Norfolk was an ill man that it was not he who commanded them. However, they arrived by marching up the road, forming up on Edward’s right flank, thus out flanking the Lancastrians. It was enough to turn the tide, and Henry’s men turned and fled. What followed was nothing short of slaughter, a massacre of the worst kind, and if Hall is to be taken at his word at all, then the proclamation not to take prisoners was taken very literally. Hall continues: “But in the mean way there is a little brook called Cocke, not very broad, but of great deepness, in the which, what for haste of escaping, and what for fear of followers, a great number were drent (sic) and drowned, in so much that the common people there affirm, that men alive passed the river upon dead carcasses, and that the great river of the Wharf, which is that great sewer of the brook, and of all the water coming from Towton, was coloured with blood. The chase continued all night, and most part of the next day, and ever the Northern men, when they saw or perceived any advantage, re-turned again and fought with their enemies, to the great loss to both parties. For in this 3 days were slain (as they that knew it wrote), on both parts 36,760 and 16 persons, all Englishmen and of one nation, whereof the chief were the earls of Northumberland, and Westmoreland, and the Lord Dacre, the Lord Welles, Sir John Neville, Andrew Trollopp, Robert Horne, and many other knights and esquires, and the earl of Devonshire taken prisoner, but the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter fled from the field and saved themselves.”
Hall, Edward, d. 1547. The vnion of the two noble and illustre famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, beyng long in continuall discension for the croune of this noble realme : with al the actes done in both the tymes of the princes, both of the one linage & of the other.... London : Rychard Grafton, Prynter to the Kynges Maiestye, 1550. In Horace Howard Furness Memorial (Shakespeare) Library. Folio DA245 H23 1550.
http://dewey.library.upenn.edu/sceti/printedbooksNew/index.cfm?TextID=halle&PagePosition=383
The arrival of Norfolk’s battle after a days fighting with both sides heaving and pushing against the other, exhausting the protagonists, was, as said, enough to swing matters in Edward’s favour. As the weary Lancastrians tried to leave the field they were harried and slain without mercy. Divided into smaller and smaller pockets, they resisted as much as strength would allow, until they were overcome. One large pocket of resistance has been commemorated by the field name of Bloody Meadow. Hall’s estimate of casualties has always been seen as an exaggeration; most current historians would prefer a number of 28,000 dead, which by any standard is terrible. It was the bloodiest battle on British soil, and compares with the dire battles of the First World War. Of the events at the fields of Towton and Saxton The Chronicles of London III Vitellius A XVI, 1461 fol.121 says:
“And upon Palm Sunday following, the king met with the Northern men, on this side York 9,000, at a place or village called shyrborn (sic), where he fought and got the field. In which fight was slain 11 lords with other knights, and about 28,000 men, of which 11 lords follow the (sum) of the names: the earl of Northumberland, the Lord Clifford, the earl of Westmoreland’s brother Sir John Neville, with Andrew Trollop, and many other.”
Ingulph’s History of the Abbey of Croyland; End of the Second Continuation, 1453 – 1462 says :
“Upon this, he (Edward) pursued them (the Lancastrians) as far as a level spot of ground, situate near the castle of Pontefract and the bridge at Ferrybridge, and washed by a stream of considerable size; where he found an army drawn up in order of battle, composed of the remnants of the Northern troops of King Henry. They, accordingly, engaged in a most severe conflict, and fighting hand to hand with sword and spear, there was no small slaughter on either side. However, by the mercy of the Divine clemency, King Edward, soon experienced the favour of heaven and, gaining the wished for victory over his enemies, compelled them either to submit to be slain or taken in flight. For, their ranks being now broken and scattered in flight, the king’s army eagerly pursued them, cutting down the fugitives with their swords, just like so many sheep for the slaughter, made immense havoc among them for a distance of ten miles, as far as the city of York. Prince Edward, however with part of his men, as conqueror, remained upon the field of battle, and awaited the rest of his army, which had gone in various directions in pursuit of the enemy.”
