15 May 1464 Battle of Hexham

Hall's Chronicle. [15th May 1464] The lord Montacute seyng fortune thus prosperously leadyng his saile, was auaunced with hardy corage toward his enemies, & then in passyng forward, he had by his espialles perfite intelligence, that kyng Henry with all his power, was incamped in a faire plaine called Lyuels, on the water of Dowill in Exham shire. It was no neede to bid hym hast, as he that thought not to lese the occasion, to hym so manifestly geuen, & to leaue the good port of fortune, to hym opened and vaclosed: and therfore, in good ordre of battail, he manfully set on his enemies, in their awne cape, whiche like desperate persones, with no small corage received hym. There was a sore fought feld, and no partie by a long tract, could get any aduauntage of the other, till at the last, the lord Montacute, criyng on his men to do valiauntly, entered by plaine force, the battaill of his enemies, and brake their array, whiche like men amased, fled hether and thether, desperate of all succor. In whiche flight and chase, wer taken, Henry duke of Somerset, whiche before was reconciled to Kyng Edwarde, the Lorde Roos, the Lorde Molyns, the Lord Hungerford, sir Thomas Wentworth, sir Thomas Huse, sir Thon Fynderne, & many other. Kyng Henry was this day, the beste horseman of his company: for he fled so faste that no man could ouertake hym, and yet he was so nere pursued, that certain of his henxmen or folowers wer taken, their horses beyng trapped in blew veluet: wherof one of thé had on his hed, thesaid kysg Henries healmet. Some say his high cap of estate, called abococket, garnished with twoo riche crounes, whiche was presented to kyng Edward, at Yorke the fourth daie of Maie. The duke of Somerset, was incontinently, for his greate mulabilitie and lightnes, heliedded at. Exam, the other lordes and knightes, wer had to New Castle, and there after alitle respite, wer likewise put in execucion. Beside these persones, diuerse other to the numbre of XXV wer executed at Yorke, and in other places: wherby other fautors of kyng Henries partie, should be out of all trust of all victory, consideryng that their capitaines, had hopped hedles. Fro this battaill escaped kyng Henry the VI, sir Humfrey Neuell, Willia Taylboys, callyng hymself erle of Kent, sir Raufe Gray, and Richard Tunstall, and diverse other, whiche beyng in feare of takyng, hid themselfes and lurked in denes and wholes secretly. Thei wer not so closly hid, but they were espied: for the erle of Kent was taken in a close place in Riddesdale, and brought to New Castle, and there with an axe lost his life, Sir Humfrey Neuell, after long lurking in a Caue, was taken in Holdernes, and at Yorke behedded. Thus euery man almoste that escaped, was after taken and scorged: so that it should seme that God had ordeined, all suche persones as rebelled against kyng Edward, to haue in coclusion, death for their reward and guardone.

Chronicle of England by William of Worcester. On the [15th] day of the said month of May [1464], 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 (age 22), 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.

Chronicle of England by William of Worcester. ... lords of the fleeing army camped on a certain hill about a mile from Hexham. They had with them no more than five hundred men. [....] 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.

... dominis de exercitu fugientibus campum super quendam montem ad unum miliare juxta Hexham, habueruntque in societate sua non ultra quingentos homines. [....] 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.

