9 January 1461: Coppino on the ‘trifling victory they won’

This letter from Francesco Coppino to Master Lorenzo of Florence is one of the earliest written records relating to the aftermath of the Battle of Wakefield. Coppino was Bishop of Terni, and a legate who had been dispatched to England by the Vatican. The bishop had tied himself to the Yorkist cause in 1460. He had travelled with the Earls of March, Salisbury, and Warwick from Calais to Sandwich, then on to London before travelling north with the Earl of Warwick to Northampton. 

Coppino at Northampton

At Northampton, Coppino had made his affiliation clear. He is said to have excommunicated the Lancastrian army prior to the battle. The Earl of Warwick had pressed for the promotion of Coppino, as it would provide the bishop with greater authority over the clerics of England, whom had bonds with both factions in the conflicts in England, as well as their ties to the Vatican.

Coppino’s view post-Wakefield

Coppino opens his letter by stating that he cannot make his way safely to the Queen [Margaret of Anjou]. This clearly concerns him, as he is eager to make sure that the Queen does not believe that he had excommunicated her army at Northampton. In making it clear that this point should be made to the Queen, it is apparent that Bishop Coppino was of the opinion that the Lancastrian cause had won a decisive victory, or at least was inclined to believe that they were in a stronger position that the Yorkists to whom he had associated himself.

Despite this, Coppino then goes on to talk about the manner in which Peace can be brought about. And he notes these as though he was in a position of strength with regards negotiating a settlement: “The conditions of peace will be such that they may well be satisfied if they hearken to our advice“.

“countless acts of cruelty”

Coppino urges caution, saying that the Lancastrians, especially the Duke of Somerset, “must not be arrogant because of the trifling victory they won“. His reasoning for the need for caution is quite simple. The people believe that the Lancastrian force has committed “countless acts of cruelty” which has led to the commons being, “incredibly incensed against them, and they will see more than two hundred thousand desperate men rise against them”.

Bishop Coppino hopes for Peace

There follows an assessment of his own position whilst with the Yorkist lords, and recounts how he has, “suffered many things and have laboured and still labour solely for the welfare of the common people.” Bishop Coppino then concludes by talking about his offer of peace, insisting of the value of his attempts to attain peace that, “If now they despise or neglect the peace offered by the instrumentality of His messenger, which they formerly defended as fair, then indeed they will richly deserve the judgment of God”.

52. Francesco Coppino, Bishop of Terni, Apostolic Legate, to Master Lorenzo de Florencia, staying with the Queen for Apostolic peace.

Owing to manifest causes and dangers, we are writing to you, as we cannot proceed in person to the queen and the lords with her, as you know. First and foremost, as the basis of everything, we require you to declare and offer on your own behalf, that should it ever be found that we have excommunicated or cursed any one assisting her Majesty or being with her, or if we have ever committed or consented to such things, we will gladly be flayed alive or torn asunder, for we excommunicated no one, cursed no one and wronged no one at any time in this kingdom, but we shall be ready to do all these things and more still, if we are called upon to do so for her Royal Highness and for her wellbeing and obedience. The things that we have said and done are contained in our letters published to the clergy and people, a copy whereof we sent by your hand to her Royal Highness, and send again enclosed, and what we purpose for the present and the future is contained therein. Those who say otherwise about us lie. Let them beware of the malediction of the Lord, who, even in this world, often takes vengeance upon the impious. We offer to submit to every imaginable test, and whereas we have heard it said by some, that those who were slain at Northampton could not be buried without our leave, this was not our fault, but owing to the opinions of men who considered as excommunicate those who would not yield to our wise and honest counsel, and refused to hear us about a treaty of peace, but resisted the orders of his Holiness, denying his authority and reverence, though they are so immediate that those who do not honour them are not true Christians. We walk in truth and sincerity, and no one who respects the truth can accuse us of falsehood or of evil action. That we love and revere her Majesty as much as any man living she herself knows, and she has seen and experienced that we did not abandon her when she was in difficulties, and for her cause and wellbeing we are ready to suffer anything in this world.

