Part 7
Besides this the like fréendlie intertainment, and courteous demeanour appeared in the salutings of other noble men that were on them attendant; wherof all such as saw it, and loued them, greatlie reioised; giuing God thankes for that ioifull méeting, vnitie, and concord, appearing thus manifestlie betwixt them: and herewith the trumpets and other instruments sounded, & the king withall brought the duke vnto his armie, whome he saluting in most courteous wise, welcomed them into the land; and they humblie thanking him, did to him such reuerence as apperteined to the honour of such a worthie personage. This was a goodlie and a gratious reconcilement, beneficiall to the princes, profitable to the péeres, and pleasurable to the people, whose part had beene déepest in dangers and losse, if discord had not beene discontinued.
This doone, the king leauing his hoast againe, keeping their ground with the same few persons which he tooke with him before, went with his brother of Clarence vnto his armie, and saluting them with swéete and courteous words, was ioifullie of them welcomed: and so after this, they all came togither ioining in one. And either part shewing themselues glad thus to méet as fréends with the other, they went louinglie togither vnto Warwike with the king, where and in the countrie thereabouts they lodged, as they thought stood most with their ease and safeties. Herewith the duke of Clarence desired aboue all things to procure some good and perfect accord betwixt his brother the king, and the earle of Warwike.
[Sidenote: The duke of Clarence séeketh to make peace betwixt the king and the earle of Warwike.]
In this was he the more studious, bicause he saw that such an accord should bring great quietnesse to the land, and deliuer the common-wealth of manie dangers that might insue by reason of such numbers of partakers, as well lords as other that were confederat with the earle. The said duke treated with the king present, and sent messengers vnto Couentrie to the earle, moouing as well the one as the other most instantlie to frame their minds vnto a pacification. The king at the instance of his brother was contented to offer large conditions, and verie beneficiall for the earle and his partakers, if they would haue accepted them.
But the earle, whether vtterlie despairing of his owne safetie, if he should agrée to anie peace; or else happilie for that he thought it stood with his honour to stand vnto such promises and couenants as he had made with the French king, and with the quéene Margaret, and hir sonne prince Edward (to whome he was bound by oth not to shrinke or swarue from the same) he refused all maner of such conditions as were offered. Insomuch that when the duke had sent to him, both to excuse himselfe of the act which he had doone, and also to require him to take some good waie with king Edward, now while he might, the earle (after he had patientlie heard the dukes message) he séemed greatlie to abhorre his vnfaithfull dealing, in turning thus from his confederats and alies contrarie to his oth and fidelitie.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwiks answer to the duke of Clarence message.]
To the messengers (as some write) he gaue none other answer but this, that he had rather be like himselfe, than like a false and periured duke; and that he was fullie determined neuer to leaue warre, till he had either lost his owne life, or vtterlie subdued his enimies. At it was thought, the earle of Oxenfords persuasion wanted not, to make him the more stiflie to hold out; and rather to trie the vttermost hazard of warre, than to agrée to acknowledge king Edward for his lawfull souereigne lord and king. Whervpon no appointment nor anie agréement at all could be brought to passe; and so all that treatie, which the duke of Clarence had procured, brake off & tooke none effect. There came to the earle of Warwike, whilest he laie thus at Couentrie (besides the earle of Oxenford) the duke of Excester, and the lord marquesse Montacute, by whose comming that side was greatlie strengthened, and the number much increased.
[Sidenote: K. Edward passeth London.]
The king, vpon consideration hereof and perceiuing he could not get the earle to come foorth of Couentrie, departed from Warwike, and eftsoones shewing himselfe with his people before the citie of Couentrie, desired the earle and his power to come foorth into the fields, that they might end their quarrell by battell: which the earle and the other lords with him vtterlie refused as then to doo. This was the fift of Aprill being fridaie. The king herevpon was resolued to march towards London, where his principall aduersarie king Henrie remained, vsing his kinglie authoritie by diuerse such of the nobilitie as were about him, whereby king Edward was barred and disappointed of manie aids and assistants, which he was sure to haue, if he could once breake that force of the roiall authoritie, that was still thus exercised against him in king Henries name.
