Second Battle of St Albans

On 17th February 1461 the Lancastrian army defeated the Yorkist army at Second Battle of St Albans and rescued King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 39). The Lancastrian army was commanded by Henry Holland 3rd Duke Exeter (age 30) and included Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland (age 39), John Mowbray 3rd Duke of Norfolk (age 45), Henry Grey 4th or 7th Baron Grey of Codnor (age 26), Henry Roos and Richard Welles 7th Baron Welles, Baron Willoughby (age 33).

Thomas Ros 9th Baron Ros Helmsley (age 33), William Tailboys 7th Baron Kyme (age 46), John Talbot 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury (age 12) and Thomas Tresham (age 41) were knighted.

The Yorkist army included Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 32), William Fitzalan 9th or 16th Earl of Arundel (age 43), John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 61) and Henry Bourchier 2nd Count of Eu 1st Earl Essex (age 57). John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 30) was captured. Robert Poynings (age 42) and James Luttrell (age 34) were killed.

John Grey (age 29) was killed fighting for Lancaster. A death that was to have far reaching consequences; his widow Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England (age 24) subsequently married King Edward IV of England (age 18).

During the battle William Bonville 1st Baron Bonville (age 68) and Thomas Kyriell (age 65) were assigned to the protection of the King Henry VI. After the battle both were beheaded against all decent laws of battle.

William Bonville 1st Baron Bonville was beheaded. His great granddaughter Cecily succeeded 2nd Baroness Bonville.

Thomas Kyriell was beheaded.

William Cotton (age 21) was killed.

Chronicle of John Benet. 12th February 1461¹ On the 12th day of February most sources say 17th February 1461., which was then a Thursday, the King left London, and with him the Duke of Norfolk, to the town of Barnet. And on the same day, the Earl of Warwick left London towards the town of Ware with a great force of artillery, and he met the King near the town of St. Albans. And from the northern parts came the Duke of Somerset, the Earl of Devon, the Earl of Northumberland, and other lords mentioned before, to the town of St. Albans, plundering all the cities and towns through which they passed. The King went out to meet them on the eastern side of the town of St. Albans, about a mile away. There, the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Warwick, and the Earl of Arundel fled, and thus the other lords captured the King. And there was killed Lord William Bonville and many others, almost four thousand in number. Then the Queen came to the King in the town of St. Albans, and thus the King went to the town of Dunstable, while the Queen, remaining in the town of St. Albans, plundered all of Middlesex as far as London. And she sent a chaplain and an esquire to the Mayor of London for money, but they departed empty-handed.

Et xij die Februarii tunc die Jovis¹ Exivit Rex de London' et cum eo dux Norfolche usque villam de Bernet. Et eodem die exivit de London' Comes Warvyci versus villam de Ware cum magna ordinancia et obviavit regi apud villam Sancti Albani. Et venit ex (fo. 186r) partibus borialibus dux Somersetie, Comes comitatus Devonie, Comes Northumbrie et alii domini prefati usque villam Sancti Albani, depredantes omnes civitates et villas per quas iter fecerunt, contra quos exiit Rex obvians eis exparte orientale ville Sancti Albani quasi per unum miliare, et ibi fugit dux Norfolchie et Comes Warvici et Comes Arundelle et sic ceperunt Alii domini Regem. Et interfectus est ibi dominus Willelmus Bonvyle et multi alii numero quasi iiijor milia, et tunc venit Regina ad regem in villam Sancti Albani, et sic ivit rex usque villam de Dunstapulle et regina expectans in villam Sancti Albani depredavit totam Midilsexiam usque London'. Et illa misit maiori London' pro pecunia unum capellanum et armigerum et vacui recesserunt.

Note 1. This date agrees with Davies, English Chronicle, p. 107², but Gregory's Chronicle, p. 211, gives 17 February.

Note 2. Two paragraphs later in the English Chronicle it reads "This bataylle was done on Shroftwysday, the yere aboue sayde, the xvij. day of Feuerer".