And a letter within the correspondence of the Paston family of East Anglia says:
TO JOHN PASTON I 1461, 04, 04
To my maister John Paston jn hast.
Please you to knowe and wete of suche tydyngys as my lady of York hath by a lettre of credens vnder the signe manuel of oure souerayn lord Kyng Edward, whiche lettre cam vn-to oure sayd lady this same day, Esterne Evyn, at xj clok, and was sene and red be me, William Paston. Fyrst, oure souerayn lord hath wonne the feld, and vppon the Munday next after Palme Sunday he was resseyued in-to York with gret solempnyté and processyonz. And the maire and comons of the said cité mad ther menys to haue grace be Lord Montagu and Lord Barenars, whiche be-for the Kyngys comyng in-to þe said cité desyred hym of grace for þe said cyté, whiche graunted hem grace. On the Kyngys parte is slayn Lord Fitzwater, and Lord Scrop sore hurt. John Stafford. Horne of Kent, ben ded, and Vmfrey Stafford, William Hastyngys, mad knyghtys, with oþer; Blont is knygth, &c. Vn the contrary part is ded Lord Clyfford, Lord Nevyle, Lord Welles, Lord Wyllouby, Antony Lord Scales, Lord Harry and be supposyng þe Erle of Northumberland, Andrew Trollop with many oþer gentyll and comons to þe nombre of xx ml.
Item, Kyng Herry, the Qwen, the Prince, Duk of Somerset, Duke of Exceter, Lord Roos, ben fledde in-to Scottelond, and they ben chased and folwed, &c. We send no er vn-to you be-cause we had non cer[teyn tyd]yngys tyl now; for vn-to þis day London was as sory cité as mygth, and be-cause Spordauns had no certeyn tydyngys we thougth ye schuld take them a worthe tyl more certayn.
Item, Thorp Waterfeld is yoldyn, as Spordauns can telle you.
And Jesu spede you. We pray you that this tydyngys my moder may knowe. Be 3owre broder W. Paston Th. Playter Comes Northumbr' Comes Deuon' Dominus de Beamundo Dominus de Clifford Dominus de Neuyll Dominus de Dacre Dominus Henricus de Bokyngham Dominus de Welles Dominus de Scalis Antony Reuers Dominus de Welluyby Dominus de Malley Radulfus Bigot, miles Millites Sir Rauff Gray Sir Richard Percy Sir Harry Belyngham Sir Andrew Trollop With xxviij ml nomberd by harraldys
Paston family. Paston letters and papers of the fifteenth century, Part I
Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library
The latter left in the vernacular of the time to provide insight as to the form then taken in such means of communication.
It was normal practise in European land battles that after an enemy’s line had broken and begun to run away, that they should then be harried and chased with as many casualties inflicted as the victorious army could, and had the strength to. In this case, at Towton and Saxton, as the Lancastrian host fell back the real slaughter began. No quarter had been the order, and it seems, in this instance, it was obeyed completely. In earlier times, this order was conveyed by means of raising a dragon standard. There are, so far as I know, no references or hints that such a banner was, in the mid 15th century, still in use, which is not to say that it wasn’t. Archaeology has recently provided a window upon those sad events after the battle in which so many were killed. The Towton Mass Grave Project at www.oldtykes.co.uk/TowBatSoc.htm was formed after the discovery in 1996, of about 43 human skeletons, all of who had suffered huge traumas to the skull, as well as multiple perimortem wounds, or wounds inflicted at or very near the time of death, but not necessarily fatal. All of which provides evidence that those interred in this particular grave pit were clad in armour at the time of their deaths as by far, most injuries were cranial and/or facial. Hall mentions the dead filling the Cock Beck, not turning the river into blood, which seems to be the favourite image. Indeed, the turning of rivers into blood, or rather more accurately colouring the river water red with diluted blood has become a cliché of battle narratives since the times of the Romans. That does not detract from the probability that given the amount of bleeding men who fell into the Cock Beck, that such a discolouration actually happened. The GenUK website quotes from a directory dated 1822, which mentions several local legends: “SAXTON, a parish in the wapentake of Barkston Ash, and honour of Pontefract; 4 miles from Tadcaster. Pop. (including Scarthingwell) 378.
