Late Medieval Books, The Priory of Hexham

More than fifty years pass away before Hexham appears again upon the page of history. We know nothing dm-ing the interval of the annals of the place, and little of the condition of the Priory. The name crops out in 1464; and then it is, as usual, in connection with battle and bloodshed. The houses of York and Lancaster were tearing each other in pieces, and in the spring of that year they were arrayed against each other in Tynedale. A fight took place, probably on the 8th of May, which is known as the battle of Hexham.^ Henry VI. and his queen were on one side; on the other was lord Montacute, the brother of the great earl of Warwick. Indecision and weakness characterized the Lancastrian party. No one seems to have known what to do, or in whom he was to trust. A short time before. Sir Ralph Percy had fallen at Hedgeley Moor; and the noblemen who abandoned him were now clustering around their king. As lord Montacute drew near to Hexham, his adversaries, through fear and other causes, seemed to melt away like the snow; until at last there were only five hundred of them left to oppose several thousands. They resolved, notwithstanding, to try the issue of a battle; but it would have been madness in them to imperil their safety in a wide broad plain, where they could be trampled down by the mere force of numbers. They chose a position, therefore, in which the ground was greatly in the favour of a small body of troops. A few miles to the southeast of Hexham, not far from the scene of death of Cadwalla in the seventh century, on the beautiful stream of the Devilswater, there is a place called Linnels, which lies on the long slope of the hill as it trends downwards towards the Tyne. The situation is very wild and fine; for there is rich green turf flanked by wood and water.^q It is a small natural camp with rough broken ground in its rear, and a sharp declivity at its foot; and here a scanty force might hope to make a stand. Retreat, in case of a reverse, would be very difficult; but when treason was rife, it was necessary to draw up the Lancastrians in a place where nothing but steadfast valour could save them. On lord Montacute came, full of the hot spirit of the Nevilles, and the shock was a very fierce one; for the enemy would not yield him an inch. At length, by a strong bold charge the lines were pierced; and then there was a scattering and a flight of the Lancastrians among the woods and hills. Many prisoners were taken, and many made their escape on that day of peril. King Henry himself, as we are told, galloped off so fast that no one could come near him; and yet he lost in the chase his cap of estate decked with two golden crowns; and some of his henchmen were captured, so hot was the pursuit.

Note q. For the account of the battle-field, I trust to my own recollections of it, as I saw it in the summer of 1848.

The escape of queen Margaret and her son has been made the subject of a romantic story, for which there is, unfortunately, very little historical foundation. The queen and the prince, as they were fleeing from the battle-field, were seized by some robbers, who plundered them of everything they possessed. A quarrel among their captors, as the spoil was being divided, enabled the unhappy pair to escape; but they fell, soon afterwards, into the hands of another marauder. With a presence of mind that never deserted her, Margaret placed her exhausted child in the stranger's charge, and entreated him to protect the boy as he was a king's son. The Northumbrian was touched by her frankness, and saved them from their peril. The story is a pretty one and appeared for the first time in Monstrelet; who states however, that the incident occurred in a forest in Hainault.^r English writers have not scrupled to make it their own, and have transferred it to Hexhamshire. Still, we must not forget that in the rocky bank of the Devilswater, close to Linnels, there is a recess called the Queen's cave [Map], in which, according to the tradition of the country, Margaret and her son concealed themselves. It is possible, but not probable, that they found shelter in this place. Many would be the shifts to which they would be put during their misfortunes, and numerous would be their hiding-places.

Note r. Monstrelet, ed. Jolines, x., 125.

