Battle of Towton (Croyland Chronicle)
The wretched northmen, upon hearing of this, turned their
backs before the face of the pursuer, and, hastening their
flight, in their alarm were compelled, much against their will,
to leave behind them the booty which they had collected in
various places, and had been bent upon carrying with them
on their return. Upon this, he pursued them as far as a
level spot of ground, situate near the castle of Fomfiret and the
bridge at Ferrybridge, and washed by a stream of considerable
size ; where he found an army drawn up in order of battle,
composed of the remnants of the northern troops of king
Henry. They, accordingly, engaged in a most severe conflict,*
and fighting hand to hand with sword and spear, there was no
small slaughter on either side. However, by the mercy of the
Divine clemency, king Edward soon experienced the favour of
heaven, and, gaining the wished-for victory over his enemies,
compelled them either to submit to be slain or to take to flight.
For, their ranks being now broken and scattered in flight, the
king’s army eagerly pursued them, and cutting down the fugi-
tives with their swords, just like so many sheep for the slaugh-
ter, made immense havoc among them for a distance of ten
miles, as far as the city of York. Prince Edward, however,
with a part of his men, as conqueror, remained upon the field
of battle, and awaited the rest of his army, which had gone
in various directions in pursuit of the enemy.
When the solemnities of the, Lord’s day, which is known as
Palm Sunday, were now close at hand, after distributing re-
wards among such as brought the bodies of the slain and gave
them burial, the king hastened to enter the before-named city.
Those who helped to inter the bodies, piled up in pits and in
trenches prepared for the purpose, bear witness that eight-and-
thirty thousand warriors fell on that day, besides those who
were drowned in the river before, alluded to, whose numbers
ยป Of IsraeL ^ He alludes to the battle of Towtoa.
426 COXTINTJ^TION OP THE B3ST0KT OP CROYLAITO. A.D. 1462,
we have no means of ascertaining. The blood, too, of the
slain, mingling with the snow which at this time covered the
whole surface of the earth, afterwards ran down in the far-
rows and ditches along with the melted snow, in a most shockiiig
manner, for a distance of two or three miles.
From the Croyland (Crowland) Chronicle