Vast numbers of the slain in the sanguinary battle of Towton, between the houses of York and Lancaster, were interred here. The Earl of Northumberland, it is pretty well ascertained, reached York to die; Clifford was tumbled into a pit with a heap of dead bodies; but Lord Westmoreland was buried in Saxton Church-yard, without any distinguishable memorial, and Lord Deere, as Leland says, has a " meane tomb" here. Glover, who visited Towton Field 124 years after the battle, was told that Lord Dacre was slain by a boy, at North Acre, while he was drinking, in revenge for the death of his father, whom his Lordship had killed, whereupon the country people have this rhyme :The Lord of Dacre's Was slain in North Acres."
The above passage makes mention of John Leland, a prolific if not eccentric traveller and writer who visited the area in the early to mid 16th century. His words are quoted here from his seminal work ‘The Itinerary’, in fuller form from Yorkshire West Riding fol. 47: “Cok bek after crokith by Saxton and Touton villages feldes, and goith in to Warfe river a ----- beneth Tadcaster. From Leade to Saxton village a mile. Wher Mr. Hundesgate dwellith. In the chyrch yard were many bones of men that were killed at Palmesunday feld buried. They lay afore in 5. pittes, yet appering half a mile of by north in Saxton feldes. Towton village is a mile from Saxton, wher is a great chapel begon by by (sic) Richard 3. but not finished. Syr John Multon’s father layid the first stone of it. In this chapelle were buried also many of the men slayn at Palmesunday feeld. This feeld was as much fought in Saxton parock as in Towton, yet it berith the name of Towton.” Confirmation that king Richard III ordered the building of a memorial chapel at Towton is provided in Harlian Manuscript 433, the Register of Grants for the Reigns of Edward V and Richard III, folio 38 which states “Warraunt to the Receivor of (the Duchie of) Pounfret (Pontefract) for the contaction of the summe of xl li. (40 pounds) for the building of the chapelle of Towton.” It seems certain that Richard III’s chapel was never completed, as little or nothing remains of it. Imagination alone can try to envisage its internal and external appearance – but it serves for naught – it simply does not exist, nor are there any images.
Lancastrian losses, particularly those of noble and gentle rank were relatively high compared to similar losses by the Yorkists. The earl of Northumberland was mortally wounded and died the following day; the Lords Dacre, Clifford, Neville, Mauley, Welles, and others were killed, as were large numbers of knighted gentlemen, amongst them Sir Andrew Trollope, one of the field commanders of the Lancastrian army. Thomas Courtney earl of Devon was captured and beheaded, his severed head taking the place of Edward’s father’s, which had been spiked on Micklegate Bar in York. The earl of Wiltshire too was captured and subsequently executed. The Dukes of Somerset and Exeter made their escape, most likely on the heels of the deposed king Henry and his wife, Margaret, who escaped to Scotland. Further details of those present, the side they fought on and their fate immediately after the battle are listed together with the Act of Attainder passed by king Edward in the sub-section of this article. Edward IV had won his first major battle in the civil war that was to last for another 24 or more years. Yet to come were the battles of Barnet, 14 April 1471; Tewkesbury 4 May 1471; and the decisive Bosworth 22 August 1485.