Chronicle of St Albans by Abbot John Whethamstede. 17th February 1461. The Northerners indeed, upon approaching the town of the aforementioned First Martyr, and hearing that the King was nearby with a great army, along with some of his Lords, immediately entered the said town, desiring to take a route through its center and direct their army against the King's army. However, they were compelled to retreat by a few archers near the Great Cross, who stood in their way, and they fled with disgrace to the western end of the town; where, by way of the lane leading from the very end towards the North, up to the village of St. Peter, they obtained entrance and there engaged in a great conflict with a certain band of the King's army. Then, after quite a few were killed on both sides, they escaped to a heath called "Bernards Heath," near the northern end of the town, where they encountered with some larger forces, such as four or five thousand of the advance guard of the King's army, a much greater, indeed, a very fierce conflict for the time being. For if the Southerners had known how to press, persist, and endure as fiercely as they knew how to engage in battle and fight at the outset, they would undoubtedly have put all those boasting and blustering Northerners to flight again with disgrace to their homes, and forced them to curse, condemn, and even abhor the day and hour they presumed to leave their hiding places. But because, according to Vegetius, 'De Re Militari,' in every region those people who are Southern or Eastern, born nearer to the sun, have less blood than others because they are more dried out by the sun, therefore they are softer and more tender within themselves, and consequently less able to fight hand-to-hand against enemies: as also agrees with a certain Metrical writer, thus writing,—

"Whatever regions are exposed to the warmth of the sun,

the excessive mildness of the climate makes them too soft,"

therefore the Southerners, who were fiercer at the beginning and superior in the field, were soon broken too quickly, and even faster, as they looked back and saw no one from the great army of the King rushing to their aid or preparing to help them, they soon turned their backs to the Northerners, fled through bushes and thickets, through hedges and woods, through various other impassable and watery places, to avoid the hands of the enemy and to save their lives."

Venientes utique Boreales ad villam dicti Proto-martyris, et Dominum Regem, cum exercitu magno, cum nonnullisque Dominis suis, deprope jacentem audientes, mox intraverunt villam dictam, cupientes per medium ejus iter arripere, et exercitum suum dirigere contra exercitum Regis. Attamen per paucos arcitenentes, deprope Magnam Crucem sibi obvios, compulsi erant retrorsum recedere, fugereque cum dedecore ad finem Occidentalem ville; ubi per venellam, quæ ducit ab ipso fine versus Boream, usque ad vicum Sancti Petri, impetrantes sibi ingressum, habuerunt ibidem cum quodam manipulo plebis de exercitu Domini Regis conflictum magnum. Deinde, non paucis tamen ex utraque parte prius interfectis, evadentes usque ad brueram, vocatam "Barnet Heath," prope finem ville Borealem jacentem, habuerunt cum quibusdam copiis amplioribus, ut, puta, cum quatuor vel quinque millibus de præcursoribus exercitus Domini Regis, conflictum majorem, immo, permaximum, et pro tempore satis ancipitem. Nam si scivissent Australes adeo acriter instare, perstare, et perseverare, sicut sciverunt inire prœlium, in principioque pugnare, fugassent infallibiliter istos boantes balatrantesque Boreales omnes iterum cum dedecore ad suas sedes, coegissentque eos damnasse, condemnasse, ac etiam execrasse, diem et horam in quibus egredi præsumpserunt de latibulis suis. Sed quia, secundum Vegetium, "De Re Militari," in omni regione populi illi qui Australes sunt, vel Orientales, propinquius soli nati, minus aliis habent sanguinis, quia magis per solem desiccati, ideo molliores tenerioresque in se sunt, et ex consequenti ad pugnandum contra hostes cominus inhabiliores: prout etiam concordat secum Metricus quidam, ita scribens,—

"Quicquid ad Eoos tractus, cœlique teporem,

Vergitur, emollit nimium clementia cœli,"

ideo Australes, qui acriores fuerunt in principio, superioresque in campo, frangebantur posterius cito nimis, in tantoque citius, in quanto respicientes retro, et neminem videntes de prægrandi exercitu Domini Regis accurrentes, sive se disponentes ad præstandum succursum ipsis, mox dorsum dederunt Borealibus, fugeruntque per rubos et dumos, per sepes et sylvas, per locaque alia varia, invia et inaquosa, ad declinandum manus hostium, et ad salvandum vitas suas.