Wherefore (by the aduise of his brethren and others of his councell) accordinglie as it had beene ordeined before this his last setting foorth from Warwike, he kept on his waie towards London, comming to Dantrie on the saturdaie at night: & on the morow being Palmesundaie, he heard seruice in the church there, & after rode to Northhampton, where he was ioifullie receiued. From thense he tooke the next way towards London, leauing continuallie behind him (as he passed foorth) a competent band of speares and archers, to beat backe such of the earle of Warwiks people, as peraduenture he might send abroad to trouble him and his armie by the waie. Which prouidence and foresight it not vnnecessarie to vse; for that he knew well enough, that the heart of an enimie, frieng in the fire of hatefull hostilitie, will pretermit no opportunitie either of time or place to laie in wait for his destruction, against whom he beareth an inward grudge, with a desire of vengeance to the death.
In this meane while, that things passed in maner (as before ye haue hard) Edmund duke of Summerset, & his brother Iohn marquesse Dorset, Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, and others being at London, had knowledge by aduertisements out of France, that quéene Margaret with hir sonne prince Edward, the countesse of Warwike, the prior of S. Iohns, the lord Wenlocke, and diuerse others their adherents and partakers, with all that they might make, were readie at the sea side, purposing with all spéed to saile ouer into England, and to arriue in the west countrie. Wherevpon they departed foorth of London, and with all hast possible drew westward, there to raise what forces they could, to ioine with those their fréends, immediatlie after they should once come on land, and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers.
True it is, that the quéene with hir sonne, and the other persons before mentioned, tooke their ships, the foure and twentith daie of March, continuing on the seas before they could land (thorough tempests and contrarie winds) by the space of twentie daies, that is, till the thirtéenth of Aprill: on which daie, or rather on the fourtéenth, they landed at Weimouth, as after shall appeare. But now touching king Edwards procéeding forward on his iournie toward London, ye haue to vnderstand, that vpon the tuesdaie the ninth of Aprill he came to saint Albons, from whense he sent comfortable aduertisements to the queene his wife remaining within the sanctuarie at Westminster, and to others his faithfull fréends in and about London, to vnderstand by couert meanes how to deale to obteine the fauour of the citizens, so as he might be of them receiued.
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke.]
The earle of Warwike, vnderstanding all his dooings and purposes, wrote to the Londoners, willing & charging them in anie wise to keepe king Edward out of their citie, and in no condition to permit him to enter: and withall he sent to his brother the archbishop of Yorke, willing him by all meanes possible to persuade the Londoners not to receiue him; but to defend the citie against him for the space of two or thrée daies at the least: promising not to faile but to come after him, and to be readie to assaile him on the backe, not doubting but wholie to distresse his power and to bring him to vtter confusion. The archbishop herevpon, on the ninth of Aprill, called vnto him at Paules, all such lords, knights, and gentlemen, with others that were partakers on that side, to the number in all of six or seauen thousand men in armour.
[Sidenote: King Henrie sheweth himselfe to the Londoners.]
Herewith also he caused king Henrie to mount on horssebacke, and to ride from Paules thorough Cheape downe to Walbroke, & so to fetch a compasse (as the custome was when they made their generall processions) returning backe againe to Paules vnto the bishops palace, where at that time he was lodged. The archbishop supposed, that shewing the king thus riding thorough the stréets, he should haue allured the citizens to assist his part. True it is, the maior & aldermen had caused the gates to be kept with watch and ward: but now they well perceiued that king Henries power was too weake, as by that shew it had well appeared, to make full resistance against king Edward, and so not for them to trust vnto, if king Edward came forward, and should attempt to enter the citie by force: for it was not vnknowne vnto them, that manie of the worshipfull citizens, and others of the commons in great numbers, were fullie bent to aid king Edward, in all that they might, as occasion serued.