Between the Feast of Pentecost and the following Feast of the Holy Trinity, King Henry VI was in the county of Northumberland, at Alnwick Castle¹, and with him were the Duke of Somerset, and the Lords of Roos, Moleyns, Hungerford, and the Hogue, along with Prince Edward, his son, and other lords from France, including Sir Pierre de Brézé, and with him, many lords and knights from France, sent by the King of France to aid King Henry and his lords. Later, all the French lords, except the said Pierre de Brézé, were captured at Holy Island by Robert, Lord Ogle, and other knights and squires of the county of Northumberland, and they made their ransom payments². Soon after, in the same county, came Lord Montague, the brother of the Earl of Warwick, while the king and his lords were at Hexham. With King Henry were the Lords Roos, Moleyns, Tailboys, Sir Ralph Gray, Fyndern, Humphrey Neville, and the Duke of Somerset, among many others.

Enter le fest de Pentecost, prochein devant c'est terme de Semt Trenite, le roy Henry le VI. fuit en le counte de Northumberland, en le chastel de Anewyke, et one luy le duke de Somersette, et les seignours de Ros, Moleins, Hungeford, le Hoigne, one le prince Edwarde lour fitz, et alters, seignours de Fraunce, Syr Pers de Brace, one luy plusours seignours et chivalers del Fraunce myse par le roy del Fraunce, pur eider' le roy Herry et ses seignours: Et puis fuer' preses touts les seigneurs de Fraunce, except le avandit Pers, a Holylaud, par Robert le seignour de Ogeils, et auters chivalers et esquiers de la counte de Nortliumberland; et fier' lour fine s. ranson. Et puis apres vieut en mesme le counte, le seniour de Mountegue, le frere le seniour de Warwyke, le roy et ces seignours esteant a Everwyke, et le roy Herry, one ses seignours; s. le sieur de Roos, Molins, Taylboys, Raufe Gray chivaler, Fyndern, Humfra de Nevil, le duke de Somerset, one plusours autres;

Note 1. About Pentecost, 1464, Henry VI. was at Alnwick with his lords. The castle had been given up to him by Sir Ralph Gray in May, 1463.

Note 2. The capture of the Frenchmen took place at Holy Island in October, 1462. They had been wrecked in all probability among the Farne Islands, off Barnborough, and were making their way to Holy Island when lord Ogle pounced upon them.

But Sir Ralph Percy had already been killed in another battle called the Battle of Hedgeley Moor, which was fought against the said Lord Montague. And all the other lords fled, except Ralph, who was killed there like a man of honor¹.

... mei Raufe Percy chivaler fuit mort en un auter champe, q' est apelle Heggely More, que fuit pris par le seignours avandit envers le dit seniour de Montegue; et touts les autres seignours fugaver', except le dit Raufe; et la, comme home, fuit occise.

Note 1. Sir Ralph Percy, one of the many younger sons of the earl of Northumberland, died at Hedgeley Moor, near Wooller, having been deserted by his companions in arms, the lords Hungerford and Ros. Lord Montague overwhelmed him with superior numbers, and the gallant Percy fell "like a man," as the chronicle says, and "saving the bird," or his loyalty, "in his breast."

In the Act of Attainder he is thus mentioned (Rot. Pari., v., 511), " Where Eaulf Percy, knyght, after his long abode in rebellion, was also by oure seid soverayne lord taken benignely unto his grace, resceyved after that grete benefittez of his highnes, and taken in grete trust; yet netherles after that, unkyndely and falsely ayenst the duete of his ligeaunce, the said castels of Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh, to his kepyng delyvered by oure seid soverayne lord, falsely and traitorously delj-vered unto the seid Henry, the kynge's ennemye; and, after that, in the fest of Seint Marc the Evangelist, in the seid iiij^th yere, at Heggelay-more in the seid shire of Northumberlond, ayeinst oure seid soverayne lord rered werre, purposyng then and there his distruction."

Afterward, the said lords captured King Henry, along with all his gathered force, and met them in battle in Hexhamshire, in a place called Livels¹ on the Devil's Water, against the aforementioned Lord Montague, who engaged them in battle and won victory over his enemies. There, the Duke of Somerset was taken and his head cut off at Hexham², where it remains, facing the road to Berwick. The Frenchmen were also captured, and likewise taken were the Lords Roos, Moleyns, Hungerford, and Fyndern, along with many other knights, squires, and men. Their heads were cut off namely, Roos, Moleyns, Hungerford, and Fyndern, along with others at Newcastle upon Tyne, in a place called Sandhill, and they were buried at the friaries of the Minors and Augustinians.