Chronicle of Gregory. Ande the xvij day nexte folowynge Kyng Harry (age 39) roode to Synt Albonys [Map], and the Duke of Northefolke (age 45) with hym, the Erle of Warwycke (age 32), the Erle of Arundelle (age 43), the Lord Bouser (age 30), the Lord Bonvyle (age 68), with many grete lordys, knyghtys, and squyers, and commyns of an C [Hundred] Ml men. And there they hadde a grete batayle whythe the Quene (age 30), for she come ever on fro the jornaye of Wackefylde tylle sche come to Synt Albonys, with alle the lordys a fore said; and her mayny and every lord is men bare her lordys leverey, that every man mighte knowe his owne feleschippe by his lyverey. And be-syde alle that, every man and lord bare the Pryncys (age 7) levery, that was a bende of crymesyn and blacke with esteryge is fetherys. The substance that gate that fylde were howseholde men and feyd men. I wene there were not v Mlmen that fought in the Quenys party, for [t]emoste parte of Northeryn men fledde a-way, and some were take and spoylyd out of her harnysse by the way as they fledde. And some of them robbyd evyr as they yede, a petyffulle thynge hit is to hyre hit. But the day before that batayle there was a jornay at Dunstapyl [Map]; but the kyngys mayny lackyd good gydyng, for some were but newe men of warre, for the chevyste captayne was a boucher of the same towne; and there were the kyngys mayny ovyr throughe only by the Northeryn men. And son aftyr the bocher, for schame of his sympylle gydynge and loste of the men, the nombyr of viij C, for very sorowe as it is said, hynge him selfe; and some men said that it was for loste of his goode, but dede he ys-God knowythe the trought.

And in the myddys of the batayle King Harry wente unto his Quene and for-soke alle his lordys, ande truste better to her party thenne unto his owne lordys. And then thoroughe grete labur the Duke of Northefolke and the Erle of Warwycke a schapyd a-waye; the Byschoppe of Exceter (age 29), that tyme Chaunceler of Ingelond, and brother unto the Erle of Warwycke, the Lord Bouser, whythe many othyr knyghtys, squyers, and comyns fledde, and many men slayne in bothe partys. And the Lord Bonevyle was be-heddyd, the common sayynge that his longage causyd him to dye. The Prynce was jugge is owne sylfe. Ande ther was slayne that manly knyght Syr Thomas Keryel (age 65). The nomber of ded men was xxxv C an moo [t]at were slayne. The lordys in Kyng Harrys party pycchyd a fylde and fortefyd it full stronge, and lyke unwyse men brake her raye and fyld and toke a-nothyr, and or that they were alle sette a buskyd to batayle, the Quenys parte was at hond whythe them in towne of Synt Albonys [Map], and then alle [t]yng was to seke and out of ordyr, for her pryckyers come not home to bryng no tydyng howe ny that the Quene was, save one come and sayd that she was ix myle of. And ar the goners and borgeners couthe levylle her gonnys they were besely fyghtyng, and many a gynne of wer was ordaynyd that stode in lytylle a-vayle or nought; for the burgeners hadde suche instrumentys that wolde schute bothe pellettys of ledde and arowys of an elle of lenghthe with vj fetherys, iij in myddys and iij at the othyr ende, with a grete mighty hedde of yryn at the othyr ende, and wylde fyre with alle. Alle thes iij thyngys they might schute welle and esely at onys, but in tyme of nede they couthe not schut not one of thes, but the fyre turnyd backe a-pon them that wold schute this iij thyngys. Also they hadde nettys made of grete cordys of iiij fethem of lengthe and of iiij fote brode, lyke unto an haye, and at every ij knott there was an nayl stondyng uppe ryght, that there couthe no man passe ovyr it by lyckely hode but he shulde be hurte. Alle so they hadde pavysse bore as a dore i-made with a staffe foldynge uppe and downe to sette the pavys where the lykyd, and loupys with schyttyng wyndowys to schute out at, they stondyng by hynde [t]e pavys, and the pavys as full of iijdnayle aftyr ordyr as they might stonde. And whenn her schotte was spende and done they caste the pavysse by-fore hem, then there might noo man come unto them ovyr the pavysse for the naylys that stode up-ryghte, but yf he wolde myschyffe him sylfe. Alle so they hadde a thynge made lyke unto a latysse full of naylys as the net was, but hit wolde be mevyd as a man wolde; a man might bryse it to-gedyr that the lengythe wolde be more then ij yerdys long, and yf he wolde he might hale it a brode, then hit wolde be iiij square. And that servyd to lye at gappys there at horsemen wolde entyr yn, and many a caltrappe. And as the substaunce of men of worschyppe that wylle not glose nor cory favyl for no parcyallyte, they cowthe not undyrstond that alle this ordenaunce dyd any goode or harme but yf it were a mong us in owre parte with Kyng Harry. There fore it is moche lefte, and men take them to mallys of ledde, bowys, swyrdys, gleyvys, and axys. As for speremen they ben good to ryde be-fore the foote men and ete and drynke uppe her vetayle, and many moo suche prety thyngys they doo, holde me excusyd thoughe I say the beste, for in the fote men is alle the tryste.