[Sidenote: The Londoners resolue to receiue king Edward.]
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke.]
Thus, what thorough loue that manie bare to king Edward, and what thorough feare that diuerse stood in, least the citie being taken by force might happilie haue beene put to the sacke, with the losse of manie an innocent mans life; the maior, aldermen, and others the worshipfull of the citie fell at a point among themselues, to kéepe the citie to K. Edwards vse, so as he might haue free passage and entrie into the same at his pleasure. The archbishop of Yorke, perceiuing the affections of the people, and how the most part of them were now bent in fauour of king Edward vpon the said kings approch towards the citie, he sent foorth secretlie a messenger to him, beséeching him to receiue him againe into his fauour, promising to be faithfull to him in time to come, and to acquit this good turne hereafter with some singular benefit and pleasure.
[Sidenote: The Tower recouered to king Edwards vse.]
[Sidenote: K. Edward entereth into London.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie is deliuered to him.]
The king, vpon good causes and considerations therevnto him moouing, was contented to receiue him againe into his fauour. The archbishop hereof assured, reioised greatlie, well & truelie acquiting him concerning his promise made to the king in that behalfe. The same night following was the Tower of London recouered to king Edwards vse. And on the morow being thursdaie, and the eleuenth of Aprill, king Edward quietlie made his entrie into the citie with his power, hauing fiue hundred smokie gunners marching foremost, being strangers, of such as he had brought ouer with him. He first rode vnto Paules church, & from thense he went to the bishops palace, where the archbishop of Yorke presented himselfe vnto him, and hauing king Henrie by the hand, deliuered him vnto king Edward, who being seized of his person, and diuerse other his aduersaries, he went from Paules to Westminster, where he made his deuout praiers, giuing God most heartie thanks for his safe returne thither againe.
This doone, he went to the quéene to comfort hir, who with great patience had abidden there a long time, as a sanctuarie woman, for doubt of hir enimies; and in the meane season was deliuered of a yoong prince, whom she now presented vnto him, to his great hearts reioising & comfort. From Westminster the king returned that night vnto London againe, hauing the quéene with him, and lodged in the house of the duchesse his moother. On the morow being good fridaie, he tooke aduise with the lords of his bloud, and other of his councell, for such businesse as he had in hand; namelie, how to subdue his enimies as sought his destruction. Thus with consultation preuenting his actions, he obteined fortunate successe, wherwith his hart was the more aduanced to ioine issue with his aduersaries, whome (rather than they should triumph ouer him) he was resolutelie minded to vanquish, if his procéedings might proue prosperous as his present good lucke.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike followeth the king.]
The earle of Warwike, calling himselfe lieutenant of England, vnder the pretensed authoritie of King Henrie, hoping that king Edward should haue much a doo to enter into London, marched foorth from Couentrie with all his puissance, following the king by Northhampton, in hope to haue some great aduantage to assaile him, speciallie if the Londoners kept him out of their citie, as he trusted they would; for then he accounted himselfe sure of the vpper hand: or if he were of them receiued, yet he hoped to find him vnprouided in celebrating the feast of Easter; and so by setting vpon him on the sudden, he doubted not by that meanes to distresse him. But king Edward, hauing intelligence of the earles intention, prouided all things necessarie for battell; & hearing that the earle of Warwike was now come vnto S. Albons with his armie, he determined to march foorth to incounter him before he should approch neere the citie.