Act of Attainder and list of Combatants
An Act of Attainder was passed shortly after the battle, which purports to include those who were most active against Edward in the period just before, during, and just after the battle. The wording herein has been slightly adjusted to make it more comprehensible, but in the main, spellings and syntax are original. The list of names and titles is a long one, but I feel it necessary to provide a full copy. Where possible, coats of arms will be added, which were not in the original document. Those for which a coat of arms has been provided are highlighted in blue together with a mouse-over, which will open a new window to the individual’s coat of arms:
Henry (Holland) Duk of Exeter
Henry (Beaufort) Duk of Somerset
Thomas Courtney late Erle of Devon
Henry (Percy) late Erle of Northumberland
William Viscount Beaumont
Thomas Lord Roos
John late Lord Clifford
Leo (Lionel) late Lord Welles
John late Lord Neville
Sir Thomas Grey Lord Rugemont Grey
Randolf late Lord Dacre (of Gisland)
Sir Humphrey Dacre
John Morton late person of Blokesworth in the shire of Dorset – clerk
Rauff Makerell late person of Risby in the shire of Suffolk – clerk
Thomas Mannying late of New Windsor in Berkshire – clerk
John Whelpdale late of Lichfield in the shire of Stafford – clerk
John Nayler late of London – squire
John Preston late of Wakefield in the shire of York – priest
Sir Philip Wentworth
Sir John Fortescu
Sir William Tailboys
Sir Edmund Mountford
Sir Thomas Tresham
Sir William Vaux
Sir Edmund Hampden
Sir Thomas Fyndern
Sir John Courtney
Sir Henry Lewes
Sir Nicholas Latymer
Walter Nuthill late of Riston in Holderness, in the shire of York – squire
Sir John Heron of the Forde
Sir Richard Tunstall
Sir Henry Belyngham
Sir Robert Whityingham
Sir John Ormond otherwise called John Botillier (Sir John Butler earl of Ormond)
Sir William Mille
Sir Symonde Hammes
Sir William Holand, called the Bastard of Exeter
William Joseph late of London – squire
Everard Dykby late of Stoke Dry in the shire of Rutland – squire
John Myrfyn late of Suthwerk in the shire of Surrey – squire
Thomas Dertyngton in Devonshire – squire
Thomas Brampton late of Guysnes – squire
Giles Seyntlowe late of London – squire
Thomas Claymond
the seid Thomas Tunstall – squire
Thomas Crawford late of Caleys – squire
John Aldeley late of Guysnes – squire
John Lenche of Wyche in the shire of Worcester – squire
Sir Thomas Ormond otherwise called Sir Thomas Botiller (repeated in Mss.)
Robert Bellyngham late of Burnashede in the shire of Westmerlond – squire
Sir Thomas Everyngham late of Newhall in the shire of Leicester
John Penycok late of Waybrigge in the Counte of Surrey – squire
William Grymmesby late of Grimsby in the shire of Lincoln – squire
Sir Henry Roos late of Rokyngham in the shire of Northampton
Thomas Danyell late of Rysyng in the shire of Norfolk – squire
John Doubiggyng late of the same – gentilman (sic)
Richard Kirkeby of Kirkeby Ireleth in the shire of Lancaster – gentleman
William Ackeworth late of Luton in the shire of Bedford – squire
William Weysford late of London – squire
Richard Stucley late of Lambehith in the Counte of Surrey – squire
Thomas Stanley late of Carlile – gentleman
Thomas Litley late of London – grocer
John Maydenwell late of Kirton in Lyndesley in the Counte of Lincoln – gentleman
Edward Ellesmere late of London – squire
John Dauson late of Westmynster in the shire of Middlesex – yoman (sic)
Henry Spencer late of the same – yeoman
John Smothyng late of York – yeoman
John Beaumont late of Goodby in the shire of Leicester – gentleman
Henry Beaumont late of the same – gentleman
Roger Wharton otherwise called Roger of the Hall late of Burgh in the shire of Westmoorland – groom
John Joskyn late of Branghing in the shire of Hertford – squire
Richard Litestr’ the younger late of Wakefield – squire
Thomas Carr late of Westmynster – yeoman
Robert Bollyng late of Bollyng in the shire of York – gentleman