Chronicle of Jean de Waurin. 17th February 1461. At St Albans, the Duke of Somerset caused a great alarm. Soon after, Lovelace approached the King and said, "Sire, all our men are in disarray." He asked where his cousin Warwick was, to which Lovelace replied that he had left. Sir Thomas Kyriell then asked where his men were, and Lovelace answered that they had all fled. Sir Thomas Kyriell, a very brave knight and experienced in such matters due to his extensive experience in warfare, became very suspicious of the apparent betrayal, seeing the great confusion among the parties. When the Earl of Warwick heard the commotion and realized that things were turning bad, he tried to turn towards the King, but he couldn't due to the people fleeing. Thus, the King was found beneath a large oak tree, where he laughed heartily at the turn of events. He asked those who came to him not to maltreat Sir Thomas Kyriell, which they promised to do. However, Lovelace, the treacherous traitor, led his lord the King, Sir Thomas, and his son to the Queen, who was very pleased with the King's arrival, as she hoped to achieve her goal of having the Kingdom under her control.

Auquel lieu de Saint Albon ledit duc de Sombresset vint faire une grosse alarme, et tantost ycellui Louvelet vint au roy et luy dist: "Sire, tous nos gens sont mis en desroy" et il luy demanda ou estoit son cousin de Warewic, a quoy Louvelet respondy quil sen estoit allez. Fut. messire Thomas Quiriel demanda ou estoient ses gens; il respondy quilz sen estoient tous fuys. Alors messire Thomas Quiriel, quy estoit ung moult vaillant chevallier, bien congnoissant en telz matieres comme cellui quy avoit beaucop experemente du fait de la guerre, se doubta moult de la trahison que il veoit estre aparant, voiant la grant desrision qui estoit entre les parties. Quant le comte de Warewic oy le bruit et quil aparcheut que la chose tournoit a mal, il se cuida tourner devers le roy, mais il ne polt pour le peuple qui sen fuyoit. Et ainsi fut le roy prins desoubz uns gros chesne ou il se ryoit moult fort de la chose advenue et prya a ceulz qui vindrent devers luy que audit messire Quiriel ne feissent nul destourbier de son corpz ce quiiz promisrent de faire, mais Louvelet, le desloial trahitre, mena son seigneur le roy, messire Thomas et son filz devers la royne qui fut moult joieuse de la venue du roy, parcequelle cuida bien parvenir a son entente davoir le royaulme en sa subgection.

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 19th February 1461. 64. Also by a letter of the 19th.

In order that you may learn how we fare, I advise you that on the 17th, which was Carnival day, not far from Saint Albans, the king took the field with the party from here; those of the queen encountered them in order to have him. About an hour after midday a skirmish was begun with the king's foreguard. They say that it lasted until six, and in the end the party from here was routed and the queen's side recovered the king, and he is with the queen and prince. They say that many were slain. The strength of the men of Kent with nobles, said to be under the leadership of the Earl of Arundel and also of the Duke of Norfolk, was incorrect, so there is less harm done (il forte di qua di Chenti di Signori si disse da principio del conte da Rondello e ancho del duca di Norfolcho, non e stato vero, che tanto e mancho danno).