Et puis les sieur avandit pristeront lour roy Henry, one tout lour power de pepyl, et pristeront lour champ' en Hexhamshire, en un lieu appelle Livels, sur le ewe Devyls, envers le avantdit sieur de Mountage, qui joyndr' batel one eux, et avoit le victore de ses ennemeys avantdit. Et la le sieur de Somerset fuit prise, et son teste coupe a Hexham, et la git; vere le ville de Berwike; et pristeront le Frauncoys hommes hors et auxi fuer' pris de Ros, Molyns, Hungerford, Fyndern, oue plusours autres cliivalers esquiers, et autres hommes; et lour testes fuer' coupes, s. Ros, Molyns, Hungerford, Fyndern, oue ij plusours a Novel-chastel-sur-Tyn, en un lieu appelle Sandhyll, et geront en les freres de Minors et Augustins.

Note 1. The present name of the place is the Linnels.

Note 2. The place where the duke was buried is not known. Somerset was a great offender, having changed sides more than once, although he had been specially pardoned, whereby, as Edward IV says, "Of verray gentilnes and the noble honour that oweth to be grounded in every gentilman, he shuld have been stablished inferme feith and trouth unto his highnes," yet after all, "sodenly by secrete and pryvate weyes, toke his viage prively oute of the parties of North Wales, unto he came into the shire of Northumberlond, where Henry late called kyng of Englond, the grete ennemye and adversarie of oure seid soverayn lord, kept traitorously and rebelliously the kyng oure seid soverayne lorde's castels of Bamborough, Dunstanborough, and Alnewyke; to the same Henry there adhered, and with liym coufedered to the distraction of oure seid soverayn lord by bataill; and to the same entent and effecte, at Exham in the said shire, the viij day of May, in the seid iiij^th yere, rered werre ayenst oure seid soverayne lord."

And after the aforementioned skirmishes, King Henry¹ was taken by the enemy, though there are differing accounts of this, but three of his followers were captured with his helmet, and two of his richly adorned crowns, and these were presented to King Edward at York, on Wednesday, the 23rd day of May, in the fourth year of Edward's reign. Then the other lords and knights, that is, the Earl of Kyme, Gray, Neville, and Richard Tunstall², with many others, fled from the battlefield, called Hexham Field. The Earl of Kyme³ was captured later in Redesdale, and his head was cut off at Newcastle, where he was buried among the Friars Minor. And Humphrey Neville remained hiding by the River Derwent, within the said county, living underground in caves for the space of five years, until he was finally captured in Holderness, and his head cut off at York by the Earl of Warwick and several others.

Et, apres le scremes avantdit, si le roy Henry fuit pris ou nemy, sont divers dites de ceo, mes la fuer' pris iij de son foloers oue son helmet, et ij de ces croves richement arrais, et presentes a roy E. a Everwyk, die Mercurii, viz., xxiij die Maii, anno iiij ejusdem regis. Et donques les autres seignours et chivalers, s. comes de Kyme, Gray, Nevel, et Ric' de Dunstable, oue plusours auters fugaver' dehors le dit champe apelle Hexham feld; et comes de Kyme fuit prist in Rydisdal' longe temps apres, et son test coupe al Nouel-Chastel avantdit, et gyst en le freres Minors; et le dit Humfra Nevel demmrrust sur le l'ew de Derwent, deins le counte avantdit, en tabys south le terre, par le space de v ans, et puis il fuit pris en' Holdernesse, et son test coupe a Everwike par le seignour de Werwyke et plusors auters.