Grafton's Chronicle. 15th May 1464. The Lorde Montucute sevng fortune thus prosperously leadyng his sayle, was aduaunced with hardie courage towarde his enemies, and then in passyng forwarde, he had by his espialles perfect intelligence, that king Henry with all his power, was encamped in a fayre plaine called Livels [Map], on the water of Dowill in Exhamshire. It was no neede to bid him haste haste, as he that thought not to leese the occasion to him so manifestly geuen, & therfore in good order of battaile, he manfully set on his enemies in their awne campe, which like desperate persons, with no smal courage receiued him. There was a sore fought field, and no partie by a long tract, could getany aduauntage of the other, till at the last, the Lorde Montacute criyng on his men to do valiauntly, entred by plaine force the battaile of his enemies, and brake their array, which like men amased, fled hether and thether, desperate of all succor. In which flight and chase, were taken Henry Duke of Sommerset, which before was reconciled to king Edward, the Lorde Roos, the Lorde Molyns, the Lorde Hungerford, syr Thomas Wentworth, syr Thomas Huse, syr John Finderne, and many other. King Henry was this day the best horseman of his company: for he fled so fast that no man could overtake him, and yet he was so nere pursued, that certaine of his Ilenchmen and folowers were taken, theyr horses beyng trapped in blew veluet: wherof one of them had on his head, the said king Henryes Helinet. Some say his high Cap of estate, called Abococket, garnished with two riche Crownes, which was presented to king Edward, at Yorke the fourth day of Muy. The Duke of Sommerset, was incontinently for his great mutabilitic and lightnesse, beliedled at Exbam, the other Lordes and knightes were had to Newe Castell, and there after a little vespite, were likewise put to execution. Besyde these persons, divers other to the number of XXV were executed at Yorke, and in other places: whereby other fautors of king Henryes partie, should be out of all trust of all victory, considering that theyr Capitaines had hopped hedlesse. From this battaile escaped king Henry the six, syr Humfrey Neuell, William Taylboys, calling himsclfe Erle of Kent, syr Raufe Grey, and Richard Tunstall, and dyvers other, which beyng in feare of takyng, hid themselves and lurked in dennes and holes secretly. They were not so closely hid, but they were espyed: For the Erle of Kent was taken in a close place in Riddesdale, and broughs to New castell, and there with an Axe lost his head. Sir huwmirey Newell after long lurkyng ina Caue, was taken in Holdernesse, and at Yorke behedded. Thus every man almost that escaped, was after taken and scorged: so that it should seeme that God had ordeyned all such persons as rebelled agaynst king Edward, to have in conclusion, death for there rewarde.

Warkworth's Chronicle. 15th May 1464. Also in the iiij^th 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 xxiij^ti, 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.

Note 3. Were takene and afterward behedede: 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.

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.

Archaeologia Volume 47 1882 Section 16. The Parliament was again adjourned, to meet at York on May 5th. But before this day came, the Lancastrians were encountered by Lord Montagu^g (who had shortly before taken the field) at Hedgeley Moor on St. Mark's Day (April 25), and at Hexham on May 8, 1464, and were completely routed. Henry himself was present at the second battle, and was all but taken prisoner.^h He escaped, however, possibly into Scotland, but, as is well known, was captured in Lancashire not many months afterwards, and was conveyed to the Tower of London, and kept there until 1470.

Note g. Fabyan, sub annis 1463-4. "In this yere and moneth of May, whyche was in the begynnyng of the iiij yere of King Edwarde, Lord John of Montagu, havinge then the rule in the northe partes, beynge warned of the comyng of Henry late kynge wyth greate power out of Scotland, assembled the northyn wen, and mett with hym about Exam, &c." Not a word, be it observed, about the presence of Queen Margaret. The movements of Montagu immediately before the battles are given with some little detail by Gregory.

Note h. An episode of the battle of Hexham is not without interest. The author of the Brief Latin Chronicle, after noticing the battle, says "Shortly thereafter, the castles of Langley, the town tower of Hexham, and also the castle of Bywell [Map], were surrendered to Lord Montagu. And in that castle of Bywell, there was found the helmet of King Henry, along with his crown, sword, and trappings. But how or where he escaped, God knows, for the hearts of kings are in His hands."

"John, Lord Montagu," says Fabyan, (ccxv. v°.) "after the battle of Hexham, chased Henry so nere, that he wan from him certayne of his folowers trapped with blewe velvet, and hys bycocket garnysshed with two crownes of golde, and fret wyth perle and riche stone."

These two notes of trophies taken from Henry on the occasion of his flight differ in describing the head-piece as a "helmet" and as a "bycocket." They may or may not both mean the same thing. What a "bycocket" was we shall see presently, but first I wish to call attention to the wonderful transformations which the word itself has undergone at the hands of the later chroniclers.

Halle (followed by Grafton), with a sneer at this unfortunate prince, says "King Henry was the best horseman of his company, for he fled so fast that no man could overtake him, and yet he was so near pursued that certain of his henchmen and followers were taken, their horses trapped in blew velvet: whereof one of them had on his hed the said King Henry's healmet. Some say his high cap of estate called abococked (Halle, fol. ii. v°.), Abococket (Grafton, ii. 661), garnished with two riche crowns, which was presented to King Edward at Yorke, the fourth day of May."