The Earl of Warwick and the councillors and Messer J. Nevill, now known as Lord Montagu, when they saw the victory incline to the other side, took to flight, it is not known whither; but it is thought that they are in this district in secret. Thus it is not known where my Lord de Busser, the Treasurer, has taken refuge. When the news was known here, the mayor (il maestro di qua) sent to the king and queen, it is supposed to offer obedience, provided they were assured that they would not be plundered or suffer violence.

In the meantime they keep a good guard at the gates, which they keep practically closed, and so through all the district they maintain a good guard, and those who are here, thank God, feel no harm or lack of governance. Yet the shops keep closed, and nothing is done either by the tradespeople or by the merchants, and men do not stand in the streets or go far away from home. We are all hoping that, as the queen and prince have not descended in fury with their troops, the gates may be opened to them upon a good composition, and they may be allowed to enter peacefully. God grant this may happen! otherwise … favour, and thus we are not without great fear, as … the least lack of control would ruin everything. God be our protector, and may He not consider our sins! (Infratanto fanno buona guardia alle porte, le quali tengono come fermate e cosi per tutta la terra, si sta a buona guardia, che sono a qui per la Dio grazia, non ci si sente alcuno male ne disgoverno. Le botteghe pero stanno fermate e nulla ci si fa ne per genti di mestieri ne per mercanti e non si sta in strada ne ci dilunghiamo da casa. Tutti stiamo a speranza che, poiche la reina e prinze e loro gente non si sono calati qui a furia, che con buona compositione sie loro aperte le porti e lassati drento venire pacificie: che cosi piacci a Dio o altramente … ti … grascia e cosi non siamo pero senza grande paura pero che non pot … venire si minimo disgovherno che non guastasse tutto. Dio sia nostro protectore e non guardi ai nostri peccati).

I will say nothing of the numbers of the slain, but will wait until I can state the truth. The Earl of March was not at this battle, and it is not known exactly where he may be; most people agree that he is in the Cotswolds (in Cotisgualdo).

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 22nd February 1461. 65. Also by a letter of the 22nd February, received on the morning of the 23rd.

I wrote of the victory obtained by the forces of the queen and prince at Saint Albans on the 17th of this month, and how they recovered the king and have him, and how this town sent to them at Saint Albans to offer the place, provided they were guaranteed against pillage. With them went my Lady of Buckingham, the widow, and my Lady the Regent that was. They returned on the 20th, and reported that the king and queen had no mind to pillage the chief city and chamber of their realm, and so they promised; but at the same time they did not mean that they would not punish the evildoers. On the receipt of this reply by the magistrates a proclamation was issued that every one should keep fast to his house and should live at peace, in order that the king and his forces might enter and behave peacefully. But less than an hour later all the people ran to arms and reports circulated that York with 60,000 Irish and March with 40,000 Welsh had hastened to the neighbourhood and would guard their place for them; and they said that the mayor must give them the keys of the gates. They called for a brewer as their leader, and that day this place was in an uproar, so that I was never more afraid than then that everything would be at hazard. But, by the grace of God and the excellent arrangements of the mayor and aldermen and of the notables who were at the counsel, they decided last Saturday to send to the king and queen four aldermen with some others, including the same ladies, and they were to fetch four cavaliers in whom the king and queen had perfect confidence, and treat here with the magistrates in the presence of the people, and come to an arrangement that they might enter, that is the king, queen, prince and all the nobles with their leaders without the body of the army. They have started once more this morning to fetch these four, and so the people have quieted down, and one sees no arms except with the mayor and sheriffs, who keep guard with a great company throughout the place as well as at the gates, where they keep good guard, and no one takes arms except those who are ordered, and they behave prudently, as I believe, by the grace of God, by whom great affairs in particular are ruled, and who by His mercy, allows everything to proceed peacefully and in order, as we all pray (non vando una hora appresso che tutto il popolo corse a le armi e canorono vocie che Jorco con 60,000 irlandesi e la Marcia 40,000 galliesi erano corsi qui presso e volevano guardare la terra per loro, e dissesi che fu bisogno il mere desse loro le chiavi delle porti e che chiamavano per capitano uno cervosieri e quel di fu questa terra in tumulto, ne ma'ebbi la paura che tutto andasse alla ventura di Dio che allora; ma per la gratia de Dio e le buone provisione del mere e aldrimanni e de notabili che funno al consiglio, preseno partito sabbato di mandate a Re e reina 4 aldrimanni con certi altri, etiam lessere dame, e dennoci condurre 4 cavalieri dalla parte loro di chi lo Re e la reina piglino perfetta fede e parlamentare qui col maestrato in presenza del popolo e piglian conclusione che entrino, cioe il Re e reina e prinze e tutti nobili con loro principi senza la moltitudine dell' exercito; e stamano denuo essere partiti per menarci detti 4 e cosi il popolo rasizo, ne si vede armi salvo at mere e visconti che fanno la guardia con grande compagnia per la terra e cosi alle porti si sta a buona guardia; e non piglia le armi salvo que sono comandati e governansi prudentemente, siche io stimo, per la gratia di Dio da chui le grandi cose per speciale si governano, che per sua misericordia conceda che tutto passi con riposo e buono accordo, e cosi ne lo pregiamo tutti).