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._]
The earle of Warwike accompanied with Iohn duke of Excester, Edmund duke of Summerset, Iohn earle of Oxford, and Iohn Neuill marquesse Montacute his brother, vnderstanding that king Edward was not onelie receiued into London, but also had got king Henrie into his hands, perceiued that the triall of the matter must néeds be committed to the hazard of battell; and therefore being come to the towne of saint Albons, he rested there a while, partlie to refresh his souldiers, and partlie to take counsell how to procéed in his enterprise. At length, although he knew that his brother the marquesse Montacute was not fullie well persuaded with himselfe, to like of this quarell which they had in hand; yet the brotherlie affection betwixt them tooke awaie all suspicion from the earle, and so he vtterlie resolued to giue battell, meaning to trie whereto all this tumult would grow; and counting it a blemish to his honor, not to prosequute that with the sword, which he had solemnelie vowed to doo on his word.
[Sidenote: Gladmore heath.]
[Sidenote: The ordering of the kings armie.]
Hervpon remoued they towards Barnet, a towne standing in the midwaie betwixt London and saint Albons aloft on a hill; at the end whereof towards saint Albons there is a faire plaine for two armies to meet vpon, named Gladmore heath. On the further side of which plaine towards saint Albons the earle pight his campe. king Edward on the other part, being furnished with a mightie armie (hauing ioined to that power which he brought with him certeine new supplies) upon Easter euen the thirtéenth of Aprill in the after noone marched foorth, hauing his said armie diuided into foure battels. He tooke with him king Henrie, and came that euening vnto Barnet, ten small miles distant from London; in which towne his foreriders finding certeine of the earle of Warwikes foreriders, beat them out, & chased them somewhat further than halfe a mile from the towne, where, by an hedge side they found readie assembled a great number of the earle of Warwiks people.
[Sidenote: K. Edward lodged before his enimies.]
The king after this comming to Barnet, would not suffer a man to remaine in the towne (that were of his host) but commanded them all to the field, and with them drew toward his enimies, and lodged with his armie more neere to them than he was aware of, by reason it was darke, so as he could not well discerne where they were incamped, fortifieng the field the best he could for feare of some sudden inuasion. He tooke his ground not so euen afore them as he would haue doone, if he might haue discouered the place where they had lien; and by reason thereof he incamped somewhat aside slips of them, causing his people to kéepe as much silence as was possible, [least making anie noise with the busseling of their armour and weapons or otherwise with their toongs, the enimie might haue come to some knowledge of the kings priuie purpose, and so by preuention haue disappointed his policie by some prouident deuise; which bicause they wanted for the present time, it turned to their disaduantage; after the old prouerbe:
Nescit prodesse qui nescit prouidus esse.]
[Sidenote: Artillerie.]
[Sidenote: A good policie.]
They had great artillerie on both parts, but the earle was better furnished therewith than the king, and therefore in the night time they shot off from his campe in maner continuallie; but dooing little hurt to the kings people, still ouershooting them, by reason they laie much néerer than the earle or anie or his men did estéeme. And such silence was kept in the kings campe, that no noise bewraied them where they laie. For to the end it should not be knowne to the enimies, how neere the king with his armie was lodged vnto them, the king, would not suffer anie of his gunnes in all that night to be shot off, least thereby they might haue gessed the ground, and so leuelled their artillerie to his annoiance.
[Sidenote: _Edw. Hall_.]
[Sidenote: The order of battell of both sides.]
Earelie on the next morning betwixt foure and fiue of the clocke, notwithstanding there was a great mist that letted the sight of both parts to discouer the fields, the king aduanced his banners, and caused his trumpets to sound to the battell. On the other part, the earle of Warwike, at the verie breake of the daie, had likewise set his men in order of battell in this maner. In the right wing he placed the marquesse Montacute, and the earle of Oxford with certeine horssemen, and he with the duke of Excester tooke the left wing. And in the middest betweene both, he set archers, appointing the duke of Summerset to guide them as their chiefteine. King Edward had set the duke of Glocester in the fore-ward. The middle-ward he himselfe with the duke of Clarence, hauing with them king Henrie, did rule & gouerne. The lord Hastings led the rere-ward, and beside these thrée battels, he kept a companie of fresh men in store, which did him great pleasure before the end of the battell.