We have prefixed these remarks because you are a faithful man and you also know the secrets of our conscience. Therefore we have written to you so that you may be able for the reverence of God, and for the wellbeing of the nobles and people of England, to declare the truth, wherever it is required, in our justification.

You know what you told me at the time of the parliament, on the queen’s behalf, and what her Majesty wrote to us, although the writer displayed too great passion, and what we communicated about the manner and the conditions of peace, etc. You also know what we desired of you, that you should wait a few days, so that we might be able to treat, as that lord of whom you spoke to us, of all the others, always remained well disposed to us as well as to the honour and safety of her Majesty and to peace, as experience afterwards showed, but you could not wait any longer. Subsequently we saw and heard of the scandals which ensued from lack of mediators for peace, and now things have come to such a pass that acts of vengeance are committed even beyond what was due; therefore as there is now an opportunity for peace, our office requires that we must desire it to be made, because such is the will of God, and his Majesty wishes the same. Accordingly we notify you, as a faithful man trusted by the queen and those lords, that they may have an honourable peace, if they will attend to the wise counsel of the Apostolic legate and do not contemn our lord the pope and his authority, as happened before. The conditions of peace will be such that they may well be satisfied if they hearken to our advice. If you come in person, as you may in perfect safety, we do not doubt but that a satisfactory peace will be made, and so we have written to you to this effect in all truth and justice.

Tell those lords, and especially the Duke of Somerset, whom we admire for his character and because we believe that he loves the queen and her estate as we do ourselves, that if they do not attend to our advice they will bring desolation upon the whole realm and the estate and wellbeing of his Majesty. They must not be arrogant because of the trifling victory they won, owing to the rash advance of their opponents, because we have seen and know full well that all the people are incensed and in the worst possible humour against those who do not desire peace. There are two reasons for this: firstly, the countless acts of cruelty related of them, whereas those here were not cruel, but received into favour those who wished to come; secondly, because they recognise and know that his Majesty and the lords with him and ourself with them are really disposed to an honest and honourable peace, salutary for both parties. Therefore if your influence with them does not suffice, their cause will be in the worst possible case, because the feelings of the people are incredibly incensed against them, and they will see more than two hundred thousand desperate men rise against them, who are constantly assembling, offering to devote their goods and their persons in such an honest and just cause.

We also, by a special order recently received from his Holiness, must attend to the wishes and orders of his Majesty, for his safety and honour, and do all things which proceed from his decision and will. To give this proper effect, our lord the pope has sent us authority and power to raise up and defend the cross after the manner of a true legate de latere. Therefore let them see to it that they are not criminals and rebels, for the retribution of Justice is made ready against them. Therefore, as we have always desired the honour, welfare and glory of his Majesty and the union of his realm, as is abundantly clear to all who judge rightly and without passion by our works and our letters, since we have exposed ourselves without any reward or private advantage, and we are always ready to expose our estate and person for them, we ask and exhort them, by their reverence for Almighty God, and as they desire the welfare of the king and their own glory and honour, not to despise us and our advice, amid so many difficulties and dangers, but to attend to the authority and dignity of the pope, the true vicar of Christ upon earth, and to his legate, who is moved by true charity, so that so great ruin, so much bloodshed and the final destruction of the king and kingdom may be avoided, and so that they may have an honourable peace, unless they wish to be rebels against the commands of God and the Apostolic See. If they despise the authority of that see they are not true Christians.

