On 24 July 1465 Henry VI was captured by Yorkists in the North West. From here he was taken to the Tower of London. As events in the North East of England saw the Lancastrian enclave increasingly at risk of being overcome, King Henry VI went into hiding. Finding the Lancastrian King was of importance to the Yorkists. With Henry free, he remained a risk if only as a figurehead. Following the fall of the Lancastrian castles and Yorkist victories at Hedgeley Moor and Hexham in 1464, steps to find the King stepped up. 

Henry VI in hiding

Henry VI had already moved from the North-East due to the dangers posed by the Yorkist successes. By the time of the Battle of Hexham, in May 1464, Henry was staying at Muncaster.  Evidence of his stay there, in the care of Sir John Pennington, can still be seen in the form of a drinking cup that he gifted upon his departure.

From Muncaster, he headed to Bolton-in-Bowland, staying with the Pudsay family. He soon moved to the nearby Waddington Hall. It was here that Henry was betrayed by ‘the black monk of Addington‘.

Betrayed, Escape Attempt, Capture

Local Yorkists had received the tipoff that Henry was hiding at the hall. On 24 July 1465, Sir James Tempest, Sir James Harrington and others burst in to seize the King.

Henry made an escape, dashing dawn a staircase as the intruders forced entry. He used stepping stones to cross the River Ribble and began to make his way up a path that leads to the moors. The local Yorkists were wise to his movements, though and knew where the trail led.

Henry was soon captured. He was then put on a horse, had his feet tied to the stirrups to prevent escape and began the slow journey to London.

Capture of King Henry VI, 1465

But now, following the course of our narrative, I think that the fact ought here to be inserted, that Henry, lately styled king of England, who, from the time of the arrival of the most illustrious prince, now king Edward, had, as we have already mentioned, taken refuge in Scotland or lurked in secret hiding-places in the bordering castles of England, was now taken prisoner. This happened in this present year, the same being the year of our Lord, 1465. Being captured in the northern parts, he was led by a strong body of men to the Tower of London, where king Edward ordered all possible humanity
to be shewn towards him, consistently with his safe custody; and, at the same time, gave directions that he should be supplied with all suitable necessaries, and treated with becoming respect.

In the meantime, at this period, many nobles and great men of the kingdom, as well as very many bishops and abbats, were accused before the king of treason; the ground being, that they had secretly solicited Margaret, the late queen, who was now living in the parts beyond sea, both by letters and with money, to return to the kingdom with a strong force, and had made her promises of their advice and assistance. Some of these persons were carried off by their deaths chancing to intervene, while others, through the payment of immense sums of money, were restored to the favour which they had formerly enjoyed.

From the Croyland (Crowland) Chronicle

Featured Image

The image is King Henry VI at Towton by William Dyce. A rather curious choice of portrayal by Dyce as Henry was not at Towton but had remained in York with Queen Margaret, Prince Edward and a number of his loyal lords. The image is chosen for this post simply because it makes me think of his attempted escape in July 1465.