The word seems to have puzzled the printers. Haile first misprints "abococked for a bycocket, and then Grafton restores the t, but throws the indefinite article into the word with a capital A. Holinshed has further improved on Grafton and turned the head-piece into Abacot.

Spelman in his glossary has got hold of this monstrous corruption, "Abacot," from Holinshed, whom he quotes, giving the definition "Pileus angustalis Regum Anglorum duobus coronis insignitus" i.e. "The narrow-fitting cap of the Kings of England, adorned with two crowns." And from Spelman (or from Holinshed), Bailey, Ash, and, I believe, other English dictionary makers have inserted the ridiculous word.

The first article in the late Mr. Planché's Cyclopedia of Costume is on "Abacot, Abocked, Abocket, Bycocket." This very agreeable and learned writer has failed, probably from quoting at second hand, to see that the true word is Bycocket, and that Abacot, &e. &c. are mere corruptions. But I think he has shown clearly and for the first time what a Bycocket is.

Willement in his Regal Heraldry quotes a passage from Leland's Collectanea, iv. 225, giving an account of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth of York, on which occasion the Earl of Derby as Constable of England entered Westminster Hall, "mounted on a courser richely trapped, and enarmed (that is to say) Quarterly, Golde, in the first quarter a lion gowles, having a man's head in a Bycockett of silver, and in the second a lyon of sable. This trapper was right curiously wrought with the nedell, for the mannes visage in the Bycockett shewde veryle (?fayrle) well favorde.

Willement is inclined, but no doubt wrongly, to connect this curious bearing with another deviee borne in a banner at Elizabeth of York's funeral. Mr. Planché, however, more judiciously observes that the device of a lion with a man's head in a "bycocket" did not belong to the Stanleys. But, says he, it is to be seen in a standard of John Ratcliff, Baron Fitzwalter (Book of Standards, Coll. Arms,) and he finds that Fitzwalter and others were associated in 8rd Henry VIL for exercising the office of High Steward of England at Queen Elizabeth's Coronation." It is therefore clear that it was Lord Fitzwalter as High Steward, and not the Earl of Derby as constable, who rode the conrser so "trapped and enarmed."

Mr. Planché in his Plate I. lettered, I am sorry to say, "Abacot," instead of "Bycocket," figures the man-lion from Fitzwalter's standard, temp. Henry VII. where the Bycocket on his head is evidently identical with the so-called cap of estate or cap of maintenance, of which his drawings on the same plate show examples from the seals of Edward the Black Prince and Richard Duke of York, and from the grant to John de Kingston by Richard II Harl. MS. 5804, with other specimens. After remarking "that the (Abacot or) Bycocket was not peculiarly a royal cap of state appears from an entry in a fifteenth century MS. (L 5, fol. 54 b. Coll. Arms) entitled 'The apparel for the field of a baron in his Sovereign's company,' Item, another pe. (? paire) of hostyng harness [to] ryde daily with all, with a bycocket, and alle other apparel longynge thereto," he goes on to say, "It is, I think, evident, that the (abocock or) bycocket was the cap so frequently seen in illuminations of the fifteenth century turned up behind, coming to a peak in front, varying and gradually decreasing in height, encircled with a crown when worn by regal personages, and similar to if not identical with what is now called the knight's chapeau, first appearing in the reign of Edward III. and on which (when used upon a helmet) the crest is placed."

The word is French, but of uncertain derivation. Under the word Bigacia, Ducange says "Bicoquet vero, et biguoguet, ornamentum est capitis, capitii species, in Addit. ad Monstrel. anno 1465, fol. 10 v°. Un Breton, archier de corps du duc de Berry, accoustré d'une brigandines ..... et un Bicoquet sur son chief, garni de boutons d'argent doré" He cites also a will dated 1473 containing a bequest of a "Biquoquet Sourni d'argent." Roquefort gives the word with the same meaning. I cannot find it in any of the other old French glossaries which I have been able to consult, and M. Littré has not included it in his great French Dictionary.

There is some authority, at least so M. Viollet le Duc seems to think, for a bicoquet having at one time been a particular kind of helmet. See Planché's Cyclopedia, i. v. Bycocket, a distinct article, in which he discusses this opinion.