Whatever else they disregard, let them attend to this one thing. Formerly when we were with those lords, and especially with the Earl of Warwick (for whose sincere intentions towards his Majesty and the welfare of the kingdom we chiefly came), although we were not then with his Majesty, though we always cherished the same sincere and loyal feelings towards him, God Almighty was with us. How much more then must they believe Him to be with us now, when we are with him in body and soul, and intent on his glory, welfare and honour, and wield greater authority, power and favour than we formerly enjoyed? He is not constrained against his free will, as some perverse persons falsely declare, but enjoys his full liberty, and access to him is open to all. This was not the case formerly, as we ourselves experienced, for we could neither approach him nor deliver our Apostolic letters to him, as is notorious. Accordingly they are to obey his Majesty and to believe us, who are labouring for peace and justice, according to the command of God and the order of the Apostolic See, as well as the express and free wish of his Majesty, who is grieved by wars, murder and rapine and all the other ills which arise therefrom. Therefore let them be devout, well-disposed and obedient, and they shall have an honest peace, which we offer according to the tenor of these presents of his Majesty’s free will; otherwise we see no ostensible remedy, and exceedingly fear their ruin and destruction. With the tears of our heart we beg them to try and avoid this, now that they have so honourable a way out, and let them believe that we love them and desire their well-being. As we have said before, we offer our person for the good of all without any advantage for ourselves, and because of the duty laid upon us, which we have discharged in a blameless manner up to this day, as you can testify, for you know our heart, as has been said. Therefore let them receive us in charity as we have received them; let them have charitable thoughts and recognise that we pursue none but a Christian advantage, and have suffered many things and have laboured and still labour solely for the welfare of the common people, having voluntarily exposed ourselves to so many dangers when we might have gone away and lived in peace outside the kingdom. But we have supported everything out of our great charity, the duty of our pastoral office and the reverence and honour we owe to Him who suffered for us and for all. If now they despise or neglect the peace offered by the instrumentality of His messenger, which they formerly defended as fair, then indeed they will richly deserve the judgment of God, who does not desire the death of the sinner, but that he shall be converted and live in unity.

After this offer, if they refuse to listen, we shall be discharged in the sight of God and man, and we shall not mind the slanders of those who accuse us, knowing what is written in the Gospel: Blessed are ye when men revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Farewell and pray for us.
London, the 9th January, 1461.
[Signed:] F. Eps. Interamnen. App. Sedis legatus.
[Latin.]

Postscript—Messer Lorenzo, tell those lords not to attach so little importance to my letters because they are of a different effect than has been supposed hitherto, but let them consider the dignity and authority of the Apostolic See, which has sent me here for the reasons we are discussing. If any are dissatisfied or ill-disposed, tell them to reflect that it is better to make peace after a victory than after a defeat, as the wise and prudent Romans did so, and not to account anything as done where there remains so much to do. Let them also consider how much they have to do before they have conquered, and with whom they have to do. Tell them in particular that his Majesty the king, from his experience of my Lord of Warwick and his followers, has determined to protect and defend them to the death, because he never had any more loyal. All the people are of the same mind, and they will soon see the proof of this. Therefore let them pay heed to what we write, as we offer them a peace to their honour and advantage. I assure you that the means are such that, could we but speak to them in safety, they would approve of them. They are not such as can be put in writing; if you come you shall see them. Enough for the present. I beg you to see that our letters are read and listened to, as you value your own wellbeing. We command this from the obedience that you owe to those to whom you are bound as legate.
[Italian.]
[Endorsed.] Venerabili viro fratri Laurentio de Florentia Sacre theologie Magistro, ordinis predicatorum dilectissimo nostro, et in ejus absentia Sacre Reginali Majestati et dominis assistentibus.

‘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

A note on the Translation of Coppino to Lorenzo

The same letter, with a different translation, appears in the archives of Venice. There are some subtle differences between the text above and that within the translation noted below, though the key points remain the same.

‘Venice: 1461-1470’, in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 1, 1202-1509, ed. Rawdon Brown (London, 1864), British History Online 

Featured Image

Detail of a miniature of the Chapter of the Garter, with a king and knights gathered around an altar surmounted by George and the Dragon, from Poems and Romances (the ‘Talbot Shrewsbury book’), France (Rouen), c. 1445, Royal 15 E. vi, f. 43. British Library.