Robert Hatecale late of Barleburgh (Barleborough) in the same shire – yeoman
Richard Everyngham late of Pontfreyt (Pontefract) in the same shire – squire
Richard Fulnaby in the shire of Lincoln – gentleman
Laurence Hille late of Moch Wycombe in the Counte of Buckingham – yeoman
Rauff Chernok late of Thorley in the Counte of Lancaster – gentleman
Richard Gaitford of Estretford in Cley in the shire of Nottingham – gentleman
John Chapman late of Wymbourne Mynster in Dorset shire – yeoman
And Richard Cokerell late of York – merchant;
The Act continues:
On Sonday called comynly Palme Sonday the XXIV day of Marche the first yere of his reigne, in a feld between the Townes of Shirbourne in Elmett, and Tadcastr’, in the shire of York, called Saxtonfeld and Tawtonfeeld, in the shire of York, accompanied with the Frenchmen and Scotts the Kynge’s Ennemyes falsely and traitorously ayenst their feith and Liegeaunce, there rered were ayenst the same Kyng Edward, their rightwise, true, and naturall Liege Lord, purposing there and then to have destroyed hym, and deposed hym of his Roiall Estate, Coroune, and Dignite; and then and there to that entent, falsely and traitorously moved bataille ayenst his said astate, shedyng therin the blode of a grete nombre of his subgetts: In which bataille it pleased Almyghty God to yeve unto hym, of the mysterie of his might and grace, the victorie of his ennemyes and rebelles, and to subdue and avoyde th’ effect of their fals and traitorous purpose.”
Rot. Parl. 1st Edward IV. (1461), vol. V. fo.477-478
It seems certain that those named as being clerks were actually clerics, priests, of which John Morton was to become Bishop of Ely, and during the reign of Henry VI, Lord Chancellor. It does not seem likely therefore that any of these actually took part in the fighting, but could have accompanied the king’s army as spiritual advisors, a well used and common practice. Added to those should be a list of names provided by Stow who named ennobled persons who were killed on the Lancastrian side, there is therefore some duplication with the names contained in the Act. Stow lists the following:
“Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland;
The Earl of Shrewsbury (seemingly included in error by Stow);
John Lord Clifford;
Lord Beaumont;
John Lord Neville (also called Sir John Neville);
Lord Willoughby (of Eresby – there is some documentary confusion as to which member of the family was killed at Towton);
Lord Welles;
Lord Roos;
Lord Scales (otherwise called Anthony Widevile – or Woodville – and was not slain at Towton, his sister Elizabeth was to marry king Edward);
Lord Grey (grandson of Reginald Grey of Ruthin, called by the title Rougemont Grey);
Lord Dacre;
Lord Fitzhugh (an error by Stow, Lord Fitzhugh was not killed at Towton);
Lord Molineux (a curiosity, as no such title existed, but Brooke suggests Stow might have mistaken this for Robert Lord Hungerford and Lord Molyns);
Lord Henry Buckingham (an error by Stow, for Henry Stafford, who was then Duke of Buckingham);
Of knights, two natural sons (bastards) of Henry Holland Duke of Exeter;
Sir Richard Percy;
Sir John Heron;
Sir Gervase Clifton
Sir Edmund Hammes;
Sir Thomas Crackenthorpe;
Sir John Crackenthorpe;
Sir William Harill;
Sir John Ormond;
Sir Andrew Trollop;
Sir Roger Mollyn;
Sir Ralph Pigot;
Sir Henry Narbohew;
Sir David Trollop;
Sir John Burton, Captain of York;
And other knights and esquires.”
Research conducted by the Towton Battlefield Society over many years has produced an amazing array of the names of people who fought and died at Towton Field, a running total to date of 330+ names plus their eventual fates. It is with the society’s very kind permission that some of those names are reproduced here. I have selected only those of noble and gentle birth, and those reportedly killed at the time. Any further inquiries should be made to the Society. Again, some duplication will perforce occur, but by cross checking each list a fair idea of the people involved can be ascertained.