Note 1. Henry seems certainly to have been present at the fight. Hall says (ed. 1812, 260), "Kyng Henry was this day the beste horseman of his company; for he fled so faste that no man could overtake hymn, and yet he was so nere pursued, that certain of his henxmen or folowers wer taken, their horses beyng trapped in blew velvet; wherof one of them had on his head, the said kyng Henrie's healmet, some say his high cap of estate, called abococket, garnished with twoo riche crounes, which was presented to kyng Edward at Yorke, the fourth dale of Maie."

Note 2. Sir Richard Tunstall, chamberlain of Henry VI, and one of his most devoted adherents. He became a great man in the days of Richard III who made him a K.G. The learned and amiable bishop Tunstall was his nephew.

Note 3. Sir William Taylboys, titular earl of Kyme and lord of Redesdale. He fled to the fastnesses of his own wild country, but they were unable to protect him.

After they had taken the castle of Bamburgh, which Sir Ralph Gray¹ had held against King Edward IV, after Midsummer, the said Gray was brought to Doncaster, and there he was stripped of the honor of knighthood in front of many of the king's people. That is: his gilt spurs were hewn from his feet, his sword and all his armour were torn from him in the field, and then he was beheaded. The reason for this punishment, carried out in such a manner, was his perjury and double-dealing, for he had sworn allegiance both to King Henry VI, formerly king, and to King Edward IV, who now reigns. His execution took place between the feast of Saint Benedict (July 11) in the fourth year of the said king. His head was then taken to London, and on the Saturday, that is, the vigil of Saint Mary Magdalene (July 21), it was set upon London Bridge, high on a pole, in full view, so that all could see it. May God have mercy on his soul, etc.

Apres qil preteront le chastel de Bambrught, le qil Sieur Raufe Gray garda encounter le roy Edward le IIII apres Midsomer: et le dit Gray fuit carie a Doncastre, et la fuit deprive del honor del chivaler devant multes del pepyl le roy; s. ses gylt spores hewes de ses pies, et son espe et tout son armour sur luy debrusse et pris de luy en le champe, et puis il decole. Et le cause de eel punisment de luy, en tiel maner, fuit par cans de son perjure et doublenesse q' il avoit fait all roy Herry VI jadis roy, etc, et auxi al roy Edward le IIII, qi ore est; et cel decollation de luy fuit entre le jour de Saint Benet, le iiij an le roy avandit; et puis son test fuit emport a Londre et le Samady; s. le vigil de Mary Magdelene le an avantdit; ceo fuit mys sur le pout de London en haut sur un polle, en plain apparance, q' ceo poit esse view, q' Dieu de sa alme avoit mercy, etc.

Note 1. The head of the house of Grey. He was captured at Bamborough by the earl of Warwick, and was taken to Doncaster and executed there. The sentence upon him is a striking one in several respects.

Stow's Chronicle, ed. 1615, p. 418: "Sir Ralph Grey, for thy treason, the kyng had ordained that thou shouldest have had thy spurs striken off by the hard heeles, by the hand of the mastercooke, who is here ready to doe as was promised thee at the time that hee tooke off thy spurs, and saide to thee as is accustomed, that and thou bee not true to thy soverajme lorde he shall smite off thy spurs with his knife hard by the heeles;" and so shewed him the master-cooke, ready to do his office with his apron and his knife. "Moreover, Sir Ralph Gray, the king had ordained here thou mayest see, the kings of armes, and heralds, and thine owne proper coate of armes, which they should teare off thy body; and so shouldest thou as well be disgraded of thy worship, nobles, and armes, as off thy order of knighthood. Also, here is another coate of thine armes reversed, the which thou Shouldest have worne on thy body, goeing to thy deathwards, for that belongeth to thee after the law; notwithstanding the disgrading of knighthood, and of thine armes, and nobles, the king pardoneth that, for thy noble graundfather, who suffered trouble for the kinge's most noble predecessors. Now, Sir Ralph Grey, this shall bee thy penance. Thou shalt goe on thy feete unto the townes end, and there thou shalt be laid downe, and drawne to a scaffold made for thee, and thou shalt have thy head smitten off; thy body to bee buried in the Friers; thy head where the king's pleasure shall bee."