On 7 April 1461 Richard Beauchamp Bishop of Salisbury wrote to Francesco Coppino about events in England. Coppino had recently left England for the continent but was deeply involved in diplomatic efforts surrounding the struggle for dominance in England. This is one of the earliest letters to note the Battle of Towton.
On St. Albans
The bishop notes the impact of recent events. Of the Second Battle of St. Albans he suggests that:
The kingdom was convulsed on every hand by this event
He also suggests that some, as indeed Coppino had, chose to seek refuge on the continent to evade the turmoil within England.
sought to consult their safety by flight
Beauchamp’s allegiancces within the conflict are quite clear. He notes his thankfulness that Edward of York was not present at St. Albans:
Edward, Duke of York, who, thank God, was not present at that unlucky battle.
On Towton
After recounting the proclamation of Edward as King of England, Beauchamp notes how the Yorkists had amassed a great army which marched north to confront the ‘aggressors’ under Queen Margaret.
Before the battle the king’s army was increased to nearly 200,000 men
On the Battle of Towton itself, Beauchamp suggests that the outcome was not clear for much of the day. But that in the end, the forces of Edward were victorious.
on Palm Sunday last King Edward began a very hard fought battle near York, in which the result remained doubtful the whole day, until at length victory declared itself on his side
The Heralds counted…
The battle had, from reports he had received, been quite notable in it’s size and the numbers who perished.
The heralds counted 28,000 slain, a number unheard of in our realm for almost a thousand years, without counting those wounded and drowned
79. Richard Beauchamp, Bishop of Salisbury, to Francesco Coppino, Bishop of Terni, Apostolic Legate in Flanders.
We have received at London on the 2nd of April your letters sent from Bruges on the 20th of March. Fortune has smiled upon us since you left our shores before the beginning of the worst disasters. The Lord heard our great tribulations. After that unlucky battle of St. Albans, the late king fell into the hands of the aggressors, amid a very great slaughter of his subjects (antiquus Rex cum plurima strage suorum manibus aggredientium captus fuit). The kingdom was convulsed on every hand by this event. For me and for many thousands besides no place seemed safe; a general dread prevailed of the destruction of cities, of rapine without respect of persons, sex or place; and lastly, there was scarcely anyone who did not feel that his head was in danger. Many also of the nobles, who in these straits sought to consult their safety by flight, were prevented by the treachery of the common people, who may have thought they would procure peace for themselves by the heads of such great men (vix quisque erat qui sibi periculum capitis imminente non formidabat multi autem nobilium qui inter has angustias sue saluti fugam capiendo consulere cupiebant, popularium insidiis forsan extimantium se cum tantorum virorum capitibus posse pacem procurar a suo proposito impediti sunt). Even of those, who, by keeping more secrecy, escaped beforehand by stealth, some of our side, as we have recently learned, most unfortunately fell into the hands of enemies or of pirates, with a great quantity of the treasure of the realm. I therefore congratulate you on your good fortune in escaping safe and sound from these perils of our country, perils by sea, perils from false brethren, to a safe place of refuge. We, however, were harassed by fear of utter destruction until the northerners with their captive king returned straggling northwards, being reckless with so much booty (donec boreales cum suo Rege captivo tam magna preda omissi) or having possibly heard of Edward, Duke of York, who, thank God, was not present at that unlucky battle. Our people perceived that ruin was imminent, not only of things in general, but their own, but the most cruel design of men, as the treaty, peace and composition of the last Parliament were not observed by the other side. Thus when after a few days the said duke arrived at the city of London with a stately retinue, they acclaimed him unanimously and with enthusiasm, giving him the royal title and honours, raising him to the sovereign dignity, and recognised him as their liege lord as if he was the sole and true heir of the realm. This ceremony of the new king was celebrated on the 4th of March, but the coronation and anointing were postponed (venienti post pauca dicto Duci ad civitatem Londoniarum cum solenni comitiva unanimi ac admiranda voce virum tituli sui Regias laudes acclamarunt, ipsumque in Regali solio sublimatum ut erat unicus ac verus Regni heres Dominum suum ligium recognoverunt, que solennitas novi Regis, coronatione tum ac unctione dilatis, quarto die mensis Martii celebrata est).