[Sidenote: The valiancie of the earle of Oxford.]
Here is to be remembered, that aswell the king on his part, as the earle of Warwike on his, vsed manie comfortable words to incourage their people, not forgetting to set foorth their quarels as iust and lawfull; the king naming his aduersaries traitors and rebels, & the earle accounting him a tyrant, & an iniurious vsurper. But when the time came that they once got sight either of other, the battell began verie sharpe and cruell, first with shot, and after by ioining at hand blowes. Yet at the first they ioined not front to front, as they should haue doone, by reason of the mist that tooke awaie the sight of either armie, and suffered the one not to discerne perfectlie the order of the other; insomuch that the one end of the earle of Warwikes armie ouer-raught the contrarie end of the kings battell which stood westward, and by reason thereof (through the valiancie of the earle of Oxford that led the earles voward) the kings people on that part were ouermatched, so that manie of them fled towards Barnet, and so to London, bringing newes that the erle of Warwike had woone the field.
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 727._]
[Which report happilie might haue béene iustified and fallen out to be true, had not preposterous fortune happened to the earle of Oxford and his men, who had a starre with streames on their liueries; as king Edwards men had the sunne with streames on their liueries: wherevpon the earle of Warwiks men, by reason of the mist not well discerning the badges so like, shot at the earle of Oxfords men that were on their owne part, and then the earle of Oxford and his men cried treason, and fled with eight hundred men.]
But touching the kings people which were pursued in the chase as they fled, and were put to the worst, manie were wounded, and manie slaine outright. But the residue of those that fought in other parts could not perceiue this distresse of the kings people, bicause the thicke mist would not suffer them to sée anie space farre off, but onelie at hand: and so the kings battell that saw not anie thing what was doone beside them, was nothing discouraged. For (a few excepted that stood next to that part) there was not anie one that wist of that discomfiture; and the other of the earle of Warwikes men, that fought in other places somewhat distant from them, were nothing the more incouraged by this prosperous successe of their fellowes, for they perceiued it not. And in like case as at the west end the earles battell ouer-reached the kings, so at the east end the kings ouer-reached the earls, and with like successe put the earls people in that place to the worse.
[Sidenote: The manfull courage of the earle of Warwike.]
At length after sore fight, and greater slaughter made on both sides, king Edward hauing the greater number of men (as some write, though other affirme the contrarie) began somewhat to preuaile: but the earle on the other side remembring his ancient fame and renowme, manfullie stucke to it, and incouraged his people, still supplieng with new succors in places where he saw expedient, and so the fight renewed more cruell, fierce, & bloudie than before, insomuch that the victorie remained still doubtfull, though they had fought from morning till it was now far in the daie. K. Edward therefore willing to make an end of so long a conflict, caused new power of fresh men (which he had for this purpose kept in store) to set on his enimies.
[Sidenote: The earle of Warwike slaine.]
The earle of Warwike was nothing abashed herewith, but vnderstanding that this was all the residue of king Edwards power, comforted his men to beare out this last brunt, and in so dooing the victorie was sure on their side, and the battell at an end: but king Edward so manfullie and valiantlie assailed his aduersaries, in the middle and strongest part of their battell, that with great violence he bare downe all that stood in his waie; for he was followed and assisted by a number of most hardie and faithfull men of warre, that shewed notable proofe of tried manhood in that instant necessitie. The earle of Warwike (when his souldiers all wearied with long fight, and sore weakened with woundes and hurts receiued in the battell) gaue little héed to his words (being a man of an inuincible stomach) rushed into the middest of his enimies, whereas he (aduenturing so farre from his companie, to kill and slea his aduersaries, that he could not be rescued) was amongst the preasse of his enimies striken downe and slaine.
[Sidenote: The marquesse Montacute slaine.]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Flem._]
[Sidenote: _Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 727._]