On 7 April 1461 George Neville bishop of Exeter wrote a letter to the Apostolic Legate, Francesco Coppino. It is one of the earliest written sources that relates to the Battle of Towton, accompanied by two others also written by members of the clergy on the same date to the same recipient. Neville’s account is well known, referenced frequently in books and articles on the conflict.
George Neville’s references to the Battle of Towton receive more attention than the other clerical letters written on the same day. George was a brother of the Earl of Warwick, and therefore well placed to receive word from the Yorkist commanders that had some authority.
The bishop of Exeter’s letter relates the events of the Second Battle of St. Albans, the proclamation of Edward as King, the march north, and the clashes at Ferrybridge and Towton. He is clearly partisan in his views, describing King Henry VI as a puppet, whilst noting that his kin had fought manfully at Towton.
78. George Neville, Bishop of Exeter, Chancellor of England, to Francesco Coppino, Bishop of Terni, Apostolic Legate in Flanders.
In order that I may not appear ungrateful or forgetful of the countless benefits received by me and mine, if I do not write at least one letter, especially as you seem to have been absent a long while from me, and as some fresh events have occurred since you left, I think it right to write and inform your lordship in a few words about these events, as we have learned them by messengers and letters, as well as by popular report, although you may be occupied in many other great affairs.
On the 15th of February, as I think your lordship will have learned from others, we had an action with the enemy to our loss, near St. Albans, the details of which would be equally painful and lengthy to narrate, and everyone who heard of it must have been much astonished. However, I think it right to give you a summary account of this battle. The Lord Barni, brother of my lord of Canterbury, together with my brother Lord Montacute and Sir Thomas Carletone, knight, were taken and carried away to York. The strenuous cavalier, Lord de Bonavilla, with the spirited and valiant knight Sir Thomas Bryel were taken and beheaded. I forbear to name the other persons of lower rank who perished; they say that some 3,000 fell on one side and the other; but we, being fortunate, amid so many misfortunes, escaped and lost that puppet of a king (quel idolo del Re) as that statue of a king turned his face towards the North, pillaging in the country, and at length the wife, with her husband, arrived at York, glorying in their very bloody victory.
In the meantime our King Edward, then commonly known as the Earl of March, betook himself with an army of 30,000 men to London. With him went my brother the Earl of Warwick, as he had departed from the first battle and gone to join him. On the 25th they entered the city, and were joyfully received by all the people, and on the 4th of March he [Edward] was nominated and practically by force created king by the nobles and people universally, near Westminster (fu nominato et quasi per forza creato Re generalmente et da gentilhomini et da plebei apresso del Monastero Vuest). They postponed the celebration of his coronation only for most urgent reasons. Then on the 12th of March he set out towards the North with a large and magnificent army, having previously, on the 7th, sent on my brother to the West to collect troops.
The king, the valiant Duke of Norfolk, my brother aforesaid and my uncle. Lord Faucomberge, travelling by different routes, finally united with all their companies and armies near the country round York. The armies having been re-formed and marshalled separately (refacti et ordinati li exerciti a la despicata), they set forth against the enemy, and at length on Palm Sunday, near a town called Feurbirga, about sixteen miles from the city, our enemies were routed and broken in pieces. Our adversaries had broken the bridge which was our way across, and were strongly posted on the other side, so that our men could only cross by a narrow way which they had made themselves after the bridge was broken. But our men forced a way by the sword, and many were slain on both sides. Finally the enemy took to flight, and very many of them were slain as they fled.
That day there was a great conflict, which began with the rising of the sun, and lasted until the tenth hour of the night, so great was the pertinacity and boldness of the men, who never heeded the possibility of a miserable death. Of the enemy who fled, great numbers were drowned in the river near the town of Tadcaster, eight miles from York, because they themselves had broken the bridge to cut our passage that way, so that none could pass, and a great part of the rest who got away who gathered in the said town and city, were slain and so many dead bodies were seen as to cover an area six miles long by three broad and about four furlongs. In this battle eleven lords of the enemy fell, including the Earl of Devon, the Earl of Northumberland, Lord Clifford and Nevill with some cavaliers; and from what we hear from persons worthy of confidence, some 28,000 persons perished on one side and the other. O miserable and luckless race and powerful people, would you have no spark of pity for our own blood, of which we have lost so much of fine quality by the civil war, even if you had no compassion for the French! (o gente infelice et disgratiata et popolo potente che non deveria havere compassione ali franzosi se bene non havessero alcuna scintilla di pieta verso el sangue nostro che habiamo perduto si bella compagnia per la bataglia civile).
If it had been fought under some capable and experienced captain against the Turks, the enemies of the Christian name, it would have been a great stroke and blow. But to tell the truth, owing to these civil discords, our riches are beginning to give out, and we are shedding our own blood copiously among ourselves, while we were unwilling to give help in men and money to the army of his Holiness against the infidel Turks, despite all the instances of his Holiness and your Reverence. But the limitations of writing do not permit me to state my mind on all these things.
Let us now return to our puppet who, with the aforesaid Margaret, his son, the Duke of Somerset, and some others, took refuge in a new castle about sixty miles north of York. By two letters written here to two individuals we hear that they have been taken by some cavaliers of those parts, friends of ours. I cannot, however, state this absolutely as I have no certainty, but I do not think they will get out thence so easily as they would like. Of the behaviour of the king, the valiant Duke of Norfolk, my brother and my uncle in this battle in fighting manfully, in guiding, encouraging and re-forming their forces, I would rather your lordship heard it from others than me.
Our King Edward entered York peacefully on the last day of March with his army. My brother, Lord Montacute, who remained in the city when the enemy fled, with my Lord of Barnes went to the king to ask pardon for the citizens. Here they think that the king will remain for some days to reform the state of those parts, and I have recently received commands from his Majesty to go to him immediately. After so much sorrow and tribulation I hope that grateful tranquillity and quiet will ensue, and that after so many clouds we shall have a clear sky, and after such shipwrecks we shall be brought to our desired haven. When anything worthy of note occurs, I shall not think it too much trouble to advise your Reverence by my letters. May God grant us prosperity and send your Reverence back to us here safe and sound, when the opportunity arrives. Written in great haste.
London, the 7th April, 1461.
[Italian; copy.]‘Milan: 1461’, in Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts in the Archives and Collections of Milan 1385-1618, ed. Allen B Hinds (London, 1912), British History Online
Related Content
This letter is part of our series on the Road to Towton as told by the Milan State Papers.
Image Credit
Arms of George Neville (c. 1432 – 8 June 1476), Archbishop of York and Chancellor of England, was the youngest son of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, by his wife Alice Montagu, daughter and heiress of Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury. He was the brother of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, known as the “Kingmaker.” British Library, MS Harl.3346 ff.4v-5, Collectio Sententiarum Aurearum Greek moral sayings translated into Latin by George Hermonymos, c.1475, dedicated to George Neville. Via Wikipedia.