On the Yorkist side were:
Sir John Arundel
Sir John Asherton
Sir John Astley
Sir James Baskerville
Sir Thomas Baskerville
Sir Richard Beaucamp
Sir Ralph Bigod
Sir Walter Blount – later Lord Mountjoy
Sir Henry Bouchier
Henry Bouchier elevated earl of Essex after the battle
Sir Thomas Bouchier
Sir William Bouchier
Sir Humphrey Bouchier later Lord Cromwell
Sir John Bouchier later Lord Berners
Sir William Bowes
Sir William Brandon
Edward Brooke Lord Cobham
Sir Thomas Burgh
Sir Nicholas Byron
Sir Robert Chamberlain
Sir William Cheney
Sir John Clay
Sir Robert Clifton
John Clinton Lord Clinton
Sir Christopher Conyers
Sir John Conyers
Sir Roger Corbet
Sir Philip Courtney
Sir Richard Croft
Sir Richard Croft
Sir Robert Danby
John de la Pole earl of Suffolk
Sir Gibert Debenham
Sir Walter Devereux
Sir John Dinham
Sir John Done
Sir John Dynham Lord Dynham
Sir Guy Fairfax
William Feinnes Lord of Saye and Sele
Sir Thomas FitzAlan Lord Maltravers
Sir Geoffrey Gate
Sir Theobald de George
Sir Robert Green
Sir John Gevill
Sir Edmund Grey earl of Kent
Sir Reginald Grey 7th Baron Grey
Sir Richard Harcourt
Sir James Harrington
Sir Robert Harrington
Sir Ralph Hastings
Sir Richard Hastings
Sir William Hastings later Lord Hastings
Sir Richard Herbert
Sir William Herbert elevated to earl of Pembroke after the battle
Robert Horne esquire killed at Towton, and named by at least two sources.
John Howard knighted at the battle, later Duke of Norfolk
Sir John Huddleston 7th Baron Huddleston
Sir Richard Jenny
Sir Nicholas Latimer
Sir George Lumley
Sir Thomas Lumley
Sir Thomas Markenfield
Sir John Markham
Sir Robert Markham
Sir David Matthew standard-bearer
Sir Thomas Montgomery
Sir Simon Mountford
John Mowbray 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Edward Neville Lord Abergavenny
Richard Neville earl of Warwick
William Neville Lord Fauconberg later elevated earl of Kent
Sir Robert Ogle Lord Ogle
Sir William Petche
Edward Plantagenet late earl of March currently Duke of York and proclaimed king
John Radcliffe Lord Fitzwalter
Sir William Rainsford
Sir Henry Ratcliffe
Sir Richard Salkeld
Sir John Say
John Scotte Esq
John Scrope 5th Lord Scrope of Bolton
Sir Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Sir Humphrey Stafford
Sir John Stafford
Sir Thomas Stanley
Sir William Stanley later elevated to Lord Stanley
Sir William Stoner
John Stourton Lord Stourton elevated 13th May 1448 (Hampton 334)
Sir James Strangeways
Sir Richard Strangeways eldest son of Sir James
Sir Thomas Strickland
Sir John Sutton 4th Lord Dudley
Sir Lancelot Threlkeld
Sir Thomas Uvedale
Sir William Uvedale
Sir Roger Vaughan Lord Cantreff Sclyf (?)
Sir Thomas Vaughan
Sir Thomas Vaughan
Ralph Vestyngden Standard-bearer from the Low Countries
Sir Thomas Walgrave Lord Walgrave
Sir John Wenlock elevated to Lord Wenlock after the battle (Hampton 2)
Sir John Willoughby later elevated to Lord Willoughby. Hampton says he fought for the Lancastrian side at Towton.