Thereupon, with more and more flocking to him every day in countless multitudes, on the 13th day of the same month, our most glorious King Edward set out from London towards the northern parts of the realm to confound his enemies there. Among those who accompanied the king, or who went before him, were the Duke of Norfolk, the Earl of Warwick, Lord Falconbridge, Lord John Stanley and Lord Fitz-Walter (Phyuater), the only one as we hear, of the nobility who fell on that side. Before the battle the king’s army was increased to nearly 200,000 men. The spontaneous flocking together of the people of all the cities and places of the kingdom, and even more the rejoicing at this event, are marvellous (mira et vero populi omnium civitatum ac locorum Regni tum spontanea concursio tum hujus eventus precipua jubilatio).
It is even more wonderful, and to many will seem almost incredible, that there has been no difficulty in buying food even in the barren soil of our parts. We therefore hope that God, who has hitherto permitted a sinful race to be scourged with dire strokes under an unhappy prince, being now appeased by our tears and prayers, has at length sent us this saviour, in whose sight I have found such a grace and favour that he has chosen me to be the chief of the three to whose judgment all the most secret matters of the Council are referred. From the king his predecessor, under whom I grew up almost from the cradle, I could not presume on such favour. Your paternity need have no fear that wherever I am able I shall be a safe and most trusty agent there, so that a sound conclusion of so great an affair may be expected.
In the meantime we will give you the news of current events. The foremost of these things is, that on Palm Sunday last King Edward began a very hard fought battle near York, in which the result remained doubtful the whole day, until at length victory declared itself on his side, at a moment when those present declared that almost all on our side despaired of it, so great was the strength and dash of our adversaries, had not the prince single-handed cast himself into the fray as he did so notably with the greatest of human courage (si non is solus princeps partes suas ut humanissimo choragio fecit tam notabiliter interposuisset).
The heralds counted 28,000 slain, a number unheard of in our realm for almost a thousand years, without counting those wounded and drowned (cecidit quo numerus hominum pene mille annis ante in nostro regno inauditus xxviiim. numeratus per haraldos preter lesos et summersos). Of these, ten were notable lords of great power, whose names are given in the enclosed schedule. Of the rest only a few escaped with a few followers, and, ere this, we hope they have either been taken or are so surrounded that they will not be able to escape. The leaders of these are the Dukes of Exeter and Somerset, Lord le Roos with their and our former King Henry, the prince and queen. So much for the present, when we know more you shall hear more, but this will suffice for the moment. The whole kingdom is now under one sovereign, and the power of the others has utterly vanished away. Farewell now, and rejoice with us.
London, the 7th Ides of April, 1461.
Postscript.—With respect to our summons to the Curia, as our service is acceptable to the king and he considers us necessary to his honour, so that we cannot conveniently go to his Holiness, we beg you to write back, excusing us from that charge for the present. We expect shortly to cross the sea and may even go to the Curia for more honourable causes, and when it may be done with greater advantage to ourselves.
[Signed.] R. Beauchamp. Episcopus Sarum.
[Latin.]‘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.
Those who fell at Towton
A further note was enclosed with the letter. It listed those who Richard Beauchamp believed to have died as a result of the Battle of Towton. As with some other sources it includes Anthony Woodville, who had not died. This reflects the lack of clarity in information being received by senior clerics and others. Beauchamp also notes the overall figures of those who are said to have fallen, using the numbers as noted by the Heralds in the immediate aftermath of the Battle.
Enclosed in the preceding despatch.
80. The northern lords who fell in the battle near York.
Earls Northumberland.
Devon.
Barons Lord de Clifford.
Lord John Bemond.
Lord John Wellys.
Lord John Nevyle.
Lord John Dacres.
Anthony, son of Lord le Ryver, who was recently made Lord le Scales, Ralph Bygot, commonly called Lord le Malley.
Henry, son of the Duke of Buckingham.
Knights Sir Henry Bellingham.
Sir Ralph Grey.
Sir Andrew Trollop.
Those who fell on the field, exclusive of the drowned and wounded, 28,000; but on the side of our Edward no lord fell except Lord John Phywater.
[Latin.]‘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.