The people here were also disturbed by reports they heard that those of Saint Albans had beheaded Sir Thomas Ciriel, my lord of Bonavilla and also, they say, my lord of Barnes, but I do not know this for certain. Those who were taken in the battle said that my lord of Montan, Warwick's brother, who was the king's chamberlain, had escaped, but he is among the prisoners. He also would have suffered the same fate, but they let him off chiefly, it seems, because a brother of my lord of Somerset is a prisoner at Calais, and also because the king has [declared] himself satisfied with him and my lord of Warwick. On the other hand it is to remove misgivings, and it may be to pursue the Earl of March and those who are left of them. They say that the queen has withdrawn a part of her army to Dunstable.

Calendar of State Papers of Milan 1461. 9th March 1461. The Duke of Somerset after midday came with 30,000 horse to scent out the Earl of Warwick and the king's forces and wore them down with his attack, and the Earl of Warwick decided to quit the field, and to break through against them. Accordingly with 4,000 men he pushed through right into Albano, where the queen was with 30,000 men. The earl, seeing himself alone and the day far spent, returned to the camp, closely pressed by the followers of Somerset; and when he reached the camp he heard some shouting from his camp to the enemy. Fearing some act of treason, he got away as best he could

The king was placed under a tree a mile away, where he laughed and sang, and when the defeat of the Earl of Warwick was reported, he detained upon his promise the two princes who had been left to guard him. Very soon the Duke of Somerset and the conquerors arrived to salute him, and he received them in friendly fashion and went with them to St. Albans to the queen, and on the morrow one of the two detained, upon his assurance, was beheaded and the other imprisoned.

... Lo Duca de Sambreset post meridiem venne cum cavalli xxxm ad anasare lo conte de Varuich et la gente del Rey et li fecero assai lasso l'assalto et lo conte de Varuich se delibero de usir del campo et erumpere contra loro, et cossi cum ivm homini lo casso fin dentro Albano unde era la regina cum homini xxxm et lo conte videndosi solo et lo di basso, se ne ritorno al campo sempre hortato et cassato da li Sambreseti et quando fu al campo intese de quello se vociferava dal campo suo a li inimici et dubito ymo vedette acti de tradimenti et se parti meglio che l'possette.

lo rei era posto longi de li uno miglo sutto uno arboro unde se rideva et cantava et essendo voce de la rupta del conte de Varruich, ritenne supra sua fede li doi Principi che gli eran stati lassati a la guardia. Assai tosto vennero lo Ducha de Sambrecet et li vencitori a salutarlo; a quali el fece bon volto et se ne ando cum loro ad Albano a la Regina et l'undomani uno de li doi ritenuti in fede sua fu decapitato, l'altro incarcerato.