Sir Robert Wingfield
Sir Roger Wolfestone
Anthony Woodville earl Rivers and Lord Scales
On the Lancastrian side there were:
Sir Thomas Babthorpe
Henry Beaufort Duke of Somerset
Henry Beaumont Gentleman
John Beaumont Gentleman killed at Towton
Sir Henry Bellingham
Robert Bellingham Esq. son of above killed at Towton
Sir William Bertram
Sir john Bigot Lord Mauley killed at Towton
Sir Henry Bockingham killed at Towton
Sir John Burton killed at Towton
Sir William Burton killed at Towton
James Butler 5th earl Ormond
Sir John Butler
Sir Richard Carey
Sir William Catesby
John Clifford Lord Clifford killed near Ferrybridge
Sir Roger Clifford
Sir Gervaise Clifton
Sir Gervaise Clifton eldest son of above
Sir John Courtney 5th earl of Devon
Sir Thomas Courtney executed after the battle?
Sir John Crackenthorpe killed at Towton
Sir Thomas Crackenthorpe son of above killed at Towton
Sir Thomas Curwen
Sir Henry Dacre Lord Dacre
Sir Humphrey Dacre
Randolph Dacre Lord Dacre of Gilsland killed at Towton
Sir George de Vere 12th earl of Oxford
Sir John Delves
Sir John Done
Sir John Dunn killed at Towton
Sir Thomas Echingham
Sir Thomas Elderton
Sir Ralph Eure killed at Towton
Sir William Fielding
Sir Thomas Findern killed at Towton
Henry(?) FitzHugh Lord FitzHugh
Sir Henry FitzLewis
Sir John Fortesque
Sir Baldwin Fulford
Sir Thomas Fulford eldest son of above
Sir Thomas Fyndern killed at Towton, and could be a duplicate for Sir T. Findern
Sir Thomas Fyndern eldest son of above
Sir William Gasgoigne
Sir Henry Grey Lord Grey of Codnor
Sir Ralph Grey
Sir Thomas Grey Lord Rougemont killed at Towton
Sir William Grimsby
Sir Symond Hammes
Sir Richard Hammis killed at Towton
Sir Edward Hampden
Sir William Harewell killed at Towton
Sir William Harill killed at Towton
Sir William Harvill killed at Towton
Sir William Havill (might be mis-identification for either of the two above) killed at Towton
Sir John Heron killed at Towton
Sir Nicholas Hervey
Sir Thomas Hervey killed at Towton
Sir John Heyton killed at Towton
Sir William Hill executed after the battle
Sir Robert Hillyard killed at Towton
Sir Alexander Hody
Henry Holland Duke of Exeter
Sir William Holland Bastard (son) of Exeter killed at Towton
Robert Hungerford Lord Hungerford
Sir Henry Lewes killed at Towton
Sir John Marney
Sir James Mauleverer
Sir John Mauleverer
Sir Philip Maunsell killed at Towton
Sir Thomas Metham
Sir John Molyneux
Sir John Montgomery
Sir Edmund Mountford
Sir William Mylle killed at Towton
Sir Henry Narbohew killed at Towton
Sir Charles Neville
Sir Humphrey Neville eldest son of Thomas Neville of Nottinghamshire
John Lord Neville killed near Ferrybridge
Sir John Neville killed at Towton
Sir Ralph Neville earl of Westmoreland
Sir William Newburgh
Sir William Norreys
Sir John Pennington
Henry Percy earl of Northumberland killed at Towton
Sir Ralph Percy 4th son of above
Sir Richard Percy eldest son of Henry killed at Towton
Sir William Plumpton
Sir Henry Roos
Sir Thomas Roos Lord Roos
Sir John Scudamore
Sir John Skidmore killed at Towton
Sir John Smerville
Sir William St Quyntin
Sir William Tailboys
Sir John Talbot earl of Shrewsbury
Sir John Tresham son of below
Sir Thomas Tresham
Sir Andrew Trollope killed at Towton
Sir David Trollope son of above killed at Towton
Sir Richard Tuddenham
Sir Thomas Tuddenham
Sir Richard Tunstall killed at Towton
Sir William Tyrell eldest son of Thomas Tyrell
Sir William Tyrell younger son of Sir John Tyrell
Sir William Vaux
Sir William Vernon
Lionel Welles Lord Welles killed at Towton
Sir Philip Wentworth
Sir Richard West Lord de la Warr
Sir Robert Wittingham
Sir William Wittington 2nd son of above
Richard Woodville later elevated to earl Rivers and father of Elizabeth, who was to become Edward’s queen
From W.E. Hampton’s ‘Memorials of the Wars of the Roses’:
John Lord Wenlock Yorkist 2
Sir William (later Lord) Hastings 11
Sir Humphrey Dacre Lord Dacre 38
Ranulph Lord Dacre, eldest brother of the above 38
Sir Richard Croft Yorkist 117
Sir Robert Whittingham Lancastrian 121
Edward Duke of York,late earl of March
Sir John Dinham or Denham Y
Richard Neville Earl of Warwick Y
Sir William Hastings Y
Sir John Neville later Lord Montague Y
Sir Walter Blount later Lord Montjoy Y
It is tempting to continue with more and more material as provided by Brooke, but much of it falls without our purview. The best way I can think of to conclude this sad episode in English, and Yorkshire history is to use the words of the master of all wordsmiths, William Shakespeare, who in part three of King Henry VI – “Scene – A field of Battle between Towton and Saxton.
(Enter a father that has killed his son, bringing in the body.)
“Thou that so stoutly has resisted me,
Give me thy gold, if thou hast any gold,
For I have bought it with an hundred blows,-
But let me see: is this our foeman’s face?
Ah, no, no, no, it is mine only son!
Ah, boy, if any life be left in thee,
Throw up thine eye; see, see what showers arize,
Blown by the windy tempest of my heart!
O pity, Heav’n, this miserable age!
What stratagems, how fell, how butcherly,
Erroneous, mutinous, and unnatural,
This deadly quarrel daily doth beget.”
Bibliography
The records of Geoffrey Horne, Lord of Wakes Colne.
The records of G. W. Udell
Brooke Richard “Visits to Battle Fields” originally published by John Russell Smith, London, 1857; Reprint edition Alan Sutton, 1975. ISBN 0904387038
Seymour William “Battles in Britain” vol 1, 1066 – 1547; Book Club Associates edition, 1975.
Hampton W.E. “Memorials of the Wars of the Roses”; Richard III Society, produced by Alan Sutton Publishing Limited, Gloucester, 1979. ISBN 0904893030
Fox-Davies Arthur Charles “A Complete Guide to Heraldry”; Bonanza Books, New York, 1978. ISBN 0517266431
Wheeler Geoffrey “Battle of Tewkesbury, A Roll of Arms”; Gloucester Group Publications, Cliftonville, Kent, 1971.
Kingsford Charles Lethbridge “Chronicles of London”; Reprint edition by Alan Sutton, 1977. ISBN 0904387151.
“Plumpton Correspondence” edited by Thomas Stapleton, printed for the Camden Society; AMS Press edition, 1968.
British Library “Harlian Manuscript 433”, vol 1; produced by Alan Sutton for the Richard III Society, 1979. ISBN 0904893049.
Kendall Paul Murray “Warwick the Kingmaker”; first published by George Allen & Unwin Ltd., London, 1957. SBN 04942050 X
“Ingulph’s Chronicle of the Abbey of Croyland”, Riley T.H.; Henry G. Bohn, Covent Garden, London, 1854.
“Paston Letters & Papers of the 15th Century”, Paston family; Electronic Text Centre, University of Virginia Library on-line databases.
Hall’s Chronicle, online facsimile image version, from the Schoenberg Centre for Electronic Text and Image, The Furness Collection.
Records and databases from The Towton Battlefield Society
Ordnance Survey Landranger Series
Towton Mass Grave Project
Meteorological Office, Customer Centre and Nimbus AMO (Aberdeen)
Entries from Burke’s General Armoury and Burke’s Extinct Peerage courtesy of the Reference Library, Central Library, Albion Street, Hull. |
